Lindsay sighed and leaned her head against the cool glass of the subway car, glad the day was finally over. It had been a long day, a horrible case, and all she really wanted was some chocolate. She caught her reflection in the window opposite her, and she stared at it for a moment, startled at the circles under her eyes. She'd had tough cases back in Bozeman, but not this often. She barely got her head on straight from one before there was something else to deal with. There was no time to breathe, much less decompress, and of course this time, the case had hit so close to home, it was almost paralyzing. It took everything in her not to start thinking about the diner, hearing the shots, smelling the blood.
She breathed deeply and got out at the next stop, wanting to walk more than she wanted to go home and rest. Her boots clicked on the pavement as she walked, wrapping her arms around herself as a shield from the wind. She was craving the smell of diesel tractors and fresh hay, the taste of warm apple pie that had been cooling on the window sill all afternoon, the sound of a truck coming up the gravel drive, the birds chirping in the morning, and her father's guitar playing softly at night. She wanted to run through the fields, her feet bare and dirty, the tall grasses licking at her ankles, then jump into the lake with reckless abandon. She'd spent so much of her life running, moving, escaping, but somehow always staying the same. Her foot scuffed at the concrete and she sighed, digging in her pocket for her iPod. She knew exactly what she wanted to listen to right now, and she crossed her fingers that it was still there. Popping the ear buds in, she sighed, turning the music up all the way. She had every single song from this artist memorized and had been listening to her for as long as she could remember. She chose a newer but still old album and hummed along, feeling the words pounding in her chest and wishing she could turn it up even more. This song had been released her junior year of high school, and despite the upbeatness and the catchy catchphrases, it had been just what she needed to hear then, and just what she needed again.
It takes a little time sometimes
To get your feet back on the ground
It takes a little time sometimes
To get the titanic turned back around
It takes a little time sometimes
But baby you're not going down
It takes more than you've got right now
Give it time
What's this walking thru' my door
I know I've seen the look before
Sometimes in faces on the street
Sometimes in the mirror looking back at me
You can't fix this pain with money
You can't rush a weary soul
You can't sweep it under the rug, now honey
It don't take a lot to know
She felt lighter now, but still in need of chocolate, so she headed for the bodega near her apartment. Grabbing a basket, she began to peruse the aisles, suddenly remembering the other things she needed. A toothbrush, some pens, hairspray, a pack of gum. She was reaching for a Hershey's bar when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around, ready to break the nose of the leech that dared touch her, but what she found was a pair of blue eyes staring back at her.
"Geez Montana. You're never going to land a man like that."
"You scared me, Danny."
"I didn't know my ugly mug would send someone screaming for the hills."
"Sorry. I was just in my own world and… hey, why am I apologizing to you? You were the one who snuck up on me."
"I called your name three times, I thought you'd gone deaf."
She grinned and pulled out an ear bud.
"My barrier from outside life. Apparently it works."
He grinned that sideways grin and looked down into her shopping basket.
"Exciting things going on here, huh?"
"Oh and what are you buying? Sports Illustrated and a six pack?"
"You sure know how to take a guy down a notch."
"It's my favorite hobby," she said, tossing a candy bar into her basket. She moved to the small line that had formed to check out, Danny falling in beside her.
"So what's on your agenda for the night?" he asked.
"Music. Cleaning. Bed. I should probably call my dad at some point."
"You lead a wild life, Montana."
"I'm wily," she shrugged, setting her basket on the counter. They each paid for their purchases and headed outside, walking slowly down the sidewalk.
"And what are your plans tonight, Messer?"
"Goin' to see Louie."
"How's he doing?"
"No change."
"I'm sorry, Danny."
He just nodded and they walked, both lost in their own thoughts until they came to her building. Standing on the bottom step so she was eye to eye with him, she gave him a little smile.
"I guess I should leave you to your music and cleaning and bed," he said, noticing the way she gently bit her bottom lip.
"And you'd better go see Louie," she agreed. "I'll see you in the morning, right?"
"Bright and early."
"Night, Danny."
With a grin he reached up and tugged on one of her curls.
"Night, Montana."