Epilogue

I sat on the couch in the apartment, nursing a glass of water, listening to the Christmas music playing over the radio. The sun had set long ago in the late afternoon, and as I looked out of the window I could see a Christmas tree in the apartment across. Warm hues and sparkly baubles diffused by curtains – it reminded me of home. Our current apartment was cozy but plain, and to say the truth, I missed the huge family gatherings with cousins thrice removed and fifteen children running around. The music stopped for a while as the DJ wished us all a wonderful Christmas Eve. I sighed and watched as my breath condensed on the window pane; this wasn't the way I had planned to spend the eve. It wasn't Danny's fault either because Mac was short of a CSI to investigate a murder reported at five thirty a.m. that morning.

Danny had crawled out of bed sighing and groaning as I stared at him disappointedly.

"Mac says he's sorry but I gotta work," I opened my mouth but he spoke before I could say anything, "No, Montana, you can't come along, there's a reason why Mac asked for me only."

I sighed. Two days ago I called in sick after heaving my lungs out, and when Danny came over after shift I was keeled over in the couch running a fever. Food poisoning, the doctor said, and I was to spend Christmas not eating any turkey or seafood. "Fine," I told Danny, "but come back soon."

"I'll try." He gave me a lingering kiss before stepping into the shower.

Thirteen hours later and I was still waiting for him to return. He called at six in the evening, telling me that he was sorry but our dinner reservations at the restaurant had to be cancelled. I sighed again, and told him to wish Stella, who was working the case with him, merry Christmas on my behalf.

Eight thirty p.m. and I decided to switch the radio off and move into the bedroom to read a book. Maybe when I was done with all 658 pages Danny would be back to share the last half hour of Christmas Eve with me.

It was late and I had been glancing at the clock since seven thirty. Stella gave me a commiserating smile as she leaned across the lab table to put together a piece of the puzzle. My first Christmas with Lindsay and I was stuck in the cold sterile lab – so not what I had wanted. When I called during dinner break, Lindsay sounded despondent and I felt a little guilty, but she understood the strings that came with the job so I wasn't too worried about her bursting into tears. She was probably just annoyed to have to stay in her apartment for the whole day, eating porridge and watching daytime TV.

At ten p.m. Mac finally popped his head in and told us it was alright if we went home. He didn't want to completely ruin Christmas. I was too tired to whoop for joy and Stella just stumbled into the locker room alongside me. I retrieved my belongings and was about to leave when Stella put a hand on my shoulder.

Turning to look at her, I was surprised to see an unhappy light in her eyes. "Stella, you okay?"

"I'm fine. I was just wondering, since you cancelled your dinner reservations, and if I know Lindsay at all she's probably still waiting for you to get back before she eats, if the two of you would like coming to my place for supper."

I hesitated for some time and she turned back to her locker, "It's alright if you don't wanna come, the two of you deserve time together. See you again, Danny."

"Um, Stella?" She was lonely. "I was just thinking if Mac was coming too."

Her eyes clouded and she shook her head, "No, he spends every Christmas alone mourning Claire. It's his time alone with her."

I hugged her and said, "Stell, I'll go back and ask Lindsay. If she's up to it, and isn't still puking, we'll come for dinner." After Frankie, Stella was never quite the same.

She chuckled and slammed her locker door shut. "Well, I'll be cooking. So call me if you're coming."

When I entered Lindsay's apartment, there was light from under the bedroom door. "Montana?" I called as I pushed open the door and couldn't resist smirking when I caught sight of her – hair tumbling over her face and a copy of Jane Eyre lying across her stomach.

"Wake up, love," I heard Danny's voice interrupt Mr. Rochester and blinked in confusion. It took a few moments before I realized that I had been dreaming and woke up promptly.

"I'm sorry I'm back so late," He murmured and took his jacket off, "Are you feeling better?"

To prove a point, I hopped out of bed, "Yes."

His laughter was laced with tiredness and I embraced him, "How did the case go?"

"No where, but Mac says Stella and I will get tomorrow off." Danny spoke into my hair and I rubbed circles into his back. "Have you eaten?"

"No…waiting for you."

"Feel like going to Stella's for supper?"

"Huh?"

"She invited both of us to have supper with her if you agree to. She's lonely, Montana."

"I've known that for a while," I said. Stella, as much as she pretended to be over it, wasn't unscathed from Frankie's torture. "Why not you go shower, I'll call her and say we're coming." Danny smiled, stroked my cheek, and made his way to the shower.

I dialed Stella's number and as I told her we were coming, could practically feel her spirits lift over the line. After Frankie, she didn't date anyone else, and the only men she spoke to for more than ten seconds were those in the lab. I think she played matchmaker for Danny and I not just because she thought we were good for each other, but also because she was living life vicariously through us. As much as I wanted quality time with Danny, supper would be a form of thanks. And friendship; true friendship was a precious possession I was unwilling to let go off.

I changed and sat by the window, waiting for Danny to be done. The street below the apartment complex was quiet, and if I listened hard enough, I could hear faint tunes of Amazing Grace drifting up. The bathroom door opened and Danny emerged, hair wet and toes dripping. A big smile found its way to my face. Christmas was the time for giving and sharing.

Lindsay was facing me with a radiant smile as I made my way to her. "What's up, Montana?" I asked her softly and she reached up to kiss me. It wasn't passionate, and it wasn't filled with desire; it was meaningful and I couldn't really explain why.

"Nothing," she grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the door, "let's get to Stella's quick, I'm starving."

It was wonderful the way she made me smile, even when every pore in my body was steeped in fatigue. The journey we took to Stella's apartment was filled with comfortable silence and Lindsay was looking out of the window or fiddling with the buttons on her blouse most of the time. I humored her by playing some Lee Ann Womack CD she like so much and noticed a tiny smile they never quite disappeared for the whole night.

We could smell the aroma of baked chicken wafting across the corridors and were salivating by the time we reached Stella's doorstep. The door swung open and a very cheerful Stella greeted us.

"Hi! I hope you two are hungry. I've missed you at the lab, Lindsay." I peered over her shoulders and was pleasantly aware that there was an assortment of dishes large enough that I could feast on. The meal was wonderful and Stella appeared to be much happier than she had been at ten fifteen p.m. We stayed at her place till after midnight, clinking glasses when the clock struck twelve, and sharing anecdotes about life in general. It was only when I started yawning did Lindsay stand up and told Stella we were leaving.

"Thanks for coming," Stella said, "I know you two had plans."

Lindsay laughed, "Our plans didn't have food as good as yours."

A few hugs were exchanged, and we left hand in hand.

Back at the apartment, we collapsed in bed after changing into pajamas. I pulled her closer and she sighed contentedly, "Merry Christmas, Danny."

I smiled the smile I saved for her and kissed her softly, "Merry Christmas."

I had found Lindsay when the evidence pointed to her, when solitude seemed more than empty without her, when looking her meant more than a distraction. As she fell asleep curled against me at three a.m. on Christmas morning, I felt thankful. And all the prayers lost over the past year were finally delivered to me as I closed my eyes and drifted asleep with the comforting warmth of Lindsay around me.

Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see.

A/N: That marks the end of the entire fic, and I hope you've enjoyed reading. Do review, and see me again once I am being attacked by more plot bunnies. And yes, it's a little too early to be thinking about Christmas, I'm weird like that.