Chapter 10:

A/N: Apologies for a somewhat dark chapter, I'm sure many people can relate to Jess and Lindsay here, myself included.

Once they had arrived at Tamarindo, they parked the cars by the beach and began walking up the street. The guys quickly discovered that it was easiest to arrange a meeting place and a time, as the girls were compelled to check out every store. So that's what they did, the place was the cars, and the time frame was 2 hrs. A few hours later they were back at the villa, and it was Don and Jess's turn to cook dinner, so chicken enchiladas it was, and they all sat down to ate at 6:30pm.

"Ok, I need this recipe. So who do I have to bribe?" Stella asked as everyone was eating.

"That would be Jess." Don said smiling at his fiancé.

"I thought you said you didn't cook?" Stella asked.

"I don't. Not a lot anyways. My cooking is these, homemade chicken nuggets and pasta. I'm more of a baker then a cook"

"Well, they are fantastic. So could I get the recipe?"

"Sure, you want it now, or when we get back to New York?"

"How 'bout when we get back, that way I don't lose it."

"Sounds good" Jess said as they continued eating.

"So Angell. Family recipe?" Danny asked.

"Yea, and plus they make great leftovers which, when you have five kids in sports, fast and easy is a must."

"Speaking of sports, that leads to another question from the chief. 'What sports, if any, did you play growing up and were any of them competitively?' Ok, Hawks why don't you start." Mac said.

"Ok. I played a little tennis, nothing serious though. Stella?"

"I was a dancer and a synchronized swimmer. Both non-competitively. Adam?"

"Oh, I tried hockey, but I wasn't really good at sports. Mac?"

"I played soccer. Nothing competitively though, Jess?"

"I played softball competitively. Made it to the 1996 Olympic games and got a scholarship to the university of Rhode Island. Danny."

"I played baseball, competitively, not as competitively as you Angell, but I did get a scholarship. Linds?"

"Oh um, I rode horses, did a little barrel racing, all non competitively and…" Lindsay hesitated before looking at Jess and Stella.

"Linds…" Stella said.

"And I did gymnastics. Competitively, made it to the '96 Olympic games as well, and got a scholarship to Utah State. Don?"

"Wow Linds, cool. I played hockey, semi-competitively, and basketball, non-competitively. I was the Sr. Athlete of the year in grade 12 and was voted MVP at a hockey tournament. It was house league, but I played on the select team, so hence semi-competitively."

"Wow, everyone was so active. So for our two Olympians, what was the out come of the games for you?" Mac asked.

"Well, the women's team won gold, so I have a gold medal from the '96 games." Jess said. "Linds?"

"Uh, I, uh, won gold in the all around, the floor exercise event final, the uneven bars event final, silver in the balance beam event final, and bronze in the vault event final. Oh and the USA women's team won gold in the team final so I have 4 gold, a silver and a bronze medal from the games."

"Holy Crap Montana. So I guess that's where the abs of steel come from?" Danny asked.

"Yup, pretty much" Lindsay replied.

"Well, congratulations to the both of you on your Olympic accomplishments. Who knew the NYPD had such talented women." Mac said with a smile.

"So Jess, if you played ball competitively, how come you never play on the NYPD team?" Hawks asked, not knowing Adam had asked the question the other day.

"I just choose to either work or go on vacation. Yeah I had a four-year scholarship, but I dropped out after my second year. I quit and never looked back." Jess replied.

"But why?"

"A lot of personal stuff happened during my second year, and I want nothing more then to not revisit those particular memories." Jess said standing up and clearing her plate from the table. Jess was loading her plate into the dishwasher when Hawks came up to her.

" Hey Angell, I'm sorry if I hit a nerve back there"

"It's fine. I just don't like talking about what happened. It still hurts too much" Jess replied.

"Were you injured or something?"

"No, I wasn't harmed. Now please drop it Sheldon"

"Sorry, but I'm just trying to figure out, why a former Olympian wouldn't help us out" he said.

"Oh. My. God. What part of 'drop it' don't you understand" Jess snapped as she turned and headed straight past everyone at the table to her room. Don watched Jess leave before going to talk to Hawks.

"Hawks. If there was ever anything you should know about Jess, it's that when she says 'drop it' it is highly advisable that you do so. Oh, and if she wants to tell you what happened she will, otherwise, forget you ever asked." Don said

"Guess I should go apologize."

"I would wait till she cools down. When she is this mad she's liable to either slap you or throw something at you." Don said

"Ok, I'll take your advice" Hawks said as he joined Danny, Stella, and Adam in the living room. Mac and Lindsay were still talking at the table, so Don decided to go and check on Jess.

"Hey babe, it's me," Don said knocking on the door and entering.

"Hey." Jess mumbled with her back to him. Don went and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Are you ok?" he asked placing a hand on her ankle.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just missing her," Jess said still not facing him.

"Ok, well I'm going to leave you be then. Remember, I'm here if you need or want to talk. Feel free to come join us when you're ready if you want." Don said kissing Jess on the temple.

