It would be another week before Danny was released from the hospital and three more after that before he was allowed to go back to work. Almost everyone at the lab had come by to see him at least once, while those who hadn't been able to make it sent flowers, cards, or gifts. Danny was surprised by all the support he'd received, welcoming their well wishes with open arms. But what he really wanted was some time alone with Lindsay. She'd stopped by with Stella and Mac several times, but always seemed to find an excuse to leave early, never allowing him to ask her all of the questions he had on his mind.
During the forth week of his recovery, Danny returned to work, and even though he was still on crutches, he refused to take a desk job. His time was better spent in the lab, doing whatever he could to help everyone out. He'd been thankful that Mac understood his inability to sit at a desk all day reading reports and gave him light duty for the following month until he was cleared for active duty by his doctor. Danny's return was marked by a huge party his friends had thrown for him at the bar they frequented followed by a day full of well wishes from everyone else who hadn't been able to make it.
But there was still one thing that troubled him when he returned: Lindsay. Danny thought that maybe whatever she'd been going through while he was recovering at home would pass by the time he started working again, but she remained distant and even a little cold sometimes. They would still flirt with each other while in the lab, but it wasn't as fun as it used be. Lindsay had become too engrossed in her work that she sometimes wouldn't even notice that he was talking to her. It hurt to be ignored, but he held on to the hope that maybe some time soon he'd get his chance to find out what was going on.
Luckily for Danny, that chance would come tonight as the two of them spent the rest of their shift examining evidence from a case Lindsay had brought in earlier that afternoon involving a middle aged man with a gunshot wound to the chest. She was busy looking for any trace left on the victim's clothing while he sat beside her in one of the cushy desk chairs Mac had spared from his office, his leg resting on another chair from the lab, doing absolutely nothing. She'd glance at him every so often, disdain present in her chocolate brown eyes as she worked and he sat.
"Are you going to make yourself useful or are you just going to sit there and stare at me all night?" Lindsay was becoming fed up with the fact that even though he asked to be on light duty, he wasn't doing any. The only remotely productive thing he'd done that afternoon was turn on the radio to a top forty station that she was beginning to get sick of after hearing the same songs over and over again for the last three hours. At least they'd switched from rap and pop to some rock, now playing Nickelback's "Far Away."
This time, this place
Misused, mistakes
Too long, too late
Who was I to make you wait?
Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
'Cause you know,
You know, you know
"My leg hurts," Danny shot back just to see what she'd say.
"Will you quit using that as an excuse and do something?" she angrily retorted, picking up the evidence bag that held the victim's suit jacket and throwing it at him. He'd caught it on handed and placed it on the light table in front of him. Suddenly, she began to giggle, remembering what Stella had told her. 'Don't worry; soon enough you'll be telling Danny to stop using the excuse that his foot hurts and do his job,' she'd said.
"What's so funny?" Danny quickly sat up and glared at her when she started laughing. For a second, he thought he'd done something wrong and she was about to kill him.
"Nothing," Lindsay answered, still chuckling as she picked up the shirt she'd been processing and grabbed a magnifying glass to see if she could find anything else. "Just something Stella said while you were in the hospital."
That I love you
I've loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreamin' you'll be with me
And you'll never go
Stop breathing
If I don't see you anymore
Danny quietly nodded, his mind ablaze with all the thoughts that she'd just conjured up by mentioning the hospital. It brought him back to the moment when he first woke up to the sound of her voice and the things she'd said and done. He clearly remembered her words and that she'd kissed him. Now was the perfect time to confront her about her feelings for him. They were in a confined space with only one way out, a way he could easily block by just scooting over slightly and not budging even if she tried to move him.
"Hey, Montana," Danny finally said when he gathered his thoughts and moved into position. She glanced in his direction for a moment before returning to her work. "Why didn't you visit me at the hospital? I was kinda looking forward to having someone sneak something other than hospital food into my room, and you're one of the few people who actually know what kind of coffee I like and how I take it." He tried to make the comment as light as possible so she wouldn't shut down like she had been when he asked her about the accident. It looked like it was working.
Lindsay straightened up a bit, her body visibly tensing as she stared straight out in front of her, refusing to look at him as he spoke. Danny could see the wheels turning in her head looking for an excuse. "I… uh… I had to see the department's shrink."
"Right…" he sarcastically replied, nodding slowing as he calculated his next move. "For a full week straight?"
"Well, I also had to work," she kept going, becoming defensive.
