Lindsay felt like she had been leaning over the microscope for hours, days even by the kink she was developing in her neck and back. She had actually finished analyzing her evidence a few minutes ago, but Lindsay wanted to appear busy for a little while longer. For the last two or three minutes, Lindsay had gotten the distinct impression that someone was watching her from the doorway behind her. Now Lindsay remained bent over her microscope looking over and over her evidence to see how long it would take the person in the doorway to come in.
Flack had been standing in the doorway to the trace lab for a few minutes now. He didn't think that Lindsay knew he was there. Sometimes watching Lindsay work was like watching a yoga class – it looked intricate, but was relaxing all at the same time.
"Do I have a nice butt?" Lindsay called out without looking over her shoulder to see who it was.
Lindsay's voice and question startled Flack. He jumped a little bit and walked into the lab while trying to figure out how to answer Lindsay's question. Flack knew the answer; he just didn't think that the middle of the lab was the place to say it.
"Uh…well…How did you know it wasn't Mac standing there?" Flack said, finally recovering.
"I didn't. But Mac doesn't just stand in the doorway for close to five minutes staring at my butt." Lindsay said. She swung her stool around so that she could face Flack. Lindsay could swear that she saw him blushing.
"I wasn't staring at your butt." Flack insisted. His eyes darted around the lab, making sure that no one else was around.
"I must have really nice shoulder blades then." Lindsay said, rolling her eyes.
"You have…never mind." Flack started and then stopped. Finally he took a deep breath and got around to asking Lindsay the question he had originally stopped by to ask. "Lindsay, are you going to Stella's Valentine's Day party tonight?"
This year Valentine's Day fell on a Tuesday. Everyone had agreed that no one felt like having a party on a Tuesday and then showing up to work early the next morning. So Stella decided to hold a Pre-Valentine's Day party on the Saturday before. It was supposed to be a small get together at her place, but more and more people said they were coming, so it had morphed into a cocktail party at Mac's place – hosted by Stella.
Lindsay made some sort of grimace with her mouth and contorted her face when Flack mentioned Stella's party. Flack cocked his head to one side and looked at her, silently asking her what the problem was.
"I don't think so. I have to work the late shift, and I don't think I'll feel like going home to get dressed up and going half way across the city after working." Lindsay said. Flack thought he heard a hint of disappointment in her voice, though the rest of her body didn't convey to him that she felt too bad about missing Stella's party.
"Hey, I'm going to Ruckus after my shift tonight to get a drink. You want to come? It's close to the lab and doesn't require getting dressed up." Flack offered. He hoped that Lindsay would accept. Watching Lindsay, Flack could read her thoughts just by looking at her eyes. He observed her think things through and consider all the possibilities.
"You aren't going to Stella's?" Lindsay finally asked curiously.
"Nah. Same reasons as you…plus I just don't feel like being around all those lovey-dovey people who are in the mood for Valentine's Day." Flack admitted.
"Okay. You've won me over. I'll meet you there after my shift?" Lindsay said, flashing Flack a smile.
"You're on. I'll be waiting." Flack walked triumphantly out of the lab, feeling oddly eager to get back to work and finish things up.
Ruckus looked like a normal bar from the street. It looked like a normal bar on the inside too, the only thing that was different were the many screens all over the bar that showed continuous rugby games. Lindsay had never been to this bar before, she had only walked past it a few times, but tonight she had no problems finding it and finding her way inside. Once inside, Lindsay spotted Flack right away. He was in towards the back of the bar with a group of about ten guys. They all had a beer and were talking animatedly about something.
As Lindsay walked inside, she immediately shrugged off her coat. Flack turned around and instantly noticed her in the crowd, making her way over to him. Flack smiled. Lindsay looked great tonight, though Flack was beginning to think that Lindsay looked great all the time. She looked comfortable and happy in her jeans, and cute in her low cut and frilly top. Flack walked over to meet her halfway into the bar and took Lindsay's coat from her. Lindsay smiled warmly at Flack, as he put his hand on the small of her back to guide her over to where his group of friends was.
