DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CSI:NY OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. I DO HOWEVER, OWN SAMANTHA FLACK AND KIERAN FLACK

WARNING: RATED M FOR SMUT. AND IT'S NOT WHO YOU THINK FOLKS….

SPECIAL WELCOME TO DOLLCITY

Promising forever

"I wanna drive
Until we get lost
Lie in a field staring up at the sky
While you point out the Southern Cross
Somehow I know
Without asking why
That you love me more in a minute
Than anyone could in a lifetime

Dancing in the parking lot
While the band plays inside
Sweep me off my feet
Baby, marry me

We don't need no preacher man
Readin' from the Good Book
And I don't want no fancy dress
Ain't no ceremony for the vows that I took
From the moment I met you
I have been blessed

So let's make a toast
And drink up the wine
Here's to you lying here next to me
Until the end of time
Wherever you are
I wanna be
And anything that means anything to ya
Means everything to me
Sneakin' out the back door
While they're throwing the rice
And they'll talk for weeks

But we're all we need
So baby, if you're free
Marry me."
-Marry Me, Amanda Marshall

Lindsay stood in the doorway of her new living room, a smile of immense satisfaction and pride at the finished product before her. The soft cream coloured walls and the sage green sectional couch and matching reclining chair and the rich looking mahogany tables. She and Danny had all but maxed out every credit card either of them owned setting up their own place. From furniture for every room to electronics and simple kitchen necessities such as a microwave and dishes and silverware and pots and pans. Name it, and they needed it.

They had gone into their relationship with relatively nothing. Frustrating and expensive as all hell, but exciting and fun all at the same time. To experience such little things like shopping for household items and picking out bed sheets and bath towels together was a surreal experience. They had never gotten that far the first time around, and now every experience they went through together became something memorable to cherish.

"What'cha doing, Montana?" Danny asked, as he came down the hallway from their bedroom, the sheets of plastic that had been wrapped around their new mattress and box spring upon delivery, rolled into a large ball that he was carrying.

"Just admiring," she replied. "We worked really hard to make this place our own, you know."

"Oh I know," he said. "My aching knees and back and my credit cards are statement to that. I'm dreading getting those bills next month."

"But look at everything we got. And how everything turned out," Lindsay gushed, as she glanced around the apartment. Their apartment. It felt so surreal to be saying that. To be there with him, surrounded by things of their own and a chance to have a life of their own together. Knowing that nothing could possibly come between them now.

He stepped beside her and turned to look at their home. All traces of Jack Doyle had been erased. Now everything there was strictly Danny Messer and Lindsay Monroe. And if Danny had his way, soon that would change too. The Monroe would be out the door and in it's place she'd be a Messer too. If she'd have him, of course.

Danny smiled lovingly down at her. Laying a hand on her shoulder, he softly trailed it down her arm to her hand and clasped it tightly. He kissed her cheek tenderly.

"Looks pretty good from where I'm standing," he commented, eyeing her from head to toe. In her jeans that hugged her curves and a pale yellow t-shirt that clung to her like a second skin. A white and yellow striped bandana holding her hair back from her forehead and face. No make up gracing her features. She didn't need it. She was a natural beauty. The most amazing woman he'd ever met hands down.

"I was talking about our apartment," she said, giggling as he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck.

"That's okay, too," he said, his lips softly touching the spot below her ear. "You really need to stop wearing Brooklyn's clothes and get your own," he told her, releasing his hold on her and carrying the garbage to the front door to add to the waiting pile.

"Can I help it that she has better clothes than I do?" Lindsay asked. "That and the governor is still holding mine hostage. He's insisted, Danny. He won't ship anything here. He wants me to come back and get my stuff. Alone. Probably so he can try and persuade me to come back to him."

"Well that ain't going to happen," Danny declared. "You go there, I'm right beside you. I told you that already. You know what he'd try to do? To keep a sweet, young thing like you? Probably offer you tons of money to stick around."

"Maybe," she said, picking up one of the hunter green throw cushions on the couch and playing with the fringe around the edges. "But there's not enough money in the world to get me to stay with him. I know where I want to be. Where I'm destined to be. And that's right here. In New York City. In this apartment. With you. The only place I want to be is with my heart. And you've had that all this time, Danny."

He smiled and dropped the garbage by the door and joined her back in the living room. "He's holding the clothes hostage, I was holding your heart hostage," he grabbed the pillow from her hands and tossed it aside.

"Pretty much," she laughed, and found herself pulled into his strong, warm embrace, her breasts flattened against his chest.

She shivered at the sensation of his hands sliding from the middle of her back and down and around to her slender hips. The man just had a way of getting to her. The simplest thing could turn her on in ways she'd never experienced with anyone else. Small, tender touches, delicate kisses and a look that told her he adored her beyond what any words could ever communicate.

"So you want your heart back now?" Danny asked, resting his forehead against hers.

Lindsay shook her head and curled her arms around his neck. "You can keep it," she replied. "For the rest of my life. Or the rest of your life. Whichever is longer."

