A/N: We're getting near the end here--only a couple more chapters left after this one. I have ideas for a third story in the Maddie/Danny series, but interest seems to be lacking so I may not write it. If I did, it would be a big, all-encompassing story like It Could Happen to You is, which means a lot of time and effort on my part, so I want to get a feel for the number of readers that might be willing to slog through it with me. PM or e-mail me, or just leave your thoughts in a review and let me know what you think either way :-D
Maddie stepped off the elevator into the lobby of the Crime Lab, followed closely behind by Sheldon as he carried the newest little bundle of Messer joy. She could hear him cooing softly at the baby and stole a glance out of the corner of her eye, catching him with an excited grin on his face as he brushed a lock of Carrie's dark hair from her forehead. Sarah's a lucky woman, she thought with a smile.
"Well, look who's here," a familiar voice called.
Maddie's eyes shifted from Sheldon to the speaker and her smile widened. "Marty Pino! What are you doing here?"
"Causing trouble probably," Sheldon quipped.
The current Medical Examiner chuckled at the former ME. "Of course," he answered. "I came by to try and ask Maddie out again, but," he nodded toward the baby in Sheldon's arms, "I see I'm a little too late."
She laughed. "Too late for me, yes, but my sister Liz has been asking about you periodically since the wedding."
He tried to hide the expression, but Marty's eyes brightened. "Yeah?"
Sheldon flashed a knowing smile. "Yeah."
"Then tell her she needs to come back out to visit," Marty grinned. "I'd love to show her around."
"Around your place," Maddie smirked.
The doctor smiled guiltily as he made his way toward the elevator, holding his hands up in a what-can-I-say? gesture.
"I'll just tell her you said 'hi'," she chuckled.
"That'll work," he returned. "You can throw my number into that conversation, too…"
Maddie shared a look with Sheldon as Marty disappeared into the elevator car. "Some people never change," she smiled.
Sheldon winked at her. "Danny did."
"We Parrish women have a strong effect on men," she replied lightly.
"You certainly do," Danny chimed in as he approached the lobby. "It's all in the way…" He paused and leaned in, brushing his lips warmly over hers before continuing, "…you kiss."
She kissed him back, her hand coming to rest on his chest, his arm snaking around her waist. Sheldon cleared his throat politely to signal the arrival of another player in the conversation, but the new member wasn't so gracious.
"Get a room," Stella teased.
Maddie blushed a bit and pulled away, laughing again when another voice came to the couple's defense.
"They're happy, Stella," Mac chided softly. "Let them be…as long as they don't contaminate my lab."
It was Danny's turn to laugh at his boss's comment, kissing his wife quickly one more time before turning around. "Don't worry, Mac. We won't do anything here that you haven't done."
"Good," the older detective replied, his voice trying to be firm even as the pink crept into his cheeks.
The little group collectively had the same thought at that moment, their eyes wide: What has Mac done in the lab?
Don's presence, all business and frowns, suddenly interrupted the friendly banter. "Hey guys, I got some bad news."
"What is it, Flack?" Mac asked, eager to shift the focus off of himself.
He didn't mince words in his reply. "Antwan Jones is gettin' out."
"Getting out?" Stella puzzled.
"Of Rikers?" Maddie added.
Sheldon furrowed his brow. "I thought he got a year…"
"…and it's only been six months," Danny finished, his eyes narrowing.
Don nodded. "He's gettin' out early for good behavior," he told them, spitting the words out like a bad taste in his mouth.
The elevator doors opened behind them just in time for the occupants to catch Don's comment.
"Who's getting out early?" Shayla asked, stepping into the lobby.
Dantrell, walking beside her, read the adults' faces and knew before anyone answered. "It's Antwan, isn't it? He's getting' out of jail."
Don nodded slowly. "In a coupla days."
The fear and anger were written plainly in the girl's eyes and Maddie quickly slid a reassuring arm around her daughter. "He is not going to hurt you."
"We'll make sure of that," Danny told her.
Shayla looked from her parents to the CSIs to the homicide detective. "What about prom?" she asked. "I'm supposed to go with my friends…just us girls…Saturday night…"
"I already have a squad car on alert, if you want an escort," Don offered. "All you have to do is say the word."
She smiled weakly. "That would make an interesting arrival." She knew it wouldn't be enough for Maddie and Danny, though, and felt her senior prom slipping away.
"What about inside the dance?" Mac asked. "I'm sure the school will have security present, but will it be enough? Because unfortunately the NYPD can't spare officers to play bodyguard at a high school prom."
"They will have security," Maddie nodded. "But they'll mostly be concerned with drug and weapon searches at the door. They'll be watching the kids, too, but only in a broad sense to keep rival gangs from starting trouble. They won't really be looking for any one-on-one stuff."
Shayla sighed. "Then I guess I'm not going."
"Wait," Dantrell spoke up. "What if I go with you?"
She looked up at him curiously. "You're in the middle of finals in your junior year of college…you really want to go to a high school prom?"
He smiled a little as he answered and took her hand in his. "It's important to you, so yeah. I'll be your bodyguard some more and make sure you're safe and you have a good time." A twinkle appeared in his eyes as he continued, "And besides, I'll have three dates all at the same time."
She laughed and shoved him playfully. "Player."
Dantrell ignored the comment, instead turning his attention to Danny. "Is that all right with you, Detective Messer?"
