Here's chapter 4! Thanks for the reviews and I'm glad you like it! :)
Disclaimer: Like I already said, I don't own CSI: NY or any of its characters. I also do not own the song "I'll be" by Edwin McCain.
Chapter Three: A Night for Performing
Stella had just finished her performance, and she had been a hit. The crowd applauded—Danny clapped as loudly as he could—and she looked stunned, almost like she hadn't thought she would be that great. She had seen Danny in the crowd and quickly smiled at him, but she then hurried off stage, to allow some woman playing the piano to begin her performance.
Danny couldn't help catch an eye from the woman sitting next to him. She was smiling at him, and he, too, smiled when he realized who it was. He decided not to say anything about knowing her, especially after his occurrence with Stella. "Hi," he said in a quiet whisper.
She beamed at him even more. "Are you here to see Mac Taylor, too?"
He nodded. "And also Stella, her performance was incredible."
"Yeah," she agreed. "She's been here before." Her gaze still on him, she put out her hand. "My name's Lindsay Monroe."
A smile appeared on his face. "Danny Messer," he said, shaking her hand.
"Danny Messer," she repeated. "It's a nice name."
"Your name's nice, too," he said.
"Why, thank you, Mr. Messer."
"Well, you're very welcome, Miss Monroe." They smiled at each other for a while, but then turned back to look towards the stage, seeing that the pianist had now finished her performance. The next person to step on the stage was the announcer, and he was now signaling the crowd to be quiet. It didn't take long for everyone to quiet down; this was the moment everyone had been waiting for.
"And that was a lovely performance," the announcer said. "But now, the moment you have all been waiting for is to come. Tonight, on this very stage, we have the musician we all know and love—Mac Taylor!"
The crowd burst into claps, yells, and some girls—Danny noticed—fainted. He heard Lindsay squeak, she was obviously in love with Mac. Great, he thought. Now I won't have a chance with her. Of course, she wouldn't have a chance with Mac unless she was famous herself…
Mac walked onto the stage, first taking a bow and then he headed over to the microphone. He was playing solo tonight, and Danny wondered if it had something to do with Stella's presence at the club. "Thank you," he said, which immediately silenced the crowd. "As you saw earlier, the wonderful Miss Stella Bonasera sang for her second time here, and I would like to congratulate her on a job well done."
Danny and Lindsay clapped, along with the rest of the crowd. The three girls in the back row that had fainted earlier still hadn't regained consciousness, and he wondered if they would before the end of Mac's performance. The crowd had quieted again, for Mac was now talking again. "So tonight, not only would I like to dedicate this song to her, but I would also like to invite her to sing with me."
Stella raised her head, to look at Mac, and she immediately rushed back onto the stage. A second microphone was set up for her, and as she waited for Mac to continue on, she kept her gaze on him, smiling a mile a minute.
There's something that hasn't changed, Danny thought. Stella likes Mac and Mac likes Stella… The two had always had a connection; at least they had when they worked as detectives at the New York Crime Lab. But even though they didn't work as detectives anymore—why they didn't, he was still trying to figure out—they still had that connection. Danny hoped that one of these days the two would finally agree to a date.
"Tonight, Stella and I will be singing "I'll be" by Edwin McCain." The lights dimmed, while both Mac and Stella were in the spotlight. The music began and Mac strummed along on his guitar. They sang their hearts out, and the crowd could see their love connection.
The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful
Stop me and steal my breath
And emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky
Never revealing their depth
Tell me that we belong together,
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated,
I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above
I'll be your crying shoulder,
I'll be love's suicide
I'll be better when I'm older,
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
And rain falls angry on the tin roof
As we lie awake in my bed
You're my survival, you're my living proof
My love is alive and not dead
Tell me that we belong together,
Dress it up with the trappings of love
I'll be captivated,
I'll hang from your lips
Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above
I'll be your crying shoulder,
I'll be love's suicide
I'll be better when I'm older,
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
And I've dropped out, I've burned up, I've fought my way back from the dead
I've tuned in, turned on, remembered the things that you said
I'll be your crying shoulder,
I'll be love's suicide
I'll be better when I'm older,
I'll be the greatest fan of your
I'll be your crying shoulder,
I'll be love's suicide
I'll be better when I'm older,
I'll be the greatest fan of your life
The greatest fan of your life
Just as the song ended, the three girls in the back row had regained consciousness, and they clapped the loudest, even though they hadn't heard the song at all. Danny was the first of the crowd to stand up and clap, and the three girls hurried and followed suit. Lindsay stood also as the rest of the crowd got up from their chairs. The three girls screamed out, "I love you!" to Mac.