"Yeah?" he pressed a feathery kiss to his lips. "That actually makes me so relieved that you said that."

"Relieved?" she cocked a curious eyebrow. "Why?"

"I was thinking about things. Me and you type things. And I was thinking, that me and you and the word forever sounds pretty damn good together. So…" he reached behind his neck to untangle her arms and stepped away from her, than slowly dropped down to one knee in front of her.

"What the…." tears immediately sprang to her eyes as she looked down at him and laid one hand over her mouth and the other over her heart. "Danny…what…."

"I know it seems really, really soon," he said, and leaning sideways, stuck his hand under the cushion of the couch and pulled out a small Tiffany's box. "But I know how I feel. And I know that I never should have let you walk away, Lindsay. I should have hunted you down and stopped you from ever leaving. Or I should have gone to Montana and claimed you as mine and brought you back. But I didn't. I was a damn fool. I treated you like shit when you were here, over Ruben and Rikki and…" he sighed heavily and shook his head. "God, baby. If I could take that all back I would. I'd take back all the pain and all the hurt I ever caused you. You know that right?"

"Of course I do," she whispered.

"But I can't. No matter how bad I want to. But I can make a promise to you, right here and right now. That I will love you until the end of days. That I'll never take your for granted or speak ill of you or mistreat you or disrespect you. That I will love you and honour until my very last breath. And that even when that comes, and we meet in another place, another time, I'll love you even than."

"Danny…" Lindsay sobbed against her hand. Tears spilled down her cheeks.

"I love you more than words could ever, ever say. And everything that's happened, everything that drove us apart, in a way, was a blessing. Because we found each other again, Montana. And when we did, something unbelievably powerful and whole took over us. Something beyond anything I could ever imagine. We can't ignore that or let it slip through our fingers. We need to capture on to it and each other and never let go. Never let go. And that is why, I am here, right now, offering you my entire heart and soul. Why I would be proud and honoured to call you my wife."

"I don't know what to say…" Lindsay breathed, dropping her hand from her mouth to touch his face softly.

"Yes would be nice," Danny said, sniffing back his tears. "Hell yes would be even better."

She smiled and nodded rapidly. "Yes," she told him. "Hell yes."

With trembling fingers, Danny flipped open the lid of the small box, revealing a brilliant, sparkling, large oval shaped diamond set in a thick yellow gold band. "Took some lessons from Flack," he said. "Brought him with me to Tiffany's the day before he left for Phoenix. So if you like it, thank him. Hate it, blame him."

Lindsay laughed and brushed away her tears with the back of her hand as he took her left hand and slipped on the ring. "I love it," she gushed. "It's beautiful."

He pressed a tender kiss to the top of her hand. "You and me forever, Montana. That's one promise I can make."

"Get up here and kiss me, cowboy," she playfully demanded.

"Yes, m'am," he drawled in a faux Southern accent and tossed the empty ring box aside and stood up. Finding himself yanked by the front of his shirt and into a long, intense, toe curling kiss.

"You know what would make this moment extra perfect?" Lindsay asked, breaking her lips away from his and reaching between them pull his shirt from the waist of his jeans, her mouth finding the sensitive side of his neck.

"What's that?" Danny asked, still breathless from their kiss, sneaking his own hands between their bodies to snap open the button and slip down the zipper on her jeans.

"If me and you christened our own couch," she replied, moaning as his hand slid down the front of her underwear to caress her intimately.

"I think you read my mind," he said, and capturing her lips, backed her up towards the couch. Until the back off her knees came in contact with it and she lost her balance and toppled backwards.

"How long until you have to pick Sam and Flack up at the airport?" she asked.

"Long enough," he responded and yanked her jeans and underwear off in one swift movement.

Tossing them aside, he dropped to his knees and pressed kisses from the top of her foot to the inside of her ankle and up along her calf and to her thigh. Finger tips tracing the same path on the other side of her leg. Feeling the goose bumps that took over her flesh, hearing the hitch in her breath as his tongue lingered on the back of her knee. Her ultimate secret spot, other than the obvious.

"Danny," she whimpered, as he lightly grazed her inner thigh with his teeth. She tunnelled the fingers of both hands through his hair. Her back arched off the couch in anticipation. Her heels dug into the carpet. Her entire being ached and longed for him.

His hands slid up the sides of her legs and than moved in between her thighs to encourage her to part them further. He met no resistance and he placed a trail of hot kisses along her silky skin, one hand drifting from her hip to her stomach and sliding underneath her t-shirt and up to fondle and caress her breasts through the thin fabric of her soft pink bra. His other hand slipped further up her leg, his fingertips just brushing against her already moist opening.

She moaned loudly, her body eager, anticipating his touch. Sweat beading on her forehead and trickling down the back of her neck and in the valley between her breasts. Her body tensing as a fingertip drew a slow, steady line down, and than up, her throbbing clit. Aware of his eyes locked on her face. Watching the intense pleasure take over her. Filled with a sense of pride and satisfaction that he was able to coax such a response from her.