Lindsay's arrival had gotten more than just Flack's attention. All of Flack's friends had followed Flack with their eyes and were staring at Lindsay with approval and envy. Lindsay smiled and said a shy hello to the group as they approached.
"Wow, Flack…what did you have to do to get her to show up here with you?" One of the guys asked jokingly.
"Hey, sweetheart, don't waste your time with that joker." Another guy said, referring to Flack. "I'm right here for you."
"Hey! Cut it out and leave her alone." Flack said sternly. He wasn't taking the ribbing and joking all that well. Lindsay just looked at Flack and smiled, shaking her head. "She's a cop just like you, and I've seen Lindsay take down guys bigger than you."
"God, who knew we had such hotties at the NYPD." The first guy said earnestly. Suddenly he walked over to Lindsay and handed her a beer. "You're one of us, sweetie. The beer is on me."
Lindsay took all of this as a compliment. In the span of just a few minutes, she had the respect of fellow NYPD officers, there were a handful of men in love with her and buying her drinks, and Flack was being overprotective.
In just a short time, Lindsay found herself having fun. Flack's friends were lively and they keep insisting on buying Lindsay drinks. After three beers and a game of darts, Lindsay was standing next to Flack, who had been kind of quiet since trying to defend Lindsay's honor earlier in the night.
"Flack," Lindsay said, getting his attention by putting her hand on his chest and turning to face him. "Thanks for inviting me. I've had a lot of fun. I have to admit I don't think I'd be having as good of a time at Stella's tonight. Especially without you. So, thanks."
Flack was taken aback by her comment, for a moment. He could tell that Lindsay had been enjoying herself, but Lindsay seemed so genuinely happy and delighted with the night. Flack had been quiet for a while, and it was unnerving Lindsay. Usually Flack was full of quick, sarcastic comments. He always kept her on her toes. This silent side was beginning to drive Lindsay crazy.
"Let's dance!" Lindsay blurted out. Flack stared at her as if she had just announced that he had five eyes in the middle of his head. "Come on. Please!"
Lindsay had a hold of Flack's hand and was gently tugging him towards the dance floor. Flack was still rooted in place staring at her.
"Please…" Lindsay begged, batting her eyelashes, smiling and squeezing Flack's hand.
"Man, if you're not going to dance with her I'll go. Just let me know." One of Flack's passing buddies said into his ear.
With that, Flack willed his feet to start moving. As he closed the gap between Lindsay and himself, Lindsay started walking again, literally leading him to the dance floor. When they got to the dance floor, Flack gently pulled Lindsay close to him so they were close together. Suddenly Flack dropped Lindsay's hand and looked down at the floor.
"I don't dance, Linds." Flack said quietly. Lindsay almost didn't hear him.
"What?" Lindsay asked, not really sure what she had heard the first time.
"I can't really dance all that well." Here Flack was, standing in the middle of a group of dancing people, and telling Lindsay that he couldn't dance was mortally embarrassing him. Could his night get any worse? Because, let's face it, any guy in the bar would jump at the chance to dance with Lindsay.
Flack was brought back to reality and yanked out of his thoughts when Lindsay hand connected with his chest. And when it connected, it connected hard. Lindsay hit Flack in the chest and started laughing.
"What do you mean you don't dance? You listen to the music and bob up and down. It's not that hard." Lindsay said, still chuckling. "Come on. I want to dance and I want to dance with you. What's one thing you know about me, Flack?"
"You usually get what you want." Flack said with a smile. "Okay, fine. Let's dance."
Flack pulled Lindsay and little closer and they started moving to the music. Lindsay moved her body in ways that Flack didn't know were possible. Flack bounced up and down to the rhythm, and found that it wasn't too hard to appear like he knew what he was doing.
