Summary: "I never had the least notion, that I could fall with so much emotion…"
Author: LuminousMinds
Rating: M
Pairing: Mac Taylor/ Lindsay Monroe
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI NY or any of its' characters. It's just fun to play with these two ;)
Any mistakes you see here are Mea Culpa. No beta :(
Reviews, yes? Please lemme know what you think.
But, anyways…Enjoy!
Tuesday December 18th, 2007
It was that time of year again.
The New York Crime Lab was holding its' annual just-before-Christmas-Winter Ball. This year, the city managed to scrounge up the money to hold it at the Ritz-Carlton in front of Central Park. And what a ball it would be.
Lindsay's thin brows furrowed while she studied the flier tacked on the bulletin board, announcing the time and the proper attire for such an occasion. She had been contemplating going for over a little over a week. She really wasn't the type to go to fancy arrangements like those, but this year was different. There was just something about it this year that managed to steal her attention.
She shook her head, and turned away, running from the piece of paper. She had work to do.
Lindsay fled into one of the labs, ready to process the evidence from a homicide she was working on with Stella; Kelly Wilson, a 25 year old blonde found dead in her apartment with multiple stab wounds on her abdomen. And yet she couldn't help but look back at that flier every now and again. That little piece of scrap paper was silently tormenting her.
Mocking her.
Stella breezed by, sporting a lab coat and gloves. She narrowed her eyes, taking in Lindsay's dazed expression. The junior investigator seemed lost in thought, and she wondered why. Lindsay wasn't the kind to daydream at work. In fact, she would've expected to see her face pressed up on a microscope, ready to dish out the juicy details of their case.
"Hey, Linds…" she called out softly, slowly snapping Lindsay out of her trance.
"Oh... hey, Stella," she mumbled back, staring back into space again.
Stella tilted her head. "Uh, yeah… so did you get anything?" she asked, referring to their evidence. Lindsay shook her head again, silently chastising herself. She had a job to do, dammit.
"Yes! Umm… the hair strands we collected at the scene definitely belong to the victim. And the blood on the knife came from two donors: the victim, of course, and the victim's boyfriend, Robert Banner. Got pinched twice for assault."
Stella smirked triumphantly. "Knew we'd nail the bastard. I'll call Flack and have him pick the kid up," she said, reaching for her cell phone.
Lindsay nodded briskly, settling back into her daze again, her eyes boring into the flier.
Stella noticed this again, and she frowned, momentarily hanging up. "Something wrong, Linds?"
And she sighed, not really answering. Stella put her investigative skills to work, and she slowly waltzed over to where the young woman was. She tried to pinpoint exactly where she was staring at, and was successful in the effort. She noted the flier, and turned back to the usually feisty brunette.
"Ah, the Winter Ball. Thinking 'bout going?" she asked, honestly curious.
Lindsay shrugged. "I guess…" she finally conceded.
Stella smiled. "Got a date?"
Lindsay smiled back. "I've got a couple choice men in mind. Although, I think it's highly improbable any one of them would say yes." Well, she was sort of telling the truth. She doubted the one person she actually had in mind would ever say yes.
Stella just laughed. "They'd have to be crazy not to say yes. But you know what? Don't worry…" she placed her gloved hand on Lindsay's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "If anything, we can go together. We don't need dates to have fun!"
Lindsay rolled her eyes, but grinned nonetheless. "I'll hold you to that."
Stella nodded. "Good. Now, if you'll excuse me…" she pointed to her phone, "Duty calls," she said, and fled the lab, flipping her cell open to call Flack.
Lindsay let out another sigh, and cleaned up her work station, placing all the evidence in its proper packaging and maintaining chain of custody. She looked back at the flier one last time, before making her exit and walking to the locker room.
The ball was tomorrow.
The end of the shift had come once again.
Mac dropped his pen and slapped a palm to his tired face, letting out a grunt of frustration. All this paperwork was taking a toll on him, and it clearly showed. He leaned back into his chair and loosened his tie, rubbing at his now cramping wrist.
Lindsay tentatively passed by his office. She spotted him taking a little break, and figured now was the perfect opportunity to talk to him. Her knuckles brushed the glass of his office door, and he murmured a "come in".
The door slowly swung open, and she poked her head in. "Hey, Mac."
