A/N: Thank you all who reviewed the last chapter. I am known to be DLiciously evil ;). Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, and happy new year! Here is the next installment. There will be at least one more chapter. Kudos to Rhylee, Stacon, and Megs for helping me with the names of Lindsay's mother and father (sorry girls, I forgot to credit you last chapter). The name of Danny and Lindsay's child is credited to Brian Jacques, author of the Redwall book series.

All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 7 - A Christmas Eve Miracle

An icy claw gripped Danny's heart, threatening to squeeze out its very life. His brain attempted to wrap itself around Mac's words. "Is she okay? Is the baby injured?"

Mac's solemn voice nearly crushed his spirit. "Lindsay has gone into unconsciousness. They've taken her to Lennox Hill Hospital; she needs a Cesarean section to save the baby. I'll take you over."

Danny was visibly shaken but remained silent. He automatically grabbed his coat and was led out by Mac. His face apathetic, Danny's body moved in slow-motion despite the urgency of the situation. He spoke no words as they climbed into the Avalanche – the standard vehicle for all the CSI's – and Mac turned on the engine. Flicking on the sirens, the older man started to drive.

As they made their way through the crowded streets, Danny's mind sorted through past recollections, like a historian would do while searching in a book for a piece of ancient information. Eventually his long-term memory rested on one particular moment, and it unfolded in his mind's eye.

FLASHBACK

Danny had never been so scared in all his life. There was that one time when his brother Louie had nearly been killed by Sonny Sassone and his boys, but he had been more angry than scared. He had already lost Aiden; he was not about to lose someone else he loved.

He approached Lindsay, who was busy strapping on the bulletproof vest. Unable to control his shaking hands and tone, he instead focused on her eyes. Mixed in with the chocolate hue were silver flecks of determination. "What do you think you're doing?"

She looked up at him briefly. "Danny I'll be fine."

He mentally and verbally pleaded with her. "No, we have undercovers who can do this. It's not our job."

Zipping up her jacket, the tough woman refused to listen. "Well it is now. We're out of time. You heard what she said; if we don't get in there in four minutes her friend dies."

Danny's eyes didn't even follow her as she walked away; instead he stared straight ahead, terrified. His mind screamed at him to chase after her, to stop her from being a foolish hero. His body, however, was literally frozen in place. His legs, powerful as they were, had turned to jelly. Lindsay was practically walking straight to her death.

He was the first out of the van. Throwing down his headset, he bolted out from the back doors. He had heard the bag with the hidden explosive drop, and as he ran up to the apartment, fear clutched his heart. Images of Lindsay passed through his mind's eye and the thought of her possibly being injured or worse made him reach the apartment even faster.

Flack and Stella burst through the door, screaming and brandishing their guns. Danny ignored them and immediately searched the chaotic room. Smoke from the device had quickly risen, clogging his nostrils and making sight a difficult task.

He called out her name. Once, twice, before she finally answered. "Danny!"

There. In the midst of the melee, he heard her frightened voice. Spotting her hunched over, he instantly came to her aid. He swiftly cast his eyes over her. No injuries that he could see.

Clamping his hands over hers, they stared at each other before Danny pulled her in. "You alright?"

"Yeah."

He wrapped his left arm around her neck and shoulders, holding her to his chest. He glanced upwards and muttered a silent "thank you" to the heavens. Pulling her back slightly to get another good look at her, he pushed the hair away from her face. She stared at him, hands grasping his vest tightly. Neither spoke, and he took her in his arms again, grateful beyond any words or emotions that she – his Montana – was safe.

END FLASHBACK

Bursting through the hospital doors, Danny ran up to the front counter. Luckily, no one was waiting. "Please, I need to see my girlfriend."

The nurse behind the window smiled calmly. "You can if you tell me her name."

Danny's voice was like a leaky faucet, overflowing with panic and urgency. "Lindsay Monroe. Is she alright? How's the baby?"

The nurse looked through the papers scattered around her desk. "Miss Monroe came in here only a few minutes ago. She has regained consciousness and is preparing for a Cesarean section. She's on the third floor in the Maternity Ward."

Mac had been right behind Danny upon their entrance, but now he was left alone as the young man bounded for the stairs. Poking her head out from behind the counter, the nurse watched him quickly vanish. "There goes a man on a mission."

The elder nodded sadly. "What a tragic thing to happen to two innocent people, especially on Christmas Eve. I hope she and the baby will be alright."

