alright, before i start with all the "nicey nicey" i have a bone to pick with some of you; you know who you are.

i never intended for this to start fights or be a mean thing, but seriously people, it's just a fanfiction; what i choose to do with the characters is my own choice, if you don't like it, DONT read it. I've gotten so many threatening PM's and comments over the last chapter that i honestly debated not posting this. But you know what, there ARE some people out there who had enough faith in me to wait for the outcome instead of threatening me that it better turn out the way they wanted it to. this was supposed to be a fun way for me to share my own Danny and Lindsay story; something i wanted to share with a bunch of fans. please don't make me stop posting, i love reading all of your feedback, it totally makes my day.

too all of you who this doesnt apply to, im sorry you had to read all that, but THANK YOU for all of your support; you guys are the ones who keep me writing.

anyway, i hate being mean, so sorry for the rant, but i had to get it out.

here's the next chapter, i promise im going to try to keep it happy times from here on out.

enjoy (:

--mtc.

Chapter 21

He had to blink his eyes a few times to get used to his surroundings. Pushing up his glasses, he rubbed at his eyes, attempting to rid his sight of the darkness that surrounded him. Finally, a small spot of light was shed in front of him revealing nothing but empty whiteness. He stood in the vast sea of white watching as the light shed on more and more of his surroundings. He took a couple of steps forward, hearing nothing but the loud echo of his own footsteps. He began to grow worried; where was everyone? What was he doing alone in a giant, empty room? And if he had stopped moving, where were those footsteps coming from? He reached for his piece, gulping when he realized he didn't have it. Looking down, he noticed that his badge and cuffs were gone as well. He was dressed in his old Yankee shirt, a pair of jeans and his grey Converse, not exactly the last clothes he remembered having on. Hearing the footsteps again, he this time backed up, growing fearful of what lurked beyond the shadows of…well…wherever he happened to be. The clicking of his mystery visitor's heels grew closer as the sweat beads on his forehead dropped faster. Louder and louder the footsteps became, seeming to back him into a nonexistent corner. Seeing he had nowhere to go, he stood his ground, ready to face whatever was coming for him. Finally, the noise stopped somewhere in front of him. Where exactly he could not judge, but the voice that came from the figure startled him.

"Daniel Messer, what the hell are you doing here?"

He knew that voice all too well. Why he was hearing it exactly, he couldn't figure out.

"…Mom?"

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Everything was going by too fast for Lindsay to keep track of. The gunshot had gone off, Danny had fallen, her daughter's screams had filled the crime lab, and Sonny Sassone had turned and winked at her. At that moment, her heart ran cold. Don had reacted the quickest, gunning the man down only moments after his best friend had fallen. How she got across the lab so quickly she didn't know, but Lindsay was by Danny's side in a matter of seconds, not noticing as Stella grabbed her terrified little girl and ushered her away from the bloody scene. She had seen blood before, she had seen more than any one person should have to see in a lifetime, but to see her Danny's blood spilled in front of her and pooling around her shoes killed a part of her inside. She couldn't get the image out of her head; Danny's dying body was covered in blood that seemed to be gushing out of his chest, the look on his face frozen with fear. His once warm blue eyes were fading fast as the EMT's arrived and hoisted him onto a backboard. As she climbed into the back of the ambulance, she couldn't take her eyes off of him. Everything beyond him seemed to be moving at a much faster pace; sketchy images beyond his body surrounding them. She and he were at a standstill. She could hear each individual beat of his heart, see his eyes blinking in and out of consciousness, focusing in on only her. She could hear the shallowness of his breath as he gasped for air; she struggled as a mask was placed over his nose and mouth. He seemed so helpless.

They arrived at the hospital, Lindsay not even noticing that they had been driving in the first place. Doctors came and went, throwing around random medical terms that, on any given case day she would recognize, but considering her current situation, they were a complete alien language to her.