"Stop, right now," Danny ordered before Lindsay tried to make another excuse. He was sick of hearing her give him the run around. "For once, why don't you tell me the truth? I've had to sit here for the last two weeks listening to all your excuses, and I can't take it anymore! Now, I know you were in my hospital room the night I woke up. It was your voice, you words that kept me alive. So, why, Lindsay, why do you say such things to me and then run away?"
He'd called her Lindsay. He never called her Lindsay unless he was being dead serious. It caught her off guard and she tried to end the conversation by sidestepping him to walk out of the lab, but Danny had blocked the only exit. He was determined to get an answer out of her, no matter what it took. She gave up trying to escape and instead played dumb. "Say what things?" Lindsay asked, putting her hands on her hips and waiting for his answer.
Danny looked straight at her and answered, "You told me you loved me."
Lindsay's face went slack as her hands dropped to her sides. Stella had been right; people in comas could hear the people around them talking. She looked down at her shoes, unable to stare into those ocean blue eyes and lie to him. "I said a lot of things in the hospital because I thought you were going to die," she tried to explain.
"I don't want anymore excuses, Lindsay. I just want an answer. Do you love me or not?" Danny was practically begging as he stood up and took her face in his hands, making her look at him.
On my knees, I'll ask
Last chance for one last dance
'Cause with you, I'd withstand
All of Hell to hold your hand
I'd give it all
I'd give for us
Give anything, but I won't give up
'Cause you know,
You know, you know
Tears glistened in Lindsay's chocolate brown eyes when her gaze fell upon his. She really didn't want to answer his question and just stood there as two tears dripped down her face, his thumbs mopping them up just as quickly as they fell. They stood inches from in a deafening silence that even overcame the song on the radio. He held her face in his hands, his intense gaze overwhelming her to the point where she nearly lost it.
"Fine, if you don't say anything, I will," Danny replied. He couldn't wait anymore. In one quick motion, his arms encircled her waist, pulling her to his chest as his lips fell on top of hers for a deep kiss. Lindsay struggled against his strong hold, but was powerless to stop the feelings and emotions that ran through her at that moment. Everything she was afraid of, everything she wanted, everything she needed was all wrapped up in that kiss.
Without even realizing it, Lindsay had given in to her desires and became totally engrossed in the tenderness of his lips against hers. Her arms snaked around his waist, holding him just as he held her. It was a moment of pure bliss for both of them, and neither one wanted to let go until they were completely out of breath. Unfortunately, they wouldn't get that far, at least not right now.
I love you
I've loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreamin' you'll be with me
And you'll never go
Stop breathing
If I don't see you anymore
The door to the lab suddenly opened and Stella walked in holding a file folder with the results from the first round of testing. She hadn't been paying attention to what was going on around her, having become completely immersed in the report, and didn't realized that she'd just ruined their perfect moment until she looked up to see them pushing away from each other and covering their lips with their hands in an attempt to wipe off any remnants of their kiss. Danny hopped to one side of the room while Lindsay stood where she'd been standing earlier, their eyes averted to any direction by that of the other. It was an effort to conceal the grin that was beginning to creep onto Stella's lips, but she managed to somehow hide it.
"I got the results back from trace and thought you might like to take a look," she said before placing the folder on the light table. "I'll just leave this here for you guys so you can take a look whenever you have time." With that, Stella quickly took off, closing the door behind her as she let the smile on her lips grew into a full blown grin. 'Finally!' she thought, ecstatic to see that the two of them were making progress in the relationship department. Although she knew office affairs were frowned upon, Stella didn't care. Those two were made for each other, and nothing was going to stop true love.
So far away
So far away
So far away for far too long
So far away
So far away
So far away for far too long
But you know, you know, you know
Once she was gone, Lindsay glanced up to see Danny still gazing in the direction of the door. When he finally looked over at her, he could see that she was flushing red from head to toe, but a smile had appeared on her pouted lips. He gave her his own half smile and hobbled to her side of the room. "So?" he asked with that trademark half grin of his, still not having gotten an answer to his question as his arms wrapped around her waist again.
It was Lindsay's turn to surprise Danny as she threw her arms around his neck and drew him in for a deep, fervent kiss that finally gave them the opportunity to explore each other's lips until they were satisfied with what they'd discovered. Words couldn't describe the intensity of the passion and deep love that radiated from their lips and through every nerve ending of their bodies. It consumed their existence until they breathlessly pulled away from each other with Lindsay's fiery chocolate eyes gazing up at him. She leaned against his chest until her lips were beside his ear and whispered, "Does that answer your question?" Her inhibitions and fears were slowly dying, making way for what she felt in her heart.
