Chapter Two... This is as Far as I've gotten. Mypre-reader

((((my lovely often times strange and exasperating sister who've I've roped into watching with me and is now an avid Danny fan... not to mention likes to watch CSI NY ;) )))

hasn't been online in a bit and she always reads my stories before they go online. So next chapter will be not too far down the road, but no quite ready for you all yet. Let me know how you all are enjoying it (or not) thus far as this is my very first CSI Fic, though I write often, so fanfic is not altogether new to me.

Enjoy it!

Don was quiet as he drove them back to her place. She had been more comfortable climbing the three floors to her apartment rather than the nine to his, so they'd been staying there since their last emergency room visit.

He parked the car and killed the engine. Turning toward her, he saw her beautiful eyes already glued to him.

No words were needed. He leaned into her kiss and held her against him for a long time. Finally, he got out and opened her door. Scooping her into his arms he shut the door with his thigh and carried her up the stairs.

Once safe in her dark apartment, he began to kiss her again, passionately and fiercely. He laid her down on top of her thick quilts and held her hands tightly as he protectively knelt above her, staring into her eyes. He slipped his hands under her, strategically placing one near her neck and one just below the lowest part of her back. "I love you." He breathed as he nuzzled his forehead against her wet cheek. He looked at her again. This time he saw tears. "Hurt…?" He was afraid what the answer could be.

"No, Don. I'm fine… I just … I love you too. Very much and I couldn't do this with anyone but you. I mean that."

Don replied with a silent kiss on her neck as he slid her up the bed to her overstuffed pillows. He helped her change into a nightshirt that came nearly to the knee, but not quite. It was really one of his old tees she had claimed from back the night she ran to him.

She remembered it vividly.

First she had gone to a hotel. The blood in the bathtub had put her over the edge and she missed that man no matter how he had hurt her. He had loved her like no other man before. He hadn't any parents himself, so they had connected well, her being orphaned her entire life. But he hurt her nonetheless.

There were no vacant rooms and Don's place was tantalizingly close. Yes, Don would be more than willing to help her. As the taxi took off, she realized her bag was inside of it. Starting to cry and ready to turn around, she had felt his arms. Don's arms. "Don?" She had looked at him for help as rain began to soak them both. He brought her inside and helped her change into that faded gray shirt. Too big… but the memory made her smile.

Since than she had kept it, refusing to return it to its owner.

He pushed her back slowly and knelt with a knee on either side of her. He kissed her again. "You know, Stel… I'm going to make sure you and Jordan are always safe."

She smiled and inhaled sharply as he pressed himself against her. Making love in the most gentle way she'd ever felt. He was conscious of their baby, growing and moving and he caressed her stomach. She breathed in and held it as she gripped his shoulders. "…Don?" Panting, she held tighter, wrapping her arms around his neck and closing her eyes.

He moved her to his side ever so slowly so he wouldn't cause her any pain. Stopping for a moment, but remaining entangled in her arms and legs, he gazed at her beautiful features. Her eyes danced and sparkled in the city lights and her smile was amazing. His breath caught in his throat as his lips touched hers ever so slightly, teasing her.

"You're mean." She managed as she worked to catch her own breath before letting her lips attack his.

He laughed before moving backwards away from her. "That's it, you're cut off." He teased. Than his smile faded and he grew serious. "Not too much, Stella. You have a hard time just walking right now. I don't want to cause any extra stress."

"You won't." Her eyes pleaded for him to come back to her. She wasn't finished with him and she wanted him to know it. She played with the strands of hair that blew across his ears. "Please. Just a little longer, Don, and I promise I'll rest long and hard after that."

He shrugged and smiled softly. "I suppose I can't say no."

This time she came at him. Gently pressing her hands into his back and dragging him toward her. "I don't deserve you. You know that right?" She smiled at him.

"No… I'm just too damn good for you." His cocky grin reminded her of the man from before her attack. Yeah… he was the same Don Flack, but before that he was carefree and innocent. Now he had a daughter to protect and a wife… well, almost wife… to love and cherish. That would drive some men nuts, but Don… he just took it very seriously, and that was what she wanted.

"Damn, you are!" She gasped as he took control again… all but begging him to never stop. "Don… God…" She inhaled again. "No… you have to stop now." She pushed him away as she sat up quickly.

It alarmed Don how fast her face paled as she cradled her stomach. She began to sob, unable to control herself as the pain shot through her body. She was distantly aware of Don turning a light on and forcing her to lay back down. He cursed something she didn't quite hear and he made a phone call. She was still unaware of what was going on as she felt her whole body slipping into some sort of sleep. She fought it… knew it couldn't have been good.

She woke up still in her bed, this time turned onto her side. Don tightly held her hands and two paramedics were talking to him and nodding.

"Don?" She didn't feel the baby and dread filled her.

"Everything's fine." He smiled softly. "The baby didn't like all too much what I just did to you. But you're both fine. Just a bit of a scare."

