Disclaimer: Not mine. Not pretending like they're mine. Just borrowing.

I think that a very astute observation was made by DistractedlyHere in a recent review. Flack is not always the white knight that I've made him to be. Time to get his hands dirty, m'thinks. All those angry with Danny will find some relief I think.

Even though I don't PM all of you wonderful people who have taken the time to review… I do appreciate it and you're all lovely!

Enough mushiness—got to save some for the story. Shorter chapter, but the best I could do for tonight.

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Chapter 14:

Two hours into the official after-party, the firefighters and officers in attendance were feeling pretty "chummy." No fights, no problems—despite the massive quantities of liquor and beer that were being consumed by all involved. Flack and Lindsay had settled into one of the back booths at Sullivan's. Lindsay wanted to be social, but was afraid of being bumped into in the very crowded bar; Flack wasn't complaining about some privacy with Lindsay.

Hawkes and Adam were using the booth as a base of operations, but had committed themselves to making the rounds and, apparently, to meeting every single woman in the place. Neither seemed to be having much success. It was during one of Adam's change of venue (from the back of the bar to the front) that he noticed one Danny Messer nursing a beer at the corner of the bar in the company of a bottle-blonde. Adam went over to say hello, and was shocked by Danny's level of intoxication.

"Hey man…"

"A-DAM" Danny stumbled into the bar spilling some of his beer on his hand. "Whoa… gotta watch that one."

"What's up, man? How you been?" Danny's eyes slowly traveled to meet Adam's waiting gaze. He saw Danny roll his eyes a little and shrug his shoulders.

"Nothin', nothin'" Then the blonde leaned over and whispered something into Danny's ear. Danny laughed and then nearly fell into her lap. Adam gave a confused look to no one. Danny was acting…strange. Stranger than normal drunk Danny.

"Listen, man, I'll talk to ya later." Adam didn't even think that Danny heard what he said. He just backed away slowly and headed back to the back of the bar.

He signaled for another round to the bartender and grabbed a seat across from Lindsay and Flack, who was acting like a human shield in the booth for her. He glanced across the room and saw Hawkes chatting up a beautiful brunette. Turning his attention back to Flack and Lindsay, he failed to notice the look they had slipped between the two of them while he was distracted.

The bartender arrived to drop off the fresh drinks for the table. "Linds, I just had him bring a Shirley temple. Looks fancy, but cool with the meds." Adam gave her a wink and she returned a smile.

"Thanks Adam."

"So, I was up at the bar trying to talk to that gooorgeous red-head and then you'll never guess who I saw?"

"The mystery guest is your excuse for getting shot down by the hottie?" Flack gave him a questioning look and fought the smirk from his face. Underneath the table, Lindsay smacked his leg.

"Ha, ha, you're so funny, Detective…. She's married. But that's another story. No, I saw Danny. He's back and apparently he's drunk."

The smirk fell from Don's face immediately, and Lindsay felt the man beside her tense upon the mention of the name. She took a deep breath and felt his eyes turn to her. She heard Adam blabber something about a blonde with huge … and then Don was standing and moving away from the table.

"Don! DON!" She yelled at him, but the noise in the bar clouded her words and they were drowned out the moment that crossed her lips. She looked helplessly at Adam, who looked seriously confused.

"What? Where's he going?"

"After Danny" she said as she tried to scoot gingerly out of the booth. Before Adam realized what was happening, Lindsay Monroe, sans cane, was trying to rush to the front of the bar in the same path Don had used.

"Linds! Linds, wait." Adam jumped up and took off after her. He was doing his best to get in front of her to protect her from the throngs of drunk civil servants, but just as he was successful in doing that, she was shoving him out of the way to see the stand-off that was occurring at the front of the bar. Don versus Dan. This was not good.

Lindsay's breath was taken away when she actually saw him up close and in person. Since the moment she saw him in the arena, she had somehow managed to convince herself that she had somehow imagined it—like a mirage. But now, there was no denying it. Danny Messer was back in town and had no excuses.

She stopped and felt her arm go to Adam's to steady herself. The noise drowned out from the bar as she watched the scene before her unfold. She noticed the blonde that Adam had referred to. She was perched on a stool at the corner of the bar. Her hand was hovering over Danny's bicep as he leaned back against the bar holding his beer. She was using her fake nails to trace shapes on his arm. Lindsay's attention transferred from the woman's fingers to Danny's face. He was scowling and his narrowed eyes were trained on the imposing figure of Don Flack.

They were…exchanging…words. Don's face was contorted and she could feel the venom in his voice despite not being able to hear exactly what was being said. And then all of a sudden it stopped and Lindsay felt all eyes on her.

"Linds?" She drew her eyes to Flack's and his face softened immediately. She turned to face Danny and felt her brow furrow as she turned to him. He was still scowling. He was clearly drunk.