Danny grinned before pulling her into another delightful kiss, his arms wrapped tight around her waist holding her as if he'd never let go. When it was over, Lindsay rested her head against his chest, eyes closed and smiling. "I love you, Danny Messer," she barely whispered, breathing in a contented sigh.
"I've waited so long to hear you say those words," Danny whispered back, softly caressing her hair with his hand as he bent down and kissed her forehead. "I love you too, Lindsay."
I wanted
I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed
I need to hear you say
I love you
I've loved you all along
And I forgive you
For being away for far too long
Her heart fluttered with his words, sending her to a place she hadn't been to in a long time, a place filled with warm memories and happiness. Lindsay felt a tear drip down her cheek as her arms wrapped tightly around Danny's waist, pulling him as close as physically possible. With her fears of losing him finally put to rest, she allowed her mind to wander, dreaming of where this new relationship would take them. She could feel him gently filtering his fingers through her hair and looked up, chocolate eyes shining, and said, "I'm sorry."
"What do you have to be sorry for?" Danny replied with a hint of intrigue.
"For almost getting you killed. For being so frigid. For being unable to tell you about my past. For being unable to say what I wanted to say to you all this time. For being so closed off. For…" Lindsay was quickly silenced when he pressed his fingers to her lips.
"You dwell in the past too much," Danny said, brushing her lips with his fingers. "Whatever happened to you back in Montana is history. All that matters now is that you love me and I love you and that we can start looking forward to a future together."
So keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me, never let me go
Keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe it
Hold on to me and, never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me, never let me go
Keep breathing
Hold on to me, never let me go
Lindsay wanted to cry. Never in her life had she felt this way about someone, and never in her life had she expected someone to feel the same way about her. It was a dream come true, and there was nothing in the world that could make this moment anymore perfect. She looked up at Danny, eyes still shining as another tear rolled down her cheek. He wiped it away with his finger and leaned down to kiss her again. Yep, perfect.
FIN!
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Sorry this took so long to post. I wanted it to be absolutely perfect before I did. :)
Yep, that's it. The story is finally over. I hope that was a fitting end to all the suspense and hell I put you guys thought. I definitely had a hell of a time writing this one. I think this is one of my best fics ever! It sure feels like it! I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed the ride. I might have gone through hell and back to finish this thing, but I did, just as I promised. I want to thank you all for being there for me and writing those wonderful reviews that kept me going even when I thought I wouldn't be able to. I'll get to those review responses in a moment. Right now, I gotta do a little explaining...
Where I got the title: Wasn't from that poem I posted at the beginning. I found that as an afterthought. It was actually from one of my favorite songs by Delta Goodrem, "Last Night On Earth." (If you haven't heard of her, check her out. I believe there's a D/L vid on youtube with her song "Lost Without You." If I can pull up the link, I'll post it on my profile so you can all check it out. It's real good!) The lyrics go, "If tomorrow never comes / I want you to know right now that I / I'm gonna love you until the day I die / And if tomorrow falls asleep / Can you hold me first / I'm gonna love you like / It's the last night on earth / Like it's the last night on earth." I was heistant about putting that up because I knew what impression I'd give you guys, so I thought I'd save it until now. I hope you do get a chance to check out Delta. She really is one hell of an artist.
The song for this chapter: Nickelback "Far Away." I got my inspiration for this fic from that song. I had been listening to it one day when the ideas just started to float into my mind about writing something that went along the lines of the lyrics, and that's how this story was born. I find inspiration in all the strangest places. I hope you liked the addition of the actual song into the story at the end. Which brings me to a few questions: What did you think of the song? Did it fit? Is there a better one out there that I could use?
Well, I hope you all enjoyed reading my fic. I definitely enjoyed reading all your comments! They've inspired me to continue and write more even when I thought I couldn't. Thank you all so much! I can't even begin to express my gratitude to all of you that read the story and enjoyed it. You've made me one hell of a happy person and now all I wanna do is write another story that's hopefully just as good as this one. I dunno, we'll see. I always tend to second guess myself when it comes to another story in the same category. I seem to have my swan song, and then it all goes downhill from there. I'm crossing my fingers that it won't be the case here.
