Into the West
Author's Note: Hi, it's us again! We just wanted to say a big thank you to all of you who read Chapter 1, and a special thank you to those who left us reviews. Woo hoo! We are so glad that you liked what we've written so far. So, without further ado, please enjoy Chapter 2.
We would love to hear what you think of this chapter, so please leave us a review or send us a PM!
Special credit to rhymenocerous for betaing.
Rating: M
Chapter 2:
The early morning sun was finding its way through a gap in the curtains that covered the bedroom window. The sun was giving off a comfortable warmth and as Lindsay felt the first sun rays on her face, she smiled softly. She loved to be woken up by the sun rather than by the nagging sound of her alarm clock.
Sighing lightly, Lindsay stretched in bed, rolling onto her side as she instinctively reached over to the other half of the bed. She wasn't surprised as she found it empty already. This was the one big disadvantage of being in a relationship with someone who worked shifts as crazy as her own. Then again Clay loved being a police officer as much as she loved being a CSI. They had been born to have those jobs and she wouldn't change it even if she had the chance. Her job was her passion, even when she had to get up in the middle of the night and stand at a crime scene while she was freezing in the rain.
Blinking a few times, Lindsay tried to adjust to the bright sunlight before she managed to open her eyes completely. She squinted lightly; even the red curtains couldn't swallow all of the early sunshine. Summer was definitely on its way out, and she could feel the nights getting longer and the days getting shorter and colder. Fall was approaching and soon the icy cold would cover the land for the next couple of months. The wind would be blowing constantly. It would get so cold that it was impossible to spend more than a few minutes outside at a time, and the landscape would be covered with a thick layer of glistening snow. Winter in Montana was rough and hard. Winter in a big city like New York was nothing compared to the winters out here in Bozeman. Lindsay wondered if Danny knew that.
As her thoughts drifted to her new co-worker, Lindsay felt her cheeks heat up. Shaking her head, she chuckled nervously. It was strange that she was thinking about him again. She guessed he was probably still asleep. Many first time visitors to Montana found that the fresh mountain air knocked them right out at night, never mind that he had just flown more than halfway across the country. It was also possible that he was awake already, maybe even nervous about his first day at work where he would meet his new coworkers for the first time.
It was a whole new world, a real fresh start. The city boy had moved into the wild country of Montana. She wouldn't be surprised if he was nervous, possibly even afraid. As a gesture of friendship, she had offered to come by and pick him up in the morning. She had told him that it was no problem - they were working the same shift anyway. Besides, they didn't know whether Mac would want him to report to the lab or to a crime scene first thing in the morning.
A smile lit her face as she remembered the conversation they had had about her offer. He had told her that he would be just fine. She had asked him how he figured he could get to work without a car, reminding him of the fact that the streets weren't filled with taxis. Also, public transportation couldn't be compared to New York at all. He had only stared at her for a moment and told her he needed a car. She had promised to help him and find one after his first shift.
Danny - her new co-worker. Once again Lindsay felt her cheeks redden. When she had first heard that Mac had hired a new CSI she had been determined to not like him. Now, early this morning one of her first thoughts was of him. Obviously she had already started to like him. She thought that her original intent to dislike him right away was a bit out of character for her anyway. She was welcoming to everyone and Danny seemed to be a nice person. Although he seemed reserved, he was friendly and she couldn't help but feel that they would get along very well. Besides, it wasn't his fault Marty had gotten himself fired.
Sighing softly, Lindsay pushed the blanket away and made her way over to the window. Again she blinked as she pushed the curtains aside to open the window, instantly being blinded by the bright sunshine. She took a deep breath of the fresh, already warm air. Another rich, beautiful day in late summer was awaiting them. And once again she caught herself wondering what Danny was doing and if he was looking forward to this day as much as she was.
Danny was running late. He had overslept after his long journey across the country and was now scrambling to gather the things he would need for the day before Lindsay arrived to pick him up. He brushed his teeth while scanning the room with his eyes, trying to find his shoes. He could see one on the floor beside the bed, but the other one? He had no idea.
