So after my last story was oh-so-angsty, I needed a little break. So here is something much fluffier. With a heavy dose of smut to come in later chapters. Yay!
Big, big thanks to afrozenheart412 for the idea, and to Brinchen86 for her support. You guys totally rock, and your unwavering enthusiasm means the world to me. Thank you!!!
Disclaimer: There are a few characters in this story that actually do belong to me! OMG! Unfortunately, anybody that you recognize from CSI NY still belongs to CBS. Boo.
"Argh!"
Danny's head snapped up from the case file he had been reading just in time to see his wife hurl a crumpled up ball of paper across the room, apparently aiming for the garbage can tucked into the corner, but missing by a mile. Seeing that she had missed her target appeared to anger her even further, as she released a string of curses under her breath, pushing herself angrily out of her chair and stomping to where the discarded ball had landed. She picked it up and, as if to add insult to injury, scrunched it up even further until it was a tightly packed wad that she then proceeded to hurl the short distance into the garbage can.
Danny had to try his hardest to stifle a laugh when she missed the can for the second time, the ball of paper glancing off the rim of the can and then falling down behind it, wedging itself between the receptacle and the wall.
"Fuck it," she muttered. "Just fuck it all to hell." Then, turning to glare at Danny she asked, "What the hell are you laughing at?"
Danny raised his hands in surrender, straightening out his facial features to erase any and all evidence of a smile. "Nothing," he said innocently. "Absolutely nothing."
"You better not be laughing at me, Daniel Messer," Lindsay warned him, hands on her hips, her foot tapping out a steady beat on the floor of their office.
"I am most definitely not laughing at you, Montana," replied Danny, struggling once again to keep the hint of laughter out of his voice and the smile off of his face.
"Oh shut up, Danny," she said, stalking back to her chair and sitting down heavily.
He watched her carefully for the next few minutes. He watched her pretend to concentrate on the work in front of her, but he could see her eyes glancing over to the garbage can every few minutes. She would let out a small sigh, then turn her gaze back to the files spread out on her desk and pretend to be sorting through them before her eyes would drift back to the garbage can.
Finally, Danny had had enough. "Okay, seriously, Montana," he said, the exasperation clear in his voice. He stood up and made his way over to her. "What is wrong with you today?" He stood behind her chair, resting his hands on her shoulders and squeezing gently. He could feel the tension in her body through the light fabric of our blouse.
"Nothing is wrong, Danny," she spat at him, shrugging away from his touch. "Just leave me alone."
"Lindsay, come on," he said, letting his hands move once again to rest on her shoulders. "You've been in a pissy mood ever since I got to work this morning. Did I do something? What's the matter?"
"Nothing, Danny. Nothing is wrong," she snapped. "Just drop it."
She felt his hands leave her shoulder and she felt a surge of remorse. Danny was right. She was in a pissy mood, but not because of him. He was just the most convenient target for her to lash out at. She sighed in resignation. She knew that she would have some explaining to do. She gasped as her chair suddenly spun around and she was face to face with her husband. He leaned over her, resting his hands on the arms of her chair, his face inches from hers, his blue eyes piercing through her, seeing through her bullshit.
"Lindsay Messer," his voice was low and serious, "Do not lie to me. Something is bothering you, and I want to know what it is."
She fidgeted uncomfortably under his intense scrutiny. She couldn't look him in the face, so she looked at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. She wasn't even sure why she was so upset. It wasn't like it was a big deal or anything, just something unexpected that she didn't really want to think about. She knew she should tell him, but she was unsure how he would react. Would he laugh at her? Would he tease her?
The more she thought about it, the more she realized how unfair she was being to Danny. Yes, he teased her and they joked around, but he knew her, and he knew when she needed him to be serious. Obviously he could tell something was wrong and he would never make fun of her about something that was truly bothering her. She sighed. The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous she felt about her little temper tantrum.
"Danny, it's really, it's nothing," she said more softly this time. She lifted her hands from her lap and placed them on Danny's, which were still gripping the arms of her chair. She caressed the backs of his hands gently. "I just, I don't know. I just got an unexpected letter in the mail this morning and I guess it just set me off. I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to take it out on you." She glanced up at him, watching as his eyes softened and he gave her a small smile.
"It's okay, Linds," he said pressing a light kiss to her forehead. "I can take it. What I can't take is for you to keep something that's bothering you pent up inside. You know you can tell me anything."
She gave his hands a light squeeze as he stood up and went over to his desk to retrieve his chair. He sat down and then scooted the chair around the desk so that he was sitting beside her. "So, tell me, what's up?"
She looked at him and sighed. She stood up and walked over to the garbage can, reaching behind it to rescue the prieviously discarded piece of paper. Sitting back down in her chair, she carefully smoothed it out, and then handed it to him. "Here," she said. "Read this, then we'll talk."
Danny looked down at the wrinkled document in front of him. The letterhead showed that it was from the Bozeman Senior Secondary School Reunion Committee, Class of 1995. He raised his eyebrows and looked at his wife. "What…"
"Just read it, alright?"
"Yes ma'am," he said. He returned his gaze to the document and began to skim down the page.
Dear Lindsay Monroe,
The Bozeman Senior Secondary School Reunion Committee for the Class of 1995 is pleased to announce that we have organized our 15 Year High School Reunion. We would love to see what all of our fellow classmates are up to these days, and you're no exception!
