A/N: This is the final chapter. Thank you so much to everyone who followed, favourited, read and reviewed. I really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy Danny and Mindy's HEA.
It had been a couple of weeks, but Danny still revelled at being able to walk freely. No crutches. No boot. No pain. No light duty. He was back in the field chasing down clues, solving crimes and catching bad guys. It felt good.
Making his way down the corridor outside the Chief Medical Examiner's office after concluding a consult with Max about a pending investigation, Danny went in search of Mindy. He wanted to see her before heading out to pick the kids up from school. Predictably, he found her in the morgue, the back of her white her lab coat visible as she slid a body into one of the refrigerator drawers. The sight of her sent a surge of happiness through him. Since Grace had asked to stay over he hadn't seen her in almost two days.
He stepped deeper into the room. "Hey."
"Hey. What are you doing here?" she asked, a broad smile on her face as she slipped off her latex gloves and threw them into the nearest waste bin. "I thought I'd only be seeing you later."
"I needed to talk to Max so I thought I'd pop on my way out," he replied, gathering her close.
"I'm glad you did," she whispered, leaning in for a kiss.
His lips clung to hers. "You busy?"
She shook her head, her cheeks a little flushed. "Just finished. I need to do my report, but that can wait." She grabbed his hand, steering him out of the clinical examination area and into her office.
"My mom called this morning," Danny revealed conversationally. "She wants your opinion on how to treat my dad's gout."
"What?"
Danny shrugged. "Exactly. It's like she heard doctor and now she assumes you are the authority on just about everything. I told her to leave you alone."
"You did not!"
"Of course I did."
She poked him in the arm. "That was horribly rude. I'll give her a call later."
He perched on the edge of her desk, drawing her between his parted thighs. "Do not let my mother manipulate you, okay? She knows how to get what she wants and I promise you, if you give her an inch, your name will be down as their resident GP before you know it."
"Stop being so dramatic," she rebuked, her lips twitching. "Clara knows I'm not a GP. And I don't mind giving her some advice if she asks."
"I just don't want her taking advantage of you."
"I can handle your mother," she said softly, her hands resting on his shoulders.
"Okay, but do not say that I didn't warn you."
She laughed. "Fine. Is there anything else I should know about?"
"Yeah," he said, his arms sliding around her waist. "I've missed you."
Her eyes softened and her hands moved to circle around his neck. "I've missed you too."
"You have no idea how I've been looking forward to spending the weekend together." Rachel was taking Charlie and Grace to see her parents. "I'm sorry that our time together is dictated solely by my availability."
She bowed into him, the faint trace of her perfumed soap teasing his nostrils. "It's okay."
He shook his head. "It's not. I don't want you to think that I'm unaware of how unpredictable my schedule can be or that I take your incredible patience for granted bec—"
She placed a finger over his lips, her eyes meeting his. "You don't have to explain. I understand."
"Which somehow makes me feel even worse," he sighed.
"Danny, I'm not just saying that. I do understand and it's okay, really."
He could see the sincerity in her eyes, hear the conviction in her voice. "How the heck did I get so lucky, huh?"
"I ask myself that every day," she teased and he laughed. "By the way, what are you doing next weekend?"
He thought. "Uh, nothing at the moment. Why?"
"Remember Lisa from Dolphin Quest?" He nodded, vaguely recalling Mindy's blonde friend. "She's getting married next weekend. Will you be free to accompany me to the wedding?"
"Should be fine, yeah."
Mindy beamed. "Great. She's actually marrying a guy I went to med school with, Dr Jones. Well, Jones for now, but soon to be Stuart."
He frowned. "He's changing his last name?"
"Yeah. Lisa is an only child of an only child. Ethan is one of four brothers. Because she doesn't want her family name to die with her, he's agreed to take hers."
Danny was impressed. "Ah. Doesn't that complicate things though? I mean, do doctors ever change their last names?"
"It's not common, but it does happen."
A thought flashed through his mind. "Would you, uh, change your last name if you married?"
Something flared in her eyes but she blinked it away. "I've never really thought about it. I mean if I ever have kids I'd like to have the same last name as them but at the same time, I'm known professionally as Shaw." Their eyes held. "Perhaps it's a conversation I'll have to have with the man I marry."
Danny swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "I see."
She bit her lip, her fingers fidgeting with the back of his collar. "Danny, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
The deep chocolatey depths of her gaze fastened on his. "Would you ever consider marrying again? Having kids? Having more kids, I mean."
