Love Is

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI: NY or its characters. Those are solely the property of CBS, Jerry Bruckheimer, Anthony Zuiker, and anyone else I have failed to mention.

A/N Contains spoilers for episode 3.24 Snow Day. AKA The. Best. Episode. Ever.

A/N2: A big thank you to Sally Jetson for beta'ing!

"I'm sorry."

"What? What are you sorry for?"

Those words kept echoing through Danny Messer's mind as Lindsay Monroe led him to the truck and helped him into the passenger seat. He compliantly allowed her to help him get settled into the seat and buckle his seat belt for him. When he let out a grunt of pain as he settled into the leather seat, she checked to make the belt wasn't too tight or pressing against an injured area. Wordlessly, he watched her walk around to the driver's side and climb in, starting the car.

The drive started out in silence, as Lindsay pulled out onto the busy street, and hit the lights and siren to get Danny to medical attention as quickly as possible. Earlier when she had entered the warehouse, she had been so glad to see him, but the sight of his bloodied, battered and broken body had also brought up another feeling in her: anger. She was angry. She was angry with herself, knowing that it should have been her in that warehouse instead of Danny.

'If only I hadn't gone back to sleep. This wouldn't have happened to him. I would be in the passenger seat right now instead.'

She kept driving while trying to keep the tears that pricked her eyes, from falling.

Similarly, Danny was lost in his own thoughts as he watched Lindsay expertly maneuver the large truck through the afternoon traffic. He watched every move her small hands made on the steering wheel and couldn't help but think how thankful he was, that he'd made that last minute decision to let her sleep in, and he'd go take her shift for her.

'It could have been her.'

He let his eyes wander from the steering wheel to his injured hand and back to hers.

'I swear to God, I would have killed the bastard that would have put one mark on or broken one nail of those precious hands. Those very talented hands.'

He allowed his thoughts to momentarily drift to the previous night's events. He remembered every gentle caress. Every passion fueled tug of her fingers in his hair. He remembered the feel of her nails scratching down his back as she groaned her ecstasy at his ministrations on her body.

"Talk to me Montana. Tell me what you're thinking about." Danny suddenly said, sensing that not all was right in her muddled brain.

"Please don't be angry with me." She blurted, seemingly out of nowhere as a tear finally slid down her cheek.

"Angry with you? Why in the world would I be angry with you Lindsay?" Danny asked, thoroughly confused at how she could think he would be mad at her for what someone else did to him.

"You took my shift. It should have been me in there with Adam, not you. You didn't deserve to have this happen. I should be the one with the bloody face, bruised ribs, and broken fingers; not you." Lindsay explained the tears clouding her vision.

"Pull over" Danny commanded as soon as he heard those reproachful words leave her mouth.

"Wha…What?" Lindsay stammered, not sure he'd just demanded that she pull over.

"You heard me. Pull over." Danny said pointing in the direction of an empty parking lot.

"But you're hurt Danny. You need to get to a doctor." Lindsay argued, all the while pulling into the parking lot, and parking the truck out of view of passers by and other traffic.

"I'll get to a doctor, but not before we talk about this." Danny stated firmly removing his seatbelt, and shifting in his seat to look into the depth of her concern filled eyes.

"Danny, you're fingers are broken! You need to see a surgeon before they can be fixed!" She continued to argue with him, trying to get Danny to see that whatever he needed to say to her could wait.

"I don't give a damn about my fingers right now Lindsay! I can live with broken fingers! What I can't live with, is you blaming yourself for this. You did nothing wrong here Linds. This was not your fault. Do you get that?" Danny asked, his voice taking on a softer, more intimate tone, when he saw the guilt and sadness clearly present on her face.

Lindsay nodded thoughtfully before speaking. "I know and I get it. Now can we go to the hospital and get you fixed up?" She placated, hoping that he would take her answer as is and let her get him to the hospital.

Danny sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his good hand. Lindsay looked on, waiting for him to say something; anything.

"You really don't get it, do you?" He asked, the exasperation he felt leeching into his voice.

"What is there to get Danny? You're hurt and it's my fault! That's not a hard concept to grasp here!" Her voice heavy with the barely suppressed tears of anger, self-recrimination, fear, relief, and something else he couldn't quite name.

"Lindsay, if they could do this to me; imagine what they would have done to you. Yeah, I have some broken fingers, a bloodied up face and probably a couple cracked ribs, but that's nothing compared to what could have happened if they'd gotten a hold of you. They could have easily killed you; and I don't think I would be able to live with myself if that had happened to you."

