AN This is a warning! You may thoroughly and completely hate me after this, but I just couldn't do a 'happily ever after' for this one…
:oP Nevermind

"Pulling a runner from your own apartment?" I asked groggily, having been woken up by movement on the other half of the bed.

He just grinned down at me while pulling on a pair of pants. "Eh, another reason I don't get very far in relationships," he said, indicating his cell phone on the bedside table.

I just smiled. "Does this mean I have to leave too?"

He bent over and kissed my forehead. "Nope. You go back to sleep. I'll leave the spare keys by the TV."

"Mm, good. I was afraid you were gonna force me to be a kept woman."

"You're welcome to be, if you like."

"Come here and say that," I challenged.

"Can't. Another round with you and I won't get out of here on time."

"So?"

He leaned over to kiss me while buttoning up his shirt. "Can't have a kept woman if I don't have a job," he teased.

I chuckled against his mouth. "You'll pay for that later."

"I hope so. Bye."

"Bye."

I rolled over and fell back asleep. When I finally woke up, I decided I'd be nice and stick around to clean up our mess. I made his bed, loaded the dishes into his dishwasher and tidied the balcony. He was being kind enough to my gigolo, after all.

After showering, I decided that I wasn't interested in wearing my outfit from the night before, so I borrowed a pair of his jeans and a t-shirt. He was slim enough that I didn't even need to cinch the belt too tightly. He had a digital camera sitting by a laptop in the living room, so as a treat, I set it to take a picture of myself in his clothes, which I quickly printed and deleted from both the camera and the computer – just in case either or both was his work stuff.

'Thanks for everything. I'm holding your clothes captive until you come ransom them from me. See you soon,' I wrote on the back. I slathered my lips with some lipstick and planted their impression underneath my note. 'P.S. Cheese for cheese," I wrote, hoping he'd understand the reference.

I loaded myself in my car and decided to take the long way back to Aiden's. I was in a good mood, needless to say. This vacation was turning out to be exactly what I'd needed. I put the top down on my car and basked in the day's sunshine.

I was sitting at a stop light in one of New York's grittier neighborhoods when I felt it. It was like I'd been punched hard in the chest. I thought I'd heard a loud bang too. I put my hand over my heart where I'd felt the hit and was confused by the blood I saw. I looked up into the face of a young man. His eyes were cold and hard. He was holding a gun and it was pointing at me, still smoking.

"You could've just asked," I said as I slumped over my steering wheel. It's funny, but my last thought was that I was getting blood all over Danny's clothes.

I never meant for my vacation to end that way. I would have liked to at least have said goodbye to Aiden. But it's not often that one gets to decide when one dies. Sometimes it's decided for you.

They found my body on that same corner. The young man had basically just hauled me out and left me there, taking my car to God knows where. Apparently I didn't die right away, I bled out. My CSI friends had to process my murder. That was awkward. I felt bad to have to do that to them, but again, what choice did I have?

Aiden was the most upset, naturally. Mac wouldn't let her work the case because she was just too emotional. I don't know what happened, but she lost her passion for her job after that. Maybe it all just hit too close to home.

Danny… Well, Danny took my death personally. I wonder if that was because they found me in his clothes. He was like a bulldog that wouldn't let go until he had the kill. But he was careful too. He was meticulous and thorough, even if he and Mac did have yelling matches every other day. They did find the guy, and my car, which, sadly, is now sitting desolate in a police yard. I don't know if catching him made anyone feel better, but how do you make someone feel better when someone theycare about is murdered like that?

Life's just not fair sometimes.

I hear that Danny keeps my picture in a drawer by his bed. That's sweet. He really is a genuine guy… it's too bad I didn't have more time to get to know him…

AN I warned you, didn't I? Seriously, stop throwing the tomatoes, they kinda hurt! Please be sure to read Dream's new story, "Side Stage" (coming soon!), for a happier conclusion to a Danny story…