Disclaimer: Not mine.
Spoilers: Now lets all say it together. "When Danny was being a man whore."
A/N: I know what is going to happen… just not sure which runner the tie is going to go to. At least one more chapter, so don't get your knickers in a knot.
Sometimes best friends understand and love you in a way no one else ever will.
"Lindsay, you want a Coke?"
"From my own fridge? Gee thanks, Adam."
He chuckled and brought her a can of pop to add to the several that already littered the coffee table. They were having a Monty Python night, and were currently watching the Church Police sketch on the live at the Hollywood Bowl DVD. Adam had been singing the Lumberjack song for the last hour and a half, despite Lindsay throwing popcorn at him.
These movie marathons were becoming a weekly occurrence and often stretched from dinnertime to the wee hours of the morning. It wasn't always Monty Python. Sometimes it was Harry Potter or Star Wars or Mystery Science Theatre. Last week it was Toy Story.
Lindsay was laying on the couch, her feet propped up on the arm rest. She craved these nights in more that just wanting to hang out with her friend. She needed the laughs and companionship more than she wanted to admit. She'd always fancied herself a strong person, but for some reason, this whole thing with Danny was really doing a number on her head. Some days she was fine and other days she didn't know what she was feeling. Adam was always around though, helping her to at least for get about it for a while.
"Hey Smurfette, wanna hand me the remote?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because."
"Good answer. But not good enough bucko."
"Adam-"
He got up from his seat and walked over to the couch, holding his hand out.
"Give it."
"No way. Last time you kept pausing it on accident and you don't know how to work it, and you lost it and I couldn't find it for four days. I missed The Office."
"Oooh."
"You know how sad I had to have been, Adam."
"You could have walked over and turned the TV on yourself."
"Leave me alone."
"Give me the remote."
"No way!"
She jumped up and stood on the couch, sliding the remote into the pocket of her hoodie.
"Lindsay…"
"Adam…"
"Give me that remote."
"Why?"
"Because I want to skip the next sketch."
"But I like the next one."
"Well I don't. It's my DVD."
"And my remote. And my TV. And my Coke!"
He narrowed his eyes at her and lunged for the remote, but not before she jumped over the back of the couch and took off towards her bedroom.
"Hey come back here chicken!"
He went running after her, grabbing her waist just before she made it through the bedroom door.
"Hey!" she shouted as he pulled her back into the other room.
"Where'd you put it?" he asked.
"I threw it in the bedroom when you weren't looking, now get your hand out of my pocket!"
He let her go and ran into the bedroom, jumping on the bed where he spied the remote. He just got it in his hands when Lindsay jumped up beside him and started to wrestle him for it.
"You've gotta be kidding me!"
"I don't back down from a fight Adam. You should know that by now."
"I do, but this is just a remote. Ow! You just kneed me in the gut."
"Not intentionally."
"Still hurts."
"Quit cryin'."
"You're mean," he said rolling over to try and pin her down. It was a feeble attempt and not even pure dumb luck could make it work. Instead of pinning her, she pinned him, aided by her elbow in his sternum.
"Geez woman."
"Don't you know a cowgirl always wins out over a lab geek?"
"I do now. Who taught you how to fight, Scrappy?"
"I have four brothers, Adam. I taught myself to fight."
"I bet I know one thing."
"What?"
"I bet you never laid on top of them like this."
She shook her head and rolled off of him, laying on her back and staring at the ceiling.
"Did you put glow in the dark stars on your ceiling?"
"Nah, they were there when I moved in."
"No really Linds."
"I'm serious! Do you think I can reach up there? No."
"They're cool anyway."
"Yeah, they are. Though they are not like any constellations I have ever seen."
"Yeah," he agreed, finally catching his breath. "We're out of microwave popcorn."
"We?"
"I practically live here."
"Then could you practically pay my electric bill?"
He rolled onto his side with a laugh, propping his head up on his hand.
"You know what?"
"You're gonna change the subject now?"
"Yes. I think that you need to grow your hair out again."
"What?"
"It suits you. Long with those curls."
"What you don't like it like this?"
"No I do. I just like it the other way too."
"You're weird."
"Didn't they tell you that when you first started here?"
"Yeah, but I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt."
"Thanks, friend. Hey, it's raining. Want to go for a walk?"
She just looked at him, her eyebrows raised.
"How do you know about rainwalks?"
"Is it a government secret?"
"Well no, but…"
"Let's go. We can go down to the bodega and get some popcorn."