She remembered a surgeon approaching her at one point, telling her that they had Danny stabilized and that they needed to bring him to surgery; she was going to have to let her death grip on the guard rails go. She could only nod halfway, but she didn't comprehend what he was saying. The doctor gave her a reassuring smile and she felt his cold fingers releasing her own from the rails of the bed they had transferred Danny to. She followed like a lost puppy as a team of doctors and nurses wheeled him towards the giant white doors labeled "Authorized Personnel Only Behind These Doors". A nurse had to hold her back as she tried to gain access, not wanting to leave the love of her life. Up to that point, she hadn't reacted to the incident whatsoever. As soon as the doors closed with Danny behind them, everything seemed to hit her at once. She broke down in the nurse's arms, falling to the ground with tears falling from her cheeks as she tried to wake herself up, still trying to convince herself it was all a dream.

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"Mom?" He couldn't believe his eyes. It had been so long since he had seen his mother in something other than a picture or home movie. She stepped through the darkness, the light making her face glow against the black aura that seemed to surround him. The petite, Italian woman smiled sweetly at her grown son and stepped forward towards him, reaching her arms out for him to take. He gathered his mother up in his arms, tightening his grip; afraid that if he let go she would disappear forever. They lingered in the touching embrace for a while before his mother pulled back, worrying Danny quite a bit. He was afraid that if he let her go, he would never see her again, but her reassuring smile let him know that she wasn't going anywhere.

"Daniel, it's been so long," she said in her motherly voice, comforting him and reminding him of his childhood.

"I've missed ya, ma," he replied, trying not to cry.

"And we've missed you too, Daniel."

"We?" he questioned her. She smiled at him before gesturing to the darkness behind her. Out of the shadows, footsteps started up again. The tall figures of his brother and father appeared in front of him.

"Hello son," the booming voice of his father echoed through the room as his tall figure stepped towards Danny, a hand outstretched.

"Hey Pa," Danny replied taking his father's hand in his own. This is what Bailey must have felt like, he thought to himself, as his father's giant hand seemed to envelope his own. He chuckled as he began to picture his daughter; how would she have reacted to the size of her grandfather's hand? He knew his father wasn't the "hug" type, but he pulled him in anyway, feeling like his eight year old self again; his dad was always there when something went wrong no matter how much he hated hugging. He loved his sons and that was all that mattered.

"Shave that stubble off, you look like a hobo," his father told him as they pulled away. Good ole dad, Danny laughed to himself.

"Don't think you're gonna pass me up little bro," came the thickly accented voice of his older brother Louie.

"Not a chance," Danny chuckled, pulling his brother into a hug. Before long, the older Messer had him pinned to the ground, wrestling like they were ten years old again. Once they had broken up, trying to control their laughter, Danny could only stare in awe. His family was standing here in front of him, joking and laughing like the good old days. He had to wonder, if they had all died four years ago, what did that mean for him?

"Ma, Pa, Louie…I've missed you so much. But…but where am I?"

"We've missed you too Daniel," his mother replied stepping forward. "We've been waiting for the day when we can all be a family again, but I'm a little concerned. You're not supposed to be here for quite a while now."

"Where is 'here' exactly, Ma?"

"You're in Heaven Danny," she replied.

If it hadn't already happened, he would have died right then and there.

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Once Lindsay had calmed down some, a nurse had returned her to the waiting room where the rest of the team was situated, eager for news. Bailey sat in Flack's knee, her head buried in his chest, her eyes red and puffy; her tear ducts were long since drained out. She didn't move at all; her chest only subtly heaving up and down as a sign of life. She had never looked so terrified in her life; it broke Lindsay's heart to see her baby girl like this. She passed through everyone, waving off their condolences and focusing on only her daughter. She gathered the little girl in her arms, the small child clinging to her mother for dear life. Both girls stood in the middle of the hospital waiting room trying not to cry, but pressure had built up and neither could hold back. The team could only stand and watch as mother and daughter grieved over a lover, a father, a best friend. Time would only tell what the future would hold for him, but all prayed that he would pull through. He was such a strong man, a real fighter; he had to pull through this, not only for the well being of the team, but for the family he would be leaving behind if he didn't. He had left them once before, and everyone knew that there were slim chances of a recovery for the people he affected if he left them again, this time permanently.

