Now, this is the longest chapter I have ever written. I have to admit I used another fic from an old show no longer on the air to write a scene for this. And when I started writing and just kept going. Enjoy.
Lindsay and Stella worked in a layout room on the evidence from a case they pulled late the night before. Three were victims found dead the night before in different locations were linked. They were killed in the same manner and they all had the same business card in their hand. Danny walked by the glass and caught Lindsay's attention. He gave her a smile and a nod as he quickly passed the room she stood in. She shyly waved back and refocused on the work she was doing, hoping he'd keep going instead of stopping in to say 'hello'. She watched out of the corner of her eye suspiciously until he was around the corner and out of sight and a deep sigh was released. The whole scene didn't get missed by the boss lady. She let Lindsay get back into what she was doing before she started the conversation she was dying to have.
"So, um…sorry about pulling you away you away from dinner last night." Stella moved items around to keep working but didn't pay much attention to what she was doing.
"It was a triple, I understand, all hands on deck."
"So you and Danny…" She left it open to see where it went.
"Yeah, first date – take two." The sarcasm couldn't be missed. Lindsay rolled her eyes and that was missed by the other person in the room.
"How was it going, before we called you in, of course?"
"To be honest, Stell, I wish the bodies were reported forty-five minutes earlier."
"Was it really that bad?"
"It would rank up there with one of the worst dates I've ever been on and that doesn't count the dead bodies. He went out of his way and comfort zone to set up a proper first date with the flowers, the wine, a wonderful meal and it just all went wrong."
Stella wanted to hear this. "How so?"
"We started out at the wrong restaurant." Stella's face asked 'really?' "He thought we were going to the one on the east side and it ended up that the reservation he made was for the one on the west side. I almost broke a heel on the way out of the first place we went and twisted my ankle a bit. As you know…" She flourished the point with a wave of her hand. "…there was a down pour last night and we couldn't get a cab. We stood exposed to the rain, because there was no awning in front of the restaurant and got soaked until a car finally stopped and we did make it across town in time to make the reservation." Stella wanted to laugh but held it in. They had such bad luck. Lindsay's rant continued. "While waiting for the next table to become available we had a much needed drink in the bar. I turned around when our name was called and this woman crashed into me spilling my drink and hers down the front of my dress. This "woman" was an ex of Danny's and was convinced that they ran into each other by the guidance of the stars and they should rekindle their relationship on the spot. The call from Mac did not come a moment too soon."
Stella couldn't hold it any longer and erupted in laughter that echoed off the walls.
"It was the date from hell." Lindsay tried to sound convincing but her own laughter forming deep inside deceived her. The whole thing sounded crazy. Through her own growing laughter that was becoming out of control she continued further. "And when Mac called my phone the other woman butted her way between Danny and I while my back was turned. I got off the phone and then Danny's rang. On the way out to the cab he tells me that 'we'll have to try it again another night'." The two women were in tears and howling by then, each trying to stay standing by holding onto the table. Their sides hurt.
"How did your other first date go?" Stella questioned out of breath still wiping tears.
"We ended up having sex on his pool table, he took my shift the next morning to let me sleep in and he was kidnapped by Irish drug thugs, only to have seven colors of crap beaten out of him." It really wasn't funny but the women lost their senses again and this time it drew the curious attention of those passing by. One person even stopped in to ask about the joke they were laughing at.
"Maybe it's a sign not to go on first dates with Danny Messer." Stella passed to the other woman.
"No kidding."
Mac had to step out of his office to see where the new cycle of laughing was coming from.
**
A post-it was stuck to her screen a week later. 'Oh, we're back to trinkets and notes again.' Lindsay uttered to no one.
"Did you ever receive and anonymous phone call? Pizza your place 9PM."
The two statements did not go together. She was confused but shrugged it off. "So it's first date – take three."
**
9 PM sharp there was a knock at her door. Ready to hear the answer of what the note meant, she thrust the door open hoping to see Danny. The note's words could not be deciphered in her brain.
But there was no Danny.
