Disclaimer: I own nothing at all.
A/N. I'm sorry! I know I suck at getting updates! i make a goal and can't make it the first week, I will try to be better. It's longer if that helps =) Enjoy.
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: : Corporate Warriors : :
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This kinda stunk. Okay, it really stunk. Every person she had interviewed with for an apartment or a roommate was completely crazy. She would never be caught dead living in one of those apartments, and the roommates were genuinely worse. She was stuck. Sure, she had a great new job, but all her life had been since moving here was commute, work, commute, sleep. She missed going out, she missed her friends. She missed having an actual social life. Yea the people she worked with seemed nice, but, she was just, apprehensive. And there was no way she trusted the city enough yet to get all the way back to Tarrytown when even slightly intoxicated. No, she was at a standstill and it was unsettling her. No. Lindsay Monroe needed to gain a little more control over her life, and it all started with getting off her uncle's couch.
So it came as a VERY welcome surprise when her new phone with New York number rang. The number was unknown, it wasn't a lab or NYPD person, she had all those numbers stored, same with her family in Montana. This was someone else, someone new.
"Hello?" Lindsay answered
"Lindsay Monroe!" the female voice on the other end shouted excitedly. Lindsay sat upright on the futon.
"NOoooo." Lindsay exclaimed. "Jenna!"
"Uh, yea." The other woman responded. "So what's this I hear about you being in New York?"
"True, moved last week."
"For good?"
"As long as I don't get fired."
"Need a room?"
"Got one?" Lindsay asked excitedly, giggling like she did in college.
"I will in about a week, you want?"
"YES!" Lindsay pretty much screeched, "Wait, you would be the roommate right? Nothing freaky or illegal."
"No, nothing like that. You free?"
"On call, but I shouldn't be called in."
"Okay, then get your butt over to Starbucks."
"Which one?" Lindsay asked grabbing a pen as Jenna gave her the address. Jenna Hudson was a beautiful honey blonde girl she had gone to school with. They lived on the same floor of their dormitory, 2 doors apart, and were, well you could call them frat rat's their freshman year at Montana State University. In their shared love of partying with the brothers of MSU, they become close friends through the make-outs, break ups, stumbling walks, and everything else that comes with a fraternity party. Choosing not to rush, their sophomore year they moved into an apartment with a few other girls, the others never lasted long, but it was a given that Jenna and Lindsay, together, best roommates ever.
After college, Jenna had taken off where her job led her, New York, while Lindsay stayed close to home. She was the first number Lindsay called when she found out she'd be moving to New York, but no luck the number was out of service. But, if Jenna needed a roommate, Lindsay was going to grab it. It was almost a chance to relive those college days that she had so wished she didn't have to leave behind.
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Lindsay entered the dimly lit coffee house about 30 minutes later. She spied Jenna sitting in the corner, her long hair swept back into a loose ponytail. She must have felt Lindsay's eyes on the back of her neck because she turned and saw Lindsay. She jumped up and shouted "LINDSAY!" She ran to her friend and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I can't believe you moved here and didn't tell me!" Jenna said as they stepped in line.
"I tried." Lindsay said a smile still on her face. "Someone changed their number and didn't tell me." Lindsay said mockingly threatening her friend.
"Not my fault. Okay, a little my fault but not totally. I had to change it, I broke up with Eric." Jenna said. Eric had been her on again, off again boyfriend since college.
"And you had to change your number because…." Lindsay began, not seeing why her friend would change her number when she changed boyfriends, before she felt uncomfortable not having his number.
"Because this time it's for good. I should have listened to you the last time. And when he finally realized that I meant it this time. He um, started to well stalk me, I guess you'd say."
"What! Are you okay, I mean, how bad was it?"
"Not that bad, just instant calling, and some waiting outside the apartment. I got a restraining order and changed my number, he got the message." Jenna assured Lindsay. They got their coffees and made their way back to the little table Jenna had been at before. "So now that that is out of the way, what are you doing here."
"I was head hunted to the NYPD crime lab." Lindsay said happily.
"Head hunted. My little roommate is becoming a big so and so in the forensics world." Jenna gushed.
"Oh, shut it, no I'm not." Lindsay laughed tossing a stack of napkins at her friend.
"So you're here to stay?"
"As far as I know. I wouldn't just give up this job, even if I have to share and office with an arrogant son of a…." Lindsay let out a deep sigh. "not worth the effort, sorry Jenna."
"Oh, but I love those rants."
