Maddie arrived home Friday afternoon to a note taped to her door alongside a red rose.

Hey Sweetheart,

Welcome home! Just thought I'd leave a beautiful rose for a beautiful woman. I'll be by to pick you up at 7:00, and I can't wait to see you…

Love,

Danny

She smiled as she slid her key into the lock and pushed open the door, dragging her school bag inside with her. On the floor in the entryway she found another note lying beside another red rose.

Me again…guess it's time to get you a better lock. Hurry up and get changed, I'll be here soon! Don't worry about finding something fancy, just wear something comfortable—you look great in everything.

"He picked my lock?" She was grinning now, picking up the second note and rose to put them with the first. She hauled her school bag into the living room and dropped it into its usual place beside her desk, where she found yet another note and rose.

Schoolwork? Really? Come on, I'm dying to take you out tonight, to touch you, to kiss you, to hold you in my arms (okay, arm, but that's only temporary)…schoolwork can wait!

Maddie giggled. "What a corn-ball," she said out loud, picking up the note and rose and adding it to her collection. As she moved about the apartment putting things away and getting ready for her date with Danny, she found three more red roses with accompanying notes, all urging her to focus on that evening.

At seven o'clock sharp there was a knock on her door.

She smiled broadly as she answered it. "What? No lock-picking this time?"

Danny grinned sheepishly. "I was bored," he explained.

"We have got to get you a hobby," Maddie laughed.

He stepped into the entryway and closed the door behind him, kissing her softly. He presented her with six more roses to complete the set and waited patiently while she searched her kitchen for a vase to put them in.

When the flowers were taken care of, Maddie grabbed her keys and allowed Danny to escort her down to his car. They drove through the city, down streets she had never heard of before, and within five minutes she was lost.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

He winked. "It's a surprise."

"You're not taking me out to the Staten Island Monastery, are you?" she grinned.

"No," he laughed. "I've got something a little nicer in mind."

When they finally entered a part of town Maddie recognized, she realized they were very near Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan. She smiled as he trolled the streets for a parking spot, remembering the day they had come here on their sight-seeing tour. They had leaned against the railing along the promenade and looked out over the water, talking about sports and school and the latest techniques in DNA processing.

She giggled as Danny found a place to park and pulled into it.

"What's so funny?" he asked her.

"I was just thinking 'bout the last time we were here," she told him. "We were looking out at Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty…"

He smiled broadly. "…talking about STR polymorphisms…"

She laughed again. "…and that one couple kept looking at us like we were from Mars."

He laughed and took her hand in his good one, leading her down the street and into the park. "Well, let's see if we can't annoy someone else today." He steered her toward a particular spot in the park where a blanket lay on the grass, complete with picnic basket and candlesticks. "I don't think we're going to need the candles," he frowned, looking up into the still-bright sky.

"What a great thought, though," she smiled, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "A candlelight picnic…how sweet!"

Danny nodded discreetly at the uniformed officer who had been keeping an eye on the spread, and he and Maddie made themselves comfortable on the blanket.

"Take a look in the basket," he instructed.

"You didn't cook, did you?"

He laughed. "I want this to be a memorable night, but not because of a trip to the hospital."

She lifted the lid on the basket and breathed in the aroma of garlic and cream sauce. "Mmmm…you went to Luigi's…good call."

"It is our favorite place," he reminded her. "And, for desert…" he pulled out a large bag of peanut M&Ms.

She chuckled. "M&Ms?"

"For my Maddie," he blushed.

She laughed delightedly and ran her fingers through his hair. "It's perfect," she replied, leaning in and kissing him tenderly.

He ran his hand over the soft skin of her cheek as she kissed him, sliding it down her neck and across her shoulder. She shivered at the sensation and he pulled back.

"What was that?" he asked, amused.

"What was what?" she returned.

"That little shiver…it's not the first time you've done that…"

She smiled a little self-consciously and picked up his free hand. "You have strong, heavy hands," she explained to him, kissing his palm. "But you have such a light touch…I suppose it's because of your job, having to handle delicate evidence. But wherever it comes from, the way you touch me…it makes me shiver every time."

"I do handle delicate evidence, but it isn't my job that makes me touch you the way I do."

