Author's Note I: I should have personally replied to everyone that reviewed. If I missed you it was clearly an oversight.For all you out there reading but not reviewing, here is a big Thank You!!

Author's Note II: An immense debt of gratitude goes to MariaLisa for keeping my writing coherent and relevant and my characters believable and true! Special thanks to BrilliantMadness and Sparkles in keeping me from spiraling down into unnecessary melodramatics!

DISCLAIMERS: I do not own any of these characters from CSI:NY however any other characters are mine!

The New York Experience: Part II

Tale il padre, tale il figlio.
(Like father, like son)

-Italian Proverb

The swinging door opened to reveal a smartly dressed man in an expensive charcoal gray suit and tie. The resemblance to Louie was uncanny. If Danny had gotten his mother's eyes, Louie had definitely come by his brooding eyes, wavy, dark hair, thick eyebrows, long face and full lips from the man who stood at the head of the table surveying the occupants with shrewd, watchful eyes.

"Cara," Joe murmured as Caitlin brushed a quick kiss across his cheek.

"Danny, how are ya?" He shook Danny's hand and gave him a quick, subdued hug with his other arm.

"Dad, this is Lindsay Monroe," Danny put an arm around her waist.

"Lindsay," he paused as he took her hand, his eyes staring into hers, "nice to meet you."

His Staten Island accent was as thick as Danny's but while Danny exuded energy through motion, facial expressions and speech, Joe Messer's countenance was one of restrained and subtle power. She could feel it in his handshake and the way his eyes scrutinized her. If she hadn't known she was among Danny's parents she might have given a slight shiver of disquiet.

"Let's eat," Caitlin declared.

They took their seats and Joe poured the wine. Steaming bowls of pasta, sauce and bread were passed around. Lindsay thought there was enough food to feed at least ten people but when she took a bite she knew she would be having seconds.

Her eyes closed and a small mmmhh must have slipped out because Danny, his mouth full of pasta which he quickly swallowed, said, "So, Montana, didn't I tell ya it was the best."

She smiled at Danny and then nodded in agreement at Caitlin, "It is delicious… I'll never eat Italian food again without comparing it to yours."

Caitlin beamed. "Aye, you're sweet to say so but I must hear about you now!"

"Aw Ma, give her a chance to eat!" Danny chided his ma good-naturedly.

"Danny, you came here to eat but you brought Lindsay so we could get to know her…so you eat and we'll talk!" she declared with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"So I know that Danny calls you ' Montana' because that is where you are from."

"Oh, is that what he told you?" Lindsay couldn't help replying sweetly. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that he took a quick swig of his wine, but she decided against further teasing as she continued.

"You're right and all my family still lives there."

"I have never seen the wide open spaces of Montana however I am sure they would remind me of my native Ireland. Do you miss Montana?"

"I do but New York is growing on me."

"What brought you to New York?"

"I wanted to work in one of the best crime labs in the country, and I wanted to see something other than ranch life, small towns and wide open spaces."

"But didn't you feel lonely and lost when you came here? I remember when I first came to New York all those years ago from a small town in Ireland, it 'twas overwhelming."

"It was, but I love the bustle of the city, all the things to see and do, the intensity of the work at the lab and the anonymity of being among millions of people who don't know me and I don't know them."

Joe who had been quietly eating and listening coughed slightly, "A person who craves anonymity is usually running."

Lindsay, realizing how perceptive Joe was, carefully considered her answer before replying, "Agreed, but would you be referring to running from or running to something?"

He took a sip of wine but kept his eyes on her. As he set his glass down he shrugged slightly, "I don't' know…. you have to tell me, no?"

Lindsay nodded in acknowledgement of his thinly veiled command.

"Dad!" Danny said through clenched teeth.

"Joe, don't badger Lindsay, she's our guest." Caitlin cajoled.

But neither Lindsay nor Joe paid attention to the protests issuing forth from Danny and Caitlin.

