Title: Danny's Snow Day

Author: Spontaneity

Disclaimer: None of them are mine, but someone up there must really like me!!!!

Pairing: Danny/Lindsay… Who else, I mean, really!

Summary: He took her shift to give her a snow day… now it's his turn.

A/N: Okay, so after that AMAZING episode, the muses spoke to me… in the form of a friend who thinks my obsession is insane but who I have infected by the said-obsession. (HAH!) Anywho, this takes place after Ep 3.24, Snow Day. Does contain spoilers, so if you don't wanna know, don't read.

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"Stella!" Lindsay's voice echoed down the hallway of the cold, clean hospital and Stella tilted her head in the young woman's direction, not taking her eyes off the limp form of Adam Ross in the hospital bed on the other side of the glass. "Yeah?"

"How's he doing?" Tired and weary, Lindsay's voice nevertheless held the hope that her co-worker's eyes would soon open and Adam would be cracking jokes around the lab again soon. She wrapped her arms around her torso and stood next to the older CSI, observing quietly as well. Lindsay's brown eyes took in the beeping monitors and slow dripping anesthetic, biting her lip as her sight took in Adam's beaten face.

Stella sighed. After the events of this morning, she was in no mood to run the risk of losing a team member. Mac and Peyton had already taken off for London, if womanly intuition meant anything, and Flack was supervising the cleanup around the lab with Hawkes. With all hands on busy, Stella was left to worry and pace in the waiting room of St. Benedict's Hospital. "The doctor said he took quite a beating, but it's only a matter of time before he can come back to work. Danny, on the other hand," Stella sighed again and turned to Lindsay, running a hand through curly locks, "he's got at least four weeks before he can come back. That hand has to heal properly and he took a couple good blows to the ribs." Suddenly, Stella felt very old, older than a woman her age was supposed to be feeling. "Something tells me that isn't going to sit right with him."

Lindsay nodded. "I know what you mean. They were giving him a dose of painkillers when I saw him last, and he didn't look too pleased with the whole mess."

"He's not good with morphine. Something from his baseball past, that's all I know." Stella folded her arms, thinking. "What he needs is someone to stay with him while he's down, to make sure he behaves himself."

Lindsay hesitated. If she volunteered, Stella would think something had happened. Not that Lindsay didn't want Stella to think something had happened, she just wasn't sure she wanted Stella badgering her for information at that very moment. However, if Lindsay didn't step up to the plate and take Danny in, he could end up staying with Flack, and that could only mean trouble. Plus, with Danny being in such a vulnerable state as he was, it was undoubtedly sure that he would pull some feeling of rejection and think their "pool game" had meant nothing more to her than a fling. Lindsay clenched her teeth to keep from blushing: she would never look at a pool table the same way again, that was for damn sure.

"I guess I could ask Don if he would let Danny stay with him…" Stella mused, talking more to herself than to Lindsay. The younger woman's head shot up, eyes wide. "Or, I could take him," she threw in, feeling her cheeks grow warm when Stella looked at her questioningly. "I mean, Flack's got a lot of work to do, and he's got a hectic schedule coming up. I don't think Danny would mind…"

"No, I'm sure he wouldn't." Stella's green eyes scanned over the young CSI's face, looking for some kind of hint as to what was going on in Lindsay Monroe's head. She must have found what she was looking for, because Lindsay could practically see the little Bunsen burner flame turn on over Stella Bonasera's head. "Okay, well, go tell Danny," she ordered, keeping her voice as calm as possible. Lindsay nodded and turned, casting one last sad look at Adam before heading off down the hall.

"Oh, and Linds," Stella's voice rang out and Lindsay stopped in her tracks, wincing… So close, and yet…not quite close enough. She turned slowly. "Yeah?"

"We will be talking about you and Danny later." Stella smiled smugly as Lindsay nodded once before turning back around, squaring her shoulders, and walking down the hall with her head held high. Chuckling, Stella turned back to the window, watching Adam breathe in time with the machine. Sometimes, she just couldn't help herself.

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"I already told you people… I ain't takin' no stinkin' morphine." Danny tried to stand, but the pain and exhaustion overtook him and he ended up back on the bed, feeling like a young child who couldn't get his way. "Look in my file…I can't have morphine."

The nurse sighed, clacking the stud in her tongue angrily against her teeth. "Detective Messer, we need to give you something to numb the pain."

Angry blue eyes, hazy with suffering, stared up at the pink haired girl defiantly. "Tell you what… how about you back off with that needle and I come up with my own way of getting' rid of my pain. I've done it once, I'm sure I can do it again."

