Disclaimer: I don't own any of the people that sound familiar.

Spoilers: Based upon spoilers for season 3 episode 14 and 16

A/N: Lindsay returns and things are still not okay. Since nobody actually knows how these spoilers will turn out most of this is my speculation.

Drop the banana!

Almost 9 o'clock. Danny was hurrying towards the locker room. It had been a long day and he just wanted to go home and relax a bit. When he turned the corner he almost ran down Stella who came from the other side.

"Hey, Danny, watch it! What's the rush anyway?"

"Oh, hey Stel, sorry I didn't see you. I just wanted to pick some stuff up and get the hell out of here, get home and have a good night sleep!"

"Are you not gonna talk to Lindsay tonight?"

"Why? Is there any news?"

"News, what do you mean? You don't know that she's back yet?"

"She's back! Since when Stel?"

"She landed late last night. I'm just curious why she hasn't contacted you yet. She called me at 7 this morning, right before I had to go to work, and asked me not to say anything to anyone yet because she wanted to talk to you first. She seemed quite determined to talk to you as soon as possible."

"Well, I haven't heard from her. Not a message, not a phone call, nothing. So perhaps it was not as important as you thought. And if you'll excuse me, I'm heading out now!"

Stella watched him walk away quickly. She knew he was mad and quite frankly she didn't understand Lindsay's behaviour either. "Strange..." she whispered while she walked to the lab.

As Danny walked to the subway he became more and more agitated. He had just about had enough of little Miss Montana. First she stood him up, then she said she liked him –a lot – but needed some time to work some things out, then she suddenly went to Montana leaving him only some –although he had to admit very sweet- card saying that she would explain everything once she's back. And now she was back and still nothing. "Well you're gonna talk to me, Montana, whether you like it or not!" he thought while he stepped on the train.

-o-0-o-

"Young man, can I help you?"

Danny stepped back from Lindsay's door to greet her elderly neighbour. He was frustrated because she either wasn't home or wasn't opening her door. Pulling his fingers through his hair he took a deep breath and tried to look as friendly as possible. "Well yes m'am, I'm a colleague of Miss Monroe and heard she was back so I decided to check up on her, but it seems like she's not home".

"Oh, bless you, you're a cop too. I'm just so happy living next to one. It gives me a safe feeling and Lindsay is such a sweetheart. And you know…"

Trying hard not to sound impatient Danny interrupted the lady. "Well I'm glad you're feeling save m'am, but I'm kinda in a hurry. Do you perhaps know where she is?"

"Yes dear, you've probably just missed her. She came by to ask me if she could bring me anything from the supermarket down the street, so I guess that's where she is. You can wait here if you want."

"No that's okay; I think I'll try to catch up with her."

While he hurried back to the elevator Mrs. Baker closed the door mumbling. "Nice young man, I wonder what is so important?"

-o-0-o-

"Lindsay Monroe, can I talk to you."

Lindsay dropped the bag of apples she was just about to put in her shopping cart when she heard the same words she heard a while ago. She slowly turned around to see – although she knew better - if her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. When she came face to face with him she blushed and sighed. "Hey Danny, guess what…I'm back."

"I know that Monroe, hell I think the whole world knows by now. The only thing I don't understand is why I was probably the last to find out. When were you planning on telling me; your first day back at work?"

"Well, poor Danny. Seems we're both the last to find things out aren't we? Who are you to follow me and judge me after what I found out this morning."

"Oh and what did you find out this morning that suddenly prevented you from talking to me and finally telling me what has been bothering you the last few month. I have been patient, Lindsay, but that stops right here and now. Spill it!"

When he became angrier Lindsay had stepped back until she stood against the fruit stands. Just then the tiny shop owner, clearly uncomfortable with the situation, stepped up to them. "Is everything alright here Miss?"

Before she could answer Danny pulled out his badge holding it up for the shop owner. "Police business, sir! Please be so kind to let me handle this. This lady and I will be out of here in no time."

