Authors Note: Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate all of them :)
Chapter 4 (Last Straw)
Lindsay was excited for the first time in a long time to go to work. She knew things were better with Danny. It wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination but it was better and she knew she wouldn't have to walk of eggshells around him anymore. As she approached the building she was surprised to see Clint Davies waiting in front.
"What are you doing here?" Lindsay asked annoyed
"I thought we agreed to talk today" Clint said to her "We'd work on things"
"There is nothing to work on" Lindsay told him
"I couldn't reach your cell so I thought stopping by was the next best thing" he shrugged
"I changed my number" Lindsay told him "So you'd stop calling me"
"Why would you want that?" Clint asked her and he sounded so hurt "I thought we agreed-"
"Look I don't know you" Lindsay told him "I don't know how many times and different ways I can say it"
"But I care so much about you" Clint pleaded
"How is that possible? You don't even know me" Lindsay told him bluntly
"I know you're from Montana" Clint started "I know you survived a terrible crime, you have three brothers-"
"How do you know all this?" Lindsay asked him
"Because I care enough about you to find out" Clint told her
"This stops now" Lindsay warned then turned and walked into the lab. As soon as she stepped in she dialed Flack's number
"Flack" he responded into the phone
"Hey it's Lindsay can you meet me at the lab?" Lindsay questioned
"Sure you alright?" Flack asked
"Yea just get here soon" Lindsay told him
"Yea I'll be there" Flack said then hung up
A few minutes later Flack was walking towards the elevators to bring him up to the lab when he saw Lindsay in the lobby
"Flack over here" Lindsay said waving him over
"What's going on?" Flack asked "And what number did you call me from?"
"It's my new number I had to change it" Lindsay told him
"More problems with Clint Davies?" Flack questioned crossing his arms
"He knows which apartment I live in and he showed up here this morning" Lindsay confided
"Alright so now we go upstairs and talk to Mac" Flack said to her seriously
"No not yet" Lindsay said to him
"Not yet?" Flack asked
"Look things with Danny are finally getting better and I really don't want to scare him off or throw all my problems onto his lap yet" Lindsay said to him "I was thinking maybe you could go talk to him"
"Me?" Flack asked
"Yea just tell him I'll pursue charges if he doesn't stop" Lindsay offered
"Look I've got no problem talking to him" Flack started "But I do have a problem keeping this from Mac and Danny for that matter"
"It's not interfering with my work" Lindsay argued "So it shouldn't concern them"
"You're kidding me right?" Flack asked with a laugh "You and Danny are together and I'm his friend and I'm purposely keeping him in the dark this involves your safety"
"I'm not in danger" Lindsay told him
"I beg to differ" Flack shot back "And don't forget what happened with Stella if she had told us beforehand about Frankie or called us as soon as she saw him in her place things wouldn't have gotten as far as it did"
"It's different and you know it" Lindsay said to him "And what can Mac do? Lock me up in the lab until this guy goes away? I wont do that"
"I'm going to go talk to him" Flack said to her "And if I don't like the vibe I'm getting I'm going right to Mac" he told her
"Fine" Lindsay said giving in
"Hey" Danny greeted as Lindsay walked into the office
"Hey" she smiled removing her jacket
"Tried to call you this morning you change your number?" Danny asked
"Yea" Lindsay said with a faint smile "Telemarketers have been calling my number non-stop"
"Uh-huh" Danny said with a nod
"You think I changed it because of you?" Lindsay teased "That after all we discussed last night was for nothing?"
"I wouldn't blame you" Danny said
"It's not going to be easy but I think we can make this work and I meant what I said last night" Lindsay told him
"Yea about the things you said last night" Danny started then smiled "You said you acted out, I can't imagine you doing anything that wasn't on the straight and narrow"
"So you want some examples?" Lindsay questioned with a laugh
"That'd be nice" Danny shrugged
"You're not getting anything from me" Lindsay smiled back "I told you I wasn't proud of any of it and it was all embarrassing so I'm not going to share"
"Alright alright" Danny surrendered "But I will find out"
"Don't you dare" Lindsay warned with a laugh
"How about I take you out for a real date tonight?" Danny questioned changing the subject
"A real date?" Lindsay mocked "Where?"
"Don't worry about any of that just worry about being ready by seven" Danny told her
Flack walked into Clint Davies' work building and was impressed by how nice it was. Normally people Flack would classify as 'sick' wouldn't have such a normal wealthy lifestyle.