"Do you know nothing about New York cops?" A woman's voice cut through the tension and the young nurse marveled at the wave of relief that swept over the man's face. "They're extremely stubborn, and if you happen to get them to listen to you, it's only because you're either confessing or giving up names." Lindsay's eyes sparkled as she walked to where Danny was sitting. She smiled at him, motioning for the nurse to give him the shot. "You argue far too much."

Danny smiled. "Says the queen of all hard-headed cops." He winked. "Nice try." His uninjured hand went up, stopping the nurse in her tracks. "I don't take morphine."

Throwing her hands up in exasperation, the nurse stomped out of the room, muttering under her breath. Lindsay watched her go, a bemused look on her face. "You're probably gonna get her fired."

"Better her than me." Danny winced as he attempted to push himself off the bed and ended up grabbing onto Lindsay for support. "Let's get back to my place and let the healin' process begin."

"Easy, cowboy. You're injured." Lindsay placed a hand on Danny's chest, guiding him out. "We're going back to my place until you get better. The doctor says nothing strenuous until that hand is fully healed. Work or otherwise."

She smirked at the puppy-dog look in his eyes when he heard that piece of news. "You gotta be kiddin' me." Stopping in the middle of the hallway, Danny stared at her in disbelief. "I just had the best night of my life, and now you're tellin' me I can't have a repeat? Did they give you somethin' too?"

Lindsay laughed, covering her mouth with one hand and pulling Danny's arm around her shoulders with the other. "No, I'm just following orders. And you should consider yourself lucky…" she pushed open the doors to the hospital, guiding him into the cool evening. "Flack was next on the list of caretakers. I, however, took pity on you and decided to give up my social life so that you could get well. Honestly, Danny," Lindsay hailed a cab, pretending to be insulted while the grin on her face told another story. "Where's your sense of courtesy?"

Danny sighed. "I left it in the warehouse." He snaked his well hand under her chin, guiding her eyes to his. Gently, he pressed his lips against hers, feeling the softness of her mouth that he had craved ever since he had slipped from her arms that morning. "Thank you," he whispered, pulling away as a yellow taxi pulled up next to the curb. Lindsay simply nodded, guiding him into the cab first. The man is a god, for Pete's sake, she thought, grinning slowly. This is gonna be harder than I thought.

The ride back to her apartment was quiet, with Danny dozing off every few moments and Lindsay simply watching over her patient silently. When the driver stopped in front of her building, she paid him quickly and pulled a sleepy Danny out of the back, steering him up the stairs to the front door. Rummaging for her keys, Lindsay could feel Danny coming slowly back to consciousness. "We there yet?" he mumbled, pressing his face into her hair and neck. She nodded, sighing triumphantly when the right key presented itself and slipped securely into the lock. She took Danny to the elevator and punched the button for the fifth floor. The car creaked slowly into life and Lindsay felt herself deflate slightly. Almost there.

Danny leaned against her while she unlocked the apartment door, struggling to hold himself up. The combined effects of pain and the events of the day had left him feeling drained. As much as he hated to show it, he was tired and no one was more relieved than him when she got that door open and gently pulled him inside.

Lindsay didn't stop until she reached the bedroom, only hesitating for a moment to nudge open the door with her foot. If Danny thought it odd that she was putting him in her room, he didn't say anything, collapsing on the bed as soon as he was able. He felt her take his broken glasses from his pocket and put them on the bedside table. "I can't believe I've never seen your place before this, Montana," he muttered, breaking the silence.

Lindsay smiled. "Well, you show me yours, and I'll show you mine. This is mine."

"I know. I'm well aware. I kinda thought it'd be more feminine, you know? Have more of a girly feel to it."

Lindsay couldn't help it: she rolled her eyes at his tired words. "I don't do girly. You of all people should know that."

A gentle pressure on her hand made her look at his face in worry. Was she stressing him out too much? But Danny's eyes were closed and his face was void of all pain. "I only meant that I like what you've done with the place. God forbid you should be girly."

Lindsay smiled. "Well, aren't you sweet? Rest now, I'll make you some tea."

"Tea?" His voice was weak but skeptic. "I dunno, Linds…"

"You'll like it, I promise. I'll dig into my favorite store and make you some raspberry tea. It's the only kind worth having."

Danny smiled. "If you insist." His breathing gradually slowed and his face became passive, completely shut off from the world and yet, he was vulnerable all at the same time. Lindsay watched him for a moment before smiling and leaning down to kiss him gently. "Enjoy your snow day," she whispered, running a hand through his hair before creeping out of the room and shutting the door silently behind her.

And Danny Messer slept.

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Well… what do you think?