Mac and Danny reach the doorway of Lindsays room, Stella sits in the chair next to Lindsays bed and they laugh as Lindsay finishes a story about Lucy. "She's lucky to have you for a mother" Stella says, grabbing onto Lindsays hand.

"I think we're the lucky ones" Lindsay smiles, as she notices Danny walk into the room.

"Alright you two, lets break up the love fest" Danny laughs.

"Oh right, what were you guys talking about?" Lindsay asks, confident that she already knows the answer.

"baseball." Both Mac & Danny reply at the same time. They turn to eachother, each with a smug look on their face, glad they came up with the same answer.

"Yeah, right..." Lindsay scoffs.

"Well," Stella begins, as she stands up from the chair, "I guess we'll give you two some time alone." She winks at Lindsay and heads towards the door.

Mac nods in agreement, and says goodbye to Lindsay and Danny.

Once outside the hospital room, Stella immediately questions Mac "How's Danny holdin' up?"

"He's strong" Mac sighs. "I'm proud of him, he's exactly where he needs to be, being there for his family. The old Danny Messer would've been busting down doors, and interrogating every thug he could get his hands on by now. Lindsay and Lucy are the best thing thats ever happened to him."

"Speaking of Lucy..." Stella, with a smirk on her face as she raises an eyebrow at Mac.

"what?" Mac asks curiously.

"Well, I told Lindsay we would bring Lucy down here for a little bit... She really misses her Mac! She wants to see her. We won't keep her here long, just a little visit." Stella says, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at Mac, as if he's already said 'no'.

"...Alright." Mac finally responds.

"Really?!" a shocked Stella replies. "She'll be so happy!" She squeals as she runs towards Mac and throws her arms around his neck and squeezes him.

"Ugph!" Mac gasps as he catches Stella.

"I think it'll do her good anyway" Mac chuckles as they let go of eachother. They exchange smiles, and continue to make their way to the exit.

[end scene]

A short while later, Mac & Stella return to the hospital with Lucy.

Danny is lying next to Lindsay in her bed, stroking her hair, and trying to keep his tired eyes open.

"Knock knock" Stella says as she taps on the door frame. "Somebody missed you!" she exclaims as Mac holds up the carseat to show Lindsay her daughter.

"My little princess!" Lindsay gasps. "I missed you too!" She looks to Stella and mouths the words 'thank you' to whichStella responds with a slight nod and a smile.

Carefully placing the carseat on a table, Mac reaches in and picks up his beautiful goddaughter. He rocks her for a moment before placing her in Lindsays arms. Lindsay chuckles at herself as a tear rolls down her cheek. Danny wipes it away with his thumb and kisses his wife on her forehead.

Mac and Stella stand back and grin as they watch the bittersweet moment between the Messer family. Danny's arm around Lindsay, as she holds her baby and beams a smile that could light up a room.

"Good idea Stell" Mac whispers as he puts his arm around Stella and pulls her in next to him. She leans her head on his shoulder and smiles.

"yeah" she whispers back.

Mac places his hand around Stella's waist and they continue to admire Lindsay and her family.

[a short time later]

"Attention" a loud voice comes over the speaker throughout the hospital corridors "Visiting hours are now over". The last hour seems to have flown by for Danny and Lindsay as Mac stands up from the chair at the end of Lindsays bed "I guess thats our que" he states, looking at Stella.

"Ohhhh" Lindsay whines. "Okaayyyy" she says reluctantly as she kisses her baby one last time on the head. She passes Lucy to Mac who tucks her into her carseat, trying not to wake the already sleeping child.

"I'll be back first thing in the morning, okay?" Danny assures Lindsay, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you" she responds and lies her head back down on her pillow. "Get some sleep tonight mister!"

Danny smiles back at her and picks up the carseat as he follows Mac and Stella out of the room.

Once outside the hospital doors, Mac and Stella turn to Danny to say goodnight. "Thanks again you guys" Danny smiles "you really cheered her up."

"Glad to do it" Stella replies, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're okay to get home?"

"Yeah, yeah. Goodnight guys."
"Goodnight Danny".

Now inside Mac's truck, the ride home is much more relaxed this time. The two chat about their day, and 'talk shop' as they share they're findings about the crime scene. As they reach closer to Stella's apartment, and the talk about the case grows more intense, Stella now begins to worry because she realizes they aren't any closer to catching these men that terrorized her 'family' the previous evening. They reach her building and Stella stares out the window, closely watching a black sedan that creeps by the entrance way. The car rolls to a stop and the door opens, as a man dressed in black pants and a white collared shirt steps out of the car. He steps up the sidewalk and passes the keys to an elder woman who stood by waiting. "just the doorman!" Stella assures herself, feeling silly "get it together".

"Something wrong?" Mac asks, raising an eyebrow at Stella who seems to be off in her own world.

"What? ..." She responds eventually. "Oh, no" Stella laughs "I'm fine. Thanks for the ride Mac."

She goes to exit the car, when Mac pipes up "Stella! Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, just tired is all." She replies with a slight smile.

"Okay..." Mac responds, not convinced with her answer.

Stella closes the door to the truck and makes her way into the building. Mac waits outside and watches to be sure she gets in okay. Once he sees her make her way into the elevator he looks back to the road ahead of him, and puts his truck into gear and rolls away slowly from the building.

Inside Stella's apartment, she sits anxiously at the edge of her couch. Holding a hot much of tea, cupped in both hands. She taps her fingers against the mug, trying to distract herself from her own thoughts. After a few short moments she swiftly stands up from the couch. "I can't stay here" she thinks to herself. Unaware of where she's going to go at this late hour, she decides to worry about that later as she slips on her shoes and swings open the door.

Stella is startled when she opens the door and lets out a deep gasp. "Mac!" she exclaims, as he too with a surprised expression on his face, lowers his hand that was about to knock on Stella's door. "What are you doing here?" she asks.

"I'm a detective. I can tell when someone's lying to me" He says with a smirk as he grabs her jacket from the coat rack beside her front door. "Come on, we'll go back to the lab and see what Sheldon and Adam came up with". Stella nods as Mac wraps her jacket around her shoulders for her and they head towards the elevator.

**Just like Mac to always be there for Stella when she needs him huh? XD

More to come soon! Tell me what you think so far :D**