Reaching across, the kind nurse patted Mac's hand gently and smiled. "This is a wonderful time of year, sir. The season is filled with miracles."

Still slightly weary and recalling only vague details about the shooting, Lindsay felt herself being wheeled away by several doctors. She slowly glanced down at her left hand and noticed a tube running into one of her veins. Instinctively she called out, "Danny?"

One of the doctors peered down at her. "Is that your boyfriend or husband?"

"Boyfriend." Lindsay managed to gasp out. "He's the father. I…I need to see him."

As if he had heard her, Danny came skidding along the hall. He was partially out of breath when he suddenly appeared at her right side. "Lindsay! Baby, are you okay?"

The doctor who had spoken to the young woman smiled. "Ah. You must be the boyfriend and father of the child."

He looked at him urgently. "Will they be alright?"

"Yes, as long as we get her into surgery immediately. You are welcome to come and watch."

Lindsay felt better now that Danny was there. Taking his larger mitt in hers, she squeezed weakly and smiled. "You came."

Bending down, he kissed her forehead. "I told you I would never leave."

The procedure began quickly and efficiently. Lindsay's belly was frozen and a sheet placed in front of her face to block her view of the operation. Beside her stood Danny, who was grasping her hand and offering words of encouragement. Luckily she was due to give birth in only a week, so the fetus was already fully developed. This was not the way Danny and Lindsay had planned to see their child for the first time, but they had learned long ago that things almost never went the way they were expected to. Pregnancy was a mystifying adventure, one full of surprises at every turn.

"Listen," Danny was now bent down so Lindsay could look at him levelly. "Whatever happens here, I want you to know that I love you so much. You're my entire life."

She smiled weakly. "Don't say stuff like that; you know everything will be alright. By the way, I love you too."

He chastely kissed her lips. Reaching up, she placed an open palm on his cheek, their noses almost touching. "Tell me when you can see the baby."

Danny stood up and peered over the sheet that obscured their view of the operation. "They're openin' your belly now. Good thing you can't feel anythin'."

Lindsay let out a small chuckle. "I don't want to feel anything except you beside me and our baby in my arms."

The two fell silent then, allowing the doctors to work. Once again at her level, Danny continued to whisper verbal support to Lindsay, their hands and forehead still pressed together.

Several minutes later, they were smiling about something when one of the doctors poked his head out from behind the sheet. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but your baby is about to be born."

Rearing up again, Danny peeked around the sheet. Lindsay tugged his hand urgently. "Is she – or he – okay?"

Tears of joy spilled from Danny's eyes as he looked back at her. "If you mean she has ten fingers and ten toes, then yes."

An ear-splitting scream suddenly filled the room, and Lindsay stared at Danny. "She?"

Danny disappeared for a second before reappearing, holding a small female baby. The infant was crying madly, but neither he nor Lindsay even heard it. All they saw was their daughter.

His blue eyes twinkled mischievously. "Merry Christmas Montana. Would you like to see your gift?"

Lindsay was at a loss for words. "Danny…it's our baby…"

Bending his knees, Danny brought the still crying infant to her level. As her eyes fell upon her daughter, Lindsay's spirit became overwhelmed with happiness. Both had waited so long for this moment, and now their child had finally arrived. She was more beautiful than Lindsay could ever possibly imagine. She lifted her arm and very gently touched the infant's cheek. "Don't cry little one, your mommy and daddy are here. We've waited a long time to see you. You're safe now."

Pressing his palm to the window, Danny stared through the glass at his daughter, lying comfortably amongst the other newborns in the Prenatal Ward, her current location for the time being. For now she was still Baby Girl Monroe-Messer. He knew the child would be beautiful, but even then he was taken aback. It was natural instinct for a parent to think their son was handsome or daughter gorgeous, and Danny was no exception. He watched her sleep peacefully, miniature arms and legs kicking out every now and then and small chest rising and falling with each breath. How he so dearly wanted to hold her, to sweep her up in his arms and protect her from the outside world.

"Lindsay is doing fine. She's resting right now." The foreign voice made him turn his head, but he relaxed when he recognized the person approaching. Andy Monroe clapped him lightly on the back, an encouraging smile on his tough yet gentle features. "Joy is there with her, but when you're ready to go up we'll leave you two alone."

Gratitude replaced blood in the younger man's veins. "Mac told me what you did in the café, tryin' to save Lindsay. Thank you."

