Author's Note: Just a fluffy little drabble that sprang to mind this morning. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Not mine and I don't make any money from this. Feel free to sue. You're welcome to take all that I have. Most of it belongs to the bank anyway!

Rating: Mild T

A Ladies Privilege

A woman has to make up a man's mind

Zsa Zsa Gabor

Oh god, not again.

Lindsay clung to the toilet seat as she lost her stomach contents for the second time that morning.

'Lindsay…Lindsay? Are you OK?'

Lindsay pushed herself up onto unsteady feet, wiped her mouth with some toilet paper, flushed the toilet and then reluctantly opened the stall door.

Stella was waiting for her, looking concerned, but Lindsay didn't miss the gleam of curiosity in her eyes. Still, as always with Stella, the help she offered was practical and the glass of water she held out towards Lindsay was very welcome.

'Do you need to go home? I can speak to Mac-'

'No'

Lindsay's protest was violent and had Stella's eyebrows shooting into her hairline. Lindsay waved her free hand in mute apology before busying herself with washing and drying her hands, all the time avoiding Stella's eyes.

Stella watched, noting the flush to Lindsay's cheeks that contrasted with the general paleness of her face. Add that together with throwing up twice this morning……

'I need to see Danny. Do you know where he is?'

'Last time I saw him he was in the morgue with Hawkes and Sid.'

A faint shudder ran through Lindsay which Stella noted too. She'd been pretty good at math…..this seemed like a straightforward equation, still, she'd been taught to always test a theory.

'So what's bought this on? Did you eat something that disagreed with you last night?'

A Chinese take out and Danny and they agreed with me just fine.

She badly wanted to say the words out loud but Lindsay somehow managed to restrain herself, instead she shrugged. 'I don't think so…it's just a 24 hour bug I'm sure.'

And 24 hours is all you've got….in fact you've got less than 14 hours left.

Stella's bullshit detector was in fine working order but she let Lindsay's pathetic attempt at an explanation go and instead pasted a sympathetic smile on her face. 'Well, if you need to go home let me know – we'll cover for you.'

Stella watched Lindsay heading off down the corridor in search of Danny, her view obscured as Flack exited the elevator and, spotting her, headed in her direction.

'Hey, I got the results of the search. Last credit card transaction was 48 hours ago….Stell? You listening?'

'How are Danny and Lindsay these days?'

Flack looked bemused as much by the sudden shift in conversation as the question itself.

'OK…actually, pretty good from what Danny has said. Why do you ask?'

'If I told you that Lindsay's thrown up twice this morning and is now looking for Danny…' Stella let her voice trail away suggestively. Now it was Flacks turn for his eyebrows to hit his hairline.

'She's pregnant?'

'Keep your voice down.' Stella gave him a medusa like glare. Flack quickly checked around him but no-one was in earshot.

'She's pregnant?'

Stella shrugged. 'Got to be a possibility.'

'Could just be food poisoning…or a 24 hour bug.'

'Could be…but I'll bet you $20 she's pregnant.'

Flack hesitated for a moment. It all seemed to add up and Stella's instincts were usually dead on the nose…still, no reason not to have a little fun with this.

'$20?' He scoffed. 'Not trusting your instincts too much then.'

A light gleamed in Stella's eyes. 'OK smart ass, you set the bet.'

'Loser buys dinner at a venue and time of the winner's choice.' He had no idea where that came from but it seemed like a good idea. Didn't it?'

Stella's face lit up. 'Oh you are on…and you are soooo going to regret this. You'd better start saving now.'

'Yeah? You haven't won yet.'

'But I will, Detective, I will.'

'Danny, I need to speak to you.'

Lindsay stood well back from the autopsy table but the smell of the morgue was getting to her. She tried desperately to hang on to what was left of her stomach contents but…..

'Lindsay?' Danny was speaking to her back as she ran from the room.

'She OK?' Hawkes looked concerned.

Danny shrugged. 'She was acting weird this morning too. Spent ages in the bathroom and then started to tell me something but I got the call to the scene in SoHo.'

He headed for the door. 'Better go and see what the problem is.'

Mac was the last one to join them all in the break room.

'What's going on?'

Stella was looking smug and Flack was looking worried. God alone knew where she'd want taking to dinner but he'd bet his paycheck the prices would make him want to cry….not that he could afford to bet his paycheck anymore, not if he was going to afford said prices.

