Flack was walking down the hallway when he spotted Mrs. Messer and Bella getting off the elevator. Upon seeing Flack, Bella took off towards him.
"Daddy." Bella screamed as she leapt into his arms.
"Hi there cutie." Flack said kissing her forehead. He leaned over and kissed Mrs. Messer, who had now caught up with Bella, on the cheek. He could see the sadness in her eyes. "Thanks for bringing her."
"Daddy, where's mommy?" Bella asked as he led them to the waiting room where Stella, Peyton and Sheldon were still sitting.
"Well sweetie, mommy got hurt at work today." Flack said as he sat down putting Bella on his lap.
"Does she have a booboo?" Bella asked innocently.
"Yes she does."
"Is it a booboo like daddy had?" Flack had not expected that. She had only been four when Danny was shot and he wasn't even sure she remembered it.
"Yes, baby it is like daddy's booboo."
"Is she going to heaven too?" Bella asked with tears in her eyes.
"I don't know sweetie."
"When I have a booboo mommy kisses it to make it better. If I kiss mommy's booboo will she get better?" Flack could feel his own tears starting to form again. Flack looked around the room and noticed that there was not a dry eye in the house. Even Sheldon's eyes were beginning to glisten.
"I hope so baby. I hope so."
Four days later…
Flack was sitting in the chair next to Lindsay's bed when the nurse came in for her morning rounds. Flack had not left the hospital for more than an hour since Lindsay had been shot. Mac had been there pretty much around the clock as well, only leaving when Peyton forced him too. It had been fours days and although Lindsay was getting stronger she was still in a coma. The doctors were pleased with her progress and had even taken her off of the ventilator. Her doctor said that all they could do now was sit and wait. If and when Lindsay would wake up was anyone's guess.
It still broke Flack's heart to see Lindsay lying in the bed so small and frail, but he was thankful that she had made it this far. Flack was still lost in his thoughts when Mac walked in. Although she was still in the ICU, the hospital had made an exception to the one visitor rule seeing that she was a detective.
"How is she doing today?" Mac asked.
"They took the ventilator out this morning, which is good. The doctor said that she is getting stronger every day."
"That is good news. Any idea when she might wake up?"
"No, they said that it could be today or it could be…" Flack did not need to finish, Mac knew what the rest of the statement was. She might never wake up.
"Well we just need to stay positive. I mean they didn't think she would make it this far, right? Lindsay is a fighter."
The two men sat there in silence, content in watching the woman they loved. One watched as a concerned father and the other as a devoted and loving boyfriend. After a few hours, Mac left for work. He knew that Lindsay would not want them both sitting there doing nothing when there was work to be done. He knew that she would be pissed when she found out how much time both Mac and Flack had already taken off just to sit with her at the hospital.
Flack sat there for a couple more hours listening to the constant beeping of the heart monitor. Suddenly something caught his eye. Something that made his heart stop. He jumped up and grabbed Lindsay's hand.
"Lindsay, baby can you hear me? Can you squeeze my hand?" Flack suddenly felt Lindsay's tiny hand wrap around his. Tears threatened to pour from his eyes, except his time it was tears of joy. "Baby open your eyes. Come on sweetheart I know that you can do it." Her hand still gripped his but eyes did not open. "Damn it Montana open your eyes!"
Lindsay slowly began to open her eyes and Flack let out a huge sigh of relief. Her eyes never looked so beautiful.
"Don?" Lindsay asked slightly confused. Looking around she immediately recognized the fact that she was in the hospital.
"Yes, baby, I am here. You don't know how happy I am to hear you voice." A single tear rolled down his cheek.
"Since when did you start calling me Montana?" Lindsay asked with confusion in her voice.
"Since it got your stubborn ass to wake up." Flack smiled. Lindsay began to laugh but soon realized that it was not a good idea as the pain radiated through her body.
"What happened?" Lindsay asked once the pain subsided.
"You were shot twice. Once in the arm and once in the chest. The doctors were not sure you were going to make it."
"How long have I been out?"
"The longest four days of my life." Flack smiled. "I thought that I lost you Linds. I have never been more scared in my whole life. I love you so much." Flack took his thumb and wiped away the tear that was running down her cheek.
"I love you too. How is Bella?" Lindsay asked suddenly returning to mom mode.
"She is fine. She has been staying with Danny's mom. She will be very happy to hear you are awake. I don't know what was worse having to tell her you were hurt or seeing her face when she saw you lying here."
"They let you bring her in here?
"It is amazing what you can get done when you flash your badge. Not to mention Mac can be very persuasive." Flack laughed.
"He didn't yell at anyone did he?"
"Peyton kept him calm. Although I think he did make one of the nurses cry when she said that you could not have any flowers until you were out of the ICU." Lindsay scanned the room and noticed a rather large bouquet of roses sitting in the corner.
"I guess he won that argument." Lindsay smiled her eyes suddenly very heavy.
"Why don't you get some rest? I need to call Mac and let him know that you are awake. Plus I need to see how that bullet proof body suit is coming along." Flack smiled.
"Funny." Lindsay said as she eyes began to close. Before Flack every left the room Lindsay was asleep.
Flack walked out to the hallway and leaned against the wall. Then the emotion of everything that had happened in the last couple days hit him like a ton of bricks. He slid down the wall with tears streaming down his face.