walk in the park and Future dreams

Christine's apartment

Mac and Christine are in Christine's apartment. They are sitting on the couch watching tv. Christine has been home from the hospital for 7 days. She is getting restless about being in the apartment. She takes the tv-remote and turns off the tv.

"hey." Mac says, "I was watching that."

"I'm going crazy Mac. I need to get out of here."

At the same moment Mac's phone rings. Mac answers it but no one is responding in the other end. He saw on the caller id that it was a call med from Lindsay's phone.

"Lucy, what are you doing with my phone?" Lindsay asks at a remote distance from the phone. "I'm calling Maggi," Lucy responds to her mother much closer to the phone. Lucy must have taken Lindsay's phone and called Mac without permission from her mother.

"Lucy, I told you not to call Mac." Lindsay says now a lot closer to the phone. "but mommy I want to go sledding with Maggi." Lucy explains. The little girl is clearly frustrated about her mother's failure to cooperate. "but Mommy why can't I ask Maggi and Christine to come sledding with me. Christine doesn't have to come if she doesn't want to, Mommy." Lucy tries. It amuses Mac and Christine. Mac has put his phone on speaker so Christine can listen in on the conversation too. "Lucy Mac is taking care of Christine right now after she came home from the hospital. You can ask Mac to go sledding with you next week when he is back at work. "but mommy…" the little girl tries desperately. "end of conversation Lucy. Give me my phone back and go put on your clothing so we can go to the park." Lindsay says with clear annoyance in her voice. "oh, alright mommy." Lucy says just as annoyed with her mom as her mom clearly is with her. Then the call gets disconnected.

"how about a walk in central park?" Mac asks Christine after they have stopped laughing about Lucy and Lindsay's discussion.

"Sounds good to me," Christine says and gives him a kiss before she gets up from the sofa.

"where are you going?" he asks once he sees she is walking towards the bedroom.

"I am changing. Do you think I would leave in my PJ?" Christine says.

"It would probably be a little chilly," Mac says with a smile.

Christine just shakes her head and walk to the bedroom and get changed. While she is getting changes, Mac goes and put on his shoes and his jacket. Christine joins Mac in the hallway. She puts on her jacket and her boots and stands in front of the mirror to set her hair. She suddenly stops and just stares into the mirror. Mac notices it and is wondering what is going on. After a moment where she is just starring in the mirror without a word, Macs walks over to her.

"what is going on?" he asks.

"I think we should stay in." she just says.

"why?" he asks. He can hear in her voice that something is going on.

"I don't want to go out Mac."

Mac is standing behind her with his arms around her looking into her eyes through the mirror.

"why not? All I see in that mirror is pure beauty. So tell me what is going on in that busy head of yours."

Christine takes a moment before she can explain to Mac what is going on.

"I have that big bruise on my face. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about it." Christine explains.

"hey. This is New York. If there is anything, I have learned from being a detective in this city is that nobody ever pays any attention to anybody in this city."

That makes Christine smile.

"is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asks.

Mac likes that he can get her to smile again.

"right now, it is a good thing. As a detective who would like to get eyewitness statements… a really annoying thing. A mole sees more than people in this city."

That makes Christine laugh and almost forget about the bruise on her forehead. Mac makes her turn around to face him.

"listen, Christine. You have some scars… both physically and mentally that you have to deal with for a while." The smile disappears on her face again and she looks down. She doesn't like Mac to see the tears forming in her eyes. "but…" he says and waits for her to look at him again. "you don't have to hide away from the world because of it. No one out there knows what you went through. What matters is that you deal with it and that you eventually make your peace with it. It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. Okay?" he says. She nods.

"how do you always know how to say the right things, Mac?"

Mac gives her a kiss and smiles at her.

"get ready and let's go get some fresh air.

"Okay."

Central Park

It is a cold February day in New York and there is snow on the grass. A lot of kids are out sledding with their parents. The sun is shining above the skyscrapers. There isn't much wind, so it is cold but not freezing. Mac and Christine walk hand in hand by a hill near a playground. There are a lot of kids sledding on the small hill. In the summer Mac sometimes take Lucy to this playground. Christine is getting cold, so she is leaning closer to Mac. He lets go of her hand and wraps his arms around her. she almost trips but he catches her before she falls and they both start laughing.

"Are you getting too cold?" Mac asks concerned and kisses her.

