Twenty minuets later as the day approached the four o'clock morning hour and dawn time, Stella, Mac, Flack, and Hawks had finished helping Lindsay cleaning up and were making their way out the door.
No one was surprised to see Danny offer to help Lindsay finish with the last dishes. With a "sleep well" from Stella and teasing from Don and Hawks, those three left first. Mac waited a bit and spoke to Lindsay privately before following them – he wasn't worried seeing as he was Stella's ride.
"I'll see what kind of arrangements I can make," Mac told her and she nodded. Looking her straight in the eye, Mac made sure she had her complete attention.
"If at any point you don't want to go, just say so," he said seriously, "we don't want to pressure you at all."
"I know Mac and thank you," she said sincerely. With a fatherly type smile, Mac placed a hand on her cheek and nodded at her. Seeing Danny emerge from the kitchen, he smiled at the both of them before dropping his hand.
"Keep it out of the lab and I won't care," addressing them both. Seeing their nods, Mac wished them both a good sleep and headed out.
The remaining two returned the sentiment and Lindsay closed the door behind him. She rested her head against the door and heaved a tired sigh suddenly very aware how exhausted she really was. Coming up behind her, Danny reached around her and flipped the bolt in place just before slipping the chain in place.
When he finished, Danny slipped his arms around Lindsay and pulled her willing body into his chest and embrace. Releasing a sigh, Lindsay snuggled into the contours of Danny's body and felt as if she was meant to be there and he around her.
"Lets get some sleep," Lindsay mumbled before turning to face him and looking him in the eye, "we can talk more in a few hours."
Danny nodded and reached down her right side and picked up a bag that she hadn't noticed before, but now realized it was his overnight.
Taking his hand, she led him through the living room and down the hall to her bedroom – turning out lights as they went. Once inside, she pointed out the bathroom and offered it to him first. Danny smiled and kissed her forehead gently before heading in. She changed into some grey sleeping pants and an old yellow tank top.
"Ya' decent," his question was slightly muted through the bathroom door a few minute later while she was turning down the bed.
Smiling and even laughing gently, she responded in the affirmative and he entered.
Looking up at him, she felt her breath catch slightly and her face flushing with heat. Dark blue, thin lounge pants hanging low on the hips was all that he was wearing. Seeing her face he smiled at her and grinned back.
"I can put a tank top on if you like Montana," he offered with his customary smirk. Knowing she was caught and giving in the teasing, Lindsay shook her head and headed around him to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash-up.
Returning after ten minutes, Lindsay found Danny, still shirtless, sitting on the bed's edge on the right side (closest to the bedroom door) and flipping through the TV channels. Lindsay just rolled her eyes.
"Anything good," she teased. Danny grinned and clicked the machine off. Turning to face her, Danny extended a hand to her and continued to smile at her.
No pressure.
No stings.
Just Danny and everything he had to offer her.
Lindsay looked at the hand and thought about what this man offered and how little he asked in return.
She took his hand…
The next morning rolled around and Lindsay woke to the feel of suns' rays on her skin and Danny's fingers ever-so-lightly rubbing under the hem of her tank top. Turning slightly, she realized that he was awake and watching her – and now smiling at her.
Returning the smile, Lindsay turned completely to face the man beside her.
"Morning," she said her voice heavy with sleep.
"Same to you," he said with a smiling more.
Leaning slowly in, Danny pressed gentle kisses to Lindsay forehead and nose. Reaching her mouth, Danny looked her in the eye for permission before leaning in and brushing his lips to her in the sheerest of kisses. On the second brush-by, Lindsay caught his bottom lip and pulled it between hers.
This kiss was as gentle as the others, but the passion that the two had built up was starting to come to the top.
Breaking the kiss, Danny looked down and Lindsay and she stared back. After a minute of staring, Lindsay began to giggling and smiling at Danny. Danny raised an eyebrow, but still chuckled along with her.
"What the hell, Montana?" he asked with a smile.
"It's ironic," Lindsay said with a smile and looking away from him, "A few weeks ago we couldn't be the same room together… now we're..," she looked up at him, unwilling to finish. Danny smiled, but raised both eyebrows in order to get her to finish. She rolled her eyes, but acquiesced.
"We're here," she said with a smile and slight head shake, "my bed… after all this..," she caught his gave again, but now hers was remorseful. Danny's eyes widened and he raised his hand to her cheek.
She hadn't even realized she released a tear.
"What's this for?" Danny questioned, concern filling his voice and eyes.
"I'm sorry," she said sniffing, "You've been wonderful… and I… I've pushed you away… and…"
"Hey, hey, ssshhh," Danny said, "Don't say that. If I've learned anything in the past year you've been here… it's the past is just that… the past. And there isn't anything that can change that," he took her face and cupped it, "You taught me that," she tried to interrupt, but he placed a finger on her lips to stop her, "you did, Montana.
"When you found the DNA results, in fact you came to me rather then Mac… and when I tried to apologize, you told me it didn't matter… how is your past any different from mine? I mean it's different, yeah, but it still doesn't change the fact that it's the past," he finished looking into her eyes, begging her to believe him.
To understand that he didn't care and that he only cared about the now and the future with Lindsay.
"I'm damaged," she whispered, still looking into his eyes.
"So am I," he whispered right back, then he smiled, "Matched set, don't ya' think?" She smiled and laughed.
He chuckled and leaned in to kiss her again – which she gladly allowed.
"Your incredible, Danny," she said running her fingers over his rough, stubble cheeks, "I'm sorry I took so long."