We hope that you will accept our invitation to attend the reunion weekend that we have organized. The festivities will begin at noon on Saturday, April 24th, 2010 at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds, where there will be activities for the entire family. Following that, we will move on to a reunion dinner to be held at the Holiday Inn Bozeman, where there are discount rooms available at a group rate for the reunion.
We hope to see you there! Please find a detailed itinerary of events included with this letter. If a reservation is required at the Holiday Inn, please call ahead and remember to tell the front desk that you are a Class of 1995 Cowgirl or Cowboy, and they will be sure to give you the special rate!
Sincerely,
Cheryl Atwater
BSSS Reunion Committee Chair
Class of 1995
Danny looked up from the letter and stared at his wife. She was fiddling nervously with her wedding ring, carefully avoiding his gaze.
"This is why you were so upset?" he asked, incredulous. She finally looked up at him and nodded, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.
"Yeah," she admitted. "I know, I know. It's stupid to get all worked up about it. It's just that, you know, I had kind of a hellish time in high school, and things are going so great right now, and I just, you know," the blush on her cheeks deepened as her words trailed off.
"Do you want to go?" Danny asked.
"What? No!" she said. "No. Yes. No. I don't know. It's just…" she sighed. "It's just the thought of seeing those people again… Danny, they made my life almost intolerable for my senior year. Not only was I a dorky science nerd, but I was also that girl from the diner. I just don't know if I want to drag all those old memories back up again." She looked sadly down at her hands.
Danny reached his arm around Lindsay's shoulders and pulled her chair closer to his, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her temple. "This is really eating you up inside, huh?" he asked. Eyes still downcast, she nodded. "Well, you're not a dorky science nerd now, honey," he whispered in her ear. "And you are so much more than that girl from the diner."
She smiled and looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and continued. "You're a detective with the finest police force in the country, you're a respected scientist, you've got a whole pile of friends who love you, you've got a beautiful daughter who worships the ground you walk on, and a handsome and attentive husband who absolutely and completely adores you." He smiled at her and leaned in to rub his nose against hers in an affectionate Eskimo kiss. "You've got a lot to be proud of, sweetheart."
Lindsay smiled as the tears that she could no longer hold back were flowing freely down her cheeks. Danny reached across her desk to get her a Kleenex, gently using the tissue to dab at her cheeks. Then he pulled out a second Kleenex and put it up against her nose.
"Blow," he said.
"You're such a dad," she giggled at him.
"Yes I am, I'm an awesome dad. So do as you're told and blow your nose Lindsay Messer. Because there is no way that I'm gonna kiss you while your nose is all snotty like that." he said sternly.
Lindsay took the Kleenex from his hand and blew her nose. She then tossed it towards the garbage can and gave a little cheer when the tissue hit its target and landed inside the receptacle. Smiling, she turned back to Danny and gave him a soft peck on the lips.
"Thank you."
"No problem, babe," he said. "That's what I'm here for." He looked back down at the letter. "So, what's it gonna be, Linds. We going?"
"I don't know. I guess it would be kind of fun to see some of the people that would be there. Plus, it would be a great excuse to take Lucy to visit my mom and dad. I just, you know, I think it might be kinda lame."
"Well, fortunately for you, Mrs. Messer, kinda lame is my middle name," said Danny. Then he caught himself. "Wait, no, that's – that didn't come out the way I meant it." Now it was Danny's turn to blush as Lindsay chuckled at him. "I just meant that if it's important to you, and you want to go, then I'm with you 100 percent."
She smiled at her husband and reached out to gently stroke his face. "Thank you, sweetie," she said. "I appreciate that. I will think about it." He handed the letter back to her and smiled, rolling his chair back toward his own desk. "Hey Danny?"
"Yeah, babe."
"I thought your middle name was James."
Danny stopped his chair in mid-roll and looked up at his wife, shaking his head. "You know, Montana," he said, "It's a very good thing we're at work right now. Otherwise I'd have to put you over my knee and spank you."
She giggled at the mischievous look in his eye. "You wouldn't dare," she challenged him.
"I would too," he said, his voice suddenly dropping to a low husky whisper. "And I know that you'd love it."
"Danny!" she exclaimed, "I would not!"
"Oh no?" he asked, rolling his chair back toward her slowly, a predatory look in his eye. "Those little noises you made the other night when I smacked your ass tell me differently."
"You're such a pervert," she said, backing slowly away in her own chair. "And I do not love it when you spank me, Danny." She grinned teasingly at him. "I'm just humouring you because I know you love it."
"Oh yeah? Try getting me all riled up again, and see where that gets you Montana. I dare you," he growled playfully, winking at her.
She stuck her tongue out at him and he smirked back at her. He rolled his chair back to his desk and proceeded to get back to working on the case file he had been going through before Lindsay's tantrum.
She smiled and turned to look down at the letter still lying on her desk. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, she thought. People could change a lot in 15 years. She certainly had. And if the people from her graduating class hadn't changed, at least she would have Danny with her. She smiled to herself as she thought of all the girls that had made fun of her in high school, how their jaws would drop to the floor in disbelief as mousy, geeky Lindsay Monroe showed up, now Lindsay Messer, with her gorgeous husband on her arm.
This could be very interesting indeed.
So? Are we interested? Do we want to know what happens next? Are we tired of being referred to as "we"?
Please let me know what you think! Any ideas as to what Danny might have in store for Lindsay? (afrozenheart 412 and Brinchen86, no telling!) Read on to find out!
