Uptown Girl

Chapter Six: Where Do We Go From Here?

A/N: This chapter has been a long time coming. The problem was the first draft I had written myself into a corner and couldn't figure out how to get out of it. So instead of letting that stop me, I took an industrial size sledgehammer and pounded out the corner and kept going. Hopefully it will be well worth the wait. I would also have a rant for the previous episode but words are not enough to describe what I am feeling right now about the whole situation. In light of the recent episodes everyone, myself included, have played Danny's past as a playboy. Where on earth did we come up with that? He had the girlfriend "Cindy" in season 2 that was talked about but never seen. Where did we come up with the idea that Danny was the biggest play boy in the lab? Just a thought that has been bugging me for weeks. So without anymore setbacks and corners I bring the long awaited chapter six of Uptown Girl.

Lindsay woke up unsure of where she was. The air was different, louder somehow. The bed was uncomfortable and the blanket covering her scratchy. She blinked twice letting her surroundings come into focus. A Metallica poster hung crookedly on the wall and a guitar lay in the corner. Then all the night before's doings came flooding back. Everything from the fight with her father, playing with Amy and crying herself to sleep in Danny's arms.

She sat up, trying to figure out how she got in Danny's bed. She decided that Danny put her there after she fell asleep. She sat up wondering how much trouble Danny was in for letting her stay there the night before. She knew that was stupid because Mama liked her more than she did Danny anyway. She got out of bed and went to the duffle bag she had packed and took out her bath stuff, a change of clothes and wandered down the hall to the lone bathroom. She was out qiuckly because she didn't want to take too much hot water.

She dried her hair and got dressed. She reappeared and straightened up her things in Danny's room. She knew he would kick her butt if she cleaned it up anymore but she still made his bed. She looked at the clock on his bedside table and noticed it was getting late. She still had to get to school. She realized then that she had left all of her school stuff at her father's. Lindsay pulled her phone out and called Adam.

"You've reached Adam Ross," Adam answered.

"Adam, I need you to go to my dad's and get my bookbag," Lindsay said. "Just call up to Mrs. Baxter and she'll leave it in the foyer."

"Can't you come get it?" Adam whined. "I'm already almost to school."

"Adam I'm still at Danny's. There is no way I can get to my house and to school on time. Please Adam. Just put this on the 'Lindsay Owes Me Big' list I know you have."

"And it's getting longer by the second," Adam grumbled. "I'll see you at school."

"Thank you Adam. Wicked or Rent tickets?"

"You trying to buy me Monroe?"

"Is it working?"

"Both Wicked and Rent and throw in an opera and we'll be good."

"Deal," Lindsay sighed. She hung up her phone and wandered into the main area of the apartment. She could hear Danny and his mother talking quietly.

"What are you going to do?" Mama asked. "She can't stay here. It's not safe."

"I can't let her go back there, Ma," Danny argued. "I can't worry that it's going to get worse."

"Does she have anywhere else she can go?"

"She has Adam and she has us. Ma, I don't know what to do here."

"Neither do I."

Lindsay walked fully into the kitchen, not letting the conversation bother her. She knew they were talking about her and her home situation. There was nothing either could do about it. All she could do was hope that he would go away again and leave her alone. Danny and his mother stopped talking and looked up at her. Danny smiled, getting up from the table and going to her.

"Did you sleep well?" Danny asked.

"I guess so. I should get going. I have to get to school."

"I'll walk you to the train," Danny said. "You can leave your other stuff here. You'll be back later."

Somehow Danny knew Lindsay had heard part of the discussion he had with his mom. The pair walked down the stairs of the building and stepped out into the cool crisp Novemeber air. They were both very quiet, each not wanting to say a word. Lindsay kept staring at the leather gloves on her hands. She finally had to say something.

"It's not up to you to save me. You know that, don't you Danny?"

"I can't help it," Danny said, taking her hand. "I love you."

