A/N: Same disclosures apply as in all previous chapters. Please read, review and enjoy.

Chapter 11

Danny ran back to elevator, and pounded on the close door button. How could he have just kissed her, how could have just left her like that, he been the reason she was hurting again. He punched the wall of the box he was in. He had done the one thing that he swore he would not to, causing more stress in her life. He couldn't just stand there and listen to her put herself down though, she had been the one thing that had been making his world go round for about the last year, he couldn't listen to her say she was nothing, when she was everything to him. He felt something for her that he had never felt with anyone else, it was something so deep and so profound, he was beginning to think that there was no word for it. Love seemed too weak. Even when he was with Cindy, she was just a distraction. Same with the girl from the subway, and the chick from the bar, they were all just distractions from what he really wanted.

Go back to her, he thought to himself, go back and tell her everything that you've wanted to tell her for a year. She was honest with you.

Danny pushed the button to open the doors and ran back to where he had left her. She was sitting, crumpled in a heap, crying and talking to herself when he approached. He slowed and listened.

"I'm sorry, I just can't do this anymore." She was saying, "I need to go back, I don't belong here." There was a pause.

Maybe she wasn't talking to herself.

"I know, I know," she said, "but I just have leave, there are personal reasons behind it."

Just then Danny came into her view and he heard a soft clap of something closing. Of course, he thought, she was on her cell phone.

"Hey." He said softly to her, squatting close by. He could smell her hair, a smell he found intoxicating.

She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, and glared at him. Her face was still red and tear stained,

"What do you want?" she asked bitterly. He couldn't blame her, but he was going to make it right with every fiber in his being.

"I'm sorry." He told her sincerely. "I got spooked. I've wanted this, us, you with me here, for such a long time. I never thought it was going to come true. I've never wanted to bring someone else here, and for me to feel it so strongly scared me. Then when you said that I meant something to you, and then you saying you were disposable, which you aren't, it just…This isn't easy for me. I've never had anything in my life that I've cared so much about care for me back. You are like nothing I've never known, or met. You intimidate me at times."

"And you think it's easy for me?" Lindsay exploded, everything that she had been feeling for the last few days finally had an outlet, "You think it was easy for me to realize that you meant more to me than just a friend, to realize that I wanted you, only when I couldn't have you? Do you think it was easy for me to hear about you going out with tramp after tramp after tramp when you were too blind to see what was under your nose the entire time?" She paused to take a breath, "Then, when I had someone in my life, you suddenly become available and are taking an interest? What is this some new form of torture? See how long Lindsay can last without cracking in her personal life? I like you Danny, I want to be more than friends! I want to be with you, I want to spend time with you outside of work. Of all the things that Pacey said, there was actually one thing that rang true, he was truly just there, I was just waiting for you to open your eyes."

Danny fell to his knees, he couldn't believe he had been so blind. Why did it take her getting injured to make him realize what he could have lost. Why did everything have to be his way or no way?

"Lindsay, I am so sorry." Danny said softly, staring directly into her eyes, "I am so sorry for everything. I'm sorry for everything I've put you through and I'm sorry for any harm I've caused." Danny started to babble, somewhat disjointedly.

"I want to be with you Lindsay Monroe. I can't promise that I'll be everything that you want, but I can promise that I will love you down to my last breath, with every fiber of my being, and I will always be there for you." Danny said, clear as day. "So, if you'll have me, I want to be with you."

"That's all I ever wanted Danny," Lindsay said, "I want to know you and I want you to know me; I want to be with you too."

He felt Lindsay's arms snake around his neck, hold him close to her. He could feel her shaking.

"Are you cold?" He asked her, looking at her and seeing her shake her head no, "Lindsay, you're shaking." Instinctively, he put a hand up to her face, specifically, her forehead. He was shocked at how hot she felt.

"Come on girl," he said lifting her up without a fight and feeling her lean into him, "we're going to the hospital."

Once they got to the emergency room, Danny called Mac, not knowing what else to do. The doctors weren't telling him anything and they wouldn't let him into the room. They kept running in and out, shouting medical terms that he couldn't catch.

Mac and Stella arrived at the hospital, dressed to the nines, shocking Danny slightly.

"Whoa Mac, sorry if I interrupted something," Danny said looking back and forth between the couple.

"Don't worry about it Danny," Stella said, taking off her coat, "If it wasn't you, it'd be someone else."

"Have they told you anything yet?" Mac asked looking over to the room where Lindsay was. There was still a lot of activity coming in and out of it.

"No." said Danny as he collapsed down onto a waiting room chair.

Stella moved over to him, putting her arm around him.

"I'm sure she's going to be fine, Danny. She's got you." Stella smiled at him.

"What if she's not Stel? What'em I gonna do then?" Danny asked, the exhaustion in his voice clear. "I mean they won't even tell us what's wrong with her, if they even know!" He looked at Stella as if she had the answers he was looking for, but unfortunately Stella contained no answers.

