Disclaimer:The characters of CSI: NY do not belong to me however this story is of my own and should only be used after permission has been asked and given. No copyright infringement intended and no profit is being made.

Summary: Danny and Lindsay are going to learn that sometimes you must lose, in order to gain.

Notes: I didn't originally intend for this chapter to go in the direction that it did and yet somehow it seemed to work better than I'd ever planned it so I was happy in that sense. This chapter kind've ran a course of its own and I just went with it so if it's actually terrible then I do apologise. There were a lot of things that I wanted to include in here and so it all kinda came together in a way that I wouldn't have expected it to but I preferred the edit to how it was originally written and I hope you all enjoy it too.

The chapter strays more into M territory but there's nothing too hard core… although it might be classed as soft core. I have to admit that I let the squealing girly version of myself lose a little bit in this chapter, especially during the Lindsay/Stella talk. I wasn't ever a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, but the squint-to-see-it Carmine implied reference was too good an opportunity to pass up. Also, there's a comedy club near my home that has a Motown night and as it's such a feel-good night, I just had to include a teensy aspect of it. Seriously though, if you ever get the chance to go to a Motown night then take it, it's so much fun!

Thank you to my reviewers: Guest, Ditto123 and Myriad-13 for your continued support.


The Parent's Apple

Three tables had been pushed together by the managers of the swanky upper Eastside restaurant to accommodate the team members, both past and present, as well as their partners. The meal, a pre-wedding event to welcome Stella, and in some aspects Lindsay too, back to New York had been arranged by Hawkes. He sat at the head of the table as host, his bride-to-be seated on his left and best man on his right. Sid, honoured to have been given the responsibility, had been walking around the ME's office with a puffed out chest for days as the wedding approached and his humble pride swelled. The quirky ME had asked Hawkes countless times whether he was sure about the decision before Hawkes had finally admitted that Sid had always been there for him, including working alongside him during 9/11, and that if he wanted anyone to stand beside him at the altar…

The former ME hadn't had to say any more for Sid to nod and smile, finally believing in his capabilities as best man. That didn't, however, mean that Hawkes wasn't a little apprehensive about the bachelor party which would be taking place the following night.

"…just the guys; drinking a few beers - playing poker or something," Hawkes suggested with an easy shrug. He held his hands up, tone firm, "no strippers."

"He won't be ordering any strippers if he knows what's good for him," Alice Hammerback said with a raised eyebrow.

Beside Camille sat Mac and Christine, their hands entwined beneath the table in an intimate secrecy as she turned to Jo and asked about the wellbeing of her two children. Since meeting, the friendship between the two women had blossomed out of their shared love for Mac Taylor; and whilst Jo's feelings were purely platonic, their desire to see him happy had cemented and bonded them both. Sat clockwise around the bottom table were Lindsay, Danny, Adam, Jackson and Stella - who had flown in for the wedding that morning – all of them relaying tales of the Crime Lab to the latter's boyfriend, remembering past cases and stories as though they had happened a week ago instead of years. Flack, seated between Stella and Jamie Lovato, occasionally inputted and to the trained investigators surrounding him, the casual arm draped over the newest Detective's chair spoke volumes.

Hawkes stood, raising his glass and waiting for the general chatter to simmer down. "I just wanted to say thanks for all coming here tonight; it's great to see so many of your faces – both old and new-"

"I hope you're not suggesting some of us have old faces," Stella cut in, grinning.

The table gave an appreciative chuckle before Hawkes continued, "You guys mean a lot to me and I'm thankful that you're all here to celebrate with Camille and myself as we take this next step together." He smiled down at Camille whose face was shining with delight and adoration. Despite the initial thought that perhaps Camille was badly influencing Hawkes, it was clear to see that she cared for him deeply and they were happy together. "I'm surrounded by such amazing and caring people and I just want to say thank you for always having my back and being there when I've needed you."

The group toasted to Hawkes, smiling at each other as they recognised that his humble words were true – they all were lucky to be surrounded by friends that cared so deeply for them. Small tokens of affection erupted around the table, catalogued by the keen eyes of the investigators and generating content smiles.

Danny cupped the back of Lindsay's neck, she had pulled her hair up in a clip which left the skin exposed and the touch was comforting to them both. Turning towards him, she smiled and they shared a chaste kiss. Whilst it had remained unsaid, those closest to the couple were thrilled to see them both on equal footing again, collectively believing they appeared stronger than ever before.

Chatter broke out once more with the arrival of food and a waiter politely offered to take Hawkes' camera and photograph the group. In a single flash they were encapsulated in time, beaming faces telling the story of how happy they'd been that night.


"Hey, what're you doing out here?"

