well, here's the next chapter AS PROMISED before i leave for vacation.

its not a cliffie, i promise, i couldnt leave you all hanging for a week !

but i think you'll be satisfied with what i leave you with :) hopefully anyway haha.

but i promise, like last time, i'll be writing whenever i can so i can get you the next chapter as soon as i get home.

for now,

enjoy (:

--mtc.

Chapter 13

When Lindsay awoke, she stirred for a couple of seconds before realizing where she was. Dozens of beds, cots, cribs and couches surrounded her, random people she didn't know inhabiting them, some sleeping, some just waking up, others getting ready to leave. She was in the hospital. Just one night ago, Bailey had had her accident, been operated on, and come out of her temporary coma. It seemed like that night had dragged on forever even though it was only actually a couple of hours. She couldn't grasp the fact that only a few hours ago, they thought their daughter wasn't going to make it. And then it hit her.

Their daughter.

She had told Danny.

And he hadn't acted half as angry as she had expected him to. He had actually been quite calm, a little surprised at first, but in the end, he was just ecstatic to know that the slumbering little girl was his own. She smiled at the thought, and as her eyes grew more accustomed to the light around her, she blinked a couple times before looking to her side, seeing a very tired but nonetheless enthusiastic Danny smiling down at her.

"Good morning sleepy head. Have a nice nap?" he whispered, not wanting to disturb the other guests in their little room.

"Good morning yourself," she replied, returning his smile. "It's the best I'll ever sleep on a hospital bed I guess. How about you? You look like you could go back to sleep for at least another decade," she asked as he wiped the slumber from his eyes.

"No, no, I'm good, this bed is just utterly uncomfortable," he said with a laugh. "Wanna go get some breakfast before we check on Bay? Doc says she won't be up for a little while."

It warmed her heart to hear that he was already so anxious to check up on their little girl that now, at 7:15 in the morning, he was already pestering the doctors for information. Pushing herself up out of the rickety bed, she nodded and they made their way to the cafeteria, Lindsay grabbing Danny's hand as they exited the room. He himself was hesitant to initiate the gesture, thinking she would shy away, but when she had grabbed his hand first, it told him how she truly felt: happy that they were there together, both wanting their daughter to recover.

They mechanically ate the bland tasting hospital food, neither one of them really noticing the stale taste of the undercooked toast or the boxed cereal that had probably been sitting out for a good week. They just wanted to get to Bailey, but they both knew that no matter how hard they tried, they could not will the clock to change times. After finishing their breakfast, they returned to the family center, showered, and returned to the couch they had previously resided on the night before, watching the news to pass the time.

After what seemed like hours, they were finally able to see Bailey, the pair speed walking hand in hand to their baby's room. When they arrived, she was still asleep, but it didn't take long for her to wake up.

"Morning sweetie. Did you sleep well?" Lindsay asked as her little girl rubbed her eyes.

"I guess. I hate this bed, the blanket's not as nice as the one on my bed. Hi Danny!" When she realized that Danny was still there, a huge smile spread wide on her tiny face.

"Hey kiddo, how're ya feelin?" He returned her smile, still completely in awe of the fact that this little human being in front of him was his little girl.

"Okay I guess. My head feels funny, like it fell asleep or something. And this bandaid is bugging me. If I were the Flash, I bet I wouldn't have to wear this stupid thing."

They both laughed at their daughter's persistence in wanting to be tough.

"Don't worry Bay, you'll get out of here in no time. The doctors just want to make sure your head is okay," Lindsay told the anxious child, wanting to give her at least some sort of hope.

"But I'm fine, see?" she replied, flexing her nonexistent biceps as she made a grunting face at her parents.

They two adults erupted in laugher as the doctor entered the room, clipboard in hand ready to begin Bailey's morning round of examinations and treatments.

"I see someone's feeling a little better."

"I am, can I leave now?" Bailey asked eagerly.

"Not quite kiddo. We still want to keep you here at least another night for observation, but don't worry, you'll be out of here in no time."

"Can no time be now? I wanna go home," she replied with a pout. These bland, white walls were no place for a four year old to be surrounded by.

"I'm sorry kiddo, we'll try and get you out as soon as possible, but we just want to make sure your head is okay up there."

"But it is, I promise," she said rubbing the bandage a little too harshly, evoking a whispering "OW!" from her tiny lungs. "See? That didn't even hurt hardly."

"I'm sure it didn't," the doctor replied, laughing at her persistence, "but we're still going to need to run some tests."

"No math, right?" she asked eagerly.

"Right, no math."