Her question surprised him, but he could understand it. She was young, had never been married and had no children of her own. Logic dictated that it was something she'd want eventually. By asking him the question, she was essentially trying to determine whether they had the same vision for the future.
Danny chose his next words carefully because while he wanted to be honest with Mindy, he didn't want to hurt her feelings. "I'm open to it. It's, uh, it's not something I think I'm ready for just yet—"
"Of course not," she interrupted, her eyes wide. "Did you think I was vying for a proposal?"
"No. I just…I mean…" He wasn't sure how to articulate himself without causing offence.
She burst out laughing. "Danny, I love you, but I'm not ready to get married just yet. You can relax."
Relieved, he smiled, his arms tightening around her. "Look, I don't know what the future holds, but I can tell you one thing: the way I feel right now, at this very moment, tells me that there's going to come a time when we'll both be ready to move this relationship forward."
Her fingers curled into the hair at the nape of his neck, her touch sending delightful tingles dancing down his spine. "I'm glad to hear you say that."
"Oh, and, uh, I love you, too."
Her smile, vast and radiant, made his knees weak. When she tipped her head forward to kiss him, Danny tugged her flush against him, their mouths fusing together passionately. The kiss was deep and sensual, a groan emitting from his throat when she melted against him. Desire, hot and heavy, exploded between them, making him wish that they were anywhere other than her place of work.
With a moan of disappointment Mindy drew back, her breathing as heavy as his. "Detective Williams, you'd better leave before we get into trouble."
He grinned. "I like getting into trouble with you."
Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes shining. "Do not tempt me."
Unable to resist, he kissed her again, softly, slowly. Then he reluctantly set her away from him and stood. "I'll see you later."
Staring at the woman he loved, Danny realised that there were a lot of things in life that he was unsure about, but Mindy Shaw was not one of them. She loved him, she loved his kids and she wanted him just as he was. For a long time after his marriage had failed he'd wondered if he'd ever truly be happy again, if he'd messed up his chances forever when he'd signed the divorce papers that ended his first attempt at happily ever after. Then a couple of failed relationships had subconsciously reinforced his belief that his focus should be on his kids and not on the hope of finding love again.
But the he'd met Mindy and everything had changed. Something inside of him had clicked back into place when they'd found each other. Together, they made sense. He loved how the lighter parts of her personality perfectly complimented the darker sides of his - particularly the way in which her unending patience soothed his agitation, how her innate calm counterbalanced his frenzy, how her streak of whimsy compensated for his inherent pessimism. He'd never had that with anyone, not even Rachel. With Mindy he'd realised how much he'd craved that kind of connection with another human being and it was for that reason that he valued what they'd found together.
Walking out of the morgue, Danny found himself whistling an up tempo tune. He was happy and in love. The future seemed bright with possibilities and he was looking forward to every minute of it.
1 year later
"Is Mindy in today?" Steve asked as they exited his office and headed down the hall. They'd been called to a crime scene in a well-to-do suburb.
"Yeah, why?"
"Cause one of the techies just called with my lab results."
Danny shoved his hands into his pocket, stepping around a WET FLOORS sign. He'd dropped her off that morning because her car was in for a service, so he knew she was at the morgue. "Maybe she was busy with something else?"
Steve shrugged, unconcerned. "Probably. Anyway, I've been meaning to ask you when she's moving in?"
"What?" Danny asked distractedly, glancing at his partner.
"Mindy. When's she moving in? I mean, you guys have been together for a while and she spends all her time at your place these days."
He'd been thinking the same thing. "She can't move in."
"You don't want her to?"
"Of course I want her to. But I can't ask her to do that."
"Why the hell not?" his partner demanded as they exited the building.
"Seriously, what rock are you living under? I have two kids, remember? I can't ask my girlfriend to move in with me. What example would I be setting for my little girl?"
Steve snorted. "Firstly, Grace is not a little girl anymore. And secondly, welcome to the twenty-first century, Daniel. In case you haven't noticed, couples actually do live together without being married first." Danny remained silent and Steve's jaw dropped. "Unless…wait a minute. Do you wanna get married?"
Danny rubbed a hand across his temples, squinting into the mid-morning sunshine. "Well…" He paused and Steve did a double-take. "I don't know, okay? I mean, I've been thinking about it." A lot, he added silently.
Steve punched his shoulder. "When the hell were you planning on telling me?"