"Right back at you, Linds," he said, smiling, "and I would have waited for as long as you needed me to… I don't want to rush anything, ya' know?" She nodded and stroked his cheek again.
The two shared a smile and then Lindsay re-snuggled into his arms to rest for a bit longer before they got up to head to work.
Danny and Lindsay entered a small café across the street from the lab and hour before their shifts. Danny held Lindsay's chair for her and she smiled at him. After ordering, the two talk about what they wanted from one another, their futures, and their work relationship. The projected trip to Montana was also on the topic list.
"Is there enough room at the ranch for everyone or will we need to look at alternate housing for this excursion," Danny asked while shoveling in a forkful of home fries. Lindsay shook her head, sending her curls flying.
"No the ranch has more then enough room," she said while sipping at her coffee, before teasing him a bit, "besides the nearest hotel is over fifteen miles from the ranch…"
"Fifteen miles?!" Danny said amazed with a whistle, "Damn, you really did change worlds when you moved, huh?" She nodded.
"Yeah, it was different," she mused.
"Ever regret it," he asked carefully.
"Miss it sometimes, had a lot of homesickness in the beginning," Lindsay admitted wistfully, but then smiled at him, "never regretted, not for the world."
"You sure," he inquired.
"Well, there was this one guy who was a real jerk my first few days..," he rolled his eyes and smiled at her, which she returned with full force. They smiled at one another before heading out to hail a cab for the lab.
"I owe you an explanation as to why I didn't show up that day for lunch," Lindsay said as they got in and were starting on their way. Danny glanced at her and lifted her chin to look in her eyes more easily – and because he loved to touch her.
"Why bring it up, Linds?"
"My mother called me in the cab just before I reached the restaurant," Lindsay said softly, "I know that isn't an excuse, but she started telling me about the plans for the latest wedding and I was so angry that she would interrupt anytime I was that happy… I blurted out that I could marry anyone because I was dating an almost perfect guy…"
"'Almost perfect,' Montana?" he interrupted teasingly, trying to lighten the quickly sobering mood.
"Your close, but not quiet there yet, Messer," she teased back and kissed him softly. They were quiet for a few minuets while they enjoyed a moment of bliss and tranquility. But then she broke away, determined to finish what she started. She cleared his throat, but he interrupted again.
"She said something to the effect of you being 'damaged goods' and that 'no one will love you or want you' and that this 'almost perfect guy was only after your money' or something to that affect," Danny stated. He grinned and kissed her again at her shocked face.
"I've been on the receiving end of those talks before, Montana, don't be so surprised," he explained, "well, all except the 'only after your money' part… never had a lot extra growing up and still don't, just so you know…"
"I don't care, not interested a lot in my own – why care about yours?" she said quickly interrupting him this time.
Danny smiled at her and kissed her again before ushering her out of the cab and paying the driver. The elderly driver smiled kindly at the young couple while waiting to be paid.
"You've got your self a sweet one there, Mister," the cabby told Danny, "better hold on to her."
"I plan to," Danny assured the man while handing him some bill, including a well earned tip, "Keep the change."
After checking in and dropping their stuff on in the locker room, Danny and Lindsay walked side by side into the break room spotting a slightly droopy Hawks working on the daily crossword puzzle and nursing an empty coffee cup.
Lindsay pushed Danny towards Hawks and proceeded to pluck the empty mug from Hawks and striding over to the coffee pot. Finishing off the pot and then starting a new one, Lindsay brought two cups over to the two men – already in their ideal ways of taking them.
"Cream-No-Sugar for Hawks and Sugar-And-A-Little-Cream for Danny," she said putting the cups before their respective owners. Both men looked up at her and smiled.
"Thanks, Lindsay," Hawks said gratefully with a brotherly smile. Danny also expressed his thanks, but without words. Rather he gave her a gently kiss on the hand and a charming smile.
"Charming all the men in the lab, Lindsay?" All three turned to see an oddly chipper Stella in the doorway of the break room, obviously a witness to all the actions there-in. Lindsay smirked back and shook her head.
"Just getting rid of the old coffee and waiting for the fresh," she stated as through scandalized, before shrugging, "Had to do something."
Stella laughed and the two men looked at one another in mock aghast fashion.
"We've been used," Hawks spurted in supposed shock.
"I know, I feel dirty," Danny said in a similar tone.
Lindsay rolled her eyes and headed back over to the coffee pot and fixed the first two cups for Stella and herself, before returning to the table and sitting beside Danny. She took a sip once she sat down, but nearly spit it out when Danny pulled her over closed to him. She looked at him shocked, but he just smiled and rested his arm along the back of her chair.
Sitting back, she decided to accept that this would be the norm because that was who Danny was – a man that shocked her and surprised her at every turn and had every intention of doing it for the rest of their time together.
Shortly the group started a discussion on the current cases in house and a strange one that night shift had just gotten while they were partying. Shorter still Mac had arrived with the cases for the day, sending Danny and Hawks out to the Bronx and Stella and Lindsay uptown. He himself would be in court all day and to only call when really needed. With that said the teams cleaned up and headed to various locker rooms and offices for their field things.
Inside the locker room, Danny and Lindsay gathered up their kits and coats before heading out to their respective locations. As Lindsay headed out, Danny snagged her arm and pulled her back for a gentle kiss and embrace.
"Call me and let's see if we can arrange lunch," he said after they separated and looked into each other's eyes.
"Alright," she agreed and pressed another kiss to his lips, "Be careful."
He smiled and kissed her again, "You too."