"You are so beautiful, baby," Danny's voice was a harsh whisper as he pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh and slipped a finger inside of her warm, welcoming body. "So beautiful…everything about you…"

She whimpered as his finger moved inside of her slowly and steadily. Her breath quickening, her toes curling. Crying out and digging her nails into his scalp as the tip of his tongue teased her clit. Working her quickly, and efficiently and effortlessly, closer and closer to the point of no return.

"Danny!" she suddenly gasped and attempted to push his head away from her. "Danny…stop….you have to stop…"

He ignored her, intent on seeing the task through. Not giving up until she was a screaming, quivering mess under his mouth and his hands.

"Danny!" she cried, yanking his head back by his hair, forcing him to break contact with her. "You have to stop!" she insisted. "You just have to…"

Worry clouded his eyes and furrowed his brow as he looked at her. "What's wrong?" he asked. "I do something wrong?"

"No," she panted, shaking her head. "You were doing everything right. It's just that…I don't want it to happen that way. I want you inside of me. I need you inside of me."

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her quivering stomach. "Your wish is my command," he said as he stood up and pulled off his t-shirt and threw it to the side. Looking down at her as she licked her lips in anticipation as he unbuckled his belt and snapped open the button on his jeans and pulled down the zipper. Quickly removing his pants he tossed them onto the growing pile of clothes on the floor as she discarded both her shirt and her bra. He reached for the waist band of his boxers, only to have her still his movements by laying her hands over his.

"I want to do it," she said. "Let me."

"Lindsay, I don't know if…"

She pushed his hands away and leaned forward to trail the tip of her tongue along his waist, just above the band of his boxers, pausing to moisten the area around his navel before blowing softly on it.

He gasped at the sensation.

"You like that do you?" she asked, pressing kisses around his navel. "I have another trick up my sleeve that you might like."

"Yeah?" he combed his fingers through her hair as he looked down at her, love and desire in his eyes. "And what would that be?"

She smiled devilishly and hooked her fingers in the waist band of his boxers and yanked them down roughly. "Tale them off," she demanding, nodding down at the underwear now pooled at his ankles.

"Demanding are we?"

"I said take them off," she repeated, reaching around to dig her fingernails into his bare ass.

"Easy, Montana, Easy," he winced at the pain she was inflicting on him and kicked his boxers off. "You've been hanging around Brooklyn way too much. What do you two do? Compare notes about me and Flack?"

"Maybe," she said. "Are you complaining?"

"Hell no. You ask me, she's a damn good influence."

"She knows things, Danny. Some of the things she's told me that he's into…"

"Okay…I don't need to hear that kind of thing about my best friend, alright? So if you're going to do something while you're down there, than do it and…" his words were cut off as a strangled groan erupted in his throat as her lips closed over the tip of his painfully erect cock. Her small, delicate hands tightening around his shaft, pumping him in time to the motion of her mouth.

She looked up at him. Never breaking her pace. Watching his face. The way his eyes closed and his jaw clenched and sweat dripped down his forehead and chest. Listening to his ragged breathing and enjoying the way his hands clenched her hair roughly. Bringing him dangerously closed to the edge before pulling back and clearing the pre-cum that leaked from the tip of his cock with her tongue.

He opened his eyes slowly and looked down at her. "You never did that before…"

"Well that was before," she said. "And this is now. And I want to do that and more to you."

"What kind of things to you want to do?" he asked.

"All in good time, Danny. Now it's about what I want you to do."

"And what would that be?"

She reached for his hand and yanked him towards the couch. "Make love to me. Here and now."

"Got a better idea," he said, and shoving the coffee table out of the way, yanked the blanket off the back of the couch and spread it out across the floor. "You said here and now," he said to her. "Well, there you go."

"What's wrong with the couch?" Lindsay asked.

"Its brand new!" he cried. "I don't want us to be getting any of our, you know…stuff, on the new couch. That stuff would be murder on the fabric."

"You have such a way with words," she laughed and climbing off the couch, sank down onto the blanket.

"I am my own man," he declared, dropping to his knees beside her and capturing her lips in a steamy kiss. Chuckling as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of her. Her legs opening invitingly and than encircling his waist.

"Make love to me, Danny," she breathed, her lips against his ear.

"My pleasure," he responded, and positioned himself at her entrance. Pulling back to look deep into her eyes as he filled her with one solid, fluid thrust.

She moaned at the sensation. Her eyes closed and her head tipped back and her heels dug into the small of his back. Her nails scraped across his shoulders and than dug into his biceps. He kept his eyes on her. Revelling in her sighs and whimpers as he moved inside of her at a deep, slow pace. Letting her tell him what she wanted, what she needed.

"Please," she pleaded, thrusting her hips up at him, forcing him deeper. "I need more…I need everything…please…"

He obliged. Easing out of her completely before pushing back into her on one hard, rough thrust. She cried out, scraped her nails down his arms and gripped his wrists as he propped on his hands above her. Sweat beaded on his forehead and trickled down his back and dripped from his chin as he pounded into her, her noises of pleasure filling the apartment. He bent his head to lick and suckle her neck, the feeling of his teeth on her pale, delicate skin and a final powerful thrust sending her over the edge. Screaming his name as a mind blowing, numbing orgasm took over her body.