"Would you stop with the abuse already? Jeez. And there isn't anything to tell, at least not yet."
Steve's face split into a wide grin. "You wanna get married? You wanna get married?"
"Maybe," he replied, feeling self-conscious.
Steve hooted with laughter. "Congratulations!"
"What are you congratulating me for, huh? Which part of thinking about it do you not understand?"
"Please. If you're thinking about it, you've as good as made up your mind."
Which was true. If he was honest with himself, he'd been thinking about it for a long time. And even though his relationship with Mindy was nothing like his relationship with Rachel, he hadn't wanted to rush things. It wasn't that he was unsure about his feeling – in fact, he couldn't be more sure about how he felt - it was more a case of wanting to take things at a pace that was comfortable for both of them. But recently, what had started as a tiny seed in the back of his head had blossomed into something he literally couldn't stop thinking about.
"You, my friend, you are well and truly whipped."
Danny cocked his head to the side. "Whipped? Am I supposed to know what that means?"
"You know, whipped. As in tamed, domesticated, house-trained."
"Oh wonderful," he said sarcastically. "Thanks, Steve, really. I confide that I'm considering asking the woman I love to marry me and you respond by referring to me as a dog. Who needs enemies when I have a friend like you?"
"Well, that's not what I meant, alright? What's the matter with you?" Steve glanced at him. "Come to think of it, you've been on edge for days. You're happy, in love. You're not supposed to be this uptight."
"I'm not uptight, okay?"
"What's going on with you?" Steve demanded. "A second ago you had stars shooting out of your eyes."
"Nothing. Can't a guy just, I don't know, express himself however he wishes to?" he exclaimed, his hands waving in front of him.
"I know you, Danny. What's going on?"
"There's nothing—" He quit speaking when Steve quirked a brow at him. His stomach suddenly felt like a pound of lead had been dropped into it. "Fine." He hesitated, then said quietly, "I don't know if she'll say yes, alright? Are you happy now?"
Steve stopped mid-stride, staring at him as though he'd sprouted a second head. "Are you crazy? Is that why you're being such a grouch lately? Of course she'll say yes!"
"How can you know that? We've been dating for just over a year. The fact that I'm even considering this should be crazy."
"Does it feel crazy?"
"No."
"Well, then how does it feel?"
"It feels…right." He couldn't explain it. He just knew deep down into the marrow of his bones that she was the one. Perhaps he'd always known.
"Look, I've never been married and only came close once and you know how that turned out." They were standing on a grassy embankment overlooking the car park. "But if I met someone who made me feel the way Mindy obviously makes you feel, I don't think I'd hesitate. Maybe if I'd acted sooner with Catherine…"
"Hey, stop, okay?" Danny interjected sharply. "Do not go there, my friend. Do not question what you should or should not have done. You can't go back so beating yourself up about it won't make any difference."
"I know." Steve shook his head, as though to dispel unpleasant memories. "My point is that you should do whatever makes you happy. Mindy loves you. She'll marry you."
God, he hoped so. "Well, what makes you so sure?"
Steve hit his palm against his forehead. "What makes me— Are you for real? Have you seen the way she looks at you? Come on! Why are you even doubting yourself? You've got this!"
Danny exhaled loudly, the tense coil in the pit of his stomach finally unclenching. "Thanks. You know, sometimes you don't give half bad advice."
"Come on. I give excellent advice." They resumed walking, entering the car park. "So, when are you gonna do it?"
"Do what?"
"Ask her!" he replied impatiently.
Danny waved a hand. "I don't know. It's gotta be romantic and heartfelt, you know? She deserves that."
"Alright, I get it. You wanna make it memorable."
"Yeah."
Steve grinned broadly before punching him playfully in the arm. "You wanna get married?" Danny grinned back. "I'm happy for you, buddy."
Danny smirked. "I'm picking the tuxes."
Steve chuckled, unlocking the car. "Whatever you say."
Glancing out of the window of the glass enclosed bedroom, Mindy recognised Danny's car as it pulled up outside the sprawling mansion. The crime scene was particularly gruesome. The victim, a female in her mid-thirties, had been stabbed to death and left in a bloody pool on the floor at the foot of her bed. Having completed her preliminary examination, Mindy needed to bag the body and get it back to the morgue so she could process the rest of the evidence.
"Mindy, what are you doing here?" Danny asked, surprise evident in his tone. "I didn't know you were on this case."