The shop owner wiped the sweat of his forehead and quickly walked away. When he passed the large group of shoppers who where clearly enjoying 'the show' he hissed: "Come on people, get moving let the Police Officer do his job".

When she had noticed all those people walk away, the embarrassment – who knew what everyone was thinking – made her mad and react impulsive. She took the first thing she could get her hands on out of the fruit stand and started poking him in the chest with it, underlining her words.

"So you have been patient right! Then how come I saw Jennifer Angell leave your apartment this morning. I know I kept you at a distance, I know I have been a coward not trying to talk to you before I left and just leaving you a card, but I always thought that there was something between us; something that was worth fighting for. So when my 'fight' was over I couldn't wait to see you this morning, to finally give us a chance; so imagine how I felt when I saw her there at 8 this morning!"

By then he had started to smile. "So you were jealous; that's interesting. Well for your information I hadn't seen Angell in two weeks. The last case she and I worked on together got us in an awkward situation. Her boyfriend had just left her and you had been in Montana for two weeks without a word, so when we got into a busy place and she almost fell and I caught her there was some sexual tension between us, but…"

"Two weeks ago, that's about when you left me a message. You must have felt guilty about something" Lindsay interrupted him.

"Well, if you stop interfering I can explain that. At the same moment our instincts were about to take over, somehow we both felt that it was not what we really wanted. She didn't want to ruin our friendship and I knew I could never be with her when you were all I could think about. So perhaps that's why I called you; I just wanted you to know that I really did miss you and was hoping to hear your voice."

"Oh, Danny I'm so sorry. I wish I had known that. But you called right before I had to go into court and later I decided that I really wanted to tell you in person and not over the phone what had been happening. So that's why I sent you that text message the next day saying that I missed you too and would tell you everything once I was back in New York."

"I know. I got that message and although I was hoping for more I was happy to at least hear something from you."

She started smiling too. "I've acted so stupid around you lately, but once I've told you everything I hope you will understand…Wait! You still haven't told me what Angell was doing at your place this morning! I know I had no right, but it really felt like I lost something I never had when I saw her. I felt so sad and betrayed." By the time she got to that last sentence, she was almost whispering.

"Well it was nothing really. We both have to testify in that case I told you about and she just dropped of some stuff to read before she went to work and to check if we were still okay since that incident from two weeks ago. So can you please drop that banana now, so that we can get out of here?"

Lindsay blinked when she didn't quite understand what he was saying only to start blushing like a school girl when she looked down and saw that she was still 'threatening' him with the banana she took out of the fruit stand earlier. When she noticed the smirk on his face she couldn't help but smile too and point the banana at him again. "Okay, since you seem to enjoy my 'weapon' so much, Messer: put up your hands!"

Still smiling he put his hands up in the air. "I surrender officer."

"Now that's something I like hearing" she said. "And since you're all vulnerable and at my mercy I'm gonna do something I have wanted to do for a long time." And before he could ask or say anything she took his face in her hands, leant in and kissed him. "Oh my god, I'm kissing Danny Messer in the middle of aisle 7" was the last sane thought she had before he started kissing her back. She finally dropped the banana and didn't even notice it landing next to the long forgotten bag of apples.

"Ahem, so this is police business?" They both jumped apart when they heard the sarcastic voice of the shop owner. Lindsay started giggling as Danny tried to keep a straight face. "Well I've done a thorough investigation, sir" he started before he had to push Lindsay with his elbow to have her stop laughing "and so far the only crime this lady is guilty of is stealing my heart" he concluded while winking at her.

Lindsay who was now laughing out loud took his hand to pull him towards the cashier; waving to the shop owner who watched them leave with an astound look on his face. "Come on Messer, let's drop of Mrs. Baker's groceries and I'll fix us something to eat so I can tell you everything."

"Wow Montana, you're gonna feed me, that trip must have really changed you!"

Lindsay smiled, the smile that reminded him of the old light hearted Lindsay he loved so much. And when they stepped out into the street together, their future was about to begin.

-o-THE END-o-

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