Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.
Author's Note: This takes place about two weeks after Chapter 1. Thanks for all the helpful comments.
Chapter 2
"Hey! Look who finally decided to show her face!" Don Flack grinned at Lindsay from his hospital bed.
"Well, when the other members of your team slackin' off, you gotta make up for it,"Lindsay's imitation of a New Yawk accent was truly horrible and Flack roared with laughter, his hand delicately touching his stomach where his stitches lay under his hospital gown. "Hey now, didn't mean to hurt you, calm down."
"Seriously Lindsay," Flack said, finally recovering, "it's good to see you."
Lindsay smiled. Truth be told, she almost hadn't come at all. She hadn't been part of the team long, and worried that showing up at the hospital may have seemed a little overboard. Stella Bonasera had put a quick end to that.
"Lindsay, Flack's heading home in a couple of days," Stella told her in the locker room that morning.
"Really? That's great, he's probably chomping at the bit to get out of there."
"Not that you would know ..." Stella said, raising an eyebrow at her. "Flack was just saying how he couldn't even get both the 'hotties' on his team to visit him. Poor guy thinks he's losing his touch."
"Oh no, really? Seriously Stella, I just figured he wouldn't miss me. He's known you guys a long time, and we've only worked a few cases ..."
Stella walked over and put her hand on Lindsay's shoulder. "Look, you're one of us now. We care about each other, and when one of us is hurt, we're there. That includes you, so get your pretty little Montana butt over to that hospital - pronto."
With that, Stella squeezed her arm and left the room, leaving Lindsay pondering her words. It's true, everyone on the team - Hawkes, Flack, Stella, Mac, Danny, even Hammerbeck - had become very close to her heart in her time in New York. Maybe it was the nature of the business they were in - death had a way of stripping away pretense.
"Earth to Lindsday ..." Flack leaned toward her, snapping his fingers in front of her face.
"What? Oh, god, sorry Flack. Just daydreaming, I guess. I just pulled a double. Messer took a day to see his family."
"Hey, no big deal. I know you've all been working hard. How is Danny, anyway? He's seemed pretty distracted, which is normal for what he's been through."
Lindsay nodded. "Yeah, I know. He's doing better since word came that you were heading home, though. Can't wait to have you back in the precinct to torture."
Flack seemed pleased by that, his bantering friendship with Danny an important part of his life. "Seriously, Linds, how is he? Mac said there's been no change with Louie. And don't tell me you don't know - you guys have become pretty tight."
She thought about debating that point, but shrugged. "You know Danny, he doesn't reveal a lot. If anything, it's made his work even better - he really throws himself into it. I'm worried about him, though. He seems to hold too much inside."
Flack gazed at her intently. "Well, keep an eye on him. If he opens up to anyone, it will be you."
Lindsay opened her mouth to respond when a cute blond nurse entered the room. "Good afternoon, Detective Flack," she purred. "I'm afraid you're friend is going to have to leave, I need to draw some blood."
Lindsay chuckled, watching Flack's blue eyes spark at the sight of the buxom beauty. "Listen, I'll see you next week at the office."
Flack tore his eyes from the nurse long enough to smile at her. "Thanks for coming Linds. I mean that."
And Lindsay could see that he did.
Two days later ...
"Hey Montana!"
Linsday was just about to head into the lab when she saw Danny running up to her. His eyes were brighter than they'd been in days. Maybe he was glad Flack was home ...
"What's up Danny?"
"I know it's one in a long list, but I need a favor. Can you take my shift this afternoon? I know it's a lot to ask for you to work another double, but Hawkes said he'd help you out."
"Umm, sure, Danny, what's going on?" Though she was looking forward to a lazy afternoon after working all night, she couldn't bring herself to dampen his enthusiasm.
"It's Louie. Dad said he was talking to him - ya know, they say coma patients can sometimes hear you - and Louie squeezed his hand. Dad thought maybe it was just a twitch or somethin', so he asked him to do it again, and he did. Lindsay, he may come out of this."
"Don't worry about a thing, Danny, go see your brother," Lindsay smiled at him, warming at his use of her given name.
Danny grinned, grabbing her in a quick hug and giving her a peck on the cheek. "You're the best, I seriously owe you."
Lindsay's hand automatically went to her face as she watched Danny bound away.
"Hmm, never going to wash that cheek again, huh?" Stella grinned at her, a stack of files in her hands.
"Oh please," Lindsay blushed, quickly changing the subject. "I hope everything works out of Louie. It would mean the world to Danny."
"Yeah, me too. Think good thoughts, OK?" Stella walked off, and Lindsay looked out the window at the bright summer sky. It's going to be a good day, she thought, double shift or not.
