Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed thus far - your nice comments keep me going. :) Thanks!
In honour of finale day, here's the next chapter.
Props to Boleyn, Elainhe, and Audrina for beta/gamma'ing this beast. :)

Chapter 2

"Please, please, please tell me you have something useful," said Flack as he walked into Lindsay and Danny's office.

"No can do," answered Danny, sifting through the papers and pictures for what seemed like the hundredth time. "We didn't find any trace, any prints, anything at the scene."

Flack ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Yeah, the neighbours and the coworkers were all useless. From what they've said, Mezzolo led a quiet life. She loved her job, was always nice to everyone in the building, kept to herself. Never crossed anyone the wrong way, not that we know of at least."

Danny stood up abruptly, startling both Lindsay and Flack. "You're both technically off-shift, right?" he questioned. Both Lindsay and Flack nodded. "Come on then, I need a change of scenery. I can't think in here anymore."

"What?! Are you serious?!" asked Flack, who blocked Danny's way as he attempted to leave the office.

"Yes, I am," replied Danny. He was hoping that'd be enough to satisfy Flack, but the look on Flack's face told him otherwise.

Danny breathed a deep sigh. "Look, I just need to get out and clear my head. We keep hitting dead end after dead end, and I need a break. So can we please just go?"

Danny turned and looked expectantly at Lindsay. Shit, she's going to think that this is me asking her out again. It's not! Lindsay broke his gaze and sifted through the papers and pictures that lay strewn over their desks. "I don't know, I think I'd be best to just stay here and-"

"Come on, Linds," Danny interrupted. "The three of us brainstorming this thing together will be more productive anyway. Besides, we're off for the night, so we can go out and talk about it, and come back with fresh minds in the morning."

Lindsay hesitated before answering, but Danny persisted. "Please?"

"Fine," she said, tucking all the papers back into their folders. "But just for a bit - I wouldn't mind at least getting a decent night's sleep."

Flack turned to allow room for Lindsay to pass, then followed behind her as she headed for the elevator. For just a moment, something in Danny froze as he wanted her retreat down the hall. Why was he doing this, allowing himself to spend more time with her outside of work? It's only going to end badly, he told himself. Look what happened to Flack - head over heels for that girl, and she goes and rips his heart out.

The difference between he and Flack, though, was that he'd be willing to go through the pain if it meant even a moment of bliss with her.

Shit.

They ended up at Mulligan's, a popular bar amongst the NYPD. Danny chose an empty booth in the back; Flack and Lindsay slid into the seat across from him. They ordered a pitcher for the table.

Flack opened the conversation. "So what do we know so far," he asked, drumming his fingers on the table.

"You mean besides nothing?" asked Danny, sarcastically. "Okay, okay, sorry," he said after earning glares from both Flack and Lindsay. "Logically, the killer would have had to have known she was a teacher, or at least worked a Monday-to-Friday job."

"Not necessarily," said Lindsay, reaching for a glass as the waitress put down their pitcher. "The fact that she wasn't found for three days could have been coincidence."

"I suppose," replied Danny, pouring the beer into Lindsay's glass first, then Flacks, then his own. "He would have had to know, though, that she lived alone."

"Or at least that her partner wouldn't be home for awhile, I mean, he took the time to spotlessly clean her apartment. He had to have known he was going to have the time to take that much care in doing so," added Flack. Danny and Lindsay nodded in agreement. "This guy's a bit of a bastard, no?"

They all took sips of their drinks. Seriously, this case makes no sense, thought Danny. We can't even figure out anything conclusive in terms of what the guy knew about the vic - there's actually nothing to go on here. Except -

"Hang on, the apartment was untouched," Danny said.

"Yeah, what's your point?" asked Lindsay. "That's why this whole thing is a pain in the ass."

"Yeah, but there were also no signs of struggle. Unless the guy replaced the door, which I'm sure someone would have noticed, he didn't have to force his way into Mezzolo's apartment."

"But Danny," said Flack slowly, "that doesn't necessarily mean that Mezzolo knew him or let him in willingly - I'm sure if someone held a gun to your head and told you to let them in or they'd shoot you, you'd be letting them in pretty quick."

"Fucker," Danny grumbled into his beer.