She smiled by way of greeting and would ordinarily have kissed him, but refrained, aware of the amused looks they were receiving from the CSU team. Over the past year, their relationship had been the source of much amusement amongst their colleagues and while Mindy knew that no one meant any harm, she and Danny still found it easier to keep their personal and professional lives as separate as possible. That said, neither one of them were particularly fastidious about the rule and tended to play it by ear.
"I wasn't. But Max fell ill, so I offered to take it instead." She paused, noting that Steve was smiling from ear to ear. "Are you alright?"
He nodded, glancing from her to Danny and back again. "Yeah, I'm great."
"Okay, okay. Knock it off, Steve," Danny warned cryptically, before pointing at the body. "What have we got?"
Mindy automatically turned into work-mode, rattling off the demographic information of the victim.
"Any indication of when she died?" Steve asked, surveying the area.
"Based on liver temperature and lividity, I'd put TOD at around 6.30am. The housekeeper found the body when she arrived this morning."
"That must be the, uh, crying woman we passed in the hall," Danny remarked soberly, shoving his hands into his pockets.
Mindy nodded. "She's pretty shaken. But who wouldn't be if they stumbled across this?"
Steve's expression was grim. "Alright. Anything else?"
"Yes. There are old bruises all over her body, many of them in different stages of healing." She kneeled down and lifted the victim's pajama top to reveal the discoloured flesh on her abdomen. "She was abused, repeatedly. But she fought back. At least this time. I found some skin particulates under her fingernails, meaning that whoever did this to her, has some nasty scratches somewhere on their body."
"Clever girl," Danny murmured.
"I've taken samples and sent it ahead to the lab. It'll take a while to get the results, but if you find a suspect, at least we'll have some DNA evidence to use as a comparison."
"Guys," Chin called as he walked towards them, Abby at his side. "So, we talked to the housekeeper. Apparently our victim's husband was knocking her around. He's put her in hospital quite a few times."
"Where's the sonofabitch now?" Danny asked, menacingly. Mindy glanced at him. She could see he was angry. His stance was rigid, his eyes hard and focused. She removed her gloves and threw them into a nearby medical waste receptacle before stepping closer to him. She didn't say anything, merely placed a hand on his arm. She could feel the tension radiating off him.
"The housekeeper also said that an Aston Martin is missing from the garage," Abby reported, staring down at the tablet in her hand. "So I contacted the insurance company for access to the vehicle tracker and guess what? It's parked at the airport. He's booked a one-way ticket to Morocco."
"A country with no US extradition," Danny said.
Abby nodded. "Lou and Kono are en-route and HPD are already standing by. Flight leaves in three hours."
"Alright. Good work, everyone. Three hours means we've got some time." Steve turned, hands on hips. "Chin, call Kono and Lou and tell them to watch him but not to make any attempts to apprehend him until they absolutely have to. We don't want him alerted to the fact that we're on his tail. We cannot just assume that he's not dangerous. Danny and I are on our way."
"On it." Chin replied, reaching for his phone.
"Abby, let me check that tracker again," Steve requested, moving to stand beside her.
Mindy took the opportunity to talk to Danny. He was still staring at the body. "Are you okay?"
He glanced at her, his eyes filled with a strange intensity. "Yeah, uh—" He stopped, shaking his head. "Actually no, I'm not. Could I talk to you for a second?" He tugged on her hand, pulling her towards the door.
"Hey, Danny! Where you going?" Steve called.
"Gimme a few minutes, okay?" he replied, drawing her into the room across the hallway and closing the door behind them. It was a large dressing room with rails of expensive looking clothing and shelves filled from floor to ceiling with shoes.
"Danny, what's going on?" she asked, concerned.
"Okay, look, this is not how I wanted to do this—"
"Do what?" Her stomach was suddenly in knots.
"—but I was not expecting to feel this way when I entered the crime scene," he continued as though she hadn't spoken at all. "Moments ago we were standing over the body of someone, who for all intents and purposes, should not be dead, okay? The thing is, when I saw that woman lying there in a pool of her own blood, it reminded me that life is precious and far too short." His hands were gesturing as he spoke. "That woman, she's gone and-and so she has no time for regrets or missed opportunities or do-overs."
He touched her shoulders, his hands trailing up her neck to cradle her cheeks. He was staring at her with so much love, it made tears spring into her eyes. "What's going on?" she whispered, eyes wide, her heart beating so fast it almost hurt.