"Thanks Don. I love you" Jess said turning to kiss him.

"I love you too" Do said standing up "I'll let you be now," he added as he left and headed back to the living room.

"How's Jess?" Mac asked when he saw Don.

"She's Jess, you know. She might come out, but I wouldn't be surprised if she puts on her p.j's and reads in the room."

"Man, I feel really bad now" Hawks said.

"Don't worry too much about it, although, you should have known that when she said 'drop it' you should've done just that" Don said picking up his cards that Danny had dealt him. Meanwhile no one had noticed Lindsay get up and leave. She made her way over to Jess and Don's room to see Jess, and she knocked on the door.

"Jess. It's Linds. Can I come in?" Lindsay asked. Jess got up and opened the door.

"Hey Linds. C'mon in" Jess said letting Lindsay in before closing it and going to sit on the bed. She sat at the head of the bed with her back against the headboard.

"So, uh, how are you doing?" Lindsay asked, not really sure how to proceed.

"I'm fine thanks." Jess said giving Lindsay a small smile. "Hey Linds, can I ask you something. It's kind of personal"

"Sure. I mean the purpose of this trip is to get to know each other better, right?"

"Yeah, but it's personal in a different way."

"Ok" Lindsay said confused as she sat on the end of the bed.

"How did you do it?"

"How did I do what?"

"Manage to continue with gymnastics after your friends…passed away?" Jess asked choosing her words carefully.

"Oh, that. I, um, I don't know. I distracted myself from what happened and threw myself into training. I had a goal of the Olympics and I wanted it. After the games it hit me that they were really gone. School had started and I did all my grieving then. Even now I'll do something and think 'oh Charlotte would find that funny' or 'I should email Bridget.' And I remember they're gone, but at the same time I remember all the good times we had. Then I smile and look at a picture and I know they are in a better place." Lindsay said as Jess wiped tears from her eyes.

"I wish I was as strong as you. I obviously did the complete opposite. Instead of throwing myself into softball, I quit, changed schools, programs, everything."

"You are Jess, you are. You mentioned to Adam the other day, that your friend died of a heart attack and that you weren't ready for the memories that playing would bring up. What did you mean?" Lindsay asked hoping she wasn't over stepping an invisible line.

"Oh, it was the 7th inning of our NCAA championship game, I was at shortstop, and she was at 2nd. The next thing I knew she was down. I tried to save her, god knows how much I tried to help her, but I couldn't. So that's when I quit and haven't looked back." Jess said wiping tears away yet again.

"Oh Jess. Wow. You are a lot stronger then me"

"I'da said you were. Murder over heart attack?"

"Well how bout we agree we're both strong."

"Ok."

"Does Don know any or all of this?"

"Um, yeah. My friends parents had a fundraiser back in May, cause it was the 10th anniversary, and afterwards when I got home, I kinda had a Lady Antebellum-Need you now moment with Don."

"Oh Jess, we talking 'it's a quarter after one and I'm a little drunk and I need you now'?"

"Pretty much yea." Jess sniffed as Lindsay came over and gave Jess a big hug. "Thanks"

"Any time. I'm going to head to the living room" Lindsay said.

"You know, I think I'll join you" Jess said as she dried her eyes before they left the room and heading out.

"There's my girl" Don said as he pulled Jess into his lap causing Jess to giggle. "You good?" he whispered

"Yea, Linds and I talked. It's good"

"Glad to hear that" Flack said tickling Jess. Jess laughed, which made Don smile. After a while everyone started heading off to bed.

"So Stella, how much of the reason about why Jess doesn't play any more do you know?" Mac asked, as they got ready for bed.

"All I know, is that her, and her best friend were on the '96 Olympic team, and that her friend passed away from a heart attack 3 yrs later" Stella said

"Wow. So did you know Lindsay was a gymnast?"

"Yea, Jess and I actually went to watch her compete in a meet back at the end of April."

"Do you remember how she did?"

"Tied for 1st over all. And came 1st on the bars and floor and 2nd on vault and beam. Jess and I actually sat with the family of a friend of hers who was also competing and who tied Lindsay for 1st overall. Her friend is named Carly and she and her husband own a hotel in Port Charles New York, called the Metro Court"

"I've heard of that hotel. That was the one a few years ago were the guests were taken hostage in the lobby and then it was blown up. Remember?"

"Oh yeah! I thought that sounded familiar."

"Small world huh?"

"It is indeed. Love you" Stella said climbing into bed and kissing Mac.

Meanwhile Danny and Lindsay were sitting outside looking at the stars.

"Ok, I'll admit the view of the stars is better then in New York" Danny said.

"Finally! You can actually see them here, where as in New York they are clouded by pollution" Lindsay said smiling at her boyfriend. They stayed outside for another 10 minutes before heading inside and falling asleep.

A/N: If you have ever played a sport for years with your best friend, and then suddenly, they are no longer around to play it with you, then you know how hard it can be to go back and play it again. Miss you L.P.

-The lyric to Need You Now, belongs to Lady Antebellum