"Mommy, he's going to be okay, right? He has to be," Bailey said through tears. Such an innocent child, she didn't know the severity of the situation, but she was determined to make certain that her father left that hospital alive. Lindsay looked into her daughter's deep blue eyes; they reminded her of Danny so much, it was hard to keep from letting more tears escape. She could only nod in response to her daughter's hopeful question, fearing that if she opened her mouth, she would lose all control of her emotions.

Eventually, a doctor came through the doors that led to where they had taken Danny for surgery. He stepped into the waiting room, a fake smile on his face.

"My name is doctor DuShane," he said in a half cheerful, yet tired voice. "I came out here to update you on Mr. Messer's case. The bullet is lodged extremely close to his heart; it's a risky surgery but I can do it. My staff and I have repaired the artery that was hit and have stopped all of the major bleeding, but if we don't remove the bullet, further complications can and will eventually arise. As with any surgery, there are risks, but this is Mr. Messer's only chance at living a stable life. Will you allow us to proceed with the surgery?"

There was no doubt in her mind as Lindsay nodded her head. She couldn't—wouldn't—lose Danny again. He had to pull through this.

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"I'm in…Heaven?" he asked, his face turning white as the walls that surrounded them.

"Yes Daniel, you are. As are the rest of us," his mother replied.

"Are you sure?" He tried to remember how he had gotten to this point, but he couldn't seem to make out any details.

"Yeah Danno, you think we're lying?" Louie chuckled as he crossed his arms.

"Son, you suffered a major injury. The doctors were supposed to fix it, so I'm not exactly sure why you're here."

"What do you mean they were supposed to fix it?" he asked. All of this was so confusing to him; he wished it would start making sense. "Does death give you the power to see into the future?"

At this, his mother chuckled. "Daniel, we're not super humans, but we were allowed to know when we would see you again. Today is not that day; we are still far off from that day, which is why I was surprised to see you."

"So, am I dead then? Did I die?"

"All indications would point to a yes, but you're not finished on Earth. Lindsay and that little girl need you more than we do son."

He smiled, thinking of his daughter and his Lindsay. "Wait, how did you know about—"

"Bailey?" his mother finished for him. "We've been watching you Daniel. You're so good with her; she loves you so much. I would hate to take you away from her. As much as we love you son, you're needed much more by your family on Earth than up here."

"So…Why am I here then?"

"You're in surgery right now; the doctors are trying to remove the bullet."

"Bullet?" He strained his memory as far as he could, but he still could not remember how he had ended up on the operating table in the first place.

His mother nodded. "You have to pull through this surgery Daniel. You're a strong man, I know you are. Do it for that little girl." The elderly woman pointed her finger towards what Danny could tell to be an empty wall. All of a sudden, the wall seemed to open up, a projector-like scene opening before them. He could see himself laying on an operating table, doctors and nurses hovering over him. The scene changed before his eyes, images flashing until they landed on his little girl. She was kneeled before a cross in what he guessed to be the hospital church. He watched on as the tears began to fall from his eyes.

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Bailey knew she shouldn't have wandered off, but this was the only thing she thought she could do to make a difference. The adults were busying themselves with files, talking to doctors, and venturing off to get coffee; surely no one would notice if she was gone for a little while, right? She found the small church easily and entered quietly. Although the room was absent of all of other people, she wanted to preserve the silence. She knelt down before the cross at the front of the church and folded her hands. Staring up at the giant wooden figure, she sighed heavily before opening her mouth.