"I wanted to do this the right way, with flowers and candles and a beautiful dinner so it would be something worth remembering, because that's what you deserve. But then I got here and I realised that I don't wanna wait. Mindy," he said, softly, "I love you. I didn't expect to, but I couldn't help myself. You swept into my life and you just loved me...without ever asking for anything in return, without demanding that I make promises I wasn't ready to make. You accepted me. As I am."
She swallowed past the lump in her throat, not daring to breathe. "W-What are you saying?"
"It's not what I'm saying, but, uh, rather what I'm asking." He wavered, his eyes searching hers. "Will you marry me?"
Mindy gasped, her hands reaching up to encircle his wrists, her nails digging into his skin.
There was a loud knock on the door and they both jumped. "Danny, we need to—"
"Wait!" they yelled simultaneously at his partner, their eyes glued to one another's.
"Hurry up," came Steve's muffled voice through the door.
"Dammit, I have to go," Danny muttered. "But you, uh, you haven't given me an answer."
She felt overwhelmed, shaky, emotional. "Are you sure? I mean I don't want you to do something impulsive—"
"Hey," he whispered, his beautiful blue eyes clear and bright. "Do you think I would ask you something this important on a whim?"
She knew he wouldn't. "No."
"So?" he asked expectantly, the air around them fairly crackling with tension.
Marriage to the man who made her happier than she'd ever been? Who seemed to understand her needs and wants without her ever having to articulate them? A man who she could talk to about anything and everything, safe in the knowledge that she'd never be judged or criticised? A man who was dependable and respectable and made her feel safe and loved and cherished?
There was absolutely no decision to make.
"Yes," she croaked, launching herself at him. "Yes, I will marry you."
Danny sagged against her in relief, wrapping his arms around her in a bear hug. "Yeah?"
"Yes," she whispered, kissing him through a haze of tears.
"Danny!" Steve called again.
Tearing his lips from hers, he yelled, "I'm coming! God!"
Mindy laughed, so happy she could burst. "Go!"
He kissed her again. "I'm sorry, I don't even have a ring. I was going to plan this properly—"
She shook her head. "It's not important. We can talk later. Go catch that murderer."
"Okay," he breathed, reluctantly stepping away. "I'll call you."
She nodded, grinning like an idiot. "Be careful."
He opened the door and walked out backwards, their eyes connected the whole time. "I will. I love you."
Laughing when he knocked into one of the officers in the hallway, she waved him goodbye, shaking her head in wonder. Danny had proposed. At a crime scene. What should have been really weird, had just turned into the most romantic moment of her life.
Another 18 months later
"Seriously, you're calling her again?" Steve asked, incredulously.
"What? You have a problem with me calling my wife, huh?"
Steve's gaze flitted between the road and Danny's phone. "Well, three times in a row, yes. A bit excessive wouldn't you say? Even for you."
"Even for me?" Danny repeated, offended. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you're paranoid and if I were Mindy, I wouldn't be answering either."
Danny ignored him and dialled Mindy's number again. For the fourth time the call went straight to voicemail. "Mindy, babe, it's Danny. Please call me as soon as you get this message and the three others I left before this, okay? Uh, I love you. Alright, bye."
"Why are you so desperate to get hold of her?"
Danny was frowning at his phone. "Because she always calls me back."
"Maybe she's on another call? Or in the bathroom? Or, I don't know…sleeping."
Danny shook his head. "No, okay. She always calls me back. Look, drive me home."
"What?"
"You heard me. Drive me home," Danny repeated, his mind focused on his wife.
He and Mindy had been married for over a year and honestly, every minute of it had been the best time of his life. Their relationship was so solid, so rooted in trust and respect and love that he knew without a doubt that they were unshakable. The wedding had been a small affair, just their close family and friends. Having been married before, Danny hadn't wanted a big deal, but would have gladly sacrificed his own feelings on the matter if Mindy had wanted to make a splash. Thankfully, she'd suggested something intimate and low-key. Even now, he could still remember how he'd felt when he'd watched her walk towards him, that feeling of starting something new and exciting, something he'd known into the depths of his soul would last forever. When Steve had asked him once how he'd known, he'd been unable to answer. It hadn't been anything tangible. It hadn't been a clear moment, or a sign of any kind, or even something she'd said or done. He'd just known. He'd felt it.
"Alright, fine," Steve said, making a U-turn. "But allow me the opportunity to say, 'I told you so' when this turns out to be nothing more than your over-active imagination."