Stella turned at the sound of her friend's voice, smiling warmly as Lindsay approached. Once the meal had finished, the group had headed to Cozy's, having too much of a good time to let it end. The small, round tables that usually littered the bar during the Wednesday jazz session had been cleared and a dance floor erected in the space whilst an ageing DJ played Motown records from the main stage. Lindsay had left Danny with Flack, the pair of them belting out The Supremes' 'Baby Love', to seek out Stella who had disappeared minutes before.

"I just needed some air, it was getting too hot in there," Stella explained. She leant against the railing which hugged the stone steps down to the basement entrance of Cozy's. Lindsay lent her hip against the railing, arms crossed around her torso to keep warm as she faced her former boss. Stella smiled wistfully. "I used to come here all the time to hear Mac play. I remember hearing him play the night he received the letter from Peyton, saying she wouldn't be returning from England – and now look at him, he seems so… happy." She turned to Lindsay. "He is in good hands, isn't he?"

"I think so," Lindsay nodded. "Christine's nice, she's patient, and she seems to really get him, y'know?"

Stella smiled. "That's what I've always wanted for him."

"I-I used to think that maybe you and he would…" Lindsay trailed off, sensing that she didn't need to complete the sentence for Stella to know what she wanted to say.

"He'll always mean a lot to me but… this worked out better in the end," Stella reassured her and Lindsay felt as though a secret fear had been eased. She had seen both Stella and Mac separately with their chosen partners and believed that they were happy but it was only tonight when they were together that she could see that perhaps they really had made the right choices.

"Do you ever regret moving to New Orleans?" Lindsay asked.

Stella released a sigh. "I do miss it here; I see all of you guys and how close you are and know that I'm not really a part of that anymore, I see Lucy on Skype and realise how much I'm missing out on as she grows but… no, I can't say that I regret moving for one moment. It was the right choice for me. And Jackson…" she smiled beatifically, her eyes far off. "Well he certainly sweetens the deal."

The two women giggled together, feeling light hearted and giddy. "He is quite the catch," Lindsay admitted.

"Like you can talk Miss-'I just tamed the NYPD's bachelor of all bachelors'," Stella teased and Lindsay grinned ducking her head.

"Ok, so we both did good," she amended.

Stella chuckled, linking her arm through Lindsay's. "And what's the deal with Flack and Detective Hottie?"

Lindsay snorted. "This isn't an episode of Grey's Anatomy."

"Alright, McCountry. Seriously though, you must've noticed something."

"As a matter of fact I did but I don't know what's going on, they seemed… close. It's kind've nice to see Flack like that with a woman again," Lindsay commented. They exchanged a sober half smile before Stella sighed, resting her head on Lindsay's shoulder.

"This is fun, I feel like we should be in our pyjamas, eating our weight in ice cream whilst the Buffy pilot plays in the background."

"Any chance I can gate crash that party, I'll even bring the trashy magazines?" Both women looked over the railing as Jo announced herself, walking out of the club and up the steps to join them. She was giving her easy, Southern smile – the one that had won over the majority of the lab within a few short hours. She addressed Stella, "I don't think we've been properly introduced although I've heard a lot about you of course."

"Likewise."

"Let me guess, two pathetically lonely full-grown men sent you to look for us?" Lindsay asked on a grin.

"There might have been a general wondering as to where the both of you had gotten to, although as I left they were racking up for a game of pool in the corner so I suppose they weren't too cut up," Jo answered, grinning herself.

"Honestly, men; they claim to be the 'big, tough strong ones' but as soon as they lose sight of their partner they begin bleating like a lamb," Stella claimed, rolling her eyes. The three women all shared a laugh, having each had their fair share of experiences with men.

"You're staying at the Trump International, aren't you?" Jo asked conversationally. "I heard that place has an amazing spa."

Stella beamed. "I think you and I are going to get along just fine."

"Actually, why are you staying at a hotel? Danny and I have a spare room that you and Jackson could have used – Lord knows, we owe you for housing us," Lindsay said.

"So now that's you, Hawkes, Flack and even Sid who have offered to home Jackson and I," Stella laughed heartily. "I appreciate it, really I do, but did you honestly think I was going to pass up the opportunity to stay in a flashy hotel? Perhaps if it was just me coming to the wedding then I would have stayed with one of you guys but when Jackson offered to come as well I figured we might as well spend a little time and money on indulging ourselves."

"I think we all know what that means," Jo chortled, winking at Lindsay. They both laughed and Stella shrugged.

"Well I was just about to invite you both to the spa in the hotel for a day of pampering, but maybe I shouldn't bother now."

"Oh please, at least you're regularly gettin' a little somethin'-somethin'. I need to travel over 3,000 miles to get a little of anything!" Jo exclaimed and the three women chuckled together before Jo gave an exaggerated shudder. "Alright, enough chit-chat, let's get back inside before we freeze to death."

