Uptown Girl

Chapter One: Never Had a Backstreet Guy

A/N: Welcome to my new story! Slightly AU, our beloved CSIs as teenagers in this time era. I hope you like it!

The morning sun shone bright through the fancy Egyptian silk curtains in the Monroe family penthouse. Lindsay Heather Monroe woke with a smile on her face. It was the first Saturday she had absolutely no social functions to attend, no stupid coming out balls to sit through or even a family dinner she would have to choke down. No, for once the entire Saturday belonged to her. Finally, she wouldn’t have to cut her day short with Danny, the boy she had fallen madly in love with. A boy her father and stepmother would die if they knew she was dating him.

The morning sun broke through the shabby, second hand curtains in the Messer family apartment. Dante “Danny” Messer woke with a smile on his face. Just the night before he had spoken with his girlfriend, Lindsay, to discover that she had the entire day to spend with him.

When Danny first met Lindsay at a record store in Greenwich, he never thought that he would ever be dating an uptown girl. Uptown girls didn’t date backstreet punks like him. He was so lucky to have her. For the most part, the pair spent most of their time away from each other’s world, only ever mingling in each for a very short period of time.

Danny jumped on the subway and traveled to the world of the Upper East Side. A world of wealth and privilege, a world he did not belong in. He looked up at the high-rise building his amazing girlfriend lived in. He even knew which window was hers’. There were times he wished he could climb in her window like he did with his other girlfriends in his neighborhood. Lindsay was unlike any girl he had ever dated.

Lindsay was a walking contradiction to everything that was her upbringing. Lindsay loved opera and classic rock. She could dress up and be that of a princess and she could get as scrubby as bag lady in the park. She went to a private school but didn’t act like it. She was proud to say she had never been to rehab, never drank and partied like the others in her station. She was just Lindsay Monroe and Danny loved her.

He was leaning against the awning pole waiting for her. She came running out of the building with a huge smile on her face. She leaped into Danny’s arms and the pair shared a tight hug. They hadn’t seen each other in almost a week. Both had been busy with their lives.

“God, I’ve missed you,” Lindsay sighed, kissing Danny.

“Ma was asking about you,” Danny said, as they walked away from her building. “She wants you to come over for dinner tonight. Don’t worry, she kicked Louie out again.”

Danny’s older brother Louie scared Lindsay to no end. He was in a gang and one night while she had been over and a rival gang shot up Danny’s place. Since that night, Lindsay hadn’t felt all that safe there.

“All right. I’ll be there. I love your mom’s cooking anyway. It’s so much better than our cook’s,” Lindsay said, kissing Danny on the cheek. As they walked down Sixth Avenue, Danny noticed Lindsay tense up.

“What’s wrong?” Danny asked.

“Don,” Lindsay said. “The guy from school I told you about. He’s coming this way.”

“Linds!” Don called out, coming over to the pair.

“Don,” Lindsay greeted. “Don this is my boyfriend Danny. Danny this is Don Flack.”

The two boys shook hands. Don looked Danny up and down, clearly not liking the kid. He could just tell that he wasn’t from the “right” side of the park. Donald Flack II did not take kindly to others barging in where they were not wanted. And clearly, this Danny was barging in on his attempts to pursue Lindsay Monroe.

“Where are you two headed?” Don asked. “Just so you know Gray’s parents have left the country again and Gray is planning on throwing the party of the year.”

“No thanks Don,” Lindsay said, trying to walk away. “We have other plans.”

Don stepped in front of her, blocking her path. Danny’s blood began to boil. Who did this guy think he was? He protectively put his arm around Lindsay and blasted past Don.

“Don’t think that this is over!” Don yelled at Danny’s back. “Lindsay’s bound to come to her senses and come back to the world she belongs in.”

Danny didn’t even listen to what that yuppie had to say. Lindsay was with him and with him, she was going to stay. Danny and Lindsay walked down to the subway and jumped on the train to head into the Village. Danny got word from a buddy of his that a major battle of the bands would be going down and that Danny and Lindsay should go check it out. Lindsay sat by the window, Danny next to her his arm over her shoulders. This was his favorite time with her. Cuddling quietly on the train heading to another destination far away from the lives they know.

"I have to have a coming out ball," Lindsay sighed. "And from what the step-monster is saying I'll have to go with Don."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Danny said. "I'll take you."

"Danny, do you have any idea what that would entail? You'd have to get a tux, with tails. Gloves, ballroom dancing, bowties, meeting my parents. I don't want you to have to go through all that."

"But if it's something you have to do, let me come with you. At least then it'll be sort of fun. Plus it will give me chance to knock that Flack guy out for hitting on my girlfriend."

"You will do no such thing, Messer!" Lindsay exclaimed poking him in the sides. "That would actually be pretty funny but don't even. I have to go to school with these guys. Do you know how miserable it is without you there?"

"So drop out and come to my school," Danny said. "Then at least I'd be able to protect you."

"I can see the conversation right now.’Daddy I want to drop out of the 30,000 a year and go to a public school in Brooklyn so my boyfriend Danny can protect me.' He'd have a heart attack on the spot."

