Here we go - a chapter full of nothing but DL fluff. :) I hope it is as enjoyable to read as it was to write!

Chapter 6

It was quiet on the train, the only sound being the steady rumbling and clacking from the track below. Frigid mountain air rushed in through the cracks of the walls. Where determination had once been, now there was resignation and exhaustion. Night had fallen, they sat in the dark; Danny's flashlight batteries had died during a half-hearted game of tic tac toe on the dusty wall. Lindsay was saving hers for a more urgent time, should they need it. The only source of light came from the neon blue glow that briefly flashed when Danny checked his watch.

"It's just after nine," he remarked, his voice traveling the few feet between them, punctuating the silence.

"Time flies when you're having fun," Lindsay remarked dryly, shifting uncomfortably. The wooden floor was hard and cold, despite the cushion she had tried to make from musty straw. She felt colder than she could ever remember feeling. She tried visualizing, hoping to trick her body into warming up: a roaring fireplace, a steamy sauna, bare feet on summer pavement. None of it worked. It was going to be a long night, miles and miles away from her cozy bed at home in New York. She hated not knowing where she was, she hated the lack of control she felt. In a way, she and Danny were also the victims of Cory Abrams and the power of the locomotive.

"You know, Montana," Danny said, a hint of joviality remarkably still in his voice, "we could crack open that bottle of Wild Turkey, maybe it would help pass the time, lighten the mood a bit."

"Very funny, Danny," she mumbled. "I feel bad enough we're using the water and granola bars."

"Consider it Cory Abrams' thank-you gift for letting him get away. The department can bill me later. Besides, we're about to open up something else." She heard him fumbling around in the dark, then the crinkling of a plastic bag being torn open: the blanket Abrams had bought for his planned journey.

"It's cold, Linds, come over here and we'll share this tonight."

"No." There was not a smidgeon of doubt in her mind, that could not happen.

"Don't be stubborn," he prodded. "We'll be warmer if we're together."

"I said no."

"Fine," he replied breezily, and she heard him unfolding and fluffing out the blanket. "Mmm. It sure is nice and warm."

Lindsay bit her lip, glad it was too dark for him to see the hesitation on her face. As tempting as it was—she was freezing--cuddling up under a blanket with Danny was just not a good idea. She couldn't let herself get carried away, physically or mentally. The fear was making her vulnerable enough, so for the rest of this experience, she needed to keep her wits about her.

Danny, however, was not going to leave her alone. "Look, I don't bite, unless you're into that sort of thing. There's just this one blanket, and if you freeze to death, who's going to keep me company on this ride?"

Lindsay groaned, the temperature of her body superseding any common sense that may have voiced an objection. "Okay." She popped on her flashlight long enough to crawl next to Danny and slip under the blanket. He had balled up his coat to make a pillow, she did the same. Then, with a click, they were returned to darkness. To her surprise, but not necessarily her disappointment, Danny put his arm around her. She was surprised how easy it was, situating herself in this semi-embrace of his, being close to him. She was grateful for the curtain of black, which prevented him from seeing the slight smile that crept onto her face.

"You nice and toasty now?" he inquired lightly, his head tilting to the side and nearly touching her own.

"It feels much better," she admitted. The blanket succeeded in blocking out the drafts while containing their mingling body heat. It was perhaps the most comfortable she had been all day. She felt her muscles finally begin to relax, releasing the tension. Somehow, Danny always managed to tame the beasts within her. So despite the uncomfortable floor, the smell of dirty straw, and pricks of icy air slipping through the cracks, things weren't entirely terrible. There were many worse places to be than nestled up to Danny Messer. From the comfort of his arms, the world didn't look quite so glum.

She knew she shouldn't, but her fingers had a mind of their own: they traveled across Danny's biceps, savoring their firmness and warmth, exploring every angle as she casually stroked his arm. He was quiet, and she wondered if perhaps it made him uncomfortable, so she decided to try conversation instead. "I use to love the sounds of a train. Back home, it was always so cozy, to hear the whistle a few miles away on a rainy night."

"Do you miss it?" he asked. "Living in the country?"

Lindsay shook her head, requiring no time for consideration of an answer. "No way. It was the best decision I've ever made. I love so many thing about New York." Like you, she wanted to add, but thought better of it. "Hey, this is just like camping!"

"Trust me, this is way worse than camping," Danny muttered. "Too bad we can't build a fire and tell some ghosts stories."

Lindsay burst into a fit of unexpected laughter. "You've gone camping? Danny Messer, sleeping outside in the wilderness, washing dishes in a creek?" The image was just too deliciously hilarious.

"What, you think I can't hack it? Real funny." He gave her a gentle, playful squeeze. "I went camping with my brother and old man a few times, mandatory male bonding over beer and trout. I went because I had to… I never said I liked it."

Lindsay smiled. "Maybe I'll take you some time. Show you what real camping is like."

"You're on." Danny smoothed her hair with his palm, a gesture so affectionate it nearly stopped her breath. "We should try to sleep," he added. "Rest up, so we can figure a way out of here in the morning. If nothing else, it will help pass the time."

Lindsay nodded, the warmth from both the blanket and Danny's body making her drowsy.

"I'm glad you're here," she said softly.

Danny's reply, whispered into her ear, sent a tingle down to her toes. "I'll take that as a compliment."

They settled into silence, lost in thoughts of their own, countless feelings running through them. Lindsay could no longer look at the logistics, she was at last content to simply rest with Danny. The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, along with the subtle swaying of the train, soon rocked her into a deep, peaceful, dreamless sleep.