"no, it is fine." Christine leans in and kisses Back passionately. Their kiss is broken when Mac is hit in the back by a snowball.

"no daddy doesn't do that to Maggie." Mac and Christine look over where Lucy is running towards them. She is wearing her winter coat and skiing pants and winter boots. On her head, she has a pink had with pink braids hanging from her hand. She runs over and hugs Mac.

"Hey Lucy," Mac says and picks Lucy up. She first hugs Mac and then she turns her body while Mac is holding her so she can hug Christine. Then she turns back to Mac.

"I told Daddy not to throw snow at you." Lucy says determinedly. "but he didn't listen."

Lucy is clearly disappointed about her father disobeying her orders.

"well, I appreciate you tried Lucy," Mac says but he has difficulties hiding his amusement about his goddaughter. Lindsay and Danny have finally made their way to them.

"so, you don't like your job, Danny?" Mac asks. Danny just has a big grin on his face.

"Wow hey a few years ago you asked me to set you on fire and now you are mad about me throwing an innocent snowball at you?" Mac just smiles. He isn't really upset about the snowball.

"set you on fire?" Christine asks shocked and looks at Mac.

"It was for a case," Mac explains nonchalantly.

"that doesn't make it any better," Christine says still shocked about the information. Mac leans over and kisses Christine to calm her down.

"get a room," Daddy says and gets a punch on the shoulder by his wife in response.

"Can I get a kiss?" Lucy asks Mac once he breaks the kiss with Christine. Mac just smiles and places a quick kiss on his goddaughter's cheek.

"me and mommy and daddy are going to the playground do you want to come, Maggi?" Lucy asks. "Christine can come too," Lucy says to try and convince her godfather. Mac and Christine look at each other. Christine approves with a silent nod.

"Okay, that sounds like fun," Mac says and puts Lucy down on her feet. She walks over and takes her little red plastic sled that her mom was pulling.

"I went Sledding with daddy," Lucy says as she is pulling the little red sled after her in one hand while she is holding Mac's hand in the other. They walk over to a little playground. There is an empty bench near a coffee cart where they can sit while Lucy runs to the playground to play. She gives her dad a direct order to watch her sled so no other kid can take it. once Lucy has run over to the playground where she is going to the slide first Danny looks over at Mac.

"you know it is because of you she is giving orders," Danny says. Mac look confused at him. "you call her the mini-boss when she is with you, so now she thinks she is the mini-boss." Danny says in a serious tone while Lindsay and Christine are laughing.

While Danny and Mac start talking about work Christine seems distance in her thoughts.

"you are okay?" she is snapped out of her thoughts when Mac places his hand on hers.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Mac looks over at the direction where Christine was looking. There are two elderly women sitting on a bench not far from them. They are sitting and chatting while they are looking towards Mac and Christine.

"don't pay attention to it," Mac whispers to her and kisses her on the cheek.

"Christine." Lucy comes running over to them and runs straight to Christine.

"There is a little girl I just played with her name was also Christine."

"that is great Lucy," Christine says. Lucy climbs up and sits next to Christine.

"Daddy I'm thirsty," Lucy says.

"well, I think they have hot chocolate at that coffeeshop too," Mac says. Lucy lights up in a smile. "how about you and I go get some hot chocolate Lucy." Lucy nods eagerly.

"and for Christine too," Lucy says determinedly.

"yes of course for Christine too," Mac says and then Lucy jumps down from the bench and takes Mac's hand and they walk to the coffee cart together. Christine looks after them for a moment until they are standing in line with the coffee cart then she turns back to Danny and Lindsay.

"When are you due?" Christine asks Lindsay.

"in a few months," Lindsay says and runs her hand over her baby bump. "I am so ready for this pregnancy to be over." Lindsay says tiredly. "this basketball is driving me nuts."

"hey, be nice to my little boy," Danny says and runs his hand over her baby bump too.

"is it your body it is kicking nonstop and is it you he is keeping awake every night?" Lindsay says annoyed. "no. then be on my side."

"I love you too, babe," Danny says and places a quick kiss on Lindsay's lips.

"have you and Mac talked about kids?" Lindsay asks and turns back to Christine.

"no…" Christine says and looks back over at Mac and Lucy who has moved a few spots forward in the line.

"Sorry I asked Christine," Lindsay says.

Christine turns back to Danny and Lindsay.