Danny remembered the pact they had made at the precinct after Antwan's attack to protect Maddie and Shayla together, and the gratitude and appreciation in his expression answered the question better than his words. He knew she would be safe with Dantrell. "Yeah, I think that will work."
"Where's Danny?" Aiden asked after greeting Maddie in the doorway of the Messers' apartment.
"On duty," Maddie replied.
Aiden glanced at her watch, following Maddie into the entryway. "Still? Didn't he go in early this morning?"
Maddie nodded. "Yeah. He's working a double again."
"Again?" The suspicion in Aiden's voice came though loud and clear.
"Yeah," Maddie repeated, leading her friend into the living room where little Carrie was laying in her playpen. "He took two weeks paternity leave when the baby was born, and he's still trying to get caught up."
Aiden plopped down on the couch and blew out a breath. "Is his caseload that heavy?"
"It is," Maddie replied. "But he knows Shayla's here with me, so he doesn't feel so bad being away. And with you coming up to help out, I think he's trying to get some extra hours in. We certainly could use the money."
Aiden pursed her lips thoughtfully and nodded. "He's only been doin' it for a couple of weeks, right?"
"Mmhmm."
"That's why you're not worried yet."
Maddie nodded again. "Yeah. You know him as well as I do…if he's still burning the candle at both ends a couple more weeks from now, then it's time to be concerned. But, for now at least, I think he likes the idea of working really hard all day long and coming home to his sleeping children."
Aiden smiled at that. "Awww."
"I know, right?" Maddie laughed.
"And he is coming home to see Shayla off…"
"He better be," Shayla answered severely, slinking into the room in her deep purple prom dress.
Aiden laughed at her words, rising from the couch to help fix the gown. "I see assertiveness runs in the family."
Shayla flashed her a grin. "I guess it does." The door buzzer went off and the teenager froze. "That's Dantrell…"
"Relax," Maddie told her with a grin, moving to unlock the door and let the boy in. "Take a deep breath."
Shayla did as she was told, sucking in a lungful of air and letting it out slowly.
"Ready?"
She nodded.
"Okay." Maddie waited for the soft knock on the apartment door before swinging it open. Dantrell stood in the hall decked out in a black tuxedo, complete with a satiny vest and bowtie the same shade of purple as Shayla's dress. He took a step inside the apartment and caught sight of his date for the evening, stopping in his tracks.
"Wow," he breathed.
The comment settled her nerves immediately and she chuckled. "It's just me, Dantrell."
He made his way through the entryway and into the living room, tightly clutching the corsage he had brought for her in his large hands. "I've…I've never seen you all dressed up like that, that's all. You look beautiful."
"Thanks," she smiled. "You look pretty handsome yourself."
Maddie grabbed her camera and began taking pictures—pictures of Shayla alone, of Dantrell alone, of the two together, of Dantrell and Shayla with Carrie, of the exchange of corsage and boutonniere, and of everything else that went on. She was loading her third roll of film into the camera when the apartment door burst open.
"Did I miss it?" Danny asked, hurrying into the living room. "Did they leave yet?"
Aiden laughed. "You didn't miss anything except your wife taking more pictures than a crime scene photographer."
He grinned, sliding his arms around Shayla in a quick hug and shaking Dantrell's hand. "Good. I wanna see 'em all."
"How 'bout one more?" Aiden asked. "Of the whole family."
"Excellent idea," Maddie agreed.
Dantrell and Shayla looked at each other and giggled, rolling their eyes a little but complying with the request. Maddie and Danny took up position on either side of the couple, handing Carrie back to Shayla for the picture.
"Everybody say 'cheese'," Aiden called.
"Cheese!"
The camera flashed and the family relaxed, parents turning to children to say their good-byes for the evening. Maddie took Carrie back and Aiden helped Shayla straighten her dress, while Danny slung his arm around Dantrell's shoulders and led him a few steps away from the girls.
"What's he doing?" Shayla wondered.
"Being a dad," Maddie grinned.
Dantrell looked at Danny, his brown eyes meeting the detective's blue ones straight on. "So now it's time for the speech."
Danny smiled. "Normally you'd be right, but I'm not gonna give you any speeches this time. You don't need 'em. You care about Shayla as much as Maddie and I do, and I know you'll take good care of her tonight."
Dantrell smiled back, a little embarrassed but very proud at Danny's words.
"Just have a good time," Danny told him. He slapped the younger man on the back affectionately and released him. "You, too, sweetheart," he said, turning toward his daughter and kissing her on the cheek. "Have a good time."
"We will," she promised, kissing him back. Waiving good-bye to her mother and Aiden, she took Dantrell's arm and permitted him to escort her to the waiting patrol car.
The three adults stood there for a moment, holding the baby and staring at the closed apartment door.
Then Danny broke the silence. "I gotta go, too," he said. "There's a murder in Central Park with my name on it." He reached over and hugged Aiden. "Thanks for comin' over, Aid. Makes me feel better knowin' there's somebody here to help Maddie out."
"Are you kiddin' me?" she smirked. "You guys are my best friends…and I get to play with this adorable baby all night."
She took Carrie from her mother and headed back into the living room, allowing Maddie to walk her husband to the door.
"What time are you getting out tonight?" she asked.
He sighed. "I'm supposed to be off at midnight, but we'll see how busy tonight is."
"Okay," she nodded, leaning up to kiss him. "Be careful."
He kissed her back and brushed a strong hand over her face. "I will." He disappeared out the door, leaving Maddie alone in the entryway, whispering to no one.
"I love you."