"You paying?" she asked as he helped her up off the bed.
"Yeah, and then we'll call it even."
"Move fast, Ross."
He leapt just in time to escape her foot as it sailed towards his nether regions.
"Concealed weapon."
"Alarmist."
He just smiled and walked out into the other room for his shoes, hearing her feet plopping after him.
"Umbrella?" he asked as she slid into her boots.
She just stared at him for a moment before he chuckled and held his hand out.
"Let's go."
They made their way outside and started to walk down the street, getting drenched in the cold rain. It was late and dark and windy, but they kept walking anyway. It was almost a block before they realized that they were still holding hands. They looked over at each other, gave half a shrug, and kept walking.
They were almost to the bodega when a white Bronco sped past them, hitting a puddle and soaking them both from head to toe.
"Hey, watch it, OJ!" Lindsay shouted, shaking her fist at the car. Adam chuckled and held the store door open for her.
"OJ?"
"Yeah. All white Broncos are OJ. Sometimes even white trucks."
"You're weird."
"Thank you."
They made their way around the store, grabbing popcorn, candy bars and a bag of salad because "I just don't think we're eating right." They paid and went back outside where the rain had let up just a little. They walked slower this time, silent for the most part. They stopped outside her building and she fished her keys from her pocket while trying to juggle a bag of food also.
"Hey."
"What?"
He reached over and scrunched up her now curling hair and she smiled.
"That's better."
They went inside and he put a bag of popcorn in the microwave while she moved into her room to change clothes.
"Here, towel," she said coming out of the bedroom as the microwave beeped. He took it and dried his face off then glanced at her over the top of the towel.
"Did you put gel in your hair?"
She just shrugged and took the bag of popcorn from his hand. The DVD player had advanced to the next disc, and Clay Walker was playing.
"I'm tired," she muttered, taking a handful of popcorn and leaning against the counter.
"Yeah, that's because it's almost 2 am. You got any clothes I could wear?"
"What do you think of me Adam? I go around stealing people's clothes?"
"Maybe."
"Bottom drawer. There's some sweat pants that are way too big and one of my dad's flannels."
"You're a peach."
She just rolled her eyes and tossed an unpopped kernel into the sink. It clattered against her dirty dishes and she shrugged, then took a small bag of M&M's and dumped it into the bag of popcorn, shaking it to mix it up.
"You're gonna get me fat," Adam complained as he came out of her bedroom wearing the clothes she had specified.
"I'll join you."
He chuckled and took a handful of the candy and popcorn and paired each M&M with two pieces of popcorn.
"I like symmetry," he explained as she raised her eyebrow at him.
"Apparently."
He smiled as a new song started up. It was slow and crackly, and he moved across the kitchen to turn the lights off. She just looked at him, a smile cracking across his face as he held his hand out to her.
"C'mon."
She took his hand and moved towards him, her bare feet squeaking against the hardwood floor. One arm slid around her waist, his hand settling on the small of her back as the fingers of his left hand found those of her right. She sighed softly and leaned into his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart. It was nothing more than a hug with movement, but it got the point across. It was so nice to be held again, to be cherished. She'd missed it so much that having it, even for this moment was almost painful.
So fall
Go on and fall apart
Fall into these arms of mine
I'll catch you
Everytime you fall
Go on and lose it all
Every doubt, every fear,
Every worry, every tear,
I'm right here
Baby, fall
Forget about the world tonight
All that's wrong and all that's right
Lay your head on my shoulder, and let it fade away
And if you wanna let go, baby, its okay
Fall
Go on and fall apart
Fall into these arms of mine
I'll catch you
Everytime you fall
Go on and lose it all
Every doubt, every fear,
Every worry, every tear,
I'm right here
Baby fall
Her silent tears dampened his shirt and she cursed herself for letting Danny have this power over her. Should have known, told ya so's rang in her ears and she closed her eyes against them. What was done was done. It was over, and if she really was careful, she would never have to hurt like this again.
The rain outside picked up speed and intensity as their slow dancing movements stopped. She looked up at him unaware of almost everything except for the feeling of his hands on her face, wiping her tears away. She blinked once and his lips came down on her forehead, giving her the only reassurance that he was able to. The only reassurance he was allowed. Her hands gripped his wrists and she calmed her breathing, stopped her tears and let it go. His forehead came to meet hers, right at the spot where his lips had been, and she realigned herself. She felt free. She felt happy. And for the first time in a while, she felt like the most important thing in someone's world.