You can all thank Rachel for practically coaching me through this entire chapter. I'm so out of writing practice... my muse was so stubborn and I just couldn't write no matter how hard I tried. Rachel got it out of me though. :) Thanks Beef-ef. 3


I'll be by your side,
Wherever you fall,
In the dead of night,
Whenever you call,
And please don't fight,
These hands that are holding you,
And my hands are holding you...

-By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North;


The bathroom door shut with the softest of clicks as Danny Messer padded barefoot across the bedroom he shared with his girlfriend. Austin was buried under a mess of sheets and comforters, one foot sticking out in the cool November air and he couldn't resist the urge to tickle it as he walked by. She jerked her foot back with haste as she curled up tighter under the linens. The towel around his hips loosened slightly as he bent over her, the cold of his dog tags hitting her collar bone as he rubbed his wet hair against her neck, "Wake up Sleeping Beauty."

"B'zz 'ff, D'nny." Austin grumbled and swatted at his face. They had fallen asleep late last night after attending Lindsay Monroe's lab invasion thanksgiving (Austin had helped her by staying out of the way and not touching anything that could get burnt).

Danny chuckled, his breath tickling her skin as she pulled her shoulders up to protect her and he pressed a line of kisses a long her jaw, "Wake up or you'll miss my mom's bread coming out of the oven."

"I'm too tired for the dirty joke that's in there." Austin mumbled, stealing a kiss as she forced herself to wake up, "Minty fresh."

"You have stale turkey morning breath."

"Get out of my way, Jerkface," She shoved him as she threw the covers back, "you're blocking my access to a steaming hot shower."

"Don't forget to brush," He called after her as he fell into the warm crevice she had left behind and she tossed him the bird over her shoulder, "Such a lady."

She was sitting on the edge of the pool table in her newest pair of Converse, non-holey jeans, and a deep blue sweater as her curly brown hair air dried. She swung her feet impatiently as she hummed one of her favorite ACDC songs, "Daniel! I'm getting old out here!"

"Give me a break, you old hag, this tie is giving me a hissy fit that rivals yours." Danny emerged from the bedroom in his nicest khakis and a button down, his light blue tie all in shambles.

"C'mere," Austin crooked her finger at him, sliding the tie from around his neck and putting it around herself, "You're utterly hopeless."

"The curse of men," He shot her a crooked grin while watching her tie the blue silk in a loose knot, sliding it over her head and placing it on him, tightening it to the point of almost choking him, "That's fine, I'm only partial to air."

With that, she tightened the tie slightly tighter and smirked at him, "I believe you said something about your mother's perfect homemade bread."

"Yeah," Danny nodded, "we've got to get going or she'll read us the riot act about stopping to make her grandbabies."

"If we don't practice, how will we ever get it right?" Austin chuckled as Danny wheeled the motorcycle out of the apartment and she grabbed their helmets.

The streets of Brooklyn were alive with people pushing and crowding trying to beat the others to the best Black Friday deals. Austin was suddenly grateful for Grace Messer's decision to move the family dinner to the following day since Danny had to work the night prior – it had given Austin an out for shopping with Sam Flack and her gaggle of high pitched Yonkers friend. She enjoyed shopping as much as every other New Yorker – if she couldn't find it in the Bodega, she simply didn't need it.

Danny's old Harley had made it easy to weave in and out of traffic. Austin spent the ride to their old neighborhood in the Bronx with her head buried in the crook of his neck and nails digging into the leather of his jacket. Before she could really blink, they were parking in front of the old Messer house just two down the street from her personal nightmare.

She smiled up at the simple two story house that was nearly identical to every other one on the block. The old Oak still led up to Danny's childhood bedroom, the fence was still rusting away, and their hand prints were still in the cement of the driveway from way back in 1987. Swinging one leg off the bike, her smile grew when the screen door slapped open and Grace Messer stepped out in her apron with a dishtowel in her hands, "You're late."

"We were rehearsing, Ma." Danny shot Austin a wink as the crossed the lawn and were practically toppled over with hugs.

"Rehearsing what?" Grace asked and Austin couldn't bite back the giggle, "And you, when you gonna give me grandchildren?"

"When that boy of yours puts a ring on my finger!" Austin countered, her accent coming back just as thick as it had ever been, "He does that and we'll give you a whole slew of grandchildren."

"Oh, Child," Grace rolled her eyes and ushered them into the warm house, "I'll be in my grave before the two of you settle down and get married."

"Hush your mouth, Mommy." Danny kissed his mother's cheek, "You're gonna live to you're ninety."

"And you won't marry that girl until I'm ninety-one."

"Grace," Louis Messer Senior stepped in from the garage, his oldest son following him, "leave the children alone. They'll get married when they're good, ready, and we're dead."

"Dad," Danny chuckled and was nearly lifted off his feet by the sixty year old man, "good to see you."

"You too, Son," Lou chuckled and patted his son on the back, "now move so I can get to the pretty lady."

"Hi, Pop." Austin kissed his cheek and was lifted clean off the floor in a bone crushing hug.