"Can I help you?" a secretary asked from behind her desk
"I need to speak to Clint Davies" Flack told her
"He's not taking any meetings today, sorry" she smiled then Flack pulled out his badge
"He'll see me" Flack smirked
"It's alright Valerie" Clint said stepping out of his office "Officer please step into my office" he said to Flack who walked in then Clint followed closing the door "What's this all about"
"This is about Lindsay Monroe" Flack said to him and Clint smiled
"Oh my favorite topic" Clint smiled gesturing for Flack to take a seat
"I bet" Flack muttered taking a seat across from Clint's desk
"So what's going on? Is Lindsay alright?" Clint questioned and Flack snorted
"No actually she's being harassed" Flack told him seriously "By you"
"By me?" Clint asked surprised "Lindsay's a friend"
"No she isn't" Flack told him "Lindsay doesn't know you"
"Sure she does" Clint said to her
"You're going to stop contacting Detective Monroe starting now" Flack warned "That means no more phone calls, gifts or showing up at her job"
"Did she ask you to speak to me?" Clint asked him
"No I've taken it upon myself to do so" Flack shot at him "She's a colleague and a friend if you continue I'm going to arrest you. Do you understand me?"
"No I don't" Clint said confused "I just wanted a dinner date with her"
"Out of the question" Flack told him "If I find out you've tried to get in touch with her again I wont be as nice" he finished then stood up and left the office
Mac's Office
Lindsay knocked on Mac's door and waited until he waved her in. He had told Stella he wanted to see her in his office before the end of her shift.
"….alright thanks" Mac said finishing up his call then hung up "Lindsay take a seat"
"Ok" Lindsay said unsurely "I guess Flack spoke to you already"
"Yea he did actually" Mac said to her
"I'm sorry Mac but I didn't think it was a big deal" Lindsay argued quickly "I mean obviously Flack does but I still don't and I don't want-"
"Woah" Mac said holding his hand up gesturing for her to stop "I was calling you in here to talk about the solo hit and run case you worked on. I was going to congratulate you on a job well done"
"Oh thanks" Lindsay said a little embarrassed
"Now what were you referring to?" Mac questioned
"I was just-" Lindsay started when Flack walked in
"Oh sorry" Flack said
"No please" Mac said to Flack "I think the three of us need to talk"
"So Lindsay told ya?" Flack asked Mac
"She was about to" Mac said to him then both turned to look at Lindsay "Lindsay"
"Ok well a few days ago I had a switch up with my cell phone" Lindsay started "I guess the guy that had my phone got some of my personal information from it before returning it back to me. He started sending me gifts at work and calling my phone"
"What did he say to you when he called?" Mac asked
"He wanted to go out" Lindsay shrugged "I turned him down and thought that was it. Then one night when I came home from work he was outside my apartment building waiting for me and I turned him down again. Last night I came home and found a plant at my door with a note from him and then he started calling again so I changed my number"
"He also showed up at the hit and run scene" Flack added and Mac nodded
"This morning he was outside the lab waiting to talk to me and I think he got the message" Lindsay finished
"And where do you fit in?" Mac asked Flack
"I saw him at the scene I knew about the gifts so I ran a check on him because I thought it was strange" Flack told him
"And what came up when you ran his information?" Mac asked him
"Clean as a whistle" Flack confirmed "I told Lindsay I was going to speak to him today which is what I did and if I didn't like the feeling I got I would go straight to you"
"And?" Mac questioned
"He's insane and I think she's in danger" Flack told him casually and Lindsay rolled her eyes then Mac turned and looked at Lindsay
"Why didn't you tell me?" Mac asked
"I didn't see it as a big deal" Lindsay shrugged "I didn't and still don't think I'm in danger"
"Lindsay you're a cop you know the severity of stalking" Mac said to her "It could become very dangerous very fast"
"I just didn't want to be treated like I wasn't capable of protecting myself" Lindsay defended "He hasn't physically hurt me or made a threat to do so either"
"I'm assuming you were coming here right now to fill me in?" Mac asked Flack
"Yep" Flack said then turned to Lindsay "I'm sorry Linds but this guy is straight delusional"
"And I'm assuming this is why you changed your phone number?" Mac asked Lindsay who nodded
"Look I don't want everyone to know my business" Lindsay told them "I don't want people feeling like they have to look out for me"
"It's what we do Lindsay" Mac told her "We're a team and we look out for each other and if Flack feels your in danger this situation becomes my business"
"We're all cops here" Lindsay said looking at both of them "We all know there is nothing that can be done and if something can be done it will be next to nothing. The justice system doesn't really come down hard on stalking charges"
"If he continues he could face jail time" Mac reminded her "You have to take the first step though"
"File for an order of protection" Flack added "If he violates it we can bring him in"
"Fine" Lindsay agreed "But I don't want everyone knowing about this"
"The more people that know the better chance we have of protecting you" Mac commented and she sighed "First things first we get you an order of protection"
"Ok" Lindsay agreed again
"And I don't know how comfortable I am with you being home when he knows where you live" Mac noted
"He's never come in" Lindsay said to him
"How do you know that?" Mac asked her "He knows which apartment is yours"
"If he was in there wouldn't he want me to know that?" she asked him
"No he probably just wants to be in there to feel closer to you" Flack added "Have you noticed anything different about your place?"
