Title: Snow Over Wheat Fields
Fandom: CSI:NY
Characters: Danny/Lindsay
Prompt: 060. Lonely
Word Count: 974
Rating: G
Warnings/Spoilers: None.
Summary: Lindsay misses New York and a certain Staten Island native at Christmas time. 100moods challenge 060. Lonely
Snow covered fields stretched on for acres. Dense snow filled woods bordered the fields. It was a sight she'd seen every year for as long as she could remember. Usually the brilliant white view made her feel warm and happy. This year, looking at all that lovely snow, all she felt was cold.
The skyline seemed dull and boring. Just trees as far as the eye could see with a few farms here and there. There was no diversity, no enormous skyscrapers reaching for the stars, no Lady with her torch symbolizing freedom. She missed the New York skyline.
If Danny ever found out that I'd prefer that skyline to wheat fields, I'd never live it down.
Lindsay sighed. It was Christmas Eve, she was in Montana at her parents' ranch and she was lonely. She thought she'd been lonely in New York, so she'd come home for Christmas, but now that she was home she felt lonelier than ever. For the whole two days she'd been here, she kept thinking about New York and her friends there. She wouldn't admit is, but one friend in particular was on her mind.
Every time something especially country caught her eye, she'd wonder what Danny would say about it. She thought about the confusion he'd cause if he called her Montana while they were actually in the state. She laughed to herself thinking up jokes he might make about living on a ranch. She sighed again and wished she'd said goodbye to him before she'd left.
"You okay, honey?"
She turned around and smiled a little.
"I'm fine, Ruth. Just thinking."
"Now, honey, I may not be the brightest bulb on the tree, but I wasn't born yesterday," Ruth said. "That look was not a thinking look. It was a sad and lonely look."
Lindsay looked at her hands while her step-mother sat down beside her. Ruth was always great to talk to, so she thought she might as well tell her.
"I miss New York. I missed Montana when I was there, but now I miss New York more."
Ruth smiled and laid a hand on Lindsay's arm. "That's what's bothering you?"
Lindsay nodded.
"Honey, that just means New York is home."
Lindsay looked up and frowned. "It does? But Montana's always been home."
"Montana will always be here for you, Lindsay," Ruth said. "No matter where you go or what other homes you have. We'll be here."
Lindsay smiled. Like Danny, Ruth only used her name when she was being serious. Lindsay realized all of a sudden that Danny's nickname made her feel just as at home as Ruth's.
"I miss Danny," she whispered, not even noticing that she was talking out loud.
"That's just love, honey," Ruth said. She patted Lindsay's arm and got up.
Love was not something Lindsay had considered when moving to New York. She didn't think she could be in love with Danny. She didn't fall for bad boys. Not that Danny was all that bad. He just seemed like it. In fact, he was actually really sweet and caring. He brought her coffee when she pulled a double and he always knew just how to cheer her up. She spent a lot of time thinking about him; too much time for someone who was just a coworker or friend. For a minute, she tried to think what her life would be like without Danny in it. She didn't like the thought at all.
"I love him. I love Danny," she said, testing the words. They seemed so natural. "I wasn't homesick. I was lovesick."
Lovesick wasn't exactly something she wanted to be, but the scientist in her appreciated knowing the cause of her problem. Outside, it started to snow and Lindsay wished she had stayed in New York or at least said something to Danny before she left. She wished he was there so she could explain it to him. Montana seemed so far from New York all of a sudden.
The snow was falling thicker and she saw a figure struggling up the driveway dragging some sort of box. Only her brother and his family were expected, but this was just one person, so she couldn't think of who it could be. She grabbed her coat, put her gun in her pocket and went to meet the stranger. As she got closer, she recognized the walk of the person and stood shocked on her own driveway.
"Danny?"
He looked up and smiled.
"Nice weather you've got here, Montana."
Her face lit up like a Christmas tree and she knew it. She ran up to him and only just stopped herself from hugging him. She didn't feel quite so confident about being in love with him, now that he was actually here.
"What are you doing here?"
He let his suitcase stand in the snow and leaned on the handle.
"Couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye," he said with a cheeky grin. "Plus, I haven't given you your present yet."
"You came all the way from New York. I think that's present enough. Won't your family miss you?"
He'd raised an eyebrow when she referred to him as a present, but he answered her question without any inappropriate jokes. She was very glad he ignored her slip.
"Mama'll miss me, but the other will be happy not to have to talk about the mob in code and pretend that I don't understand it."
"Well, I'm glad you're here," she said.
"Me too."
They looked at each other for a moment while the snow swirled around them. As they stood there, she felt something shift. It might have been something between them, or just something in her. It felt almost like something sliding into place.
Whatever it was, she knew she wouldn't be quite so lonely ever again.