Sorry for the delay in updating! I was SO ecstatic over the most recent episode, I could hardly concentrate on writing! This is a filler/transitional chapter - nothing exciting, but bear with me. The reunion of our favorite couple is in the next chapter. By the way - CANON BABY!

1 Week Later

It was hard to believe only a week had gone by. Looking back, it seemed more like months, even years, to Lindsay. As difficult as the past seven days had been, they had also brought a new sense of clarity. Something she couldn't pinpoint – perhaps her conversation on the plane with Susan, perhaps seeing the haunted eyes of the families of her lost friends – was propelling her forward, out of the emotional wreckage she had been too afraid to leave. Her stay was likely to continue for several more weeks, but she tried not to focus on that. It was only time, after all. She had the distinct feeling that when she returned to New York, it would be as someone wiser, someone older. Open to a new start – at last.

Lindsay had quickly settled back into life in the small, slow town – small and slow compared to Manhattan, at least. She was surprised to find that, lying awake at night in the still and silence, she actually missed the car horns and rumbling motors. Of course, Danny was never far from her thoughts, either. Remembering him brought her courage, giving her a reason to keep moving and stay strong. Three times she had picked up the phone, and stood with her finger poised over the first number. But ultimately, her fears took over, and she resisted the urge. What if he was cold to her, or even lashed out angrily? That would simply be too much to bear. She decided her best bet was to wait until she could see him in person.

For the first time since returning to Montana, Lindsay had a free day all to herself. She opted to go hiking, taking the same trail she often used as an adolescent to ease her frustrations and loneliness. Perhaps because she had grown up around nature, it always had a way of placating her anxieties. Today was no exception: the mid-morning sun highlighted everything it touched with color more intense than usual. Montana was known as Big Sky Country, and today that sky was a cloudless blanket of azure. While the oaks and aspens and birches had long surrendered their leaves to the ground, the spruces and pines were still true to their name: evergreen. How could she not find joy, in the middle of a real-life impressionist masterpiece?

The trail was smooth and flat in the beginning, where it wound around the base of the mountain. There was no snow, thanks to an unusually warm winter, and the grizzly bears that usually lurked about were hibernating in their dens. Lindsay nodded politely, eyes averted, at the few fellow hikers she passed. She wasn't in the mood for conversation, or even giving out directions. It was nice to have a break from all the questions she had been hammered with upon her return: how's the job going? How is city life? Have you met anyone special? She wished she could have made a pamphlet to hand out to everyone who asked: I love New York. The job is great. I'm still single… hopefully not for much longer. Freedom from the inquiries was a blessed breath of fresh air, allowing her to indulge in a little self-reflection.

As the trail started to ascend the mountain, the terrain grew rocky and steep. The higher she got, the faster her breath became as the air grew thinner. Every exhale produced a cloudburst of fog. Rocks and roots were a constant hazard, and she had to watch her step cautiously. When she finally reached the top of the trailhead, she paused and leaned against a large boulder, looking down into the valley beneath her. Everything was so still, so peaceful. She could just breathe.

"Lindsay? Little Lindsay Monroe?"

She swung quickly when she heard the voice. Standing several feet behind her on the trail was her eleventh grade science teacher, Mr. Bailey. Despite the fact that he retired a few years after she graduated, Lindsay could see that he was still quite active.

"Hi, Mr. B," she said, walking over to shake hands with him. It was no wonder he still considered her little, even after all these years: he stood well over six feet, plus thick hiking boots and a derby cap.

"I've heard you're a real crime stopper nowadays," he said proudly, as they sat down on a nearby bench. "You always did love chemistry."

She smiled. "I had a good mentor, what can I say? Every time I put on my safety goggles, I think of you." They both laughed, remembering the mandatory poem about eye protection that was recited before each lab period.

Mr. Bailey studied her with the knowing eyes of a man who had made a life's work of reading young people. "You look well. Especially… you know. Considering. You look… happy."

Lindsay smiled broadly, in a way she hadn't in ages, to the point where it almost hurt. "I am happy," she mused. "Very happy."

They chatted companionably for a few more moments, enjoying the crisp mountain air and the sound of a light, rustling breeze through the alders.

"Well, it's good to see after all this time," he said fondly, patting her shoulder. "I'm headed back down, care to join me?"

Lindsay shook her head, smiling. "I think I'm going to just sit here a little while longer."

The elderly man waved as he marched off the way he came. Lindsay watched him go, his red backpack bobbing through the trees, as he descended the same trail she had followed. Though it had been easy to navigate at first, it ascended quickly and sharply. Throughout, the hardest steps were eased by the sight of the lookout point just ahead. For Lindsay, that had been the key – keeping her eyes on the top. Now here she stood, reveling in the glory that surrounded her.

It's like the path of my life, Lindsay realized with a wry grin, uncapping a bottle of water. She had achieved her dream – she had always wanted to solve crimes, down at the molecular level where excuses didn't hold water, where no one could escape justice. Finding that tangible evidence helped her find a purpose in life. This experience served as a reminder that finding her dreams didn't necessarily mean a one-way street to happily ever after. She had taken some spills, stumbled along the way, and now had to summon more courage than she ever thought possible in order to keep climbing. But the rewards of returning to New York - her career, and most of all, Danny – were visible just over this ridge. That kept her going, and it was almost within reach.

Up next: 1 Month Later