The repetitive clenching and releasing of her inner muscles sent him over the edge as well. He called out her name and bit his lip to reign in a scream of his own. His arms trembled and she pulled him down on top of her and held him tightly, kissing his ear and his neck and his shoulder as his entire body trembled and tears spilled down his cheeks.

"I love you," he breathed into her neck. "So much…with everything I am and everything I have."

"I love you, Danny," she responded. "I always have. I always will."

They lay clasped tightly together. Eyes closed. Attempting to compose themselves. An eternity seemed to pass before he finally pulled back and kissed her. He looked into her eyes as he pushed hair away from her face.

"Welcome to our home, Montana," he said, kissing her lightly. "Welcome to forever."

Despite the fact that it was snowing and the temperatures barely cracked the freezing mark, it was good to be back in New York City. Sure, the balmy temperatures and sunny skies and the lazy days of doing nothing more than hanging around by the pool or just spending quiet afternoons and early evenings taking walks and doing things as a family would be greatly missed, but the familiarity of their home city was something they relished and treasured.

Danny was waiting for them at the arrival gate. Grinning like the cat that had swallowed the canary. Flack had nudged him in the arm and gave him a knowing nod and commented that he was glad his best friend found it in the goodness of his heart to cut getting laid short to make sure he picked them up in time. Danny had given him that innocent, little boy looked he'd perfected a long time ago and just shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't going to kiss and tell. Even if he couldn't move his arms properly thanks to the painfully deep nail gouges across his shoulders and back.

"Check you out," Danny said to his best friend's wife, as he noticed the baby bump she was sporting around. "You didn't leave with it looking like that."

"It sprouted up overnight," she sighed, rubbing her stomach in slow, easy circles. "And they're kicking now too. All three at once last night around eleven thirty. I couldn't believe it. I've never felt anything like that. I know Kieran could kick, but these three," she shook her head. "They are going to be the death of me."

"They doing anything now?" Danny asked, laying a hand on her tummy.

"Keep your damn hands to yourself, Messer," Flack said, as he juggled two duffle bags on each shoulder and sleeping Kieran on one arm. The toddler's arm curled around his neck, his head resting in between his dad's neck and shoulder.

"It's not like I'm feeling her up or anything," Danny informed him. "Just want to see what it feels like. Never felt three babies at once before. That's kinda surreal."

"You want to feel babies kick?" Flack asked. "Knock up Monroe."

"Bite your tongue, Flack. I couldn't handle two women pregnant at roughly the same time. What's going on, Brooklyn? They sleeping or something?"

"Apparently," she said, as Danny pushed the cart holding the rest of their luggage and they headed for the exit.

"It's 'cause they're up all night," Flack complained. "Huey, Duey and Louie woke me up out of a sound sleep last night. Sam was sleeping with her stomach against my back and I felt them kicking. It was like a damn stampede of elephants."

"Huey, Duey and Louie?" Danny grinned.

"Don watches way too many cartoons," Sam complained.

"Come on Duck Tales was one of the best ones out there when were young," Flack defended his taste in telephone show. "And seriously, Donald Duck's nephews. I'm named Donald. There's three babies in there. How perfect could that be?"

"You're a geek," Sam informed him.

"It was an awesome show," Flack said. "Do you remember the one where Scrooge McDuck took Huey, Duey and Louie to Scotland to check out that castle that was suppose to be haunted?"

"I was more of a Transformers type of girl," Sam told him.

Danny gasped dramatically. "Be still my heart."

"You were a Transformers fan?" Sam asked.

"Oh absolutely. My brother Louie and I never missed it. Twice on Saturday mornings on two different channels and once on Sunday. We were loyal fans. And the toys…" he shook his head and smiled in fond remembrance. "I swear we begged and pleaded every birthday and every Christmas and even Easter for those toys. Optimus Prime. He was my favourite hands down."

"I was a Shockwave girl," Sam said. "I remember this one time, and the two of you can't arrest me for this because it's way past the cut off time in the statue of limitations. But I remember this time that Adam and I skipped school and stood outside the Vine subway station in Brooklyn and begged subway tokens off of people. And we went into midtown to FAO Schwartz and while Adam distracted the sales woman in the toy department with his pretty blue eyes and his sweet little face, I actually managed to steal a Shockwave for me and a Bluestreak for him."

"Great," Flack said. "Now I'm married to a clepto."

"How'd you manage that?" Danny asked, an amused grin on his face.

"Just shoved them in my school bag and calmly walked out of there. No one suspected a thing and we never got caught."

"What about your parents?" Danny inquired. "They didn't wonder where they come from?"

Sam shook her head. "We took them out of the boxes and scuffed and dirtied them up and tossed the containers before we got home. So if they asked, we could say that someone left them lying around at the park and we just scooped them up. But they never did.

"Screw the statue of limitations," Flack said. "I'm still going to cuff you when we get home."

