Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not have any affiliations or shares with CSI New York. :(

I was just so irritated by the ending of Ep.3.19 that I decided to write this. xD

Don't forget to review, loves. :

The Cow and The Beer Drinking Buffalo

(Lindsay's POV)

The jury's verdict was about to be read. The tension that hung in the air was so thick that it was nearly palpable. My heart was beating so fast and so loud that the noisy whispers the courtroom was making seemed minimal to my ears. The only thing that was bothering me was that I wasn't sure what was making my heart race so quickly. Was it the fact that my sanity relied on this jury's verdict or that Danny Messer was sitting extremely close to me, his soft, paced breathing sending shivers down my spine? I forced myself to believe it was the first.

I gave out a sigh.

Who was I kidding?

The trial had gone better than I'd expected. I didn't break down. I didn't beg for justice. I had told my story, brought back horrible memories, and finally put the past as the past.

But…

I still couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't look him in the eye. I couldn't come face to face with the man that had taken away my 3 best friends. And all the more, I couldn't bring myself to point a finger at him.

I might not have been able to… if Danny hadn't come.

He came through the door at the perfect time. His eyes immediately came to meet mine, as if he knew exactly where to look to find me. My heart had skipped a beat just seeing him. What was he doing here? Did he fly down to Montana just for me?

My mind went blank. Danny smiled at me and it immediately melted my heart. It wasn't one of his usual teasing, goofy grins. The smile was sweet, comforting and so full of love that I felt so overwhelmed all of a sudden. Overwhelmed with love for him. His eyes twinkled with courage and reassurance that gave me the strength to point out the murderer.

Now he was sitting next to me. So close, that I could feel the warmth radiating from his skin. Our arms brushed slightly and he turned to look at me. I gave him a small smile and to my relief, he returned it.

(Danny's POV)

She was so beautiful at that precise moment, even if it was obvious that she'd had sleepless nights these past few days. She had always looked beautiful to me. So beautiful, that it made my heart ache longingly. I quickly tore my eyes away from her gaze to avoid doing anything stupid.

All of a sudden, I felt her fingers lace uncertainly with mine. Without hesitation, I clasped our hands lightly together and brought them close to my chest.

The paper that held the verdict had been passed on to a member of the jury to announce. I felt Lindsay's nervousness and ran my thumb along the rim of her hand in comfort to tell her that I'd still be here no matter what happened.

Then it was proclaimed. The defendant was guilt.

Lindsay let out a long breath and I did too. As everyone jumped up in jubilant cheers, the two of us remained silent – no need for words. Lindsay laid her head on my shoulder in resignation. All I wanted to do right there was to kiss her and it took every fiber of my being to restrain myself from doing so. It just crushed me that I had to do that.

She suddenly stood up and I followed suit.

It was an awkward moment. I didn't know what to do and I just hoped I wouldn't do anything stupid. As I looked at her, her eyes displayed all the pain she'd been through and I didn't want to see her this way. I just wanted to scoop her in my arms and tell her that I'd protect her from anything.

It was heart-breaking to hug her so un-intimately – an embrace just for friends.

We let go thought I didn't want to. I could tell she was thanking me with her eyes, and by clasping my hand once more. She smiled, as if giving me the signal to start something between us. I smiled back.

Then I knew that I had to get her away from here. I knew that we had to be along, just the two of us. I simple had to tell Lindsay Monroe that I loved her.

I turned around, meaning for her to follow me. But I only felt her hold me back. Her eyes were twinkling. I smiled as she brought her head closer to mine, noticing her sweet scent, her thin, soft lips coming so much closer.

But just before our lips could touch…

"MISS MONROE! Could you answer some questions?"

(Narrator's POV)

Danny was nothing less than annoyed. So was Lindsay, but she only grinned in amusement at Danny's irritated expression. She teased him with her eyes, tucking her hair behind her ear to provoke him. Danny smirked. He knew she was teasing him but he also knew that the same thing was on her mind: Damn paparazzi.

Quicker than a bolt of lightning, Danny rushed her past al the paparazzi and she obediently followed. The deftly avoided all the cameras and microphones being thrust into their faces. Danny did not slow down until they were along outside, shielded by some trees, behind the car that he had rented.

Now that they were there, however, Danny had no idea what exactly he was going to do. Out of lack for words to say, he opened the car door, meaning for her to get in. Lindsay had to hide her disappointment.

"Danny… wait," she said softly, closing the car dor.

He questioned with his eyes in the way he was so used to. "You okay?"

"Did you, uh, forget something? I'll go run and get it…" he said frantically, scratching the back of his head.

Lindsay laughed and reached up to squeeze his arm.

"I'm okay now. Now that you're here."

Silence. Danny bounced on the tips of his toes. Lindsay looked at the ground, biting her lip.

"Thanks for coming down…"

"Stella was getting worried," Danny blurted out immediately. "Didn't stop bugging me about you and…"

"Oh," Lindsay said.

Danny wanted to kick himself. Why'd he have to lie? Couldn't he just tell her the truth?

"Uh, that was a lie," he suddenly said, feeling so damn stupid.

"Huh?" Lindsay questioned, wondering why Danny was acting so strange.

"I… didn't come down because Stella was worried," Danny drabbled.

Lindsay raised a brow.

"I just…" Danny started, coming up to lace their fingers gently.

"I really missed you, Linds."

Danny saw a smile tugging at the corners of her lips and his heart leapt. Lindsay was in total relief that he had finally come clean. Though she was surprised. She didn't know which of, the fact that Danny had actually called her "Linds" and not "Montana" or that he was actually being serious for once.

"Besides," Danny said, regaining his condescending tone. "New York City isn't the same without its cows, Montana."

He ran a hand smoothly through his gorgeous dirty blond locks and grinned.

Lindsay had thought too soon. Lindsay looked up to see the conceited, smirky Danny she knew and had missed terribly over the last couple of days. She punched him on the shoulder and laughed for the first in weeks.

"Montana doesn't welcome beer drinking buffalos, Messer," she snapped playfully.

He smiled and cocked his head at the car.

"Get in, Montana."

He spun around to walk over to the other side of the car but she pulled him back and planted a sweet kiss on his cheek. He was stunned but his face instantly turned into an unwanted shade of deep red.

"Thanks, Danny," Lindsay said shyly.

And she got inside the car and waited for him to snap out of his reverie. Danny stood awestruck for at least another minute, smiling goofily.

He had long decided that he loved Montana… both of them.