"Hey Sam."
"Hey Miss Monroe. This was called in for you." He handed her the single pizza box and left.
Her foot got the door closed. She set it down and waited for Danny's arrival to start eating. It was odd that he only called in one pizza; together they could easily eat a pizza and a half. The box sat on the coffee table and she waited. The smell of the melty, gooey cheese and green peppers called to her.
Her phone danced next to the pizza box.
"Hello?"
"Your cat's in my garden." He whispered.
"Are you in traffic? I can hardly hear you."
"Your cat's in my garden."
"You only ordered one pizza, not hungry or something?"
"Your cat's in my garden."
Lindsay's light bulb moment. Anonymous phone calls, cat's in my garden, did it turn you on? She had this conversation with him in their office one day. She had to think quickly.
"Oh she is, is she? I'll bring her in tomorrow morning. Thanks for calling." And she hung up.
5-4-3-2-buzz.
"'Lo?"
"Did you really just hand up on me?"
"Did you just really try and start a phone sex conversation with me when you're supposed to be over here having dinner?"
"We haven't got the greatest history with first dates. I have my pizza with me; I thought we would talk on the phone and have dinner."
"Get over here." She told him rolling her eyes at his goofiness.
"I'm around the corner, be right there."
**
August changed to September but you couldn't tell by the weather. It was still hot and muggy and they wished for crimes to happen at night when the sun was on the other side of the earth. Daylight hours brought sunlight and heat to the street level where it was absorbed by the asphalt and made things worse for the people walking everywhere.
According to Mac, Danny and Lindsay were back 100% to pre-spring form. It showed in their work. Their minds were in sync and processed the same way. Theories were assumed and sentences finished. Flack said something to both lab supervisors about how fluid it was to work with them again out on cases.
Two or three of their nights away from the lab were spent together seeing a movie, having dinner, taking walks, making out like teenagers on the couch. Their time on the couch only went so far and then stopped. It wasn't right yet. But on nights they weren't together they spoke on the phone just before turning in or sent a text to let the other know they were home from a late night. Yep, they were almost back to how they were.
Almost.
Both still played it cautious. Late nights didn't go too late. There were still definite boundaries that were not crossed. That didn't mean the want and the urge wasn't there. At the end of evenings together both wondered privately why they hadn't gone that one extra step and were left emotionally frustrated.
**
She found a football, full regulation sized football, on her desk in the middle of the month, September 17, 2008. The note stuck to the laces seemed so small compared to it. His message was very to the point: "Your knowledge of the sport might be dangerous. I might ask you to marry me…properly one day."
And there it was. She knew the case the reference came from. Now it was written down. Yeah, that won't be playing out in her mind when they are together. The first one was a joke, how serious was this? She rolled the ball back and forth on the desk top while staring at the note stuck to her fingers until it was time to go home. Lindsay packed it away with all the other notes in her bag and closed up for the night. It wasn't too late and she had no plans with Danny so she was homeward bound.
She pressed the down button calling the elevator and alternated between watching for the arrows above the door to light up and the light on the button to go out. Both announced the arrival of the box that would take her away from there but it was taking forever.
"Montana." Her partner…friend…boyfriend..her something hurried towards the small lobby. "You have plans for dinner?"
"Just whatever I get on the way home." One light when off, the other went on and the doors opened. "Why, you have a better offer?"
"Yeah, but I have a stop to make first, if you're up to it."
"You're on."
**
"Danny, the hospital was not what I was expecting." She followed his lead to the train and back up to the street before he made the turn into the all too familiar building.
"I know. We'll get somethin' to eat after, but I got a reminder call today that it was time to give blood again." More of an explanation would be the only way to wipe away the confused look Lindsay wore. "You can only donate blood every two months…well a little less than that but I have them call and remind me when I can."
She had no idea. She was astonished and somewhat proud too. "How long have you been doing this?"
"Ever since Louie was brought to this hospital."
"And then Stella and Flack soon after." Flowed out of her as she recalled the events of that spring.