After he was finished brushing his teeth, he quickly rinsed his mouth out with a glass of cold water from the tap, then checked his appearance in the mirror. His blondish hair was carefully dishevelled and his face clean shaven. He was a bit nervous about his attire. At the lab in New York he had been required to adhere to the office dress code, which meant that he had worn a suit to work everyday for the past five years. However, he wasn't sure whether office policy here in Bozeman would be a little more lax or not, so Danny had opted for his version of business casual - a pair of tailored trousers, his favourite green t-shirt and a sports jacket. He really wanted to make a good first impression on his new coworkers, and he hoped that he would be able to blend right in with them.
Danny turned back into his room to begin the search for his missing shoe. He picked up the one by the bed and was about to bend down to look under the furniture for its mate when there was a sharp knock on the door. Danny made his way to the door, turning the deadbolt and unfastening the security chain before pulling it open to reveal Lindsay Monroe.
"Morning Lindsay," he smiled in greeting at her. He took in her appearance. She was wearing a pale pink blouse and grey dress pants and Danny was suddenly very glad that he had chosen not to go with his jeans this morning.
"Good morning," she said. "You ready to go?"
"Just about," Danny said as he held up his lone shoe. "Just trying to find the other one of these, and then I'm all set. I'll be just a sec."
"Okay. I'll be out in the truck," she said jerking her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the parking lot. "Don't take too long, we've got to get straight to a scene. Part of the team's already there waiting for us."
Danny nodded his head in understanding. "Be right there," he said as he watched her turn and walk back down the hall. He closed the door and turned back into his room. He immediately began a frantic search and was finally rewarded when he found his wayward footwear shoved deep under the bed. He dug it out and slipped into his shoes, then he grabbed his badge, wallet, keys and gun from the drawer of the nightstand and left the room, closing and locking the door behind him.
The car ride to the crime scene took longer than Danny had expected. Bozeman was bigger than he'd originally anticipated, especially when taking into consideration the neighbouring counties that the Bozeman PD had jurisdiction over. Lindsay had the radio tuned to a country station and she had quietly sung along to every song as she drove, gently tapping the steering wheel in time to the music. Danny had sat in silence, feeling the warm, fresh air as it washed over him through the open window, and trying not to think about the giant butterflies that were currently flapping around in his stomach. Eventually they pulled up to a large gravel parking lot on the edge of what Lindsay had explained was Gallatin National Forest. Danny gazed around at the familiar sight before him - police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, and as always the bright yellow tape roping off the crime scene. As he was about to open the door, Danny felt a soft hand on his arm and turned to see Lindsay looking at him with a small, friendly smile on her face.
"You're going to do fine today, Danny," she said. "Everyone's really excited to meet you."
Danny smiled back at her, grateful for her words of support, as his nerves had been getting the better of him on the drive over. "Thanks," he said. "I think I needed to hear that." She gave his arm one last gentle squeeze before hopping out of the truck and walking over to the crime scene. Danny closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he opened his own door and began walking over to join Lindsay.
"What do we know, Stella?" Lindsay asked a tall woman with wild brown curls.
"Looks like a hiker was attacked by a grizzly bear about 100 yards ahead on the trail," Stella replied.
"Okay," said Lindsay, nodding her head. "So, grizzly attack - that's a job for animal control. Why are we here?"
Stella peered at Lindsay over the top of her sunglasses before continuing. "Because according to the ME, the hiker appears to have sustained some severe wounds prior to the bear attack, including a gunshot wound to the leg."
"So what you're saying," Danny interjected as he caught up to the two women, "Is that someone injured the hiker in such a way that he wouldn't be able to escape to safety, and then left him to fend for himself against a grizzly?"
Stella looked at Danny with wide eyes for a moment before a warm smile broke out on her face. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," she said. "And you must be our new investigator from New York."
"That'd be me, Danny Messer. How you doing?" Danny said as he extended his hand for Stella to shake.
