A/N: Okay everyone this is it for this story. Final chapter. I just want to thank everyone for reading this story and taking the time to review. I'm very happy that people have enjoyed this and I've loved writing this story. But it's time to start a new story and finish Still Waiting. I hope everyone is happy with the ending. And thanks again to everyone who has reviewed :)
Episode 17 (In the End)
New York Crime Lab
"Mac" Stella announced walking into his office "You get any sleep?"
"No I'm looking for leads on Calvin Troy" Mac sighed "It's like he disappeared into thin air"
"He couldn't have gotten too far" Stella noted
"It's been over two days" Mac reminded her
"You really think he's going to Montana?" she questioned taking a seat across from his desk
"Yea I do, he didn't care about helping the feds" Mac snorted "All he wanted was another shot at Danny and he's going to get it"
"Have you spoken to him?" Stella asked
"No, I talked to Flack everything on the Calvin front is quiet" Mac told her "Bozeman PD are patrolling the area every hour"
"They can't leave police outside the house?" she asked him
"Bozeman PD is pretty small" Mac said to her "There's not enough money or man power for that"
"I'm sure they'll be safe" Stella assured him
"Part of me wants to fly down to Montana myself but another part of me is telling me to wait here and keep investigating" Mac sighed rubbing his temple
"I know what you mean" Stella agreed "I wish we could end this nightmare for them"
"But as long as Calvin Troy is still out there somewhere it never will" Mac finished for her
Montana (next day)
Lindsay was sitting in her bedroom when there was a faint knock at her door
"Come in" Lindsay said as the door opened and it was her mother
"Hi honey" Rita smiled taking a seat on the edge of Lindsay's bed "I really hate fighting with you, you know that right?"
"I know" Lindsay nodded in agreement "I do too"
"Look your father and I" Rita started "We loved each other but we weren't in love with each other"
"Then why stay together?" Lindsay questioned
"For you and your brothers we wanted you kids to have the best life" Rita told her seriously "I don't regret our decision one bit"
"But dad-" Lindsay started
"He knew there was someone else" Rita told her daughter "He had someone else sometimes that's just how marriage is"
"No it's not" Lindsay informed her mother "It's not normal"
"Not for you" Rita said to her "You and Danny are head over heels in love. I always knew your separation wouldn't last. That feeling you get every time you see Danny walk into a room or pick up the phone and hear him on the other end, I didn't have that for a long time with your father. But I am glad you have it"
"Now that Danny and I finally found our way back I couldn't imagine being with anyone else" Lindsay confided "I don't know how I went so long without him when we separated"
"Sometimes life throws you a curve ball" Rita shrugged "What did happen Lindsay?"
"It's a long story" Lindsay told her not wanting to get into it
"Was Danny unfaithful to you Lindsay?" Rita asked her coolly "Again?"
"No mom nothing like that" Lindsay told her
"You've kept it bottled up for so long" Rita shrugged "We all just thought-"
"The entire family thinks Danny cheated on me?" Lindsay asked surprised
"You didn't really give us reason to believe otherwise" Rita said to her
"Remember when I went missing from a crime scene and was hurt?" Lindsay asked her mother who nodded "Something happened that day that I couldn't tell Danny well I could have but didn't want to and that's why I left Danny"
"What could have been so awful that you felt you couldn't confide in your husband?" Rita asked seriously then saw a tear fall from Lindsay's eye "Oh baby" Rita frowned throwing her arms around Lindsay "My poor girl, why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't tell anyone" Lindsay said still holding onto her "Just a therapist"
"You must have been so terrified" Rita said as her own tears began to fall "I am so sorry"
"It's not your fault" Lindsay assured her "There's nothing to apologize for"
"The man you're running from now?" Rita questioned pulling away "Is that him?"
