A/N: This shorter oneshot came to me while at my daycare placement this week. When I was younger, my cousins and I would always tickle each other, one of us being the "Tickle Monster." I was apparently just that at the daycare, as the children wanted me to tickle them. I couldn't ask for better inspiration. I'm thrilled that Danny and Lindsay are having a girl. Now all we need is a scene where Danny is holding her and her hand grasps his finger and I'm in shipper heaven. Except I'm already there with laurzz.

I am using Rosabel from "Mystic Dawn", which does not need to be read for this oneshot.

All mistakes are mine.

Attack of the Tickle Monster

Sections of the early morning sunlight were broken as two little feet padded softly into the room, fingers very gently closing the door. The intruder was a rather small one and presented no real threat to the two adults slumbering peacefully in the large bed that almost bordered two of the walls, which had been painted some time ago with a comforting blue tinge. Nonetheless, they stole silently across the wood floor, careful not to step too heavily lest they wake the sleeping adults. Stifling a giggle – something they were rather prone to – they peeked over the end of the mattress, magnificent blue eyes focusing on the twin pair of feet that stuck out from underneath the blankets. The mysterious intruder fought their temptation to reach out and gently tickle the sensitive souls of the feet, and instead inched their way over to the right side. Now up to their full height – which was not tall by any means as they still had much growing to do – they studied their victims. The adults were snuggled into one another, the male's arm draped lazily over the female's waist. Both looked very peaceful, but this was of no concern to the intruder. They were on a mission.

Thankfully the male was somewhat in the middle of the bed, giving the mysterious person enough room to climb up on the bed without disturbing him or his companion. As the intruder gently swung their legs up and onto the mattress, they examined their victims more closely. The female's nose was buried in the crook of the male's neck, and there seemed to be a slight smile playing on her lips. The male, meanwhile, had both arms wrapped around her, pulling her in and holding her close to him. Sunlight struck their hands at just the right angle, and two objects sparkled, immediately catching the intruder's attention. They knew what it was and what it symbolized since both adults had once told them. They were called rings, and while not all couples wore one, it was meant to show that two people were married. Although the person did not quite fully understand the whole concept of marriage, they had to admit that these two specific people certainly loved each other. They had heard other adults say it too.

The intruder flashed a wicked smile, positioning themselves into a spot where they could reach their intended target. Unbeknownst to them, the male instinctively knew they were there, but he remained motionless. He watched them through hooded lids, arms still encasing his companion. The intruder's arms whipped out and slowly inched their way towards his toned stomach, which was slightly exposed.

A giggle suddenly escaped their lips, and the male opened one eye, revealing a blue iris much like that of the intruder. Before they could even breathe, the male reared up, wrapped his arms around their waist, and pulled them inward to his chest. "Gotcha!"

Rosabel Montana Messer exploded into a giggle fit, frantically attempting to escape from her father's grasp. "Daddy! You were supposed to be sleeping!"

Danny Messer's famous grin spread across his lips, and he tapped his three-year-old daughter's nose lightly, whispering close to her face, "You thought you could surprise me? No one surprises the Tickle Monster!"

A surprised gasp emitted from the little girl's throat as her mother – who had been awoken by the noises – tackled her gently from behind, causing her to land flat on her back on the soft sheets. Danny joined in and, lifting his daughter's shirt up to the bottom of her rib cage, pressed his lips to her belly and blew. Rosabel's face lit up with laughter, and she wiggled around madly. "That tickles Daddy!"

Danny ceased what he was doing, looked at her with his piercing gaze, and pouted dramatically. "But it's fun."

Without warning, Lindsay Messer repeated her husband's previous action, kissing her daughter's exposed belly in hilarious fashion. Rosabel, who loved the game, was again set off, and her giggles warmed the hearts of both her parents. "Mommy! Stop, that tickles!"

Lindsay grinned mischievously as she kissed Rosabel's belly one last time before allowing her to sit up. "You think I should tickle Daddy?"

Danny's face became a mask of mock horror. Obviously overjoyed at this suggestion, Rosabel clapped her hands together in anticipation. "Yeah! Tickle Daddy!"

"You can't tickle me," Danny crossed his arms defiantly. "I'm the Tickle Monster. You can't tickle the Tickle Monster."

"Oh I think we can." Lindsay dove at her husband, knowing he wouldn't try to dodge away. She also knew his sensitive spots, which included just above his hips and the soles of his feet. She attached herself to the former area, tickling him softly. Rosabel, meanwhile, launched herself at his feet. Careful not to kick out and accidentally strike his daughter, Danny let loose a laugh as the sensation of her fingers on his skin sent frantic signals to his brain. Lindsay's touch made his stomach curve inward, and he put on a show of trying to escape. Both girls giggled wildly, clearly enjoying their conquering moment. Rosabel climbed up Danny's legs and joined her mother in attacking his abdomen, a massive grin plastered on her beautiful face. Not only had she inherited her father's sterling blue eyes, she had also received her mother's serene features. Of course, there was also the Messer grin. Stella had once joked in front of Danny that the youngster would one day melt the hearts of all the boys around her. Danny's protective side had emerged then, and he vowed that no boy would even get close enough to hurt his little girl.