"Only you do. Or at least only you understand them."
"Dido, that's why living together works. Now please tell me you'll be my roommate." Jenna begged.
"I'm pretty sure I can do that but first details."
"Okay, my current roommate is relocating to San Francisco, she leaves in 10 days, it's a small 2 bed 1 bath in Queens, but the rent is affordable, and please." Lindsay pretended to ponder her options, she wanted to live in Manhattan, but that was plain as day not going to happen. Queens, with her best friend: that was a no brainer. "Lindsa…..y!"
"Yes woman, I will be your roommate." Lindsay laughed, "How could you ever think I'd say no?"
"You're cruel." Jenna huffed then took a sip of her coffee. "Move in in 11 days. Mark it on your calendar. I'm not going a night without a roommate." Jenna told Lindsay.
"Putting in the time off tomorrow." Lindsay said making a note on her blackberry.
"Good, so about that guy you were ranting about." Jenna paused and gave Lindsay a suggestive look (raising her eyebrows and such). "Is he cute?"
"Jen!" Lindsay cried, nearly choking on her coffee.
"What? I need to put my wing woman skills back to work." Jenna said innocently with a shrug of her shoulders.
"No you don't." Lindsay assured her.
"Oh, and why's that?"
"Because…." Lindsay was a little hesitant in divulging this information, but IT WAS Jenna, and well, they steered each other in the right direction most of the time. "Well, Zach and I are trying the long distance thing."
"You're STILL dating Zach. Wow." Jenna said putting down her coffee, and staring Lindsay down. "I thought he'd be gone after 3 months."
"Yea, so did I, but when the time came to bolt, I just didn't. Really, I don't know why we are even attempting the whole long distance thing."
"So you're telling me the relationship has been blah for the last what, year, and you just stayed in it?" Jenna asked her friend incredulously.
"No, I just, we just, oh how do I put this." Lindsay thought. How did she summarize her relationship with Zach. "I'm going to sound like my grandmother here, but he's more like a man friend."
"A man friend? He sounds like your dog."
"I mean, it never got really emotional. We go out, we have a good time in each other's company, we participate in after hours activities…"
"Lindsay, just call it sex please." Jenna cut in bluntly. Lindsay had to spit her coffee back into the cup at the gasp and stern look from the blue hairs sitting near them.
"Okay, fine we have sex, we go out, but it's not….oh I don't know."
"Do you love him?"
"I care for him, but love may be stretching it." Lindsay admitted.
"But you're staying together?"
"He was the one fighting for us, so yea."
"It'll never work." Jenna said truthfully.
"Thanks." Lindsay laughed. "Well, I better get back to Uncle Freddy's" she said checking her watch. She and Jenna hugged goodbye. "Only 20 some odd more commutes." She sighed. That was a good thought.
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Danny returned home to find his answering machine blinking. 4 messages. 2 from his mother reminding him about dinner on Sunday, and to call her back, one from Flack about hoops on Saturday, and 1 from Cindy, the new love interest in his life. She was a secretary for some lawyer in midtown. She was a leggy blonde, with an ample rack, and a great ass, she would be fun for a little while. They had met a few days ago, and were going out again on Saturday night.
After deleting messages, he went to the fridge and grabbed a beer. Mid way through his first swig there was a small knock on the door. He grunted as he pushed himself off the sofa and headed to the door. Behind it was an 8-year-old boy from down the hall. Ruben. It was their guy time. Ruben didn't have a dad, or he wasn't in the picture. When he and his mom moved in Danny had helped carry boxes up, and Ruben immediately took a liking to the detective. Danny would now watch Ruben when his mom had to work on his days off, and became a surrogate dad of sorts. More like an uncle.
Ruben made his way into the apartment and plopped down onto Danny's couch and flipped on the game. Danny could only smirk as he closed the door, not locking it, Ruben's mom, Ricky, would be by in a little while to check on Ruben. Danny sat next to Ruben on the couch and the two watched the game and joked until Ruben fell asleep on Danny's arm. At commercial, when Danny knew Ruben was fully asleep, he scooped him up, and moved to take him back to his own apartment. The kid was light so there was no struggle to knock on the door.
The door opened to reveal a lovely looking Hispanic woman with long flowing hair and large brown eyes. She suppressed a laugh when she saw Danny holding her son.
"Sorry Danny." She said as she softly brushed her fingers through her son's hair.
