Author's Note: Wow, it broke 100 reviews! That's awesome, thank you all so very very much! I hope I can continue to keep your interest, this story has taken a turn I didn't expect, so constructive criticism is always appreciated!

CHAPTER TEN

Cady Holliday's home hadn't been this busy since her and Jack's parents had both come to the house for Christmas two years ago. Her parents never got along with Jack, and mass chaos would usually ensued. There were police cars everywhere in the front yard. The suspect, a man by the name of Alexander Bradbury, was taken into custody on several charges, the least of which was running Danny Messer off the road just a night earlier. Cady wondered if they would link Alexander Bradbury to Jack's death a year ago.

Now, Cady sat giving her statement to the local police, holding Jason on her lap. Jason was talking animatedly with the police officer now-her little action movie buff. Although he was excited now, she was sure the fear would set in later. It already had with her. She had come very, very close to losing it all this morning, and was certain nightmares were in her future. She looked up and glanced over at Danny, who had one hand wrapped around the waist of his partner, Lindsay, and was explaining the morning's events and the night of the accident. She felt a twinge of sadness. Here was this great guy that dropped into my lap...and he's going to leave. I'm going to lose another great guy. That Lindsay is a lucky woman.

Danny happened to look over and chance a glance Cady's direction. The two of them looked at each other for a few moments. And then Cady looked away.

Danny returned his attention to the police officer in charge. Don Flack had ridden up with the local PD, and was standing next to his best friend. But he'd seen the look that had passed between Cady and Danny. And it piqued his curiosity like crazy. I wonder what happened between those two. He did notice Danny pull Lindsay closer to him and run a hand up and down her back reassuringly.

"We'll have to call you back when he goes to trial, so you can testify," the sheriff was telling Danny.

"Sure, no problem. Right now, though, I just wanna head home," he said. "I'm missing my city." He looked down at Lindsay. "And I can't wait to hear what Mac is gonna do to you."

"Thanks a lot," Lindsay said, slugging him in the arm. She noticed, though, that the humor almost seemed forced.

Flack saw Cady looking at Danny. Something happened. I know it did. Danny, what did you do? "Hey, Linds," he said. A look passed between the two of them. "Maybe we should head out, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah, that sounds good," Lindsay said, looking back at Cady herself. She gave Danny a quick kiss on the cheek. "We'll be in the truck?" she said. He nodded. She squeezed his hand as they headed out the front door.

Danny looked over at Cady again. It was an awkward look. "Well," Danny began. "Guess that's it, then."

"Guess so," Cady responded quietly, arms crossed over her chest. She didn't know what else to say. Don't go? I was sorta waiting to see what happened between us? Selfish, she scolded herself. He's already got a girlfriend, Cady. Who are you to interrupt their lives?

Just then, Jason came flying into the room and threw his arms around Danny. "Do you have to go, Danny?" he asked tearfully.

Cady's heart lurched.

Danny knelt down so he was eye level with the boy and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "I have friends waiting for me back home. I have a job I can't give up. As much as I want to stay up here-" he looked up. Another look crossed between the two of them, and Danny looked away. "I just can't. But I tell you what." He fished in his wallet until he found one of his business cards. He handed it to Jason. "You and your mom can call me anytime you want. You can tell me anything you want, how school is going, what the weather's like, what you had for breakfast...And we'll talk, and we'll stay friends." He caught Cady looking at him. The meaning was not lost on her. Danny ruffled the boy's hair. "Is that okay?"

Jason sniffed as he read Danny's card. Then he nodded and hugged Danny again. Danny closed his eyes as he hugged the boy back. Then he stood and turned to Cady. "Thank you. Again. I don't think I can say it enough."

"You don't have to," Cady said. She pulled Jason back to stand against her. "You've done more than enough to show it." She smiled, the beginnings of tears in her eyes. Danny gave her a hug and then followed his partners out the door.

"Momma, are you sad?" Jason asked his mother after all the commotion had died down later that day. He was coloring in a Transformers coloring book at the kitchen table. Cady was putting dishes in the dishwasher.

Cady stopped for a moment. "Yeah, kiddo. I guess I am."

"Mommy, did you love Danny?"

It was an innocent question on the part of the seven year old. Cady honestly didn't have an answer. Because the answer she had for him couldn't, shouldn't, have happened.

It was a quiet drive home. Lindsay and Flack could tell something was bothering Danny. But they didn't push. He would tell when he was good and ready. They both had learned that. Although, Flack decided, if I have it my way, I'm gonna get it out of him one way or another. But he kept quiet all the way back to New York. Truthfully, Danny spent most of the drive home sleeping. Lindsay spent most of the drive with one arm around him and her head on his shoulder. And Flack spent most of the drive staring at the road and feeling extremely awkward. They arrived back in New York City around six that night, and much to Lindsay's dismay, Mac was waiting for them. "Welcome back, Danny," Mac said, clapping him on the back. "It's good to have you back. Take a few days, get settled in again. We'll see you in a couple days."

"Thanks, Mac," Danny said, grateful. He received a hug from Stella and Hawkes, a handshake from Adam, and a long drawn-out story from Sid that really didn't have anything to do with Danny's situation. But Danny laughed and smiled anyway. He knew Sid meant well.

Then Mac turned to Lindsay. "We'll talk tomorrow. Take the rest of tonight off." His eyes left no room for negotiation. And Lindsay was smart enough not to. She felt Flack's eyes on her, and knew he would be in with her tomorrow, trying to take the heat off her.

She and Danny spent the night at his apartment. Lindsay cooked dinner while Danny slept most of the time. They tried watching a Mets preseason game, but Danny slept through most of it. It was clear that something was bothering him, but he refused to talk about it. It made Lindsay a little worried. He finally went to bed, completely this time, around midnight. Lindsay slept on his couch.

When she woke up the next morning, Danny had showered and was already gone.

Danny walked down the street, the early morning breeze nipping through his leather jacket. He felt bad for leaving Lindsay like that, but he wasn't in the mood to talk to her. Worse than that, he was scared. What had happened between him and Cady was a complete accident, but he felt guilty as hell over it. He knew Lindsay could tell something was wrong with him, and would probably wonder if it was something she had done, which it wasn't, but he wasn't sure how to handle the situation.

So for now, he chose to get lost again.