Mac felt his heart flutter at the sight of her. He couldn't help it, but the edges of his lips pulled up in a small smile. "Lindsay," he simply said. Then his forehead creased in confusion. "What are you still doing here?"
She pulled up a chair, and sat in front of him. "I could ask the same about you."
"Fair enough." Mac took a sip of his cold coffee, grimacing at the taste. "Just catching up on paperwork." He shrugged when she winced. "You know how it is."
Lindsay nodded. "Yeah, seeing as how you're boss, and all…"
And then there was silence.
Mac stared at her intently, trying to figure out the conundrum that is Lindsay Monroe. He wanted to know what made this young woman tick. His eyes dropped to her bottom lip, now suffering under the grip of her teeth. He looked back up at her, noticing her cheeks were flushed and her gaze shifted elsewhere. So if he had to guess, there was something important she wanted to tell him, but just couldn't find the right words, couldn't muster up the courage to even begin.
Mac moved awkwardly in his seat. "If…there's nothing more you have to say, then you should probably go home." He picked up his pen, ready to continue scribbling his signature wherever it was needed. "Thank you for stopping by, Lindsay…" he murmured, his focus now on the stack of remaining sheets in front of him.
Lindsay's brown orbs flashed in panic. This was her only chance, and she didn't plan on screwing it up. She cleared her throat, trying to keep her hands from trembling. "So, Mac…you've heard about the Winter Ball…."
Mac didn't look up. He just kept on writing. "What about it?" he queried.
Lindsay swallowed the bulge that had somehow formed in her throat. "Were you thinking about going?"
That ceased the scribbling. His cobalt eyes swam back to the junior investigator in front of him. He scratched the back of his neck, slowly shaking his head. "I wasn't really planning on it, no." He tilted his head slightly. "Why?"
Lindsay blinked a couple of times. "Just curious… I thought maybe you'd…like to go…with me," she said, barely whispering that last part.
Mac narrowed his eyes. Why would she want to go to the ball with him? Surely, there are other younger, better looking suitors out there fit enough to take her, he thought. She was a beautiful, vibrant young woman with a great personality and a dazzling smile that would make any man bow down to her. She could've chosen anybody else. But she chose…him?
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Taylor…" his mind berated him.
He was flattered, really, that she would even consider him. He liked Lindsay. From the moment he met her, he liked her very much, more than he wanted to admit. And as tempting as the offer was, he couldn't really say yes. The power structure's off. He was her boss. It just…wouldn't look good, even if this was just a one-time thing.
"You know, just as friends…" Lindsay gave as an afterthought.
Mac sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. He was really going to hate this next part.
"I'm sorry…" he began, and immediately Lindsay's face fell.
"Oh…" she murmured, trying hard to mask the disappointment.
Mac looked at her again. She certainly wasn't doing a very good job in hiding the displeasure.
"It's just…not my thing…" he reasoned lamely, and he mentally slapped himself. Lindsay deserved better than that, and they both knew it.
She shook her head. "No, I understand…" she rose from her seat, and managed a smile. "I'm sorry for bothering you, Mac. I'll be on my way."
Mac showed signs of protest. "No you didn't—"
But before he could finish, she scurried out of the office, feeling as if she'd been slapped in the face. But this was to be expected, so she couldn't be too disappointed, really. Mac rarely said yes to anything, or anyone for that matter.
She took out her cell phone, and dialed a familiar number. She pressed the device up to her ear, praying to God that she'd pick up.
"Yeah, Stel? It's Linds…." she murmured, while she boarded the elevator.
Meanwhile, Mac was still in his office, trying to play out what just happened in his head. He frowned, more at himself, because he made the most ( if not one of the most) important person in his life upset for no apparent reason.
So he leaned back in his chair again, staring at the ceiling, and sighing, "Lindsay… what do you want from me?"
Wednesday December 19th, 2007 7:16 p.m.
Lindsay was getting ready.
She slipped in a beautiful slim floor length black satin evening dress, which hugged her curves in all the right places. It was strapless around the neckline and it greatly accentuated her almost non-existent cleavage , so it would no doubt bring the attention of many of her male co-workers. Her silky brown locks were lusciously curled, a job she took pride in doing herself, flowing ever so nicely around her shoulders and face. She smiled at herself in the mirror, her lips a beautiful shade of red. She was just about to put some jewelry on, when the doorbell rang.
