Author's Note I: Thank you to MariaLisa for beta'ing, supporting and encouraging. As much as MariaLisa would like to own them, I claim all mistakes as my own! LOL!

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

Dare To Take A Chance

Surrender your heart to me

And hurt, never will I let it be.

-Sally Jetson

"Who… is it?" he asked, dropping his arms away from her and fisting his hands into his pockets.

She didn't have the heart to answer his question directly.

"There was a gun found at the scene matching the bullet in Geno. The fingerprints on the gun… and the registration… they all match to….your dad."

The last part came out as a whisper.

He opened his mouth but no sound came out and he quickly turned around to grip the barrier.

"This just doesn't make sense! Why would he…. damn him! I knew it would come to this," he said in tortured exasperation.

Danny abruptly pushed back from the barrier as he launched a vicious kick at it. She quickly placed herself between him and the barrier.

His eyes locked onto the horizon as she gripped the front of his jacket.

"Danny I'm sorry… but I'm here for you. We can get through this together."

With whisper soft fingertips she guided his face to look at hers and his eyes closed, relishing her touch. But her touch couldn't overcome his bitterness and disappointment.

"Lindsay, you don't get through this because it- never- goes- away. I've lived with it my whole life," he exclaimed, throwing his arms out and looking up at the sky as if lamenting to the heavens above.

"So what, you have a past. I have a past too. We all have our pasts. And guess what? We all live with our pasts."

He looked down at her and trailed his hand across her cheek to brush back the hair blowing across it. He marveled at her determination. All he wanted to do was protect her and all she wanted to do was to put herself out there to be with him.

His thoughts recalled her parting words after their conversation on the ferry.

I've made my choice. I want to be with you.

Did he dare to believe she understood what she was getting herself into? But, more importantly, did he dare take a chance that she would be there for him through it all?

His eyes searched her face for some silent confirmation, in the hope that he wouldn't have to utter the question. But he couldn't take a coward's way out and just hope for the best. He had to ask.

"But are you sure you want to live with my past?" he choked out.

Her hands were on either side of his face now, her gaze locked onto his.

"Danny, I'll live with anything as long as I'm with you."

He anchored her close to him praying that she could, because he needed her too much to let her go now.

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"Thanks Flack"

Danny clicked his cell phone closed and Lindsay looked up from her paperwork.

"Are they bringing him in?"

"Yeah, I'm going down to the precinct."

"I'm going with you."

His head jerked up quickly, "No."

"What… don't you want me there?"

Did he want her there? Hell yeah he wanted there! But what would she see? What would she hear? Would she even want to see him afterwards? His mind ping-ponged through the questions.

"Danny?"

Her worried voice sliced through his thoughts.

"Lindsay, I just don't think it is a good idea for you to come with me."

"Why?"

He knew that stubborn thrust of her chin.

"Look, I don't know what's gonna happen and I don't want..."

The words stuck in his throat. Why couldn't he admit it to her. He was fucking scared that she would want nothing more to do with him afterwards.

"Lindsay, I just don't want you there," he ground out, immediately regretting it when she flinched at his tone.

"Ok Danny, but I thought we were in this together." she replied tightly.

He could see the hurt in her eyes, but only for a moment, as she quickly looked at her desk and began to straighten her paperwork.

He walked around the desk and stilled her hands by taking them in his, caressing his thumbs over her knuckles.

"Lemme try this again," he said with a deep sigh. "This could get ugly and I don't want you to see that because it might change your mind about us."

"Danny, how many times do I have to tell you I am here to stay?"

"Apparently every hour on the hour," he murmured as he kissed her knuckles.

"Look, if you don't really want me there I won't go."

For the life of him he couldn't recall the one thing he had done right in his life to deserve a woman like Lindsay, but whatever it was he was damn glad he'd done it.

"Nah, I want ya there."

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Both Danny and Lindsay stiffened as they watched Mac and Flack enter the interrogation room with Joe.