"No problem Ricky, just lead the way." This had become a ritual of sorts. She pulled back Ruben's baseball covers, and Danny would place him down in the bed. She would offer coffee, and he may or may not accept. Today he was heading back to his place for bed. He was in for a long week of early mornings at the crime lab.
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Lindsay let out a tired yawn from the passenger seat of Mac's truck. She left for the city early, and by mid-afternoon was ready for a long nap, but work and the damn commute wouldn't let her do that until at least 9pm.
"You okay over there Lindsay?" Mac asked, concerned with how his new CSI was adjusting to the job and the city.
"Yea, Mac, I'm good." Lindsay said trying to sound alert and ready for work. It didn't work. She couldn't hold back the oncoming yawn. Mac chuckled. She was trying. "Damn it." She muttered laughing herself.
"You still doing that commute from Tarrytown?" he asked as he maneuvered his way through midtown traffic.
"Yea, just have to make it through one more week." Lindsay sighed.
"You find a place?" Mac asked.
"Oh, yea, I have to get you my permanent address." Lindsay said hitting her head with the butt of her hand.
"Don't worry about it, you'll get to me when you can, so where you moving to?"
"Oh, Queens." Lindsay chuckled realizing her boss was just making small talk while stuck in bumper to bumper traffic.
"Queens huh?" Mac smirked. "Heart not set on Manhattan anymore." Lindsay let out a smile, mister military man was actually pretty light, and easy to talk and joke with.
"It was, but I already live at the lab and the apartment in Queens comes with an awesome roommate."
"In New York, you know this isn't F.R.I.E.N.D.S." Mac said skeptically.
"Old college roommate, I know what I'm getting into." Lindsay informed him
"My new detective has a social life, great."
"Why so gloomy?" Lindsay laughed, then yawned.
"Because, now I'll feel guilty using and abusing you."
"No you won't." Lindsay yawned again.
"Yea, you're right." He watched her yawn again. "Oh, this is ridiculous." Mac chuckled. "I have an extra room in the city, you can stay there for the next week."
"Mac, I don't want to be an…."
"Lindsay, one thing you will find out very quickly is that we take care of each other. I'll give you one of my spares tonight."
"Thanks Mac." Lindsay conceded. "Oh, Mac can we…"
"No one will know but me and you." Mac assured her. Lindsay smiled her thanks before settling against the glass of the window waiting for traffic to move.
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Danny knocked on the door of Mac's office. No one was there. Lindsay came up right behind him. "They call you too?"
"Yea, you know what this is about Montana?" Danny asked leaning against the glass wall.
"Do you even know my name?" Lindsay asked folding her arms and leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the door. Danny looked over at her and gave her a half grin, but said nothing. He thinks he's so charming. Lindsay thought shaking her head than pushing off the wall as Stella and Mac walked up.
"Okay Kiddo's our cases are connected." Stella said while Mac ushered them all into his office.
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Mac walked into the break room to see Danny hovering over the coffee maker, Lindsay cradling a cup of tea, and Stella rifling through drawers. He smirked.
"Well, case solved." Mac said looking at Stella.
"Good." Lindsay yawned taking a sip of tea.
"And…..?" Danny asked looking up from the percolating coffee.
"And I think Stella promised she was buying the cannolies were on her." Mac smirked when Stella turned around.
"What I'm buying for everyone now? You're lucky I'm hungry and have an expense account."
"Ok pack up, we're going to San Gennaro!" Danny jumped into motion sweeping Lindsay's tea away ("hey") and dumping it in the sink, and grabbing the truck keys and tossing them to Stella.
"Guess I'm not the only one who's hungry." Stella laughed.
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The group wandered through the festival, until they found the cannoli stand. Chowing down, Danny looked over at Bowery Billiards. "You know it's a shame it's closed up for repairs, I could go for a game."
"You'd lose." Lindsay said glancing over at the billiard hall.
"You play Montana?" Danny asked, eyebrow raised.
"Yes we play pool in Montana." Lindsay said plainly causing Stella to laugh.
"Messer, I think you've got some upcoming competition."
"Okay Monroe, you wanta play, there's another bar up a few blocks." Danny challenged.
"Rain check." Lindsay yawned. "I need sleep."
"Rookie, go take your commute back to Tarrytown." Danny scoffed.
"I think I will." Lindsay smirked when Mac winked at her; she had her week's worth of clothing in Mac's guest room just a few blocks away. Lindsay thanked Stella, then said goodbye to the Mac and Danny.
"Night Montana!" Danny shouted after her. She threw a hand in the air in farewell and rounded the corner toward home.
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