Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: New York or any of the characters in it. I'm simply having fun with them for a while. [finding no way in which to reinvent the standard entreaty not to sue, the disheartened author settles for a bracketed statement: fill in your own.

Chapter 2

"Danny? Are you okay?" asked Lindsay. "Danny, talk to me, please."

"I gotta talk to Mac," replied Danny.

"About what?" It was Mac's voice. The older man had approached the two, having just arrived at the scene moments earlier to see Danny terrify the ME van's driver. "What's going on?" he asked quietly. Mac, never one for showing much emotion, was visibly concerned.

Danny once again dragged his hand across his neck, as he often did when he was nervous or upset. His voice, harsh as if from holding back some strong emotion, startled Lindsay. "Two victims, no IDs, found with the flechettes from a HD/EP projectile—probably a forty-mike-mike—embedded in their bodies. M4 carbine was found a few yards away. Launcher's still missing. Needless to say this isn't the primary crime scene."

Lindsay, unfamiliar with this terminology, looked to Mac, who appeared worried.

"Look, I can't have you shutting down because this stuff brings back memories—" began Mac, sympathetic but firm.

"I can't work this case Mac," said Danny tightly.

Lindsay broke in. "Why not? Danny—"

Danny cut in. "Vic number two's name is Jim Manelli. I knew him, from back in North Carolina."

Lindsay was bewildered. "What are you guys talking about? North Carolina?" she asked, mildly hurt that Danny had kept such an obviously important portion of his life from her.

"You know we'll have to talk about this," said Mac, paying no attention to Lindsay, who watched the interaction between the two men with interest and confusion.

"Yeah," said Danny. "Not here."

Mac glanced fleetingly at Lindsay. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Okay." He paused before turning to Lindsay. "We'll see. It's been years, Danny. If we get someone to corroborate the ID, we'll talk. I'll still need you to work Vic #1. I don't have enough people to let you sit this one out. In the mean time, go home. Lindsay and I will handle the preliminaries. Come back in when you've got yourself together." His eyes softened. "Go home, get some rest," he reiterated. "Come back when you're ready. If we get another call, I'll let you know. We'll talk later."

Danny just nodded, in a daze.

"I mean it," said Mac. He watched, apprehensively as Danny walked away. He turned to Lindsay. "Go with him. He shouldn't be alone right now."

Lindsay started to follow when Mac stopped her. "Lindsay, just…be there for him. This case is bringing back some memories that he'd rather forget. He's going to need someone to help him through it." He glanced meaningfully at Danny's retreating back. "I have a feeling that you're that person."

Lindsay blushed. "Mac, I—"

"What you two have…It's a good thing." At Lindsay's shocked expression, he smiled slightly. "Lindsay, you work with a team of New York's best CSIs. Someone was bound to notice." He looked sheepish. "I'd be a hypocrite if I told you not to get involved with each other, I just want to make sure that whatever happens between the two of you doesn't affect the team."

"Of course," said Lindsay.

Mac paused before speaking again. "He will talk to you. Just give him some time. Now go," He smiled. "Don't leave him waiting."

She didn't need to be told twice. "Thanks, Mac," she said, "For understanding." She jogged over to Danny, where he was just about to get into his vehicle. She touched him on the shoulder. "Hey, hey," she said. "I'll drive you."

Danny didn't argue. He just nodded and walked toward her department-issue SUV. He got in the passenger side and buckled up, closing the door and leaning his head against the window.

Lindsay paused for a moment before starting the car, carefully studying his face. The blank look in his eyes scared her, and she drove for a few minutes before she dared to speak.

"If you want to talk about it—" she began.

"I can't," said Danny, more harshly than he intended.

"Oh, well…"

"Look, Linds…I'm sorry," Danny said, immediately regretting snapping at her. "It's just the body, it shook me up is all."

Lindsay kept her eyes straight ahead. "No, it's okay. It's not my business." Her voice was angry, but not at him. She was mad at herself for not being the kind of person he wanted to confide in.

"We've been datin' for six months, Montana. My business is your business," he said, with the ghost of a smile. Lindsay relaxed a bit. This was the Danny Messer she knew.

There was silence in the car for a few moments, while Lindsay decided how much to ask and Danny decided how much to tell. Both of them wondered how the other would react to what they had to say.

Lindsay spoke first. "So…North Carolina, huh?" Her voice was calm, nonchalant, but Danny knew her too well. She was interested.

"Yep," he replied.

Lindsay risked a glance. "And here I bought into that story of the guy who'd never left New York his entire life," she said with a laugh, striving for levity.

"Hey, I came to Montana for ya, didn't I?" asked Danny, pretending to be offended. He sighed. "Nah, I've been lots of places, seen a lot of things. Trouble is, most of the time, I just wanna forget 'em."

"The places or the things?" asked Lindsay, only half-serious.

"Both," answered Danny softly.

Lindsay looked at him uneasily. She didn't know what to say to that, and Danny didn't seem to want to elaborate. If there was anything she'd learned since beginning their relationship, it was not to push. He didn't push her to disclose every detail of her past, although he already knew most of the more difficult parts of it. She didn't push him to talk about his. Part of her knew that eventually, they would have to confide in each other if they had any hope of making their relationship last, but part of her was still afraid that once Danny found out all of her dirty little secrets, he would never look at her the same way again. It was a very small part of her that worried, and intellectually she knew that Danny was there for her no matter what happened to her fifteen years ago, but emotions weren't logical, and it was something she had to deal with.

It bothered her a little, that Danny's past was still such a mystery to her. Sure, she knew the basics—about his "connected" father, his Staten Island upbringing, his lost dreams of a baseball career, his "playboy" image—but it was as if all of the important stuff was glossed over in favour of a two-dimensional stereotype. She didn't know how well he got along with his family, why he became a CSI, what he did with his life before he joined Mac's team, but she felt guilty about asking him when she volunteered so little about her own life.

She pulled up to his apartment building and parked the car.

"You wanna come up?" he asked, knowing she probably wouldn't anyway.

"I can't," she said, genuinely regretful. "I have to get back to the lab. Mac's expecting me."

"Okay," said Danny, his face blank once again. He turned and unbuckled his seatbelt, reaching for the door.

"Danny," said Lindsay, reaching for his arm. "You'll call," she asked, "If you want to talk?"

"Yeah," said Danny tiredly. "I'll call."

Lindsay caressed a gentle hand over his face and gave him a kiss full of comfort and tenderness. "I'm off at three. See you then."

"See ya then," Danny echoed, and he got out of the car. He made his way slowly to the door to his apartment.

Lindsay waited until he let himself in. She started the SUV back up and pulled out of the lot. As she drove back to the crime lab, she couldn't help but wish that there was something more she could do.

A/N: I am so incredibly humbled by the positive feedback left regarding the first chapter. You guys rock my socks! Thanks so much.