A/N: Established AU. I want some pie.
"I can't believe she never came back to the table," Lindsay sighed as Adam slid his hand into hers and they started down the street. "I mean, what kind of waitress is that? Did you tip her?"
"You can't ask that, Linds. Not on a date."
"I wasn't asking how much you tipped, just if you did."
"As I was dissatisfied with her service, I tipped her accordingly."
Lindsay gave him a half grin, but her anger didn't dissipate and she continued to walk heavily.
"So first we go to that one arcade restaurant, but they're suddenly out of business. Then we end up at the diner, where they are out of Pepsi and I got a dirty fork."
"Are you going to recount the entire date hon?"
She smiled at the term of endearment still so new in their relationship.
"Then my fries were overcooked and your lettuce was droopy."
"Never say droopy around a man."
"And then she asks us if we want pie and when we said we weren't sure what flavor and she never came back again! Who does that? Yeah, we want to add more onto our bill but whoops, seems you don't care about lowly pie eaters. Was she mad at us because she's a cake person? Or maybe she's diabetic and was feeling rage at the injustices of the dessert world. Or maybe she was just coked out and forgot her name, much less that we wanted pie. I would have thought she was abducted by aliens if I didn't see her serving coffee to the entire rest of the free world for the next half hour."
"At least the company was good."
She stopped walking and smiled at him, reaching up to fix the collar on his shirt.
"Best second date I've ever had."
He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, close enough that he could whisper, but far enough that he could keep eye contact.
"I think I'm going to have to agree with that one. Wanna see how good the second kiss is?"
She giggled as his lips touched hers and they became locked in the most tenderly shy, yet overwhelmingly comfortable kiss either of them had ever experienced. He'd been wanting to kiss her all night and she'd barely been able to take her eyes off his lips and it scared them both because two weeks ago it hadn't been like this. But at the same time, it felt so right, so perfect and in better timing than either of them could ever have planned.
Slowly they broke apart and he pressed his lips to her forehead, keeping his arms loosely around her and marveling at how she fit so well against him. He'd never felt like this before and he wondered if it was because he'd never appreciated it or if it had never existed for him.
"So, did I make you forget about the pie?"
Her eyes stayed light but her face screwed up into a frown.
"You may be a really good kisser Adam, but nothing can make me forget pie."
"Maybe someday."
"Don't give up."
"I don't plan on it."
Perhaps she was reading too much into his statement, but her heart gave one strong pound and her stomach fluttered at the possibilities.
"So, want to do the agoraphobic thing and go watch a movie?"
"I'd be all kinds of phobic with you."
He laughed and she leaned against his side as they continued to walk the few blocks back to her apartment.
"Should we stop somewhere and get you some pie?"
"No thanks, I can live without it. What movie do you want to watch?"
"I don't care as long as you'll share the couch with me."
"Always."
They walked silently after that and a few minutes later were cuddled up on her couch, flipping through the movie channels to try and find something good to watch. She rested her head on his shoulder and played with his hand, staring at it in a way she never had, feeling suddenly like she had to learn it.
"What are you doin' hon?"
"Reading your palm."
"She says so nonchalantly, like I should have already known she was psychic."
"Quit teasing me. Do you want to know what it says?"
"Yes ma'am."
"I see a journey in your future."
"What kind of journey?"
"Short. Cold."
"Sounds interesting. Where am I going?"
"To the freezer to get your girlfriend some ice-cream. Ooooh."
"Are you psychic or a ghost?"
"Booooooth!" she replied in the creepiest voice she could muster. "Rocky Road!"
He laughed and put his hands on either side of her face, squishing her cheeks together.
"You are so cute."
"Kiss me and prove it," she mumbled. He obeyed quickly, then stood up from the couch and went into the kitchen.
"How many scoops?"
"Make it three. I'm not driving."
"Really Lindsay?" he asked, shaking his head. "Quoting Macaulay Culkin at me?"
"The fact that you got the joke so fast makes me think this whole dating thing was a really good idea."
"I concur," he said, bringing her a bowl of ice-cream. "The dessert you requested, your Majesty?"
"Ah, prithee, Court Jester, has thou a spoon… contraption in thy midst?"
"Verily!"
She giggled as he went into the kitchen and came back out with spoons for both of them.
"Couples ice-cream if that pleases the Queen?"
"It shall pass," she agreed as he resumed his position next to her. They both ate a few bites before she sighed and left the spoon in the bowl.
"What's the matter?"
"This isn't pie."
"We'll go back and get pie on our next date."
"Could that next date be tomorrow?"
"Are you eager for me or for pie?"
"You!"
"Oh good. Then yeah, whenever you want."
She smiled and turned in his arms a little so she could look up at him.
"Adam?"
"Yeah?"
"I really like you a lot."
"Yeah?"
"Very much yeah."
"The feeling's mutual."
The next morning she was practically skipping down the hallway, her heart light and her stomach still full of butterflies from the goodnight kiss in her doorway. There'd been something about it that told her that for as long as he kissed her, he would never stop taking his time like this. There was so much possibility there and she couldn't believe she was finally living something out of a movie.