"Right. Louie needed it when he came in and I stayed in the habit of giving' when I could." A firm hand clasped around hers and held it to his heart. "I want to thank you again for what you did for me back then."
A smile and a nod accompanied the "you're welcome" she gave. A nurse greeted them and showed them to a curtained off area. She worked on one arm while Lindsay held onto the other one.
"You doing alright today Detective Messer?" The nurse kept a close eye on the interactions between the two people in front of her.
"Yeah Caroline, I'm good."
She looked from the male then the female and then back down to the arms she was about to stick. "This must be Lindsay." Caroline didn't stop her work and kept up the polite conversation but it startled the woman in question to hear her name come from the lips of a stranger.
"Yes, this is Lindsay." Danny filled in.
"He talks about a lot you when he's a pint low. The more I take the more I hear." Lindsay looked horrified. "Don't worry I cut him off and give him a cookie if he starts saying too much." All the while she hooked him up and started the process. "Alright, I'll be back in a minute."
When she was up and out of earshot, Danny leaned over to Lindsay. "Don't worry; I didn't say anything too bad."
"Yeah right." The nurse hollered back at them.
**
Lindsay was having the strangest sense of déjà vu. They were exiting the hospital differently then they entered. The path they were taking went right through the ICU unit. Louie and Flack both spent lots of time there, which meant the whole team spent lots of time there, including long hours logged by Lindsay and Danny.
They neared the end of the hall where the double doors led out to a main hallway and the elevators. Flack's room was behind the blinds to the left. The couch where Stella and Mac sat waiting that first night was gone and a more comfortable looking one replaced it. There was always someone from the lab on that couch. It was mostly occupied when anyone had been shooed out by doctor's needing to check vitals or by nurses who needed to bathe Flack or change the bedding. The couch was probably replaced because they wore it out with all the hours they were there.
"I was tempted to kiss you that night." Words from his mouth broke the silence.
"Which night, there were so many spent here." She laughed off his comment.
A cloud of serious followed them to those double doors at the end of the corridor. "The first night we were here with Flack. I drove you home. We'd been doin' our dance for a while."
"How far did we get?" He held the door open for her to pass through.
"I only wanted to get a kiss from you that night."
She shook her head and stopped. "Where did you imagine kissing me?"
"I thought about it all the way to your place in the truck and tried to work up the nerve to do it when we got to your building."
"When I imagined it, we never made it passed this point." She bit her lip and looked at him.
"What are you talking about?"
"That night you dropped me off, that night that you wanted to kiss me at the door, I had already imagined it happening right here in this hallway."
"Really?" He bounced on the balls of his feet and looked chipper.
"Yeah."
"Huh." He sounded, thinking about the information just shared. An arm extended for her to take and she hooked her hand around his elbow. They walked out into the still thick humid air, talking about plans for dinner, both thinking about kisses that didn't happen.
**
"What was it like?"
Dinner turned out to be meatball subs they carried to her place. She had a mouthful and was licking the sauce from her thumb. "What was what like?"
The woman he loved so much was hunched over the coffee table, elbows on her knees, hair falling into her face and pasta sauce on the corner of her mouth. The question on his mind was replaced by chuckles. He wanted to question her imagined first kiss and she looked nothing like the dreamy romantic female that must have played a starring role in her mind.
"Nothin'" The humor came out even though he tried to hide it and he went back to his dinner.
"No, what do you wanna know about?" The fact that she was trying to be so serious made it even funnier.
"Nothin', don't worry about it." He insisted.
Curiosity is an evil consuming thing and it was eating her from the inside. She finished her sub, wiped her fingers and mouth and threw the napkin on the table. She stared him down. "Okay, what was what like? You wanna know something? Just ask." The challenge was on the table.
"I was just wondering what it was like when you imagined it." This was getting ridiculous.
"Imagine it, imagine what?"
"That kiss in the hallway, what was it like at the hospital?"
"You." She pointed at him with both fingers because her hands were clasped together. "Want to know about a kiss that occurred in my mind over three years ago, after I've shared every other imaginable type of kiss with you already?" Evil eye did not come close to describing the look he was on the receiving end of.