"So I'll rob a bank and join you there," Danny teased, kissing her.

"That's not funny!" she exclaimed, pushing him away. "How many times have I told you that crime and you don't go so well together?"

"Fourteen thousand times since I met you."

The train stopped and Danny and Lindsay got off the train and she jumped on his back and he carried out of the station. He loved it when she did things like that. It was the small suprises that she gave him. It was just after they started dating, she took the bus to his side of town to meet him after school. He had called her crazy and insane and several other things as he kissed her outside his dingy, run down school. She looked so out of place in her nice leather jacket covering her plaid skirt and private school uniform. It was safer for him to come to her than her coming to him. Not a single cab would dare to come into his neighborhood regardless of the time of day. He had lectured her for about an hour about the dangers of taking a gypsy cab, the only cabbies that would go into his neighborhood.

They arrived at the small park where the bands were playing. Danny paid the admission fee and bought all their food for the day. His mama would kick his ass if she found out that Lindsay paid for anything when they were together. She raised her boy better than that. They enjoyed the music and met a lot of interesting people. Soon it was time to head to Danny's for dinner with his mom. At night, Lindsay let Danny do all the talking. His part of the city frightened her to the core at night. She would cling to his hand and stick very close to him.

They arrived at Danny's to the warm inviting smells of fresh garlic bread and tomato sauce. Danny dropped his keys in the bowl by the door, took off his coat, and took Lindsay's as well.

"Hey Ma!" Danny called. "We're home!"

"Dante! I expected you hours ago," Luciana Messer scolded.

"It was my fault Mama," Lindsay spoke up. "We stayed at the park for one more band."

"Is that Lindsay?" Mrs. Messer called from the kitchen. "How many times have I told you to let me know when she's coming over!?"

"It's okay Mama," Lindsay said, wandering back to the kitchen. "You don't ever have to take extra time to prepare for me coming."

Lindsay felt more at home in the tiny apartment with Danny and his mom than she did at her own penthouse. Things were so cozy here. The furniture may not have all matched but it was more comfortable than the fancy junk in her house. The house was always noisy too. Mama Messer loved her radio and she had it on all the time. If it wasn't the radio, it was her soaps. Mama watched All My Children, Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless. She taped them during the week and would rewatch them and yell at the characters if they did or said something stupid. Since she had started seeing Danny, Lindsay had gotten hooked on Days. She started Tivoing it so she would have something else to talk to Mrs. Messer about.

"How was your day, Ma?" Danny asked.

"Your father made an appearance," Mama said. "He left you some money. I put it on your dresser."

Lindsay could see Danny tense up at the mention of his father. He hadn't told her much about him other than that he was not a good guy and Danny would do everything in his power to not end up like him and his older brother Louie. He wanted a life outside the projects, a respectable life. One that he would be proud to have Lindsay be a part of.

Lindsay was in the kitchen talking with his mother. He slipped back to his bedroom and heard a rustle and noise coming from his brother's old room. It was odd because his mother had kicked Louie out for bringing drugs into her home and for his junkie friends shooting up her living room looking for him. Danny threw open the door to find his brother lying on the mattress on the floor watching TV and drinking.

"I don't believe this," Danny muttered. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too little brother. Is dinner ready yet? I'm starving," Louie replied.

"Ma!" Danny yelled, coming back to the kitchen. "What the hell is Louie doing here?"

"Watch your mouth with me boy," Luciana snapped. "He got kicked out of the place he was staying. He swore he was getting clean so I told him he could come home."

Lindsay looked back from Danny and to his mother. She retreated back to Danny's room and closed the door. She didn't want to get involved with this part of Danny's life.

"Come lei può lasciarlo è ritornato Ma? Il Louie è delle notizie cattive e lei lo sa!" Danny exclaimed. (How can you let him come back? Louie's bad news and you know it!)

"È mio figlio. Non posso lasciarlo vive sulla strada," Luciana argued. (He's my son. I can't let him live on the street.)

"Ma, he almost got you killed! He almost got Lindsay killed! I don't want him here, Ma! Either he goes or I go," Danny shouted.

"And just where do you plan to go, Dante? There aren't very many shelters that take in runaway seventeen year old boys."

"Then you know what has to be done, Mom. Send him to Pop. They can be jail bait together."

Luciana turned back to the pot of spaghetti noodles. She could barely handle losing one son but she always caved when Danny threatened to leave. She loved both of her boys but Danny was her baby. She couldn't bear it if he left her. Tears stung her eyes as she stirred the noodles. She hated it when she and Danny fought. It was happening more and more. Most of their fights were about Louie.

"I'm sorry Mama," Danny said. "You know I ain't goin' nowhere."

"Go check on Lindsay," Luciana said, motioning to his bedroom.

Danny nodded and slipped back to his room. He knocked softly on the door before opening it. Lindsay was sitting down on his bed reading one of his English papers.

"You okay baby?" he asked softly, sitting down next to her. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to him. "Lindsay?"

"I don't think I should come here anymore, Danny," she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Why? Because of Louie?" Danny questioned.