"Have a seat Mr. Messer," Mac gestured at a chair.

Joe seated himself, lacing his fingers together and laying them casually on the table. His demeanor was one of total confidence and ease.

"Mr. Messer, I know you are a busy man so I'll get right to the point."

Mac drew out a chair, dropped a file and an envelope onto the table and sat down.

Flack leaned casually against the wall behind Joe.

"As Detective Flack has informed you, an employee of yours was found murdered early this morning."

Joe nodded, "Yes, Geno Licciardello. I am shocked and saddened by Geno's death."

"Where were you last night between the hours of eleven pm and three am?"

"I was at the store with Geno going over the books until about 11:30. At that time I left to attend Midnight Mass. Geno said he would lock up for me."

"Did anyone see you at the Midnight Mass service?"

"But of course, the priest and the altar boys."

"Actually we were thinking more in terms of someone sitting next to you in the pew."

Joe's lips tightened momentarily as he fixed hooded eyes on Mac.

"Yes, my wife was with me. She is the one who likes to attend the Midnight Mass service."

"We'll have to verify that with her."

Joe inclined his head slightly as he replied, "Yes, of course."

"But that still doesn't get you off the hook," stated Flack as he came up behind Joe.

He placed his hands on the back of the chair and leaned in close to Joe's ear. "You see Midnight Mass is over at what… 12:45? Drop off the wife, make some excuse about the books, pick up Geno, drive into Manhattan. At that time of night it is a breeze to get into the city."

Joe ignored Flack as he stared straight at Mac. "I went home with my wife after Mass and was there all night."

"So if we question your wife, Joe; she's gonna tell the same story?" Flack hissed.

Danny and Lindsay flinched at Flack's tone. Hearing it used on an unfamiliar suspect was one thing, but hearing it used on Joe was unsettling to say the least.

"Yes; my wife does not lie."

"Well here's the kicker, Joe!" Flack pushed off the back of Joe's chair, "We found the murder weapon registered to you and with your prints on it."

Mac removed the bagged weapon from the envelope and pushed it across the table.

"Is this your gun, Mr. Messer?"

Joe eyed the gun. "It looks like my gun."

"Well big surprise, Joe; it is your gun, the registration says so," Flack snatched up the gun and thrust it close to Joe's face.

"That does not prove that I murdered Geno," Joe retorted, as he flicked a cold glance at Flack.

"Mr. Messer, a bullet from this gun was found in the back of Geno Licciardello's head. This gun, which is registered to you and had your fingerprints all over it, was found at the crime scene. What other explanation is there?" Mac demanded.

"I gave it to Geno a couple of weeks ago for protection. He said he had suspicions that he was being followed."

"Fuckin' A, Dad," Danny muttered.

"C'mon Joe, you expect us to believe that? Why don't you just come clean and save us all the trouble of having to drag your wife in here to lie for you."

Flack slammed the gun onto the table and leaned into Joe's face.

Joe's interlaced fingers tightened.

"You leave my wife out of this!" Joe ground out.

Lindsay heard Danny mutter something in Italian.

Flack pushed off the table in disgust and paced around to stand behind Mac.

"So Mr. Messer, what was the motive?"

Joe stared blankly at Mac.

"Was Geno cooking the books, skimming from the till, robbing you blind?"

"Geno was like a son to me and his family is like my own. He was an honest man who was indispensable to me. I did- not- kill- him." Joe returned firmly.

"Okay, we'll play it your way… who do you think kill Geno Licciardello?" Mac shot back.

They eyed each other with a take no prisoner's vengeance; Joe, the seasoned deal maker and Mac, the hardcore military man.

A flash of black suddenly skirted across the observation glass as a trio of dark suited men entered the interrogation room.

"What the…," Danny exclaimed as he drew back in surprise.

"Detective Taylor?"

Mac stood up slowly, pushing back his chair in the process and turned to the man positioned at the head of the table.

