A/N: I don't own anything, unfortunately. All characters belong to CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer. There will be some references to and some spoilers for season 2 and season 3. Spoilers for Sleight Out of Hand.

Lindsay Monroe looked at the busy streets of her small Montana town, and battled with a range of emotions. She turned her head from the large picture window she was sitting next to, back to her coffee cup. She swirled the remainder of her coffee, before draining the cup. Only after she sat the cup down did she look at the man sitting next to her. She still couldn't believe he had come. Danny had walked into the courtroom that morning, he had come ridding in like some knight in shinning armor. And for that she was eternally grateful.

Danny looked at Lindsay when she moved again. She hadn't said much since they had left the court house and come here to this coffee shop. She had said she would like to get a cup of coffee and that she was supposed to meet someone here. So far, she had drained the cup, but no one had showed up yet. Danny was too tired and to happy to even care. She almost kissed you. It was the same thought that his sleep deprived brain kept repeating. He cursed those stupid reporters for the hundredth time in his head. But he was drawn out of his thoughts when he felt her hand slip into his, which he had rested on the table.

"Danny you haven't touched your coffee. Something wrong?" Lindsay asked concern evident in her voice.

"Ain't I that one who's supposed to be asking you that? I'm fine, I'm just tired."

"You look exhausted. But I am glad you are hear Danny." Lindsay said as she looked into his clouded eyes. It was then that she noticed the exhaustion he surely felt.

"Good. Somethin' just told me I should get on that plane last night."

"Did you sleep any?"

"The flight out was the only sleep I've had in days. I had a crazy shift, and then we were working this strange magic case. Mac told me to go home and take today off. I just hopped a plane and headed out west, thought a Montana vacation sounded good." Danny said as he smiled at her. He self-consciously ran his free hand against the back of his neck. He hadn't thought before he rushed to the airport and bought a plain ticket, he just did it. Now in the light of day, he wasn't sure the decision had been the right one. Sure, she seemed happy to see him, but was this really what she had meant when she said that she needed some space and some time to work things out?

Lindsay saw the indecision that passed over Danny's face and she knew her partner well enough to know what that look meant. Lindsay decided nothing she could say would make any difference, so she decided to act.

Danny was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't see Lindsay lean in closer to him. It wasn't until her face was less than an inch from his that he realized what was going on. Instinctively he closed his eyes; seconds latter he felt Lindsay's lips meet his in an intoxicatingly sweet kiss.

Lindsay was slightly concerned that she had made a wrong move, but as soon as Danny responded, returning her kiss with one of his own she knew that everything was right in the world once again.

The two pulled away after a lingering moment and Danny smiled at her as he reached up and tucked a strand of hair that had fallen loose behind her ear. Before he spoke, his Staten Island accent thick, "If I had known that was part of the welcome treatment, I would have been hear a lot sooner Monroe."

"We believe in a full service welcome party here in Bozeman." Lindsay said with a smile. She checked her watch, Doc you got another five minutes to get here, Lindsay thought. She wanted nothing more to take Danny home with her to her parent's ranch; she was tired of waiting in this coffee shop. "So when do you have to head back to New York?"

"To be honest, I haven't really thought that far ahead. I need to check in with Mac, but I've got a couple of vacation days saved up, I thought I might use them and stay a while. That is if you can point me to a decent hotel."

"Hotel, are you kidding Messer? You came all this way to be with me, my momma isn't going to let you stay in a crummy hotel. You will stay at the ranch with us for a few days until I get flight arrangements sorted out. I can't wait to get back to New York. I kind of miss that skyline."

Danny chuckled at that, he was glad to see that she was still feeling like herself, at least a little. He checked his watch, they had been there nearly twenty minutes, who ever they were supposed to meet was late, and all he really wanted was a bed. He was about to ask Lindsay if they could forget about waiting and head home when the door opened and he saw a young woman approach the table.

Lindsay smiled when she saw her friend enter the coffee shop, speaking "Bout damn time Doc."