"Oh shoot… Just a sec!" she shouted, while she wrapped a diamond necklace around her neck. Finally getting the job done, she carefully walked in her high heels to the door. There stood Stella, looking absolutely breathtaking with her ferociously red halter-topped dress and pinned up curls.
Lindsay's jaw fell slightly. "How do you do that?" she asked, side-stepping away to let her come in. Stella marched inside, giving her a crossed look. "Do what?"
Lindsay smiled as she closed the door. "Manage to always look amazing?"
Stella merely rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I could only pray to always look this amazing."
Lindsay shook her head, as she put on her diamond earrings. "You're being modest."
Stella's bottom lip stuck out in a pout. "Maybe a little." She turned to her friend, obviously pleased with what she was seeing. She smiled again. "You clean up pretty nice there, Montana. A hell of a lot better than me, I have to say."
Lindsay scoffed, applying a little blush to her cheeks. "I wish…" she murmured.
It was Stella's turn to scoff. "Now who's being modest?" she inquired, clearly teasing.
Lindsay turned back to her, grabbing her coat, already shoving her halfway out the door. "Let's just go, okay Stel?"
Stella threw her head back and laughed. "Alright, alright, just quit pushing!"
Mac was sitting on his couch, tuning his bass.
Tonight was usually the night that he'd go to Cozy's Jazz club and play, just to get his mind off work, but his heart wasn't truly in it this time. Something was telling him to go to the ball.
"Not really something… but a someone…"
But Mac shook his head, a string of curses tumbling out of his mouth. He couldn't go. He just couldn't.
"And why not?"his mind asked, loud and clear.
Well that would mean he'd have to wear a tuxedo, and go dancing, and spend time with the people he loves, and finally learn how to have a good time outside of work. Blasphemy.
"What's wrong with that?" his mind asked again.
Actually, now that he really thought about it, there was nothing really wrong with that. Maybe he should go. He deserved to have a little fun every now and then. Besides, he was head of the Crime Lab, for heaven's sake. He should at least have the decency to make an appearance, even if it was for a little while. So that's what he did.
He ran into his bedroom, an dove into his closet to make a change.
Lindsay proudly linked her arm around Stella's as they made their way through the hotel's ballroom. And they had to admit, it wasn't too shabby. The ceiling was incredibly high and it made the room look even more enormous than it already was. There were decorations here and there; paper snowflakes, white and blue, streamers and balloons all around the place. It was almost as if they were at a prom. There was even a Christmas tree near the stage where the hired band was, sprinkled with fake snow and all sorts of brightly colored Christmas ornaments and the tables occupied the edges of the room, leaving more than enough room in the middle for the dance floor.
This all seemed very…unreal. Like a dream come true.
Lindsay and Stella spotted Messer, Flack and Hawkes along with their dates, and ran over to them to make their introductions. Don was courting an adorable redhead named Jenna, Sheldon brought along a friend of his, just as adorable, named Mikayla, or Micky for short, while Danny… well Danny was just stringing along some Italian broad, what's-her-face…Teresa, or something like that. Well, she knew it began with a T.
The band settled down on the stage and began to play a medley of Christmas songs, starting with Jingle Bells Rock. Stella had left her alone momentarily to talk to Adam, and all her male friends ran off with their dates to the dance floor. She sat down at an empty table, ordering a glass of champagne and she watched all the happy people dance, for what felt like an eternity. She merely watched, because at the time, that was all she could do.
Mac was running down the street, the bitter December air slapping him in the face. Even at this time, New York still kept some of its' livelihood. The streets were still bustling with people, each face a blur to him as he swiftly passed them, mumbling his apologies whenever he felt his shoulder collide with the unknown bodies. Some of them gave him odd looks, wondering why that man in the tuxedo was running for.
Mac sucked in a breath, and he glanced at his watch. It was around eight thirty, so he knew the dance had just barely begun. That was good. He wasn't showing up completely late, just "fashionably" late.
He hoped she was there.
So Mac ran through the lobby and got the OK to enter the ballroom. He burst through the double doors, and he stopped momentarily in his tracks, taking a minute to enjoy the scenery around him. Whoever planned this shindig had done a wonderful job with it, but now was not the time mull over petty things. He had to find her. That was his mission.
Forget the fucking power structure. He had to have her.
