Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, except maybe Danny and Flack in my dreams …

Author's note: Enough angst, on to happier stuff. Hope you guys like it. This takes place a couple of days after the last one.

Chapter 8

Danny was in the lobby grabbing a newspaper from the machine when he noticed a cute girl - by the looks of it a bit younger than he - squinting at the directory. He smiled to himself. Last year, hell, maybe six months ago, he might have looked - leered - at her differently.

But since Lindsay and that night at his apartment, he had trouble seeing women the same way. Even though he had convinced himself their night together was a one-time thing - she was just being kind, after all - he still thought about her, and she colored his perception of other women.

The girl twisted a lock of her blond-streaked brown curls and sighed impatiently. Danny finally took pity. "Hey, can I help you?

She turned and smiled at him gratefully. She had the kind of face that made you smile back. Bright hazel eyes, long curly hair and straight white teeth. There was also something familiar about the small button nose and slightly pointed chin that Danny liked, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "Yes! I thought taking a cab was hard, but this …" she gestured to the sign, "is a mess."

Danny laughed. "Well, tell me where your going, and I'll do by best to get ya there."

She breathed a sigh of relief and opened her mouth to speak when she suddenly cocked her head - there was something familiar about that too - and studied him. Danny began to feel a bit uncomfortable when she finally spoke: "You're Danny Messer, aren't you?"

Crap, he thought. It'd be my lucky day if she was some chick I blew off. Maybe that's why she looks familiar. "Yeaahhh," he drawled. "And you would be?"

She clapped and gave a little hop. "I knew it! I'm Elizabeth. Elizabeth Monroe," she extended her hand, which Danny shook. "But you can call me Beth."

"Monroe …" Of course. She looked a bit like Lindsay. "You must be …"

"Lindsay's sister, yep. She's told me all about you." At Danny's wary look, she decided she better amend that. " … and the rest of the team. Mac, Stella, Flack, Hawkes. It's great to meet you."

"Yeah, you too. Listen, why don't I just call Mont - I mean Lindsay, and get her down here?" He whipped his cell phone out when Beth stopped him. "No! I mean, I wanted to surprise her. She doesn't know I'm here. Do you think you could take me to the lab? Or is she out in the field?"

"No, she's here. C'mon." They walked toward the elevator and ran into Det. Don Flack. "Hey Don." He pushed the button and smiled at his friend, who hardly noticed. He was checking out Beth, cute and curvy in snug denim capris and happy face T-shirt. Danny grinned.

"Flack. Hey. Remeber me? Danny?" Flack finally looked his way. "This is Beth Monroe. Lindsay's sister."

"Oh hey! I mean, hi," Flack fumbled a minute and offered her his hand, which she shook.

"Yep, heard about you too," Beth flashed a smile, looking him up and down. "And she was right."

"About what?" Danny and Flack said together. She smiled. "Sisters never tell."

The trio entered the elevator making small talk, although Beth seemed to notice Flack more, checking him out as much as vice versa. "You know, Linds said you were doing better after your accident. You look great. I'm studying to be a physical therapist, and even I wouldn't have caught from the way you move that you'd been so badly hurt."

Flack, who had been nursing a complex about being a "gimp," smiled broadly. "Hey, thanks for that."

The elevator opened and they headed toward the lab. They'd barely gone 10 feet when they heard a shriek and small feet running toward them. "Beth! What are you doing here?"

Before she could answer, Lindsay threw her arms around her sister, and they embraced tightly for a moment until Lindsay pulled back, looking her sister over with such fondness both men noticed, and smiled. Their co-worker was usually fairly reserved, but her sister's arrival brought the sunshine out on her face.

"After talking to you I had to come see and make sure you were OK." Beth looked at her sister critically, but Lindsay had used skillful makeup and a scarf around her neck to cover up the evidence of Tuesday's attack.

"I'm fine, Beth, really."

"Well you better be, cuz you're all I've got," Beth said, embracing her sister once again, voice breaking.

Danny and Flack looked at the emotional exchange and decided to make their exit. "Nice to meet you," Danny said, and Flack echoed him.

"Thanks, Danny. You, too … Detective." Beth flashed one last dimpled grin at Flack, who couldn't help grinning foolishly in return.

The guys left and Lindsay playfully socked her sister in the arm. "Geez, Beth, the man's barely recovered from his injuries, be gentle."

"Oh, c'mon Lindsay. I'm a physical therapist! Anyway, I'm just having a little fun," she replied, leaving Lindsay shaking her head good naturedly.

