Disclaimer: I am not connected in any way with the creators of any of the CSI shows. (I wish I was though, so Danny and Lindsay would get together already.) These are just my mind's version of the events that transpire on the show.
After a long day at the lab, Lindsay unlocked the door to the apartment she shared with Danny. She pushed it open but it wouldn't budge. Frowning, she gripped the knob more tightly in her hand and pushed harder. It still refused to open.
Growing more worried by the minute, she started knocking loudly on the door. "Danny?" she called out.
No answer.
She knocked on the door again, yelling a little louder this time. "Danny!"
Suddenly, the door opened and Danny stepped out. "Montana! You're home!" he said, quickly kissing her cheek and smiling excitedly at her.
"Danny! You scared the hell out of me!" Lindsay said, feeling her heart settle at a normal rate. "What's with our door?"
Danny waved his hand. "Oh, it's nothing. I just jammed it a bit to make sure you can't go in without me."
Lindsay was growing more confused by the minute. "What?"
Danny grinned at her and held up a small length of cloth. "Close your eyes, Montana."
Lindsay eyed him suspiciously. "Why? What's going on?"
Danny insisted, "Just close your eyes." He smiled at her and said, "Please?"
Lindsay found herself relenting with his pleading gaze. "Alright," she grumbled. "But this better be a good surprise, Messer," she warned.
Danny grinned to himself and said to her, "It is. Now close your eyes."
After Lindsay obediently closed her eyes, Danny used the cloth to blindfold her. She could hear him pushing the door of the apartment open and he guided her inside.
He positioned her about five feet inside the door and told her to wait. She patiently stood there and listened to him move around the apartment, and she giggled as she heard a small "oof" when he accidentally tripped over something. She sniffed and encountered something that smelled like cinnamon in the air.
Then she felt him stand beside her again and remove the blindfold, saying as he did so, "I'm taking this off now, but don't open your eyes unless I say so, okay?"
Only when she agreed did he remove the blindfold from her eyes.
Moving behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, Danny whispered softly in her ear, "Okay, Montana. You can open your eyes now."
Slowly, Lindsay lifted her lids and gasped at the sight before her.
She suddenly recalled a conversation they had a few days ago while they were having breakfast.
Lindsay looked around the apartment in displeasure. "I can't believe we were too busy to decorate for Christmas."
Danny looked up and agreed with her. "I know, but it's been a really busy month, plus we just moved you in here. We can still set-up the tree," he offered.
Lindsay sighed, "I guess so. But there's only a few days left of the holidays."
Danny walked over kneeled down beside her chair, pulling her head down for a quick kiss. "It's okay, Linds. We'll find time to set it up before Christmas."
Lindsay smiled and bent down to kiss his lips softly.
Lindsay was surprised to find that Danny had decorated the entire apartment for Christmas. A big tree stood in one corner of the room, next to their window that offered a pleasant view of the snow covered city. The tree was brightly strung with twinkling lights and different colored balls and various bits of Christmas décor.
She scanned the rest of the room delightedly. More lights were hung around the apartment, blinking cheerily and twined among garlands of Christmas greenery. Special red and green throw pillows were scattered on the couch and a fire blazed brightly in the rarely used fireplace. On the mantel, two stockings hung side by side. One said, "Danny" while the other bore the name "Montana". Next to the window, Danny had set up a small table draped with festive red cloth where a small pot of cider rested, along with two steaming mugs. The smell of cinnamon rose with the steam that curled invitingly above the two mugs. Next to that, was a plate of freshly baked oatmeal cookies, without raisins, just the way Lindsay liked it.
She twisted in his embrace to face him, throwing her arms around his neck, exclaiming, "You did all this?"
Danny laughed and said, "Well, you looked so sad the other day when you realized we hadn't decorated for Christmas that I couldn't stand it, so," he gestured around the room. He smiled tenderly at her and said, "Merry Christmas, Montana."
Lindsay's eyes blurred with unexpected tears at the sweetness of his gesture. It must have taken him the whole day to do this. She hugged him tightly and said, "You are the sweetest boyfriend in the whole wide world, Danny Messer." She pulled his head down for a kiss and said, "Thank you. This is the best Christmas ever."
Danny grinned at the childlike happiness reflected in her eyes and said, "Anything for you, Linds." He let go of her long enough to reach for her hand and drag her over to the window, handing her a warm mug of cider.
She accepted the mug gratefully and wrapped her hands around it, savoring the warmth and taking a sip. "This is really good. Did you make this?"
Danny nodded, "Uh-huh. Old family recipe."
Lindsay leaned forward to grab a cookie and took a bite. Her eyes widened as she munched on the cookie. "Wow. This is the best cookie I've ever tried. Did you make this as well?"
Danny flushed a little but he nodded his head. "Another old Messer recipe." He ruefully remembered the conversation he had with his mother when he had called her to ask for the recipe.
"You busy, Ma?" Danny asked over the phone.
Maria replied, "Not really, honey. Why?"
Danny hesitated before taking the plunge, "In that old recipe you had for making oatmeal cookies, what was that ingredient you added that made it taste really, really good?"
Maria asked suspiciously, "Why?"
Danny groaned inwardly. There was no getting out of it. He was going to have to explain to his mother. "I'm making cookies for Lindsay. She loves oatmeal."
In the Messers' Staten Island home, Maria's eyes widened. Danny was cooking? "You're making her cookies from a family recipe?"
"Yeah, Ma," Danny answered, eternally grateful that they were having this conversation over the phone and his mother couldn't see the red climbing into his cheeks.
