DISCLAIMER: How many of these do I have to do? Hmm, to be safe, I don't own any of this, the only rewards I get are your gorgeous opinions. =)

.

.

: : All Access : :

.

.

"Hey Mac, How is she?" Danny asked, he had answered on the first ring. Their team seemed to be getting hit one after the other. First, him with his brother, now Stella, who was next, this just wasn't good.

"She's shaken up, but, time will tell. I'm gonna stick with her case so I need you to work with Lindsay on the limo driver case."

"Yea, not a problem boss. Keep us informed with Stel?"

"Yea, I'll let you know if we need anything, but for now business as usual. Get the murder solved and we'll all be better off."

"Gotcha Mac, we're on it like white on rice." Danny let out a light chuckle. Rice/limo, yea there'd be something there. Mac seemed to ignore it, it was not good enough to even be humored. And the atmosphere was just heavy.

"Thanks Danny. Talk to ya later."

Danny picked up the file and headed out into the corridors to find Lindsay. Start now finish before 5pm. That was the goal. He found her in a secluded hall of the lab. She was just standing there looking out at the city. She looked so lost, so not Montana. "Linds?" He approached her slowly. She was too deep in thought, he'd end up startling her, which was usually the air of the day, but not today.

"Hey Danny." She said no pep in her voice. Something was seriously up.

"Mac called, he's sticking with Stella, you and me are on the limo driver."

"How is she?"

"Mac's with her right now….." She tried to shake off the worry and fretful concern. She was still only a third of her usual self. They could solve this case then be all their for their friend and coworker.

.

.

"Montana? You okay?" Danny asked glancing over to the Lindsay in the passenger seat as he maneuvered his way through the New York Lunch time traffic back to the lab. Her little charge in interrogation was still nagging at him. She wasn't one to go off at suspects.

"I'm fine Danny." She responded stiffly. Danny had read her like a book earlier and it was a little uncomforting. She DID NOT like looking vulnerable. And the fact that it was Danny seeing her like this was just, well not good. She heard the rumors, didn't believe most of them but still, the more he knew the more opportunities he had to hurt her. And he could. He was arrogant, cocky, and he knew too much. He had lured her into a false sense of security. She could feel it.

"Sure you are." He said sarcastically. He veered the car off course down a side street and began to move away from the lab.

"Danny, we really don't have time for the scenic route." She bit.

"Lunch Monroe." Danny informed her.

"I have lunch at the lab."

"No you don't."

"And how would you know that?"

"Because, my option is better." He smirked that cocky smile. She felt her icy exterior melting, fine. So be it. How could he do it? Really? Yea he was technically a friend, and yea she had seen him at one of his most vulnerable moments weeks ago. SO why was she being bitter? And why god does she do this to herself? Lately Danny had given her no reason to hate him, in fact she actually quite liked him. She had a growing crush on the man. And that irritated her, but yet, she was drawn to him. Goodness, she needed a therapy session and soon, an epic trip to the gym was on the books.

She laughed lightheartedly at his overconfidence. It was actually quite charming. "And your option is?" Lindsay asked, frankly anything would be better than the bland turkey sandwich she had brought to work with her.

Danny raised an eyebrow at her and flashed a toothy grin. "Only the best dogs in town."

"Uh huh." Lindsay nodded sarcastically. A New York Hot dog, that actually did sound very appetizing. Even more so when they pulled up in front of Gray's Papaya.

.

.

"Nice catch Monroe." Danny smirked his eyes raking over her. Lindsay had just slipped into the elevator as the doors closed.

Lindsay let out a cheerful titter. "Thanks Messer." She could feel his eyes on her. And they should be, she rocked the sweats look. She was wearing a pair of black sweats with Montana written down the front right leg and a purple zip sweatshirt with what looked like a white tank underneath. He was kinda mesmerized, she looked good in sweats, and god, the lab coat did very little to show off her amazing shape. She caught him staring and laughed at him, "See something you like Messer?"

Danny smirked but decided the best approach was not to answer verbally, that could get him into some serious trouble, especially on employment grounds. He shrugged in a Yea I guess sorta way, that was leaning more towards the hell yes side of the neutral zone.

Lindsay laughed again. "I'll take the noncommittal shrug to mean yea." Danny showed off his patented grin and was about to say something but their elevator chitchat ended abruptly when the doors opened to the lobby. "Saved by the bell." Lindsay laughed, she was in a much better mood now that they knew Stella had gotten the self-defense ruling, and Mac was going to make sure she was taken care of for the night. "I gotta work off these last few days," She muttered leaving him watching her leave.