"Why did it hurt so much?" She asked, more to the EMT's than to Don.

The female present spoke up. "Ma'am, thing is… when your water broke last week, you lost the only part of a woman's body that separates the baby from the world. So, your little one was alarmed by the new … umm…"

Don laughed at her sudden discomfort and waved her off. "S'okay… we get it… we were there."

The woman blushed slightly as she gathered her things up. "No more though, okay Ma'am? Not until after the baby."

Stella nodded as she curled up against Don, watching the two paramedics leave. When the door shut, she looked up to see her man staring down at her. "I'm still scared."

"Me too."

"Come on Stella. Baby, breathe." Don was holding his new wife from behind. They had gotten married quickly the day before and now she was in active labor. "The ambulance will make it, Stel… hang on."

Stella breathed in sharply as a wave of nausea and pain swept through her body again. She gripped his knees as she flung herself backward hard onto his chest. She was sweating as if she had just finished making love to him, but this time it was pain rather than bliss that shook her body. "Damn-it, Don… I can't… I can't do this." She wiped her tears away before grabbing his knee again. She dug her nails deep in and bit on her lip.

"Stella…?" Don didn't know what to say. The doctors had told them best-case scenario she'd wind up having an emergency c-section. Worst case… well, worst was neither would make it out alive. So what would happen if she delivered at home, without the technology and medication to keep her alive? "Baby. I love you, I'm here." What else was there? Nothing… he was there and he loved her. That simple.

Stella felt another sharp pain, this time it was bearing down from inside of her. That's it, she knew she had to push. And she did. Hard. A couple of beats and she had thrown herself back against Don. Deep breath, push… one, two, three. She couldn't. She lost mental count and broke down in another wave of tears and pain.

Don just held her. Held her hands, squeezed his knees against her thighs… letting her know he was there.

She gripped them again as she looked up at him. She had slid down through the last few contractions and she was now nearly lying flat on the bed. The contractions slowed a bit and the urge to push subsided. She breathed a little easier, knowing it wasn't going to last.

Don could see the baby's head between her partially covered legs. It was just barely there, but he could see it. He released her hands and reached past her bulging stomach to touch the hair that peeked out.

Stella caught her breath as he did so and bore down again, pushing with everything in her. The baby didn't move. Not one bit. She did it again… and again. Again. Still no progress. She looked helplessly up at her silent husband who was counting slowly to himself.

Don was trying to judge whether the sirens they'd been hearing had gotten any louder. No. Damn Manhattan construction. They were worried about fixing a pothole while he was losing his wife. "Stella. We have to deliver this baby now. They're not going to make it." He slid out from beneath her and repositioned her against the headboard. "Alright baby, take your knees, that's it and push… one… two… three… good, Stella… honey… six… seven… eight… no, keep pushing… there you go. Deep breath." They repeated this twice as he slid his fingers around the baby's head, searching for a grip. He found it and eased the head nearly out. "One more Stella. Ready?"

She whimpered softly and nodded, not seeing his face pale.

The baby was a pure sky blue and he was trying not to show the panic he was feeling. "Push, darling… one two…" his count trailed off. She wasn't listening anyways as she pushed the head the rest of the way out. She released the grip on her legs as she flung herself onto her side, shaking with uncontrolled fear and pain.

He held tight to her waist, determined to save their Jordan. No cord… so what was wrong. There was a heart rate but no oxygen was getting into the baby's body. He stood and pulled Stella from the bed. Leaning her upper body against it. She gripped the blankets and writhed back and forth, gasping and sobbing as he spread her legs apart again, causing even more pain to his beloved wife. He pressed his palm into her back and supported the baby's head with his other. "Hard, Stella. Everything you've got left, Babe."

Stella complied as she bit down on her blankets, pushing with her very soul. She knew Jordan was losing the fight and if that baby died inside of her, she would as well. And she would bet on that.

"Push, push - thata girl!" Don exclaimed.

Stella instinctively sat back on her legs as the baby emerged fully from her body. She didn't cry. Neither of them moved. Stella refused to look.

Don started infant CPR, determined to save the life that had stressed them both out so much over the past couple of months. Than, it happened. Jordan Ann Flack started to cry… and not just little sobs, but screams.

Slowly Stella's sweat-soaked, tear-stained face turned to look at the man behind her. The father of her baby. Her husband, soul mate, and the man who just saved her life and their baby's life. Any wrong move and they both would have been dead. But she was kneeling there, surrounded in pools of her own blood. It was a wonder she hadn't passed out. Was this a dream? Was she dead? No… She felt him press his body against her as he slipped their child safely into her arms to suck on her breast.

Don was sobbing now. He nearly lost them, but they were both safe. He scooped his family up and laid them down softly, gently curling up next to them. "Stella… I lo-" His words caught in his throat as the tears choked him.

She replied with a gentle, sticky kiss as they both gazed at Jordan. Beautiful Jordan Ann.

Keep me motivated and review it... please? ;)