Before I get too far ahead of myself, onto the review replies (and bear with me, I've got plenty this time around):
messermonroe: My wrist is all better! No more pain! Hehe. I hope you enjoyed the end of the story. Was it worth it? I hope so. I really wanna know what you thought of everything. It's like the final critique in one of my art classes, cept it's gotta do with my writing this time around. Anyway, a new fic is posted, yay! It's my Christmas fic, "Let It Snow." I hope you can check it out. Thank you so much for sticking with me during this story. I am forever grateful!
fatkat: Awww! Thank you!! I'm so glad you enjoyed reading it! I definitely enjoyed all your wonderful comments. I hope this was a fitting end to one hell of a rollercoaster ride of a story, LoL! So, what'd you think? I can't help but ask that question. Don't worry, you're not the only one I'm asking. :) Anyway, thanks for sticking with the story. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. And I hope you liked all the wallpapers I posted. :) What were your thoughts on those too? Hehe, I know, stop asking... Can't help it. Thanks again for reading and reviewing. Your comments definitely kept me going and I am eternally grateful!
Mrs. Fitzgerald: Hello, lurker come out of hiding! Thank you for the comment! I appreciate you coming out of hiding. :D And thanks for all your support! I really do appreciate it! I hope you liked the story. Any final thoughts? Just wondering. :) Thank you so much for reading and stopping in to say hello. I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thank you for your support!
Franniecat: My wrist is all better, thank you! LoL! I hope you didn't bounce through the wall waiting for this update! Hehe! I hope you found the end a satisfying one. I know I definitely enjoyed writing it. Brings all the drama to a close, at least I hope. Hehe. So, what were your thoughts on the story? I keep asking everyone cuz I really wanna know, lol! I'm such a curious person! Anyway, thanks for sticking with the story! I really do appreciate your comments and best wishes! I am grateful for people like you! Thanks so much!
Shelbers: Stupid accidents do suck. I once slammed a car door on my ankle and broke it, but I can tell that story another time, LoL! I'm glad you like the analagy! I was trying to find the right words and must have rewritten it several times before I was satisfied... (I'm still not, tho, lol! I think I could do better!) I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I hope the end was fitting for all the Lindsay drama. What'd you think? Just wanna know. :) I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing, so I gotta ask questions, ya know? Anyway, I know you got my response for that second part of your review, so I won't go into it again. Thanks soooo much for reading my story! I am forever grateful for all your wonderful comments and support!
Melting: Don't bounce through the wall! LOL! I hope you enjoyed that last chapter and it fulfilled your expectations for a good D/L moment. So, was it good? Just wanna know. Anything you'd change about it? Or was it perfect? Ah, hell... I gotta stop asking questions. I know, I'm nosey! I can't help it! I wanna write a better fic after this one! What can I say? Hehe. Anyway, I'm glad you've stuck by me and enjoyed the story so much! I truly am grateful. Thank you so much!
Lady Elanya: You're welcome:) Thanks for stopping by and commenting! Uh, don't you just hate it when you can't write for medical reasons? I first broke my wrist back in 5th grade, and then this happened just the other day. At least it didn't turn out to be so bad. I still get some pain if I type for too long, but it goes away. So, how'd you like this chapter? I hope you enjoyed it. :) Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on my story! I am eternally grateful for your caring and support! Thank you!
Tiantian Wang: Oh, god, don't remind me of X-Files!! It makes me wanna cry that the show ended the way it did! I was sooooooo pissed when David left... ARG! Okay, stopping now... Hehe. I'm glad you liked the kryptonite reference. That was definitely one of my favorite analagies in this story, although I still feel it could have been better written. Anyway... I hope you liked this last chapter! What'd you think of the story as a whole? Just wondering how I could inprove it, ya know? Sorry I couldn't post this earlier! I hope your final still went well. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review my story! I wholeheartedly appreciate it!
my-sparkles: Hello! Thanks for stopping by to review! And thanks for sticking with me since the beginning! I really do appreciate it. I hope the end was fitting. How'd you like it? Hehe, I keep asking the same question in different ways... I know, I just wanna get a sense of how I'm doing and where I can improve. Anyway, I am eternally grateful for your kind words and support! Thanks for coming out of the shadows and dropping me a line! I really do appreciate it!
chili-peppers: It's okay! You still reviewed, and that's what counts! Hehe! I hope you liked the end? Did it fit with the rest of the story? Was it what you expected? I really do hope so:) Thank you! Thank you a thousand times over! Your reviews have definitely kept me going, and I do appreciate that with all my heart! I am eternally grateful for all your support! I can't wait to see what you think now that the story's over.
peanut2lb: Danny and Stella... They make a great team, almost like brother and sister, lol! Alright, so that was the last chapter. What did you think? Good, bad, ugly? Just wondering. How could I improve it? Yeah, I got lotsa questions when it comes to finishing a story. Anyway, I'm just glad you've been reading and reviewing, and for that I am eternally grateful. :) Thank you so much for sticking with me and enjoying the story! I hope the end was fitting and I hope to hear from you soon! Thanks again!
