Temporary Form of Permanence

By ioanhoratio

AN: This is just pure speculation about the season 7 premier. Just one possibility I've been considering and thought it might make a nice add-on to the finale (Vacation Getaway). I am undecided if it will just be a short-one shot or if I am going to develop it into a full story. This literally picks up right where season 6 ended.

The gun shot rang out

Danny had prepared himself for the pain that he knew would burn through his body when the bullet entered through his flesh. His eyes closed as an automated reaction, his muscles tensed, and he fought the urge to run and hide. He refused to leave his daughter in the arms of that madman.

It took a moment for his brain to register that the strangled gasp of pain hadn't come from him.

Danny's eyes flew open to see Casey's maniacal smile, then he whipped his head around to see Lindsay leaning against the wall, her hands pressed tightly to her stomach. He had been so consumed with Lucy he hadn't noticed her approach. He watched through a filter of slow motion as she slid to the floor, leaving a streak of red on the wall to follow her decent. Her eyes were wide with fear and pain.

The sound of his pounding heartbeat was soon overpowered by the screams of his crying daughter and the continued laughter of the psycho who was doing everything in his power to ruin Danny's life.

His fear for Lindsay's life took over and Danny rushed to her side.

"Lindsay?" he begged.

She sat slumped on the floor, all her strength focused on keeping her hands over the wound that was now bleed profusely through her fingers. She stared at him and whispered, "Lucy."

Danny felt a rush of air hit his back as Shane Casey ran passed, shouting, "Catch us if you can Messer!"

Danny stood to chase, but hesitated. His wife lay bleeding to death on the floor.

Seeing the conflict on his face, Lindsay used the last bit of her strength to sob, "Go!"

Danny nodded. He knew she was choosing her daughter's life over her own. He swallowed his tears and stamped down the thought that he may never see Lindsay alive again.

"I love you," he forced out of his constricted throat, and ran for the door. He heard the rest of Linsday's body hit the floor and glanced over his shoulder to see her curled into a ball sobbing Lucy's name over and over again. He stumbled over one of Lucy's toys, and hit the ground hard.

"Fuck!" he screamed, scrambling to his feet. He flew through the door Casey had left open and caught a glimpse of him and a still screaming Lucy through the elevator door just before it closed.

"Casey!" he called uselessly. Danny ran towards the lift, pausing to pound on his neighbor's doors shouting for someone to call 911. He came to the end of the hallway, and slammed his body into the door that led to the stairs. The door immediately gave way, and Danny clung to the railing trying to get down the stairs as quickly as he could without breaking his leg. He knew he would never catch up with the pair if fell and broke his neck.

As he approached the first level he heard the ding of the elevator. Danny pushed his legs to move faster, and he ran into the lobby of their apartment building. Casey, with Lucy held tightly in his arms, rushed out of the building with Danny hot on his heels.

Danny's bare feet slapped on the pavement and concrete, but he ignored the pain. To Danny's horror he heard Casey begin shouting, "Help! He's trying to take my baby."

In the city that never sleeps, the streets were never empty. People who were passing stopped to stare at the two men. A few pulled out their cell phones to call for the NYPD and others ignored it completely, but some men moved to interfere.

"Hey!"one particularly burly man snapped as he narrowly avoided Casey, but Danny wasn't so lucky. The men collided with such force they were both knocked to the ground, Danny hitting a couple of trash cans that sat on the sidewalk. He felt pain shoot up his arm, but didn't stop to see if it was broken. He struggled to his feet, but found his attempt thwarted as the burly man grabbed his leg.

"Let me go," Danny screamed, kicking. "He's got my daughter!"

The man was angry and confused, but Danny didn't have any time for niceties. The man was refusing to lessen his grip so Danny pulled back the arm that wasn't throbbing and punched the man as hard as he could.

Stunned, the man lost his grip as he fell backwards into the street.

Danny began running again, his eyes searching for any sign of his daughter, but Casey's trick had worked long enough for him to slip out of sight.

Danny ran and ran, desperation and fear making it difficult for him to focus on anything except the task to keep his legs moving. In the distance he heard the familiar sound of sirens approaching and sent a prayer heavenward that they weren't too late.

Thanks for reading!

So again, I haven't decided if this is just a speculative one shot or if I will make it a summertime series. I guess it depends on if you guys are interested in me adding to it.