Disc: Please don't sue me.
A/N: My brain was hijacked by the Fluff Fairies for this chapter, so if you don't like the ooey-gooey stuff… well, blame it on the Fairies. For me though, this is one of my personal favorite chapters.
Thanks as always for the many wonderful, supportive, encouraging, and flattering reviews. They keep me assured that I am, ummm, not THAT crazy! And a big shout-out to everyone at the Danny/Lindsay Forum, for putting up with my shipping antics. Here's chapter 10!

Chapter 10 – Lofty Aspirations

Lindsay and Allison stepped out into the brilliant afternoon sunshine. It danced across the mountains and sprinkled gold dust over the fields. Lindsay was happy that the weather had been so unseasonably warm; a nice day like this could make anyone's burdens feel lighter. It was a picture-perfect Montana day.

Allison opened the trunk of her car, and withdrew a dusty green box.

"This was found in your grandmother's safe deposit box," she explained. "No other party was interested in it, so I took it. You deserve these".

Lindsay accepted the box, and peeked inside. It was packed with family photographs, newspaper clippings, and artwork. No items of financial worth, which would explain why Rachel hadn't snatched it up. In sentimentality, though, it was worth millions.

"Thank you so much," she said softly, her eyes growing misty.

"Don't mention it!" Allison hopped in the front seat of her car. "I'll call you later and let you know the details on the newspaper interview," she said, starting the ignition.

Lindsay waved a goodbye, then heard a rumbling from the driveway as Danny made his return. Sophie sounded a joyous bark to see the vehicle approaching.

Lindsay walked to meet him, and Danny slid his arm around her shoulder, squeezing her close to him.

"So where'd you go?" she inquired.

"Now, if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?" he breathed into her hair. He had no intention of telling Lindsay about bumping into her cousin. Changing the subject, he asked "How was your meeting?"

"Scary," Lindsay told him honestly. "But I've decided to do a newspaper interview. Allison wants to be there when I do it, so she is handling the arrangements."

She sighed deeply before continuing. "Anyway, I need to be alone for a little while," she said, handing him the box of photographs. "Can you take these in? I'm going for a walk."

Danny understood her need for solitude. Despite the speed at which their relationship had progressed, they each maintained a need for independence. They had been alone for so long that the desire for breathing space still lingered. He kissed her cheek and headed for the house, as Lindsay ambled down the driveway on her own.

Nearly an hour later, Danny sat in the kitchen looking through the box of mementos Allison had brought. One framed photo was of Lindsay with her brother and, judging from the date on the back, was taken just months before he died. Danny was amazed at the resemblance between the two children; Michael could have passed as her twin. A creased snapshot showed a 6-year-old Lindsay in overalls and muddy bare feet, a giant smile on her face and one arm slung over a Labrador. He smiled to himself; she looked so carefree and sweet. Digging deeper, he found handmade cards and pictures on yellowed paper. One card decorated with scribbled balloons read "Happy Birthday Grandma! Love, LuLu." The nickname was cute, so Danny wondered why she hated being called that now. Next he discovered a sheet of lined notebook paper, with the heading "Lindsay Monroe, Grade 2". A childish illustration of a farm was beneath printed handwriting:

Wen I grow up I am going to hav a farm and
lots of horsis and a dog and liv ther with my frends.
But no boys, becus theyr gross.

He grinned. He had probably thought girls were gross at one time, too. More photos took him through her middle school years - holding a trophy won at a horse show, showing off a gigantic bass caught in the Yellowstone River, cross-country skiing with friends from school. From every appearance, she had lived a normal teenage life, despite that fact that her mother had abandoned her at 16.

Danny couldn't deny the territorial tingle of jealousy he felt when he dug up Lindsay's senior prom picture. She was posing with the man they'd just met at the supermarket, Jake. Danny thought Lindsay looked stunning in her red gown, but Jake looked like a total geek. I'm much better for her, he assured himself confidently.

Seeing the all of these keepsakes made him feel closer to her, and reminded him of the vise-grip she had on his heart. Sure, he had been in love before, but it had always been in the most superficial, selfish sense of the word. In the past, all he cared about was what his girlfriends could do for him – entertainment, distraction, fun. His connection with Lindsay was almost spiritual, unconditional, and all he cared about was what he could do for her. Funny how such an unselfish love could bring him more rewards then he ever thought possible. He thought to himself: You're a changed man, Messer. All thanks to a little brown-eyed country girl.

Sitting here by himself, he missed her. Glancing at the clock, he began to grow concerned. She had not come back to the house; Sophie would have alerted him with a bark. She lay at his feet instead, napping contentedly.

Danny and the dog walked outside, where the late afternoon sun spilled shadows off the pine trees. Where could she be? Then it hit him – the barn. It was her sanctuary.

The barn door squeaked as he opened it. "Lindsay?" he called. One of the horses nickered softly in response. He listened for a moment, and heard muffled shouts coming from the hayloft. Each cry was followed by a thumping sound, and Danny fought back the swell of panic in his gut. What was wrong?

He ran to the ladder and began climbing. When he got to the top, he saw her.

Lindsay was gripping a dusty old baseball bat, and slamming it forcefully into a bale of hay with each angry cry.

"YOU LIAR-"

bam!

"YOU BITCH!"

slam!

"I HATE YOU!"

thunk!

"HOW DARE YOU!"

thud!

"GO-

TO-

HELL!"

slam, slam, slam!