His blue eyes scanned the large space around him, noting the massive amount of people that filled the room. He didn't recall that many people working at the Crime Lab, but oh well… When he spotted Stella talking to Adam, he hurried over there, already asking where Lindsay was before he even said hello.
Stella shot him a look. "Well, hello to you too Mac." Her eyes briefly trailed up and down his body. "Nice tux."
Mac shook his head. "I'm sorry, I just… Do you know where Lindsay is?"
Stella pondered at the question, trying to remember where she last saw the feisty brunette. "Last time I checked, she was talking to the boys, but nothing after that."
Mac let out a puff of frustration, but he'll have to make do with that. "Thanks anyways, Stel," he said, and before making his exit with haste, he added, "And by the way, you look amazing tonight."
Stella brushed him off. "You don't look too bad there yourself. Now go."
He nodded, silently appreciating her understanding, and took off into the crowd. He managed to avoid any confrontations with his higher-ups, as he spotted them before they could even spot him. He looked around the ballroom, for what felt like hours, although just minutes passed by. When his peripheral vision finally caught sight of her brown locks, he turned his head toward that direction, his jaw slack. She might have been sitting down, but she looked absolutely stunning, and he was going to make sure that she knew that. He was just about to go to her when the young woman was approached by one of the new lab techs, timidly asking her if she wanted to dance. For a second, Mac's heart sank. He knew it, though. He knew she was better off with a younger man. What was she to do with an old, broken man like him?
But what happened next surprised him. She gave him a warm smile, and kindly dismissed him, clearly not interested in dancing. Lindsay wanted to dance with only one man, but much to her dismay, he was nowhere in sight, just like he said he wouldn't be.
Or so she thought.
He inhaled slowly and walked over in long strides straight towards her, trying to get to her as quickly as possible. His overpowering form stood in front of her, shielding her view from the dance floor, and Lindsay tentatively looked up, making sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. She inconspicuously pinched herself, just in case.
She beamed at him. "Hi," she breathed. "God does he look sexy as sin in that tux…"
Mac beamed right back. "Hey. What are you doing here all by yourself?"
Lindsay reached back for her glass of champagne, lightly waving it in front of him so he could take the hint. "Just enjoying my drink."
Mac nodded. "I can tell." He looked over his shoulder briefly, seeing his co-workers out on the dance floor. He turned back to Lindsay with a small smile, and extended his hand. "Care to dance?"
Lindsay gave him an incredulous look. "You waltz?"
Mac's ears twitched as Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers lightly fluttered by, while the band took a break. He shrugged. "I do okay." He gently took her hand with his, the heat that coursed through the contact not going unnoticed by either of them.
Mac's eyes tore away from his hand and captured her brown orbs. "May I have this dance?" he asked her again, lifting her up from her seat.
Lindsay stared into his royal blue hues, a balmy feeling forming at the pit of her tummy. This was the moment she'd been waiting for.
She made no effort to hide her pearly whites. "Sure," she answered as her supervisor guided her to the dance floor. The duo stood right in the middle of the commotion. Mac gently placed his free hand on her hip while the other still held onto hers. Lindsay fingers raked his broad shoulder but they stayed there. She gave him one last smile.
And so it began.
The two of them glided around the room, starting slow, trying to get into the rhythm of it and when they did, Lindsay felt as if they were flying. They were going at an incredibly fast pace, making her dizzy with ecstasy. Mac was an unbelievable dance partner, who was he trying to kid? He twirled her around various times, always bringing her back to him, where it was safe and sound. She lightly pressed her head to his chest, soaking in this intimate moment. She felt it. She felt that warm feeling again, And by the way he was holding her, in his arms like this, she knew he must've felt it too.
Danny and Flack had returned to their table with their dates, long after the waltz started. Jenna and what's-her face had struck up a conversation. Meanwhile, Danny and Flack had to keep their jaws from falling off while they watched the two CSI's dance the night away.
"Can you believe that?" Flack asked, tapping Messer on the shoulder. "I never knew Mac could dance."
"He just earned a new nickname; how does Twinkle Toes sound?" Danny retorted, making his longtime friend snort a laugh.
"Yeah, I mean, who'd a thought? And Montana's not doing too bad, either." Flack added.