"I'm fine, thanks Danny. I'm Stella Bonasera," she said as she took his hand and shook it firmly. "It's really nice to finally meet you."
"You too," said Danny. "So, where do you want me to start?"
"Well, since you and Lindsay came straight here this morning, we packed a spare kit for you. Go grab it from the back of my truck over there and I'll get you to start going over the scene to see if you can find anything that points to a struggle before the bear attack."
"Will do," said Danny, smiling at Lindsay and Stella before heading over to Stella's truck. As it did every time he got to a new crime scene, his mind started to race through different techniques he would use to find and analyze the evidence. Right now he was thinking about finding out who had injured the hiker; How many of them were there? Where did they come from? He picked up the kit - he smiled as he saw the letters D. MESSER written in black felt pen across the top - and ducked under the crime scene tape to begin his first case in Montana.
They had been at the scene processing for about an hour. They had found evidence of multiple shots being fired, and Lindsay and Stella were off searching the area for signs of the missing bullets. Danny was back in the parking lot, going over some tire treads he'd found in the dirt there, as well as several sets of footprints found on the trail. Lindsay hazarded a quick glance over her shoulder at the team's newest CSI before turning her attention back to the tree she was examining for bullet holes.
Apparently her glance didn't go unnoticed by Stella. Lindsay looked up from the bullet fragment she had found embedded in the tree and saw Stella grinning at her. "What?" she asked.
"Oh, nothing," said Stella. "Just wondering how things are going with the new guy. He seems nice."
"Yeah, he's okay," Lindsay said, trying to keep her voice sounding nonchalant. She was finding it difficult though, because she truly found Danny to be a lot more than nice. She found him interesting, a bit mysterious, and very attractive. At the airport yesterday she'd thought that he was handsome. But after a good night's sleep, a shower and a shave he looked like a different person. Lindsay's pulse had quickened and the palms of her hands had suddenly become extremely clammy when he'd opened his door to her that morning. He had leaned casually against the door of his room, one shoe dangling loosely from his fingers, his hair arranged messily so that she just wanted to reach up and run her fingers through it. He had been adorably flustered at being unable to find his shoe, and she had returned to the car and had to turn the air conditioning on full-blast to counteract the overwhelming heat that was rushing through her body.
"Just okay?" Stella asked with a chuckle in her voice, snapping Lindsay's attention back to the present. "That's all that you can say? That he's just okay? The way you've been staring at him with your mouth open and your tongue hanging out all morning, I was beginning to think that you might need a cold shower when we get back to the lab."
"What?!?" Lindsay was horrified. Had she really been staring at him? She thought that she had been fairly good at sneaking little glances at him every so often, but that obviously wasn't the case if what Stella was saying was true. "I... I wasn't..."
"It's okay, kiddo," Stella chuckled at her friend. "Luckily I think that I'm the only one who's noticed." Lindsay felt a surge of relief wash over her. "And your secret is safe with me."
"Thanks, Stell," Lindsay said as she smiled at Stella. "I think it's just that he's new and it's weird seeing him here when I'm used to looking over and seeing Marty."
"Sure, sure," said Stella with a wink. "It's pure curiosity. Of course, why didn't I think of that? Those big blue eyes, the accent and that hot body have absolutely nothing to do it. Nope. None whatsoever. I totally believe you kiddo."
"Hey Stell," Lindsay asked.
"Yeah Lindsay?"
"Shut up," said Lindsay as she turned her attention back to her work, engrossed in the trace amount of gun powder she had pulled from the stump in front of her.
His first day in Bozeman had been exhausting and rough. Danny had to admit he had thought that in such a small town there wouldn't be as much crime as in New York City. He had been wrong. The Bozeman PD seemed to have as much work to do as the NYPD and his first case had him rushing across the city on search of suspects and witnesses. Luckily he had had Lindsay at his side all the time. Who would have expected the city was that big? He knew that soon he would have to get himself a car, otherwise he would be lost out here in the wilderness of Montana. Crime scenes wouldn't be conveniently located near subway stations, but somewhere in the mountains, the forest, or some other location where public transportation could not take him.
