Disclaimer: I don't own CSI NY. No copy right infringement is intended.
How glad the many millions of Annabelle's and Lillian's would be to capture me. But you had such persistence, you wore down my resistance, I fell and it was swell.
The first thing Danny Messer felt upon waking was pain, unrelenting pain that cleaved his head in two. He groaned as he sat up on his couch, he tried in vain to remember why he'd been sleeping on the couch and not in his bed. He shuffled like an old man into the bathroom, and pawed through the medicine cabinet for aspirin. Washing down two with three big glasses of water, he returned to the living room and sat down again.
As he waited for the pills to kick in, his thoughts began to chase themselves around in his aching head. He thought he remembered Mac bullying him into his car the night before. He remembered bits of a conversation with Joe and the Lucky Strike, but who had he been talking about, and why had he gotten completely sloshed. He hated hangovers, and never drank enough to cause a raging one like the one he had now.
The questions went round and round for a long time. Then the pills began to do their work, and he got up to see if there was anything his stomach would keep down for breakfast. As he crossed the room, he suddenly remembered. Montana! He'd gotten drunk because of a skirt! Well, she was an awfully cute skirt in fact, he loved it when she wore skirts, her legs were great, and the cause of major distraction for him in the lab.
"I'd like to start at her feet, and work my way all the way up those legs to-Wait just a damn minute Messer, you're supposed to be pissed at her remember, you and her in the hallway at work. She rejected you bright boy, so remember that the next time she wears a skirt to the lab."
Okay, no more thinking about how cute Montana is, he agreed with himself about that. After all he had to be mad at her right? If he was mad he wouldn't think about what it felt like to have her in his arms the day she asked him to carry her across a roof. It was an experiment she said, and promised him drinks. He made a smart ass remark about wanting more than drinks, but the truth was having her in his arms for those precious few seconds was like nothing he'd ever felt before.
She smelled like spring time, it made him happy and all fluttery inside at the same time. He'd nearly fallen, so intoxicated he'd been by holding her in his arms. Then he'd put her down and he felt so bereft and empty.
"Yeah genius your motives were quite pure, weren't they when you agree to that stunt. You just hoped to be able to cop a feel and hope she didn't notice."
"Naw, that ain't it I like doin stuff in the name of science, hello lab rat! Right, you just keep telling yourself that, can you say hormonal teenager!
I've got a crush on you, sweetie pie. All the day and night-time, give me a sigh. I never had the least notion that I could fall with so much emotion.
If he were honest with himself, something his brain was telling him was impossible-Wait why was he arguing with himself over a woman? Was this a side effect of the headache, or had he lost his mind at some point?
"That's right Messer, this is alcohol induced psychosis. Remember what we agreed to last night. You stop thinking about Montana twenty-four seven, and I allow you to actually have a life."
He didn't want to stop thinking about her. In fact, there she was now smiling at him, her hair on his shoulder as she leaned over his shoulder during some reconstruction at the lab. The way she frowned when confronted with a particularly difficult puzzle. The way she'd looked at him when he shouted for her after the flash bomb in that damned hotel room. He'd never been more terrified, not even when Louie was in a coma.
"Wait, "lab rat," we are not going there… remember, you think about that and then you getting all worked up and upset…and I'll have to remind you once again why this is a bad idea.
"Too bad I don't want to remember, in fact I don't care if she put the brakes on what ever it was that we had going, I love her."
Just for that genius I'm going to dial up your headache again. One of us has to be sensible and recognize that-"
The door bell rang cutting through the remaining pain in his head like a knife and silencing the internal voice…Well kind of.
"Great who's that, a man can't even have a hang over in peace?" He got up and went to the door.
"Aw right I'm comin, geez can't a guy have a hangover in peace." He opened the door and gaped in shock at the person on the other side.
"Aren't you going to ask me in Messer? Lindsay said nervously twisty the ring on the first finger of her right hand.
"I don't know, should I Monroe."
"Wow, she looks good." He thought, and forgave her on the spot for all that had happened the day before, mostly because she wore her hair up in a clip, she also wore a tank top and a jeans skirt and jacket.
"Well that's it, its over, she's wearing a skirt and those slim little legs are gorgeous." Down boy before she notices the tent happening in your pants."
Could you coo, could you care, for a cunning cottage we could share. The world will pardon my mush 'cause I have got a crush on you.
"Come on in Mo-Lindsay, before the neighbors get an earful" He stood away from the door and let her pass him into his place.
"What do you want Lindsay?"
"I'm here because Mac sent me. He's pissed Danny. He told me that you got falling down drunk last night, and he had to take your keys away from you."
"Mac sent her here, well that's just great. Not only does Montana show up on my doorstep unwanted, she's only here because Mac told her to". He thought to himself.
"Well at least she's here Messer that's something. Note to self; buy Mac a beer for sending her here. Wait just a minute; you're forgetting that we're mad at her".