Lindsay took a deep breath, looking him straight in the eyes. "Mr. Messer, I left Montana because my sister was murdered. Was I running away? Yes, in some ways, but I wasn't just running away, I was running to something as well. I came to New York to learn in the best crime lab because you see when I left Montana, the crime was still unsolved, and there is nothing I want more than to see the brutal murderer of my sister put away for good."

He nodded slightly as if nothing she'd said had shocked or disturbed him and Danny's jaw dropped to hear her admit to his dad what it took him months to glean from her.

"I'm very sorry to hear of your loss; so family is important to you?"

"It is everything to me," Lindsay declared without hesitation.

"As with me," he smiled approvingly.

"Dad, don't give us that bullshit," Danny blurted out as he slammed his fist down on the table making the flatware jump in abrupt disturbance.

"You doubt me, mio figlio?" Joe turned his hooded eyes and arched eyebrows on Danny.

"Hell yes, because your actions speak louder than your words. Where were you when Louie and I were growing up? Even now, always working at your own interests; jewelry, dry cleaning, your buddies. Those are your priorities!"

"That jewelry store and that chain of dry cleaners gave you a roof to live under, paid the bills… would have given you a decent living and kept them in the family too, if you hadn't thumbed your nose at it when baseball played out. Tell me, who is not putting family first now!"

"Thumbed my nose at it? That's crap Dad! I just wanted something I would enjoy doing. I couldn't be cooped up in a jewelry store or a dry cleaners for the rest of my life."

"Boys!" Caitlin shouted as she placed her hands on the table and stood up, first glaring at her husband and then at Danny. "As much as I'm sure Lindsay would love to hear the airing of the family skeletons, I say you either take it outside or let it drop."

"I say we take it outside," Danny muttered.

Caitlin shot him an exasperated glance, "Danny, are you still twelve?"

A small laugh slipped from behind Lindsay's hand and Danny shot her a look. She kicked him under the table and inclined her head toward Caitlin."

"Okay, let's drop it." Danny muttered.

Caitlin settled herself in her chair once more and smiled ruefully at Lindsay, "I'm sorry but men with Italian tempers and an axe to grind do not always make the best dinner companions."

She reached over and squeezed Lindsay's hand, "And I'm truly sorry about your sister."

When Joe had questioned Lindsay about her reasons for coming to New York she had felt nothing but strength and resolve, but Caitlin's expression of sympathy made a lump rise in her throat and tears swell in her eyes. She quickly dabbed them with her napkin and Caitlin gave her hand another quick squeeze.

" Montana, you wanna take five?" Danny asked in concern. She smiled and shook her head. He always asked her that when a tough case was getting to her; and just knowing that he understood was enough to steady her.

"Thank you for your concern," she glanced quickly at Joe and then Caitlin, "the murderer is in custody and I'm hoping for a conviction once he goes to trial."

Caitlin gave her hand another squeeze and then released it. "Lindsay that is wonderful news, let's drink to that!"

Everyone lifted their glass as Joe proclaimed, "Occhio per occhio, dente per dente."

The rest of the meal passed in pleasant conversation until Joe's cell phone rang. He pulled it from inside his suit pocket as he excused himself from the table and walked into the kitchen.

"Danny, do you want more to eat?" Caitlin asked as Danny slumped back in his chair and fiddled with the stem of his wine glass.

"No Ma, I'm done."

Joe returned, replacing the cell phone inside his suit and swallowing the last of his wine before announcing, "Cara, the meal was excellent as usual but that was Geno at store number 5; they are having some trouble getting the year end books in order and I must go down there."

"I'm sure it must be tended to, Joe," Caitlin murmured as she rose and rounded the table to give him a kiss.

"Dad, Geno has been doing this job for years, can't he figure it out for himself or at least hold off until tomorrow?"

"Danny, I'm sorry, but I have to meet with the gem dealers tomorrow and it will probably take all day. The books must be done soon because the accountant needs them right after the New Year. Christmas will be here soon and no one wants to work over the holidays."

Danny rose reluctantly from his chair and approached his dad.

Joe clasped Danny's shoulder and shook his hand, "Besides you know the old saying, eh?"

"Yeah, I know, L'occhiodel padrone ingrassa il cavallo." Danny recited with a sigh.