But although Montana was a lot tougher than he had imagined, Danny had to admit that after this first day he was even more convinced that his decision to move had been right. Montana was a sharp contrast to New York. It would take him a while to get used to the landscape, the different smells and the unnerving quiet. He was still startled by fact that he didn't hear the sound of honking cars or the sirens of the police when he woke up in the morning. Montana was so different to everything he knew and he for that he was truly grateful. He had left the past behind. He could start fresh.
Right now he was sitting in the locker room taking a break before he would finish up a few files and call a taxi to head back home. He was satisfied with himself; Mac Taylor had given him an appreciating look and had told him that he had done well on his first day. Lindsay had offered a wink and a smile, letting him know that if Mac had given him such a compliment, he should be really proud of himself.
Lindsay. The moment the fellow CSI found her way into his mind, he couldn't help but smile. He mentally thanked Mac for sending her to the airport to pick him up. She had been so nice and welcoming, and had even offered to pick him up, and she always answered all his questions willingly. She was the perfect example of what he thought a country girl should be. She belonged in this place. This was her home. She loved the country from the bottom of her heart and was proud to be from Montana, proud to have been raised on a farm. He found everything about her fascinating and the more he got to know her, the more he started to believe that there was a reason that she had been the first person he had met after his arrival.
"Pretty stressful day, wasn't it?"
A male voice caused Danny to snap out of his thoughts and look up. He had missed the man who had entered the locker room behind him. He was a tall, athletic man with dark hair and dark eyes, with a friendly smile on his face. He had seen him around a few times during the day but hadn't yet been introduced to him.
"Danny Messer, I presume?" he asked, offering his hand. "I'm Clayton Parker, Bozeman PD. But you can call me Clay."
"Nice to meet you," Danny answered, shaking the offered hand.
Clay nodded. "I'd have talked to you earlier but there was no chance. I made it my personal mission though to talk to you. After all Lindsay has said about you, it was on top of my to do list."
Lindsay. Danny could feel his cheeks redden a bit at the mention of the woman he had just been thinking about only a minute ago. He cursed himself for his behaviour; who was he to blush because of a new colleague? Even though he had to admit she was a very pretty new colleague. "You and Lindsay are friends then, I guess?" he couldn't help but ask.
Clay's smile widened as he opened his locker. "I'd say a little more than friends."
Danny found himself tensing at the man's words. He hadn't been prepared for this answer. "So you're...together?"
Clay nodded. "Yep. But don't worry, I won't rip your head off when you talk to her. She and Marty - the guy that you're replacing – were really close friends too. She gets along with men very well, which is not surprising as most of her interests are pretty...male." He chuckled. "She seems to really like you, even though she has known you for less than a day. I hope that means you'll fit in here really well. Linds is usually a really good judge of character and reads people well."
Danny didn't know whether to blush and be happy about those words or not. He knew it had been naive of him to expect Lindsay to be single, and being jealous of her relationship with Clay was childish. But even though he knew he was being slightly ridiculous, he just couldn't help how he felt. At least Clay seemed to be nice. He didn't seem to be the jealous type, not allowing his girlfriend to so much as talk to another man.
"So," Clay closed his locker again, "Do you still have a lot of work to do? Lindsay said you don't have a car yet, so if you want we can take you home after your shift. We were thinking about stopping at a bar for a drink or two on the way home."
Instinct told Danny to say 'no' to this suggestion, but he knew that it was caused by his irrational feelings of jealousy. He wanted a fresh start, and that meant getting to know his co-workers better and making new friends. And a few drinks with Lindsay and Clay would be a good step into the right direction. "Thank you, that'd be great," he said.
Clay nodded with a smile. "Fantastic."
Danny watched Clay leave the locker room before he released a sigh. Lindsay seemed to like him, which was great to hear. But as happy as he was about the fact that he was getting along with his colleagues so well, and had even managed to impress his boss, he couldn't help the strange feeling of loneliness that had suddenly crept up inside him since meeting Clay.