"Hi God, it's me, Bailey. I know I said I wished Danny would never come back again, but I was only kidding. I was just mad at him, but I'm not anymore, I promise. He got hurt really bad, and I was wondering if I could take back what I said so he could be okay. I really don't want him to go away. I love him too much, he's so much fun and my mommy loves him too. If you took him away from her she would be sadder than me even. Please God, please don't take him away from me. I'll give away all my toys and my Flash comic books, and I'll even eat vegetables every night and go to bed early. Just don't take him away, God. Please let him be okay."

A single tear fell down the little girl's cheek and hit the floor. Somewhere up in the sky, Danny's hit at the exact same moment. The little girl would never know how much of an impact she had made on her father, but she had torn him to pieces with her words; she was his reason to fight.

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He reached out to touch the wall, his daughter's image still projected in front of him, trying to wipe the tears that fell from her bright blue eyes.

"I have to get back," he uttered, although he was still choked up over his daughter's words.

"Of course you do," his mother replied, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You have to find the strength to make it through this surgery Daniel, for that little girl and for Lindsay. They need you son. Don't let them down."

The image on the screen changed again, revealing Danny lying on the operating table. His family surrounded him as they watched the doctor extract the bullet, proudly showing it to the rest of his team before placing it in a dish and sewing Danny's lifeless body up. The heart monitor next to the bed began bleeping stronger with every passing minute. The doctor placed a hand on Danny's shoulder at the exact moment his mother did.

Mimicking each other's words, both opened their mouths and told him, "I'm proud of you Danny. Go get your family back."

Uncontrollably, tears fell from his eyes as he turned around in his mother's eyes and pulled her in for a tight hug, his brother and father joining in the touching family embrace. He didn't want to let go, but he felt his brother and father release him, followed by his mother.

"You've led a wonderful life for yourself son. I'm sorry we weren't there to see it," his father told him. "Don't let that beautiful little girl go on living her life without knowing about her family. We love her just as much as you do."

"Absolutely Pop," he replied, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Tell her Uncle Louie says not to let you off too easy," his brother joke, rubbing his knuckles into his younger brother's head before giving him a brotherly hug. He patted his back before allowing the younger Messer to turn around, now facing his mother. She smiled at him, her own tears now falling, before pulling her son in close to her. She could feel his strong heart beating against her own chest.

"You'll do great things Daniel, I know you will. You've grown into such a strong young man. Make me proud son. Raise that little girl well. She and Lindsay love you so much. Lindsay is and amazing young woman, don't you ever let her go. I know I've raised you to treat women with respect, and I know you'll treat her right. I love you son."

"I love you too Ma," he told her through his own tears. He hugged her once more before he turned to face his entire family. He smiled at them warmly and the y returned the favor; the image would forever be engraved on his heart. They began to wave at him, and as he looked down at himself, he noticed his body beginning to disappear. It wasn't his time to go after all. He waited to return back to his real self; he couldn't wait to see his girls again.

He couldn't let them go again.

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As soon as they had released Danny's body from the surgical wing and moved him to a private room in the ICU, Lindsay was right by his side. He was bandaged up under his hospital gown; tubes were sticking out of his nose and his arm was hooked up to an IV pole that stood next to his bed. She took his lifeless hand in her own and kissed his knuckles gently, her tears falling to land on his soft skin.

"What have we gotten ourselves into this time Messer?" she laughed through her tears. She knew he wouldn't respond, but she continued talking anyway. "Bailey really misses you, you know. She's not mad anymore, Danny. She's not mad anymore. She really wants you to pull through this. I mean, if you go, who's gonna read her all those comic books?" She paused and looked at his eyes. They were closed, but she could've sworn she saw them fluttering. "You've got to come back to us Danny. I love you too much, you can't leave us again cowboy." Her pleading words only increased the rate her tears fell. She wasn't sure if she could go on living without him. He was her life, her everything; she and that little girl would be lost without him there to guide them along the way. She laid her head on his shoulder and stayed there for awhile, feeling the comfort of his heart beating close to her own. As long as she knew he was alive, she still had a sliver of hope left in her.