Lindsay was impressed at the way that the Italian rolled off Danny's tongue. She made a mental note to ask him what it meant later.

Joe gave a quick pat to Danny's cheek in a typical Italian gesture of affection and then turned to Lindsay.

She rose and shook his hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Messer."

"Please Lindsay, call me Joe. It was a pleasure to meet you too, and I apologize for having business to attend to."

After Joe left, Lindsay and Danny helped Caitlin clear the dishes and put away the food.

"Ma, did ya make any dessert?" Danny asked poking around the kitchen.

"Aye," Caitlin replied appearing from the walk-in pantry with a plate of canolis.

"Ahhhh, Ma, you read my mind." He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

They chatted amicably around the butcher block, drinking coffee and eating canolis until Danny reluctantly admitted that it was time they were on their way back to Manhattan. He called for a cab while Lindsay stacked the dishes in the sink. When Danny was finished with the call, he wrapped one of his arms around Lindsay's waist as he pulled her close to him.

"Did you get enough to eat?" he teased brushing a tantalizing kiss across her lips.

"Enough food… yes," she returned softly, feeling her body heat up at his nearness.

He dropped his arm from her waist and intertwined his hand with hers.

"Danny, the time has flown!" Caitlin exclaimed. "You must come back soon and bring Lindsay. You don't come often enough as it is, you know."

Lindsay smiled as Danny hugged Caitlin.

"Yeah, Ma, I know but work is so unpredictable with the shifts and the cases and being on call," Danny replied apologetically.

Caitlin grasp his chin in her hand as she looked him in the eyes, "Aye Danny, do you hear yourself?"

"Ma," he groaned.

She held his chin firmly.

"Danny, you sound like your father."

"Ma, there's a big difference between us…"

"What would that be?" she challenged, her eyes glittering.

"Ma!" Danny said exasperatedly.

Caitlin dropped her hand to his chest but held his eyes with her own.

"Danny, your father is an excellent business man; clients from all over the Eastern Seaboard come to purchase the unique pieces of jewelry that his craftsmen create."

"Ma, that's you; you design those pieces and I don't call it excellent business to cater to the Mafia," he replied heatedly.

Lindsay's mind snapped to attention upon hearing the word Mafia.

"Danny," she reproached, "he does not cater to the Mafia."

"Ma, all you have to do is take one look at those guys and you know what they are, you can feel it in your gut!"

Lindsay wasn't sure she should be hearing this… that she wanted to hear this…. but Danny pulled her close when she tried to shift gracefully away from the conversation.

Caitlin clicked her tongue at Danny as she shook her head, "Danny, going on appearances and your gut will only land you in trouble… isn't that what they taught you when you became a CSI?"

"Yeah Ma, you're right, follow the evidence. One day though there will be enough evidence against one of those guys and Dad will be in the wrong place at the wrong time and he'll go down with them," he declared vehemently.

Caitlin patted his chest consolingly. "I trust your dad; he knows what he is doing."

Danny grasped Caitlin's hand and gave it a squeeze, "Don't be so sure, Ma."

The doorbell rang, heralding the arrival of the taxi.

"Ma, we gotta go, I love ya!" Danny placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Aye, I love you too!"

She grabbed Lindsay's free hand and pulled her cheek to cheek. "Lindsay, it was such a delight to meet you!"

She pulled away, her blue eyes twinkling and her wide smile creasing up into her high cheekbones. "You must have Danny bring you back." She gave Lindsay's hand one last squeeze.

"I would love to come back. I enjoyed this evening. It has been a very long time since I've sat down to a family meal." Lindsay's smile mirrored Caitlin's.

The doorbell pealed again and Caitlin spoke quickly as they all hurried to the door.

"Danny you must do me a favor."

"What is it, Ma?"

He opened the door.

"Promise me you will take Lindsay to go see Uncle Sal."

A gust of cold air swirled through the door as he looked at her questioningly.

"Promise me!" she entreated.

"Okay, Ma, sure, I promise."

He gave her another quick kiss and they hurried out to the taxi.