A/N: I wrote this awhile back, just never did get to posting it, so here it is. Only a few months late. Haha. I have a few more post-eps brewing in my head, but wanted to get this one up before I worked on them.

Disclaimer: Characters you recognize are not mine. Scenes and dialogue you recognize don't belong to me either, just included them for continuity. The characters and scenes and dialogue are the property of their creators, who unfortunately would be someone other than me.

Lindsay stepped back into the witness box, resting her shaking hands on her thighs. She did her best to avoid looking towards the defendant's table as the bailiff recounted the charges and the clerk read back her partial testimony from the previous day. Desperately she wished the day was over and she was done with her testimony, reliving the events in her mind was bad enough, but to verbalize them made it infinitely worse. All she wanted at that moment was to run home to New York, and straight into Danny's arms. Two times he had held her close, and both times she had never felt safer. Lindsay began to respond to the lawyer's questions when the soft squeak of the courtroom door opening caught her attention. Glancing up, her breath caught in her throat. He was here. She needed him and he came. Danny.

Danny entered the courtroom hesitantly, he'd tried to get there before proceedings began but got caught up in traffic. Who'd have thought that a country state would have so many cars? Where were all the tractors? While standing outside the courtroom door before entering he could hear Lindsay speaking, her voice soft and subdued, it didn't take a genius to figure out she was recounting events she'd rather forget permanently. He looked up to see Lindsay sitting quietly in the witness box, straightening up when their eyes met. Danny tried to silently plead with his eyes "Don't be mad, I had to see you", before sitting in the nearest empty spot as the lawyer called Lindsay's attention back to the front of the room.

Strengthened by Danny's presence Lindsay finished giving her testimony with a stronger, steadier voice. She did not hesitate to point out the assailant, and Danny swung his gaze to study the man that hurt his Montana so badly. Tall, with dark hair and blue eyes he seemed slightly reminiscent of Flack, but that was where the similarities ended. This guy had a hardness about him, a callous look to his eyes and disinterest in the proceedings. Danny was struck with the urge to pummel the bastard who could take four innocent lives without a second thought then laugh about it, and recalled how Lindsay had trouble accepting pointless murders, in particular the Sara Butler case. He then decided that pummeling would not be enough. This guy deserved to burn at the stake for what he did.

He turned his gaze back to the front of the room where Lindsay was being excused from the stand and ushered to the witness room. He waited impatiently while the lawyers gave their closing arguments and the jury was instructed on how to proceed with deliberations. When the court was dismissed he jumped up and practically ran out the door. But Lindsay was not in sight. A short while later he saw her walking down the hall speaking with the lawyer who had questioned her, he assumed it was the prosecutor. Lindsay excused herself from the lawyer and approached Danny, her eyes shining in a way he had never seen before. But before either could speak the bailiff stepped into the hall and announced the jury was back with a verdict. Worry clouded Lindsay's gaze as she turned to enter the court room, Danny following closely behind. They silently sat together as the jury filed back into the room and the judge proceeded with reviewing the return. As the slip of paper was handed back to the jury foreman and the judge asked if a verdict had been reached Danny glanced over to Lindsay beside him, offering a reassuring smile. Lindsay impulsively reached over and slipped her hand into his, gripping tightly.

Nervously they sat waiting for the foreman to read the ruling, and Danny fell back against the bench in relief as the killer was announced guilty, lifting their joined hands halfway up in a silent victory cheer. He felt Lindsay sag in relief beside him, and turned to look at her as she leaned her head to rest on his shoulder. Standing up he pulled her into a warm hug, then moved to lead her from the room. Her hand still tightly held in his he stopped and turned back when he realized Lindsay had not moved. She stepped toward him, a smile on her face like he hadn't seen in months and he felt compelled to return that smile. Stepping closer she started tilting her head back and lifting her face up, and it was Danny's turn to have his breath catch in his throat. YES! This is really happening! Just before their lips touched the court room doors burst open and reporters and cameras flooded in, each clamoring to be the first one to get Lindsay's statement after the trial was over or get the first photo of her reaction. Stunned they both stared at the cameras for a few seconds. With a rueful smile Danny turned and muscled his way through the throng of people, Lindsay's hand still clutched firmly in his.