prplerayne: I'm blaming you for being unable to post this until today! LOL! Just kidding!! Furry handcuffs... Tinsel... Well placed bow?! Wow... And I thought MY mind was dirty! HAHA! Oh, you gave me a run for my money with that review! Although... Now that I think about it, those comments put some interesting thoughts into my head about what I should do to Danny next, LOL!!! But I'll keep it clean for the Christmas fic. You're awful, you know that? But I still luv ya!! Thanks for sticking by me through thick and thin, good and bad, smart and stupid. You've been one hell of a great beta, that's for sure! I can't wait to see what you think of the next story! Actually, I kinda already know, its the one after that I'm concerned about, hehe. Well, as always, I'm eternally grateful for your thoughts and words. :D Oh, and before I forget... Staten Island Pancake. Hehe, take that!
Leanne: I loved your suggestion!! Too bad I couldn't fit it into the end of the story. I guess I'm gonna have to save this for the next one! Yay! Hehe. Thanks so much for stopping by and reviewing. And thanks so much for becoming a good friend. :) You ROCK! Not me,YOU! Thank you soooo much! I am eternally grateful for your kind words and friendship. I can't wait to see what you think about the end of this story. I hope it's better than you expected. If not, any comments, suggestions, things I could change? Anyway, last week's ep... Definitely a brain tease!! Had my mind spinning, wondering what the hell is going on with Lindsay. What's is in her past?! ARG!! Now I wanna write a fic about it! LoL! Soon... Very soon... After the Christmas fic. :D
PRTFCSI: LoL! We all have our lazy days! I can't tell you how much I enjoy reading your comments! They always make me laugh! LOL! You remind me of myself... I've got that same twisted sense of humor. Hehe. And I do the exact same thing when I'm making comments over the internet. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Yes, the got together!! YAY!! I ended it on a good note. But the real question is, was it good for you? Did you like it? Gotta ask. It helps me write better fics in the future. :) Anyway, I'm so glad you've been reading my fic, and even more grateful that you've been reviewing. I can't tell you how much your reviews have helped me when I thought things wouldn't get done. Thank you. I am forever grateful! I hope this was a good read for you. Hope to hear from you soon!
simbagirl: Hi hon! I hope you're feeling better! I know, I haven't been able to send you an email in a while. Soon, I hope. Maybe after the holidays, when life settles down a little from the chaos. Anyway, I don't know where I come up with this stuff! I just seem to somehow be able to pull it out of my ass! LOL! (Just a note, there was absolutely NO sarcasm in that remark. I'm telling the truth!) I dunno... It just comes to me when I'm writing. I've been doing this for a very long time, so I've learned a lot from trial and error. Anyway, thanks for sticking with me, even tho I kinda swtiched categories from Fastlane to CSI:NY. I'm glad you're a fan of both shows too! Maybe someday I'll do a crossover. Maybe not... The last time I tried that... didn't work out too well. Thanks a lot for your never ending support! I can't put into words how much I appreciate it. I'm definitely forever grateful to have someone like you in my life. Have a great holiday and I hope everything works out well for you.
InOvrMyHead4Life: OMG!! blueBlackmorning! I cannot believe it! You actually came to read my fic!! OMG!! I'm so honored!! Thank you so much!! I know, you got into this quite late, but that's when you don't have to sit in suspense like everyone else has, waiting for me to update! You get to read the whole thing through! I hope you liked it. I can't wait to see what you think of it!
The Lurkers: I hope I managed to lure you out of hiding with the end of the fic. (Crosses fingers that everyone on my watch list will have something to say now that I've finished it!) So, did you like it?? Did you love it? Do you want more of it?! LOL! Okay, shutting up now, because I'm starting to sound like a total fool. (I was a cheerleader in a previous life, so sue me.) Thanks so much for just reading! Getting over 11,000 hits on one story just boggles me MIND! Every day I wake up and tell myself, maybe I will become an author someday, just because I know that people are taking the time to read my stuff, people like you. So I must thank you all, for if it wasn't for you guys, I wouldn't be here today. Thank you, from the very bottom of my heart!!
So, I guess this is my final goodbye for this fic. Don't worry, the new one's already posted. "Let It Snow." If you enjoyed this one, I hope you all get to check out that one as well. :) Thanks again, for everything. You've given me confidence to keep working on my craft and improving it for all the stories to come. Thank you all. I am eternally grateful.
Oh, and as a token of my gratitude, I've made one more wallpaper. It's on my profile page. I hope you enjoy it as much as you've enjoyed everything else. Thanks again! And Happy Holidays!
-DK