"You have someone so much more important to worry about. Someone who doesn't know how to take care of herself yet."

"Lindsay, you and Amy are the only women, besides Ma, that I care about and worry about. I hate it when Aiden leaves Amy with a sitter when she knows I'd be more than happy to take her. I hate when you take the bus here. I could have killed you the day you came in a gypsy cab. Lindsay, believe me, I would do anything for you."

Lindsay looked up at Danny. After everything that had happened in the last two days she was weary and tired. She had just run away from home, found out her boyfriend had a baby with another girl and had no idea where she was going to go next. It was in that instant that she realized what she could do.

"I'm going to move out of my dad's place," Lindsay announced. "I am going to get away from him once and for all."

"I'll help. Where in the city do you want to go?" Danny asked.

"Close to you but anywhere will be fine. I have a large amount of money saved and hidden from my dad so putting money down on a place won't be an issue."

"I'll give my pop a call and see what he knows."

"But you hate dealing with your dad. You have always said going to him with an issue would always escalate into something bigger than what you wanted in the first place. Danny I don't want you to be indebted to your father because of me."

"You are more than worth it, Lindsay," Danny said, taking her hand. "How much you got stashed from your Pops?"

"Twenty maybe thrity grand," Lindsay said.

Danny stopped in his tracks. He had no idea she had that much. He was thinking at least two maybe three grand tops. He looked over at his girlfriend in complete shock. He never met a sixteen year old with that much money unless they were working for the mob.

"Where the hell did you come up with so much money?" Danny gasped.

"Let's just say that I for all my father's bad qualities he does give a nice allowance."

"You amaze me more and more everyday. With that kind of cash I think we can get you a nice place."

Danny put Lindsay on the train to her side of town and watched as it pulled out of the station. He had tols her that he would call her the second he heard anything from his dad about a place for her. He waited on the platform for the next train to take him into the Bronx so he could go to his dad's place. He wasn't looking forward to asking his father for a favor knowing that it would come with major strings. The last time he came to his mobbed up father was when Sonny and his boys shot up the apartment two months ago, almost killing his mother.

Danny walked up to an old warehouse and landed his thumb on the buzzer. A thick Italian accent came over the intercom by Danny's head.

"Whaddya want?"

"I'm here to see Antone Messer," Danny said.

"Mr. Messer isn't seeing anyone today. Come back tomorrow."

"Tell him it's his son Danny. I need to talk to him."

The voice went silent on the other end. The door buzzed and Danny walked inside. He was met by his father's second in command his "uncle" Luca. Luca smacked Danny on the back in greeting. "So who shot up your Mama's place this time looking for that no good brother of yours?"

"I need an apartment for my girlfriend Lindsay," Danny responded, cutting through Uncle Luca's bullshit. "Tell me Pops has a location on the Upper East Side with good sercurity and a reasonable price."

"What did you do knock up another girl?" Luca teased.

"It's none of your damn business. Just let me talk to Pops," Danny snapped.

Luca and Danny walked through the warehouse to the back. Luca knocked on an office door before opening and showing Danny inside. Antone Messer was a large, very Italian man. He was not one to be taken lightly. He was the true essence of the words "Your signature or your brains will be all over this contract."

"So my son wants a favor," Antone said from behind his chair. "But it can't be my son Dante. He wants nothing to do with me. So it must be Louie." The chair spun around and Danny and his father were now face to face. "What can I do for you son?"

"For starters call your goon squad off of Ma. She doesn't need or want your protection," Danny said. "She's a grown woman. She can take of herself. What I really need is an apartment for my girlfriend Lindsay. She's got an asshole for a father. He hits her and treats her like crap. I just want her to get away from him."

"And where would you like this apartment? In your neighborhood or in hers?" Antone asked, opening a desk drawer.

"You got something in the middle?" Danny asked.

"Let me make a few calls and we'll go from there. How much cash she got?"

"20 maybe 30 grand," Danny answered.