"It is alright." Christine says and tries to force a smile on her face. "please don't look at me like that." She says when she notices how Danny and Lindsay have the same look on their faces as the entire team did the day she was in the hospital after she was found.

"Sorry, Christine," Lindsay says.

"I love being around Lucy. She doesn't see me as a victim. To her, nothing has changed." Christine says and looks over at Mac and Christine.

"what about Mac?" Danny asks. "has he changed?"

"no, he hasn't…" Christine says, and a smile comes upon her face.

"has Mac changed at work?" Christine asks Danny and Lindsay.

"you mean besides being a lovesick teenage boy every time he calls you? no." Danny says and then they all start laughing.

"what are you laughing at?" Lucy is now standing right next to them.

"just adult thing sweetie," Lindsay says.

"Christine, will you help me?" Lucy asks.

"sure. What do you need Lucy?"

"to go over there." Lucy points to a bakery across the street.

"to the bakery? Christine asks.

"yes, Mac asked me to. He gave me money." Lucy explains and shows Christine the money Mac gave her. "he also told me what to buy." Lucy explains.

"Okay," Christine says and gets up. Lucy takes her hand and they walk to the traffic light to cross the street.

Lucy and Christine went into the bakery and Lucy bought the 2 things that Mac had told her to. A cinnamon roll and another cake. Then they leave the store. As they walk out of the bakery a couple with a stroller walk by.

"are you and Maggi going to have a baby?" Lucy asks as they walk to the traffic light.

"what?" Christine asks surprised about the unexpected question.

"mommy and daddy are having a baby. Are you and Maggi." Lucy asks curiously.

"no, we are not."

"you don't want to have a baby?" Lucy asks. they arrive at the traffic light and Lucy presses the button to wait for the green pedestrian light.

"it is not that I don't want to have babies Lucy."

"Maggi wants to have babies," Ludy says. it then turns green and Lucy and Christine walk across the walking path.

"he told you that," Christine asks.

"no." Lucy says. "but he says that babies are a good thing."

"it is," Christine says. she starts smiling at the idea of Mac as a baby daddy.

"are you and Maggi going to get married then?" Lucy asks as they reenter the playground park area.

"I don't know. Why do you ask."

"because I think you should?" Lucy says.

"you think so?" Christine asks with a smile. Lucy looks up at Christine.

"yeah because then you have to wear a big nice princess dress and then I can wear one too," Lucy says. it makes Christine smile.

"really?"

"yeah."

Mac, Danny, and Lindsay are sitting at the bench each with a coffee cup when they hear Lucy and Christine approach them. Lucy walks over to Mac and hands him the bag with the stuff she just got for him. he hands her a cup of hot creamy chocolate in return. Before Christine gets to sit down next to Mac on the bench Lucy has already taken her seat and Christine sits down next to Lucy instead.

"Lucy gets over her so Christine can sit there," Lindsay says.

"why?" Lucy says angrily at her mother. "why can't I sit next to Maggi. I have to ask Maggi a question, mommy." Lucy says very persistently.

"It is alright," Mac says to Lindsay. Lucy takes a sip of her hot cocoa and then she looks up at Mac. She now has a chocolate mustache which amuses Mac but he doesn't comment on it. Mac takes out the pastry that Lucy got and hands Lucy her cinnamon roll and she quickly takes a large bite of it. Mac then takes out the out piece of pastry and shares it with Christine, Danny, and Lindsay.

"Maggi, I have a question," Lucy says determinedly.

"Okay." Mac adjust so he is paying full attention to Lucy's apparently very important question. "are you and Christine having a baby?"

Mac Look surprised at Lucy and is nearly choking on his coffee. "No not that I know off at least." He says and then looks over at Christine who shakes her head. "why are you asking Lucy?"

"because I think you should. So I can have someone to play with when I visit you." Lucy says and takes another sip of her hot cocoa.

"you and I play when you visit me," Mac says trying to talk Lucy out of her idea.

"yeah but… I don't sleep in your bed any more like I did before Christine was your girlfriend. So, I need to have someone else who can sleep in my room, with me."

"I see…" mac says attempting to sound understanding to Lucy's reasoning, which amuses Christine.

"and also, sometimes you don't have time to play with me, so I need someone else to play with."

"but Lucy…" Christine says, deciding to try and save Mac from Lucy's interrogation. Lucy turns to face Christine.

"you are going to have a brother or a sister, soon right?" Christine asks. Lucy nods eagerly.