“Partly,” Lindsay sighed. "He really scares me Danny."

He rubbed her back and kissed her temple. "He won't be here much longer. Do you want me to take you home?"

"No," Lindsay whispered. "I came over to have dinner with you and Mama and that is what I plan on doing. I'm not going to allow Louie to scare me away."

She gave Danny a tight squeeze and got up. "Your room is a mess. I'm going to sneak in and clean it up one of these days."

"You and what maid service?" Danny teased back.

"I'll have you know, I clean my own room, thank you very much."

The pair came out of his room laughing and teasing each other. They joined Luciana at the rickety table. Danny said a quick blessing over the food and then dove headfirst into the pot of spaghetti. Awhile later Louie came out of him room to grab another bottle of beer and took a bowl of spaghetti back to his room. Lindsay could feel the icy glares between the brothers. She looked down at her plate and continued eating.

"Danny tells me that you are having a fancy ball for your birthday," Mama said.

"It's a crazy thing that I don't really want to do," Lindsay replied. "But if you both came it would be a little better to deal with."

"That's very sweet of you dear," Mama said. "I don't have anything nearly nice enough to go to an Upper East Side party."

"Mama I wouldn't care if you came in a burlap sack as long as you came," Lindsay said.

"I'll think about it," Mama said.

After dinner Luciana elected for Danny to do the dishes and he conned Lindsay into helping him. Luciana had her swing circle that night at her church. Lindsay was washing while Danny dried and put them away. Danny wasn't helping much in the cleaning process. He kept tickling her and kissing her cheek.

"I should make you do this by yourself," Lindsay said. "Mama did tell you to do the dishes. I am a guest here and in my world guests don't do chores."

"But you look so cute in your socked feet standing in my kitchen," Danny replied. He leaned in for another kiss and all he got was a faceful of bubbles. He was about to retaliate when there was a loud pounding on the door. Lindsay froze in fear. Danny squeezed her hand and went to the door. He looked through the peephole and groaned. He unlocked the door and stood face to face with Sonny and Sal, two of Louie's boys from his gang.

"What the hell do you want?" Danny snapped.

"We're looking for Louie," Sonny retorted. His eyes scanned the small apartment and spotted Lindsay standing in the kitchen. He smiled. "Hey baby. You still hanging out with this loser? Why don't you come roll with a real man?"

Lindsay stayed silent, turning back to the sink. She had only encountered Sonny once before and she had the same fear of him that she had for Louie.

"Don't look at her. Don't talk to her," Danny snapped. "He ain't here anyway. So why don't you get lost."

Sonny pushed his way into the apartment. "Why you hiding him Danny? Thought you wanted him out of your life?"

Sonny and Sal started knocking things over, pissing Danny off more and more. He hated these guys with every fiber of his being. He backed towards the kitchen to protect Lindsay.

"Now we only gonna ask you one more time, Danno," Sonny said. "Where is Louie?"

"And I only gonna tell you one more time, he ain't here," Danny replied, staring Sonny down. "Now get out of here before I call the cops."

"What are the cops going to do? They're scared shitless to come into this neighborhood. We run this neighborhood and you know it Messer. Just tell Louie we're looking for him." Sonny looked back at Lindsay, smirking. "You ever want a real man, you know where to look."

"Get the fuck out of here!" Danny yelled, advancing on Sonny, murder in his eyes.

"We're leaving," Sonny said, raising his hands. With one fell swoop he kicked over Luciana's TV, breaking. "But not without a few parting gifts."

Lindsay covered her shock with her hands, tears stinging her eyes. How one person could be so cruel was beyond her. She glared at Sonny and Sal as they left the apartment. Danny slammed the door, locking it behind him. He looked over the mess they had left behind. He was so angry that he could kick something. He looked over at Lindsay, seeing the tears drip down her face.

"It's okay baby," Danny soothed, taking her in his arms. "You want me to take you home?"

"I'll get my shoes," Lindsay whispered. She went back into Danny's room and put her Converse sneakers back on.

Danny picked up as much of the mess Sonny had made, but there was no way he couldn't fix the TV before his mother came home. Lindsay came back out of Danny's room with her coat and shoes on.

"So much for a romantic night in," Danny sighed, pulling Lindsay into a hug. "Come on."

The next morning a knock sounded on Danny's door. A delivery man from Best Buy stood at the door with several boxes. "Delivery for a Mrs. Luciana Messer," the delivery guy said.

Danny looked over at his mother who sat stitching her quilt. They were both as puzzled as they could be. "We didn't order anything."

The delivery guy handed Danny an envelope. "I'm just doing my job."

Danny ripped the envelope open and pulled out a handwritten note.

From the Heart and Soul of Lindsay Monroe

Danny and Mama, Here is a brand new TV, DVD/VCR combo, Tivo and a DirectTV package. Now Mama can watch her soaps anytime she wants. Just thought I could help. I love you Danny.

Your Lindsay

Lindsay was lying on her bed, doing her chemistry homework when her cell phone rang. She looked at the ID and smiled.

"You made my mother cry," Danny said, when she picked up. "Oh yeah, by the way, I love you too."