"Yea mom" Lindsay nodded "He's awful mom, he tried to take Lucy and hurt Danny-"
"Hey now" Rita said sternly "You're with me and I will keep you safe, hell hath no fury like a protective mother"
"I shouldn't have come here" Lindsay said to her mother "I'm putting you and Richard in danger"
"You're our family" Rita told her "You're my daughter the same as you would do for Lucy I would do for you. You worry about your daughter and you let me worry about mine"
Downstairs
"So you weren't kidding about the tension huh?" Flack asked Danny as they watched Lucy ride a horse that Richard was leading
"Nope" Danny said to him "I mean he seems like a good guy and all but I understand where Lindsay is coming from"
"Me too" Flack agreed "I spoke to Mac he hasn't heard anything"
"Of course he hasn't because Calvin outsmarted all of us" Danny said to him "I should have killed him when I had the chance"
"And you would be in lock up right now" Flack reminded him "Missing out on your daughter ride horse like a pro"
"She gets that from Lindsay"
"Well I didn't think she got it from you city boy" Flack snorted
"You think Lucy would do better living out here then in the city?" Danny asked Flack
"You thinking of moving Messer?" Flack asked surprised
"I don't know after all this Calvin stuff dies down" Danny shrugged "I mean in our line of work the things we see, I can't guarantee I can protect her at all times"
"What makes you think you can protect her all the time out here?" Flack questioned "Look at Lindsay for example what she had to deal with. The diner? And she was a CSI out here too I'm sure the crimes are similar"
"I don't know man" Danny said
"I can't picture you leaving the city" Flack said to him
"Well I never did either but having a wife and kid can really change your perspective" Danny said as he watched Lucy
"Does Lindsay want to move?" Flack asked
"I don't know I hadn't really discussed it with her" Danny shrugged "Just throwing some idea around"
"Well you could-" Flack started but then there was a gunshot which instantly spooked Lucy's horse before Flack could even reach for his gun Danny had already darted off and headed off into Lucy's direction, Lucy and Richard weren't too far away but Danny could see Lucy struggling to stay on the horse that was jumping on his back legs. Danny raced over and grabbed Lucy off the horse, she was now crying and the horse ran off
"Richard?" Danny asked noticing he was lying on the ground then Flack came running over
"Take Lucy inside" Flack said to Danny "I'll take care of him"
"Lucy!" Lindsay yelled running out the back door and Danny met her half way
"Take Lucy and your mom and stay inside" Danny said handing Lucy over to Lindsay
"Richard!" Rita yelled seeing her husband lying on the ground not moving
"Rita take Lindsay inside I'll take care of Richard" Danny urged then ran back towards Flack and Richard
"Mom we have to call the police" Lindsay said to her mother trying to pull her inside
"Right, right" Rita said walking inside
"Are you ok Lucy?" Lindsay asked checking over her daughter for any injuries
"I'm ok mommy" Lucy assured her trying to be brave but was fighting back tears "Richard is hurt and daddy is out there"
"It's ok Luce" Lindsay assured her
"I called the police" Rita told them
"Mom take Lucy upstairs" Lindsay said to her
"Where are you going" Rita asked scooping up Lucy
"I have to go help" Lindsay said to her mother
"What no-" Rita said
"Here" Lindsay said giving her mother a gun
"Lock yourselves in the master bathroom just please go" Lindsay pleaded
"Ok" Rita said "Come on Lucy"
"No" Lucy said
"It's ok Lucy" Lindsay assured her as her mother rushed away with Lucy once Lindsay heard the doors slam and lock upstairs she rushed outside and ran over to Danny and Flack
"Lindsay what are you doing here? Go back inside" Danny told her
"No" Lindsay said kneeling over Richard "How bad is it?"
"He was shot in the stomach" Flack told her "We need an ambulance here fast"
"My mom called" Lindsay said "Where did the shot come from?"
