Chapter Forty-Five: Do You Hate Me?

Danny and Lindsay sat on the couch, laughing at all of the antics they'd been up to and the jokes and pranks they'd pulled on each other.

"Oh God! Remember the platypus?" Lindsay hiccoughed, she was laughing so hard.

"You think I'll forget a six foot tall talkin' platypus? Are you kiddin' me?" Danny wiped a tear from his eye. "Y'know, you made a pretty cute Strawberry Shortcake, there." Good enough to eat.

"And you made a pretty ridiculous looking Yosemite Sam!" she collapsed in giggles again, putting her hand on his shoulder for support.

"Hey! I resemble that remark!" They both snorted and went into fits again. He had to put his hand on her thigh to keep from falling completely off the small couch.

"You know, I was seriously impressed by the way you managed to totally recreate my office… after you destroyed it, I mean."

"I took photos of the scene before I set it up."

"You took crime scene photos of my office before you rigged it to collapse?" Brilliant. The man is… brilliant.

"Of course! I wanted to get it all glued down right, later." The burst out laughing again, knocking their heads together.

"I actually still get calls from that biker bar in Brooklyn where you wrote my name and number." It's strangely good for the self esteem… while being simultaneously disgusting and horrendous.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Some guy named "Babe" said to say hi." She raised her eyebrow and tried desperately to keep a straight face. "He said you forgot your… pants?" It was no use, she fell over laughing again.

"My dry cleaning, Montana! Get your mind out of the… I can't believe you thought… I would never…" Giving up, he finally had to laugh, too. "Y'know, there's one mental image I don't think I'll ever get out of my head." You in that bathing suit at the 'beach party.'

"Oh yeah, what's that?" she took a few deep breaths, trying to control her laughter. Her abdominal muscles were really starting to hurt.

"Mac and Hawkes dressed up like Miami Vice. That was just… cruel and unusual." He shook his head in mock distress, then he looked up with a wicked expression. "Tell me you got pictures." Always get pictures. Blackmail, baby, the best part of a prank.

"I'll email them to you." And off they went, again, into gales of laughter.

"Man, I still remember the look on your face that first day when I told you to call Mac 'sir.' That was fantastic."

"I really hated you, right at first, actually," she hiccoughed again and tried to wipe the tears from her face. "You were a real … jackass." Still are, but now it's more funny than annoying.

"You hated me? C'mon, Montana… I was just hazin' the new girl is all." And I was seriously pissed at you for replacin' Aiden.

"Yeah, well, I was having a bit of a week, what with moving across the country and all that." She calmed down a bit, remembering her reasons for wanting to move.

Danny noticed the change in her. Did I say somethin' wrong? "What about now? Do you hate me now?" He leaned in a bit, looking into her eyes. He noticed that his hand was on her thigh. How'd that happen? He had to resist the urge to squeeze it and move it up a bit higher.

Lindsay bit her lip, unprepared for the full force of his stare. Mutely, she shook her head, suddenly feeling the warmth of his hand on her thigh. She noticed her own hand on his muscled shoulder. When did I do that? She resisted the urge to pull away from him. "I really don't," she answered softly.

Danny shifted slightly, moving his face a fraction of an inch forward. This time, I'm gonna do it right.

Lindsay shifted slightly, turning almost imperceptibly away from him. It's Danny! He can't be thinking of kissing me. That's just… ridiculous.

He sighed. Or maybe not. Damnit. Clearing his throat, he reached for another slice of pizza. "Glad to hear it. If you did still hate me, I'd have to worry about your mental faculties."

She breathed out in relief. See? It was all in my head. "Why? Because only crazy women can resist the Messer Magic?" she grinned.

"How'd you hear about the Messer Magic?"

"Oh, y'know. I hear things."

"You hear things?"

"Someone says something. I'm standing there. My ears work." She shrugged, "I hear things."

They broke into laughter again.

See? Just friends. Friends are good.

One of these days, Montana. One of these days.

Author's Note: feel free to burn me in effigy or something over this chapter. :D