Disclaimer: I don't own it now, and alas I never will.
"You don't know him like I do," Danny dismissed Lindsay's comment with a victorious smirk. They stood together in the lab, watching as Mac walked away, already reaching the end of the corridor.
"We'll see," Lindsay murmured, turning back to her work. She laid the photos out on the table, looking over them again.
Danny kept his eyes on her, frowning as the smirk was wiped from his face, "What do you mean 'we'll see'? What are you up to, Montana?"
Lindsay sighed at the name, commenting with an air of mystery, "I just have a niggling over a certain matter…let's just say I'm following the evidence."
"See how far that get's you," Danny muttered in annoyance, looking down to the table and the photographs. Lindsay couldn't help but smile at his grouchy expression, pausing for a moment to watch him before settling back into the task at hand.
"Danny, you free this evening?" Lindsay asked, sauntering into the break room.
Danny stayed facing away from her, collecting his coffee from the machine he was working in front of him. He replied, "Sure, Montana, what's happening?"
"I have a point to prove," Lindsay told him, walking over to where he stood and slipping him a business card. "Meet me at eight- I've got us a table."
"What point involves jazz music?" Danny asked incredulously, pocketing the card and turning to face her, sipping on his coffee hesitantly.
"You'll have to wait and see," she smiled gently, turning on her heel and walking out of the room again.
Danny approached the table where Lindsay sat, ducking his head down as he took a seat, tired of being jostled about by the people wandering through the jazz club. He sighed heavily, resting his head in his hands. "Ok, Montana, you gonna tell me what this is about or do I have to endure an entire evening of jazz?"
"Once you figure it out you might well enjoy this evening," she told him, just as their drinks arrived, the waitress placing a bottle of beer in front of them both.
"This better be worth it- jazz really ain't my scene," Danny admitted.
"Really?" Lindsay questioned sarcastically, "I never would have guessed." She clapped politely along with the rest of the audience as one song finished and another started.
After another song passed and Danny still appeared more interested in his beer bottle than the stage, Lindsay hinted, "You may figure out what's going on a little quicker if you focused on the performance."
Letting out a long sigh Danny swivelled in his chair, spotting the band on stage, only to turn back to Lindsay quickly, his eyes bulging, "Hell, is that Mac?"
"Better believe it," Lindsay grinned, "After seeing the way he was holding the bass guitar I figured that he knew how to play, and he has a permanent appointment every Wednesday…I put two and two together and with a little research came up with a result." She looked smugly at Danny, knowing she had achieved what she set out to when she added, "Looks like you don't know him as well as you think."
"Whatever, Montana," Danny said casually, pretending not to care. He couldn't stop himself from adding, "You know it's a bit weird that you stalk your boss."
Their conversation was interrupted by another round of applause, the music breaking as Mac spoke to the crowd. "I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight, and a big thanks to our guest this evening Jack Dailey. We're going to finish up tonight with one final song that I'd like to dedicate to a very special woman in my life."
As the music began to play again, Lindsay questioned as she frowned lightly, "Did you know Mac was seeing someone?"
"No," Danny shook his head, craning his neck to look across the club to where Mac's eyes had fallen as he spoke. "I think she's sitting at that table over there, but there's too many people to see- someone's blocking my view."
"We'll hang around at the end, see if we can get a better look," Lindsay suggested.
"Sure," Danny agreed, "But we better stay down; I don't think Mac will be too pleased to see us here." He stopped looking around, trying to lower his profile so as not to draw attention to himself.
They watched in silence as Mac and the band packed up, the audience turning to talk to each other or leaving swiftly, opening up some gaps in the crowd. Danny leant back on his chair, looking past the person who sat blocking his vision, attempting to see who the new woman in Mac's life was.
Both looked in surprise to see Stella rising from the table across the room, approaching the stage. Mac stepped down, laying his guitar on the raised ground. Neither Danny nor Lindsay could make out what Mac was saying to the other CSI, but they could very clearly see Stella reaching up to cup Mac's face gently and pull him towards her for a delicate kiss.
"Ok, that's a little too much for one evening," Lindsay murmured, finding her bag and getting ready to leave. "I certainly didn't expect that." She looked to Danny who was grinning in a childlike fashion, still watching Mac and Stella in their act of affection.
"Danny?" she questioned sharply, "Why are you smiling? Why aren't you freaking out?" She hit him lightly on the arm to grab his attention.
"Because it's obvious they have the hots for each other, but I never thought either of them would actually admit it. Christ, this is big news; so many people have been expecting this for a long time," Danny said excitedly, leaving enough money on the table to cover both drinks.
"But you never saw it happen," Lindsay insisted warningly, "Else they'll figure out that we came here and practically stalked them."
"It was your idea to come here, not mine," Danny defended himself, quickly escorting Lindsay from the premises.
"Mac, Bonasera," Danny nodded in greeting, stepping into Mac's office and shutting the door after him. He looked to Mac, requesting, "Lindsay told me how great you were with the bass yesterday- I was hoping you could help me out on my case."
Mac glanced at Stella nervously before nodding, "Sure, I'll meet you in the lab in a moment. I just need to finish up here."
"Sure thing, boss," Danny agreed, unable to stop himself from questioning in false naivety, "You ever played the bass?"
"Yeah," Mac answered, unaffected by the general inquiry, "I play sometimes to help myself relax- music therapy."
"You like jazz, Bonasera?" Danny continued to pester them, having no intent to leave straight away as Mac and Stella wanted.
Stella raised her eyebrows expectantly, "What's with twenty questions, Messer?"
"No reason," Danny shrugged, stepping out again, "My friend recommended a local jazz club, I was thinking of taking a girl there sometime but I wanted to know if anyone else had been or whether I had to scout it out myself."
Stella smiled, catching on quickly, "I'm a CSI, Danny; I'm not that naïve. You were at the club last night, and now you think we're gonna let you in on some little secret."
"If you want to I'm all ears," Danny kept the conversation going, not daring to deny the observation. "I was intrigued by the performance, so much so that I decided to stick around for a while afterwards. I was hoping to compliment your band, but it seemed you guys were a little…busy, shall we say?"
"Danny, what happens in our own time is none of your business," Mac insisted, motioning towards the door, "I believe you were leaving."
"So, boss," Danny began as they started to look over the bass guitar he had laid out on the table in the lab, "How long have you and Stella been going on?"
Mac stopped working, turning to face Danny, "Look, what you saw was a piece of my private life and I would appreciate it if you could respect that and keep it private."
"Of course, I'm not gonna tell anyone, I was just wandering that's all," Danny held his hands up in a mock surrender. He paused before commenting, "You guys are good together; you suit each other perfectly."
"Danny," Mac muttered warningly.
"Ok, I'll drop it…I guess what I'm really trying to say is congratulations. I'm pleased for you guys," Danny said genuinely.
Mac stopped working again, looking to Danny and saying sincerely, "Thanks."
"If you ever need to talk…"
"Don't push it," Mac cut him short curtly.
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