.

.

Danny and Aiden were walking down one of the sleepier neighborhood streets of New York. They had gone out for the usual pizza, and Danny was now walking Aiden to the subway, she lived across town, and she was fiercely independent, he couldn't walk her all the way home, but he could at least make sure she got to the subway safely.

Danny had dropped the bomb about Stella's situation, and pretty much the fact that she had to kill Frankie in order to save her own life. It was hard to talk about, but he needed a woman's advice on how to deal with it. Sure a lot of girls back home had been beaten by boyfriends, but none of them had ever killed the guy. He may have wanted to, but that's what their dad's were for.

Granted it wasn't Stella he was worried about. No, he was worried about Lindsay, and how she took the news. She was on edge all day. She yelled at a suspect. She shouted at him. She was literally almost in tears when he first found her in the morning. He was concerned. Something that had a shit-eating grin plastered on Aiden's face.

"Oh, my god! Danny, tell me one more time you're not falling for her." Aiden threatened lightheartedly.

"I like her, she's a friend, she's smart, witty, a little scrappy and can hit an 80 mile an hour fast ball. That's it. But I'm worried."

"I got that the first 50 times you mentioned it. Doesn't caring for a girl that much mean anything to you?"

"What, Aiden, she's a friend, you ran across town at midnight when you heard about Louie."

"Yea and she went on a man hunt looking for you when you weren't answering your phone."

"How'd you know that….wait that 20 minute call."

"What?" Aiden laughed nervously. (the gig was up)

"What did you two talk about for 20 minutes?"

"Oh, you know about just how dreamy you are." Aiden joked in an intensely valley girl imitation while batting her eyes

"Aiden." Danny said sternly.

"God, I hope you never have a daughter, got the scary dad voice down."

"One, stop changing the subject, and two, kids are nowhere on the life plan, and three, what did you two talk about for 20 minutes?"

"Uh huh, until you meet the right girl or slip up."

"Aiden."

"What? Lighten up."

"The fact that you aren't answering me seriously makes me think this has to do with Pratt." Danny said. Aiden stopped in her tracks. Danny noticing this back tracks. "I was right aren't I? I told both of you to chill on Pratt. Mac's taking care of it."

"That's not it Danny, I mean it half is, but, didn't you say when you were leaving the lab Monroe was going to the gym?"

"Yea, she was leaving the lab in sweats. Said she needed to work the last few days off." Danny said thinking back to when he bumped into Lindsay she just caught his elevator as the doors were closing. His mind wandered to her figure and the way she handled a bat a few weeks back and the fact that she had football stats memorized. "Why?"

"Well, she's there." Aiden said nodding to the window. They were standing in front of a small gym. Sure enough looking up he saw Lindsay on an elliptical machine.

"What is she do…." Danny trailed off looking at his watch. "She's been there for 4 hours." Danny said running a hand through his hair.

"Yea you were right something is bugging her, no woman in her right mind works out for 4 hours for the hell of it." Aiden said to herself. Looking over at Danny, she could see he was concerned. This girl really mattered to him. "Danny, go take care of her." Aiden said giving Danny a shove back toward the door.

"But, Aid…"

"I'm a big girl I can make it the next 3 blocks okay. I'll text ya when I get home alright. Take care of her; god knows she's done it enough for you recently." Aiden smiled before turning around and walking out of sight.

Danny looked through the window again. Yea it wasn't a tank top she had on under that sweatshirt, it was one of those fitness training bras and a pair of teeny tiny black mesh shorts. And his imagination did not do Lindsay justice. The girl was fit. She looked tired but determined. She just kept pushing. Taking a deep breath Danny pulled open the front door. He was going to go straight to Lindsay, but the membership jerk wouldn't let him in. He pulled out his badge, he didn't like doing it, but he did what he had to do.

Danny came up on Lindsay from behind, from 5 feet away he could hear her ipod blaring. She was facing a mirror, so instead of possibly injuring her and more than likely himself, he stood back until she noticed him in the mirror, until then he'd enjoy the show.

Granted there wasn't that much of a show. Almost as soon as he stepped up next to her machine, she became startled by his appearance. But she didn't stop. No, instead she pulled the headphones to her iPod out of her ears. "Danny, what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? What are you still doing here?" He asked a twinkle in his eyes. Sure, he was concerned but she wasn't bad to look at. All that skin showing, a bit sweaty, and a little bounce with each step.

"What do you mean?"

"We left the lab 4 hours ago." Danny informed her

"So….."