"Morning Lindsay. You look exceptionally happy today," Stella grinned, falling into step beside her.
"I am. You're not looking so awful yourself."
"I found an apartment that I love. I mean, I really love this place. It has an amazing view and a doorman and there's a fireplace. You should come see it, it's perfect."
"I'd love to. When do you move in?"
"Next week. Now what are you so happy about?"
"I woke up with the sun. It's summer. My toenails are a pretty color."
Stella giggled and pushed open the door to Danny and Lindsay's shared office. The light was streaming through the window making the whole room seem so happy and cheerful.
Sitting on her desk was a plate and a fork with a hand written note. Curiously she picked it up, knowing exactly who it was from, but not sure what he had up his sleeve.
"The honor of your presence is requested this evening at nine o'clock for a pie party. Dessert will be provided; we will be serving three pies: Sour Cream Lemon, Sweet Montana Cherry, and Fresh Berry Trio. Please bring this plate and fork with you as your ticket to get in."
She giggled as she read it through again, amazed that he had remembered all three pie flavors that she'd been debating on last night and wondering where he'd gotten them.
"I love him," she breathed softly, shaking her head.
"Who?"
"Adam. He's a major dork."
"He's inviting you to a pie party?"
"We went out to dinner last night and never got our pie."
"So he's humoring you for the rant you did afterwards?"
"Exactly."
"Some woman is going to be really lucky when he falls in love with her someday," Stella noted with a smile. Lindsay just nodded, letting Stella believe that there was nothing going on. For now it was easier that way.
Both of their pagers beeped and they looked down, sighing in disgust.
"I'll get the kits if you get the coffee," Stella offered.
"Deal."
They went their separate ways and Lindsay managed to find two commuter mugs and enough coffee for both of them in the break room. She made them to specifications then snapped the lids on and headed for the elevators. Part way there she glanced into the lab and noticed Adam sitting at the GCMS. She wanted to run in there and hug the stuffing out of him, but she really couldn't do that, so she opted for knocking on the glass and winking at him. He winked back and held up nine fingers. She nodded happily, then had to tear her eyes away because if they kept this up too long, someone was bound to notice, and they just wanted to keep it between them for now.
"Good evening, mi'lady," Adam greeted, opening his apartment door at nine sharp that night.
"You cleaned."
"I had to or you could have gotten lost in the mess and I don't want that to happen."
She grinned and handed him her plate and fork.
"Am I allowed in to the pie party?"
"Yes you are. And we're almost ready to start, I just need you to cut the pies because I can't make the slices all the same size."
"Pies?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. She'd been certain he had just gotten a few slices of each.
"Yeah. I went back to the diner this morning and… well, you don't need to know my magic. Suffice it to say the manager was more than happy to help with my predicament."
"Adam."
"I told him he'd better not keep my girlfriend unhappy or I was going to pound his face."
"Adam."
"I just went in and bought three pies."
She giggled and hugged him tightly.
"I tried to get them to sell me 3.14159265 pies but they looked at me like I was nuts."
"Adam, you're awesome."
"You think so?"
"I know so. Now hand me a knife, I'm hungry."
He obeyed and in a few moments they each had a plate with three small slices of pie.
"C'mon," he said, opening the door. "This is just the staging area."
"Oh?"
"It's a rooftop party, didn't I tell you?"
Smiling, she followed him out of the apartment and up two flights of stairs to the roof. They sat down on top of a picnic table, and she criss-crossed her legs as they stared out over part of the city.
"You know, I think our waitress not coming back was a blessing in disguise."
"How's that?"
"Well this way you get to try all three pies and you don't have to choose."
"Plus it gave us an excuse for another date."
"Double bonus. So what do you think? Which pie is the champion?"
"Well, the lemon is good, but the consistency is off. I'd eat it again though. The berry is really good, and it has less seeds than I was anticipating so that's a bonus. It's a good breakfast pie. And the cherry is kind of perfect."
"You only like that one because it's Montana cherries in it."
"You know what, it's probably just regular cherries anyway, but that's alright. It's still good."
"So cherry is the winner?"
"Cherry is the winner. You?"
"I'm partial to the berry myself, but then, I've always been a berry man."
She snorted and rested her head on his shoulder.
"You know what?"
"Hmm?"
"I think that being here with you right now is more perfect than every pie in the world."
"Really?"
"Mm-hmm."
"So you don't need another slice?"
"I never will again."
He understood her meaning and felt words escaping him as he kissed the top of her head.
"Sweet Montana Cherry Pie," he whispered, earning a chuckle from her.
They sat there a while longer, watching the sun go down and not speaking a word to each other. They didn't need it and there was something so peaceful about just being together in a place where no one was, enjoying a view that no one else saw, having a moment that no one else would ever share.
"Adam?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. Tonight was perfect."
"You're welcome."
They smiled at each other and both knew that after tonight, they would never again need another excuse to have a date.