"The woods" Danny said to her "If we go in there it would be going in blind"
"We can't just leave him here" Lindsay told him
"We can't bring him inside" Danny told her "Moving him will cause his blood to pour out quicker"
"Where are the police?" Flack asked holding pressure on Richards wound
"This was Calvin" Lindsay said to Danny
"Lindsay I need you to go back inside and check on Lucy and your mother" Danny told her
"Danny I've been terrible to him and now he's going to die because of me" Lindsay argued with Danny
Inside
Rita and Lucy where in the bathroom
"Where are mommy and daddy?" Lucy asked grandmother
"They're fine honey" Rita assured her peering out the window but couldn't see anyone
"What was that noise?" Lucy asked "It sounded like a fire cracker"
"That's probably what it was" Rita said forcing a smile that's when Rita heard noise coming from the bedroom
"Na-" Lucy started but Rita quickly covered Lucy's mouth
"Shh now darling" Rita said in a whisper "We need to be quiet", Lucy just nodded when they heard footsteps right outside the bathroom door then a knock at the door, Rita gasped as she quietly picked Lucy up and hid in the shower with her
"Hello?" they heard a male voice ask then they heard the door being kicked in and Rita looked in horror as the man standing in the doorway, he was big, covered in tattoo's
"No one wants any trouble" Rita said bravely "Just leave now"
"You're not Lindsay" Calvin smirked "But I know you" he said kneeling over Lucy "Hi Lucy-Lue"
"You're a bad man" Lucy told him
"Is that what your dad told you?" Calvin asked "Because honestly honey he's the bad one do you want to know how your daddy-"
"Stop this!" Rita yelled as she held a gun in her hand "You get away from my grandchild or I will shoot you!"
"You're going to shoot me in front of little Lucy?" Calvin asked "Listen lady we both know I can over power you but is that a risk you want to take with a loaded gun and a child in the room?"
"Just leave us alone" Rita pleaded slowly lowering her gun "Get out of here and stay away from my family"
"Lucy where's your mommy?" Calvin asked turning his attention towards the trembling four year old
"I don't know" Lucy told him honestly
"I'm right here" Lindsay said behind him holding a gun before Calvin even turned around he grabbed Lucy to guard him from Lindsay's shot
"Hello Miss. Monroe" Calvin smirked
"Mommy" Lucy cried out
"Put the gun down" Calvin told her still holding Lucy roughly "Put it down or I'll snap her neck"
"Fine" Lindsay said placing her gun slowly on the floor "Just give me my daughter"
"Kick the gun over to me" Calvin instructed and Lindsay did so and he picked it up and held it to Lucy
"Mommy!" Lucy screamed out and Lindsay took a step forward
"Stop moving!" Calvin yelled at Lindsay "Lucy be a good girl and go inside with your grandma and don't come out" Calvin told Lucy placing her on the floor
"Go Lucy" Lindsay told her but the little girl was scared
"Lucy" Rita said picking her up then Calvin shut the bathroom door
"Ok so you have what you want, just shoot me and get it over with" Lindsay told him "I know you want Danny to hurt like you did"
"That's it not even a fight?" Calvin asked her seriously
"If it means you're not going to hurt my daughter or husband? Yea absolutely" Lindsay said showing no fear
"Is that something Danny would do for you?" Calvin questioned
"I know he would" Lindsay told him
"And that's it you'll just sacrifice yourself for him?" Calvin asked her
"I wouldn't want to live in a world without him" Lindsay told him
"I used to think that about my girlfriend" Calvin told her giving her a genuine smile "I didn't want to live in a world without her either but here I am"
"Here you are" Lindsay repeated
"Come on" Calvin said grabbing Lindsay by the arm
Outside
The paramedics rushed over to Richard
"He's lost a lot of blood" Flack told them
"How long ago was he shot?" The paramedics asked
"About ten, fifteen minutes ago" Danny told them as two police officers came running towards the back
"Did you apprehend the gunman?" the officer asked
"No" Danny told him dully "He can be anywhere around here-" he started then Flack cut him off
"Dan" Flack said looking towards the back of the house
"What?" he asked turning to see Calvin Troy walking with a gun pointed at Lindsay
"Woah" the officers said pulling out their weapons as did Flack, Danny didn't have his gun on him
"Let her go Troy" Flack warned