"So, ARE you trying to kill yourself?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Montana." Danny said coming up around to see the screen of her elliptical. "You've burned 1600 calories, you've been on this thing for 2 hours and 36 minutes.

"What's your point?" Lindsay said a little irritated.

"My point is stop already."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I just can't."

"Linds, I'm gonna need a better reason than that."

"Why?"

"Why, Lindsay, you broke down today in interrogation, what happened to Stella is getting to you."

"No it's not." Lindsay bit back bitterly

"Bull shit. You were almost in tears this morning by the window. You almost took my head off after interrogation, and that hasn't happened since the Darius murders…So DON'T tell me it's nothing."

"Danny why do you care?"

"Because…..because…I don't know."

"See! So let me be!"

"No. I care, no clue why, but ask yourself this, why did you bring me the dna results first, why did you bring that tape to me knowing it would get you suspended, AND why did you run all over New York looking for me?"

"I had to!"

"Why?"

"Because….because…because..you matter to me okay."

"Exactly, so come on." Danny said reaching out and stopping one of the arms of the machine and offering his other hand to help Lindsay down. It was a good thing he did too because as soon as she stepped down from the machine her legs turned to jello, and he had to wrap an arm around her back to keep her steady.

"Thanks." She said a little out of breath from the work out, but mostly out of breath thanks to the sensation of Danny's arm wrapped snuggly around her bare waist.

"No problem." He said looking into her eyes, he got lost in the deep pools for a moment before tearing his gaze away. "Why don't you grab your stuff and I'll take ya home."

"I can get home on my own, you don't have to babysit me."

"Yea, but Lindsay, you're wobbly, and there are more gyms on your way home, so this way, I know."

"Know what?"

"That your done making yourself skinnier than you already are." Danny smirked. "If my ma saw you, she'd be stuffing lasagna into your mouth by the pan full."

"What?"

"Montana you're skin and bones."

"Am not, and even if I was I haven't had any complaints." She called laughing as she made her way to the women's locker room.

"Well, your boney elbow hurts."

"It's suppose to."

Danny chuckled then sobered up real quick. She had been on a rollercoaster of emotions all day, she has gone from near break downs to laughing several times today. Hopefully tomorrow brought a more even keeled Lindsay Monroe.

They left the gym and walked the six blocks to Lindsay's apartment. Once there, he sent her to the showers, he made his way into her kitchen, looking around, there wasn't much in her cabinets. These girls had to do some grocery shopping, they were worse than him. Grilled cheese it was.

When Lindsay showed her face again, now clear of all makeup, her hair falling in damp curls, and outfitted in a pair of plaid pj pants and a black tank, she was welcomed to 2 grilled cheese sandwiches all warm and gooey.

"Eat." He instructed before he went back to cleaning the pan he used. Lindsay gave him a strange look, but did as she was told. She took a seat on the couch and began to devour the sandwiches.

"Danny?" Lindsay asked after finishing the first sandwich.

"Yea."

"Thank you." She said softly. He knew it was not just about the food.

"Feel like talking about it?" He asked grabbing the spot next to her on the couch.

"No." she stated simply.

"Lindsay I'm worried about you here, throw me a bone." Danny pled. Lindsay just shrugged. "O….K. well, can we at least put my nerves to rest."

"Maybe." She said a little unsure.

"Was it you or someone you know?"

"What?" Lindsay asked.

"Lindsay, you said you know how it happens, that makes me think you've had firsthand experience, so please, was it you?" he asked. He needed to know. Thinking back, it dawned on Lindsay. But it wasn't the realization of his question that made her stomach flutter, it was how upset Danny seemed to be with the fact that someone at some point in time may have hurt her.

"No, it wasn't me." She told him. His relief was evident. So was the fact that he wasn't going to get much more information out of her on the topic tonight. Just then, the lock in the door clicked open and Jenna came in with arms full of groceries.

"Oh, hey Danny, Lindsay." She greet obviously surprised to see Danny in the apartment, and in such close proximity to her best friend. As to her knowledge Lindsay and Danny had yet to acknowledge they had feelings for each other. Then again, she'd been working a lot of overtime lately and spending a lot of time at her boyfriends place.

"Jen, you should have told me you were shopping, I would have helped." Lindsay exclaimed jumping up and taking a few bags.

"Call it even if you unpack them?" Jenna bargained. "I'm running late, Ben and I have plans."

"Will do." Lindsay agreed. Jenna smiled at them warmly before disappearing into her room then the bathroom for a shower.

