A/N: Here's another story that's been hiding on my hard drive for months. I started writing it after the episode last season where Danny starts to spout off about baseball and it sort of began to percolate slowly in my brain until I finally began to jot down ideas. I kind of forgot about it in all the hustle and bustle of the past few months, but I was going through some of my files and I came across it.

It's going to be a short, multi-chapter fic. I promise it won't go on and on forever and the next chapter is well on its way to being finished. But I wanted to put this one out there first and see if there was actually any interest in seeing where this one goes.

Takes place probably around the end of season six... although I'm pretending that the whole missing badge, Shane Casey thing isn't looming over them and that at this particular moment in time, life is good for the Messer family.

That's enough from me. Shutting up now. Enjoy!

"Oh my God. I've died and gone to heaven," Stella sighed, stretching out her long legs in front of her and toeing off her sandals. She turned and grinned at Lindsay who had settled down on the blanket beside her. "I mean look at this place! We're surrounded not only by hot cops, but even hotter firemen!"

Lindsay chuckled at Stella, shaking her head and pushing her sunglasses up her nose. The two of them had found a prime viewing spot for the 2nd Annual NYPD vs. FDNY Charity Softball Game and Inter-Departmental Barbecue. They had both come to support their side, some of their co-workers and friends having been dragged into playing for the NYPD, but Lindsay had a sneaking suspicion that for Stella it was little more than a great excuse to watch a bunch of hot, sweaty guys running around and showboating their skills in an age-old display of masculinity.

As for Lindsay, she was here for one hot, sweaty guy in particular; Danny was the NYPD's secret weapon, having been a star player all through high school and into college before being side-lined by an injury. He had balked at the idea at first, saying that he wasn't into it. But probing deeper, Lindsay had discovered that it wasn't that he didn't want to play – far from it, actually. She remembered their conversation clearly. She'd brought the topic up at dinner a few weeks ago…

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

"Hey, did you see that poster in the break room today?" Lindsay asked as she passed Danny the salad.

"Hmm?"

"That poster… the inter-departmental softball game against the firefighters," she said. "Come on, Danny. You must have seen it!" He simply glanced up at her and shrugged his shoulders. "Well… are you going to play?"

"Nah," he said with a mouth full of chicken. "I don't think so."

"What? Why not?" Lindsay was shocked. Danny loved baseball. For years he'd practically lived and breathed the sport until he'd had to give up his dream of playing professionally.

"I just don't want to. I don't feel like it."

She waited for him to elaborate, but he determinedly avoided her gaze, instead focusing his attention on his meal. Finally, Lindsay couldn't take it anymore.

"Why don't you want to play?"

He sighed, setting down his fork and leaning back in his chair. "Seriously, Linds? Can't I just not want to do something?" he asked with a slight edge to his tone. "Do I have to have a reason for it? I just don't want to; that's all there is to it."

"But…"

"I'm not a baseball player anymore," he said. "Can't we just leave it at that?"

"No, we can't," Lindsay pressed, "Because I know you. You love baseball! You're always talking about it; what it was like when you used to play and how much you'd love to get to play again – even if it is just for fun. Well, now's your chance. So, what's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem," he snapped, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet. "Everything's fine. No problems at all."

Lindsay watched as he stormed off across the living room and down the hall toward their bedroom. He didn't quite slam the door – knowing that Lucy was asleep in the next room – but he let it close with a definite snap that told Lindsay that as far as he was concerned, their conversation was over.

Her appetite suddenly gone, Lindsay sat alone at the table. She was perplexed by Danny's reaction. Why this sudden about-face? Why the sudden aversion to doing something he loved? She gave him a few minutes to cool down then made her way to their bedroom, knocking tentatively on the door before she turned the knob.

"Danny?" She poked her head into the room, surprised to find him not lying on the bed like she'd expected, but sitting on the floor beside the closet, an old tattered box at his side. He held his battered and worn baseball glove in his hands, a faded ball nestled in its padded palm. As she crossed the room to sit beside him, he smiled sheepishly at her, although his eyes were sad.

"Sorry," he said softly.

"It's okay," Lindsay replied, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "You alright?"

He was quiet for a moment, deep in thought. When he spoke, his voice was just above a whisper.

"I just don't know if I can do it," he admitted. "Ask me a couple years ago… no problem. I'd have been first in line to sign up for that game. But now…" He let out a heavy sigh, "… Sometimes it's just easier not to try. Then I don't have to be disappointed when I realize I can't do it anymore."

"What? Why wouldn't you be able to do it?" Lindsay asked, her concern rising. "Danny, is your back bothering you? Is it…"

"My back's fine," he said. "For now. But it was fine a few months ago too, and all it took was me chasing down Hollis Eckhart for it to start acting up again." He smiled sadly at her. "And that was just one little twist the wrong way. Baseball… well its running and sliding and bending and twisting - all those things my doctor told me I'm not supposed to do."

"Honey, the last time you hurt yourself you'd only been on your feet for a few weeks," Lindsay encouraged. "It's been over six months. You're a lot stronger now – so much stronger than you give yourself credit for. If you want to play, then I think you should. Do you have to be careful? Yes, of course you do. But you don't have to let your fear stop you from doing the things you want to do."

Danny contemplated his ball and glove for a moment before turning to her and chuckling softly. "You really want me to play, huh?"

"I want you to be happy," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. "I don't want you to miss out on something because you're afraid of all the what-ifs. If you want to play, I'll be there to cheer you on. If you don't want to, then I'll support that decision too."

