A/N: Same disclosures apply as in all previous chapters. Please read and review, but most of all enjoy.
Chapter 9
Danny and I arrived at the zoo just after they opened. It's amazing how much different things look when you're there to enjoy them rather than investigate. Danny took my hand as we walked through the gate.
"You didn't have to pay for me Danny," I said, "but thank you. I'll get lunch?"
"Well, Ms. Monroe you are very welcome," He smiled at me, "and we'll see about lunch."
I opened the map that was given to us and looked over the layout of the zoo. I didn't realize that it was that big of a place, however it's not surprising given the reason that I was here last time.
"So where to first?" Danny asked peering at the map, still holding my hand.
"I thought we could see the koalas." I blushed slightly, "They're kinda my favorite animal."
"Anything you want today Montana."
"I have a small confession to make Danny," I said as we walked towards the koala enclosure, "I really did hate it when you called me Montana in the beginning, but now I kinda like it."
"Really?" Danny asked curiously, "How come?"
"It's grown on me actually," I said as we rounded the corner, "It makes me feel like a true member of the team, like I belong."
"You are a member of the team Linds," Danny said, wrapping his arm around mind shoulders, "and you truly do belong here. You're a New Yorker now."
I laughed, and snuggled into Danny. It was a slightly chilly day and his body provided just enough warmth to fend off the coolness. We arrived at the koala enclosure and stood at the fence.
"Ooh Danny look." I pointed into the enclosure, "It must be feeding time."
Inside the enclosure the keepers were placing bamboo shoots and other sources of temptations around the enclosure. We watched the small teddy bear like animals flock to the hidden goodies then snuggle down in the safety of their "trees" to munch away.
"I always wanted a koala when I was little," I told Danny, "My parents took me to Busch Gardens in Florida when I was about 9. They got me this stuffed koala and I remember thinking it was the greatest gift in the world. I still have it…"
There was a bit of silence while we continued to watch the keepers move around. For some reason I felt the need to share things with Danny and while it unnerved me, it also made me feel better.
"When I was applying to colleges, I wanted to be a Zoologist." I said, quite simply like it was not a big deal.
"Really?" Danny turned and looked at me in amazement, "I would have never pictured that from you."
"Why not?" I asked with a shrug of my shoulders, "I love animals, and it obviously takes a lot to gross me out."
"What made you change your mind?"
"I guess there were lots of reasons." I said, as we began to walk away from the koalas, "I have an idea."
"What's that?" Danny asked, his curiosity obviously piqued.
"Let's play a game." I said, "At each enclosure, we can ask each other 2 questions and we have to answer honestly."
"Ok…" Danny sounded unsure, "Can we each have one opportunity to plead the fifth if we're not comfortable answering yet?"
"Sure." I nodded; after all it was a fair and probably good idea, "So where to next?"
"Why don't we head to Tiger Mountain?" Danny asked, pointing to a location on the map.
"Sounds like a plan," I answered, "and since you picked the first location – I get to ask the first set of questions."
Danny nodded, and we walked to the tiger enclosure in silence, but it was comfortable. I realized that it had been nearly three hours since I had thought of the case. I tried to push it from my mind; I didn't want a situation, while I knew I needed to explore it, to ruin the fun I was having. It still amazes me that, no matter how much I have cluttering my brain, Danny seemed to have the ability to let me compartmentalize it whenever he's around, for the most part anyway.
"What's your favorite color?" I asked out of the blue once we were at the exhibit.
"Whoa Montana," Danny laughed, "Let's start off easy, ok?"
I shot him a look, and cocked an eyebrow at him expectantly.
"It's usually green," Danny answered, "but I'm very flexible. I also like yellow and orange. Blue is nice too."
"So you just like the whole spectrum of color." I said, laughing, "How very decisive of you."
"Guys don't really think about that sort of thing Linds," Danny said, "If I had to pick a color it would be green."
"Ok, ok." I relented, "Let's not beat a dead horse; next question."
"Would you date a Suicide Girl?" I asked, referring to the case we had worked a few weeks earlier.
"Huh?" Danny was taken aback, and dropped my hand.
"Would you date a Suicide Girl?" I asked again.
Danny rubbed the back of his neck, and stared intently at the tiger exhibit. It was almost as if he were trying to trade places with one of the tigers.
"Danny," I said, leaning with my back against the fence, "It's just a question, and you always have the veto if you don't want to answer it."
"It's not that I don't want to answer it," Danny said, looking at me, "it's that I'm not sure how to."
"It's a simple yes or no." I said, shrugging my shoulders.
"No Lindsay," Danny said, bringing our faces inches apart, "it's not."
There was silence while we just stared at each other.
"Would I ever date a Suicide Girl?" Danny repeated, "The answer is no."
I started to say something but Danny interrupted me.
"The reason the answer is no is because none of them, while gorgeous as they are," he paused, "none of them can compare to you."
I was speechless, absolutely speechless. I swear the world stopped, time stood still, and suddenly Danny and I were the only ones around.
"Lindsay?" Danny asked, "you ok?"
"Yeah," I said, leaning in a bit more. I kissed him. It was just a soft, sweet kiss but I hoped it conveyed that I appreciated what he had just said. It lasted a few moments, and when it was over Danny said,
"My turn to ask."
"Turnabout is fair play." I said nodding.
"What's your favorite holiday?" Danny asked, as we sat down on a bench near the exhibit.
"My favorite holiday?" I repeated, "Well, that's easy. It's Christmas. But not because of the gifts, it's because of all the lights and decorations. It's like the world transforms into this different world."
"Well you came to the right city if you really want to celebrate Christmas." Danny said, putting his arm along the back of the bench, "We'll have to see if we can get to Rockefeller Square for the tree lighting ceremony this year."
"Sounds like a good idea." I nodded, "You get another question I reminded him."
"Oh yeah," Danny said, and then went quiet in thought.
"What's your favorite kind of ice cream?" he asked.
"Undoubtedly cookie dough." I answered without pause.
We both laughed.
"That was quick." Danny said, "Are you a mind reader too?"
"You'll have to ask that question next time," I shook my head, "Only two questions per exhibit."
"Well then, are we ready to move on to the next exhibit?" He asked, taking the map from me and opening it.
"Whenever you are." I answered, as we both leaned in to look at the map.
Back At the Lab
"Stella," Mac called out to her, "Have you followed up on that tree lead that Danny and Lindsay found?"
"Yeah Mac." Stella rounded that corner of the table that she was working at, "Did you know that the Department of Environmental Conservation keeps track of every type of tree that it plants and the location that they plant them in?"
"Yeah," Mac was looking for more.
"Well it turns out that this very tree was planted in two and only two residential areas, at the request of the residents." Stella finished, "One was the Lindale Housing Community and the other is Mossfield suburb."
"Ok," Mac said, looking over the report she had handed him, "This is good Stella, it gives us a starting point. Neither location is near enough to the orphanage to be accidental transfer, so let's start seeing who has a connection to one of these neighborhoods."