Once they reached the sidewalk Lindsay sighed. Damn those reporters, they had interrupted a moment, a very significant and important moment, and now that moment was gone. Turning to Danny she asked with a smile, "So, you hungry?" When he merely gave her a look with his eyebrows raised she laughed. "Come on, I know this great diner."

M&M's ♥ M&M's ♥ M&M's

Fifteen minutes later Danny and Lindsay were sitting across from each other in a vinyl booth at the back of a diner a few blocks from the courthouse. Danny looked around, studying the décor. He'd only seen diners like this in movies and was fascinated to know they really existed. Lindsay smiled at his child like wonder and flipped open the menu, glancing at it briefly before closing it again. She'd been coming to this diner since she was a little girl, and got the same meal every time.

Taking on one last glance at his surroundings Danny turned his attention to the woman before him. "This place is pretty cool. Is that a working soda fountain over there?"

Lindsay glanced behind her. "Yup, and they make the best root bear floats here." She turned back to face him. "You'll have to try one."

They sat awkwardly for a few moments then both began to speak at the same time.

"So how's-"

"How are you-"

With a nervous chuckle Danny gestured with his hand. "Ladies first."

"So how's things going back home at the lab?"

"Been busy, had some real crazy cases. There was a guy who was convinced the world was going to end so he built a huge ark and charged people to get on it. Had two of every type of animal on it and everything."

Lindsay smiled. "Sorry I missed it, did you catch the guy?"

"The guy was the vic. Turns out he had some sort of blood poisoning that was making him crazy, the killer was an ex-partner he had paid off with counterfeit money. Oddly enough, the counterfeit money was payment from one of the couples on his ark."

Lindsay nodded. "God I miss the lab. I miss working and solving the puzzle of 'who done it.' Any good gossip I've missed out on?"

At that moment the waitress chose to come to their table, order pad in hand. "Hi, my name is Wendy and I'll be your waitress today. Can I get you anything to start?" She spoke with a distinct southern twang, and had her eyes glued to the floor.

"I'll have a coffee please," Lindsay responded and the waitress turned to Danny, briefly lifting her gaze.

"Same here," he said and the waitress jotted down their order. As she walked away Danny returned to the conversation they'd been having before the interruption.

"Peyton and Mac are an item."

Lindsay's jaw dropped open. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before managing to get out "What? How? When?"

Danny laughed at her confusion. "You could have knocked me over with a feather when I found out. A few weeks ago, on Valentine's Day, I had a case where the vic was dead in a tub full of water, no apparent cause of death so I called for an ME. Peyton shows up, Mac with her. I asked him about it being his night off and he said to me, and I quote, 'It is. Peyton got called in, and I'm with her.' Took me a few seconds to process. Apparently I was the last to know, until you of course. Even Flack knew about it."

"Wow. Well, guess we know where Mac stands on inter-office relationships." She shifted in her seat and lifted her gaze to his. Before Danny could say anything Wendy returned with their coffees.

Setting down the cups of coffee and a small pitcher of cream she pulled her order pad back out. "So, you guys know what you want or do you need more time?" This time her gaze was directed straight at Danny.

"I'll have waffles with fresh strawberries please." Lindsay was practically fuming, did the waitress have no shame? She was practically undressing him with her eyes right there at the table!

Danny glanced down at the menu in his hands. "Uh, burger. Medium well, with fries. And a root beer float, please." He politely smiled at the waitress as he handed over his menu. As the waitress walked away, with considerably more swing to her step than before, he looked back at Lindsay and nearly burst out laughing.

"Hey Montana, I can see the smoke coming out of your ears."

Lindsay blinked a few times before responding. "Sorry, I just find it rude for a person to virtually strip someone naked when he is obviously not lacking company. Hussy."

With that Danny did burst out laughing. "Geez Montana, never knew you had it in you."

She smiled in return. "How much you want to bet she either messes up my order, or asks if you're free tonight."

"You're on. Loser has to pay the bill. Deal?"

Lindsay considered for a moment, then nodded. "Deal."

M&M's ♥ M&M's ♥ M&M's

They spent the next fifteen minutes chatting idly. Reviewing cases, catching up on lab gossip. When the waitress returned bearing two plates in her hands they went silent, leaning back to allow her more room to set down the plates.