"Don't be so dirty," Sam winked at him and snaked her arm around his waist. "Especially in front of someone so sweet and innocent as Danny Messer. Anyway, those toys were the first, and only things, I ever stole."

"Besides Flack's heart," Danny said.

Flack frowned. "That was way too cheesy and corny for someone like you Messer."

"I've had a corny and cheesy day," the CSI reasoned. "A corny and cheesy three weeks actually. Montana and I got a couple of surprises for you guys when you get home."

"What?" Flack asked. "You burnt the place down and now we're homeless? You bought us all new furniture and a high def plasma tv? Maybe hired us a maid for a year?"

"Just surprises," Danny replied. "You gotta wait and see."

"She's pregnant?" Sam asked excitedly.

"What is wrong with you?" Danny exclaimed. "Hell no. We are protected to the max. We are leaving the baby making to you and Flack. I mean, look at you," he nodded down at her stomach. "It's something you two are obviously really good at."

"You think?" Sam laughed and rubbed her stomach. "Don sits beside me when I'm ovulating and I get pregnant. I think we're stopping after these three though."

Flack narrowed his eyes as he looked down at her. "Says who?"

"Says the person who has to carry triplets and whose body is going to get horrifically deformed because of it. That will be four kids. Aren't four kids enough?"

"Two more," he told her, motioning for her to go ahead of him through the automatic sliding doors that led outside.

"You're insane!" she cried and zipped up her winter coat before stepping out into the grey, dreary afternoon and the bone chilling temperatures and swirling snow. She stood at the curb as Flack loaded Kieran into his car seat and Danny arranged all the luggage in the back, and closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the cold air and exhaled slowly.

"What'cha doing, Brooklyn?" Danny asked curiously.

She opened her eyes and smiled. "Nothing," she replied. "Just thinking about how great it is to be home."

The first surprise had been when Danny announced, as Flack unlocked the door to his apartment, that he was going over to his place to check on Montana and the 'little thing' she had planned, than proceeded to take four steps across the hall and unlock the door to what was Jack Doyle's apartment. While it was weird, the thought of their best friends shaking up in the same place that had once housed the disgusting, pathetic piece of slime that had molested their son, the thought of having the people they were closest to and loved like family, was a welcoming, warm thought. Lindsay and Danny seemed to be the only two people, outside of his parents, that Kieran seemed to feel a hundred percent safe and comfortable with, and having them that close would only cement the bond even further.

No sooner were they in their friends' front door -the unpacking would be left to later, there was no massive rush- the second surprise had been unveiled. Lindsay, with a beaming smile on her face, bounded to the door with her left hand outstretched and her new diamond ring sparkling brilliantly.

Sam had let out an ecstatic, shrill shriek that had nearly deafened both Flack and Danny, who than stood, smirks on their faces, watching as their significant others hugged each other and jumped up and down like a bunch of hyper, giggly school girls sharing gossip about the hottest guy in school.

"Why do they have to do that?" Danny asked, as he and Flack stood in the kitchen, listening to their girls chattering excitedly about wedding plans and dresses and baby showers.

"What's that?" Flack inquired, leaning against the counter by the sink.

"Make plans months and months in advance," Danny replied, opening his fridge and taking out two bottles of Bud. Lindsay had already set out nachos and salsa and chips and dip and an endless supply of junk food in the living room. "Without even consulting us."

"Consulting us?" Flack chuckled. "What planet are you living on? They don't consult us. They inform us of things. You know how I found out that we were going to this support group for parents of multiples? Sam wrote the date and time and location and the chapter president's name and phone number on a sticky note and attached it to my computer at work. She just writes stuff on those notes or on the calendar. That's how I find out about plans she makes. Nice, huh? Pain the ass. But I've just come to accept it as a way of life with her."

"She may be a pain in the ass, but you wouldn't give her up for anything in the world," Danny told him, holding out one of the beers.

"You trying to make me fall off the wagon, Messer?" Flack smirked.

"I keep forgetting you're an abstainer," Danny said, and returning the beer to the fridge, snagged a can of Coke instead.

"And there are days I wish I'd never agreed to staying away from booze," Flack sighed, nodding his thanks as he took the pop and snapped open the tab.

Danny frowned. "What's going on? You seem a little…I don't know…distracted."

"Just a lot on my mind," Flack said, taking a swig of pop. "I mean, Sam and the triplets and all the doctors appointments we have to start going to soon. Once she hits twenty weeks we have to go for an ultrasound every two weeks. And than what happened with K and Doyle threatening charges," he sighed heavily and shook his head. "I got a lot of shit to deal with, Dan-o."

"Maybe you should be having one of them beers," Danny said. "Ease the burden a bit."

"Alcohol would only cause more issues. Marital ones. And those I do not need," Flack told him. Than frowned at the sensation of his cell phone vibrating in his pocket. For the tenth time in only two hours. He pulled his phone out and checked the caller ID. Same name, same number. He pressed ignore. Than turned the thing off all together.

"What's going on there?" Danny asked. "You got yourself an admirer?"

