In One Moment
By 18lzytwner
Danny Messer and Lindsay Monroe arrived on the scene of a shooting in a Bronx apartment. The victim had received three gunshot wounds and had been rushed to the nearest hospital after his neighbor, an off duty NYPD patrol officer, called in a report of hearing gunshots. The officer had raced next door and tried to save the man. As far as anybody knew he was still touch and go.
After being let into the scene by Detective Don Flack, the two surveyed the area. Blood was everywhere and there were shell casings on the floor.
"Looks like our perp didn't have enough time to grab their casings," Danny said. Lindsay nodded and moved to the windows that were shut.
"How did our shooter get out of the apartment? Flack says Officer Flynn didn't see anyone leave and the windows don't look like they were opened," she wondered.
"Maybe they closed them on the way out," her partner suggested.
"They had time to do that but not pick up the shell casings?" The suggestion seemed a little odd but Danny just shrugged.
"I don't know Montana but I'm sure we'll find out," he said confidently. The two got to work collecting the evidence in the room but Lindsay couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them.
"I wonder if our victim was being watched," she said. Danny gave her a look. It was an odd question considering they were up on the fifteenth floor of the building. I think there is someone here, Lindsay mouthed to him. Her partner gave a slight nod now understanding where her train of thought was coming from. Perhaps in all the commotion the room hadn't been swept as it was supposed to. Slowly, both unlatched their holsters and pulled their standard issue Glock 19, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistols out. Danny motioned he was heading into the kitchen and Lindsay nodded and ducked into the other half of the room which acted as a living room.
Anything that had a door was checked to be sure it was empty. Danny finished checking the small kitchen and found nothing, so he moved to meet up with Lindsay where he saw her opening a closet in the living room. Suddenly there was gunfire and the CSI fell to the floor. Within seconds Danny at his gun leveled at the man who stumbled and fell down as he exited the storage space. He stood over the top of the man, watching him bleed. Lindsay had gotten a shot off and it was a good one. The uniformed officer that had been standing outside the apartment burst in and found Danny trying to help his beloved Montana. He could hear the uniform calling for a bus and back up but his main focus remained on Lindsay and the blood oozing from the wound in her stomach.
"Hang in there Lindsay help is coming," he tried to reassure her as he tried to stem the flow of blood with his hands.
"Danny… I…" she started as blood began to form in her mouth.
"Just stay with me. Help is on the way," her partner tried to calm her down but the fact of the matter was he didn't know what the bullet had hit and what it hadn't.
After what seemed an eternity, the paramedics arrived. Two of them checked the shooter and the other two moved to Lindsay. The EMTs practically had to pry Danny off before they took over her care. Flack took hold of his friend's shoulder but Messer shook him off and followed the paramedics out of the apartment.
Hours later, Danny sat next to Lindsay's hospital bed, waiting for her to awake from surgery. He didn't hear the footsteps of the person who entered the room until a hand was placed on his shoulder.
"Danny," the all too familiar voice said.
"Mac, I…" the third grade detective started.
"I called her family, don't worry. I know this isn't the way you wanted to meet them but they're taking the first flight out of Bozeman," Mac Taylor told him. Danny just nodded and looked back to Lindsay wishing she'd wake up soon. The doctors had refused to tell him what had transpired during the operation because he wasn't family. He could have flashed his badge and told him it was a police matter but lately his badge had done enough. The badge he had worked so hard to get had turned its back on him. It didn't protect Reuben the day the bodega was robbed and it didn't help Reuben's mother Rikki when she tried to kill Ollie Barnes. He doubted it would help Lindsay's condition now. In one moment, his life and the lives around him had been forever changed.
"Danny, Lindsay's strong. She'll pull through," Mac offered words of reassurance after the long silence that had settled between the two. That's when Flack and Stella Bonasera entered the room.
"I'll be outside talking with the doctors," Taylor told them and he made his exit. Stella came over to Danny and gave him a hug, one he barely returned. She gave him a reassuring smile and hoped that her best friend would wake up soon.
"Dano, any news?" Flack wondered. The glare he got from his friend was unexpected.
"How could you not have cleared the scene?" Danny asked him, his tone harsh and practically yelling.
"I was told it had been cleared by the uniforms that were there first. I didn't know there was anyone there," Don tried to make him understand. That explanation softened Messer's expression a little bit as he rubbed his eyes. The raised voices caused a nurse to come in.
"Gentleman the last thing she needs is to have people shouting. Now either you quiet down or you leave," she told them. Both nodded and Flack turned to Danny.
"I've tried being there for you Messer but it seems you don't want me around. Don't push Lindsay away like you did me." He said and with that Don turned and left from the room, leaving Stella in a state of disbelief. Normally she would have asked what was going on but with Danny's hair-trigger it seemed unwise.
"Danny, let us in and we'll help you. I have to go help Hawkes process the evidence. He promised to stop by when he gets off shift," Stella said as she turned to leave. Danny nodded and heaved a loud sigh.
About an hour later, the third grade detective was woken from the sleep he'd fallen into by the sound of a familiar voice.
"Danny?" He immediately hopped out of his seat and leaned over the bed's rail.
"I'm here," he told her. A smile spread across Lindsay's face as she spoke,
"I wanted to tell you I loved you but the words wouldn't come out earlier." Tears welled up in both the hardened detectives' eyes.
"I love you too now try and rest," Danny told her. Lindsay nodded and dozed back off, happy to know that her boyfriend is only sitting inches away.
Later, Danny and Lindsay woke to the sound of people entering the room. Lindsay's face brightened up upon seeing her family members. They had made it from Bozeman and they talked excitedly as Mr. and Mrs. Monroe checked up on their little girl.