"Are we gonna go back in the tunnel thing? Cause that was kinda cool."

"Yes, you'll need another CAT Scan and MRI, and possibly another X-ray. We will begin those as soon as possible, but for now, you can relax. A nurse will be in soon to bring you breakfast, your testing is scheduled to start at 9:30. The tv remote is on the side of the bed if you want," he replied, hoping the shot about the television would take her mind off of the fact that she was still cooped up in this place.

Without hesitation, Bailey frantically searched for the remote, turning the channel to Saturday morning cartoons as the doctor exited with a "I'll see you later" .

As soon as Danny realized what cartoon was rolling across the screen in front of them, he stood up in protest.

"Speed Racer? Really? Are you sure there's nothing a little more…well, a better show on than this piece of garbage?"

Almost telekinetically, both mother and daughter turned their heads towards him, mouths dropping at the same time.

"Danny!" they both exclaimed in sync with one another.

"What?" He was shocked by their response, almost beginning to shy away from them as their gazes seemed to back him into a corner.

"Speed Racer is a billion times cooler than Batman will ever be, just face it," Bailey told him matter of factly.

"Yeah Messer, maybe you should listen to the kid, learn a thing or two," Lindsay said, trying to poke fun at the man that was currently taken aback by the comments he was receiving.

"Fine, fine. I guess I'll just leave then," he replied, pretending to leave the room, back turned to Bailey as a devious smile crept onto his face.

"NO! Danny I was kidding, don't leave!" she waved her arms up in protest, trying to flag him down as he paused in the doorframe.

"Well obviously you'd rather watch crap-television than hang out with me, so--"

"No Danny, I wanna hang out with you! Please don't go!"

He smiled a little bigger as he took another step out the door.

"Danny!" Bailey whined as tears began to brim on her little eyes.

"Danny," Lindsay whispered over her shoulder, trying not to laugh.

"I'm just kidding kiddo, of course I'll stay. But I actually have to run an errand, is it okay if I leave for a little while? I promise I'll be back."

"Pinky swear?" the little girl said, holding her tiny finger out in his direction.

He laughed as he took three giant strides across the room, linking their fingers together. "Pinky swear. I wouldn't leave you and your mommy all alone in this scary place, would I?"

She smiled up at him, responding, "Just don't forget to come back."

"Now how would I forget to do that?" he asked her, smiling as he gave her a hug and walked towards Lindsay.

"I'll be back, don't worry. I'm not gonna leave you, promise," he whispered into her ear as he linked her pinky with his own.

"Secrets secrets are no fun unless you share with everyone, especially Bailey!" the little girl half yelled at the two adults secretly conversing behind her back.

They chuckled as they turned to face her.

"Don't worry kiddo, you'll find out soon enough," Danny laughed as he made his way back towards the door. "I'll see you in a little while."

As soon as he was gone, her eyes made a beeline for her mother.

"Alright mommy, spill. What's the secret?"

Lindsay laughed. "I don't know baby girl, he didn't tell me either."

"You know, I am four years old now. I deserved to know things like this."She tried to hid another laugh as she climbed onto the bed, cuddling with her daughter as the watched the show playing on the television screen in hanging from the ceiling.

"I don't know what he's up to baby girl. You never really know with Danny. We'll find out soon enough," she told her daughter as her thoughts raced to what exactly he could possibly be getting himself into.

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After about an hour, when Danny still hadn't returned, the rest of the CSI team had made their way to Bailey's room to visit. Mac, Stella, Flack, Hawkes, Adam, Sid, and a hesitant Cameron all surrounded the bed, gifts in hand, showering the little girl with attention. As they all engrossed the little girl in multiple conversations, Lindsay tapped Cameron on the shoulder, signaling him outside, mouthing, "We need to talk," as he nodded in response and followed her out into the hallway.

She didn't know where to begin at first; she stared at the floor and every surface around him, trying to avoid his eyes as he spoke first.

"What's goin' on Lindsay? Why does Messer think she's my kid?" he asked her kind of coldly, crossing his arms across his chest.

Still hesitant to speak, she tried to find the words, any words, to make him feel at least a little better about the whole situation. "Cam, I'm so sorry I ever let any of this happen," she started out. "But that night, I couldn't help myself. I saw an opportunity and I grabbed it."

"What night, what opportunity?" he asked her, still confused.

"The night you came over for pizza, Danny came over. He saw you and Bailey together and thought that we were together and that, that she was yours and I couldn't tell him the truth Cam, I just couldn't." She was hoping she wouldn't cry, but when the wave of emotions hit her, she couldn't help herself.

