Chapter Six
"Avery, what do you want for dinner?" Lindsay asked as she gazed into the fridge and freezer, while Avery watched T.V. in the living room.
"Um, pizza." He said as he continued to watch the television.
"No, try again." Lindsay laughed, shutting the freezer and fridge and moving to the pantry.
"Pancakes? Yeah, Mommy can we have breftest for dinner?" Avery squealed as he jumped off the couch.
"That actually sounds good." Lindsay said as she pulled the instant blueberry pancake batter down. "I love breakfast for dinner."
"Me too." Avery said as his mother picked him up and set him on the counter. She gave him a small smile and pushed his blonde hair back and letting it fall. "Mommy, what's wrong?"
"I was talking to Daddy today." Lindsay said softly.
"Oh." Avery said as he looked down at his hands.
"Avery." Lindsay said, putting her finger under his chin and lifting his eyes to meet hers. His blue eyes had already clouded with tears at the mention of Danny. "He knows that he doesn't remember us, but he's trying to."
"Okay." Avery said, his eyes wide and he bit his lip in and effort not to cry.
"He wants to meet you." Lindsay said with a smile.
"I don't want to." Avery said as he shook his head.
"Why not?" Lindsay asked confused as she picked Avery up and brought him into the living room.
"Because, Mommy." He said as he buried his head in her neck.
"Av, it might help him remember, he really wants to meet you." Lindsay said as Avery pulled back to look at her.
"But what if he doesn't like me?" Avery asked softly. Lindsay smiled and kissed Avery's nose.
"You don't have to worry about that, sweetie. He's still your father, he just doesn't remember it, but I'm sure he loves you." Lindsay said as she stroked his hair.
"Okay." He said as he rested his temple against Lindsay's cheek.
"Okay." Lindsay smiled and stood again, bringing him back into the kitchen. "Wanna help me make the pancakes?"
"Yeah!" he said excitedly.
~Flack's Place~
"Danny, stop pacing." Flack said as he sat on the couch while his friend paced in front of him.
"Sorry." Danny said as he sat on the couch next to Flack and sighed.
"What's he like?" Danny asked looking at Flack.
"Avery? He's a good kid. Shy." Flack laughed. "Very shy, since he was a baby, when he was old enough and you and Linds brought him into the office, he buried his head in your neck and wouldn't let any one hold him. It was funny, cause you and Lindsay are so not shy." Flack laughed as he looked over at Danny. "Cuddly, just like you."
"I don't cuddle." Danny said seriously.
"Bullshit." Flack laughed.
"I'm serious." Danny said as he glanced at the clock.
"Danny, I've seen you cuddle with Lindsay and Avery, many times." Flack said.
"I gotta go." Danny said as he stood and smoothed his wrinkles out.
~Lindsay's Building~
"Oh Danny, so nice to see you again." An old woman said as she stepped off the elevator. "I'm so sorry to hear about your accident." She continued as she looked up at him. "I hope you're feeling better."
"I am, thank you." Danny said as he watched the old woman walk away before jumping on the elevator. Danny had hoped that as soon as he stepped off on Lindsay's floor something would come to him, but got nothing.
"Avery, comb your hair." Danny heard Lindsay say through the door. He smirked and knocked. He swallowed hard as he watched the handle turn, but managed to smile when Lindsay appeared.
"Hey." Danny said, then cleared his throat, obviously nervous.
"Hey, come in." Lindsay said and stepped aside, smiling at how nervous he was. "You want anything to drink?"
"No, I'm good thanks." Danny said as his eyes flicked to a picture on the end table. "So this is what Flack was talking about." Danny said as he picked the picture up. It was a simple picture of Lindsay wrapped up in Danny's arms as they slept in a hammock.
"What do you mean?" Lindsay asked as she stood next to Danny and looked at the picture.
"Flack was explaining to me that I cuddle." Danny laughed as he turned and looked at Lindsay. He smiled as she smiled at him and licked his lips.
"You cuddle." Lindsay confirmed as looked away from him.
"Mommy I can't-." Avery stopped as he looked out of the bathroom and saw Danny.
"Can't what?" Lindsay asked as she stepped away from Danny.
"Can't." Avery said as he continued to stare at Danny.
"Come'ere Avery." Lindsay said softly as he slowly walked over to Lindsay, standing closely to her leg, away from Danny. "Danny this is Avery Louis Messer."
"Hi." Danny said with a gentle smile.
"Hi." Avery said softly with wide eyes as he looked up at Danny. Lindsay smiled and picked Avery up from behind her leg.
"We'll be right back." Lindsay said to Danny as she took Avery into his bedroom.
"Mommy, I don't want to do this." Avery said as he sat on his bed and Lindsay sat next to him.
"Av, you don't have to be shy. It's just Daddy." Lindsay said as she picked up a picture from Avery's nightstand. "Remember this?"
"Yeah, it was at the game." Avery said as he gazed at the picture.
"It's the same guy." Lindsay said as she wrapped an arm around Avery's shoulder and kissed his temple. "I promise."
"Okay, I'll do it." Avery said as he turned and picked the stuffed tiger that he bought off of his bed.
"You want me to come?" Lindsay asked as she watched Avery head towards the door.
"I can do it." He said with a smile and headed into the living room, where Danny was sitting on the couch.
Avery slowly approached Danny and Danny turned and smiled at him as he turned the corner around the couch. Avery moved to stand in front of Danny in between his legs and looked up at him curiously before holding the tiger out to him.
"What's this?" Danny asked softly as he took the tiger, but continued study the little boy.
"A tiger." He said softly as he looked from the tiger to Danny. "I bought him for you on my field trip."
"Thank you." Danny said as he and the little boy continued to stare at each other.
"Does it hurt?" Avery asked softy resting his hand on Danny's knee.
"Does what hurt?" Danny asked as he looked at the little hand and smiled.
"Not membering." He said.
"Not physically, it hurts my heart." Danny said as he watched his son's blue eyes flick from his head to his chest.
"Why are you wearing glasses?" he asked as he moved from in front of Danny to sit next to him on the couch.
"I haven't gotten my contacts yet." Danny said as he angled his body so he could look at Avery.
They both remained silent, not knowing what to say or do. Lindsay watched from behind the couch and bit her lip from laughing.
"You're not the same." Avery whispered as he sat on his knees and brought his hands up to touch Danny's face. "You look the same." Avery said as continued looking at Danny. "But you're not my Daddy." He said as his voice cracked and he sat back on his bottom.
"I'm sorry." Danny said as he turned and looked at Lindsay. "I don't know how to be a dad, yet, but I'll try."
"Okay." Avery said as he slowly moved and sat in Danny's lap. "Is this okay?"
"Perfect." Danny said as Avery laid his head under Danny's chin and let Danny's heart beat lull him to sleep. Danny smiled and wrapped his arms around the little boy.