AN 1: Credit for the initial idea behind this story goes to xxAnGeLheArtZ at TalkCSI. But it is also dedicated to all DL shippers and especially to the lovely people at Talk's DL thread; I've tried to put some of the (many and sometimes crazy) things we've talked about during this summer in my story.

Spoilers: Mention of "Sleight out of Hand" and "Snow Day".

Disclaimer: Everyone and anything that sounds familiar is not mine.


On Wings of Love

Summer in the City

"Despite the heat it'll be alright"

-o-0-o-

The last rays of the golden sun slowly turned to orange and a bright pink, softly caressing the omni-coloured wings of the big beautiful butterfly. While it climbed higher and higher in the evening sky, the people and the world beneath were now too far away to see the reflection on its body, almost translucent in the extinguishing light of that day.

-o-0-o-

That same morning Lindsay Monroe had jumped out of bed long before her alarm had signalled. This time there was nothing that could make her try and get a little more sleep. She hurried into the bathroom to get ready for the day she had been looking forward to all week. While turning on the shower she smiled when she watched through the window and noticed that the weather forecast had been accurate; the sun appeared above the horizon to slowly rise in a cloudless bright blue sky.

After she had dried herself off, she put on the bikini she had bought to wear today. It was a brown coloured one that matched her eyes and somehow even managed to give her white skin a golden shimmer. It had been almost twenty years since she had last been to a beach and when Danny had found out he immediately decided that the first sunny day they had off together, he would take her to Long Island.

Smiling in anticipating of the day ahead she quickly finished dressing. She put on a wide dark brown linen skirt that ended just above her knees and a turquoise satin sleeveless top. After slipping on some brown leather flip-flops decorated with turquoise beads, she finished by packing her towel, a bottle of suntan lotion and the rest of her stuff in a large brown bag. With nothing left to do anymore she took a seat at her kitchen table to eat a light breakfast, read the paper and wait for Danny.

She could hardly wait to spend so much time with him. The last couple of weeks they both had been so busy with work, their friends and their hobbies that they only had seen each other at some lunch breaks, for a quick drink after work or to have dinner and his or her place. But whenever they were spending some 'quality time' together it was always cut short because one of them, or both, had been called away to go to yet another crime scene.

Determined to add another memorable day 'and night?' to her memories she quickly gathered her things and rushed down the stairs when he had announced his presence by honking the horn of the fancy car, disturbing the early morning silence and no doubt annoying some of her neighbours. But today Lindsay couldn't care and only smiled at his boyish behaviour.

Her smile grew even wider when she exited her building and saw him leaning nonchalantly against the car. His dark grey slacks and the tight green shirt accentuated his muscular body and the hungry look in his eyes when he noticed her, made her shiver. She hurried over and leant into him when he kissed her good morning before he reluctantly let go to put her bag in the trunk and let her get in the car.

-o-0-o-

They had left the city behind them, talked for a while and where now driving in a comfortable silence. Watching the landscape that surrounded them Danny found it hard to believe that New York City with all its smells and noises was 'just around the corner'. He sighed contently and looked to his right to admire how the warm summer breeze played with Lindsay's curls; twisting and turning them as if the wind was using it to reflect the sunlight in the most spectacular ways imaginable. He silently thanked Flack again for letting them borrow his bright red cabriolet.

They had been driving along the south shore for a few minutes now and as if she felt his gaze on her Lindsay suddenly turned and smiled at him. To Danny she had never looked more beautiful than in that instant. The majestic ocean with all its glorious shades of blue was behind her, she had a rosy glow on her cheeks and her eyes were sparkling even brighter than the sun above. Suddenly overwhelmed by his emotions he nervously grinned at her and still in shock he turned his eyes to the road again.

Lindsay studied his silhouette. He was taking her to a small beach where he had often been as a child. And driving through all those towns that seem to be put there solely to celebrate summer, she could just imagine him as a little boy; staring out of the car window with big blue eyes trying to take in as much as possible to lock the images in his heart forever. But the look she had just seen in his eyes was not that of a boy. For a second she had seen her own hopes and dreams of a possible future, reflected in the glance of the man beside her.