Andy simply nodded in reply. The two focused on the little infant, separated by only a pane of glass. "I nearly broke my second vow," Danny's voice was barely above a whisper. "First I failed at protectin' Ruben Sandoval, an' now I nearly lost Lindsay an' the baby after promisin' to protect them. I'm askin' myself the same question I did when we started this journey: how can I protect my child if I couldn't even protect Ruben? How can I protect anyone?"

Though he had difficulty hearing Danny's voice, Andy could detect his frustration. Sighing, he kept his eyes on his granddaughter as he spoke. "You can't live your life thinking you can protect them from everything. No matter how hard you try, you can never fully protect the ones you love. All you can do is have faith that they'll be okay. Y'know, Lindsay has told me a lot about you. When we talked on the phone or e-mailed each other, all she spoke of was you. I hardly heard anything about her job or how she was enjoying the city. She loves you, Danny. She loves you so much. I've never seen her as happy as she is when she's with you. I know what you two have been through over the years, and now you finally have a chance at happiness. That child there, she doesn't know how lucky she is to be the daughter of not only a dedicated cop, but a wonderful man. I know you'll make a good father."

Danny was touched by the kind words, and he struggled to find his own. "I…I don't know what to say to that."

Andy placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to say anything. You've taken good care of my daughter, and now all I ask is that you do the same to my granddaughter."

Danny fell silent then. His companion, however, knew something was bothering him. "What troubles you?"

The younger man appeared nervous, hands fidgeting and rocking slightly back and forth on his heels. What he was about to say he had thought long and hard over. "Sir, I wish to spend the rest of my life with your daughter. I love her with all my heart, an' now we have the greatest gift: a child. With your permission, I would like to ask Lindsay for her hand in marriage."

Andy's eyes immediately welled up, and he extended his hand to Danny. "It would give me great honour to call you my son-in-law."

Danny accepted his outstretched hand, but before he could shake it the elder pulled him into a hug. Clapping each other on the back, the two men smiled through their tears.

Lindsay studied her surroundings curiously. She was situated in a park somewhere in the city, sitting comfortably on a bench whilst young children played all around her, their joyous shouts and cries filling the winter air. Crisp snow blanketed the ground, and magnificent trees ran along the park's edge. Dabs of the white stuff coated the branches and twigs, so beautiful that the image seemed straight out of a painting. The young woman was at peace and content to sit there for a long while. With a smile she watched the children climb on the equipment and race each other around the perimeter. One particular child caught her attention, and she watched him intently. He was of about eight or nine years old – she could not pinpoint his exact age – and was a rather handsome fellow. His short black hair bounced up and down as he ran across the playground equipment, a bright smile on his young face. Reaching the slide, he sat down and, placing his hands a little behind his body, pushed off. She followed him with her eyes as he slid down before reaching the bottom. As he stood up and dusted himself off, Lindsay caught a glimpse of his face. Though she had only seen him once, she recognized him in an instant.

Ruben Sandoval.

The boy looked at her and smiled. Striding over, he sat down beside her on the bench, looking up at her. "Why are you here?"

Lindsay was taken aback by the strange question. "I...I don't understand."

Ruben pointed to where the rest of the children were playing. "You should be with Danny and your baby. You don't have to be here for a long time."

Her eyes followed to where he was indicating, and a gasp emitted from her throat. Standing in the middle of the park was Danny, looking at her, holding a tiny bundle wrapped in a blanket. Danny had a beautiful smile on his lips, and Lindsay was immediately drawn to him and whomever he was holding.

Standing up, Ruben offered her his hand. "I'll take you to him. He looks happy to see you."

Lindsay accepted the boy's gesture, and he led her to where Danny was standing. As they approached him, Lindsay could see that the bundle's face was obscured by the blanket. She stopped not five feet from him, peering into his brilliant irises. "Danny."

"Hey Montana. I think someone wants to say hello."

Her heart nearly ceased beating as the realization struck her like a bolt: Danny was holding their child. Automatically holding her hands out, she prepared to take the infant in her arms.

"Awake!"

The sudden voice made her jump slightly, and she glanced down at Ruben. "What?"

This time it was Danny who spoke the single word. "Awake!"

Lindsay's brain registered that something or someone was touching her hand. She could feel their skin against hers, their thumb gently rubbing over her knuckles. The sensation felt oddly familiar. She slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing they fell upon was a half-asleep Danny, sitting in the chair but lying on the bed. One hand was underneath his cheek as a makeshift pillow, the other was what Lindsay had just felt.

His name escaped her lips. "Danny…"

Two eyelids snapped open, and he sat up slightly to look at her. "Lindsay?"