"I'll think about it," he said, moving to wrap his arm around her shoulders and pulling her tightly into his side.

"That's all I ask." She reached out and took the ball and glove from his hands, sliding her fingers into the glove and flexing the supple leather around the ball. "I've never seen you play, you know," she said, nudging him with her elbow and grinning up at him. "I think it'd be kind of hot… you all kitted out in your tight little baseball pants…" she gave and exaggerated shiver and Danny rolled his eyes.

"I don't think they do uniforms at this game, Linds. Everyone just wears their shorts or sweats."

"Oh," she pouted. "Not even for me?"

Danny let out a snort of laughter. "Linds, if I do decide to play and I show up wearing my full gear I'm gonna look like an idiot."

"Yeah, but a hot idiot," Lindsay countered, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at him.

He shook his head. "Not wearin' them."

"You do still have them though, right?" Lindsay asked, her tone one of innocent inquiry as she peered over at the open box on the floor beside him.

Danny narrowed his eyes at her, the corners of his lips twitching upward. "Maybe." He quickly snapped the flaps of the box shut, obstructing her view inside. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason," she replied airily, suddenly pushing herself up from the floor and dropping his glove and ball into his lap. "I'm going to go finish my dinner. You coming?"

She flounced out of room, a wide smile on her face as she listened to her husband chuckling to himself in the bedroom. He emerged a few minutes later and they resumed their meal, Lindsay satisfied that she'd planted the seed of confidence that Danny needed to get him back out in the field and playing the game he loved again.

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

"Speaking of hot guys," Stella said, interrupting Lindsay's musings, "Where's your hubby?"

"Oh, he's around here somewhere," Lindsay said, glancing at the assembled crowd spread out around the edges of the ball field. "He took Lucy to the playground but the game's about to start, so he should be back soon."

"I'm glad he decided to play," Stella confided. "Flack told me he was making noises like he wasn't going to, and I know he had everyone a little worried. Our team isn't necessarily the most… athletic, shall we say?" She laughed lightly. "They're very enthusiastic, but I think their pride was damaged by the absolute ass-kicking they took from the firefighters last year and they'll be glad to have Danny to help even things out a bit."

"Mama! Mama!"

The conversation between the two women was cut short as a tiny, pink blur came racing toward them, Danny jogging along behind her, wiggling his fingers and growling playfully. "Dada no Yoo-see!" she giggled as Danny closed in on her, finally swooping her up in his arms as she was about to dive onto Lindsay's lap. "No, Dada! No!"

"Gotcha" Danny crowed as he swung her up in the air and caught her, eliciting a loud squeal of laughter from his daughter. He grinned as he dropped down onto the blanket beside his wife and reached into the cooler for a bottle of water. "God, she's getting fast," he said to Lindsay, shaking his head before downing his water thirstily. "How'd you get so fast, you little squirt?" he asked, poking Lucy in the belly with his finger. "Huh? You got jet packs hidden in your diaper?"

"Nope" she replied. "Now see-day-see!" Lucy pleaded, twisting sideways in his arms and begging for him to swing her upside down. "P'ease see-day-see!"

"Uh… sorry, Luce," Danny said, glancing at Lindsay out of the corner of his eye to see if she'd picked up on their daughter's request. "We don't do upsy-daisies anymore, remember? Mommy said no."

"See-day-see, Dada," Lucy said matter-of-factly. "Again!"

"Busted," Lindsay whispered in his ear.

Danny let out a long-suffering sigh. "Aw, Luce. You just love getting me in trouble, don't you?"

"Yup," she replied with an impish grin. "Doos p'ease."

Shaking his head, Danny rummaged around in the cooler for a juice box for Lucy, extracting the straw from its plastic sleeve and poking it through the little foil hole. "Here you go, you little monster."

With Lucy happily slurping away at her juice box while Danny held it for her to ensure she wouldn't squeeze it and get juice all over herself and him, he was saved from any further reprimand from his wife as Mac, Hawkes and Flack approached the group. Mac clapped Danny on the shoulder and nodded a greeting to Stella and Lindsay.

"Hey, how's our ringer doing? You all loose and limbered up? Ready to hit a few home runs for the team?"

"Yeah, I'm feeling good boss," Danny replied with a smile.

"Alright! Those firefighters are going down this year!" Flack said, rubbing his hands together in expectant glee. "It's gonna be awesome."

"Don't get your hopes up too soon," Danny cautioned his friend. "I mean, from what I hear their team is pretty good."

"Yeah, well their team doesn't have you, does it?" Flack said. "Ain't that right, Linds?"

"That's right," Lindsay said, reaching out and gently stroking the back of Danny's neck. She leaned in toward him, lowering her voice so only he could hear. "You okay? Not having second thoughts?"

He smiled at her and shook his head. "I'm good. Thanks."

"You're gonna do great," she said, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"We'll see," he said modestly.

"Just have fun, okay? That's what's really important."

"That I can definitely do," he grinned, leaning in for another quick kiss.

"Good. Now go get 'em, tiger," she said, grabbing his ball cap and stuffing it onto his head before taking Lucy from him as he stood to head off to the dugout to get ready for the start of the game. "I love you!" she called out after him, causing some of the other guys on the team to snigger and rib him playfully.

"Ooh! We looooove you, Messer!" they chorused, making loud and exaggerated smooching noises at him. Lindsay blushed and gave him a conciliatory wave when he turned and rolled his eyes at her before he disappeared amidst the huddle as they gathered to go over their game plan.

So there we be. Any takers for another chapter?