Shut up, I don't care; she's here so we'd better think of something brilliant to say so she doesn't leave."
"Mac thinks you were getting stupid because of me, is that true?"
"Did she just say that Mac is worried about us, there is no us? Wait Messer, since when is not having a relationship a problem, I thought you liked your freedom? Yeah, but I like Montana more."
She sat down on the couch and thought, "Well, what a surprise, his place is actually clean." She'd been expecting the usual bachelor pad, but except for a blanket thrown on the floor everything was in it place, books in a bookshelf. "Wait, Danny reads for pleasure, didn't expect that. Don't you read for pleasure as well Lindsay?"
"Make your self at home Lindsay."
"Wait, you should be throwing her out, you don't need a lecture from Mac by way of Montana."
"Can't do that buddy we already invited her in and besides, she's sitting on our couch. Note to self, never clean that side of the couch again!"
"Danny I'm sorry for yesterday. It wasn't my intention to hurt you. I thought you were okay with just being friends." She said calmly.
"Hey, no problem, Mac overreacted to last night. I just wanted a couple of drinks, that's all. I was wrecked after the double we pulled. So don't worry your pretty little head.
He sat on the other side of the couch, as far away as he could get without actually leaving the room.
"Hey did I just say pretty little head, what am I, the wicked witch of the west here? Where is the smooth Danny Messer we all know and love?"
"Danny, I'm not here just because Mac practically ordered me to talk to you. I was up most of the night last night trying to convince myself to come here and explain to you why I'm afraid.
Of all the words to come out of her mouth, the words "I'm afraid" were the last he expected to hear, and it took the planned retort right out of his mouth.
"Lindsay talk to me…tell me what's botherin you…I want to help. If all you want is a friend, then let me be that friend."
"When I first came to the Lab, I heard all about you. The girls in the lab said to stay away, that Danny Messer was a player who didn't have serious relationships." She flushed a bit as she remembered that conversation.
"Way to go Messer, your reputation precedes you. Now, kick her out of here so that we can get back to that life. We liked that life, right?"
"I remember thinking at the time that they didn't need to warn me about you. I'd already formed my own opinions. You embarrassed me in front of Mac in the first five minutes of my first day. Then you hang "Montana" on me." When she looked up at him, he saw tears in her eyes and he started to speak but she cut him off.
"What I don't understand, is why you felt it necessary to punish me for Aiden leaving. I didn't know her, and it was Mac who asked me here. I didn't push my way into the Crime Lab by stepping on Aiden, she made her own mistakes. I know that you understand that now, but at the time I thought you were a real jackass."
"Oh no, she's crying, we don't do crying women Messer, do we? She's right of course, I was a jackass to treat her that way, come on Messer say something don't just sit there staring at her."
"Danny when I first became a cop I was very young, just out of college. A lot of things changed for me very quickly. I moved into Bozeman from the ranch my family lived on. I was a rookie and I fell pretty hard for a cop who'd been with the force for several years. I thought he loved me, till I found out he had three other women on a string. One of them was my best friend. He married her, but still chases everything in a skirt.
"Whoa, that's weird do you think she can read minds? Oh cool it, she can't read our mind, the skirt remark was coincidence. Stay on track, you're mad right, right Messer?"
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 I'm sorry you were treated that way. You're right about one thing a year ago the labs girls were right about me, but it's different now.
"No it's not Messer, remember me, the one who loves em and leaves em, we liked that guy didn't we. No romantic entanglement, that's our motto, isn't it."
"Danny I swore that I would never date another cop, it made my life hell in Bozeman, and was a big reason I left. I don't want to leave New York. You may not believe this, but I love it here now. I have an amazing job and lots of good friends. I'd like to include you in that group, but I don't know if I'm ready for more."
"She said she didn't know if she's ready for more, but she's not saying no Messer, there's still hope."
"Only in your fevered imagination buddy, can't you see she's here to let you down easy?"
"Shut up already, I'm not listening to you anymore.
"Danny, I know I have to move on, it's going to take some time. Can you be patient for a little while? She was afraid to look at him for fear he was angry.
"Montana, look at me. I'm in uncharted territory here. I want to figure this out but I need your help," he said with a smile.
"What kind of help" She asked curiously, realizing that he'd closed the distance between them while they talked, and was now sitting right next to her. She could still smell the faint scent of the cologne he'd worn the day before and it was breaking down her resolve.
"We start over, and just be friends. Maybe we go out for drinks, the occasional dinner and a movie? Waddya say Montana, you up for that?" He challenged her, the twinkle in his eyes had returned.
"I say lets go get some coffee Messer, and talk." She said rising to her feet.
"Don't' you have to work; it's my day off but-"
"I'm on four to midnight so I'm free till then." She tugged his hand, and he rose to his feet, and followed her out the door. It wasn't big but it was a start.
I'm your big and brave and handsome Romeo. How I won you I shall never know. It's not that you're attractive. But, oh, my heart grew active, when you came into view.