IMPORTANT A/N: This is a very important chapter and I know it took me forever to post it but that's because I wanted to get it just right. I warn you that I cried while writing it so grab the tissues if you cry easily. But it's not all sad, I promise. (Yeah and I know the title is a little cliché, but please forgive!)
Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to Jackie (CSIFan4Life). She guessed not only predicted one plotline but both of my plotlines for this chapter! Congrats kiddo!
Disclaimer: Don't own anything...sadly. (But I do own some the characters I made up and my errors...please forgive but I wanted to get this chapter up!)
Chapter 9: When Bad Things Happen to Good People
"Okay…aw…yeah, you and Brad can come to dinner tomorrow night." Lindsay told her sister as she stepped out of a New York sports shop. "I'm so excited…okay, love you." She closed her cell pone and walked across the parking lot to her SUV.
Lindsay was just pulling out of the parking spot when her cell phone rang. She turned down the radio and answered, "Messer".
"Hey Montana." Danny smiled in his spot on the break room couch. "So what are you up to on your day off?"
Lindsay couldn't help but smile. "Are you jealous?" Today had been Lindsay's day off, though she was still on call and she loved to give Danny a hard time because he still had to work.
"No. I was just wondering." He stated simply. "It's slow around here so were all going to head over to the usual place. You want to meet us there?"
Lindsay nodded unconsciously. "What time?"
"4 pm." Danny answered.
She made a mental note of the time. "Okay, I love you."
"Love you, too." Danny replied back sweetly.
Lindsay closed her phone and turned the radio back up. The light in front of her turned green and she put her foot on the gas. Everything went black.
We Love M&Ms
"So what'd she say?" Stella asked when she walked into the break room, followed by Mac.
Danny nodded to both of them. "She's going to meet us there in about an hour." Danny got up from the couch and moved to the counter. He poured himself a cup of coffee and turned back around to face his friends. "Have any of you seen…" Danny was cut off by a young officer who had entered the room.
"There was an automotive accident at Shelly and 5th Street. Officer involved was taken by helicopter to Memorial; a Detective Messer." The detective reported.
Danny's world spun around him as the words from the officer sunk in. It kept spinning until it came to a complete stop. Danny couldn't hear anything or see anything as the tears built in his eyes. The cup of coffee slipped from his grasp, shattering into miniature pieces, similar to his heart and the liquid contents puddled on the floor at Danny's feet. Somehow he found the strength to move his feet. They took his as fast as they could until he ran straight into Flack.
Danny collided with Flack unexpectedly and after grabbing his bearings, Flack wrapped his arms tightly around his friend's shoulders. "She's going to be alright." He whispered comfortingly as he silently prayed to God that he was right.
Sobs racked the young CSI's body as he clung to Flack. So many thoughts were running through his head that it was hard for him to think straight. "She can't leave me Don! She's got to be alright." His voice was hoarse from the tears that continued to fall.
Stella, Mac and Hawkes watched the scene hopelessly for a few moments and then headed towards the two men. Stella placed a loving hand on Danny's shoulder, "Come on, Danny let's head over to the hospital."
Danny relaxed and let go of Flack. He numbly and wordlessly let Stella lead him out of the building.
We Love M&Ms
The group of worried and grief-stricken detectives sat in the waiting room of the hospital. Stella's head was resting on Mac's shoulder, her hand squeezing his hand for dear life. Hawkes was sitting in a chair next to Stella with his eyes closed. Flack was leaning against a wall, his eyes trained on Danny, who was pacing back and forth. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his jeans and his head was down. Every now and then he would take off his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose.
A middle-aged, tall, dark haired doctor walked through a pair of double doors and made his way to the group. "Hello. My made is Dr. Ryan Celic and I attended to Lindsay Messer." He greeted them, taking in their states of anxiousness. "I assume you all are family and friends of Mrs. Messer. May I speak to a Mr. Danny Messer, presumably her husband?"
Danny stepped forward. "That would be me."
Dr. Celic nodded. "Can you please follow me? I would like to speak to you concerning your wife's condition." The doctor motioned down the hallway and Danny followed wearily, leaving everyone else to wait.
"How is she Doc?" Danny asked when they stopped a few feet away.
He smiled. "Lindsay received several lacerations to the head and neck, along with a serious concussion." The doctor paused which caused an uneasiness in Danny. "She is unconscious at the moment and only part of the cause is the medication. We won't know how truly severe her condition is until she wakes up. In the long run, it looks like both her and the baby will be fine."
Danny stared blankly at the man in front of him. He assumed he had heard the doctor wrong. "Baby?"
The doctor nodded. "Lindsay is about two months pregnant. She would have likely miscarried if the baby hadn't been situated on the other side of her stomach. As long as she wakes up they will both be fine." He explained.
Questions filled Danny's eyes. "When do you think she'll wake up?"
It was a logical question coming from a family member so normally the doctor would answer gently but he could see the need in Danny's eyes. "Mr. Messer, I'll be honest with you. It could be days, weeks or even months. We just hope for the best."
Danny just nodded in response. The doctor left after explaining that they could see Lindsay. Danny just stared teary-eyed through the window at the beautiful woman, lying in a hospital bed carrying his baby. It broke his heart.