"So, what… Montana… you with him now?" She released her grip on Adam's arm. She steeled her face and tried to stand straighter. Danny raised himself from leaning against the bar. "Is that what this is? You and him?" He scoffed. "That's just… that's just fucking perfect." His voice raised to a yell to end the statement. He spilled more of his beer and Lindsay involuntarily took a step backward and bumped into Adam.

Danny was swaying slightly in front of the bar. Some of the officers and firemen in the general vicinity had backed up slightly. A patrol officer on the hockey team with Flack approached the tense little group and Flack waived him off.

Lindsay rose her eyes from the ground and with angry tears in her eyes she addressed Danny for the first time. "You have no right to call me that anymore." She paused to make sure he was listening to her. Taking a half step forward she continued. "You have no right to say much of anything to me anymore."

Danny stared her down. He forcefully slammed his beer on the bar. "You're jumping into his bed and you want to lecture me about what I can say?" He took another step toward Lindsay and before she could contemplate what was happening Flack was in the middle. Flack put one hand on Danny's chest and pushed him up against the bar.

"Back off, Messer. She's taken enough of your shit." Flack nearly growled the words.

Danny swatted his hand away and then took a very unbalanced swing at Flack. Flack was able to dodge most of the hit, but when Danny stumbled, he caught the edge of his fist on Don's chin. At that point, their corner of the bar erupted and Lindsay felt herself being pulled back and into Adam's arms as officers rushed in.

Flack emerged from the crowd with two of the officers that Adam recognized from precinct. He was clutching his right hand and muttering expletives.

"Don't worry man, he was out of line. Martin will get him home and make sure he sobers up. No ones gonna say nothin'."

Lindsay was finally able to wriggle her way out of Adam's arms and turn to face a very pissed off Flack.

"What the hell happened?" She had her hands on her hips and looked very annoyed.

Don looked sheepish and when the officers heard Lindsay's tone, they patted him on the shoulder and took off. He shrugged and looked at his shoes. Looking up, he met her eyes. "He's going home with Martin." He stepped closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tugged to guide her back to the booth.

Sliding into the booth, Don sat down next to her. He took a big swig of his beer and as he was setting it down, the bartender walked over and dropped off a dish towel full of ice. He nodded his thanks and then turned to face Lindsay who was staring off into space.

"Linds.."

"Did you hit him?"

He nodded and turned his focus to the ice pack he was holding on his hand. "Only because he hit me first, Linds."

"Yeah, I saw that much." She let out a big sigh. "I can defend myself, you know."

"Yeah, I do know. I also know that that jerk is the same jerk who left on the day that you were shot. He's the same jerk who hasn't called, who hasn't written, … hell, he hasn't even sent a damn text message, Lindsay." He paused and put his finger under her chin to turn her face to his. "And he's going to come here, saw those awful things, and ruin our night with that blonde tramp." He shook his head. "I wasn't tryin' to be all Neanderthal. I just…" And he shook his head and looked down.

This time it was her fingers that tilted his chin to meet her gaze. "I know…. I was just a little shocked. And I just don't want him to affect me like that…to make me so angry."

"Linds, he was saying terrible things." She nodded. "And I couldn't let him say those things about you…about us. It's not true. It's not right."

"He has no right. Never did." She leaned closer to him. She leaned her forehead into his chin. He tipped his lips forward to plant a gentle kiss on her temple. Putting some space between them, Lindsay leaned back. "How's your hand?" She reached up to finger the edge of the dish towel wrapped around his knuckles.

"Eh. Takin' a hit for my pride." She gave him a small smile. She gently unwrapped the towel to reveal the angry red knuckles. She pursed her lips and then rewrapped his hand. She let her hand trail up his arm and her fingertips began to make small circles on his forearm.

"So, pretty much anything we do at this point will fuel speculation about us." He nodded. "Do you want to stay or do you want to go?"

"Wherever you're going, I'm followin'." She smiled again, but then rolled her eyes dramatically.

"We've got to work on your pick-up lines." Don stood up from the booth and threw his bag over his shoulder. He reached out to help Lindsay stand and then reached across her to grab her cane.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Do you care what they speculate?" She shook her head no.

"Good." With that, he took her free hand in his and led her from the bar.

Meanwhile on the other side of the bar…

"They look awfully cozy over there…"

"Adam, seriously, I highly doubt there is anything going on between them. She's just staying with him while she recuperates. I've been over there with them…so have you… I mean seriously…"

"NUH-UH." Adam was as close to being speechless as he could ever expect to get. "He just kissed her head!"

Hawkes just shook his head and laughed. "You need to watch less tv, Adam."

"I'm telling you… Flack got all defensive-macho-boyfriend guy when Danny was saying shit about Lindsay. Something is going on."

And just then, Hawkes witnessed the evidence that Adam was looking for. The pair in question stood from their booth and after whispering something in her ear, their hands met in a grasp that was not that of friends or utility—their fingers were interlocked in a grasp of attachment.

"Maybe, Adam, maybe."

NEXT TIME:

Things heat up at home and at the lab.