Here is the last bit of the story - woooo! It's taken a while, but i hope you've enjoyed it, and i hope you like the ending here

Thanks so much to all of those who have reviewed, favourited and alerted - it means a lot to know people like my stuff

Disclaimer: Own nothing, even though i wish i could

Lindsay woke up earlier than usual, the sun not yet shining. After lying in bed for about 10 minutes, she gave up on trying to sleep, her mind full of images of Annabel, of Derek, of the funerals. She sat up slowly, so as not to wake Danny - she'd woken him enough times in the week since the funeral, what with her nightmares where she ended up screaming. And she didn't need him fussing. Everytime he asked if she was ok, she answered 'yes I'm fine', when she clearly wasn't.

She knew she was closing herself off from those around her. Other than to Flack when giving her statement, she hadn't yet talked about the time in the warehouse to anybody. She knew that it was hurting Danny that she wouldn't talk to him, but she didn't know what to say. She needed time to process what had happened before she could even begin to describe how she was feeling.

Getting out of bed, she went into the bathroom to splash some water on her face. She could hear Danny snoring in the next room, effectively ruining the quiet. Danny had been there, at her side, almost every second since she'd found him after the explosion. He hated letting her out of his site, afraid that someone would take her away again. And Lindsay could appreciate his concern - they had never found Derek's body after the explosion. Whether he was dead or alive, no one knew, but Lindsay couldn't summon enough strength to care. And as much as she appreciated Danny looking out for her, she needed time by herself, she needed to feel independent again. Depending on someone else was new to her - she'd relied on herself to get herself through the torment of her friends murders, and she'd come out ok. There was no reason she couldn't use that tactic now.

Moving back into the bedroom, her mind was still jumbled with all of her tormented thoughts and feelings of guilt. She needed to go somewhere where she could be by herself to work things out in her own head. Making her decision, she got dressed. Deciding to get something to eat later when she was hungry, she made her way out of the apartment.

About 2 hours after Lindsay left, Danny woke up. He squinted against the light coming in through the curtains, whilst with the other hand felt for his glasses on the bedside table. Finding them, he out them on and sat up, trying to get the light out of his eyes. It was then he noticed that his girlfriend wasn't in bed with him.

"Montana?"

Hearing no answer, he looked around. The bathroom door had been left open, and it was obvious she wasn't in there. Her side of the bed had obviously been slept on but it was cold, as if the occupant had been gone for some time.

Starting to panic, he jumped out of bed and searched the rest of the rooms in the apartment. Nothing. She wasn't there. The apartment was empty except for him, and nothing in any of the rooms gave any indication that she'd been there.

"Lindsay?" He called out again, the worry and concern clear to anyone who happened to of heard him. Still no answer.

Swearing to himself, he hurried back into the bedroom, grabbing the nearest set of clothes he could find. He knew that she'd been withdrawn lately, but surely she wouldn't go running off somewhere without telling him? Surely she knew how dangerous that was, seeing as Derek could still be out there. But he couldn't stay angry with her - he knew that she'd been deeply affected by what had happened, and she hadn't been acting like herself for a long time.

Heading into the kitchen, he grabbed his phone, dialling her number. Her phone was switched off. He slammed his palm into the table, trying to control himself. Where was she? What was she doing? Why hadn't she said anything?

Just as he was about to call Mac to see if any of the team had heard from her, a piece of paper stuck to the fridge caught his eye. Yanking it off of the door so hard that the magnets fell off, he breathed a sigh of relief, before cursing himself for not checking that she'd left a note.

Danny,

I'm just going out for a while. I need to clear my head.Don't worry about me, I'll be back soon.

Love you

Montana xxx

Ordinarily Danny would have left her to it, but recently he had become more and more concerned about her. She'd closed off from everyone, talking minimal amounts, not eating, not sleeping. If she continued to bottle up her emotions, she'd give herself a break down. So he couldn't help but worry.

Deciding to go and find her, he grabbed his jacket and his keys before heading out of the door. The trouble was, he didn't know where she would be.

Lindsay was sat crossed legged on the grass, staring at the words etched into the stone before her. She'd been sat there for almost two hours, but she couldn't feel the cold, couldn't feel the wind. Couldn't feel anything except the guilt.

Annabel Fletcher, Beloved Daughter and Friend

The words echoed in her mind. She sat there, trying to block out the memories that were threatening to overwhelm her. One in particular stuck in her mind.