"So you just let him go on believing it then?" responded a very unsympathetic Cameron.

"Well I couldn't just tell him the truth. He hurt me, Cameron. I confided in you, I told you everything he did to me, I thought you would understand."

"I understand what he did to you, but what I don't understand is why you would let him go on thinking she was mine when you could have just told him that I was just a friend. You know how much I care about you and Bailey, but that was low, even for you Lindsay. I've gotta go."

He turned on his heel, a pink bunny in hand, and returned to Bailey's room, trying to fake a smile for the sake of the child.

"I hope you feel better Bailey. I've gotta get going, see you soon," he said handing her the stuffed toy.

"Thanks Uncle Cameron, bye!" she said, growing confused as he rushed himself out of the room, her mother returning, wiping the tears from her eyes as she tried to hide what had happened from her child.

"Is he gonna go catch more bad guys, Uncle Mac?" she questioned the older man, staring up at his equally confused face.

"Yeah, he's going to go catch the bad guys kiddo. With all of us here, we need someone to do it," he replied, forming a believable lie to convince the child otherwise as he tried to figure out what exactly was going on for himself.

"Well, we'd better get going. Take care Bailey."

They each said their goodbyes, leaving their gifts as they exited, all of them individually giving Lindsay a "We'll talk later" look as they made their departure.

"Well that was nice, huh kiddo?" Lindsay asked her daughter, trying to hide her emotions from the four year old.

"Yeah, I got a bunch of cool stuff! Maybe staying in this place isn't so bad after all," she replied excitedly, getting a laugh from her mother. "When's Danny gonna be back? I want to show him all my presents," she asked as she looked around the room, hoping to see the man she had come to love emerging from the shadows.

"I don't know baby, he said he'd be back, just give him some time."

What they didn't realize was that Danny was closer than they thought.

-----------

He was used to being stared at, being hit on, being scoped out. But this? This was just a new level of public humiliation. He was doing it for Bailey, he had to keep reminding himself, all for the child, for his little girl. He was only hoping this would brighten her spirits as much as it did for the people in the hallway. How was he supposed to know it was a "one size fits nobody" outfit? The red spandex clinging to his body was growing more uncomfortable by the second, but he only had to last a couple more minutes before he could make a mad dash back to the bathroom to change out of this ridiculous get up and back into his tshirt and jeans.

The stares were becoming more annoying by the second, especially when one child screaming "Oh my God, it's the Flash!" would turn every head in the room.

"This is all for Bailey," he muttered underneath the mask that clung to his face, making it hard to breathe. At least if he passed out, he was in the right place to seek treatment.

Finally reaching Bailey's room, he knocked on the door, trying not to laugh at the expression painted on Lindsay's face when she opened the door.

-----------

She had expected him to bring back a comic book, a carton of ice cream, a box of crayons. But never in her wildest dreams would she have expected him to go to such lengths for their daughter. It almost made her cry.

But the sensation of laughter growing in her chest wouldn't let her.

"Why, hello sir. Can I help you?" she asked him, giggling through every word.

"Why yes you can ma'am. I'm looking for a Bailey Monroe."

Hearing her own name being spoken, Bailey's head cocked toward the door, her mouth dropping through the floor as she realized who was there.

"Are you Bailey Monroe?" he asked her as he was granted entrance to her hospital room, trying not to break character or simply burst out laughing at the look of surprise and wonder on his daughter's face.

She couldn't seem to speak; she was at a loss for words. Her favorite comic book hero was currently standing in her presence. She was trying her hardest not to pass out from the pure shock of it all.

"Y-yes," she managed to muster.

"Well Bailey Monroe, a little birdie told me that you were sick. I can't have one of my biggest fans being sick now can I? I wanted to drop by and tell you how much I appreciate you watching my show and reading my comics. But when I heard you were in the hospital, I had to come and see you. Your doctors tell me you're trying to break outta here."

"That's cause, cause I wanted to be strong like you," she replied, almost in a whisper as she tried to muster up the right words to say.

"Well kiddo, I have super powers, that's the only reason I'm so tough. Without them, I'd be a weakling," he told her, trying to be as convincing as possible.

"But, but you're the strongest person I know Flash," she said doubting him.

"No Bailey, you're the strong one here. You made it through that surgery, I could never do that. I'd be too scared."

"But you're the Flash, you're not afraid of anything," she told him, gaining more confidence as her hero confided in her.

"Can I let you in on a little secret?" he whispered as he walked closer towards her bed.