"Don't make me shoot you again" Calvin warned him "I want everyone out of here now"
"Not happening" Danny told him
"Everyone but you" Calvin told him "If you don't get the paramedics and the cops out of her I start shooting" he warned
"Get him out of here" Danny said to the paramedics who put Richard on a stretcher and wheeled him out
"Cops too" Calvin warned as he pressed the gun closer to Lindsay's neck
"Go" Danny said to them
"We can't just-" one of the officers said
"He means it when he says he will shoot her, get out of here" Danny warned "You too Flack"
"No way man" Flack said not moving his gun off of Calvin "You didn't even have piece on you"
"I'll be fine just go" Danny said to him "Go make sure Lucy is alright" he told him and Flack nodded and slowly walked away with the other officers "We're alone now, you can lower your gun"
"I'm not lowering my gun" Calvin told him "You have a very loyal lady here Messer, she's willing to die for you. I hope you appreciate that"
"I do" Danny told him as Calvin walked closer with Lindsay "Lindsay is a real good person she shouldn't have to pay for my mistakes anymore" Danny said to him
"I agree" Calvin said slowly nodding "Poor girl has been threw the ringer" he laughed "She's been beat up, raped, stalked, attacked and the list can go on and on"
"So just let her go and we'll handle this, just you and me" Danny said to him
"Can't happen" Calvin told him shaking his head slowly "this is it Danny, this is the end. Not just for Lindsay but for you too"
"Don't hurt her Calvin" Danny said to him in a low voice "please don't do this"
"You've left me no choice" Calvin told him "And as much as I enjoy Lindsay and I do mean enjoy her" he smirked as Lindsay cringed "This has been the plan all along, get on your knees" he whispered to Lindsay
"Don't" Danny said
"Now" Calvin said in a lower voice and Lindsay did what she was told and now Calvin was standing above her with the gun pointed at the top of her head
"Calvin don't do this you don't have to do this!" Danny yelled "Shoot me"
"Danny stop" Lindsay told him
"No, Calvin I'm the one I did this to you take it on me" Danny pleaded
"What do you think I'm doing?" Calvin asked "What do you think this has all been about!" he yelled "You think I did all this because I enjoy the monster I've become? No! Stacy was my life! And you may have forgotten the way she lied dead on the floor, clutching my hand and begging me to save her but I didn't! She's just a forgotten memory to you but not to me! I'll never be able to erase those moments from my mind, ever" he said holding back tears, which surprised Danny because he had never seen Calvin show any emotion but hate before "And I'll I want is for you to live the way I do"
"That wont happen" Danny told him "That will never happen I'll never become the man you've become. If you kill Lindsay right here and right now I might never forget it or move on from it but I wont stop raising my child or going to work to stop people like you" he told him "That wont happen, it will all be a waste"
"As long as every night before you go to bed and every morning when you wake up you can hear her screams and feel the blood on you then that's all I need to know" Calvin said cocking the gun then a gun shot rang out and Danny dived towards them knocking Calvin over and covering Lindsay
"Lindsay?" Danny asked checking her over
"I'm ok" Lindsay said to him
"What?" Danny asked out of breath checking her over, if Lindsay wasn't shot then Calvin was. Danny looked over his shoulder and saw Calvin lying dead on the floor then saw a familiar body walk over
"You guys ok?" Mac Taylor asked checking Calvin for a pulse
"Yea, yea" Danny said holding onto Lindsay "Is he?"
"Dead" Mac told him and then Lindsay let out a breath she felt she was holding for years
"Lucy-" Lindsay started
"She's fine, she's with Flack and your mother" Mac assured her helping her up along with Danny
"You sure you're ok?" Danny asked her
"Yea I'm fine" Lindsay said closing her arms around Danny
"How did you know?" Danny asked holding Lindsay but looking at Mac
"I followed my instincts" Mac told him
"How's Richard?" Lindsay asked Mac
"He's touch and go, they wont know much until after surgery" Mac told her and she nodded "Go be with your daughter, I'll take care of this"
"Thanks Mac" Lindsay said as she and Danny walked away
Mac stood over Calvin Troy's body and looked down at the man whom he declared had no soul.