Lindsay had had enough to drink that she felt freed but not drunk. She thought that Flack trying to dance was cute, especially since he was doing it to make her happy. Lindsay couldn't help but notice how much closer Flack had gotten to her while they were dancing, the bodies always brushing up against each other while they danced. Suddenly the music changed and slowed. Lindsay glanced up at Flack, asking him silently if he was okay with the change in music. She got her answer when he snaked his arms around her body, letting them rest on her hips. Lindsay let her hand wander up Flack's chest to rest on his shoulders. One of her hands idly fingered his hair at the base of his neck.
"See." Lindsay said quietly into Flack's ear, since she was so close now. "You're aren't as bad at this as you think."
"You have no idea." Flack mumbled. Lindsay could feel one of his arms wrap tighter around her, pulling her closer, as his other hand moved to the nape of her neck. As Flack pulled Lindsay closer, he brought his lips down on hers.
It wasn't a gentle chaste kiss as Lindsay might have expected. Flack's lips came crashing down onto hers, almost as if he intended to devour her. Lindsay was startled, her body tensing at the action. Instinctively, Lindsay rose up on her toes and found that instead of pushing Flack away, Lindsay found herself opening her mouth to grant Flack access and grabbing at his hair, pulling him closer.
When the need for air overtook his need for Lindsay, Flack pulled away. He kissed Lindsay once more with a quick peck on the lips and then led her off the dance floor. Lindsay hopped up on a stool against a wall in the bar, and Flack brought over a beer for each of them. Flack handed Lindsay a beer and grinned silently. Both took a drink and looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Deciding to break the silence, Flack set his beer down and leaned in towards Lindsay. His lips connected with hers again, and again he could feel that he wasn't the sole participant in the kiss. When they finally broke apart, Flack looked at Lindsay and took her in.
"You're going to kill me for this when I see you tomorrow, aren't you?" Flack asked, shaking his head. He still couldn't quite believe that he had spent the last few minutes kissing Lindsay Monroe.
"No. Not at all." Lindsay said. She suddenly felt shy with Flack's gaze so focused on her. She had no idea what she was doing, but she did know that she didn't hate Flack for what had happened. "Plus, I don't work tomorrow, so your chances of me killing you are somewhat reduced."
Lindsay and Flack made small talk and talked to Flack's friends again, never going back to the topic of their kisses. After a while, Lindsay slipped off her chair and stood up. She turned to look at Flack, putting her hand gently on his arm to get his attention.
"Uh, I'm going to get going. Thanks again for inviting me tonight. I really enjoyed myself." Lindsay said.
"You leaving?" Flack asked. Lindsay nodded her head and smiled. "Hey, why don't I take you home?" Flack offered.
"No thanks. You stay here with your friends." Lindsay said.
"Linds, I'm not going to let you walk out alone into the streets of New York in the middle of the night. Let me get my stuff." Flack turned around, looking for his coat. He stopped, though, when he felt Lindsay's hand grab his arm gently.
"I'm a big girl, Flack, I'll be fine. You stay." Lindsay took one look at the skeptical look on Flack's face and added, "If you want, you can hail a cab for me. That's a New York trick that I still haven't perfected."
"Anything I can do to help." Flack said with a smile as he guided Lindsay out of the bar.
It didn't take long for Flack to get a cab for Lindsay and give the driver his address. As Lindsay slid into the backseat of the cab, Flack leaned in for one last kiss. He had already decided that if this turned into something awkward, he could blame it on the massive amounts of beer that the both of them had consumed. As he pulled his lips away from Lindsay's, Flack thought that he could see her cheeks turning pink in the dark night. Lindsay smiled and put up her small hand to wave as Flack shut the door and the cab sped off.
Flack smiled to himself as he swaggered back inside. This wasn't how he intended his night to go, but it had been a great night all the same. Now he was left wondering if Lindsay would remember all this when they got back to work on Monday.