"Hi, Pop," Lou mocked, "we haven't seen hide nor hair of you for near a year and the best you can do is 'Hi Pop'?"

"Blame that boy of yours," She smiled hard, feeling inundated with love and warmth that she had missed for far too long, "He's been keeping me all locked up in the city like I'm his Princess or something."

"Make some room," Louie grunted at his father and brother until they let him over to Austin, "Hey Pretty Girl, I've missed you."

"Hey Louie!" She hugged him and her face felt like it would crack from smiling so hard. She pulled back and cupped his face in her hand, "Boy, you need a haircut. You look like some Johnny Depp wannabe."

"Shut your dirty rotten mouth, Lady." He yanked playfully on her hair.

Her hand dipped into his pocket and pulled out his pack of Marlboros, "These things will kill you, ya know?"

"Only the good die young," He shrugged and took them back, "be horrible and live forever."

"I'll take that advice to the grave."

The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York" poured from the surround sound speakers in the living room, everyone was sipping warm cider from coffee mugs, Grace was cooking, Lou and Louie were in the garage and Austin stood looking at the pictures lined on the mantle. There were a multitude of her for people who weren't her biological family; her graduation picture sat next to the boys, a picture of her and Danny working on the bike next to that. She was tracing her finger over a picture of her and Danny covered in mud after a particularly rainy day in April of 1990 when two arms encompassed her from behind and the man of her entire life whispered in her ear, "I know a sweet make out spot."

"Oh really," She fought to keep a straight face as he lead her up the stairs to his childhood bedroom.

The room hadn't changed much in the years since he left home; his Aerosmith poster still hung on the door, dust covered his baseball trophies that still sat on his desk and a Batman comforter still covered the twin bed in the corner. There was still a spot between his desk and bed where she had hid many nights, folding into herself when the world was too much. Tiny, moth ball littered baseball shirts were still tucked away in the drawer that used to belong to clothes that fit her.

"You okay?" Danny asked, his hand trailing up and down her arm as she pulled the cuffs of her sweater over her hands and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Yeah," She sat down on the bed and looked up at him, "I guess that being back here just brings back a lot of memories I'd rather forget. If I came back more it probably wouldn't be this bad."

"If you want to leave," Danny knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his and slowly unfolding her from herself before her muscles could tense up, "they'll understand."

"It's fine, Babe," She forced a smile, "I'll be fine. Plus, there were a few good memories in this room."

"Most of them involving the two of us being horny teenagers." He smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "I love you, Austin Grace Hawthorne."

"I love you too, Danny."

They had wrapped themselves up in the Batman bedspread, Austin between Danny's legs leaning back against his chest as they worked their way through the milk carton of old comic books. They were half-way through Spiderman and Austin was half-asleep on his chest as he played with her hair when Grace called up the stairs, "Stop rehearsin' and get your butts down here for dinner!"

Austin laughed and climbed off the bed, "That woman thinks we do nothing besides suck face and practice makin' babies, don't she?"

"She's old, Austin, let her have her dreams." Danny chuckled as he followed her down the stairs to where everything was set out on the dining table.

The blessing was quickly said by Louie who received a cuff on the back of his head for his first prayer of "Food's good, God's good, Amen." The second take was deemed acceptable and the family sat down to eat. Austin was stuffing her face with Grace's homemade bread when Louie decided it was story time, "Hey, you guys remember that one time we snuck down to the quarry in the middle of the night and went skinny dippin'."

"I was really tryin' to get your naked ass out of my head," She shot back while the older adults shook their heads, "it practically glowed in the moonlight."

"Can we not talk about my brother's naked butt at the dinner table?" Danny sighed and flung a stray pea at Louie, "I mean, really, I don't wanna hear my girl talkin' 'bout it."

"Jealous, Baby?" Austin asked, "We could always talk about the time you streaked across the baseball diamond because you wanted to be as cool as the footballers."

"Shut up, Graceless."

"Hey," Louie piped in, "why is there no naked Austin stories?"

"Because I'm smarter than you two knuckleheads," Austin grinned, "I don't strip in public."

"Now," Grace sat down her fork and decided it was time to add her two cents, "I know for a fact that ain't true, Little Girl."

"Crap." Austin muttered beneath her breath and busied herself with her turkey.

"You forgot your mama and I are friends," Grace chuckled and leaned back in her seat, "If I remember how Kate told it, you were no more than three and had gotten your first pair of Converse for your birthday... ran out in the middle of this very street all stark naked in nothin' but your sneakers chasin' that brother of yours 'cause he stole the only green bow you got on your presents."

"I am going to kill my mother." Austin mumbled as her cheeks turned deep red and the boys snorted with laughter, "You laugh now, but I'm sure Mama Messer would just love to hear all 'bout you goons and that one night at the docks."

Danny almost choked on his water and Louie sobered, "I'm just glad she can't ground us no more."

"I can still whoop your butt from here until kingdom come, Louis Jeffrey Messer." Grace said with a very pointed look at her older soon, certain that he was the one who had lead her baby boy into the life of sin that happened down at the docks.