Hawkes looked up from the New York Times crossword. 'Don't know. Danny just asked us to meet him and Lindsay in here. Apparently they have something to tell us.'

Mac raised an eyebrow and looked at Stella. 'And you know what this 'something' is?

'I have a theory.'

Mac was about to ask when he caught Flack's eye. The Detective nodded behind Mac and moments later the door opened and Danny and Lindsay entered…a very happy looking Danny and a still pale but smiling Lindsay.

Two hours earlier

'Lindsay….god, are you throwing up?'

The retching noises followed by a toilet flushing answered that question. The stall door opened.

'Danny this is the ladies bathroom.'

'Yeah, I wondered where the urinals were.' Danny rolled his eyes as he handed her a paper towel. 'What's up? You've been funny all morning. First you spend an hour in the bathroom……' He paused as a thought occurred to him.

'Lindsay?'

'Yes?'

'You're not pregnant are you?'

'Sorry – Lindsay's just thrown up again.'

Mac looked startled, Hawkes concerned, Stella triumphant and Flack let out a low moan.

Danny threw his friend a surprised look as he continued. 'We've got some news…actually we've got some great news.' He was beaming from ear to ear.

Stella jumped down from her seat and hugged Lindsay. 'Oh I'm so happy for you. When?'

Danny's face creased into a frown. 'Well we thought about September/ October time…how did you know?'

Stella grinned at him. 'Lindsay's throwing up and desperate to find you. What else could it be?' She hugged Lindsay again. 'You'll have to stay away from the chemicals now.'

'Huh?'

Lindsay and Danny's confused utterance was drowned out by Mac as realisation dawned on his face.

'Well congratulations to both of you. Lindsay, Stella's right. Come and see me later and we'll discuss modifying your assignments.'

'Why do I need to modify my assignments?'

A moments confusion as everyone stared at everyone else then Flack started to feel a flicker of hope. He stood up. 'We're assuming that your 'great' news is that Lindsay's expecting.'

Lindsay started to laugh. She indicated towards Hawkes newspaper and at his nod she slid it off the table, folded it so the front page was visible, and handed it to Stella, pointing at the date.

Friday February 29th 2008.

Stella and Mac both looked confused but to Flack it was as if the sun had appeared from behind dark expensive clouds. He beamed.

'You proposed to Danny.'

The flush on her cheeks and the grin on Danny's face were answer enough.

'So, she asked him to marry her.' Flack was trying not to laugh.

'Yes'

'Not pregnant then?'

'No' Stella refused to look at him.

So you lost the bet.'

'Yes.'

So, I'd better start thinking about where you are going to take me for dinner.'

Stella ground her teeth. She didn't mind losing the bet, really she didn't, but did Flack have to enjoy it quite so much?

'OK, I've decided.'

'That was quick. Go on then, where?'

'My place. You buy the food and cook it, I'll buy the wine.'

Stella felt as if the ground had just fallen away from her. She stared at him. 'Your place?'

'As long as you don't mind. Fancy restaurants aren't my thing and Mac tells me you make a mean pasta sauce.'

Did she mind? She found on careful consideration that she didn't.

'Sure, how about tonight?'

'I've got something for you, Mrs Messer to be.'

Lindsay raised her head from where it was pillowed on Danny's shoulder and smiled. 'I'm quite happy with what you've just given me, thanks.'

'Hussy. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about this.'

He handed her a small velvet covered box, open to reveal an antique diamond ring.

Lindsay shot up. 'But when did you….I only asked you a few hours ago and you haven't had time to go to the shops.'

Danny sat up too, pulling her into his arms. 'It was my Grandmothers ring. She left it to me.'

'Oh Danny, it's beautiful.' She slipped it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. Suspicion flittered briefly across her face.

'Erm, your Grandmother…she was…er…a little larger than me.'

Which was an understatement and then some. His Grandmother had enjoyed her food and had the figure to prove it.

His laugh showed he wasn't offended. 'Yeah, just a bit.'

'So how come this ring fits me?'

His fingers traced a line from her hairline to her jaw, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. The look he was giving her made her insides melt.

'Ever the cowgirl Montana, you got the drop on me. I was planning on proposing to you on your birthday next week.'

A/N 2: As I'm sure you are aware February 29th is traditionally a day when a woman can propose to a man. There are a lot of different tales as to the origin of this tradition (I did some research) and in one article I saw it referred to as 'A Ladies Privilege', hence the title!