"Mom, Dad, I'll be fine. Danny was there, he saved me," she smiled and hoped her folks would understand.
"Danny?" The two of them looked at her and her older brother also took notice.
"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe, I'm Danny Messer," her boyfriend introduced himself. He received smiles back and Mrs. Monroe actually gave him a full-fledged hug.
"Thank you for saving Lindsay, you have no idea how much you mean to her," the woman whispered into his ear. Danny was intrigued by the comment especially after Lindsay's earlier confession, but before he could respond, Lindsay's older brother Jason butted in.
"My sister talks a lot about you. Is there something I should know?" Danny didn't know what to say and that's when Lindsay's mother spoke up.
"We'll talk later Jason. Now Danny you look like you could use a cup of coffee,"
"Yes ma'am but I didn't want to leave Lindsay," he said.
"Well come on I'll get you a cup in the cafeteria and we'll give the ladies some space," Mr. Monroe smiled and took Danny by the shoulder. He didn't want to leave Lindsay but he felt better that her family was there.
About a week later, Lindsay was released from the hospital and Danny took her back to her apartment. He informed her that Mac had put her on sick leave for the next three weeks and that the whole team wished her well. However he left the part out about the bullet that had entered her stomach had lodged in her small intestine. Her answer to that was to give a slight smile and then she carefully sat herself down on the couch.
"Your folks promised to call here when they got home to Bozeman," Danny spoke up breaking the silence that had settled. Lindsay just nodded. Something was obviously bothering her but she wouldn't talk about it.
"Anyway, I talked to Mac and he says that I have the rest of the week off," the third grade detective said. Again Lindsay only nodded. Now concerned Danny took a hold of her chin and turned her face to him.
"Lindsay, you need to talk to me. Tell me what is going on with you," her boyfriend pleaded.
"Like you do Danny?" The sudden lash out by Lindsay surprised him and he let go of her. She had never done something like that but she was right.
"You pulled away from me Danny after Reuben died. I sent Flack out after you when you didn't return my phone calls and I covered for you with Mac and all I get when you come back to work the next day is nothing. You didn't apologize or explain yourself and I was so mad at you that I pulled away and let you stew. Then last week when I got shot the only thing I kept thinking about was how I didn't tell you how I really felt. I was afraid I would never get the chance to tell you. When I admitted my feelings and you told me you loved me I was so happy but then once my family showed up you went back inside your shell. I wanted them to know who you were and how much I love you and you just sat there," Lindsay continued. Danny nodded and leaned over, placing his lips softly on hers. They parted and he explained the situation,
"When you're dad took me to get coffee he said to me 'I need to know that you aren't going to break Lindsay's heart'. I told him that I would do anything for you and that you meant everything to me. I promised him I wouldn't leave you. While your parents were here it gave me some time to do some soul searching and I'm sorry I didn't come to you after Reuben died. I'm sorry that I didn't return your phone calls and I'm sorry that it took you being shot for me to realize what I had in front of me. I love you Lindsay Monroe, I always have and I always will." This made Lindsay's eyes begin to tear and Danny carefully pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.
"Promise me one thing?" She asked after a few minutes.
"Anything," he said.
"Don't make me kick your ass. I have plenty of time off and I want you to talk out everything that has been going through your head in the past several weeks," Lindsay told him as she moved so she could see his eyes.
"I promise Montana, all this week and from now on I'll tell you everything," he smiled. Then they leaned in and kissed once more. Slowly the passion from their first encounter those many months ago crept back in and they found their hands all over each other. Danny was sure to be careful as he placed his hands around her waist. It was then that the doorbell interrupted them. Both heaved sighs as Danny got up off the couch, straightened his appearance, and headed for the door. He answered it and found a man he didn't recognize.
"I'm Detective Ted Brown with Internal Affairs. Does Detective Lindsay Monroe live here?" The man answered.
"Yes, she does. She just got home from the hospital can't you come back tomorrow?" Danny said trying to be polite as possible.
"I have questions regarding the incident in which she was shot and I need some answers, Detective Messer. Convenient of you to be here," Brown told him.
"Last time I checked visiting a friend and coworker wasn't against the rules," the perturbed NYPD CSI said. Brown just gave him a look and moved past him.
"Detective Monroe I have some questions," he told her.
"Well then you'll have to wait for my union rep. I'm not answering any questions," she told him.
"Fine, have it your way but I will get to the truth one way or the other," Brown said before suspiciously eyeing the two and leaving.
"That's the last thing I need," Lindsay let out a sigh.
"Hey we'll tackle this together. He just wants to pin the blame on someone," Danny smiled and took his place back on the couch. She leaned up against him and he put his arm around her shoulders.
"I never asked. What happened after I fired my weapon?" Lindsay asked.
"The guy hiding in the closet fell out. He died at the scene," he had wanted to sugar coat it but he knew that IAB wouldn't be so forgiving.
"I killed him," she said. Danny just nodded. The two sat in silence neither one sure where to go from here. Life had thrown both of them nasty draws but with their feelings expressed they could pull through it, no matter what.
About an hour passed and Danny looked down to see that Lindsay had fallen asleep, one of the side effects of her pain medication. Carefully he shifted around and stood up. Then he scooped her up off the sofa and headed for her bedroom. Placing her down on the bed, he pulled the comforter over the top of her. Then he slipped in next to her and wrapped his arms around her. Kissing her forehead gently, he whispered,
"Sleep well Montana, I love you."
To Be Continued...
A little angsty I know but I hope you liked it.