Chapter Three:

For a quiet, reserved girl, Angie sure was talkative that evening.

Mac had let Danny and Angie leave at seven, Lindsay stayed until nine but when she got to Danny's, Angie was still awake.

When Lindsay opened the door (because it was already unlocked,) Angie whipped around on the couch. "You missed it! Daddy made ravioli. We saved some for you on a plate in the oven though! We have ice cream too! Me and Daddy made Brown Cows! He said that's what you call 'em." Lindsay dropped her bag and looked at Danny who had gotten up to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Shouldn't she be in bed?"

"It's Friday night! Weekend! Stay up late!"

Danny whispered a small "hey baby" into her ear and led her into the living room. "Ya hungry?"

"Yeah, I'll go warm it up."

"No, let me. Sit down. We're gonna put Peter Pan on in a sec." Danny squeezed her side and made his way into the kitchen, ears perking to listen out for conversation.

"Peter Pan's one of my favorites." Lindsay said, smiling as she walked around and officially into the living area.

"Mine too! Can you put the DVD in? Daddy won't let me touch stuff with wires."

"He doesn't want you to hurt yourself."

"Yeah," the little girl nodded, sitting Indian style in Little Mermaid pajamas, fixing her eyes on Lindsay as she walked toward the entertainment set. "Mommy don't care though. 'Til tha' other day when I almost knocked the TV over! She kept goin' on 'bout how she can't wait to go on that cruise. That's where she is now. What's a cruise?" Lindsay narrowed her eyes and turned her head, catching Danny's face, slowly turning a deep crimson shade.

And she was right; Melanie didn't mention anything about a cruise.

Lindsay cleared her throat and grabbed the DVD remote, setting it next to Angie. "I'll be right back, you want some milk?"

"Yes, please!" Angie smiled wide and watched her go, then turned her attention to the player that was loading the disc.

"Danny…" Lindsay placed her hand on his shoulder and looked at him.

"She said she had to go visit her mother."

"Maybe Angie's confused." He shook his head.

"I thought it was odd, y'know? She never liked her ma. They never agreed on nothin', her mom's a straight up bitch." He said this in a hushed tone. "She lied ta me, though, and that's what pisses me off." She ran her fingers up and down his upper arm, frowning.

"Just talk to her about it when she gets back. Don't let it get to you right now." He nodded and moved toward the microwave to get her plate out. "I've got the drinks, don't worry about it."

blahblahblah

Lindsay wasn't sure if she fell asleep in the middle of Snow White or just before Monsters Inc. Or maybe it was Ice Age, she wasn't sure. She opened her eyes to find herself lying in Danny's bed with a throw over her body. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she tip-toed quietly down the hall, stopping short when she heard voices.

"Daddy, why can't I live with you?" Lindsay looked around the corner to see Angie in Danny's lap, curled, head in the crook of his neck. They were sitting in the big chair next to the couch, another children's movie on low volume. She bit her lip.

"'Cause you've always lived with Mommy. Why, baby?" He ran his fingers through her hair as she lifted her head up.

"I like it better here. You don't make me go hide in my room when Lindsay's over. And you say 'I love you' ev'ry night. And Lindsay's nice too."

"Does Mommy's boyfriends scare you, Angie?"

"Sometimes. When I see them. But I never really see 'em. Cause I hafta stay in my room. They don' like me. Montana likes me."

"Yeah she does." Lindsay smiled from the hallway.

"Why can't I live with you?" Danny sighed.

"I don't know baby. I'll try to work it out so you can see me more, ok?"

"Ok." Angie yawned and stretched her arms, linking them around his neck.

"Let's get you in bed. If I don't hafta work tomorra', we'll go do somethin' fun. K?"

"Mmk."

Danny stood up with Angie in his arms and made his way down the hall, stopping to look at Lindsay. "You don't hafta eavesdrop all th'time, y'know." She rolled her eyes and walked with him to the little girl's room.

He laid Angie down in her Disney Princess covered bed, tucking her in and reaching for her nightlight. "Wish-Bear or Good Luck-Bear?"

"Daddy Bear." She muttered tiredly, pointing to a blonde bear with a Yankee's shirt on and glasses. Lindsay grinned and picked it up, handing it to Danny, who tucked it under Angie's arm.

Leaning in, Danny kissed her forehead gently, and then her cheek. "I love you," he whispered.

"Love you too, Daddy."

"Sweet dreams." She nodded and yawned again.

"Night, Montana." Lindsay shot Danny a look, though it was an incomplete look because she was still smiling.

"Goodnight Angie." She replied. Danny turned the light off and closed the door, leading Lindsay back to his room.

"Why can't she live with you?" She asked, crawling into her claimed side of his bed, turning to watch him.

"My odd hours."

"Isn't that adjustable?"

"I can't just take her away from Mel. She'd probably wanna fight for it." He took of his t-shirt and jeans, getting in on his side and pulling Lindsay close to him. "I've already thought about this a number o' times. She'd get pissed because Mel gets pissy and take me to court for full custody just to spite me."

"And you don't want to put Angie through a custody battle." She nodded. "But in the end, wouldn't it be healthier for her to be with someone who will take care of her and love her than with someone who tries to escape her?"

"It'd be up to the judge. And the whole shooting and Tanglewood; everything would come back up." She crawled into his lap and kissed his throat.

"Maybe, maybe not. Not all hearings involved every single mistake you've made. Don't think about it now, but think about it. Maybe Mel won't take you to court. Seems like she doesn't really want Angie around all that much anyways." He nodded, placing his hand at the back her neck and pressing their foreheads together.

"It's not that I don't want to, because I know that I do. I just don't know if anyone else, i.e. Mel or a judge or even a lawyer, thinks I can."

She smiled. "I know you can." She leaned closer and kissed him deeply.