"Just shut-up and drive, okay?"
Steve's teasing demeanour faded at the urgency in Danny's tone. "Hey, she's okay. Don't worry."
Guilty, he turned towards his friend. "Sorry for snapping at you."
Steve's lips curled upward. "It's okay. I take it as a sign of affection."
Danny merely nodded, remaining silent on the drive to the home he now shared with Mindy. Pulling up outside, he was out of the car in seconds, leaving Steve to catch up.
"Mindy!" he called, hurrying inside. "Mindy!"
"Danny?" Sweet relief coursed through his veins when she poked her head out of the kitchen. "What are you doing here?"
Danny made a beeline for her, closing his eyes briefly when his hands locked on her shoulders. "Are you alright?"
She looked bewildered. "Of course I'm alright. Why would you think I wasn't?"
He frowned. "Why would I think—?" he repeated, his voice rising. "Babe, when I call my wife who's nine months pregnant four times and she doesn't answer, can you begin to imagine what I'm thinking?"
Her eyes widened. "But my phone didn't ring. It's right here," she said, turning towards the charger in the wall socket – which had not been plugged in. "Shoot. I'm sorry. I must have gotten distracted."
Danny's eyes roamed over her frame, clad in leggings and a sweater that stretched across her protruding belly. Pregnancy suited her and she glowed, more beautiful than ever. She must have sensed his lingering anxiety because she stepped closer, her hands sweeping across his jaw before leaning in to give him a soft kiss. "I'm sorry," she whispered against his lips. She kissed him again. "I didn't mean to make you worry."
Danny felt his resistance crumbling. Even as he shook his head, his hands pulled her closer until her belly bumped up against him. "Don't do that, okay? It won't work."
"Do what?" she asked innocently, kissing his cheek, then the corner of his mouth.
He tried to remember what he'd been saying, but it was getting harder to concentrate. "You're deliberately trying to distract me."
She kept kissing him, little feather-light caresses that were melting him from the inside out. "Is it working?" she teased.
It was. It always did. And she knew it. He gathered her close, his nose bumping against hers.
"I'm okay," she continued, softly. Then grasping his hands, she placed them on her rounded belly. She held her hand over his for a heartbeat and then he felt it – a hard kick. "We're both okay."
His worry and unease started to dissipate. Closing his eyes briefly, he relaxed, his hands smoothing over her abdomen. Her loved her pregnant body, loved looking at her and touching her. It had been such a long time since he'd had any experience in the field. Grace was almost sixteen and he hadn't really been around Rachel much when she'd carried Charlie – for obvious reasons. But this time felt new, different. Maybe it was because it was Mindy and every experience with her felt that way.
"Any idea when this kid will be making his or her entrance?" Danny asked, affectionately patting her bump. Apart from early bouts of fatigue and nausea, it had been relatively smooth sailing for her. But he knew the last month or two had started taking its toll. She was uncomfortable and tired and as anxious as he was to meet their child.
She smiled, looking down at his hands. "Today, I hope."
His eyes bulged. "What?"
"Now don't panic," she warned, tightening her hold on his hands. "I've only had some mild contractions—"
"Only mild contractions?!" he yelled. Jesus. The baby was coming. He could feel his temperature rising.
Completely calm in the face of his near-meltdown, she shook her head. "They're minor, Danny. My water hasn't even broken yet. I was just making sure that everything was in my bag before calling you."
He grabbed her hand. "Then let's go."
"But my things," she protested.
"Steve!" he barked. His friend poked his head through the front door and smiled at Mindy. "Can you please get her bags? We're going to the hospital."
Steve's stared, agog. "You're in labour?"
Mindy rolled her eyes. "Early days. But yes, I think so."
"Where's everything?" he asked, springing into motion.
"The nursery," Danny replied, steering his wife towards the front door.
"Can I at least put on a pair of shoes?" she asked, grinding to a halt.
Danny glared at her. "You have twenty seconds."
Mindy sighed and waddled in the direction of their bedroom while he waited anxiously at the door. When he heard her yelp, he sprinted after her. "What is it?"
She was looking down at the puddle around her bare feet. "My water just broke."
He cursed. "Steve! Start the car!"
"There's no need to rush," she assured him. "It's likely to be a while yet."
