"I heard she got pregnant by some other guy, just to try to trap Danny into marriage. But of course he was smarter than that, that's why he left her. Now she has nobody to play 'daddy.'"

"She is such a slut. He deserves someone better than that. I wouldn't mind givin' him a shot."

"Me either, girl."

Lindsay stood there frozen, but she was used to it by now. She felt Danny try pushing past her into the locker room.

"No Danny, it's okay," she said her lip quivering, tears in her eyes. Then she pushed past him and walked as fast as she could, holding her face in her hands, towards their office.

Danny ran after her and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her against his chest. He really wanted to go and have a little talk with the vicious, talkative lab techs, but his Montana needed him more.

"Please just let me go," she begged as he tried pulling her closer to him but she was squirming too much.

"I can't baby," he whispered into her ear, "I've tried. I love you too much." He knew people were watching them, they always had. He didn't care; he needed her to know that regardless of where they were, he was hers. Heart, mind, body and soul.

She cried hard, gasping for air.

"Is this what you've been going through?" he asked still holding her up from behind.

She just cried harder, which he took as a yes.

"They don't matter," he assured, "the only two people that matter to me are in my arms."

She closed her eyes tight, trying to let his words of love soothe her unseen wounds. Trying to make her mind fight against the bitter words, letting the words she knew to be true into her soul.

"They don't know me, us," he whispered, "You are my heart."

She was gasping so hard from his words and their words mixing together, she thought she would hyperventilate.

"Calm down baby, I need you to breath deep for me," he soothed. He swept her into his arms and carried her into their office, gently laying her on the couch.

He never realized the amount of stress just walking into work and hearing two people talk could have on her. And it was his fault. They said awful things about her, things they didn't have any knowledge of. If he was a woman beater, they would be the first on his list.

"Lindsay! Oh my god! Danny what the hell did you do to her, now?" Stella said rushing in behind them. Another busy body lab tech alerted Stella to the scene.

"I didn't do anything, Stel," Danny said, before Stella pushed him out of the way to get to Lindsay.

"God Messer, when did you become such an ass?" Stella spat at him. "Lindsay, come on kiddo, talk to me. Do you need to get Hawkes in here?"

"Danny," she reached her hand out to him, "I'm fine Stel. Just more of the same garbage I've been dealing with. Some reason it just affected me more today." She had an idea why. Hearing it by herself made it seem less relevant. But having Danny hear it with her, made her feel more ashamed, like it made it more real.

Danny took her extended hand, pushing past Stella in the process. "How long has this been going on?" he asked kneeling at Lindsay's side.

Stella watched with a curious eye as Danny knelt by her side. "About a week after you abandoned her," Stella replied pointedly.

"Stella," Lindsay hissed, ducking her head in embarrassment.

"It has, I don't think it should be sugar coated. What he did was messed up, and you've been paying for it," Stella said, glaring at the back of his head.

"I know I screwed up, Stel. Lindsay is letting me try to make things right between us," he said, rubbing circles on her belly, "Now do you wanna see pictures of our daughter or are you gonna yell at me some more?"

"Pictures!!" Stella said smiling, but she smacked him upside the head anyway. "It's about time you got your act together, Messer."

A/N: BIG thanks to daytimedrama and laurzz for helping me