Realization hit her like a bolt of lightening. "You're glad you took a beating for me?" the hints of true understanding making their way into her voice as she looked deep into the depths of his blood shot, tired blue eyes.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm glad thishappened. I mean, it's not the same caliber as waking up with you in my arms, naked…on a pool table, I'm glad that happened" he said with a hint of a smirk.

He watched her roll her eyes as the barest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, before he continued. "I'm thankful this happened to me, and not to you. Lindsay, I'd rather walk through hell's fire than see anything bad happen to you. You are that special to me. Do you get that now?" Danny said, hoping he'd made his point with her finally.

Lindsay took the time to let his words sink in before she spoke. "Thank you" she said, her fingers tenderly caressing his jaw, before she started the truck up again to continue to the hospital.

"What are you thanking me for?" Danny asked as she hit the lights and siren again when they pulled out into the street.

"Caring about me. Protecting me." Lindsay said, resting her hand on his knee. Danny gently placed the palm of his injured hand on top of hers. The rest of the ride to the hospital was conducted in companionable silence, her hand resting on his knee, and his hand resting on top of her hand.

'That precious hand'

The time in the emergency room was a flurry of activity and pain for Danny, but Lindsay was by his side for all of it. He had X-rays that confirmed two broken ribs and that the four fingers on his left hand were broken and would need to be set and cast. It was also confirmed that he had a slight concussion from having the crap kicked out of him. The decision was made, that he would have to stay over night for observation, and if all looked well, he would be sent home- in Lindsay's care, of course- to start on months' long road of recovery for his hand.

Once he was settled in his room after the casting, and pain medication, that is when various members of the team migrated in to check up on him. The first to come in was Stella, who predictably went into momentary shock upon seeing his battered face and casted hand. After fussing over the young couple and making sure they were both okay, she informed them of the lab being blown up with Mac inside and that no one had any idea where they would work that summer, but it would hopefully be figured out soon. She didn't stay long as she could see the toll that the strain of the day had taken on both of them in their faces. Before leaving the room, Stella turned around and took in the sight of the two young CSI's on the bed together and spoke.

"Oh, Danny? Lindsay?" They looked at her in silent response. "Congratulations. If any two people deserve to be happy together, it's the two of you."

"Thanks Stell." The two said in unison before the door closed behind their curly haired friend.

In turn, Hawkes, Sid, Flack, Peyton and Mac came into the room to check up on the young pair after seeing Adam. The conversations went pretty much the same as they had with Stella. Hawkes and Flack had the biggest grins on their faces while they talked to the young couple. Hawkes, ever the doctor, asking about Danny's injuries and Flack commending Danny on his heroics and complimenting Lindsay on keeping a level head in a stressful situation. Sid and Peyton questioned Danny about his injuries and the recovery process that he would be going through before he was allowed to return to work. Most of the questions Danny happily deferred to Lindsay for answering, as he was pretty out of it after they drugged him and casted his hand. For his part, Mac told the pair that they had both done a good job that day. He also told them about his and Peyton's trip to London, and had no objections when Lindsay asked to cash in some of her leave to tend to Danny when he came home. Before leaving them alone, he gave them his 'blessing' for their relationship, but told them that the next time one covers a shift for the other, to at least show up on time and at least give a more believable excuse than 'personal business' for the other person's absence. With that, he walked out of the room, gracing the two with one of his rare smiles.

Once the two were finally alone for the first time since that morning in Danny's apartment, Lindsay snuggled down in the bed next to Danny and let her cheek rest against his shoulder. The only lights in the room were coming from the muted television, mounted on the wall.

"Thank you" Lindsay finally whispered breaking the companionable silence the two shared.

"What for?" Danny asked looking down to meet her brown eyes.

"For believing in me, through everything. For sticking by me in spite of it all," she stated simply. She didn't have to say anymore than that. Danny knew exactly to what she was referring.

"You're welcome."

"I love you" Lindsay finally admitted what she'd known to be true all along, as a tear escaped down her cheek.

"I love you too." Danny replied, happy he was finally able to tell her that, and not have to worry that she would get scared and push him away again. He didn't have to dream about being with her anymore. He was here with her now, and he wasn't ever going to let her go.

With that last thought in his head, he brought his lips down to softly claim hers in a slow, tender kiss, filled with emotion. When they finally broke for air, Danny wrapped his arm around her, securely anchoring her to his side, her head pillowed against his shoulder. With one final kiss on her forehead, the pair fell asleep snuggled up against one another, and that's just how the nurse found them the next morning.

Fin!