They sat there in silence for awhile. Danny noticed Flack was hardly touching his beer, although he couldn't really blame him. Danny knew he'd be useless if he had more than a glass or two - probably better that way anyway. He glanced up at Lindsay, who was absently biting her nails. Flack was staring off into space.

"Why torture her?" Lindsay asked suddenly. "What was the point of that? What does the guy get out of it? That's the part that's bugging me."

"Hard to say for sure," responded Flack, shifting in his seat. "This guy is definitely sadistic."

Lindsay laughed nervously. "You think? I don't know, this case is twisting my mind." She paused before speaking again. "I suppose digging into her background is going to be the next step here - phone records, previous relationships. She was a teacher - I suppose it's possible that she pissed off a parent."

Flack laughed.

"What?" asked Lindsay, confused.

"Pissing off a parent," he repeated, rotating his glass on the table. "When I was in third grade, I was the biggest shit disturber."

"You mean that's changed?" asked Danny, looking at Flack over the rim of his glasses.

"Jackass," Flack grumbled. "I was that kid through most of elementary school, actually. Junior High as well. I was always pulling pranks on my teachers and getting the other kids in trouble. I didn't normally get caught, either - I was good at pranking. In third grade, I hated my teacher. She was mean - your typical 'Wicked Witch of the West' type of person. My school had just gotten brand new whiteboards. During recess of the first day we had them, I snuck back into the classroom and scraped the labels off the whiteboard markers. Two days later, I swapped the black one with a permanent marker. Of course, it didn't erase. The school had to replace the whiteboards in our classroom, three days after installing them."

Lindsay chuckled. "Yeah, definitely a shit disturber. I imagine the school wasn't too happy about that."

"God no," laughed Flack. "The principal came in and gave us quite the talking to. Tried to get the culprit to fess up. Of course, I knew better, I kept my mouth shut. They never ended up finding out it was me."

Danny looked up at Lindsay. God she's beautiful when she smiles. It was the first time he'd seen her smile in… well, a long time. He missed it. A lot. He decided to keep this mood going - it had been too long since he'd seen this side of Lindsay.

"My pranks never cost anyone money, it was always just annoying things - hiding the teacher's mark book, breaking the chalk so she would be stuck with the itty bitty pieces…"

"You guys were shits!" laughed Lindsay. "I was always nice to my teachers, got along with them well. I never had issues, and if I did I always kept it to myself. In fact, I still keep in touch with one of my high school teachers, just casual emails every so often."

"Suck up," teased Danny.

Lindsay glared playfully, then kicked him under the table.

"Ow!! What was that for?!" laughed Danny.

"For making fun of me!"

"Now now, children," interjected Flack. The three of them just looked at each other, then burst out laughing.

"Oh man, we really are pathetic in our own special ways, aren't we," said Lindsay as she struggled to catch her breath.

The three continued to share stories and laugh together, the case now forgotten. Danny found himself completely enjoying the light side of Lindsay that he hadn't seen in ages. He missed it. A lot.

He missed her.

The pitcher had been empty awhile, when Lindsay finally decided that they should be heading home. Danny offered to pick up the tab for the pitcher, despite Flack and Lindsay's arguments.

"Thanks for the drinks, Danny," said Lindsay, once outside the bar. "I'll see you both in the morning."

"Do you want a lift home?" Danny blurted before he could stop himself.

Lindsay smiled. "No, thanks, I'll be okay, the subway's not far from here."

Idiot, Danny berated himself. Deciding not to push the issue, he instead bid her a good night and a safe trip home.

"See you bright and early," he waved as Lindsay turned and walked away from them.

Danny didn't say anything to Flack as he walked back towards the lab.

"Everything okay, Danny? You sure changed quick," asked Flack, coming up beside him.

"Yeah, fine," said Danny. "How are you holding up?" he asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

"Meh, been okay, it was kind of nice to be completely distracted today, and a light social outing was just what I needed, especially after last night's pissfest."

"You're telling me," said Danny, swiping his card to open the door to the parking garage. "I could have shot Mac when he called this morning."

"Hey, I got the call a full hour before you!" quipped Flack, giving Danny a light punch.

"Doesn't change the fact that it sucked," retorted Danny. "Anyway, I'll see you in the morning. Have a good night."

"You too, try not to let the case keep you up all night." Flack turned and walked towards his car.

Danny sighed and climbed into his own. It's not the case that'll be keeping me up, he thought miserably as he turned the key in the ignition. Damn.