He traced a finger over the scar on her neck and kissed it softly, letting his hand slip down to the small of her back. Her arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders and she pulled him to her, feeling her breath quicken as his lips moved across her skin. When his mouth returned to hers she pulled away gently.

"Not in the middle of Battery Park," she grinned slyly.

"Then let's go home," he suggested quickly.

Maddie laughed. "We've had this discussion before. You and I are not going to be together until that shoulder of yours is healed—I don't want to hurt you."

Danny cursed the blue sling under his breath. "I know, I know."

She smiled at him, the smile that only he seemed to be able to coax from her lips. "It'll be worth the wait, I promise."

"Well, when you put it that way…" he laughed.

They ate happily, enjoying the view and the food, punctuating the evening with light kisses and caresses. When they'd had their fill they sat together, arms around each other, and watched the sun set over the harbor, sometimes talking quietly, sometimes simply relishing the chance to spend time alone together.

Shortly after darkness fell, though, Danny began packing up the remains of their picnic and insisted that it was time to leave.

"So soon? Come on, Danny, let's stay a little longer…"

He shook his head adamantly. "Nope. There's one more stop we have to make."

Maddie raised an eyebrow at him. "Where?"

He grinned. "This one's a surprise, too."

She sighed with mock annoyance and helped him gather their things, carrying them back to the car. A few more minutes driving around brought them to their second destination of the night.

"The Empire State Building?" Maddie smiled.

"Things didn't go exactly the way they were supposed to the last time we were here," Danny reminded her as they rode up in the elevator. When the doors opened at the observation deck the pair stepped out into the cool night air and looked out at the brightly lit buildings. She took his arm as they strolled around, much the same way they had the first time they had been here.

"Looks like we both got our wishes," she said as they walked.

"What do you mean?"

"The last time you told me I should be up here on a real date," she smiled. "And now I am."

He returned her smile. "What was your wish?"

"To be with you."

He slid a finger under her chin, leaning in slowly for a soft, deep kiss. When they drew apart, he was grinning. "Now that's how it was supposed to go."

She laughed and kissed him again before an employee came by, making his last rounds of the night.

"Last call, folks," he called. "It's closing time…"

Danny looked down into Maddie's bright blue eyes. "I love you," he whispered, undeterred by the employee this time around.

She smiled broadly. "I love you, too."

He glanced over at the employee, who was still trying to round up tourists. "I guess we should get going."

"Yeah, I guess we should. But we're not stopping any robberies on the way home this time," she replied.

"Maybe just a mugging…"

"No more injuries until the old one heals," she insisted with a twinkle in her eye.

"Not even a pickpocket?"

Maddie laughed. "Not even a pickpocket. In fact, I'm going to protect you tonight."

"Yeah? How?"

"By taking your keys and driving you home. Do you know what a bad driver you are with your arm in a sling?" she teased.

He slid his good arm around her and pulled her close as they walked to the elevator for the trip back to street-level. "'Bout as bad as you are with two hands…"

When they reached Maddie's apartment Danny saw her safely to her door, kissing her goodnight in the hallway.

"It's not that late yet," Maddie told him. "You wanna come in for a while?"

Danny shook his head. "If I come in I won't want to leave."

She took his hand and led him through the door and into the entryway. "Well, just stay here for a minute, then. I have something for you." She disappeared into the kitchen and rummaged around for a moment before returning with a key.

"What's this for?"

She grinned. "So you don't have to pick my lock anymore."

"This is a key to your apartment?" he asked, surprised.

She nodded. "You're here often enough, some of your stuff has found its way over here…you've even spent the night a few times, and in a few weeks when that shoulder heals, I'm hoping you'll spend the night a lot more."

He grinned at that. "Great minds think alike, and in more ways than one." He slid his hand into his pocket and pulled it out quickly. "I have a key to my place for you."

She smiled merrily, and couldn't resist the opportunity to tease him. "This is a big step, slugger, exchanging keys. You sure you're ready for this?"

He paused for a moment, realizing he should have been feeling nervous or anxious or even downright scared. But he felt none of those things.

He leaned down and kissed her, eyes twinkling. "You better believe it."