Lindsay was still angry and hurt when she reached the lab. She wasn't sure why she had gone to the lab instead of going home, but her feet seemed to just take her there. Lindsay thought the walk to the lab and the slow elevator ride had calmed her down, but the bell that dinged with the opening elevator doors seemed to set her off again. A new wave of anger, resentment and despair washed over her as she stepped out of the elevator and into the hum of the lab.

The sea of people in the lab's hallway seemed to part for Lindsay as she stormed through. There were a few surprised looks, but Lindsay was immune to them. Stella, who had gotten back to the lab before Lindsay, stepped out of Mac's office, trying to catch Lindsay as she careened by, but was only in time to watch Lindsay collide with Danny. Lindsay ran right into Danny with a heavy thud, almost as if she had been seeking him out.

"Hey, Montana, you gotta watch where…" Danny didn't get a chance to finish. Lindsay trained her eyes, livid and cold, on Danny and made sure that her bag connected with his face. Danny didn't have a chance to react before Lindsay propelled herself towards him, her hands hitting him and her fists pummeling his chest.

"You said something! This is all your fault!" Lindsay's yelling was now punctuated with an occasional sob. Danny's hands had flown up to protect his face and he stumbled backwards into the wall, drawing the attention of almost the entire lab. "What did you do, Danny? What did you do?"

Lindsay's last question faded away as tears and sobs took over. Her brutal punches weakened, as did her resolve. Stella stepped forward to attempt to restrain Lindsay and coax her into an empty office, but Danny waved her off. With his strong arms, Danny reached out and pulled Lindsay to him; he was willing to sustain a few more bruises in order to get her to stop.

Lindsay acquiesced and allowed Danny to pull her into his chest and embrace her. Lindsay felt numb. She knew that Danny was attempting to get her to walk somewhere, but it wasn't until she felt him buckle a seat belt around her, that Lindsay realized that Danny had guided her to his car.

"I can't go to my place." Lindsay said quietly as Danny started the car. Danny just nodded with understanding, turning the car down the busy New York streets in the direction of his apartment.

The car had been painfully quiet. All the way home, Danny's eyes had strayed to the passenger seat where Lindsay was sitting. She looked pale and fragile. Danny had wanted to reach over and touch her, but given the pale bruises forming on his chest, he wasn't sure if that was the best idea.

When the car stopped, Lindsay got out. Her feet didn't seem to want to move from their place and her mind seemed jumbled. Lindsay just couldn't make her mind and body function.

Suddenly, Lindsay felt a hand on hers. She knew it was Danny's. Lindsay could feel him standing close to her and her mind screamed to her that this was too close.

Lindsay followed Danny into his apartment and allowed herself to be led into his bedroom. Wordlessly, Danny handed her a sweatshirt and pulled back the covers on the bed. Lindsay pulled the sweatshirt over her head and curled up into a tight ball. Maybe if she fell asleep, this would all be a bad dream.

As Lindsay's eyelids fluttered closed, Danny rubbed the back of his neck, closed his eyes and leaned against the doorframe. When he finally opened his eyes again, Danny walked into the living room and sank onto his couch, attempting to piece together what had happened and how he would be able to fix it.

When Lindsay had woken up later that night, she found Danny sitting on the couch with a beer in his hand watching a Yankees game. As Lindsay stumbled out of his bedroom, rubbing her temples and attempting to rub out her headache, Danny scooted over on the couch and nonchalantly patted the cushions next to him. Danny didn't want to force anything, Lindsay would tell him what was going on in her own time.

"If you want something to eat, there's food in the kitchen. I'm watching the game. You can join me." Danny said casually.

Lindsay sighed and sank onto the couch next to Danny. She tried to focus her eyes on the game, but ended up staring blankly ahead of her. After a few minutes, Danny took another gulp of beer and turned to her.

"So, Montana, why are you here? You know instead of at your place?" Danny asked quietly, during a well-timed commercial break.

"I don't really have a place, Danny. You know it was Don's before I ever moved in. I just didn't feel like I could go back there right now." Lindsay rose up off the couch and moved into the kitchen, helping herself to some of the food that Danny had left out. "Look, Danny, about before… you know at the lab. I should explain…"

"No need." Danny said, cutting her off. "Stella called to check on you. She explained."

"Oh." Lindsay said. She dropped her head to stare at the floor. Danny noticed her movement and wondered if he had intruded or gone too far by mentioning his conversation with Stella. Truth be told, Danny had been more than eager to find out why Lindsay had suddenly assaulted him so emotionally at the lab. Danny quickly got up off the couch and pursued Lindsay into the kitchen. He gently grabbed her by the shoulders and ran his hands up and down the length of her arms.

"Hey… hey… I only pressed Stella for information because I wanted to know why I had all these bruises. You've got nothing to be ashamed of. You didn't do anything wrong. You here me, Montana? Give Flack some time to figure things out. He'll realize what an idiot he is."

"Thanks, Danny." Lindsay said, attempting a small smile. She pulled away slightly, separating the bond between his hands and her arms.

"Montana. You gotta know that I didn't say anything or do anything to cause this." Danny said, sounding deperate to be believed. "I've avoided Flack. I would've never wanted you to be hurt in any way."

"I know, Danny." Lindsay said quietly. "I think I want to go back to sleep. Can I curl up in your bedroom?"

"Yeah, sure. Anything you want, Linds." Danny said as Lindsay stepped away from him. Danny walked her carefully as she walked back into his bedroom and shut the door.

Danny sank back onto the couch. He was too distracted to focus on the game. Danny was too busy trying to figure out what it meant that Lindsay was asleep in his bed and seemingly single. Danny sighed and dropped his head back, stretching his neck. Maybe Derek Jeter could give him the answers he was looking for.