Rosabel, now clinging to her father's chest, grinned at him cheekily. "We beaten you Daddy! I'm gonna tell Uncle Flack we beaten you!"

Danny smiled at his daughter, who was still learning proper grammar. "Oh no, don't tell Uncle Flack! He'll tease me."

Lindsay wiggled her eyebrows, a sign that she was up to something. "Rosabel and I will protect you from Uncle Flack. Isn't that right?"

Rosabel, who was now seated in between them, flew her hands to her mouth, hiding yet another giggle that was threatening to escape. "No!"

Leaning on one elbow, Danny squinted at her. "No? What d'you mean no?"

Obviously grinning from behind her entwined hands, Rosabel repeated the word. "No!"

Danny rubbed his chin with an index finger, appearing to be in deep thought. "Hm. What do you think Mommy?"

Glancing out of the corner of her eye, Lindsay saw Rosabel prepare herself. They had played this game before, but the youngster loved it. To her, it was the perfect wake-up game. "I think we should…tickle her!"

At the last two words, Danny and Lindsay grabbed Rosabel and started tickling her stomach and knees, her two most sensitive spots. The little girl immediately launched into a fit of laughter, and she squirmed in their grasp. This had an instant affect on the two adults, and their own laughs quickly coupled with hers. Rosabel was in her element, and she alternated between the two pairs of hands that were tickling her, instinctively attempting to stop the assault. In reality she wanted it to continue. She had often played this game with the other team members, as she was a constant and welcoming sight in the lab. Mac was usually the one who kept an eye on her, but she was not a troubling child by any means. Whenever she was in his office with him – which was pretty much all the time unless she was elsewhere, either with her parents or another team member – she spent her time colouring or playing with a few selected toys from home. Her natural curiosity would normally get the better of her, and she could sometimes be found on Mac's lap, asking numerous questions about everyday things. If Mac was busy out in the field along with both Danny and Lindsay, Flack would watch her. The two men shared the role of Godfather, and often times Flack would take her down to Bryant Park where she could ride the carousal. The young girl brought a refreshing light to the sometimes somber atmosphere of the lab.

"I think the Tickle Monster is all tickled out." Danny leaned back on the bed, snaking an arm around Lindsay's shoulders.

Rosabel feigned tiredness and urged her parents on. "Again!"

Lindsay chuckled at her daughter's eagerness and poked her husband in the bicep. "You may be all tickled out, but she certainly isn't. I think she's up for another round."

Danny glanced at his girl. Drooping eyelids and a losing battle against hiding a yawn contradicted his wife's statement. Tucking a strand of brown hair behind his daughter's ear, he leaned in and gave her an Eskimo kiss. "How about we go back to sleep for a while, an' when you wake up, Mommy an' I will make you a nice breakfast. Would you like that?"

His reply came in the form of a nod and another large yawn. Climbing up to the pillows, Rosabel snuggled into her mother's embrace, burying her nose in her chest. The little one was clearly tired from being awake so early, and within moments her eyelids were completely down. Pulling the blanket over them, Danny nestled into the bed, enclosing his daughter between his body and that of Lindsay. They watched her in silence, her small chest rising and falling with each breath, chubby fingers twitching every so often.

Lindsay rubbed her cheek with the side of her finger. "God she's beautiful."

Danny smiled and kissed her lips. "She's your daughter; of course she's beautiful."

She had heard him speak those words many times over the years, but they never failed to make her heart skip a beat. "The boys are going to melt all over her when she's older."

"Not if I have anythin' to do with it," Danny chuckled. "I told Stella the same thing: no guy is gettin' close to my little girl."

She smiled at his fatherly instincts. "You've had her wrapped around your finger since the day she was born. Sooner or later-"

"I know, I can't always protect her. Don't you give me that speech too Montana; Mac has already told me all about it."

She grinned at the teasing note in his voice and tapped his nose. "Daddy's little girl."

They resumed studying their daughter, who was now sleeping peacefully, snuggled comfortably between her parents. It was still several hours before either had to get up for another full day. Husband and wife shared a long kiss – their way of saying good morning to each other – before Lindsay lay her head down and examined her daughter one last time before closing her eyes. Danny was positioned so he was holding both his wife and child simultaneously, and although he was sleepy he decided to stay awake a bit longer and watch them.

The two girls lying in his arms were his life, and he could not imagine it without them. Lindsay was right; Rosabel certainly was Daddy's little girl. Not only that, she was everything he could ever possibly imagine, and he loved her and Lindsay with every fiber of his being. A child was a marvelous thing, and Rosabel was nothing short of spectacular. Save for the times when she fell ill, she was almost never gloomy and had an endless amount of energy, which was normal for her age. Like her mother, she could always be found smiling or, in similar fashion with her father, charming someone – usually Flack – with her good looks and famous grin.

From behind the corridors of his mind, Danny felt sleep approaching. With the knowledge of a loving wife and beautiful child warming his heart, he gently kissed the end of Rosabel's nose, ran his slender fingers through Lindsay's hair, and shut his eyes. The rays of sunlight that filtered into the bedroom tickled his cheeks, and he smiled as slumber consumed him.