A Bullet For Danny

Disclaimer: I am in no way connected with the show. This story is for entertainment purposes only. I undertand if my story is not to your liking but please respect the amount of time and effort I have put into it. Feedback is welcome as well as gentle criticism.

A/N: I am new to this fandom and this my first attempt at writing a CSI fic. I usually wouldn't attempt such a feat because of the science invovled but after watching Love Run Cold, I had to take a stab at a Lindsay/Danny fic.

Queens Hospital

Three-thirty a.m.

Detective first grade, Mac Taylor, stood at the entrance of the E.R. with his hands shoved into his pockets. At three-thirty in the morning, Mac was uncharacteristically dressed in navy blue sweat pants, grey tee and tennis shoes. He'd just received a call from Flack that a member of his team had been shot, gunned down in his own apartment.

"Danny," he breathed regretfully as a beat cop approached with a steamy cup of coffee. "You made good time, the ambulance is still three minutes out"

Mac graciously took the Styrofoam cup and started to milk the contents. "What have we got?" He'd gone over the synopsis that Flack had given him a thousand times but he needed to hear it again.

"Neighbors heard gun shots at approximately 2:45 a.m. and called it in." The officer answered sipping his own warm cup of brew. "When the address came up as being one of your guys Det. Flack was notified at home along with yourself. There was no sign of forced entry. We think it might someone that Detective Messer knew"

Mac nodded in response keeping a pensive stare on the automatic doors. An ambulance had just pulled into the bay. "Here they come"

For several seconds the infamous CSI stood frozen as paramedics rushed Danny inside. From what Mac could see, one paramedic was sitting straddled over Danny's chest securing a tracheotomy tube into place over blood sodden gauze.

"Danny was shot in the throat?" Mac felt his stomach twist as a vision of an unsuspecting looking Danny appeared in his mind.

"Yeah, yeah…I'm coming" Danny Messer shouted shuffling his way towards his front door in his dark crimson colored sleep pants. The click of the locks twisting burst loudly as he opened the door to meet a boldfaced revolver. A sharp tipped bullet screamed out of the chamber, hitting its target at close range, tearing the flesh just above Danny's left collarbone. Detective Danny Messer fell backwards onto the hardwood floor with a resounding thud.

Lindsay's Apartment:

In the realm of deep sleep, Lindsay Monroe let out a shallow moan at the peel of the phone. Reaching out, she fumbled for the cordless and squinted against the blue illuminating light of the caller I.D. Bonasera, S. "Stella?" Lindsay said brushing strands of her dark golden hair away from her face.

Stella's voice was calm but tight as she spoke, instantly giving Lindsay a feeling of dread. "Mac just called me, Danny's been shot"

Shot? Lindsay sat up a little more, riding herself from a sleepy haze. "How bad is it?"

"I don't know" Stella returned. "Mac just said he wants us all to meet at the lab and then head over to Danny's place as soon as possible"

"I'm on my way," Lindsay felt like she was moving through a fog as she tossed the covers back and stumbled out of bed. Danny had been shot? It didn't seem possible when just hours earlier they been standing side by side at the lab looming over some trace evidence from a possible homicide of a homeless woman.

"You want something to eat, Montana? I've got some left over Sergio's in the frig back at my apartment best Italian in town" His voice echoed in the back of her brain. "And it makes for really good conversation food if um…you're up to talking"

"Danny-" she drew out his name watching him throw his hands up in defense.

"I know, I know I said I wouldn't push, I'm just letting you know that I'm here if you ever want to talk"

And now she might not ever have the chance to talk to him again. Mechanically, she made her way into the bathroom and tied her wild locks back before slipping into a pair of black docker style slacks and a white cable knit sweater. A white cable knit sweater that had once belonged to Danny.

Forty minutes later, Lindsay, Stella and Hawkes stood in the doorway of Danny's apartment. Police tape ran across the door jam forcing them to duck under as they stepped inside. Flack was already standing in the living room along with several uniformed officers.

"Any change?"

"Danny's still in surgery. Mac said the docs are looking at about eighteen hours" Stella replied setting her tool kit on the rectangular shaped breakfast table that faced the kitchen. Opening the latch, she pulled a set of latex gloves and proceeded to pull them over her long slender fingers.

"Lindsay you okay?" Stella smiled over her shoulder as the younger woman continued to stand just inside the door jam.

"I'm fine"

"Good," Stella nodded redirecting her attention to Flack. "So what do we know?"

"Other than Danny had leftover take out from Sergio's for dinner?" Don questioned flicking his gaze to the host of empty take out boxes on the bar style counter top.

Stella moved towards the bar, instantly spotting the paper carton jammed with forks. A set of two paper plates sat beside with forks resting on each. "One thing for certain Danny didn't eat alone" she commented pointing to the forks.

"Wine glass" Hawkes made a motion towards a fluted glass resting on the end table near the sofa, cautiously picking it up. "The rim is covered in lipstick," Hawkes stated handing it Lindsay.

Lindsay held the glass in her gloved fingers and examined the shade hoping her face wasn't turning red.

"Be there in sec!" Fresh from the shower, Danny opened the door to find Lindsay standing on the other side. "Montana?"

Lindsay stared at his wet hair for a moment fixating herself on his short damp sprigs, "I was nowhere in the neighborhood and I thought I'd stop by. Have you eaten those left overs yet?" She continued to watch as his face lit up into one big happy grin.

"No, come in" he waved, "I'll need to warm the stuff up but have a seat"

"Okay" Lindsay grinned brightly watching Danny as he began to root around in the frig. A moment later he pulled out a half open bottle of wine.

"Is red okay? it's all I've got" he offered in his thick New York accent.

"Red's fine"

Expertly, Danny poured the wine into a fluted glass and shook it slightly so that the contents inside swirled. "Good year" he swallowed pressing the glass to his lips before offering it to Lindsay.

Lindsay? Stella called out her but the words fell upon dead ears. "Lindsay"

"What?" Lindsay blinked looking down at the wine glass.

"Are you going to bag that?"

"No" Lindsay answered stiffly trying to ignore the stabbing sensation that was going through her heart. Without a word, she turned on one heel and fled the apartment leaving the others to stare.

"Lindsay!" Stella shouted following the younger woman down the stairwell. "Lindsay stop!"

Still pacing a good twenty-five feet a head of Stella, Lindsay slowed her pace as she hit the cool morning air outside of the building. For several seconds she stood with her hands on her hips looking upward at the sky. Tears were streaming down her face.

Stella came up behind her and touched her shoulder. "You want to tell me what happened back there?" the tall CSI panted.

"I'm responsible," Lindsay said sliding her tongue over her lips, "I'm the reason Danny was shot"