Disclaimer: I am not connected in any way with the creators of any of the CSI shows. (I wish I was though, so Danny and Lindsay would get together already.) These are just my mind's version of the events that transpire on the show.
The next morning, Lindsay woke up to the ticklish sensation of Danny running his morning stubble over the smooth skin of her shoulder.
"Morning, Montana," he said, smiling boyishly down at her, his lips nuzzling her softly.
"Hey you," she mumbled sleepily, turning around to wedge herself deeper into his embrace.
Danny started sketching lazy patterns on Lindsay's back and said, "Montana?"
Lindsay, with her face buried in the crook of his shoulder and neck, answered with a muffled, "Hmmm?"
Danny continued, "Far as I know, you're not planning to go home this Christmas, right?"
Lindsay didn't answer. She was still in the wonderful place between sleep and complete wakefulness. That, combined with the warm cocoon she found in Danny's arms… Well, she wasn't really following the conversation really well.
Danny looked down at her and said, "Linds?" shaking her slightly to waken her.
Lindsay sighed. This must be serious. Danny never called her by her given name unless it was a serious matter. She surrendered and looked up reluctantly into his blue eyes. "What?"
Danny repeated his question. "You weren't planning to go home to Montana for Christmas, right?"
Lindsay stared at him as though he had grown a second head. "You woke me up to ask me that?"
Danny nodded, looking intently at her. "Are you?"
Lindsay sighed. "Danny, you know perfectly well that I'm not going home this Christmas. If I was, you would have found out by now, right?" she explained reasonably.
Danny relaxed and grinned at her. "Just making sure." He kissed her. "Okay, you can go back to sleep now."
This time, Lindsay did glare at him. "So after waking me to ask me a question you already knew the answer to, now, you're going to tell me to go back to sleep?"
Danny nodded, flashing a smile at her. It was the smile she loved so well, boyish and charming and cocky all at once. She felt herself weakening and her glare faded slowly.
"Fine," she grumbled. She glanced over at the clock and groaned. "Danny! It's only six-thirty AM! We don't even have to be up for another hour! There's no way I'm going to be able to fall asleep."
Danny's face broke out into another cocky grin. "Guess we'll have to find another way to keep you from getting bored, huh?" Smiling wickedly, he rolled quickly over Lindsay and pulled the covers over them, muffling her startled, but delighted shriek.
In another New York apartment, Flack and Jordan had decided to get an early start on the day. Jordan was whipping up a batch of fluffy pancakes while Flack made the only breakfast food he knew how to make: coffee.
Soon, Jordan's kitchen was filled with the appetizing smell of coffee and pancakes. She expertly flipped the pancakes into a plate and reached into the fridge for a bottle of maple syrup before she continued to the dining room.
While waiting for the coffee to brew, Flack had set the table for two. Now, Flack grabbed the carafe of coffee and poured two steaming mugs of coffee for him and Jordan. He quickly reached for the cream and sugar and prepared her coffee the way she liked it, two creams and one sugar. He handed it to her with a flourish.
Jordan grinned at him, impressed. "Wow, you're really getting good at making coffee. Maybe next time, we're promoting you to making the eggs."
Flack chuckled and said, "I don't know if I'm ready for that."
They settled down to eat. As they polished off the pancakes, they discussed the logistics of moving in together.
"I wanted to ask you," Flack said, taking a quick gulp of his steaming coffee taken black with one sugar. "Do you want to move into my place or do you want me to move here?"
Jordan shrugged, "I don't know. My rent is cheaper but your place is much closer to work and it has great security."
Flack considered it, "But you have more stuff than I do, so moving me in here will be easier." As much as he loved Jordan, he still hated moving and he would do anything to lessen the work required for the activity.
Jordan correctly guess the direction of his thoughts and quirked her eyebrow at him, barely suppressing a smile. Flack flushed and defended himself, "What? It really would be easier to move me in here."
Jordan bit her lip and thought for a moment. Then she smirked triumphantly and said, "But your shower's much bigger than mine."
Flack didn't even hesitate. He just raised his eyebrows and said, "Y'know what? I think we should move you into my place. How soon can you pack?"
Jordan's laughter rang out through the apartment.
Later that day, while Lindsay was busy in the layout room, Danny sat in their office, his phone pressed against his ear. He waited impatiently while the phone rang.
After a few more rings, someone picked up the phone, "Hello?"
Danny answered, "Hey, Mom," glancing nervously at the door.
"Danny!" Maria Messer exclaimed into the phone, happy to hear her youngest son's voice. Her voice soon took a stern tone, "Don't tell me you're calling to cancel for Christmas. Daniel Dominic Messer, don't you dare…"
Danny cut his mom off before she could work herself into a full-blown tirade, "Ma, no --- Ma, listen..." On the other end of the line, Maria kept talking. "Ma!" he suddenly yelled out in frustration.
Maria stopped talking, "What?"
Danny spoke hurriedly before his mother could start talking again, "I'm not calling to cancel, I'm…" He was cut off once again by his mother's grateful sigh.
"I'm actually calling to ask if I can bring someone home for Christmas dinner," Danny explained.
Maria answered, "A friend of yours? Sure! Anybody who doesn't have a home to go to at Christmas is welcome at our home, you know that Danny."
Danny cleared his throat before he spoke again, "I know that, Ma." He paused for a while, a little unsure of how he was going to say it. "I'm bringing Lindsay home for Christmas."
For a moment, Maria Messer was speechless. Danny had never brought a girl home, ever. And he had been talking about this Lindsay for the past few months. Every time he came home to have dinner with his family, he always managed to work her into the conversation.
In the beginning, Danny talked about her with slight resentment for taking over Aiden's place in the team and in his life. But Maria quickly observed the changes in his tone and manner as he unwittingly kept the family updated on their budding love story. Maria prided herself on knowing her children really well and she saw the subtle way Danny's eyes and voice softened almost with tenderness every time he mentioned his new partner. About a month ago, she sensed a new emotion mixing with the softness: frustration. This made Maria intensely curious to meet the woman who had earned herself a place in Danny's heart.
Now, Danny, as a son, was very good about keeping his mother abreast of what was going on in his life. During the last few conversations they had, Maria found out that her son and Lindsay had started seeing each other. Two weeks later, when they talked, he happened to casually mention that he and Lindsay were now living together.
Maria had no objections to the match whatsoever. She personally believed that she had never seen Danny so happy in all his life. Every time they spoke, his voice was laced with contentment and Maria couldn't be happier.
But bringing a girl home? This was a first.
Maria pulled herself together quickly and said, "Of course she's welcome here! I'm glad I finally meet this Lindsay." She teased her youngest son, "You've mentioned her so many times already it got us all really excited to know if she really exists, sweetheart."
On the other end of the line, Danny flushed. He grinned into the phone and said, "Yeah, she exists, Ma."
Maria immediately dropped her teasing tone and spoke to her son seriously, "You love her, don't you, Danny?"
Danny smiled. Whoever said that mothers knew best really knew what they were talking about. There wasn't anything he could hide from his mother. He said softly into the phone, "Yeah, I do."
He hesitated before adding, "Ma, I think this is it."
Maria closed her eyes and sent a prayer of thanks heavenward. "Well, then, you bring her right over this Christmas so we can meet her."
Danny smiled affectionately into the phone, "Alright, so we'll see you then. Tell Dad I called. Thanks. Love you too. Bye."
Coming soon: Danny tells Lindsay about Christmas dinner, dinner with the Messers, Flack takes Jordan home for Christmas.
What did you think of this one? It's one of the shortest chapters, but I couldn't sleep without writing a new chapter in the lives of our favorite detectives.