"Stalker's more like it," he replied. "I'll take care of it."

"You following in Mac's footsteps? Getting your own version of the 333 nut job?"

Flack shook his head. "This person's harmless," he said.

"People thought Dahmer was harmless, too," Danny pointed out.

"She's nowhere near being a cannibalistic serial killer," Flack assured his best friend.

Danny arched an eyebrow. "A she? It's a woman?"

Flack nodded.

Danny's eyes narrowed. "You have a thing behind Brooklyn's back?" he asked in a hush tone. "Got yourself mixed up with some broad going all Fatal Attraction 'cause you broke it off?"

"I didn't cheat on my wife," Flack informed him defensively. "I would never cheat on my wife. This is someone from my past. My not so distant past."

"Devon?"

"No. For once, no. Sam and her are actually hanging out some times. They talk on the phone a lot. She's pregnant, too."

Danny's eyes widened. "Devon's pregnant?"

Flack nodded and sipped Coke. "About three months I think Sam said. Sam got Devon into her OB because apparently there's some massive issues with her pregnancy. Some kind of birth defect or something that the doctors told Dev and her fiance was incompatible with life. Sam hasn't said much more than that. I think Dev and her guy are keeping it pretty close to the chest at the moment. In case she doesn't carry to term."

"That's rough," Danny said with a sigh, shaking his head. "Don't know if I could handle something like that. I mean, you guys are kinda dealing with something like that. With those tests coming back there might be a problem."

"That's the least of our worries, right now," Flack said. "This bullshit," he nodded in the direction of his phone. "I need to deal with that."

"You gonna fill me in?" his best friend asked. "Or make me guess?"

Flack sighed. "It's Angell. I'm having issues with her."

"An affair?"

"Did I not tell you a few minutes ago that I'd never cheat on my wife?" Flack asked angrily. "Cut me some fucking slack, already."

Danny held up his hands in surrender.

"When K was missing and I truly believed in my heart that he was dead, I went to the chapel at the hospital. To try and get some kind of sign, find some kind of solace. Find something, I guess. Angell found me in there and we got to talking and she got all emotional and so did I and she said some things, about Kieran, that really gave me some hope. And we had this moment…"

Danny frowned. "What kind of moment?"

"I kissed her. Nothing major. Just a small, affectionate kiss. I apologized for it right away and told her it never should have happened. Than she grabbed me and kissed me. And I kissed her back. And I enjoyed it, Danny. I actually enjoyed it. Can you believe that?"

"No," Danny said. "I can't. So what are you saying? You want out of your marriage? You want to be with Angell?"

"What?" Flack nearly choked on a mouthful of pop. "No. Hell no. I love my wife, Danny. She's the love of my life. She's the mother of my kids. She's the only woman I want. It was a moment. I was at this low point in my life and I…"

"Cut the fucking bullshit, Flack," Danny snapped. "There's no goddamn excuse for doing something like that. When you're supposedly madly in love with your wife. A wife who was in the hospital half crazy while you're son was missing. What in the hell is wrong with you?"

"Look, I know there's no excuse. I made a stupid mistake. I never should have initiated anything. Because I am paying for it big time. But with all respect, Danny, things may be great now with you and Monroe. And I'm happy for both of you. But you're the last person to judge me. Does the name Rikki Sandoval ring a bell?"

"Don't play dirty, Flack. I'm your best friend. I'm looking out for you. Most of all, I'm looking out for Brooklyn and your kids. 'Cause whose going to be there, Flack? If you just decide to up and leave? It's going to be me and Lindsay. And don't think for a minute I'm going stand behind you while you fuck around on your pregnant wife."

"I am not fucking around on my wife!" Flack snapped, his voice a harsh whisper. "Would you fucking listen to me? I need help, Danny. I need someone to have my back! Angell's been calling me and calling me. Telling me she has no problem being the other woman. She wants to have an affair with me for fuck sakes. I don't want her in that way. Are you listening to me?"

"I'm listening. But when does Angell want anything with you when her and Hawkes seem so happy?"

"How in the hell should I know? All I know is that she's obsessed with our past. And something that happened in it."

"You two were together for what? A few months before you met Brooklyn and started chasing after her? What could have happened in a few months?"

"Angell got pregnant. She told me about it and than informed me that it could belong to me or two other guys. I told her that whatever she decided to do was up to her. If she wanted to keep it, that was fine. I'd be responsible and pay child support."

"And?"

"And what? She didn't have it obviously. She had an abortion. Now she's holding that over my head and threatening to tell my wife."

"So Sam doesn't know?"

Flack shook his head. "She knows Angell and I had a relationship. She knows nothing about any pregnancy."

"Why haven't you told her?" Danny asked.

"I didn't see a reason to. It happened before Sam came along. It got resolved."

"So if it happened before Brooklyn, what makes you think she'd freak if you told her?"

"That's not what I am worried about her freaking over, Danny! I'm worried that Angell will somehow convince her that me and her are having an affair! I don't want that happening. Sam doesn't need that kind of bullshit dumped on her."