She nodded her head as he kneeled down next to her. "I'm afraid of hospitals. Ever since I was little, I've hated them. I had to have surgery when I was little too, and they were pokin' me with needles and stuff, and I was so scared, I was crying. But you, you're tough. You didn't even cry at all, did you?" he asked her as she shook her head. "See? You're tougher than I'll ever be. And that's what makes you so special."

Reaching behind him, he pulled out a small bag.

"That's why I'm here to make you an honorary Flash cadet. Not many kids get to do this, so you're pretty special." He pulled out a small badge with the Flash logo displayed across it, clearly a party favor from the nearest party store, but to Bailey, it was the greatest thing a four year old Flash fanatic could ever receive. "Now, with this comes responsibility you know. You've gotta promise to be strong, no matter what's thrown at ya. And when the doctors say you've gotta stay here for a couple more days, you've gotta listen to them."

She nodded at her hero standing in front of her. She would do anything he said.

"I promise," she replied as he pinned the badge onto her hospital gown.

"Alright, good. Now, I've gotta get out of here, the Green Lantern's been on my case lately and it's about time I got rid of him. You think you can be brave and listen to the doctors for me?"

"Definitely," she told him enthusiastically.

"Good. I'll see you later Bailey. I hope you have a speedy recovery."

"Thanks Flash. Hey wait, can I take a picture with you?" she asked as he was about to exit.

"Why not? I'd do anything for my biggest fan," he replied as Lindsay got out her camera, snapping a photo of their daughter with "the Flash", her smile bigger than her face.

"See ya later kid," he said, waving as he left the room.

"That was so cool!" Bailey told her mom, her hands still shaking as she stared, mouth agape at the badge now displayed on her front, still trying to figure out if that had really just happened.

-----------

He no less than flew down the hallway, living up to the title of "Flash" displayed on his costume. He changed out of the tight costume as fast as he could, trying not to rip it as the spandex seemed to be stuck to his skin. Stuffing the costume into a duffel that he had brought with him, he made his way back down the hallway to see his family.

"Hey kiddo, how ya feelin?" he asked, poking his head in the door, trying not to smile too much as he watched her trace her fingers over the badge.

"Danny, you missed it, you missed it!" she told him enthusiastically as he pulled a chair up next to her bed.

"I missed what?"

"He was here, he was here in my room!"

"Who was here Bay?" he asked her with a chuckle.

"The Flash! He was here in my room! He came to see me! See?" she replied, holding up the badge for him to get a closer look.

"Wow, that's awesome Bay. I guess it's not even gonna compare to what I brought you then, huh?"

The look on her face went instantly from amazement to curiosity.

"You brought me something?" she searched his person for some sort of package, anything to indicated her receiving a gift.

"Well yeah, that's why I left. But I guess you won't want it now that you've got that cool badge." He pretended to look disappointed as she tried to reassure him.

"No, no, I'll take whatever you've got," she replied anxiously, getting a laugh from both Danny and Lindsay.

"I guess I can try then," he said halfheartedly, pulling the mysterious package out of the bag.

"Whoa, that's so cool!" Bailey exclaimed as Danny pulled a Flash baseball cap out of the bag, equipped with wings on the side and everything.

"I figured you'd want something to hid that bandaid until they took it off," he shrugged as he caught Lindsay's smile.

"It's awesome! Thanks Danny!" she exclaimed she threw her arms around him tightly.

"No problem kiddo. I'm glad you like it."

"I love it!" she muttered into his stomach as Lindsay crept slowly over the bed, smiling at father and daughter interacting so sweetly.

Their little family moment was interrupted all too soon by Dr. Markko.

"Ready for your test kiddo?"

"Definitely!" she exclaimed, staring down at her badge.

"Alright then, let's get to it."

As the wheeled her out of the room, Lindsay wrapped her arms around Danny's waist, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You're amazing, you know that ?"

"What, me?" he laughed as she smiled up at him.

"Thank you Danny, you made her so happy today."

"I'd do anything to see her smile Linds. Same with you."

As they stared into each other's eyes, he brought his hand up to her cheek, running his thumb over her soft skin.

He slowly brought her face up to his, their lips meeting for the first time since he had left.

It was everything they had both wanted and more. Fireworks were going off in his head, like they were two teenagers kissing for the first time. But this was better.

She tasted as sweet as he remembered, all of their memories flooding back as she kissed him back, more passionately than before.

They lingered there for a moment, neither one of them wanting to let go. As they reluctantly pulled away, he noticed the almost drunken gaze that she gave him, still smiling as he brushed her hair behind her ears and held her tight against his chest.

Right here was the only place in the world he would ever need to be.