Mac twirled Lindsay around again, smiling while she roamed back into his arms again. And before they knew it, the waltz ended, and the band took their place back onstage. They each exchanged longing looks, and it was obvious that neither one of them wanted to let go. No words were swapped, but the brunette knew he was asking her to dance again. She merely nodded. She wrapped her arms around his neck, while his snaked around her waist.
A trumpet was the only sound they heard besides the low chatter among people, and the setting began to take a lighter tone. By the looks of it, this was going to be a slow dance, and they couldn't have asked for anything better.
Mac's ears twitched again as he recognized the tune. Good old Frank Sinatra always knew how to set the mood. He held Lindsay tight against him and they slowly began to move while he listened to the lyrics intently.
The male singer pressed his lips to the microphone. "This is for all you couples out there." And his rich tenor voice rang.
"How glad the many millions
Of Annabelles' and Lillians' would be… to capture me…"
Lindsay snorted lightly. "Sinatra had a healthy ego," she quipped, making Mac grin.
"But you had such persistence; you wore down my resistance,
I fell…. and it was swell…."
Lindsay sighed in content. "I can't believe you came…" she whispered.
Mac lightly shook his head. He couldn't believe it either.
"I'm your big and brave and handsome Romeo,
How I won you I shall never, never know…
It's not that you're attractive…
But, oh, my heart grew active,
When you… came into view…"
God, how true that was. Mac hadn't felt this way about anyone since Claire…Lindsay Monroe had managed to steal his heart… and he seemed to be okay with that. So Mac pulled back slightly, staring straight at her. He promised he'd make sure he'd let her know just how lovely she looked tonight. How lovely she looked everyday…
"You look beautiful, Linds…" he muttered, slightly blushing at that. And Lindsay's cheeks heated up as well. She mumbled a thanks, and buried her face in his neck.
I've got a crush on you, sweetie pie,
All the day and night-time, hear me sigh…
I never had the least notion, that
I could fall with so much emotion…"
Lindsay couldn't help the heat that spread to her cheeks again. Why did it have to be this song? It was obviously describing the way she felt about the man before her. He kept her up at night; her thoughts were constantly on him throughout the day, if not on another case. She didn't remember when or where, but… she had truly fallen for Mac.
Although, she figured it may be more than just a crush...
"Could you coo, could you care…?
For a cunning cottage…that we could share?
The world will pardon my mush…
'Cause I have got a crush, my baby, on you..."
Lindsay couldn't help it. She just had to ask him. It'd been gnawing at her since he showed up.
"What… what made you change your mind?"
Mac bit down on his lower lip, and his cobalt eyes avoided her gaze. There was no point in denying it any longer. He couldn't keep it up even if he really wanted to.
He gave her that small smile again. "You really wanna know?"
Lindsay nodded eagerly. "That's kinda why I asked," she teased.
Mac chuckled at her. He gazed into her chocolate depths for the millionth time that night, needing for her to understand that he was being completely honest.
"…you…" he finally murmured.
Lindsay, normally one to use her brain, just stopped thinking all together. Her breath hitched as his response echoed in her ears, and her heart was beating so rapidly and pounding so hard it was threatening to rip out of her chest. Mac took it as his cue to go in, and he tilted his head slowly, leaning his face to hers. And softly…almost magically…his lips captured hers in a kiss that knocked the breath out of her.
Good lord. Mac Taylor was kissing Lindsay.
Hawkes squinted his eyes, and cleaned off his glasses, just to make sure he was really seeing what he was seeing. He tapped Stella on the shoulder, interrupting her conversation with Flack and Jenna, and pointed toward the dance floor.
"Do you see that?" he asked.
"See what?" Flack countered, looking around. Danny got in on it too, and they both couldn't believe what they just saw.
"Is that…" Don started, his eye twitching.
"Montana and Mac…" Danny muttered, smirking.
Stella could only smile at the two lip-locked CSI's. She turned to her group of boys. "Yeah, and it's about damn time."
When they broke apart for air, Mac pressed his forehead on hers, their breaths mingling as they tried to calm down.
"…my God…" Lindsay said.
Mac nodded. "That was…"
"Breathtaking?" she offered.
Mac laughed a little. She could say that again.
"Could you coo, could you care…?
For a cunning cottage…that we could share?
The world will pardon my mush…
'Cause I have got a crush, my baby, on you..."
He leaned in and pressed his lips on hers again. This was something he'd never get tired of.
"What do you say we get out of here?" Mac queried, once they parted.