The day after the explosion, Lindsay had made her way to down to see Sid in autopsy. He'd reluctantly let her see Annabel, thoughtfully covering the disturbing Y incision down her front, knowing the distress that her death was causing Lindsay. She'd stood there, and she'd held on of Annabel's hands, trying to put life back into them. But still, Annabel lay there, unmoving, as if in a deep sleep. But Lindsay knew this was a sleep from which she would not awaken. She'd listened carefully to Sid as he described her injuries: a broken ankle and fractured wrist, 3 broken ribs, extensive bruising, a concussion, and of course, the bullet to the heart. Lindsay couldn't quite believe how much pain she would have been it, yet she still managed to jump in front of the bullet meant for Lindsay. Her strength and determination amazed her.

Lindsay's attention was brought back to the gravestone. Looking at the flowers, and the tribute notes that had bee left there by her friends and family, she once again felt a deep sense of loss.

"I never meant for this to happen you know. You shouldn't be the one under there. I should. That bullet was meant for me."

As she talked, she felt a release that she hadn't felt for a long time. Danny was right, people should talk about things. Trouble was the person she needed to talk to, to sort herself out, was no longer around. That was why she'd come here, in a hope that Annabel would be able to hear her.

"I still don't know why you did it. I guess it was a type of revenge, the last thing you could do to throw everything back in Derek's face. And it worked. He lost everything. And I'm still alive. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for that. I just…I wish that it hadn't taken you sacrificing yourself."

She looked around, noticing for the first time that she was not alone. Other families could be seen throughout the cemetery, some crying, some comforting others, some even laughing at good times they'd shared with their loved ones.

"Your parents told me not to feel guilty. But how do I do that? You're dead, and I'm still alive, because you saved me. You gave me that chance to carry on. You stopped Derek from hurting anyone else. But I still can't help but feel guilty, because you should have had that chance. You deserved that chance. Hell, Paige and Tiffany deserved that chance. But now you're all gone. And I don't know what to do now."

"You know, when my friends died, I felt so alone. Nobody wanted to know me and everyone I knew just gave me these looks, as if they were angry I was the only survivor. I spent 4 years with no one to talk to, and then I left for college, where no one knew me. The parents blamed me, our other friends blamed me as if it were somehow my fault that they died. I knew it wasn't, but the rejection was painful. But now, no one blames me. And its an odd feeling. I feel like I'm more at fault than I was before, but no one accuses me of anything. And I don't know how to cope with that. I was always the one to blame, and now I'm not and I just feel like I should be carrying an extra burden. I know I shouldn't be to blame, I mean it was your choice to jump in front of the bullet, but its hard to accept that."

"I don't even think I'm making sense anymore, but I think I just wanted to try and sort my thoughts out. I think this case has hit me a lot harder than most ever will. I lost another friend, and its brought back some things, some memories, that I wish I didn't have to relive. But I guess I have to."

Kneeling, she ran her fingers lightly over the stone. "I just want to say that, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that it came to this, that you didn't get the life you deserved. But I swear you won't be forgotten. I'm going to miss you."

Danny stood a short distance behind her, unnoticed. After a short while of searching her favourite places, he realised that the person she probably wanted to talk to was Annabel. So he'd headed to the cemetery.

That was where he found her, but she looked more at ease than she had done in days so he didn't want to interrupt her. He listened as she talked, uncomfortably aware that she had probably only ever wanted Annabel to hear these words. But he couldn't tear himself aware. It was as she finished speaking, and as she started crying that he made his presence to her known. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her softly as she cried.

"You ok?"

"It hurts so much Danny. So fucking much. I don't know what to do now."

"I know. I know." There wasn't anything else he could say.

They stood like that for a while, before Lindsay pulled away to touch the gravestone once more. Taking one last look at the photo resting on the grass, the one taken of all the girls, the one that Annabel had kept close to her heart, she turned away.

Taking Danny's hand, she led them out of the cemetery, feeling lighter than she had done in ages. She hadn't recovered from her grief, and she knew there would be days where she missed Annabel terribly, just as she still had days were she missed her friends. But, as many people had said, she was living for all of them now. And she knew that she wouldn't let them down.

Well, what did you think? Good ending, bad ending?

I know I didn't resolve the Derek issue - I couldn't decide whether or not I wanted to kill him, so I've left it open ended in case people ever want a sequel (if you do, you'll have to let me know, and if i get enough requests, i might consider it)

Thanks so much for reading, it was so much fun to write and i hope you liked reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it :)