Four Months Later...

It felt like the first day of high school, he felt awkward and embarrassed like standing in front of the whole school in nothing but his boxers. People walked around him as if he wasn't even there, his knees shook as he took the familiar steps towards his office, the lab was his second home for as long as he remembered now it felt foreign.

"Danny?" He heard someone calling him, turning towards the voice he saw Adam walking towards him.

"Hey buddy!" He said excitedly as Adam pulled him in for a hug.

"What are you doing here, man?" He asked happily as they separated.

"I'm... I'm back." He explained, resting his hands on his hips trying to hid his discomfort.

"Already?" Adam asked cautiously.

"Dude, it's been four month. What are ya talkin' about already?" He laughed.

"Lindsay told me you just finished your radiation treatment a month ago, I just... sorry, I just thought you'd need more time?" Adam was back to being his awkward self. Danny put a hand on his shoulder to relax him.

"I did, I'm alright. I promise." He said flashing him his Messer grin.

"Good, I'm happy it worked out." He smiled as Danny continued down the hallway with Adam at his side. "You talk to the boss man yet?"

"A bit. I'm on light duty for now, but that basically means going over my cases and helping out in the lab." He explained as they walked past Mac's office.

"Danny, come in here please." Mac called as they walked past.

"I'll catch up with you later." Adam said as Danny turned and entered Mac's office.

"Hey Mac, how's it going?" He asked casually.

"I have four open homicide cases, I'm down three lab techs, and a blistering head ache." He said nonchalantly.

"I know the feeling." He said softly, rocking on his heels.

"Oh, sorry Danny." Mac looked up and realized what he had said.

"It's alright. Besides, you're only down two techs now." Danny said smiling.

"You sure you're ready? If it's too soon I understand." Sitting down in his chair, Danny stood staring at him.

"You can only take so much sitting around, Mac. I'm ready, trust me."

"Sitting around? You have a four month old baby, you're probably run off your feet!" He chuckled.

"Yeah, there is always that." He said, finally taking a seat across from his boss, no longer able to sway. Once seated he rubbed his temples.

"You alright?" Mac was nervous.

"Yeah, just not used to the lighting. I'm fine." He lied, since the surgery his vision had struggled with light sensitivity. Dr. Reese had attempted to give him adjustment glasses but he refused to wear them.

"If you have any trouble let me know. Start on your case files and I'll find you later for your assignment." He explained.

"Thanks Mac." He stood up and hid that he was a bit uneasy of his feet, though Mac was too busy to notice.

"Welcome back, Dan." He said looking up at Danny as he left the office.

Settling himself in the familiar surroundings of his office he felt himself relax almost instantly. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes and rested his head against the back of his chair.

"Home, sweet home." He said softly.

"Don't let Lindsay hear you say that." Don said coming into the room and taking a seat across from him.

"If you don't tell on me, I'll be fine." He smiled.

"I thought I was hearing things, you back already?"

"Yeah, I'm on light duty." He explained, Don noticed the circles under his eyes.

"Miss it?" He asked.

"I don't know if I miss it or I just need something to think about other then diapers and formula." He smiled.

"Well I miss working with you. How is my Goddaughter?" He relaxed more into his seat.

"She does have a name you know, you can't call her Goddaughter her whole life." He rested his head against his fist on the arm of the chair.

"Yeah but it sounds cooler." He smiled. "Fine, how's Rebecca doing?"

"She's perfect." He said closing his eyes again.

"You still in pain?" Don asked, since he got sick his alerts went off faster then normal.

"Just not used to the hustle yet, I'll be fine." He said through closed eyes.

"What hustle? You've been here for twenty minutes? If you came back too soon say the word and I'll drag your ass home." Don leaned forward, pressing the fact that he was concerned. Opening his eyes, Danny saw the look on Don's face.

"I'm good. Really." He smiled. "When all you've done is sleep for four months and take care of a baby, running around New York and coming back to a stressful job is a big change." He realized something he hadn't before, what if he couldn't handle it after all the time off?

"Well, that's why Mac is keeping you on light duty. Take it easy, you hear me?" Don said standing up.

"Yeah. Thanks, Don."

"For what?" He asked with a confused look on his face.

"For checking on me for Lindsay." He smiled.

"I'm a bad liar, huh?" He said with a laugh.

"No, I just know you too well. You can tell her I'm fine." He began pulling file folders out of a box beside his desk.

"Yeah, yeah. See ya later, Danno." He turned and began to leave. "Oh, by the way, I'll like the buzz cut." He winked and left the room.

Smiling as he watched his friend leave his office, Danny took a moment and ran his hand over his skull. Feeling the soft skin of his scar that ran across the top of his head and the little hair that had grown back since his last treatment, he felt weak again. Unsure of himself and his life, something that had crossed his mind on more then one occasion in the last couple of months. Since the surgery, his hair had changed colour, what was once sandy blond had turned to a dark brown. He was no longer the Danny Messer he knew, he had changed. Unable to tell whether it was fatherhood who had made him a little softer, or that he nearly died, he was a new man. Being unsure of himself was a new feeling for him and for the first time in his life, that was something he was not used to.