We Love M&Ms
While Danny was talking to the doctor, Becky Lynn and Brad had arrived at the hospital. When she potted Stella Becky wrapped her in a warm hug. "Where is he?" She asked quietly. Stella pointed to where Danny stood looking through the window. Becky walked down to the end of the hall and placed a hand on Danny's shoulder.
Danny jumped at her touch. He looked at her wearily but Becky swore she could see a small light in his eyes. "How are you holding up?" She asked.
Danny shook his head. "I didn't know." his answer was simple and would have seemed cryptic to anyone else but Becky knew when he meant.
She grasped his shoulders and made him face her. "Danny, don't be mad at her. Honey, she only got it confirmed today. She was on her way to tell you."
Danny turned his head to where Lindsay laid, broken but peaceful, in the hospital room. "I'm not mad Becky. It's just, it's just…" His voice trembled and Becky pulled him into an embrace.
"She's going to be aright, they both are. I know my sister and she's a fighter. As long as she had you here waiting for her, she's not going anywhere." She told him gently. She pulled back so she looked at his face. "Now I need you to go with Brad and Flack…"
Danny shook his head. "But…"
Becky shook her head. "No buts Danny. You need to go get some thing to eat, and not just hospital cafeteria food. I want to talk to my sister for a little bit and you're not any good to Lindsay if you deprive yourself of food. She wouldn't want that." She explained.
Danny just nodded simply. He wasn't in the mood to argue with her and in his heart he knew she was right. He followed her back down the hallway. Becky gave Brad and Flack instructions and they took Danny off to get some food.
Becky turned to Stella, who was now the only one left in the waiting room. "I'm going to go talk to Lindsay. Are you going to be alright by yourself?" She asked with concern.
Stella attempted to give her a small smile. "Yeah. I think I'm going to go find Mac. You know, it's hard. I'm the only one thinking straight and they each have their own way of dealing with things. Hawkes keeps himself occupied by talking to her doctors; Flack just wants to take away all Danny's pain and Mac…" Stella sighed, "Mac is just Mac. In the past five years he'd lost Claire, firing Aiden was probably the hardest thing he's had to do, and then he had to solve her murder. Then Danny got into trouble, Flack and the bombing and now Lindsay. He worried me because he hides himself away and doesn't let anyone in. Lindsay's my best friend and it takes to two of up to keep all these guys in check." Stella smiled weakly but it added a little spark to the small waiting room.
Becky wrapped Stella in a hug when she stood up. "If you ever need to talk, you know I'm just a phone call away."
Stella nodded and headed off in the direction of the cafeteria in search of Mac. Becky looked at her watch. Danny wouldn't' be back for about an hour. She slowly made her way to Lindsay's room. Closing the door quietly behind her, Becky pulled a chair to the side of the hospital bed.
She took Lindsay's hand in her own and began to talk quietly. "Hey Lindsay. After all we've been through together, I never thought I'd be the here, seeing you like this. I know I've asked you a lot of things in the past but this one ranks above the rest. I should be asking you to get better because I need my sister. I should be asking you to get better because my kids need their aunt but I'm not. I'm asking you to get through this because of that sweet, kind, loveable, New Yorker outside that loves you more than you could ever imagine. He needs you and this baby. I really don't think he'll make it without you. So make it for him Linds. I know I told you I thanked God for sending you Danny but right now I'm praying he helps you get through this for Danny's sake."
Becky finished in almost a whisper. Tears flowed silently down her cheeks as she closed her eyes and reflected back on the good times she shared with her sister.
We Love M&Ms
Danny stood outside his wife's room about 45 minutes later. A small smile broke out onto his face as he watched Becky interact and talk to Lindsay. He quietly pushed the door open and walked in.
At the sudden intruding sound to the silence, Becky looked up. Her eyes seemed to brighten a bit at the sight of Danny. She gently laid Lindsay's hand on the bed and stood up. She hugged Danny and whispered, "She's going to be alright. Have a little faith." Becky winked and left Danny to the quiet companionship of the beautiful yet fragile women in the bed.
Danny watched Becky walk wearily out the door and then turned back to Lindsay. He sat sown in the chair aside her bed and took her warm hand in his own. Using his thump, he kneaded the back of her hand softly as he took in her appearance. Her sunlight brown curls fell softly on the pillow in a disarray of strands. Her face was paler than usual but seemed to radiate a sense of peace. Danny
Danny raised his one hand to swipe away a stray strand from her face. His eyes traveled downward until they stopped. He took his hand and intertwined their fingers and placed then on their stomach. He sighed and looked back at her angelic face. "Lindsay. Sweetheart. My Montana." His voice sounded foreign in the small room. "You have no idea how much I wish I could undo all this. I wish that it was me on that bed instead of you and our baby.
"Our baby. I never would have thought…but then again Montana, you have me doing all sorts of things I never imagined. I really need you to come out of this. I love you so much and I don't know what I'll do without you. Days, weeks, months; no matter how long it takes, I'll sit tight here but your side until you come back to me. Come back to me, baby." Danny whispered into the quiet room. He laid his head by her side and let the tears fall hard…again.
A/N: ….sniff….Sorry, I can't help myself. Let me know what you thought, you're review mean a lot to me, especially for this chapter! I know this one took me a while to get up but I hope to finish the next chapter soon. I promise that the next one will be a little happier!