Chapter Eight: Only Love Can Mend It

Lindsay came to an abrupt halt in front of Danny's door and raised her hand to knock. Her mouth felt dry and she felt confidant that at any moment her knees could give out leaving her a huddled mass on his threshold. Taking a deep breath she gave three rapid knocks and waited.

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A sudden sound at his front door roused Danny from his dejected, heartbroken trance. He didn't want to speak to anyone, see anyone, or acknowledge the existence of another human being at the moment so he stayed where he was on the floor, hoping whoever it was would just go away.

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'He isn't home,' Lindsay thought desperately, 'Where could he be?' She waited another minute, but as she turned to leave down the hall heard a faint sound from just on the other side of the door.

"Danny," she called quietly, "Please Danny it's me, it's Lindsay. I need you; I need to talk to you." Tears gathered in her eyes as she stood there waiting for his response.

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Danny stood up slowly, wincing as his battered knuckles rebelled at his hand movement. He figured he should at least move from the floor to the couch where he could be more comfortable in his misery. Just as he finished straightening, he heard a soft voice that sounded like Lindsay's call his name.

"Danny?"

Now he knew he'd lost it, he was experiencing auditory hallucinations of Lindsay. He shook his head in dismay, but knew he wasn't hearing things when she continued to speak.

"Please Danny, it's me, it's Lindsay"

'Please God no,' Danny begged silently, 'I can't face her now.'

"I need you; I need to talk to you," Lindsay finished her plea and Danny could hear the quaver in her voice. Even in a deluge of pain that seemed insurmountable Danny could deny her nothing; he moved to open the door.

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Lindsay's head snapped up as she heard the bolt turn in the lock, and in another second she and Danny were face to face.

The moment Danny looked at her his breath hitched recognizing how beautiful she looked. He noticed how luminous the unshed tears made her eyes, and he resolved to temporarily push his feelings of devastation aside and make this conversation as easy on her as possible.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Danny," she whispered.

Danny cleared his throat and looked away, "I guess you should come in."

Lindsay entered his apartment tentatively, wanting to throw herself into his arms, but knowing she needed to explain things carefully.

"Danny I -----," she started to explain, but Danny quickly interrupted.

"No Lindsay, you don't need to explain. I understand. It's okay. You told me there were things you needed to work out, that you couldn't be in a relationship right now. I understood that, I just didn't think…," Danny faltered but rapidly recovered, "I just didn't think it had to do with another man. I guess I thought it was some other personal type of issue. I don't know. All that matters is that you're happy, Lindsay. That's all that's important." Danny finished speaking, hoping she would leave quickly; he wasn't sure how long he could keep his emotions in check. The last thing he needed to do was beg her to not leave.

Lindsay stood silently after Danny spoke, realizing that if she hadn't already loved him, she would've fallen for him at this precise moment. She had seen his face; even now his eyes gave away the ache in his soul. That he would try and smooth things over, make the situation easier for her, when he was in agony made the tears in Lindsay's eyes spill over. Her tears were Danny's undoing.

"Lindsay," he choked the words out, "Please don't cry, I didn't mean to upset you. I wanted to show you that I understand. I know we don't pick who we fall in love with and you're lucky he came to his senses about you. In fact you should go be with him. I'll be alright Lindsay. I promise."

"You're right," she began through her tears, "You can't choose who you fall in love with." Hearing those words confirmed from her lips sent a dagger through the already torn pieces of Danny's heart.

"Danny, you're an incredible man and that's the reason why -------," Lindsay began, but Danny swiftly cut her off.

"Lindsay you don't have to apologize or make explanations," Danny said anger and hurt creeping into his voice.

Lindsay continued speaking unfazed by his outburst, "That's the reason why I've fallen in love with you Danny Messer." Her eyes shined with the truth of her words and she felt freer than she had in a long time.

Danny stood frozen in shock. He wasn't sure if he misheard her or not, but the look in her eyes reassured him she hadn't misspoken.

"But, what…I mean I saw you….and Lindsay I don't understand," Danny said as he dropped to the sofa. Lindsay came and settled close to Danny's side. She took his hand and Danny jumped slightly causing Lindsay to look down.

"Oh my God Danny what did you do to your hand," she exclaimed.

Embarrassed Danny tried to pull his hand away, but Lindsay didn't relinquish their contact. In a flash she recognized the destroyed mirror and Danny's hand were casualties of a moment of utter despair. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his uninjured palm. He shivered at the gentle, soothing contact that acted as a salve on the edges of his raw emotions.

"Danny, what you saw tonight was just…unfortunate timing," Lindsay began, and this time Danny just watched her and listened. "Grant, that's the man you saw me with, is a friend I've know my whole life from back home." Danny bristled slightly at the man's name but didn't interrupt.

"He's in town for a medical conference and he stopped by the lab today to surprise me since we haven't seen each other in awhile. I introduced him to Mac, gave him a tour of the lab, and we made plans to grab dinner. That's where we were coming from when we arrived back at my apartment," Lindsay paused, "Well actually we were coming from his hotel, but we…"

"What?!?!" Danny interjected, suddenly losing his cool. Lindsay had to smile at his furious expression.

"Would you just let me finish," she said, "We went to his hotel after dinner to find jewelry store listings to go search for an engagement ring."

"It wasn't for me," she added, seeing how Danny's eyes darkened at the words 'engagement ring', "It's for his girlfriend of 4 years and my best friend Kaelyn. Grant wants me to help him pick out a ring while he's in New York, and on the cab ride back to my apartment I was kidding him about his proposal. I told him he needed to practice and he told me to be careful, or he would use me as a practice model." Danny's eyes slowly cleared as the story began to sink in and his breathing returned to normal for the first time in hours.

"Just as he was getting ready to get back in the cab, Grant threw a practice proposal out at me as a joke," Lindsay finished slowly, "There was nothing romantic or serious about any of it Danny."

Danny let her words sink in for a moment and then turned to look at Lindsay. Taking both of her hands in his he asked, "You never were involved with this guy?"

"No, never- and his name is Grant."

"And he doesn't have any feelings for you?"

"None, we're just friends."

"And he's leaving New York soon?"

"Danny!"

"Alright, alright- just as long as there isn't anything between you two."

"Danny, I promise you there's nothing."

Danny slowly leaned back against the sofa pulling Lindsay with him. He wrapped his arm around her, and felt the fears and tensions of the horrific day melting away. He closed his eyes to savor the feeling of her tucked against his side, and then jerked them open with a start and jumped from the sofa.

"Danny what's wrong," Lindsay asked, frowning at his sudden mood change.

From his standing position he looked down at her, "Did I hear you say that you love me," he demanded.

Lindsay turned her head and looked down as a pink stain slowly spread across her cheeks.