The two had handled their tragedy differently. Lindsay had become reserved, determined and thoughtful, determined to prove her father wrong about her worth. Beth had embraced life, becoming outgoing and always ready with a smile, determined in her own way not to let their abusive early life scar her forever. What they had in common was their need to help people - Lindsay through catching criminals and Beth by helping people regain their strength - and their deep care and concern for each other. Beth was the yin to Lindsay's yang, and she loved her for it.

The sisters were chattering away when Stella Bonasera approached. "Hi Lindsay. I've wrapped up the paperwork on that last case, so I'm going to head home and relax before tonight."

"Stella, this is my sister Beth." The two smiled and shook hands. "Beth! I'm sorry, I have plans tonight. It's Stella's birthday and were headed to Cozy's with the group."

"Happy birthday!" Beth exclaimed before Lindsay could continue.

Stella, like anyone who met Beth, smiled warmly in return. "Thanks. Actually, Lindsay, you can bring your sister. We're just hanging out, nothing formal."

"I'd love to … my first time in a New York bar … I trust there are no hay bales," Beth joked.

"Nope, no hay bales. Just great music and atmosphere. I'll see you guys there." Stella waved and left. Beth turned to her sister worriedly.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"Nah, it'll be fun. I'm just glad you're here. Speaking of which, what made you decide to come?"

"Well, like I said, I wanted to make sure you were OK, and I thought you might need my help for tomorrow. I brought plenty of stuff - I dropped it off at your apartment before I came her since you sent me a key - and we'll have you looking hot."

Lindsay laughed and rolled her eyes. "I really can dress myself."

"Technically, I suppose your right," Beth said critically, eyeing Lindsay's brown slacks, simple blouse and sensible shoes.

Lindsay rolled her eyes. "C'mon, let's get home. I'm done here anyway."

Later, back at her apartment, Lindsay slipped off her slacks and pulled on a pair of slim-fitting jeans and untied her scarf. "Do these meet with your approval, or do they actually have to be painted on?" She stopped when she noticed her sister's horrified expression. "What's wrong? At least they're not pleated mom jeans."

"Lindsay, oh my god," Beth moaned, reaching up to touch the now-Technicolor bruises on her neck. "I had no idea."

"Hey, it looks worse than it is. The colors actually mean it's healing." Damn, she thought. She forgot how fragile Beth could be when it came to her well-being.

"It's just - I could've lost you."

"But you didn't. You can thank Flack and Sheldon - Hawkes, you'll meet him tonight - for that," she said. "I'm OK."

"Yeah, I know. I just worry. Anyway, at least Danny was there to take care of you."

"He was just being a friend."

Her sister raised a shrewd eyebrow. "I think you know you're more than that to him. Just in the time we were with him today, it's obvious he can't take his eyes off you."

"You're a romantic," Lindsay said, dismissing the comments with a wave of her hand.

"Hey." Beth grabbed her arm. "A man doesn't take the time to comfort you, and call you every night since to make sure your okay, if he doesn't care. Plus, I know you don't agree, but it sounds like more than tea and sympathy passed between you two that night, and I'm not talking about the physical stuff."

"I told you, Beth. He was grief stricken. He just needed something to hold onto."

"Yeah, and he made sure it was you, Linds." Seeing her sister's brow furrowing, she decided to change the subject before Lindsay worried herself into a full-fledged funk. "OK, now let's find you something to wear. Those jeans are nice, but you need something that pops on top …" She rummaged through her suitcase for a couple of minutes before coming up with something red and filmy. "Ah hah! Perfect!"

Despite Lindsay's protests, Beth soon had her wearing the deep red blouse. It was pretty, dipping into a low - but not too low - vee in the front and fitting snuggly around her middle and waist. Flirty, fluttery sleeves brushed the shoulders and upper arms, but were high enough to show off Lindsay's toned biceps and triceps. It was perfect, Lindsay knew, except for the open neckline that highlighted her bruises. Beth saw her concern and brushed it off.

"Hey, I'm guessing this Cozy's place is kind of dimly lit, right?" Lindsay nodded. "Well, I wouldn't recommend this for tomorrow's party - it'll be too bright then - but I'll get some makeup on those bruises and you'll look beautiful."

Several minutes later, Lindsay had to admit she was right. The makeup, coupled with a cute beaded necklace Beth gave her, really covered the marks up nicely. Her sister helped pull her hair back in a loose twist in the back, leaving curly tendrils around her face, and Lindsay had to admit she looked pretty good. Maybe Beth was right, she thought, observing the quietly pretty woman that gazed back at her from the mirror. That night things definitely got out of hand, but that didn't mean there wasn't at least a possibility that he felt something for her …

"You're going to knock him dead," Beth said, smiling at her sister, reading her thoughts as always.

"Who?" Lindsay asked.

"Who my ass," Beth laughed, shooing her sister out the door.

TBC

Next: Fun at Cozy's.