A/N: Okay so apparently I'm "evil and cruel" for leaving a cliffhanger like that :) what can I say? I'm dark and twisty; must get it from Aliff. Anyways, this is the last chapter (somehow I can't believe it's really finished). A BIG thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. You guys make my day :) Enjoy!
Danny pushed himself through the melee of officers and practically flew to Lindsay's side. She was lying next to Ricardo, who was obviously dead, and sobbing uncontrollably. Danny cradled her in his arms, gently swaying back and forth in an effort to calm her.
"It's alright Montana, I'm here. I've got you."
An unknown rage overpowered Lindsay's spirit, and before Danny could stop her she lunged and started throttling the man who had held her hostage. Her hands quickly became blue as she dug her nails into his skin, screaming incoherent words at the dead brute.
"Lindsay, let go! He's dead!"
Upon hearing her given name, Lindsay's eyes became unclouded and she allowed Danny to pick her up off the ground. The terrible ordeal had left her shaking violently, and her hands trembled as they touched Danny's face.
"Danny?" she muttered. He smiled faintly and shifted to support her weight.
"I'm here baby. I won't let you go."
---
"Reed!"
Mac stormed over to the fallen bodies. Pratt was on top of Reed, and the elder shoved him off unceremoniously. Battered but alive, Reed managed to sit up, still gasping for breath from the weight of Pratt's body on his chest.
"You alright, son?"
Reed winced. "Yeah, I'll be okay."
With a bit of assistance, the young man made his way to an awaiting ambulance, where he was treated for his injuries. Mac remained where he stood, gazing down in disdain at the widened eyes of Pratt, who saw nothing as he stared up at the morning sky, a bullet in the back of his skull. Once everything was cleared out and the two hostages were checked over, Mac gave one final order.
"Bring the two bodies back to the lab. We'll analyze them and then lock them away in the morgue where they belong," He peered around their surroundings with a hint of distaste in his expression. "This dreadful place brings nothing but horrid memories to our hearts. We must leave and never return."
---
Lindsay was slightly more battered that Reed, and because of this she was ordered to stay in the hospital for the remainder of the day. She had grown stronger in the few hours she had been there, but she was clearly not keen on having to sit in a bed for a long period of time. Danny, thankfully, was there to calm her down.
"Montana, you're hurt and not well. Jus' rest here for the day, an' maybe tonight we'll go home."
Lindsay, however, was too stubborn to admit anything. "I'm fine. What's the difference between me staying here and going back home?"
Danny chuckled admiringly. He was somewhat surprised at the swift recovery she had made. "That's the fierce girl I fell in love with. The difference, however, is that here you have professional medical attention. What good will come if you lay at home?"
Despite her situation, Lindsay's eyes twinkled mischievously. "I'd have Doctor Messer to take care of me. He's better than any nurse."
"As tempting as that is, I think you best stay here. Mac gave me the day off, and I'm not goin' anywhere. I'm stayin' right here beside your bed an' not budgin' until you are well enough to leave."
She smiled in the pooling sunlight. "What did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful man as yourself?"
He placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "By possessing such a strong and kind spirit, an' putting up with my crap."
She returned the gesture lovingly. "Danny?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you, for everything."
---
In the days following the terrifying ordeal, the tension between Reed and Mac seemed to dwindle drastically. The two men spent the evenings eating dinner and catching up on old times. Reed often asked questions about his deceased mother, and Mac would answer them honestly.
Both had done a lot of thinking, and both saw their mistakes in the relationship. They knew that they had to do this for Claire, because she would have wanted that. So, as the days passed by, they mended the holes and decided to start on a new path, for them and for Claire.
Lindsay was welcomed back to the lab with open arms. Reed had told everyone about her heroics during their captivity, and despite her previous thoughts, no one was surprised that she had defended both the young man and herself. The simple girl from Montana had long-ago established herself as a force to be reckoned with.
---
It was a cool summer day with a light breeze that whistled through the treetops of the cemetery. Mac and his team, including Reed, stood in front of Aiden's grave, bowing their heads in remembrance of their slain friend and former co-worker. Each person laid an individual flower upon the tombstone before touching it solemnly. Mac was the first to break the silence.
"Aiden gave her life so Pratt would be off the streets. Now we have returned the favour twofold, and thus she can rest in peace. Lindsay, sing us that song we all love."
The young woman took a deep breath and recited a gentle farewell tune that her mother had taught her when she was young.
Rest peacefully, my friend,
'Neath these rolling pastures,
Thy spirit is free, a warrior star,
Burning for'er in yon eternal sky.
You have fought the good battle,
Now 'tis time to lay your weary head down,
Down on the fields o' green.
Thy heart is still, thy heart is pure,
A warrior's heart thy beats.
An' when the time comes,
For death to furls its wings around me,
We will reunite once again,
An' walk the rainbow of freedom.
After patting shoulders and offering hugs, the team said their last farewell to a fallen co-worker. In the end, only two remained at the grave.
---
Danny wrapped a comforting arm around Lindsay, whose clouding eyes remained fixated on the tombstone. He could tell her memory was flooding back to her, so he held his voice until she was ready to speak.
"Aiden sang to me in a dream that night. I was in a Montana wheatfield, and she sang to me. I never realized how much I missed home until that dream. She made me feel at peace and secure."
Danny smiled fondly at the mention of his former colleague. "You and Aiden aren't so different, Montana. She had a tough exterior, but on the inside she was like a big teddy bear, though she rarely showed it. I'm glad her song made you feel safe."
She turned so she was facing him. "Come on, we should head back. A cemetery isn't exactly the best place to be."
Sparkling sunlight shafted through the white clouds, pouring down onto the young couple as they took one last look at the final resting place of their friend and headed out of the solemn area. Both Danny and Lindsay knew it would be challenging road ahead, and that the obstacles would never end.
But in a world full of uncertainty, one thing was clear to them both: they would always have each other.
Fin.