"I tell you what, boy. You make deliveries for me for a month, I will make sure your girl has got a safe, secure and a place with a decent view."

"What kind of deliveries?" Danny questioned.

"Nothing illegal and nothing dangerous. Just a few unmarked packages here and there."

Danny knew that agreeing to anything with his father would be like making a deal with the devil. But he wanted Lindsay to be safe and away from her father. This was their only option at the moment.

"Deal," Danny said, holding out his hand to his father.

The to Messer men shook hands and then Antone picked up the phone and started making some calls. Danny sat in his father's office waiting for almost an hour before something came up.

"Well thank your boss for me. We appreciate your business," Antone said before hanging up the phone. "116th and Riverside. The Fayette Building number 18F. Tell your girl to ask for Mike and he'll get her squared away. If she has any problems have her-" he stopped short when he saw the dark look in his son's eyes. "If you have any problems, call me and I'll take care of it."

"Thanks Pop. We'll be in touch."

Danny took the slip of paper his father had given him and left the warehouse. Meanwhile, over at Lindsay's school, she was jittery and down right distracted. It took Adam three tries to get her attention when he met her outside of the school to give her the things she asked for eariler. During lunch, after several attempts to get her attention, Adam finally snapped his fingers in front of her face.

"Where are you Lindsay?" Adam asked. "You've been inside your own head all day. If not that you're staring at your phone or checking it every fifteen seconds. What's going on?"

"Danny's getting me an apartment so I can get away from my dad," Lindsay said. "I'm just waiting for his call. Nothing to be worried about. He'll call. He's going to call right?"

Adam put his arm around his best friend. Danny had become like his other best friend in the time that he and Lindsay had been dating. Adam wanted this to work out for them in the worst way. Don, from a pillar watched as the two friends shared a hug. He hadn't heard anything otherwise so he figured she was still hung up on that Brooklyn punk. Lindsay left Adam to go to the soda machines in the cafe. Don took his moment.

"Hey Linds," Don said, leaning up against the machine. "My family got tickets to 'Beauty and the Beast' this Saturday. I know how much you like the theatre, I was wondering if you would like to come with us?"

"Flack, I'm still with Danny," Lindsay said, turning from him. "Besides, 'Beauty and the Beast'? If had been 'Madam Butterfly', you may have had a shot. But, no."

She strode away not caring that Flack was giving her the dirtiest looks imaginable. She didn't care. The very moment she got back to the table she and Adam shared, her phone started buzzing. She looked down and saw Danny's name flashing on the caller ID. With a smile on her face she answered.

"Who has the best guy in the world looking out for her?" Danny teased.

"Let me guess...Mrs. Bob Hope?" Lindsay teased back.

"Where do you come up these things? No, I got you a place. 116th and Riverside. The Fayette Building. The 18th floor and it's got a great view. I'm standing outside you're school right now if you want to go take a look and sign a few papers."

"I'll be right there!" Lindsay squealed and ran out of the cafe before Adam even realized what was happening. Adam got outside just as Lindsay sailed into Danny's arms.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're the best boyfriend in the entire world?" Lindsay asked as she hugged Danny tightly.

"Just now. One more thing, rent free. The super is a client of Pop's and owes Pop a favor and this is it. All you'll have to pay for is electric, which I'm sure Pop can get a deal on for you. Other than some furniture you're all set."

"If you had asked me four months ago if I liked organized crime I would have said no. But today, I'm buying the first 'I Heart the Mafia' tshirt I can find!" Lindsay teased.

The three friends left the school and wandered into the first furniture store they came across and helped Lindsay begin her new life.

A/N2: I apologize profusely for the delay in posting this. So much has come up in my life that has kept me from writing. Anyway I hope you like this chapter. Also, check out the CSI:NY Fanfiction Awards thread. I currently am nominated in a few categories. Best Author, Best CSI's with a Family and Best A/U. I could use some support!