"When you stare me down like you are and put it that way, I guess not."
She gathered the garbage from their dinner and stood up. He started to follow.
"No, I've got this. You…you just stay put." The trash was disposed of and she washed her hands. Lindsay stood at the sink and pondered. They both wanted or at least got as far as fantasizing about starting something with each other long before it happened. Would things have been any different if they had? Lindsay's mind started wishing they had gotten together, but would the murder case back home pushed them apart. Would it have compared to what they went through with Ruben's death? Would they have been able to handle it together if they had more time in a relationship already? Hindsight was not 20/20 and dwelling on it would not help. But even way back then…
Danny wasn't a good listener and was standing behind her as she turned to go back to the couch. In defense and to shield herself from the collision, both arms raised in front of her chest. He caught the surprised woman by her upper arms just below the shoulder and they still bumped heads.
"Whoa." The déjà vu feeling came back to her again.
"What?"
"It started just like that. I was walking down the hall in the hospital ahead of you and turned to questions if we were going the right way." Smile… "We bumped heads and you asked if the cut on my forehead was okay." His thumb went to the place where the nasty gash used to be and then back down to her upper arm. "You told me I should cover it and my response was that sometimes things like that just need to breath. You were so close and my hands slid up the back of your head carefully and I brought my lips to yours. You didn't meet me in the middle or anything and I caught your bottom lip. It took one soft inhale for you to catch on and react. We stood in that hall for a minute and got lost in each other."
He slowly backed her up against the refrigerator. The knick-knacks stored on top rattled when her back collided against the cool metal of the door. She inhaled and took in a deep breath preparing for what might come next. He stared at her, noses inches apart. His hands slid down her arms and laced her fingers between his. He stepped into the only space left between them and pressed him body to hers. They were joined from knees to chest.
The pink tip of his tongue glided across his lips. Eyes followed it on its path before it disappeared. He angled his head and covered her mouth with his own. His lips word her gently but firmly. His tongue sought entrance against her teeth and gums. A stab of pleasure tightened in her abdomen.
Lindsay moaned softly and opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. He plunged inside without hesitation. Her body went limp against him. Her head spun with dizziness and body flooded with a warm wave. A hand wiggled free and slipped under the back of his shirt trying to pull him closer.
It was his turn to groan. Her touch was electric and he deepened the kiss further as if to devour her. Never had such hunger been felt. His hands left her arms and held the side of her ribs, grazing the sides of her breasts with his thumbs.
They stood in front of the refrigerator groping each other and kissing until they couldn't breathe. The earth stopped turning. There were only wet warm kisses and hands that roamed. Danny and Lindsay clutched and held onto each other for dear life…or at least love.
Finally they broke apart and her lips followed his looking for more, foreheads touching. They panted for long, otherwise silent moments. His chest rumbled against hers as it rose and fell with each breath. They studied each other for any signs of doubt, love, lust…
Her fingers slid up the front of his shirt and played with the button closest to his neck. Soon the small plastic disk was pushed through the slot and the fabric opened wider. Slowly, methodically more of him appeared to her until he was exposed to her. She was able to retrace the short path up the plane of his chest, pushing the two sides of his shirt aside and finally off his shoulders and down his arms to the floor. Fingers drew on the veins up his arms and hands cupped his face, holding it where she could reach. She drank love from his lips and it flowed freely. The tight hold he had on the wild beast inside was slipping. He would not be backing away; she would have to hit him over the head first.
It was her turn to intensify and deepen the kiss. Tongues dueled for control. Small feminine hands moved down the side of his ribs to hold his waist. Small fingers followed the top edge of his jeans and met in the middle between his belly button and belt buckle. A healthy tug was given to the top of his pants sending a clear and direct message.
The kiss was broken. Arms let go of her and spread out wide at shoulder height. Hips arched forward. He watched all the different emotions play on her face as she focused on the leather, metal and material under her control start to come undone.
Um...breath...review.