They made their way back down the steps and into the club, blasted with a welcoming warm air flow and the opening verse of 'Hey. Mister Postman'. Hawkes and Camille, Mac and Christine, and Sid and Alice were all still dancing whilst Danny and Jackson played a game of pool in the corner, observed by Flack and Lovato who were still looking friendly.

The trio made their way over to the pool table where Danny was lining up his shot; Jackson rested on his pool cue and opened up his free arm as Stella approached, curling her into his side. She looked up and smiled at him once snug against his body and he grinned back before pressing a kiss to her upturned lips. Lindsay looked between them to Mac and Christine who was dancing considerably slower than the upbeat song would indicate, their heads inclined towards each other as they spoke in soft tones; yes, she thought amicably, they'd definitely made the right choices.

"Hey, where's Adam?" Lindsay asked Danny.

"'said somethin' about meetin' someone; by the sounds of it he was gonna get lucky," Danny replied distractedly as he took his shot, the ball sailing towards the pocket but hitting the felt corner and rebounding away. He glared accusingly at Lindsay. "You put me off my game!"

"Oh please, you were off your game long before I came along," she teased.

Jackson stepped up to the table and pocketed his final ball before aiming for the black eight. Lindsay wrapped her arms around Danny's waist from behind and rested her chin on his shoulder. He turned his head towards her and pressed a kiss to her cheek, grinning.

"What's up with you?"

"I'm just pretty happy right now," she admitted.

He looked around the room at all the smiling faces. "I think we all are."

"C'mon," she took his hand and dragged him towards the dance floor.

"We've not even finished the game!" he protested.

"Babe, there ain't no way you're winning this one."

Danny sighed and rolled his eyes, giving the cue to Flack before allowing Lindsay to pull him over to where the other couples were dancing. He tugged on her hand, pulling her into him and wrapping his arms around her before swaying to the music. She laughed as he nudged at her with his nose before kissing the hollow behind her ear. They were cocooned in the happiness of their friends and for a while easily forgetting the struggles they'd faced for the past five months.


They fell through the front door, lips latched and hands frantic as they moved to shed clothing. Danny pulled away the clip Lindsay had managed to wrestle her short tresses into, letting the curls loose for him to run his fingers through. She pushed him back into the door, shutting it with their combined body weight, and kissed him with bruising intensity. They parted only long enough for her to tug his t-shirt over his head before coming together once more. One hand gripped her hair whilst the other rested in her lower back, pulling her flush against him; the coils in their stomach's already tightening with anticipation. She could feel his arousal pressing against her and she reached down to roughly stroke him through the fabric of his pants.

He hissed and held on to one of her wrists, stilling the action. "Babe, I'm not gonna last much longer if you keep doin' that."

She responded to him between kisses. "Well you'd better," –kiss. "Hurry," –kiss. "It up," –kiss. "Then."

Pulling away and retreating backwards through the apartment, she kicked her shoes off and left them where they were – a sure indicator to Danny that this was no longer his quiet playful wife but the sexy temptress she occasionally morphed into. She wore a smirk as she grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head and throwing it at him. He grinned as it fell three feet short and then nearly swallowed his tongue as she unclasped her bra whilst disappearing around the corner. If her earlier ministrations hadn't nearly pushed him to the edge, then the current images of a very naked and very ready Lindsay splayed on their marital bed would have. Thankful that his parents had offered to babysit Lucy for that night and furthermore suggested taking her straight to preschool in the morning, Danny securely locked the apartment's front door to ensure that not even the Super would be able to get in before following his wife in all of her mischievous glory.


"Wow. That was…"

"I know."

They lay in each other's arms, breathless, sweaty and fully satiated.

"They sure know how to ride out in the sticks."

She gave a weak chuckle and he pressed a kiss to her temple. "How's your head?"

"I'll survive," she shrugged, the dull throb in the crown paling in comparison to how gratified she was. Their hands were clasped and she rubbed her thumb over his wedding ring; the last, and ultimately unsuccessful, attempt at making love in this bed weighed heavily on her mind. "I'm glad we got this second chance."

He brought his hand up to run across her hair before cupping the side of her neck. "I'll take every single chance I'm given if it means that in the end it's you and me."

She pressed a kiss to his chest. "I know. Me too."

Danny gripped her upper arms and tugged her onto him so she rested with his leg pressed between hers, their chests rising and falling in synch. They kissed slow and sultrily, exploring each other's mouth with teeth and tongue. His hands rested on her hips, thumbs stroking the soft flesh whilst she braced herself on her elbows and ran her hands through his hair.

He grinned against her mouth and wagged his eyebrows. "You wanna go again?"

"I thought you'd never ask…"