"No" Lindsay started then thought back to the last few nights her lights were left on, something she usually never did
"What is it?" Mac asked
"The last few nights lights in my apartment have been left on" Lindsay told them "But I could have easily forgot to shut them off"
"Did you notice if anything was missing?" Mac asked her
"No" Lindsay said to him and he nodded
"I'll set you up in a hotel" Mac said to her
"How am I supposed to explain this to Danny?" Lindsay asked them "You know how he is- both of you do"
"It's your choice to tell him or not" Mac noted "But he'll probably be more upset when he finds out he was left in the dark"
After speaking for a few more minutes Lindsay headed out of Mac's office and into her shared office.
"What was that all about?" Danny asked gesturing towards Mac's office "You in trouble or something?"
"No he wanted to congratulate me on doing a good job on my solo case yesterday" Lindsay told him taking a seat
"Oh" Danny said with a nod "That was a long congratulations"
"There's something I have to tell you" Lindsay blurted
"Alright" Danny said putting his pen down and focusing on Lindsay "What's going on Montana?"
As Lindsay was opening her mouth to speak Hawkes stepped into the office
"Danny I got hit off the print I've got the killer" Hawkes told him referring to a case they had been working all day
"Ah" Danny said with a nod then looked at Lindsay
"It's fine go" Lindsay encouraged "Will talk later tonight"
"You sure?" Danny asked her
"Putting a killer behind bars is much more important" Lindsay told him a smile
"Alright" he said getting up then followed Hawkes out of the office
Later that night Lindsay went to her apartment to pack a few things up so she could head to the hotel Mac had set up for her when she heard a knock at the door. She knew she was going to be meeting Danny at the restaurant and wasn't expecting anybody.
"Who is it?" Lindsay questioned before even considering opening the door
"It's me Montana" she heard Danny say through the door. Confused, she opened the door
"What are you doing here?" she asked stepping aside to let him in
"I overheard Mac booking you a rather extensive stay at a hotel and it perked my interest" he told her "What's going on?"
"I was going to tell you tonight" Lindsay said to him
"Ok so tell me now" Danny said quickly "Why are you moving into a hotel"
"It's temporary" Lindsay countered which just earned a glare from Danny "Do you remember a few days ago when my phone got mixed up?"
"Yea" Danny said with a nod
"Well the guy that had my phone has been a little weird and all my information was there so Mac thinks it would just be better if-" she was about to finish when Danny cut her off
"Down downplay this Linds" Danny said to her seriously "Mac wouldn't move you out of your place if it wasn't important"
"This guy has been showing up outside my apartment and work, calling and leaving gifts" Lindsay told him "I think they're overreacting"
"They're?" Danny asked
"Flack too" Lindsay told him "Flack saw him at a scene I was working"
"So he's not only showing up here and work but at crime scenes you work as well?" Danny asked her "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't think it was important" Lindsay told him
"You didn't think a man following you around wasn't important?" Danny shot back his anger evident "You should have told me"
"I didn't want to upset anybody" Lindsay said to him "And I thought you had enough going on in your life the last thing you would need is to hear my problems"
"I love you Lindsay" he told her firmly "So if something is going on with you like your safety is at risk it's something I should know and not something I should overhear about"
"You're right" Lindsay agreed putting herself in his situation she would want to know as well "I just don't see it as being as big of a deal as everyone is making out to be"
"I do" Danny said to her
"How about this?" Lindsay started "You can help me pack up a few things and escort me to my new temporary living space then we go out to dinner like we planned and not bring this up for the rest of the night"
"Not bringing it up isn't an option" Danny said to her causing her to frown "I want to know every detail"
"After dinner" Lindsay promised "Until then we won't mention this again ok?"
"Fine" Danny said giving in, still unhappy about the entire situation he helped her pack up a few things.
Downstairs they headed to Danny's SVU were he placed her bag in the backseat and opened her door for her. Once in the car they drove off not even aware of Clint Davies presence in the car across the street from them. He watched Danny and Lindsay in horror. Almost as if he had caught Lindsay cheating on him. He decided to follow Danny and Lindsay to whatever destination they were heading to.