"I'm Special Agent Ross and these are Special Agents Feldman and Reese of the FBI," the man gestured to the other men flanking the door.

"What can I do for you?" Mac eyed him warily.

"We have orders to take Joseph Louis Messer into custody."

"That interferes with my murder investigation."

"Believe me sir, we are aware of the murder of Geno Licciardello and if Mr. Messer has anything to do with the murder he will be charged and prosecuted."

"But we have evidence to that effect, and I want the freedom to complete this interrogation," Mac replied evenly.

"With all due respect, our case supersedes yours. We'll also take any evidence you've collected."

Mac stared at Special Agent Ross for a moment before he acquiesced, "I'll send the evidence over."

Then he turned and nodded to Joe, who rose from his chair and made his way to the door.

The agents followed Joe out of the interrogation room, flanking him once he was in the precinct bullpen.

"Dammit! Wait!" Danny exclaimed as he brushed past Lindsay out of the observation room.

As Danny approached the group, Joe glanced at him quickly, "Mi figlio, tell your ma it's gonna be okay."

Keeping his eyes trained on the group exiting the precinct, Danny stopped to answer his ringing cell phone.

"Messer!"

His attention was suddenly seized by the call.

"Ma, sorry… I didn't realize it was you…."

He let a long sigh, shaking his head wearily.

"Listen, I'm at the precinct and I can't talk right now. Lemme call you right back when I get outta here."

He jerked to attention.

"What? Dammit! Okay, I'm on my way."

He clicked his cell phone shut as Mac stopped in front of him.

"Mac, I gotta go straighten some things out for my ma since…"

Danny struggled to articulate the rest of the sentence but the last shred of composure began to crumble. He was not about to the break down in front of his boss in the middle of the NYPD precinct. No fucking way! He ran his hand across his mouth and looked up at the ceiling, willing himself into a pillar of stone.

"Danny, take whatever time you need. If there is anything we can do for you just let us know."

Overwhelmed with emotion, he only managed to nod his thanks.

Mac glanced at Lindsay, "See you back at the lab?"

"Yeah, I'm right behind you."

As Mac walked off, Lindsay spoke quietly, "Danny, I only have a couple of hours until my shift is over, then I'll come to…"

"I don't want to talk about this here," Danny hissed as he gripped her elbow and hurried her out of the bullpen, down the hall and through a door, shutting it firmly behind them. As Lindsay's eyes adjusted to the dim light of the supply closet, she jerked her elbow out of his grip and glared at him.

"Danny, you don't have to be so rough!"

"Lindsay, listen to me. I don't want you anywhere near Staten Island, do you understand me?"

"I'm only trying to be supportive; and besides, you aren't the only CSI here. I can handle it."

"This is no longer about being a CSI… this is… I don't even know what this is yet. Dad is in the custody of the FBI as a murder suspect. Ma is freaking out. She said the FBI is securing a warrant to search the dry cleaners and confiscate all the books. They are threatening to freeze all the assets."

Danny was now pacing back and forth within the confines of the supply room, gesturing wildly through his tirade, frantically trying to release the mounting frustration.

In that moment she realized he needed her to be calm and supportive, not confrontational. She stepped into his path putting her palms on his chest. His body heat sizzled against them as she slid her arms up around his neck. She rubbed her cheek against the rough stubble of his jawline and whispered.

"Whatever it is, we will deal with it okay?"

His arms encircled her bringing their bodies flush.

"Lindsay I've never needed your support more than I've need it now…"

He pulled back to look into her eyes imploringly. "… but please for your own safety and my peace of mind, stay in Manhattan. At least until I can figure out what is going on."

"I'll try."

He kissed her gently.

"Gotta go," he muttered roughly into her ear.

"Be careful," she whispered to his departing back.

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Author's Note II: For all you fluff fans there was a kiss in the supply closet... sorry it couldn't have been more but it the timing just wasn't right. Give it a couple more chapters though. I promise... scout's honor. Always SJ