Part 2: The Party

It's time for Lindsay's party.

Fafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafafa

Stella and Jess pulled up to Sullivan's after stopping at a boutique so that Jess could pick up a little something for Lindsay. She'd found the perfect gift for her. It was a small snow globe of Central Park. Jess knew that Lindsay loved to walk through Central Park on her days off, because Lindsay had told her one day when they were having lunch together.

Stella and Jess got out of the car and walked into Sullivan's. Sully, the owner, had closed it down that night to everyone, except the party goers. That consisted of everyone from the crime lab (if they were lucky to have the night off), the few detectives and police officers who worked regularly with Lindsay Monroe, and were her friends. Then they also invited her uncle.

The first person to see Jess and Stella was Hawkes. "Hey Angell, I guess Stella was right," at her look he continued. "She told me that she could talk you into coming tonight. Lindsay is gonna be happy to see you." He said as he hugged both of them.

Jess looked at Stella and grinned. "It's not like I had a choice. She wouldn't take no for an answer. She even picked me up and took me to get Lindsay's gift." She explained.

Hawkes and Stella laughed with Jess. "Sorry I came off as bossy, I just want this to be a special birthday for Lindsay. Last year her birthday really sucked. None of us had known it was her birthday and it was her first birthday away from her family." Ste;;a went on to explain.

Jess nodded and looked around the room. "So where is the birthday girl?" She asked Hawkes.

"Danny has strict orders from Flack, to keep her away until Mac and Sid gets here with her gift. Flack's over there texting Danny every ten minutes, letting him know who's all walked in the door. Mac's on his way to pick up Sid and the gift." Hawkes went onto explain.

Jess's stomach did a flip when Hawkes mentioned Flack. She tried to act as calm as possible. "Where should I put the gift I got for Lindsay?" She asked him, looking for a table with presents on it.

Hawkes pointed to the bar. "We've been putting them on the bar over by Flack. You can put yours there too and we'll introduce you to Flack. That way you won't be strangers."

Jess tried to smile, but her nerves made it look more like a grimace. "Yeah, that sounds good. I mean I kind of already met him the day he was injured, but it was kind of like for a second." She hoped that they didn't think that she was rambling on, but she was nervous and she really shouldn't be. It wasn't like he had her under a spell or something.

Stella and Hawkes walked over to the bar with her. "Hey Don, we'd like you to meet our newest member of the family, Detective...you know Angell, I don't think any of us know your first name." Stella said and turned back to look at Jess.

"I guess I didn't really notice, I'm so used to always being called Angell, that I never miss hearing my first name. "It's Jessica or Jess to my family and friends. It's nice to finally get to meet you Detective Flack. Everyone is always talking about you." Jess said as she placed the gift on the bar.

Don looked at Jess and closed his eyes. "I know you from somewhere. Wait, I've got it. The day of the explosion, you came into the precinct to see Mallery, right?" He asked her.

Jess nodded. "Yeah, that was my unofficial first day on the job. I shadowed Benton to the explosion and rode with you to the hospital. Benton and I have been working your caseload until you get back. I'm glad that you're doing better than the last time I saw you." She replied.

Stella and Hawkes saw Mac and Sid walk through the door. "You can let Danny know that he can bring Lindsay here anytime now. Mac here, and that makes everyone who's coming." Stella informed Don.

Jess moved away from the bar to mingle while Don called Danny to tell him that the coast was clear. She walked over to the juke box just as one of her favorite songs started playing. The song was 'I knew I loved you', by Savage Garden. The words made her think of Flack, but she didn't know why.

She was so into the song that she didn't hear him walk up behind her. "So, see any good songs on there?" Don asked her.

Jess jumped and looked behind her. "Sorry, I didn't hear you walk up to me. I guess I was kind of into this song. I love this song and Savage Garden." She replied.

"No need to apologize, I happen to like them too. I'm sorry I startled you. What other songs do they have there from Savage Garden?" He asked her.

Jess smiled and looked back at the juke box. "They also have Crash and Burn here, which I love too. Dad used to yell at me that I played it too loud, and that I was going to wear out the CD if I didn't stop playing it." She laughed.

Don laughed too. He already liked her, she was funny but not a clown. "So Angell, wanna get a beer?" He asked her.

Jess smiled through her nervousness. "Sure, I'd like that, but I would rather have a Pepsi, I shouldn't drink any beer tonight, I still need to take the train home." She replied.

They moved over to the bar and Jess ordered a Pepsi while Don ordered a beer. "I have been looking forward to this beer for the last six weeks. I am finally off of all my medicine. Of course, Danny had to make me take them." He said as he took his first drink.

Jess laughed at the face he made, it was like pure enjoyment. "That good huh?" She asked him. Flack was a nice guy and she enjoyed being around him.

You bet, this is the best beer I've ever had. Don't tell Danny that I'm drinking this. If he catches me, I'm dead. He wants me to refill my pain meds one more time." He said as he glanced at the door to make sure that Danny didn't surprise him and snuck in. Danny was supposed to text him when they got close.

"Your secret is safe with me, especially if it's a secret from Messer." They both laughed.

Don finished his beer and smiled at Jess. "Thanks, I owe you one." He told her as he ordered a Pepsi this time, and just in time too. Don's cell phone alerted him that Danny and Lindsay were there. He got everyone's attention. "They're here." He yelled to the room.

Lindsay and Danny walked in and everyone yelled 'surprise'. Lindsay jumped, but was so happy to see all of her friend and her uncle too. The party turned out to be a success.

Lindsay loved the snow globe from Jess, she almost cried. Stella got her a hundred dollar gift card from Tiffany's, with the promise that they'd go shopping together in a couple of days. Hawkes got her a paper weight for her office with a scorpion in it and he told her it's not to eat. Jess looked confused and Don told her that he'd explain later.

Sid and Peyton chipped in together to get her a nice bracelet, Peyton wasn't there cause she had to work. Adam got her a a boxed set of DVDs from her favorite TV show. Danny told her that he would give her his gift when he dropped her off at home later. Finally came Mac's gift to Lindsay and this one made her cry. It was a portrait of her family in front of their home, and he'd had it framed in a beautiful frame.

Lindsay told them all that it was the best birthday ever. She told Mac, as she hugged him, that it was like her family was there, in fact her new family had made this birthday very special for her. Next came her cake that Danny had made for her, it was covered with horses and she cried and hugged him too.

Jess and Flack stood with their friends and helped make Lindsay's birthday one she'll remember for a long time.

The End.

Okay, I hope that you all like this ending. I tried to make it not too sappy. Now onto my next story in the series. Please be kind when you send feedback, I'm still fragile. Lol