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Lindsay wanted to avoid Stella. However, she knew that if she did, Stella would just come find her, so she went to Stella's office. The door was open in, so she just walked in. "Stella?"

"Hey, Lindsay," Stella walked around the desk so she could sit aside Lindsay. As Stella sat down, so did Lindsay. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," Lindsay replied, with her head down and her hands fidgeting.

"All right, Lindsay," Stella answered, with the tone of a mother who knows that there child is not telling the truth. "I'm a CSI, and I'm not stupid. The fact that you're fidgeting and can't look at me tells me that you're not telling me the truth. So look at me in the eye and tell me what's really going on."

Lindsay looked up. "Um.." A tear began to roll down her cheek. Stella reached over and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I can't help but wonder what if I hadn't left that dust lifter in the truck. I might have been in that building. Maybe if I had been there, we could have gotten everyone out faster and Flack wouldn't have been there. Or maybe we still would and I would have gotten hurt." Stella tried to get a word in, but Lindsay just went on. "I should have sent Flack to get the dust lifter. Maybe I should have gone in there, maybe we would have found them faster and he'd be better."

Stella was shaking her head. It seemed that Lindsay was even less rational than what Danny had described that night before, and her body was stiffening. "Lindsay, listen to me," a stern note creeping into her voice. "You couldn't have known there was a bomb in there. You know shit happens, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"But."

"Getting hurt is a risk we take everyday, you know that. Hell, you took a risk coming to work this morning, you could have been in an accident. I can't believe you're talking that you should have gone in there, you KNOW better than that." Tears were falling down Lindsay's cheeks. "So we might have wound up with two team members injured instead of just one." Stella's was getting a little louder. It got a little softer as she said, "Flack wouldn't want you to be doing this to yourself right now."

"That's what Danny said."

"Hmm, he did. Well, don't you think that might mean it's true? Flack and Danny are great friends. I'd say Danny knows him about as well as anyone. You know sometimes, you just have to count your blessings." Stella wasn't sure if Lindsay was religious, but remembered what the nuns at the orphanage would tell them at times. She thought maybe it would get through to her. "Right now, I feel grateful that I don't have two team members injured. I'm grateful that I don't have a dead team member."

"But Flack could still die."

"Well, we'll cross that if it comes. I'm grateful that Danny was with you last night. I'm grateful that we caught the bomber, which you helped us do. Because of your help, he's not able to possibly hurt me more people." Lindsay's response shocked Stella, she stiffened even more. "Come on, hon, relax." Stella just held her like that for a while.

Stella finally felt Lindsay's body relax. She looked down and saw her trying to wipe tears away from her face. Stella reached over to grab a tissue from her desk and handed it to Lindsay, releasing her from the hug. "I'll be fine." Stella sensed that there was more, but wasn't sure exactly what. However, she felt that she wouldn't get anymore out of her, and figured it could wait until things were a little more settled.

"Linds, yesterday, when you told me you were fine, were you honestly?"

"I don't know."

"Well at least you're being honest now. You know, you need to go talk to Mac now."

"Great, nice getting yelled at for the fourth time in a month. And I'm sure I look like a fright."

"Lindsay, this pessimism isn't like you. And besides, I don't think he's going to yell at you, but remember you we're late for work."

"Ok. Thanks, I'll see you later."

"But do stop by the bathroom and wash your face before you see him."

Lindsay looked over her shoulder as she was leaving, "Was planning to."

Coming up: story from Lindsay's past