"No, she doesn't," Danny agreed. "Which is why you need to tell Angell to knock this shit off and tell your wife what's going on. Preferably you should deal with the latter first."

Flack sighed heavily and shook his head and rubbed at his eyes. "How in the hell did I get myself into this mess?" he asked.

"I don't know," Danny told him. "But it's up to you, and only you to clean it up."

Flack nodded in agreement.

And hoped he wasn't setting himself up to lose everything.

She had forgotten to bring over snacks and a juice box for Kieran. With the excitement of Danny and Lindsay moving across the hall, it had unfortunately been the last thing on Sam's mind. So she excused herself halfway through the laughter filled, enjoyable get together and headed for her own apartment. She had just closed the door to the Messer residence and turned towards her own place when she saw the familiar face standing at her door. Chin to her chest, her eyes closed and her hand poised in mid air, as if not sure whether to knock or not. A Macy's shopping bag in her free hand.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked.

The red head jumped, startled by the voice behind her. Her eyes snapped open and she turned to face her best friend. Or was it ex best friend? She wasn't too sure anymore.

"I came to see you," Carmen told her. "Danny told me yesterday what time you guys were getting in at today and I thought maybe you'd be all settled by now."

"Unpacking will take forever. Don and I are just hanging out for a bit with Danny and Linds. Celebrating with them. You know, the whole new apartment thing."

"Convenient, huh?" Carmen nodded at the door across the hall. "Having them live so close."

"Makes it easier for Lindsay to come over to watch Kieran," Sam told her. "It won't be for long because we're going to start looking for houses soon."

"In Manhattan?"

"Queens," Sam said. "Flushing. Near Don's parents. What are you doing here?"

"Peace offering," Carmen held out the bag. "Just a little something for you and for the babies."

Sam sighed and reached out and reluctantly took the bag. "Thanks…I'll take a look at it later if that's okay."

Carmen nodded. "Whenever. It's just a little something. You've been avoiding my calls."

"I was on a family vacation," Sam reminded her. "I wasn't talking to anyone."

"Something tells me that you weren't going without talking to your girl at least once a day," Carmen said snidely, casting a glance at the apartment across the hall as Lindsay' laughter rang out.

"Lindsay was there for me when I needed someone. She came all that way from Montana to be there for me. When everyone else turned their back on me, she was here. She didn't judge me or talk about me behind my back."

"I'm sorry Tim opened his big mouth, Sammie," Carmen said sincerely. "He was an asshole. And trust me, he's been riding the couch ever since."

"Now that I find hard to believe," Sam snorted, and moved to her apartment door and stuck the key in the lock. "You can't go without it for more than a day. So either you got yourself one hell of a vibrator or you have another guy on the side."

Carmen winced. "That's harsh, Sammie."

"Yeah? So was all but accusing me of kidnapping and murdering my own son," she said, and unlocking the door, opened it and stepped inside.

"I never once said that," Carmen told her, following quickly behind. "I know that you would never do anything to hurt Kieran. But you had been treated for depression and taking meds and…"

"And that automatically makes me unstable and homicidal," Sam snorted. "Whatever. Do me a favour," she held the bag out. "Take this back and get the hell out of my apartment."

"I never said a word about you, Sammie," Carmen told her, tears threatening. "Never. And I defended you to Tim and to Stella. I'd defend you to the death and you know that."

"Do I?" she asked, opening the fridge and grabbing an apple juice drinking box, a cheese string before shutting the door and snagging a banana from the top of the fridge. "Didn't seem that way to me."

"If you answered the phone, I would have been able to tell you a lot sooner. But you were too busy with your new best friend to…"

Sam laughed. "Is that what this is all about? Because Lindsay and I are best friends?"

"You hated her, Sam!" Carmen cried. "She caused you nothing but grief and now look how tight the two of you are!"

"We caused each other grief," Sam corrected. "And you know? We've grown up. We've matured and given each other a chance and guess what? We actually like each other. A lot. So why don't you grow up and try giving her a chance too?"

"What?" Carmen snorted. "So I can be the third wheel? Just sit back and let her steal you from me?"

"Are you kidding me?" Sam started at her. "Steal me from you? I'm not some possession of yours, Carmen. Don doesn't even treat me like that and he's my husband. I can't believe you're being so damn childish about this."

"I miss you, Samantha. I miss my best friend. I miss that closeness we shared. I miss…"

"You screwed that up!" Sam snapped. "You turned on me! You accused me of doing something to my son!"

Carmen shook her head. "I never, ever said that. I just…"

"You what? You just thought it? Thinking it is bad enough! And you have the nerve to come here, to my apartment, claiming to miss me and going all possessive and jealous because I have a new friend? Jesus Christ, grow the fuck up!"

"I'm sorry!" Carmen cried. "Okay? I'm sorry that things got said and feelings got hurt! I was angry that you were replacing me! I lashed out! Is that what you want to hear? That I said those things out of pure spite to hurt you like you hurt me?"