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Don Flack was a mess already, but hearing the words of his goddaughter ringing through the walls of the church just about broke him in two. He had seen her venture off and made it his duty to follow her, becoming a little shocked when they had ended up in front of the church. The words she pleaded were so soft-spoken, true, right from her heart. After letting her be alone for a while, he joined her in a pew, putting his arms around her and letting her collapse into his side.

"He's gotta be okay Uncle Flack, he's just gotta."

"I know sweetie, I know."

"I never meant for something bad to happen."

Confused, he stared down at her worried eyes. "What do you mean monkey?"

"This is all my fault. I told mommy I wished he would never come back. Now look what happened."

He pulled her tighter into his embrace. "No, no, no; none of this is your fault sweetheart, none of it. He would never want to leave you, he loves you and your mommy too much to do that. He's going to pull through this, he won't leave you guys again."

"Promise?" she asked through tears as she looked into her uncle's eyes.

"Promise," he replied through his own tears. She wrapped her tiny arms around his waist as far as they could go and let her tears stain his blood covered shirt.

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Hours had seemed to pass before Lindsay was interrupted by a knock at the door of Danny's hospital room. She slowly lifted her head from where it lay on his shoulder and peered towards the doorway. The tear-stained faces of Don Flack and her little girl stared back at her. She sat up fully and moved herself from the bed she shared with Danny to the chair that she had originated in next to the bed. Led by Don's hand, her little girl jumped into her mother's lap and wrapped her arms around her neck.

"Is he okay mommy?" she asked, lifting her head from her mother's shoulder to look into the older woman's chocolate brown eyes.

She nodded her head. "He's sleeping right now. Do you remember how, after your surgery, you slept for a very long time?"

The little girl nodded her head in response and started over at the sleeping figure of her father. She climbed down from her mother's arms and gently stroked his arm. She wrapped her fingers around his hand and stood there for a moment, just staring at him. Lindsay watched as her little girl traced the side of his face with her fingers ever so gently. Silently, she left the room, meeting Don as she passed through the door frame. He put his arms gently around her as he ushered her away from the room. The little girl needed to be alone with her father, and they would respect that. The closed the door behind them, leaving Bailey alone with Danny.

The little girl sat in the enormous chair that Lindsay had positioned next to the bed. She took Danny's hand again and sat there for a moment before she began to speak.

"Hey Danny…It's Bailey. I'm sorry you got hurt. Uncle Flack says it's not my fault, but I still think it is. I was only kidding when I said I wanted you to go away, 'cause I really don't, I promise. I love you Danny, you can't leave. I would cry at night if you left, just like you used to cry at night 'cause I left." She paused for a moment, her tears falling to hit his hand.

"We have so much fun together. You read me comic books all the time and you took me to Coney Island, and you even tuck me in at night. If you leave, who's gonna do all that fun stuff with me? Uncle Flack can't do Flash voices, trust me, he's tried. You're the only one who can do it. Plus, my mommy loves you too; she tells me all the time. You guys are like Cinderella and Prince Charming, you can't leave her. Then there would be no happily ever after." She brought her face closer to his, kissing his cheek tenderly before the tears began to fall harder.

"Daddy, please don't leave me again." She closed her little finger around his own and lay her head on his shoulder, her tears falling on his chest as she silently cried, wishing this was all just a dream.

Suddenly, she felt his fingers twitch under her own. She perked up, the tears still falling as she looked up into his eyes. They were still closed, but she could see the effort that he was putting into opening him. As they fluttered open, she got the wish of a lifetime. In a raspy voice, barely above a whisper, he began to speak.

"I'm not going anywhere baby."

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did you really think i was going to kill him ?

i love him too much to do that !

Next Week in Come Back to Me...

"I want you to be my daddy, Danny. I want you to be my daddy, daddy.