In the house Lindsay and Danny walked in and saw Lucy sitting on Flack's lap
"Mommy!" Lucy yelled running towards her "I was so scared!"
"I know baby are you alright?" Lindsay asked her daughter
"I'm ok I was brave" Lucy said sternly
"You sure where" Danny noted and Lucy lifted her arms up for Danny to pick her up
"Are you ok Daddy?" Lucy asked him
"I'm 100% ok" Danny told her
"Is Julia's mean brother coming back?" Lucy asked
"No not anymore" Danny promised her
"Where's my mom?" Lindsay asked Flack
"She went to the hospital" Flack told her
"I should go meet her" Lindsay told Danny
"We will just a few minutes" Danny said to her "I need sometime with you and Luce"
"You sure you're ok?" Lindsay asked Danny
"I almost lost you today, no I'm not but I will be" Danny assured her
"Where's Troy?" Flack asked
"Outback" Danny told him and Flack nodded "Mac's already out there"
"I really, really want to go home now" Lucy told her parents "I don't like it here anymore"
"We're going to go home soon" Lindsay promised placing a kiss on her daughters head "But mommy has to go check on Richard and Nana"
"Ok" Lucy nodded
Hospital
Lindsay walked into Richard's hospital room and saw her mom sitting at his bedside
"Mom" Lindsay said walking in
"Lindsay" Rita said rushing over to her throwing her arms around her "You're alright" Rita smiled
"Yea I'm fine" Lindsay smiled "How is-"
"He's fine" Richard answered for her
"I am so sorry Richard" Lindsay said walking over to him "I don't know how but I'll make it up to you"
"You have nothing to apologize for Lindsay" Richard assured her "I'm glad it was me and not you or Lucy"
"I'm also sorry for the way I treated you" Lindsay blurted out "It was wrong and you make my mother very happy and that's all I want"
"I know I'll never be your father and I'm ok with that" Richard told her "But if we could at least be friends I'd like that"
"I'd like that too" Lindsay agreed
"Are you leaving to go home?" Rita asked her daughter
"Lucy really wants to go home so I think I'm going to send her home with Danny and Flack and I'll help you and Richard out for a while"
"Don't be silly" Rita told her "Go home with your family I'll be fine here"
"Mom-" Lindsay started
"No arguments young lady" Rita cut her off promptly "You can finally be at peace, you need to be with your family"
"Ok" Lindsay agreed, she knew her mother was right. She wanted to spend every minute she had with Danny and Lucy "I love you" Lindsay said hugging her mother
"I love you more" Rita smiled threw the hug "Give Lucy and Danny a hug for me"
"Absolutely" Lindsay said then walked back over to Richard and gave him a kiss on the cheek "Feel better"
"I already do" Richard told her genuinely
New York
Danny/Lindsay apartment
"Home sweet home" Lucy sighed walking in dropping her tiny bag at the door
"Tired from all the sitting on the plane and car you did?" Danny smirked at his daughter
"Yes" Lucy told him honestly "We need a vacation"
"No what we need is to lock ourselves in our tiny apartment forever" Lindsay told her and Danny smirked "I'd be fine if we never left here again"
"That sounds like a plan to me" Danny smiled wrapping his arms around Lindsay and pulling her into a kiss
"Gross" Lucy commented rolling her eyes
"None of that now" Danny told his daughter
"Can I invite Kyle over?" Lucy asked
"No" "Yes" Danny and Lindsay said at the same time
"This is family time" Danny told Lucy
"We've had family time forever!" Lucy sighed "I miss my friends"
"I agree" Lindsay told Danny "I'll call his mom"
"Thanks mom" Lucy smiled as Lindsay turned to grab the phone she stuck her tongue out at Danny whose mouth dropped
"Did you just see that?" Danny asked Lindsay who looked over her shoulder to see Lucy smiling
"No, see what?" Lindsay asked as she dialed a number then Danny walked over to Lucy
"Well I want you to know if Kyle comes here you're spending all time with him in front of me we are all going to play together and watch TV together and eat together" Danny warned his daughter who narrowed her eyes
"Sorry Daddy but we like to play house and there is no room for you to play" Lucy told him crossing her arms sternly "I'm the mommy and he's-"
"You better not say daddy" Danny said cutting her off "There is one daddy here and that's me"
"Ok Luce he'll be over in a bit" Lindsay told her and she smiled
"Great" Lucy smiled "Daddy doesn't have to play with us right?"
