You all know who I am, you know the drill. Reviews might make my mood improve slightly. Unlike this depressing story.

I promise I'll have some fluff for ya soon though!!

Guess what? My best friend is not only gonna have a nephew, but is lead in the school play. So she rocks. This is for Hellie, despite the fact she HATES me calling her that, and will never read this ha.

Anna


Danny folded his arms angrily as Lindsay leaned on the back of his chair as they waited in the elevator.

"Just remember what he's lost, Danny." She reminded him gently, running her fingers through his hair.

Danny glowered at nothing in particular. "She was my best friend as well, Linds. I know it hit him hard, but he should not be doing this. It's not fair to her!"

Lindsay chewed her lip and said nothing. Though in reality she agreed with Danny, she had to be the voice of reason. Otherwise, chair or no chair, Flack would be in trouble.

She pushed him out of the elevator and along the corridoor to Flack's door where he rammed it three times. Glancing up and seeing Lindsay's bemused look, he merely stated "Couldn't reach the door".

She chuckled. "Why dontcha just bring a baseball bat, complete the effect?"

"Do not tempt me, Montana. Flack! Open up!"

There was silence behind the door.

"Don!" She called. "It's us. Please, just open up! Lucy wants to see you!"

Lucy Messer stirred on her father's lap, wriggling. Danny tickled her stomach, before returning to the task at hand. "Flack! Open the damn door or I'll ram it down!"

Lindsay raised an eyebrow. "Smooth."

The door opened to reveal a slim Asian woman dressed in a t-shirt. She might have been pretty the night before, but with smudged eye make-up, dark circles under her eyes and the harsh morning light, she was the definition of 'coyote ugly'. "Who the hell are you?" She demanded.

"The Messers. Now move." He rolled himself forwards, almost straight over the toes of the woman. "Name?"

"Honey." She replied, looking put out.

"Where's Don?" Lindsay asked frostily.

Her question was answered as Flack himself trudged out of the bedroom, the somforter wrapped tightly round his waist. He rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand, then stopped. "What the hell are you doing here, Mess?"

"I was going to ask you the same question..." He growled in response, before turning to his wife. "This place is a dump. Would you mind?"

She glanced round the apartment. Littered with clothes, empty beer bottles and cans, foil food cartons and take-out boxes, the place was barely recognisable from when Danny and Lindsay had brought Lucy over to meet Jess just over a month ago. She nodded, and began gathering the rubbish intoi a bag, occasionally shooting glares in Honey's direction.

Danny passed Lucy to a somewhat bleary-eyed Flack, folding his arms. "Is this really how you're gonna live your life from now on?"

"Pretty much," he replied vaguely, watching Lucy chew his little finger.

Danny clenched his jaw at his best friend's stubborness. "Is this the way Jess would want you to live?"

Everyone froze. Honey looked confused at the sudden tension, but Lindsay worried for a moment - how could Danny defend himself? Paralysed from the waist down and in a wheelchair... It wasn't ideal.

"Don't you ever use her name against me." Flack spat.

Danny picked up a magazine andthrew it with deadly accuracy at Don's head. "Hey, bozo - guess what? You're not the only one that lost her! She was one of my best friends! I could rely on her to help me shop for Montana's damn birthday presents, help me set up the nursery... I lost her too!"

"I loved her!" He replied, holding the baby tightly against his chest - mainly so he couldn't smack Messer.

Lindsay dropped the rubbish bag and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, we know. What Danny's trying to say-" She shot a quick glare at her husband, "is we understand you miss her. We get that. But this is not how Angell would want you to treat yourself! Sleeping with random women... C'mon, if she were here, what would she do?"

"Kick me in the balls and tell me to get over myself." Came the short reply. "But she's not here, Linds. I appreciate what you're trying to do, I really do. But this is my life."

She pulled a photo out of her bag, and handed it to him. "Here. Jut look at it."

Honey peered over Don's shoulder. The picture was of Flack and a beautiful brunette. He had his arms locked round her waist and she was leaning back into him, smiling at the camera. "Hey, isn't that the cop that got shot?"

"Jessica Angell. Yeah, she was..." He choked, biting back a tear as he rocked Lucy back and forth. "I just keep remembering... her blood all over my shirt... she looked so... dead! Linds... I can't sleep at night. All I see when I shut my eyes is her lying there on that autopsy table..."

Honey frowned. "Wait... you were dating the cop that died?"

Danny faced her. "Yeah. Yeah he was dating Jess Angell. He was in love with her, and she died. Damnit, Flack. You loved her. Why are you doing this?"

"'Cause I can't get her face out of my head!" He exclaimed. "You think everyone I see... Everyone looks like her! When I see you going on about grabbin' Irish coffee... It's her! And it hurts, Danny!"

Lindsay squeezed his arm. "I know. But this isn't gonna help!"

"I guess not." He whispered, turning to Honey. "You'd better go. I'm sorry."

Danny guestured for Lucy. Flack kissed the top of her head before passing her back to her father. "We'll take off now we know you're okay. But..." Danny gave him a slight smile. "Don't be a stranger, okay? Swing by every once in a while, eat with us... Don't shut yourself away just because Jess is gone."

Don nodded, fighting back tears. "Sorry."

Lindsay leaned forwards, hugging him tightly. "Don... none of this is your fault, okay? Don't for a second think that. Take care. You'll be alright."

He watched as the family left, standing alone in his living room. The pain in his chest was near-constant and unbearable, the insomnia screwing with his mind, the nightmares haunting him. He missed her and his heart ached knowing she'd never be stood in his kitchen drinking coffee in the morning when he woke up.

But he'd be alright.

Eventually.


Man, what's with me and the angst?! Okay, I fess up... this has been written for a couple of months, I just couldn't be bothered to post it. But whatever. Review, please :)