The baling twine, weak from the constant battering, finally snapped in a confetti-like explosion of hay. Lindsay tottered weakly, the bat slipping from her grasp, and Danny rushed to catch her.

"Hey, hey, hey," he soothed, holding her up against him. She was trembling from the fury that had finally boiled over. She buried her face into his neck.

"I just want this to be over," she moaned. She was too angry to cry, too angry to feel sorry for herself. She just felt pure, unrestrained anger.

Danny, still holding her up, gently picked the pieces of hay out of her hair and sweater. He had never seen her so mad, and even though it scared him a bit, it also turned him on. He lifted her chin up so he could look at her.

"You're very sexy when you're pissed off," he teased. This resulted in a feeble smile from Lindsay.

"Why don't you go clean up and take a hot bath?" Danny suggested with a wink. "Then your surprise will be ready."

Lindsay lounged luxuriously in the steamy bathtub, the scents of coconut and vanilla floating around her. Her hands were red and raw, painfully splintered from the baseball bat. Sophie, always insisting on being nearby, was snoozing on the bath mat. Lindsay reached over and lightly stroked the dog's back with her fingertips. The once-hot water was fast growing tepid, and she shivered. Time to get out and see what my surprise is, she thought with a smile.

After toweling off, she slipped into a fluffy white robe monogrammed with "Cornerstone Ranch". She dug a first-aid kit out of the closet, smeared ointment on her hands, then wrapped them in bandages.

Lindsay padded downstairs and called for Danny, but the house was silent. The car was there, so he hadn't gone anywhere. Looking out the window, she noticed a light on in the barn. What on earth would he be doing out there? She wondered. She ran upstairs to throw on her sweats. Making Sophie wait inside the house, Lindsay slipped out the door and jogged across the driveway. The early evening chill had set in, stinging her still-damp skin.

Once inside the barn, she called for him. "Hey, Danny!"

"Up here!" was the response she received.

"Up where!" Lindsay yelled back, astonished. Surely not the hayloft? But sure enough, Danny was standing at the top of the ladder. She grinned as she started to climb.

"I feel like Romeo, scaling the balcony to Juliet," she laughed. Danny extended his hand to help her up to the floor, and what she saw left her speechless.

A thick cozy fleece blanket was spread over the straw. A makeshift table had been arranged with bales of hay, and was covered with a tablecloth. Smaller bales pulled up to the side functioned as a bench. Candles were a dangerous thing in barns, but somehow Danny had found battery-operated ones with light bulbs, and they enhanced the ambiance. A basket of food was on top of the "table", as was a bottle of wine and plastic cups. He had turned the hayloft into their own private restaurant.

"A picnic!" Lindsay gasped. "This is incredible!"

He took up her bandaged hands and kissed them. "I gotta tell you," he smirked. "You've completely destroyed my tough-guy reputation."

She laughed and threw her arms around his neck. "I always knew better," she whispered.

During dinner, Danny spoke up coyly. "I've been thinking…" he began, and then his voice trailed off.

"About…?" Lindsay prompted, her curiosity piqued.

He cleared his throat. "Well, we've spent so much time together this week. I'm not liking the idea of going home to our separate apartments." He coughed awkwardly, looking down into his wine glass and swirling the contents. "Maybe we should move in together."

"Wow. That's a big step," Lindsay admitted, surprised at his suggestion but also touched. They had never had "The Talk" about their future, their relationship. His openness was a good sign.

Danny shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. He hated talking about his feelings. "Maybe I'm rushing it," he muttered, twirling a stray piece of hay between his fingers.

Lindsay frowned. "That's not what I meant. I want to, it just… it scares me a little bit."

"Me too," he admitted, finally bringing his eyes to Lindsay's. He reached over to take one of her bandaged hands. "But not spending every minute with you scares me more."

Lindsay's heart melted. "Then let's do it," she stated firmly. "We can be scared together."

He grinned, a product of the nervous tension being abated. "Alright."

"The only question now is," Lindsay said slyly. "Your place or mine?"

Later, after dinner, they sat wrapped up together on the blanket, Lindsay on Danny's lap.

"How can I pay you back?" Lindsay asked. "For all this?"

"You do," he whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver. "Every time you smile."

That sat in silence for a moment. An owl hooted somewhere outside and the horses below crunched on their hay.

"We have to come back here in the summer," Lindsay murmured, running her index finger up and down the inside of Danny's forearm. "It's warm but not too hot, and everything is green. We can go rafting or swimming. Or the fall, maybe. I love to go hiking in autumn." She sighed.

"We can do both," Danny assured her. "Every year until we're 85, and then they'll have to push us around in wheelchairs."

Lindsay laughed at the thought. A future together was not something they had spoken of, but regardless, was something she deeply desired.

"You are too sweet," she said, still basking in the glow of his thoughtful surprise. The candlelight was perfectly dim, just illuminating enough to feel safe and cozy. "You do so much for me."

"I would do anything for you," he corrected softly, fingering the tiger charm around her neck.

"Anything?" she asked mischievously, twisting in his lap to face him.

"Anything," he assured her, then instantly regretted it when he saw the twinkle in her eye.

"So then you'll ride a horse?"

Danny groaned and rolled his eyes. He had sealed his fate.

"Yes. I'll ride a horse."

A/N: As your reward for being such faithful readers, the next chapter is all about the adventures of our favorite COWBOY! Yes, a horse is going to get lucky.