Danny looked back toward her room, looked through the window and watched as Brian walked over and stood at Lindsay's bed side. Even from here, she looked bruised and battered. It took something to step away. It took even more to stay there. Until he could earn back her trust, until he could win her back, it was only fair to support her decision.

"You called Brian?" Flack asked.

Danny shrugged, but when he spoke, his voice was dull, remote. "I left a message, told him she was sleeping and she was fine, but that she was here. Repeated all the stuff the doctor's said."

"Danny," he pushed his friend slightly on the shoulder. "You were the one who called Brian?"

"What else should I have done?" He looked through the window again. "If he's who she chose, then it's going to make her better faster if he's here."

Flack simply shook his head.

"Actually—" Hawkes started, but Danny turned on him.

"I don't need some medical explanation of what's really going to make her better, Doc. I just want to do the right thing here."

"Excuse me."

All three of them turned to find Brian standing before them. Danny's fists balled at his side. Sure, he'd called the guy, and told him all those details. He'd given up his seat in the room beside Lindsay.

But that didn't mean he'd forgotten the scene at the crime scene tonight, as Lindsay kissed him. Chose him.

"You guys sure she's going to be all right?"

"Yes," Hawkes said and automatically repeated the information he'd been telling everyone all night. Danny heard most of it through a dim tunnel. He was looking back in the room, watching Lindsay. She was so still. She was never that still.

Even when she slept.

"Thanks, then. Since's she's okay, I'm going to head on out."

"You're what?" Danny turned on him. "She was in a serious accident. She'll want you here."

"Actually—"

Danny shoved him back. It was automatic, instinctive. She was his, and had been his forever. He'd lost her, he'd done it to himself, but that didn't change the ache or the need or the urge. If she wanted this guy, then he was going to make sure.

Flack and Hawkes took his arms, held him back. "Danny—"

"Hey—I know what you're thinking—" Brian held up his hands and took a step back when Danny narrowed his eyes.

"We're thinking you're not planning to stick around when the going gets tough?" Flack asked, acid on his tongue.

"What?" Brian asked. "Like him?"

Danny jerked forward, and felt his friends grapple with their hold. He really, really wanted this guy.

"Look—" Brian took a step back, and held out his hands. "We're not together. Not anymore. It's not me she wants in there."

Then who does she want?

"Look—its not fair for me to say anything else," Brian told them. "It's her choice. She's an amazing woman, but even while we were together I knew I was more of a shield. Whatever we could have had, we've already ended."

"She'll say that?"

"Unless she forgets tonight. And really, we'd had the conversation before."

"You two were kissing tonight," Danny pointed out.

"Well that?" He shrugged sheepishly. "That was my idea. Don't even ask her to explain. Just know that she's ... working through some things."

Working through some things.

Danny shook his head as the man walked away. Lindsay's man. Lindsay's choice.

Unless...

Unless, what?

"Are we just supposed to believe him?"

"What does it matter if we don't?" Flack asked.

"Then we go beat the crap out of him."

"Actually, I think he's telling the truth." They both looked at Hawkes. "Lindsay mentioned something or other about it. But I still think you need to wait to hear it from her. Just give her time, Danny. And if you're going to go through with this, make sure you do what's right."

"I never meant to hurt her."

"I know you didn't."

But the words didn't come from Flack or Hawkes.

The words came from Lindsay herself.