I feel so bad for jumping on the bandwagon and writing a post episode fic for "Right Next Door" but I cant let it go. That two faced, lying rat bastard shall be mentioned in this fic but will play no part as I've decided to focus on Lindsay to show her that she has friends who are on her side.

The other nights episode did kill off a lot of plot bunnies though, even with existing stories which sucks. I hope it hasn't scared off some of my favourite authors as I'd still love to read their stuff.

Shippers…read into this what you like.

Part one of two.

"Linds?"

When he'd returned to the crime lab in the early hours of the morning to drop of a copy of the finished report on Mac's desk, she was the last person he'd expected to see within the glass confines of the New York City crime lab. As far as he knew she'd been there since the start of the case, starting at Stella's place and helping to pinpoint the source of the fire before helping to break the case later on and lead them straight to the missing children. Making two separate families very happy.

Standing at the door to her office he'd called out her name before stepping fully into the room and closing the door quietly behind him. She didn't move as he pulled out a seat and sat next to her, her gaze loosely on the table in front of her and on the blinking light of the answering machine sitting on the desk opposite.

His gaze flicked between the woman and table, and for the first time he noticed the long dried tear stains that littered her cheeks and the resignation in her eyes.

"Lindsay?" he asked again, leaning close and laying a hand on her arm, causing her to turn to him before she reached out and pressed the play button on the answer machine. She looked at him directly, holding his gaze before turning away as the robotic voice announced that there was one new message and a woman's voice began to speak.

"Danny…its me. We, we need to talk….about last night. It shouldn't have happened…we shouldn't…we need to talk. Can you give me a call sometime?…bye"

The machine beeped again and the room fell into silence.

Flack couldn't believe his ears. The voice on the machine was one that he was familiar with, even after only hearing it once or twice but the situation it presented was not and had he not heard the message himself, he would have had a hard time believing it. As it was, he still couldn't believe it.

'He wouldn't.' he thought 'Not…He just wouldn't.' but as the voice in his head argued and words on the message echoed round his head he knew it was true.

'Fuck' He cursed, running a head over his face and into his hair. A quick glance in her direction showed that Lindsay hadn't moved and it suggested to him that she'd heard this a couple of times already.

It was time to get her out of here.

He looked again at the woman next to him before standing and pulling her up with him. She resisted a little bit but he was persistent. He knew that if he didn't get her to move now then she'd still be here in the morning and he'd be called in to deal with an internal homicide.

He didn't speak as he held out her coat, pulling it up and over her shoulders when she put her hands down the arms. He picked up her bag and slipped it on her arm. He opened the door and, placing a hand at the base of her back, steered her out of the office and down towards the elevators.

Halfway there he felt her begin to shake and he warped an arm around her waist just as her knee's gave way. He pulled her towards him slightly and she went crashing into his side, her breath coming in short gasps.

Stumbling slightly they made it to the elevator doors and while they waited for it to arrive they let the silence envelop them, the ding of the doors opening the only sound echoing down the near deserted corridor of the crime lab.

Walking into the small enclosed space, and ignoring the tell tale mirrors, she shrugged out of his hold and as the doors closed she leant back against the cool surface before sliding down it. Coming to a rest in a presentable heap on the floor.

He reached out and pressed the stop button before sitting down beside her, their shoulders touching. As he was about to speak the phone on the side of his hip began to ring. Glancing at Lindsay, who had turned away, wrongly thinking she knew who was on the other end.

"Flack"

"Hey man, I thought you where coming out with us?"

"I think I might take a rain check"

There was a moments pause on the other end. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. I just ran into a friend and I'm going to walk them home,"

"No," she said, speaking suddenly for the first time. She looked across at him. "I want to go for a drink."

"Hang on a minute Hawkes" he said down the phone before covering the mouth piece. "You sure that's a good idea?" he asked her, dipping his head and trying to catch her eye.

"Probably not," she admitted "But I need a drink." She looked at him then and he saw in her eyes that if he didn't take her with him, then the likelihood was that she was going to pick a bottle up on the way home and probably have too much. At least this way he'd have some control on how much she consumed.

"Fine" he conceded "Hey Hawkes, me and Lindsay will be over in a little while so keep a place for us."

"Lindsay? Didn't she go home hours ago?"

"I'll talk to you when we get there ok? See ya" And with that Flack hung up, unwilling and unable to continue the conversation with Lindsay sitting right next to him. He also wasn't sure how she was going to do this and didn't want to go blurting out things that might come back and bite her later on.

"You sure about this? You wouldn't rather go home?" he asked as he pocket his phone.

"I think a little liquid anaesthetic is what I need right about now." she replied. Her head hit the wall of the elevator as she leant back "Besides, I don't really fancy being alone right now. It tends to make the mind wonder, you know?"

As the tears threatened to fall once more, he placed his arm over her shoulder and pulled her towards him. Clasping her tightly to his side and resting his cheek against the top of his head, he felt her take a few calming breaths while he took some of his own.

She shifted in his embrace and he thought for a moment that she was going to pull away, but she only snuggled closer, burying head into the area where his neck connected with his shoulder. He felt her breath against his skin and struggled not to shiver.

'Danny Messer you fucking, two faced rat bastard.' Flack thought to himself as he held her. She didn't deserved this and by god he was going let that asshole know it.