The waitress set down Danny's meal first. The thick, juicy burger was grilled to perfection, and there was a heaping pile of fries. The waitress winked at him as she said, "I asked the cook to give you some extra fries. You looked like you could use a good meal."

She set Lindsay's plate down without a word and turned back to Danny. "Do you need anything else right now?"

Danny looked up from unrolling his silverware from the napkin. "Uh, no. I think we're good, thanks."

As the waitress sashayed away Lindsay looked down at her plate and grimaced. Looking up at Danny she said, "I hope you brought your wallet Messer, dinner is on you."

"She didn't."

"Oh, she did. I asked for waffles with strawberries, I got pancakes with strawberries."

"At least she got the strawberries part right," Danny shrugged as he poured ketchup onto his plate.

Lindsay threw her wadded up straw wrapper at him. "You don't even realize it, do you?"

"Realize what?"

"When you have the Messer charm turned on. All you have to do is walk into a room and women just start tripping over themselves."

Danny grinned. "I think you're jealous."

Indignant, she sputtered, "I am not jealous."

"You are! I can see that little green monster shooting sparks at me from your eyes." Reaching over he took her hand in his. "I am not interested in that waitress. I barely even noticed her. After all, I'm on a date with you so why would I risk messing it up by looking at another woman?"

Lindsay frowned. "We're on a date?"

Danny nodded. "We're sitting together at the same diner in the same booth eating a meal at the same time, and I'm paying the bill at the end. In my book, that qualifies as a date. Now, can I please eat? I'm starvin' here. You know they don't offer meals on airlines anymore unless your flight is eight hours or something crazy?"

She nodded as she released his hand, brow still slightly furrowed. How had getting a simple meal together, on his tab, turn into a date? With a soft sigh she picked up her fork and dug into her pancakes. They weren't as good as the waffles but right now she was hungry enough to eat a buffalo burger.

After their meal was complete and the waitress dropped off the bill, showing more cleavage than she had earlier, Danny went up to the register to pay the bill. As Lindsay watched she saw him speak to the clerk and gesture towards the waitress, pointing at something on the bill. The clerk nodded apologetically and a few moments later Danny returned to the table, grinning.

"The manager is very sorry your order was screwed up and deducted it off the bill for us."

Now Lindsay was grinning. "So then that means we weren't on a date."

Frowning Danny tried to sort out the logistics of her statement. "How do you figure? You, me, a meal together, I paid the bill. A date."

"Ah, but you didn't actually pay for my meal. You just paid for your own. So therefore, since you did not pay for me to eat, we are not on a date."

Begrudgingly Danny shook his head. "You're sneaky, Montana. I can't find fault with that logic."

As Lindsay excused herself to use the rest room she spotted Wendy the waitress glance over and noticed how her face lit up when she saw Danny sitting alone. She hurried her use of the facilities and as she approached the table slowed her steps. Wendy was there, sitting in the booth opposite of Danny and leaning forward to speak to him, providing ample opportunity for him to peruse her over exposed cleavage. Trying not to appear obvious Lindsay listened in to their conversation.

"So anyway, I get done at seven, and there's a really great restaurant not far from my apartment. We could get some dinner, go back to my place for a nightcap…" Wendy leaned forward, exposing even more cleavage, if that was somehow possible.

Danny cleared his throat uncomfortably. Shifting in his seat he looked at the waitress. "Look, I'm sure you're nice and all, and I'm flattered, but I'm not available. In case you didn't notice, I was here today with a very special woman and I don't want to risk messing things up with her."

Lindsay smiled softly as the waitress sighed. "Well, can't blame a girl for trying. If anything changes you just come on back here and look me up." The waitress gracefully slid from the booth and headed towards the kitchen. Lindsay waited a few seconds before returning to the table.

Danny grinned, "Ready to blow this popsicle stand?"

Lindsay smiled in return. "Yeah, I'm ready."

The two headed towards the door, hand in hand. As they exited the diner Lindsay turned to Danny.

With a mischievous look she told him, "For a first date, that wasn't too bad. But I bet you can top it when we get home and have our second date."

Danny opened and closed his mouth a few times in shock. Smirking, he replied, "I accept that bet, and I dare you to top it with our third date. Your selection."

Lindsay smirked back, "I, accept that dare. Now let's get going and head home, I want to see what you come up with for Thursday night."