At that moment, Maria Messer knew that Lindsay Monroe was going to be her new daughter-in-law. There was no way her son would be taking the time and effort to cook if this woman wasn't special. The fact that Danny enjoyed being in the kitchen and was an amazing cook was a well-kept secret, known only to his family. There was also the fact that if he had chosen to cook for a woman, he definitely would not be using an old family recipe for just any woman. No, her son was head over heels crazy in love with Lindsay.
"Ma?" Danny asked, "You still there?"
Maria was shaken out of her reverie and she answered, "Yeah, honey. I'm still here." Then she proceeded to tell Danny exactly how to make the cookies the way she always did.
When she finished, Danny said, "Thanks, Ma. You're the best."
Maria answered affectionately, "You let me know how those cookies turn out, okay? I love you, Danny."
"Love you too, Ma," Danny replied, promising not to be late for Christmas dinner before hanging up the phone.
Danny grinned at the blissful expression on Lindsay's face and asked, "That good?"
Lindsay nodded vigorously and Danny had to laugh at her enthusiasm. When she finished the cookie, she immediately reached for another.
Danny laughed again and pulled her to stand next to the fireplace.
"I was thinking, since we're spending Christmas with my family, maybe we could celebrate Christmas a little early, just the two of us," Danny suggested, a boyish smile curling his lips.
Lindsay smiled back at him and said, "I'd like that."
"So can I give you your Christmas present now?" Danny asked eagerly.
Lindsay looked back at him in amazement. "You mean this isn't my present?"
Danny shook his head. "Nope." He nodded significantly towards the stockings that hung on the fireplace.
Lindsay laughed softly and took a step closer to him, sliding her slim arms around his waist. "You really are amazing, aren't you?"
Danny flashed a cocky grin at her and said, "I try my best."
Lindsay chuckled and said, "Let's see what you got for me." She reached inside the stocking and her hand encountered something flat and hard. She pulled it out to reveal a flat, velvet jeweler's case.
The case discreetly bore the name of a famous jewelry store. She looked uncertainly at Danny and who nodded at her, encouraging her to open it.
She lifted the lid. Inside, nestled amid the plush blue velvet was a white gold necklace that formed the word 'Montana'. It was simple and delicate, perfect for Lindsay.
She looked up at Danny in wonder. "It's beautiful."
Danny looked at her still slightly uncertain. "You really like it?"
Lindsay nodded and smiled at him, "I love it, Danny. It's perfect." She gently lifted it out of the case and said, "Put it on me?"
Danny obliged and took the necklace from her. She turned around and lifted her brown curls while he fastened it around her neck. She turned around to face him and grinned, "How does it look?"
Against the smoothness of her collarbone, the special name he gave her gleamed softly. Danny smiled in satisfaction and answered her with a soft kiss, "Looks good."
Lindsay said, "Time for your present." She hurried into the room and came out with a large flat box, wrapped in brightly colored paper.
Danny chuckled and said, "How did you manage to sneak that in here without me noticing?"
Lindsay grinned cheekily and said, "I had Flack keep it for me and sneak it into the apartment when we were both on the field."
Danny had to laugh at her sneakiness. "And where did you hide it?"
Lindsay grinned again and said, "Under the bed."
Danny laughed even harder at her lack of originality. He shook his head and started opening the present. When all the paper was gone, he was left with a long case made out of shiny wood that was varnished carefully.
Danny lifted the lid slowly. Inside the case was a worn out rosewood bat. Nestled with the bat was an old baseball card. Both the bat and the card bore the signature of a legend.
"It's the limited edition Joe DiMaggio I wanted," Danny said softly, the corners of his mouth turning up in a pleased grin. "You remembered."
Lindsay shrugged her shoulders slightly. About three weeks ago, Danny told her an amusing story about himself when he was still playing baseball. When he was seventeen, he had found a limited edition baseball bat and card signed by Joe DiMaggio that he decided to save up for. Unfortunately, by the time he had enough money, it had already been bought by someone else.
After he had told her that story, Lindsay had spent hours poring over the internet, looking for that exact same item. She researched and called various collectors of baseball memorabilia, until finally, she found what she was looking for. It had been delivered to Flack's apartment, paid for by Lindsay's credit card, just in time for Christmas.
Danny took out the bat, savoring the feel of the solid wood in his hands, underneath his fingertips. He traced his fingers almost reverently over the signature on the top half of the bat.
He replaced the bat and leaned over to give Lindsay a lingering kiss. "Thank you, Montana."
Lindsay saw how surprised and happy he was with his gift and at that moment, all the trouble of searching for the gift had been worth it. She smiled at him and said, "Anytime, Messer."
Danny grinned at her and said, "I love you."
"I love you too, Danny," she answered with a small grin of her own, settling back on the couch, her fingers toying lovingly with her new necklace.
Lindsay leaned her head back on Danny's shoulder and he rested his head on hers and they sat there, cups of cider nestled in their hands, cuddled in front or a roaring fire, snuggled against each other.
Neither could ask for a more perfect Christmas.
I hope you guys liked the gifts that they got. :D In the next few chapters, dinner with the Messers and Flacks, as well as Christmas for Hawkes and Cassie and Mac and Stella will be featured. I might stretch it out until Christmas Day itself, and I'm thinking of a New Year's party for the crew. :D
Anybody have suggestions for a Christmas gift for Hawkes? I already thought of something for Cassie and Flack, and you already know what gifts Danny, Lindsay and Jordan got, but I don't know what to get Hawkes. Any suggestions from Hawkes' fans:D Send in your suggestions with your reviews!
Please do review. :D I look forward to your comments. :D I hope you enjoyed this one as well! Happy reading!:D