"Was it Jenna?" Danny asked softly, coming into the kitchen and helping unpack the bags as Lindsay put the items in their cabinets. He knew he was pushing it a little, but he needed to know, he didn't know why, but he just did. Lindsay's cheeks started to heat up, but she nodded. It had been Eric, her on again off again boyfriend from college. She didn't have a restraining order out on him for nothing. Lindsay did however feel guilty about spilling this little fact to Danny. But for some reason, she felt obligated to let him in. "Is it the guys she's with now?" He asked concern evident in his blue eyes. Lindsay shook her head no.

"It was the guy she was with right before I moved out here." Lindsay said softly, so that even through the wall and over the sound of the water there was no way in hell Jenna could hear her. "Ben's been the best boyfriend she's had since before college." Lindsay admitted her feelings for her best friend's new boyfriend aloud. Jenna had yet to hear her opinion, but in Lindsay's eye's Ben was going to be it.

"Okay, that's good to hear, you scared me there Monroe, and well, Stella survived, and I won't let any boyfriend of yours come even close to doing that to ya."

"Boyfriend, that's a word I haven't heard in awhile." Lindsay laughed. Danny chuckled too.

"Hey, I did propose to you." Danny said tossing a jar of peanut butter to her, it was the last thing that needed to be put away.

"No ring no answer."

"I believe I did have a ring." Danny said thinking back to finding the championship ring in Tyrell Mann's hotel room a few weeks back.

"It was covered in blood."

"Thought that counts."

"Sure it is" Lindsay said through a yawn.

"How bout we get you to bed." Danny said noticing her getting sleepy.

"No, please." She pled heading back to the couch.

"Come on Montana." He said coming up behind her and pushing her slightly at the small of her back towards her bedroom, "Your body needs rest after what you put it through today."

"But." Lindsay said when they came up to her bed.

"No buts." Danny laughed pushing her down onto it, "You'll thank me in the morning."

"You're staying?" That surprised Danny a little, but if she wanted him to.

"If you want me to, if not your spare key is on my key ring, and Jenna's here." He said tucking her in. He pushed a stray curl out of her face, she'd already fallen asleep. "Sweet dreams Montana."

.

"Danny! You're still here." Jenna said surprised to find Danny Messer sitting on her couch flipping channels. For the last hour and a half, she had been bouncing back and forth between her room and the bathroom getting ready to go out. She had spotted Lindsay sprawled out on her bed…alone. She had assumed Danny had gotten her to rest and left. Apparently not.

"Yea." He said stretching a little, it had been a long day. "It's been a pretty traumatic day for Linds, well for all of us. Got the feeling she didn't want to be alone, and it seems like you're going out so I was just gonna crash here, if that's ok by you."

"Yea, that's fine I was actually going to spend the night over at Ben's so don't worry about me, but about today…" She trailed off, ever since Lindsay had spilled her guts to Jenna about the event at the diner, well she'd been a little protective of her friend. "..anything I should know about? Lindsay wise."

Danny looked a little uncertain. Telling her might bring up her ex and the fact that Lindsay let him know about her past. Then again it was all for Lindsay's well being.

"Stella," He started, and Jenna nodded, having met the team a time or two, and knew he was talking about she allowed him to continue without too much back story. "Her boyfriend attacked her in her apartment last night; she ended up killing him in self-defense. I guess what happened to her sort of got to Lindsay today." Danny shrugged.

"Okay, I got ya." Jenna said sympathetically. She knew he knew. He had that look in his eyes, but it wasn't sympathy, simply knowing, and caring. "Sorry, to pry, but life's dealt Lindsay some low blows, and I just want to be able to help."

"If anything I'm prying, so it's nothing." Danny chuckled lightly. So life had dealt Lindsay some shitty hands. He so wanted to know more, Jenna was the one who would know most, but he'd already pried enough…today.

"You're not prying." Jenna said with a mischievous smirk. "You're a friend, and you're looking out for her, I think everyone, including her brothers would be happy that she has you."

"You make me out to sound like her boyfriend."

"It could happen."

"Okay, now you're just sounding like Connie." Danny laughed nervously. He and Lindsay could not date, it was just-No. Sure he was attracted to her, but she was a coworker, and so unlike all of the other women he had ever dated.

"Maybe, but since I've known her: she's let you get closer than most. Anyone can tell you care for her, Bye Danny." She said with a wink.

"Why do people keep saying that?" Danny asked no one in particular. It was really getting a bit annoying. And so not that obvious…or was it. He'd need to work on that.

.

.

.

A/N: psst: a good chunk of that also came from the Lab without you. Figured it should get credit, and it was altered a bit. Thanks for reading, hope you liked it, Love Gigi.