He tried not to panic. He faced dangerous criminals with guns with less fear than he felt at that moment. "I have to call your mother. And my mother. And Grace. And the hospital. We have to let them know—"
Mindy grabbed his face between her hands. "Breathe," she ordered. He inhaled on command, his heart beating wildly in his chest. "Everything's going to be fine. Women give birth every four seconds and luckily for us, the hospital is only a short drive away. There's plenty of time."
As her words washed over him, he felt his heartbeat slowing, his fear subsiding. Instinctively his hands reached for her belly and her eyes misted with tears. For the first time he realised that she might be feeling a little anxious too. And he really wasn't helping.
He pulled himself together. "Our baby's coming. We're gonna do this."
She smiled tremulously and nodded.
Danny helped her change quickly before bundling her into the car and heading to the hospital. And he was glad that he did. It wasn't long thereafter that her labour started in earnest, their baby well on its way. Danny stayed with her the whole time, rubbing her back gently while reminding her to breathe between words of praise and encouragement. Six agonising hours later, Danny and Mindy welcomed their new son into the world. Weighing in at just shy of nine pounds, he was perfect…and Danny was in love.
Opening her eyes, Mindy's first sight was of her husband standing in the middle of her hospital room, cradling their son in his arms. But more than that, it was the look on his face, one of wonder, of complete and utter adoration that made her eyes grow moist. The past year and half had been filled with all manner of blessings, but this new addition to their family was by far the greatest.
She felt exhausted, but in the best possible way. Her labour had been intense, but thankfully uncomplicated.
"Everything okay over there?" she asked, slowly moving into a sitting position.
Danny glanced up and beamed. "We're just, uh, getting to know each other." He stopped at her bedside and smoothed a hand over her hair. "How are you feeling?"
She pressed a kiss into his palm. "I'm fine. Can I hold him, please?"
"Scoot up."
She shifted slightly and Danny sat down beside her. Gently, he eased their baby into her arms. Holding the little bundle swaddled tightly in a light blue blanket, Mindy leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his downy head. He was so beautiful and she could hardly believe that he was theirs. A wave of unadulterated love and joy swept through her as she looked at the life they'd created together.
"He's perfect," she whispered. Blinking at them with heavy lids, their son's cherubic face as yet gave no indication as to which of his parents he'd eventually resemble. Though it was easy to see that he'd inherited the tuft of dark hair on his head from his mother, and his eyes, as blue as the Hawaiian ocean, from his father.
"Yeah, he is." Her husband placed the tip of his finger into the baby's hand and smiled when he grasped it tightly. For a moment they sat in silence, both absorbing the wonder of their mutual contentment. "So, what are we gonna to call him?"
Since they hadn't wanted to know the sex of the baby, they'd discussed names for both boys and girls but hadn't reached a consensus on either. Though she hadn't mentioned it to Danny, there was one name she thought would be particularly appropriate. "Actually, I have one that I think you'll like."
Danny glanced down at her. "We are not naming our kid Ezra."
"What's wrong with Ezra?" she asked, amused. "It's a beautiful name."
"Ezra Williams? No. That does not sound right, okay?"
Mindy laughed softly. "I wasn't serious about that suggestion."
"Good. Because that was never happening anyway." She rolled her eyes. "What's the name?" he asked, watching the baby.
"I was thinking about…Matthew. After your brother."
Danny went completely still, his eyes lifting to meet hers. She could see the raw emotion in them, the sheen of tears completely destroying her determination not to cry. Right after they'd returned from their first trip to Jersey, Danny had told her the truth about what had happened to Matt and what he'd done as a consequence of his brother's murder. Her heart had broken for him because she knew how deeply his brother's death had affected him and how much he had risked by telling her the truth. If anything, his admission had only made her love him more.
"What do you think?"
He paused, looking a little overwhelmed. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely," she replied, tracing the line of his jaw affectionately.
He captured her hand, kissing her fingers. "Thank you. And not just for the name, but for agreeing to share your life with me and my kids. This past year….it's been the happiest of my life and that's all because of you."
She leaned into him. "You don't have to thank me. I consider myself to be the lucky one."
He kissed her softly, tenderly. Then they turned back to look at their son.
"Matthew Williams it is." When Mindy glanced at him askew, he asked, "What? What's that look?"
She pursed her lips. "Well, I think Matthew Steven Williams sounds better."
Danny's mouth dropped open. "You're not serious."
"Why not? You know you want to," she said knowingly.
He shook his head. "Absolutely not. We are not naming our kid after that maniac."