Mac looked at him, seeing for the first time since the shooting of Officer Minhas, how much he had grown up and changed. He was sure Lindsay had something to do with that. Ever since she had joined the team, he had been a changed man.

"Danny, just let the doctors do their jobs, I'm sure they'll tell us something soon." Mac said, sitting down in the chair next to him.

Mac has no sooner finished talking, as a doctor approached the group. Danny leapt up from his position.

"Mr. Messer?" he asked, "I'm Doctor Lingeen. Ms. Monroe is ok, and she's resting now. You can go and see her in a minute, but I want to ask you some questions first."

"Yeah doc," Danny said peering around him, looking into Lindsay's room. He saw her wave weakly. "What's up, what's wrong with her?"

"She's dehydrated." He said, "Combine that with being under a lot of stress and it's enough to compromise her immune system." He glanced at her chart for a second, "I see she was here a few days ago for an assault," he glanced at Danny suspiciously.

"It wasn't me," Danny told him defensively, "It was her ex-boyfriend who has since been arrested."

"I'm sorry," he told Danny honestly, "we have just been trained to detect these things." He shrugged, "Do you remember what medications they put her on?"

Danny thought back to her containers at the apartment.

"I know one was a pain pill for her wrist and bruises, and the other was to help the swelling go down in her wrist so that they could put a real cast on but I couldn't tell you the names of them if I had to." Danny answered openly, "Shouldn't you guys have a record of that here?"

"We do," Dr. Lingeen told him, "I was just trying to save some time.

"Is that all?" Danny asked, anxiously, "Can I go in and see her now?"

"Go ahead." Dr. Lingeen said with a nod towards her room, "But only one at a time for now. She needs to rest."

"When will she be able to go home?" Danny heard Stella ask as he walked away.

Lindsay opened her eyes when she heard the door slide open. She smiled when she saw who it was.

"There you are." He said, "I wondered where you wandered off to." He smiled at her, trying to make a joke.

"You're funny," She replied, her eyes closed again, "Don't quit your day job. Did they say what was wrong with me? And don't be funny." She opened her eyes again.

"They said that you are dehydrated." He answered her, taking her hand, and pressing it against his face. "You really scared me, you know that? What would I do if I lost you just after I found you?"

Lindsay yawned, he could tell that she was struggling to stay awake for him.

"I'm gonna let Mac and Stella come in and see you before you fall asleep ok? Then I'll be back," he said, "I promise."

He let go of her hand and walked out to the waiting room. He indicated that Mac or Stella could go in next, and sat down in a chair, placing his head in his hands. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up, expecting to see Stella but was shocked to see Mac.

"How are you doing Danny?" Mac asked sincerely, "No one has asked you that lately."

"I'm good," Danny said, his manly exterior trying to come through, "I'm good, Mac."

Mac looked at him, studying him. He looked tired, there were circles under his eyes and his looked pale. Knowing that he wouldn't get a straight answer out of Danny, he decided to try a different approach.

"You really care about her, don't you?" He indicated Lindsay.

"Yeah Mac, I do." Danny told his boss, and friend, "I do."

"She's good for you, you know?" Mac asked him, "She's caused you to grow up and look at things differently."

"Ya think so Mac?" Danny asked, looking over his shoulder at Stella and Lindsay talking, "She's definitely given me insights that I've never had before."

Mac smiled at him, and the answer was given. He patted him on the shoulder as Stella walked out, indicating that it was Mac's turn.

Stella and Danny made small talk until Mac came out.

"She's asking for you Danny." Mac told him, then turned to Stella, "If we go now we can still make the play."

"Call us if anything changes Danny." Stella told him as Mac helped her with her coat.

"Will do," Danny called over his shoulder, already on his way back to his Lindsay, "Enjoy the play."

Stella and Mac smiled at each other as they made their way out of the hospital to Mac's vehicle.

"Think she's going to be ok?" Stella asked, as they pulled out of the parking lot.

"I think they're both going to be ok." Mac answered her.

Danny entered her room, and stood by her bed. He leaned in and kissed her lips softly, then kissed her forehead and hand in sequence. She opened her eyes and smiled at him, then closed her eyes again. The doctor's must have given her something to help her sleep, he thought.

Danny moved the chair closer to the bed, sat down, and leaned back in it. He was glad that she was going to be ok; she didn't need anything more drama filled in her life. He closed his eyes, realizing how tired he was at that very moment. He heard a nurse come in, but he didn't open his eyes to acknowledge her; she was just going to check Lindsay's chart anyway. He drifted off to sleep, not leaving Lindsay's side or dropping her hand. He didn't feel the nurse cover him with a blanket or place an extra pillow on the foot of the bed, but Lindsay did. She opened her eyes, saw her, and mouthed thank you before allowing herself to drift off as well.