"I know, I'm sorry you had to wait Linds. Those freaking reporters wanted to talk to me, I wasn't even a doctor let alone the ME when the whole thing happened but they all wanted to talk to me just the same. But, I guess you weren't alone. So this the cowboy you been tellin' me so much about?"

Lindsay blushed, and Danny tried to shake himself awake. He had a feeling he was going to like this woman.

"Shush, you always have to tell everything you know don't you? Liz, this is my partner, Danny Messer."

Danny felt the woman's eyes on him, and knew that he was being surveyed; he tried to wake himself and be presentable, but felt as if he wasn't being very successful. Liz for her part was impressed with what she saw. From the hand holding she saw going on and what she had heard from Lindsay over numerous phone calls this man was more than just a friend or a partner. She noticed the exhaustion and was even more impressed. He had obviously had little sleep, yet had jumped on a plane in the middle of the night, not knowing if he would be well received, just to be with Lindsay when she needed him the most. It was that action that made her think very highly of him, every woman needed a knight in shinning armor after all.

"And Danny, this is Dr. Elizabeth Warner, my best friend." Lindsay finished her sentence and looked at both of the other people sitting at the table. She knew each was appraising the other, seeing if they were worthy to be in her life.

Danny was surprised to hear the phrase best friend come out of Lindsay's mouth and he knew it was serious business. He looked the woman over. She was small, only 5' 4'' he would have guessed, and pleasant looking. She had long dark hair and flattering features, the most attractive were her eyes, and they were a shade of green he rarely ever saw. She was the type of woman Don Flack would have like, provided she was a little taller of course. What he noticed most about her was that her personality. She was nice, and he assumed she could be funny as hell, and rather mischievous. Granted he had hardly talked with her, but something about her screamed mischievous. He had a feeling he would like her.

"Call me Liz. It's nice to meet you Danny, I've heard a lot about you." She said as she extended her hand to shake his. She had a firm grasp he noticed.

"Nice to meet you too. Thought I have to say Montana hasn't said much about you."

Liz raised her eyebrows at Lindsay and mouthed the word Montana back at her. Lindsay she shook her head. Danny knew he was in trouble. Women who were so close that they could communicate without words always spelled trouble.

"So Linds, how are you doing?" Liz asked.

"Hanging in there. I am so glad it is all over. They finally can rest in peace."

"I know what you mean. Are we still on for tomorrow?"

"Sure. Hey why don't you come back to the house with us. I want to put this one to bed…" Lindsay said as she lovingly patted Danny's arm, he looked like he was dead on his feet. "but then we can talk. I am sure mom would love to feed you dinner."

"Sounds great to me, I have to run back to the office and grab a couple of things. I will meet you out at the ranch." Liz said as she stood up and left the coffee shop.

Danny wasn't sure what was going on, he just dutifully followed Lindsay when she tugged on his arm and lead him from the shop. Everything after that was a blur, he vaguely was aware that he was sitting in a well-worn truck and that after a short drive he arrived at a large house. With Lindsay's help, he was lead out of the truck, up the stairs and into a bedroom. He collapsed on the bed as soon as he saw it and was asleep by the time that Lindsay pulled the shoes off his feet and covered him with a quilt that lay on a near by rocking chair.

Lindsay smiled at the image of Danny Messer asleep in her older brother's childhood room. She took his glasses off his face, laying them on the bedside table and then pressed a chase kiss on his forehead, whispering, "goodnight Danny."

She then proceeded down stairs where her mom, dad and Liz were waiting each with their own barrage of questions, all of which she answered very patiently. She just couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Danny Messer, the New York crime labs resident bad boy, had flown half way across the country just to see her. It was a good sign and the perfect ending to an already excellent day. She was thrilled with the possibilities it all promised.

AN- Please let me know what you think, I enjoy reviews. Also I have an idea of where I want this to go, but if you are desperate to see something happen let me know, I would love to work off your ideas. If there were any spelling errors I apologize, I do my best, but sometimes things just slip through.