"Your place or mine?" she countered, brushing her lips on his.
Mac didn't hesitate. He softly pressed another kiss to her mouth. "My place is just around the corner from here." He presented her his arm. "Shall we?"
Lindsay willingly allied her arm with his. It felt so right. She smiled again, for the billionth time. "Yes. We shall," she answered, and they walked away from the ballroom, retrieving their coats and whatever else they left to be on their way. Once outside, they started walking down the still-busy sidewalk, Mac wrapping a possessive arm around her shoulders, while she rested her head on him.
Little flecks of snowflakes began to fall, and Lindsay looked up at the night sky, smiling and brushing off the ice specks from her face. She took a deep breath, enjoying the cool air filling up her lungs, and silently exhaled.
What a magical night, it was.
Her naked back touched down on his bed softly.
Mac's muscular frame stretched over her as he slowly positioned himself properly. His cobalt eyes darted to her chocolate ones, asking for her permission to continue with what he was going to do next. And when she nodded, he tried hard to bite his tongue, but with little success. He couldn't help but ask again, aloud this time.
"Are you sure about this Linds? You won't regret it in the morning?" his voice was shaky and his breathing pattern changed dramatically. He didn't want to ask her, in fear she would change her mind, but he had to be certain she wouldn't consider this a mistake. Lindsay nodded again, and caressed his face with a delicate hand.
"I've been waiting…so long for this, Mac," she answered truthfully, "I could never regret being with you. Never."
Mac just shook his head. "I just…wouldn't be able to live with myself if you did…" He pressed the tip of his arousal on her wet heat, and bowed his head, running his tongue on the swell of her breasts. "But, if you insist…"
Lindsay moaned softly, her hips jolting up slightly. God, she wanted him now more than ever. She needed to feel him inside her.
"Just please…" she gasped, "Please…take me, make love to me…"
He inhaled sharply, and with that, he ground his hips into hers, plunging right into her sweet warmth.
His jaw fell, a low moan tumbling right out of his mouth. He had never anticipated that she would feel this good, but damn, did she feel good! She was so unbelievably tight, he loved the way she gloved around him, how snug she felt on his manhood. He pulled right back out of her almost completely before driving himself right back in, as deep as he possibly could, listening as their growing gasps of ecstasy reverberated in the confined space. Lindsay arched her back off the bed and right into him, matching him thrust for thrust every time. The mind-numbing pleasure that surged through her body from this experience was almost too much to handle. She felt that tingling sensation at the pit of her stomach already, knowing it wouldn't take much to send her flying over the edge.
"Mac…Mac I—"
"Not yet, honey… Hold on, please… hold on just a little longer…"
Mac groaned as he picked up the pace. He wanted to get there as quickly as possible. He wanted to join her up there and come right back down from the pinnacle of his high right along with her. He slammed himself into her harder each and every time, her soft gasps turning into lust-drenched moans, and changing octaves each time he hit that sweet spot inside her. God, nothing else mattered to him but this, being this close to her, becoming one with her. He didn't want it to end.
Lindsay couldn't hold on anymore. Her slender frame shuddered as the waves of bliss crashed over her, his name falling breathlessly from her lips. No sooner did he let his own release take over, and he closed his eyes, crying out her name over and over again as he spilled all of himself inside her, and he tenderly collapsed on top of her, sucking in a breath for his oxygen deprived lungs.
A couple of seconds passed before he realized he must've been crushing the young woman beneath him, and he pulled softened length out of her, rolling them over to their sides, her bare back touching his sweat stained chest.
Lindsay felt his arm wrap around her as he pulled her closer to him. She turned her head, and met his gaze, capturing his now-red lips in a soft and supple kiss. God, she couldn't get enough of this man. He was absolutely intoxicating.
"…Lindsay?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you…" he whispered, and she was surprised to hear the realness in his tone.
Lindsay smiled at this, smiled at him. He wasn't just saying that, he really meant it.
And her next words, barely a whisper, as her eyes drooped and her mind wandered off to dreamland were, "I…love you too…"
Mac noticed this, and he smiled, as he pulled the sheets over them. He kissed her temple, mumbling, "Goodnight, honey," before turning off the lamp on his nightstand and settling into bed, with Lindsay in his arms. He could get used to that.
And for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Mac fell asleep.
FIN.