"Of course not" Lindsay said looking at Danny confused then Lucy ran into her room
"You trust this kid?" Danny asked Lindsay
"She's had play dates with him before" Lindsay told him with a smile
"Play-time I don't want to hear dates coming out of anyone's mouth when talking about Lucy" Danny warned
"They're children" Lindsay smirked
"Yea, yea" Danny said pulling Lindsay closer to him "I've really missed you"
"Really you haven't had enough of me yet?" Lindsay questioned
"No we've been too busy running from psychos looking over our shoulders that we haven't had a chance to enjoy being re-married yet" Danny mumbled into her neck as he kissed it
"So you're saying you want a honeymoon?" Lindsay questioned and she could feel Danny smile against her skin
"Well technically we never had a first honeymoon so I feel we are long over-due, wouldn't you agree?" Danny questioned
"That sounds like an amazing plan but we haven't been to work in forever and I am sure Hawkes, Adam and Stella would like to get back to normal shifts" Lindsay reminded him and he sighed
"I hate it when you're so logical" Danny said to her
"This feels really good" Lindsay smiled at him "To be back together like this, moving on from Calvin Troy and all the madness"
"Yea it is" Danny smiled "There's something I have to take care of, you'll be alright?"
"Yea" Lindsay said slightly confused
"I'll be right back" Danny said grabbing his jacket giving Lindsay a quick kiss then head towards the door
Cemetery
Danny was standing at Stacy's gravesite. A grave that looks like no one had been to in ages. There were dead flowers by her headstone, looks like they had been there for months. He removed them and placed them with fresh flowers.
"I never meant for you to die" Danny told her looking down at her headstone. Without Calvin around he was sure no one would be visiting this grave anytime soon. And as much as he didn't want to admit her death was somewhat his fault. But Calvin was wrong about one thing, he had never forgotten her.
"Danny" Lindsay said walking up behind him
"What are you doing here?" Danny questioned
"I guess we both had the same idea" Lindsay shrugged holding flowers "She shouldn't pay for Calvin's mistakes. She was as much a victim as any of us"
"Yea I guess so" Danny agreed wrapping his arm around her
"It's not your fault either" Lindsay told him "You're a good man Danny Messer"
"Thank you" Danny said placing a kiss on her head "Where's uh Lucy?"
"She's at the apartment with Kyle, she asked for some privacy" Lindsay told him with a straight face and he just stared at her "Your mother stopped by to visit, she's watching them"
"Good" Danny smirked
"How about you take me to dinner? Then we can head home and watch the Little Mermaid?" Lindsay questioned with a smile
"Tempting" Danny replied "I like the sound of dinner" he started as they walked away with his arm still wrapped around her "I'll do without the movie"
"It's Lucy's favorite" Lindsay reminded him
"I know, I know" Danny said to her "How about we introduce her to Rocky?"
"Ugh no way" Lindsay said to him "Rocky IV at least"
"What?" Danny asked stunned, just enjoying a normal banter that wasn't consumed with fear and doubt. He and Lindsay had finally gotten to a safe and better place where they were free to love each other without anything or anyone holding them back.
Well that's it! I hope everyone enjoyed the story and thanks again to everyone who take time out to read this.