"We're in our thirties, Carmen. This isn't high school. I can have more than one best friend. Are you listening to yourself? How pathetic all of this actually sounds? It's insane."

"I just want another chance. Another chance to prove to you that I can be the kind of friend you want and that you deserve! But that goes both ways. And you've been pushing me away for a long time. Ever since you got pregnant it's been all you and all Don…"

"Don is my husband!" Sam exclaimed. "He's my husband and we have a family together! I'm sorry if my husband comes first in my life. Maybe if you put your husband's wants and needs and feelings ahead of your own for a change, you two wouldn't have the problems you do. Why'd you even get married, Carmen? Seriously. Marriage is about two people acting as one. Not you doing your own thing and saying to hell with him. It's about sacrificing your own personal needs and wants for the other person. It sucks sometimes. It does. But when you love someone that much, that kind of sacrificing should come easily. And you should be willing to make them! Act as a cohesive unit for Christ sakes! Not be just concerned about yourself and say fuck him, let him worry about the marriage."

"We can't all have the perfect marriage like you, Samantha," Carmen remarked dryly.

"Yeah.." Sam snorted. "Because my marriage and my husband and my life with him is just so damn perfect. Give me break. Don and I have to work damn hard just to get through one week and into the next. Half the time it seems we hate each other. But you know what, we went into this marriage, taking the same vows as you and Tim did. For better or for worse. Remember that part? Don's not perfect. Trust me, he's far from perfect. He can be a real asshole sometimes. But you know what? When he looks at me and he touches me and kisses me, I know he loves me. I've never doubted it. Ever. And he's a damn good man with a big heart who tries goddamn hard to take care of me and our family!"

Carmen didn't respond.

"And you know what? Him not being perfect? That's okay," Sam continued. "Because I'm not perfect either. And he doesn't expect me to be. He just wants me to love him and respect him and want him. That's all he asks for."

"You guys have something so special though, Sammie. Not everyone finds that."

"We all find something different for ourselves," the tiny brunette said. "I found what's good for me and Don. Just like you found what's good for you and Tim. And if you don't start putting him and your family first, trust me, he's going to walk. And honestly, I wouldn't blame him."

"Maybe that's what would be best for him." Carmen said. "If I'm that awful to him."

Sam snorted. "That's it Carmen. Do what you do best. Turn things around so you're always the victim."

"I don't do that. I don't know why you and Don and Tim all think the same thing."

"Maybe because it's true," Sam said. "Look, I appreciate you coming here and bringing something for me and the babies. I really do. But I have to get back to my family. I have a son just about dying for a drink and a snack. So if you don't mind…"

"But we're in the middle of something here, Sam!" Carmen protested.

"And now we're putting it on hold until another time. Because I just told you that my family is across the hall and I need to tend them before anything else. See what I mean? About your whole me, me, me attitude."

"So it's something I need to work on, okay?! You're not Miss Perfect either."

"I know that. I've got enough issues to last half of Manhattan, I swear."

"Than let me help you with those, Sammie!" Carmen pleaded as she followed her to the door. "Let me prove to you that I can be a good friend again. That's all I'm asking!"

Sam sighed as they stepped out the door and into the hallway. Where she closed and locked the door. "If you want," she said. "I have tomorrow off. I could come by the lab. We could do lunch?"

Carmen nodded. "I'd like that," she said with a small smile.

"So would I," Sam told her. "Because deep down, I missed you too."

Carmen reached out and drew her friend into a tight hug. "I love you., Sammie girl. You know that, right?"

She nodded. "And I love you, too, Carmen. But I need to love my husband and my children more. And I think maybe you need to start loving yourself less and putting your family first for a change."

"I'll work on that," Carmen assured her. She held her friend out at arm's length. "So we're good?"

"We're good," Sam said. "I think that…" she suddenly gasped and laid a hand on her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Carmen asked, alarmed. "Are you okay?"

Sam nodded and laughed. "I'm fine…it's just…when all three get going…it hurts when the three of them are ganging up on me."

"They're kicking?" Carmen asked excitedly. "When did this start??"

"They started in on me last night for this first time. Sometimes I forget there's three in there and than…" she winced. "Knock it off in there, guys!" she said to her stomach.

"Can I feel them?" Carmen asked hopefully.

"You know you don't have to ask," Sam replied. "You'll need both hands. One's on the left and the other two are on the right."

Carmen reached out with both hands and laid them on her best friend's stomach. Her eyes sparkling and a bright smile spreading across her face at the kicks and tumbles assailing Sam's belly.

And there they stood, laughing together, feeling of life inside of her.

And enjoying the new, fresh start of their lives.

Thanks to everyone that is reading and reviewing. I appreciate each and every one of you! Please continue to not only R and R, but also enjoy this story! A new one should be hitting the boards soon! Keep an eye out! Much love, BEG75

Special thanks to:

Laurzz

muchmadness

hope4sall

laplandgurl

Forest Angel

Bluehaven4220

ImaSupernaturalCSI

Kassandra J

Soccer-bitch

wolfeylady

DollCity

shopaholic20

GregRox

moinejaina561