Dinner had ended and they had adjourned to the living room to play a few hands of cards. When Austin's hand had turned rotten, she folded and excused herself to the porch. She stood outside in the bitter evening winds and let it clear her head. Her hands wrapped around the porch rail and she leaned out to see her mother's car pull into her former home. With a deep breath and a prayer that her father wasn't home, she took off jogging down the block as her mother's car door opened, "Mama! Mama!"

"Austin," Katherine Hawthorne looked identical to her daughter with just a touch of gray in her hair and a few more laugh lines around her eyes, "Baby, what are you doing here?"

"Danny and I were having dinner with the Messers," She wrapped her mother in a hug and breathed in the deep scent of the smell that belonged purely to Katherine, "I saw your car pulled in and I was hoping Daddy wouldn't be home so I could see you for a few minutes."

"He's at AA." Katherine informed her daughter, hurt that she would come to see the Messer's but not her own family, but understanding it as well, "He's really trying to change, Austin... for you."

"I don't want to fight, Ma," She pulled away and emotionally shut off to the situation, "I just wanted to see you... tell you happy holidays."

Danny stood on the porch looking at the shadows of Austin and Katherine Hawthorne down the street. He heard the door shut and he turned around to find his mother joining him. He extended an arm to her and she tucked in beside him looking down the street as well, "That girl is as tough as nails."

"With a heart the size of Texas," Danny mumbled worriedly, "I hope this doesn't shake her too much. She's come a real long way as of late."

"She has," Grace agreed and turned to look at her son, "You have too."

"I don't know what you're talking about, you crazy woman." He smiled as his eyes didn't leave Austin's shadow.

"I'm old, not blind, Daniel." Grace patted his hand and smiled up at him, "The two of you, I always knew you were meant for each other. From the moment you came runnin' in proclaiming she was the coolest girl in the entire world. She loves you as much as I've ever loved your Daddy and then some, I believe and you love her just as much. You've just had to grow up, I've been waiting for you to grow up. I see you two together now and it's different. You don't look at her like the girl down the street you make out with once and awhile, you look at her like she's the most important thing in your life. And she is, Danny, she needs to know it. She needs to be cherished and loved above all else for the rest of your life."

"She is, Mommy," Danny whispered, feeling like talking would ruin the moment, "She's everything."

"Then," Grace pulled a velvet box from her pocket, "when the time comes, you let her know that as your everything, she deserves to have your last name and you by her side for better or worse for the rest of your lives and for eternity ever after too."

"Ma," He opened the box, "that's Great-Grandma's... you sure?"

"More than I have ever been about anything in my entire life, Danny. Marry that girl."

"I will."

"Your brother wants you to call him." Katherine breathed, "I know you're mad and you have every right to be, Austin. You have every right to hate us all and I don't blame you. But, Baby, we're all trying here."

"I don't care!" Austin growled, "He hurt us, Mama. He beat me and he hit you and he did it for ten years. It's too late to take any of it back and I hate him. And if Andy wants to talk to me then he can grow a pair and call me himself."

"Austin Grace-"

"-No," Austin wiped at tears that she hadn't given permission to fall, "I love you, Mama. Happy Holidays. I've gotta go."

Her lips were numb, tears were freezing on her cheek as she stalked back to the Messer house. Wishing that she was still thirteen years old, that she could climb up the old tree and bury herself in Danny's bed and not come out for a week. He was standing on the porch waiting for her with open arms and she fell into him the moment she reached him, "Can we go home, please? I need it to be just you and me. I can't take anyone else tonight."

"I'll get the helmets," Danny whispered and kissed her soundly on the lips in the most comforting way he could muster before pulling away, "You drive."

"Thank you." She whispered and wiped at her tears. When he returned with the helmets, she secured hers on her head immediately and rushed to the motorcycle. Her foot slammed down on the kickstarter so hard she was fairly certain she bruised the sole of her foot through the rubber of her shoe.

Danny clung tightly to her as she sped through the streets, across the bridges, and back to their home. He felt her heart racing through the leather of her jacket and he could feel the way her breathing was ragged as she held back tears that needed to fall. She wouldn't fall apart until they got upstairs and she had ranted and raved thoroughly about how her family had messed with her mind yet again. He could feel her tense like a wild animal, wanting to ride the bike into the sunset that would never end and not stop until they ran out of gas. He was tempted to let her but he wasn't sure she'd let him hang on.

Parking in front of the building, she breathed slowly and clenched the handle bars, "I love you. I'm home. I'm with you. He can't touch me."

"That's right," He wrapped his arms around her, "I've got you. I love you. You're safe."

I've got you. I love you. You're safe. That would be their mantra for the evening. She'd tear everything she could get her hands on to bits and pieces until she fell to the ground in a pile of sobs. He'd pick her up and repeat the words over and over again because truer words would never be spoken. The ring was burning a hole in his pocket, but he knew with his wild animal that he had to make sure the timing was perfect or she'd tear him to pieces too. When the time was right, he'd give her the ring and make those words stone, I've got you, I love you, you're safe.