A/N: FF seems to be back on track... sorta. I'm getting the same reviews 3 or 4 times and some reviews I've seen on-line have yet to make an appearance, so I'd like to thank all of you for being such constant readers and nice reviewers:

Wolfmyjic Wjobsessed Marue61 truebluepatfan12 SallyJetson RosaRuse Star Fata ChibiHeart Chili-peppers CSIMel Catey123 Mercy4vr I Can Hear the Sea The Little Corinthian Chelliyah PenguinGoddess my-sparkles Princess of Peas Dddynamite GinaJas MesserMontana4ever Wolfsong98 Imaguestage Kavi Leighanna cyko1003 pico-mundo-resident

The ride wouldn't have been hald as delightful as it's been thanks to your reviews, comments, quotes, fave one-liners, smut obsessions, Emma Lou's anti-fan club, on-going poll as to who was Stella's mistery man, devouted DL go,go,go! cheering...

Ladies, it's been a privilege.

Xxx XXX xxX

As soon as the band began playing Glenn Miller themes, Danny and Lindsay knew the moment of truth had arrived, and there was no way they could keep postponing the unavoidable much longer.

Danny stood up and extended his hand towards her. "Wanna dance, Montana?"

Lindsay looked at the extended hand and then up towards the piercing blue eyes and nodded. Normally, Danny would place his hand in the lower back of his date to lead the way, but given the circumstances, he made do by taking her hand and leading her behind him, which in itself was kinda sweet, or so Lindsay thought.

Danny's "hand" dilemma was far from being solved, yet he thought he had found a happy medium: he'll just hold her in his arms and pray for the best. Granted, it wasn't the brightest of solutions, but given the circumstances... it was even worse than trying to improvise whilst trapped inside a panic room.

Once they got to the dance floor, Danny gently took Lindsay's arms and placed them over his shoulders, then proceeded to wrap his own around her waist. They were close, perhaps too close, but at least it prevented their hands to start roaming over each other's bodies, which would surely be the beginning of their end.

They danced in complete silence, Lindsay resting her head on the crook of his neck, Danny resting his atop of hers. They had been moving to the tune of all-time classics, keeping friction to the minimum, and still, they had managed to generate enough heat to keep a small European country warm throughout January. Sooner or later, something had to give. And by the time the first notes of "Fly Me to the Moon" washed over the ballroom, something did.

Xxx XXX xxX

"I, like, fu-fy-foggin 'ate her. Ma-mannny was, like, so mine! Why did sh-sh-she had to sh-sh-show up???"

Annabella Sue wondered, for the umpteenth time that night, why she had agreed to come with Brittany Mae to the fund raiser. Or why she had come at all. Her so-called friend had been rejected big time by a guy who was supposed to bed anything that moved, Brit had, like, gotten trashed big time as well. So not appealing to other guys who coulda hit on them.

"What she have that I don't?", wailed the drunken girl, miserably, "Sh-she's only country hick. A hick! I'm a Yorker! Yorker fr-from Br-Brooklyn!"

Anna rolled her eyes. She had heard the same line, like, two thosand times already. Brit was such a cry-baby! And she was so irritating! Anna was like, this close, to bitch-slap her...

"Looka'em! They're like, all over each other! That shouldabe me... shouldabe... me..."

That did it. Annabella Sue shoved Brittany Mae and the inebriated girl slid to the floor in a rather unfemenine and unflattering way, and there she remained, blubbering and hiccuping until a waiter took pity of her and propped her down at a nearby table, where she proceeded to pass out in 20 seconds flat.

None of this, however, was witnessed by Annabella Sue. She had taken one last look at the CSI's, who were so hot for each other it was amazing they weren't physically on fire. And then her gaze had fallen onto a cute blond lab rat who was smiling shyly at her. The girl pondered for a second: she could keep watching as the soft porn began to unveil on the dance floor. Or, she could take a gamble and, if luck was on her side, maybe star in her own production, Looking to see if the lovebirds had upgraded to petting, she returned the smile and walked towards the lab tech.

Xxx XXX xxX

Danny could feel his self-restraint faltering. Lindsay had been humming to good Ole Blue Eyes all-time favourite, no doubt out of nervousness and preferance, and he had nothing against humming to a classic love song. Problem was, every note Lindsay exhaled, it reverberated on his chest, and blew warm air on his neck. Both things, isolated, weren't such a big deal. They were actually endearing.

And such a frigging turn on.

He was slowly loosening his grip around Lindsay's waist and felt both elated and terrified. His hands were itching to be let free. Danny remembered his mother's words regarding idle hands doing the work of the devil, and since he felt his sanity was being blown to hell, thought the old saying to be quite adequate.

"Montana?", he said, half-whispering, not entirely trusting his own voice.

"Hmmm?"

Lindsay's voice had a half-asleep quality, a sexy rasp, and a dreamy undertone. All put together became Danny's undoing. There was only so much a guy could take without reaching the point of no return, and both Messer and Montana had been teethering on the edge for darn too long. He wanted her. He wanted her badly. So far, the gentleman in him had been able to keep the caveman under control, but Danny wasn't sure how much longer he'd be able to do that. So, he decided to risk it.

"Ya know, Montana, I've been wondering about you..."

Lindsay tensed up momentarily. Damn fine time Messer picked up to try and make her talk about her past!

"Really?" Danny couldn't see her face, but he could almost "hear" the raised eyebrow in her question.

"Yeah. Really. And I've been wondering for a long time. Maybe even since that day at the zoo..."

Lindsay lifted her head quickly. "What the heck? Ever since we met?" Danny sensed her shift in mood and mentally kicked himself in the ass. He had less than 5 seconds to say the right thing or the window of opportunity would be unceremoniously shut in his face. So he went for it.

"I've been wondering what it would be like to make love to you."

Xxx XXX xxX

A/N: I know. I said I was gonna wrap it here. But the muse refused to do it (between you and me, I'll say she's superstitious and wasn't happy with the idea of having 13 chapters) and you don't argue with the muse. Besides, you know me... I would never ever be able to resist a cliffie like this now, would I? ;)