Mac and Stella left the stage—Mac took his time to wave and nod to the crowd—and as many people started to leave the jazz club, Danny hurried to find Mac backstage, signing autographs for a few people. But before he could get to Mac, Stella noticed him. "Danny," she said in a dull tone.
They quickly hugged, but even with the hug, Danny could tell that Stella wasn't exactly happy to see him again. He ignored her attitude and said, "Your performance, it was really good. And I'm sure you'll get to work with Mac, you two sound good together."
"Thanks," she said with a quick nod.
Danny glanced at Mac, who was now done signing autographs. He nodded to him as he said, "Could you maybe introduce me to Mac?"
"Oh, yeah," said Stella with another nod. They walked over to Mac, and he immediately greeted them both with a smile. "Um, Mac, I wanted you to meet someone," she said as Danny stepped forward. "This is my friend, Danny Messer."
"It's nice to meet you, Danny," Mac said as he shook his hand. He looked at Stella curiously, as if he thought Danny was her boyfriend. Stella's eyes widened and she immediately shook her head. Danny was thankful for this, because he didn't want to be known as Stella's boyfriend.
"Um, Mac, I was wondering if I could talk to you alone for just a minute?" asked Danny.
Mac looked towards Stella, who finally nodded and allowed them to be alone. He then focused his gaze back on Danny and waited for him to say something. "It's an honor to meet you Mac, really it is," he said, though it felt awkward to say that especially since only a day ago he had been working with Mac as a CSI. "But I was just wondering if you ever hear of a fire that happened just yesterday? Or have you heard of a fire ever hitting the New York Crime Lab?"
Mac looked at him thoughtfully, but then shook his head. "I'm sorry Danny, but I don't think a fire ever claimed the New York Crime Lab, at least not to my memory. And if there had been a fire, you would probably be able to find out about it on the news or online." He picked up a picture,—obviously of himself—signed it, and gave it to Danny. "I wish I could help you more, but I do promise to tell you anything if I find something, okay?"
Danny took the picture and nodded. "Thanks, Mac. Really, I appreciate the help."
"Anything I can do to help," said Mac, "for a fan and for a friend of Stella's."
Danny nodded, and then he left Mac to talk to Stella again. As he walked up to the doors he entered the club through earlier, he saw Lindsay waiting for him. He gave her a look of inquiry and asked, "Why'd you wait for me?"
Lindsay shrugged her hands in her jean pockets. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You rushed off to backstage fast, and it worried me."
Danny handed the signed picture of Mac to Lindsay. "You can have this."
"You got Mac Taylor to give you a signed photograph?" she asked breathlessly, immediately taking her hands out of her jean pockets and she reached over to take the photograph from his hands.
"Yeah, he was signing photos backstage. If you wanted, you could have come with me."
Danny held the door open for Lindsay, and then walked out it himself, being stopped again by Lindsay. She was looking up at him with a concerned look. "Something's troubling you. Are you sure you're okay?"
"You wouldn't exactly understand," he replied, walking off to his car.
"Wait!" Lindsay called, and Danny immediately turned around. "Actually, I might just understand."
Danny looked down to the ground and then up at her. "What if I told you that I already met you before?"
Lindsay stared at him for a while, like she was considering the question. "Well, it wouldn't be a lie. I, too, have met you before."
So, Lindsay has met Danny before. Does she know about the fire? Will she help Danny if she does? The answers will soon come…chapter 4 will be up soon!