-o-0-o-

Still shocked by the feelings that had suddenly took her off guard, Lindsay tried to slow down her heartbeat by looking at the small village they had just entered. It was sweet, little and looked like it belonged somewhere on the English countryside. There was a certain atmosphere in the air that almost made it seem surreal. Languages from all over the world were echoing through the streets and since there even was a Spa and a little Zoo, Lindsay figured it was quite popular with tourists.

They slowly drove through the crowded streets. The people around them were smiling, looking happy. From an open window a song was drifting through the air. "A thousand miles seems pretty far, but they've got planes and trains and cars, I'd walk to you if I had no other way". Lindsay smiled when she recognized it. Somehow that song always reminded her of what Danny had done for her when she was back in Montana and how no distance could keep them apart.

"The world will never ever be the same, and you're to blame." Lindsay still hummed along smiling, when they turned the corner and she noticed the shop in the hotel lobby. She softly touched his arm to get his attention. "Danny could you pull over, please. I figured that if we're going to spend a day at the beach, we might as well get some fun stuff".

The enthusiasm in her face was contagious and he put the car in a free parking space a little down the road. "Okay Montana, let's see what they've got", he said smiling while they both exited the car.

Danny followed Lindsay who had already started walking back to where the hotel was. When she suddenly stopped right in front of him he bumped in to her, which made her lose her balance. He managed to grab her arm just in time to prevent her from falling face down on the street.

When she was firm on her feet again he winked at her "Whoa, watch out Montana! I don't want to be the reason you end up in the gutter".

She held on to him trying to make sure she had regained her balance. At his remark she mockingly looked up at him, pinched his cheek and gave him a devilish grin "Don't worry about that Messer. If I am ever going to end up down there, I'll make sure you're coming with me".

He started smiling too "That's a promise, Monroe! Now tell me what made you stop in the middle of the street".

She looked away from him; the grin gone from her face. Suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. No way was she going to confess that lately her mind was filled with images of how she imagined the rest of their life. They had only been 'really' together for a couple of weeks now and she decided that it was way too early to admit that her feelings for him had become so strong, so dominating and so undeniable.

So instead of telling him the truth she nodded to the right. "It's that house. Somehow when I was a little girl I've always dreamed of living in one just like that. I love those kinds of houses".

-o-0-o-

Danny, a little confused by her blush and the sparkle in her eyes, looked around to see what she was talking about. On the other side of the fence he saw the most adorable white cottage he'd ever seen. Its bright red shutters were glistening in the sun and the thatched roof gave it a very warm appearance. There was a sloping lawn in front of it that was bordered with flowerbeds in every colour of the rainbow.

He then noticed the big wooden swing on the lawn and he felt a lump in his throat. The thought of children running around on that lawn, laughing, playing on that swing or running around with a dog suddenly popped up in his head. He felt like he could almost see what they looked like; a boy, a girl and a big golden retriever, their hair shining in the sun while the ocean wind made the grass wave.

He felt Lindsay pull on his sleeve and when he blinked the image was gone. Knowing that she still wanted to hear his opinion, he looked at her. "It really is a beautiful house Montana", was all he managed to get out. He knew she had expected more and the confused look on her face confirmed that. But how could he explain to her something he didn't understand himself. So for now he just gave her an assuring smile, and still lost in thought he laid an arm around her shoulders to lead the way to the hotel.

He wasn't quite sure what had just happened, but he did know that the vision had given him a feeling of serenity; as if the sight of that house had truly opened his eyes. He now just knew for a fact that being with the woman beside him was the reason he had such a vivid imagination of life's possibilities that lay ahead. He shook is head and smiled in disbelief of his reflections.

Just before they entered the shop he looked down at the woman beside him again, apparently lost in thought too. He bent down a little and gave her a kiss on her forehead. She looked up at him and gave him the warm smile he so adored; and suddenly the idea that the summer breeze, blowing down the street, sounded a little like children's laughter, didn't seem that strange at all.


-o-0-o-

AN 2: Title and subtitle are from "Summer in the City" by "The Lovin' Spoonful" and the song Lindsay recognizes is "Hey there Delilah" by "The Plain White T's".

AN 3: Reviews are really appreciated. Txs!