DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except my computer!

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"Oh, good morning Danny," Kate said, surprised to see her daughter's boyfriend coming down the stairs so early.

"Good morning," Danny replied, yawning. "Lindsay's still sleeping, but I just thought I'd come down and see if you needed any help with anything. My Nona always used to start Thanksgiving dinner at like seven in the morning."

"Well your Nona and I have that in common," Kate said, smiling. "Since you offered, wanna grab that peeler and start peeling those potatoes?"

"I'd love to," Danny replied, grabbing the bag of potatoes and the peeler. "Should I do it in the sink?"

"Yep, that's just fine," Kate, replied. "I'm just making pie crusts and doing some basting. This will give us a chance to chat!" Danny laughed nervously, but soon all anxiety was lost as Kate began telling stories of Lindsay as a little girl.

"She was always so full of energy - she wanted so badly to be included with her older brothers, but to them she was the baby, and she hated that. She doesn't take lightly to being told she can't do something," Kate said, and Danny chuckled.

"I know. It's actually very endearing," he agreed, causing Kate to smile.

"So, you and Lindsay have been together for awhile now," Kate stated, to which Danny nodded. "So when the hell are you going to make it official and give me some more grandchildren?" she asked, grinning.

"I uh, well, we -uh, we haven't - " Danny stuttered, and Kate laughed.

"Don't worry Danny. I'm just teasing. Although more grandchildren would be nice. Look, Danny. It's obvious my little girl is crazy about you. It's equally as obvious that you're as crazy about her. As long as she's happy, I'm happy."

"Ya know the same goes for me. Long as she's happy, I am too," Danny responded earnestly. "And, to be truthful with ya, Lindsay and I have never talked 'bout the future, but I think about it all the time. She is my future - well, I'd like her to be. She makes her own choices, but I'm hopin' she'll chose to be mine."

"Oh I'm pretty sure she will, Danny. She hasn't brought a guy home since high school. Tom McDougal. Nice boy, turned out to be gay," she said, smiling. "Obviously not meant for each other like you two seem to be. Listen, Danny. I don't want to be too presumptuous here, but I'd like to give you something," she said, wiping her hands on her apron. "Give me a second," she said before leaving. Danny kept peeling potatoes, wondering what on earth Kate was going to come back with. He didn't have to wonder long, she was back in a minute, holding a small black box.

"Danny, I know that you and Lindsay haven't really talked about the future or getting married and having kids or any of that, but having you here and seeing you two together makes me absolutely certain that you need to have this. This," she said, opening the box, "was my mother's engagement ring. It had been her mother's, too. It was mine, and I want it to be Lindsay's."

The ring was a simple gold band with a sparkling diamond in the middle, and two smaller diamonds on each side. It was simple, but it was beautiful.

"Wow," Danny exhaled, his only thought how it would look on Lindsay.

"Now, you don't have to propose today, or tomorrow, or even this year, but I want you to hang onto this so whenever you do feel like proposing, you'll have it with you," Kate explained, handing Danny the box.

"I don't know what to say, Kate. Thank you. For this, and for trusting me, I guess," Danny said, giving the older woman a hug.

"Since when did you two become best friends?" Lindsay's sleepy voice sounded surprised. Danny smoothly dropped the box in his pocket, and then went to give Lindsay a good morning kiss.

"Your ma was just tellin me all about little Lindsay," he told her teasingly, to which she groaned.

"Oh no, Mama! You didn't tell him any of the real embarrassing ones, did you?" Lindsay glared at her mother.

"Not any too embarrassing. Although I did promise Danny that we'd look through your album later. There are some pretty incriminating pictures in there, you know," Kate said, smiling at her daughter.

"Oh, I can't wait," Danny said, laughing, and Lindsay smacked him.

"You'll never get your hands on that album Messer!" she demanded. "I can't believe it! I sleep for an extra hour and suddenly my mother and my boyfriend have ganged up against me to humiliate me!"

"Relax, Montana. I still love ya, even if you did dress up in a ball gown and re-enact scenes from Gone With The Wind for you fifth grade talent show," Danny said, trying to get through his sentence with a straight face. "Even if you did parade naked around the neighborhood when you were four because you decided clothes weren't for you." Lindsay shot him a glare of pure venom.

"That it's Messer! No sex! And mom - " she said, wheeling around to face her mother, laughing equally as hard as Danny. "No grandchildren!"

"Well that makes sense if you're banning sex," Kate giggled as Danny gave her a high-five. Lindsay looked at the two of them incredulously.

"Fine!" Lindsay plopped down in a chair. "I give up, you two win!" she pouted. Danny and Kate managed to calm themselves down, and Kate busied herself again at the stove.

"You know, Montana," Danny whispered, sitting down next to her, "I'd love ya in a ball gown, and I'd love you in the hideous dress your ma told me you wore for a month after you sewed it yourself when you were ten, and you know I love ya naked," he said, giving her a kiss on the forehead. Lindsay smiled.

"Such a smooth-talker, aren't you?" she said. "But you're still not getting your hands on that album."

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