"Our baby…"

Her voice was still very weak, and Danny gently urged her to not overexert. "She's okay. They have her down in the Prenatal Ward, but she'll be here soon."

Lindsay released a hoarse cough. Leaning in, Danny kissed her lips and pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm so glad you're okay. God, if somethin' had happened to you or the baby…"

Although she was exhausted, she still managed to give him a smile and return kiss. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

Still leaning his forehead against hers, he whispered softly, "You're her mother. Of course she's beautiful."

They remained in that position for several moments before Lindsay realized that Danny was shedding tears. She had hardly ever seen him cry before, and the sight tugged at her heartstrings. "Danny, what's wrong? I'm okay, and so is the baby. Everything is fine."

Ignoring the twin rivulets that streamed down his cheeks, he carefully wrapped one arm around her back and the other just underneath her breasts, as her stomach was still tender from the operation. Lacing his fingers together, he nuzzled her affectionately. "I nearly lost you today for the third time. Not only that, I almost lost my child. The two things I love the most in this world were nearly taken away from me. If you both had died, I don't know if I would have been able to continue. To be honest, I probably would have taken my own life to be with you two."

Lindsay's own eyes were now watery, and she placed her hands over his. "Well, we're both fine, so you can stop with the suicidal thoughts."

They chuckled simultaneously. As he had always done, Danny kissed the tip of her nose. "Some angels up there must like us. Thank God you two are safe."

A rap at the door suddenly disturbed them from their peaceful moment. A slim nurse stood just inside the frame, holding something close to her chest. "Mr. Messer, Miss Monroe, would you like to see your daughter?"

Lindsay sniffed and wiped away a few stray tears as the nurse approached the bed, handing the fragile bundle to her before leaving to give the new parents some quiet time with their arrival. She very gently pulled back the blanket that was covering the sleeping infant's face. "Danny, it's our daughter."

Still in his position on the bed, Danny leaned in and examined her chubby features. "She's got your cute button nose. Wish she wasn't sleeping so she could see us."

As if on cue, the child's eyelids slowly opened, and a yawn escaped her throat. Danny and Lindsay found themselves staring into a pair of sterling blue eyes, much like those of the former. The infant's simple beauty made for another serene moment, and they watched her in silence. Danny kissed her soft head and rubbed her cheek with the side of his index finger. He then moved to her hand and, as he had envisioned many times in his dreams, immediately found his finger enveloped by a tiny hand.

He chuckled lightly. "It's nice to meet you too. Why don't you meet your mommy?"

It was as if the baby understood his words, for her eyes shifted to Lindsay's beaming face. "Hi little one," she whispered. "I'm your mommy."

Danny watched the scene unfold before him. Here he was with his girlfriend and new daughter. He had almost lost them both; he was not about to lose them permanently. In those few seconds he made the decision to ask her, and although he didn't have a necessary object for the occasion, he still felt it was the right time.

"I don't have a ring, but…will you marry me?"

She looked at him, but before she could question his motives he explained. "All my life I never expected to be a father, much less be in a relationship. But with you, I've found myself. Lindsay, we've created this beautiful being you're holdin'. I love you an' her so much. Look at how far we've come, at everythin' we've endured. Yet we're still here. An' now we have a child, a gorgeous daughter to prove to everyone that we've made it. I would be honoured to call you my wife."

The young woman was in tears at his sentiment, but she didn't have to think about her answer for a second. "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you!"

They shared a loving kiss, the infant still in Lindsay's arms. She cooed happily, and the two broke apart to peer down at her. Chuckling, Lindsay passed her to Danny, remarking, "I liked that name you told me a few nights ago. You do the honours."

Danny had been waiting for this moment for seemingly years. Looking down at the child resting peacefully in his arms, his heart swelled with pride. Finally, after many hardships and successes, they were here. They were now parents. The journey had only just begun, but Danny was already enjoying the ride. He was holding his daughter.

Outside, snowflakes fell deep and soft upon the city, blanketing the streets with a dusty white coat. Hardly a soul could be seen, as everyone was indoors preparing for the next morning. Inside Lennox Hill Hospital, on the third floor, proud grandparents entered a room, hugging and kissing their daughter and future son-in-law and meeting their new grandchild.

As Andy and Joy surrounded the bed, Danny presented to them the innocent life who had been born on one of the most beloved days of the year. Kissing her forehead, he stared into her sparkling eyes and spoke her name for all to hear. "Rosabel Monroe-Messer."