Mindy tried hard not to laugh. "That maniac also happens to be your best friend. Who you love and admire very much. And who makes sure that you come home safely to me every night."
Danny sighed loudly. "Fine. You have a point."
She smiled indulgently. "Come on. Be honest. It's got a nice ring to it."
"I guess it kinda does."
"So we're agreed?"
"What about Gregory? Don't you want to use your Dad's name?"
"We can use it next time," she deflected.
"Next time?" Danny exclaimed, his eyebrows shooting upwards. "You've just given birth and you're already talking about next time? Christ Mindy."
She grinned, knowing Danny would agree to give her a soccer team if it would make her happy. Incidentally, that wasn't what she was hoping for. But one more in another year or so would balance their current family of five rather nicely. "Don't change the subject. Are we agreed on our son's name?"
He looked at her, his eyes soft as butter. "Thank you. This means the world to me."
"I know." They shared another kiss. "Now go call Steve so you can tell him the good news."
Just then there was a knock at the door and the object of their discussion poked his head inside. "Are Mr and Dr Williams taking visitors?"
Danny glanced at her, a gleam of pride in his eyes. She'd been Dr Williams for more than a year now but she still got a little thrill whenever she heard it. "We most certainly are. Come on in."
Steve pushed the door wide and much to Mindy's delight Grace and Charlie rushed in behind him. Danny's kids from his first marriage were a big part of their lives and Mindy adored them.
Steve hugged and kissed her. "Congratulations. He's beautiful. Although, I still think you should have picked me."
Mindy laughed at Steve's wink. "Thank you, but I'm happy with my choice."
"Hey, get away from my wife, you knucklehead. Get your own wife and stop trying to steal mine."
Steve moved aside and congratulated his best friend, the two men exchanging exuberant hugs and back slaps.
Beside her, Grace moved closer. "Are you okay, Aunt Mindy?"
She squeezed the girl's hand. "I'm fine, thank you."
Curious, her step-daughter leaned forward and examined the baby's features. "He's so tiny," she whispered in awe.
"He'll grow really fast, you'll see. Would you like to hold him?" Mindy asked, pleased when the teenager nodded eagerly. Depositing the baby into his sister's arms, she sat back and watched them. Charlie had come to stand on her side of the bed, staring in wide-eyed fascination. "Would you like to hold him, too?"
The golden-haired boy swallowed nervously. "Can I?"
"Of course," Mindy assured him, running a hand over the back of his head.
"Come on up here, buddy," Danny instructed, lifting the child so that he sat at the end of the bed. While Danny placed the baby into his eldest son's arms, Kono, Lou, Chin and Abby entered, laden with flowers, balloons and well wishes.
"I think he looks like you, Danny," Chin observed, peering over Charlie's shoulder at the newborn.
"Mindy, are you sure he's the father?" Lou teased. "This kid's way too cute."
"Ha ha. Very funny," Danny retorted and everyone laughed.
"He's gorgeous, guys. Congratulations," Abby said, watching as Charlie handed the baby to Kono.
The attractive detective swayed gently as she held the precious bundle. "Have you guys named him yet?"
When Danny's eyes locked on hers, she quirked a brow. He cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah, we have. His name is, uh, Matthew Steven."
The room went silent as everyone turned towards Steve. He'd gone stock-still, his eyes wide with surprise. He straightened, his gaze darting between Danny, Mindy and the baby. "Steven?" he repeated, his voice trembling slightly.
Danny smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. My wife thought it was important to honour one of the most important people in our lives." He touched his friends shoulder. "And uh, so did I."
Steve grabbed Danny and hugged him tightly. "Thanks, buddy. It's a huge honour."
Seeing the Danny and Steve together, Mindy knew they'd made the right choice. Steve was more than just a friend to them, he was family. All the members of Five-O were.
"Knock knock."
Mindy glanced around to see her mother and sister entering the room with Max and Jerry hot on their heels. Another wave of hugs and kisses followed pleas to hold the baby. Smiling to herself, she watched the people in her life as they laughed and joked with one another. She could hardly believe there was so much love and happiness in one room. Except for her in-laws, who were already en-route to meet their new grandson, everyone she cared most about in the world was right beside her. She honestly couldn't wish for anything more.
Across the room her eyes met Danny's and her heart swelled at the love and devotion she could clearly see blazing back at her. She'd found her match when she'd found Danny Williams and she knew she was the luckiest woman alive.
THE END