"so that means when you and your brother are coming to visit Mac you will have your brother to play with and you and your brother will be sleeping in the same room together."

"no…" Lucy says quickly, which makes Christine look surprised at her. "my sister is going to sleep in mommy and daddy's room. Mommy told me that." Lucy says and takes a sip of her hot cocoa.

"Yeah that is when you and your sister are home with your mom and dad, but when you and your sister or brother are visiting Mac, the two of you are going to sleep in the same room, right."

"no…" Lucy says. it amuses Mac how Lucy just doesn't seem to accept any of Christine's arguments. "why would my sister visit Maggi? He is my Godfather. Not my sisters." Lucy says determinedly. "she can have her own god daddy. Not take mine." Lucy says and hugs Mac's arm. Mac leans an arm around Lucy and hugs her sideways.

"my Maggi," Lucy says and looks over at Christine with a big smile.

"mine too," Christine says with a teasing smile and leans over Lucy towards Mac.

"noo…" Lucy yells loud and pushes Christine away.

"Christine you know Lucy is right, right?" Danny says. everyone looks at Danny bewildered.

"what do you mean?" Christine asks.

"you said Mac is your too." Christine nods. "I don't see a ring so technically Lucy is right. She is legally his goddaughter." Danny says with a big teasing smile. Lindsay gives Danny a push on the shoulder as a response while Mac just meets Christine's eyes in a loving glance. They lean closer and meet in a sweet kiss over Lucy's head.

"no," Lucy says and tries to push Christine away from Mac, but it doesn't work until they willingly break the kiss.

Macs apartment

Mac comes into the Livingroom with two cups of coffee. Christine is sitting on the couch. she is starring into the air. She seems lost in her thoughts. Mac sits down next to her and places the cups on the coffee table. He leans over and kisses her on the cheek. That makes her look at him.

"what were you thinking about?" he asks. she just looks at him and smiles.

"you… me… us…." She says.

"about what?" Mac says and hands her the cup of coffee. "dumping me?" he jokes.

"no." She says and playfully pushes him on the shoulder. He takes her cup from her and places it on the table before he pushes her back and the lays down on her back and he leans over her. he rests his weight on his arms securely places next to her on the couch.

"I wouldn't do that." She says and places his face down to her and kisses him.

"it didn't spook you what Danny and Lucy said today?" Mac asks.

"spooked me…no. got me thinking? Yes." Mac looks surprised at her.

"kids? Marriage?" he asks.

"maybe…" he wasn't expecting that answer. He sits up and takes his cup of coffee. Christine quickly sits up too. She is afraid she might have spooked him.

"I didn't mean to spook you or pressure you," Christine says and places a hand on his face.

"you didn't." he quickly says and looks over at her. he leans in and kisses her and then he looks away from her again.

"so, then talk to me," she says worriedly. The kiss didn't convince her.

"I was sort of thinking about asking you… in Vegas, but…" he says not sure about how she will react to this.

"but…" she asks for him to continue.

"I wasn't sure if you want to…" he adds. "you haven't mentioned anything about it," he says and finally looks over at her.

"you have been married before. I know Claire will always be your true love so I wasn't sure if you could ever even consider me to be more than just…" she looks away from him. he noticed how her eyes started to fill with tears.

"Wow hey. Look at me," he says and places his hands on her cheeks. She turns her face turns him, but she isn't looking into his eyes.

"look at my eyes," he orders. After a little while she does as he says. "don't ever think that I don't love you. I do… I Loved Claire… I really did. But you are not just some second choice. I love you, Christine. Don't ever doubt that. Okay?" he says. She can see the sincerity and live in his eyes and she believes every word he says. he kisses her and the kisses grow more heated and he gently pushes her back down on her back and leans over her. after a few minutes, she stops him. he looks surprised at her.

"you thought about asking me while in Vegas?" she asks.

"yeah but not for the right reason." He admits. She looks confused at him.

"This case and realizing that you were missing, made me realize even more how much I love you and I don't want to lose you. But that is not the right reason." She looks confused at him. "love is not the right reason or marriage?" she asks confused. "no." he says with so much sincerity and love in his eyes and at the same time a hint of fear, which scares her. "Fear should not be the reason for marriage. It should be love. I don't want to marry you because I am scared of losing you. I want to marry you because I love you."

She pulls him down for a sweet passionate kiss. "that is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." she says, and it makes him smile and he kisses her again.