DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to popular culture.

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: : Stealing Home : :

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"Have you ever even seen a wheat field?" Her father would be proud standing up for wheat fields. Not that she'd ever let Danny know she had a soft spot for New York's sky scrapers as well.

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"You think Danny calls me Montana cause I'm a 49ers fan?" She asked. Honestly, the nickname had grown on her and now that it had been close to a year, everybody else had dropped it. It was just Danny.

Sid glanced at her. Did she really not know? Or was she really that insecure? He'd put that to rest. His daughters didn't let him in this much anymore, so his CSI's would do. He was going to stir up some trouble. "He calls you that because he has a crush on you."

It worked. He could see it. She was somewhat embarrassed by the information, but overall, she seemed to enjoy it. She pretty much basked in it. Sid couldn't stop his smirk. He was playing puppet master again. He needed a new project; he'd done all he could with Marty and Annabelle Pino.

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Lindsay stepped out of her bedroom with a large yawn and a stretch. Today really wasn't going to be fun. She was tied to this case; the victim was a young girl from Montana. She had to deal with a grieving father today. And that just wasn't something that she was looking forward to. Fathers were, however, easier to deal with than mothers. She helped herself to some strong coffee and began to prep for what was sure to be a very long day.

She received a text from Danny to meet her at the marina. They finally got the search warrant for the boat. Suddenly the day didn't seem so bad: she was starting her day out on a boat, the sun was shining, and was working with, by all other words, a friend. With another sip of coffee she was ready to get started, and hell why not feel good, feel sexy as a way to sneak some happy some bliss into a day that would have otherwise been well, hellish.

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Lindsay appeared in the kitchen half an hour later in a camisole and sweater set with a deep V cut. She had taken her time on her hair and make-up. She felt good. She even felt like she was walking with a little more sashay making her way to the coffee maker for a refill.

Jenna sat on the counter sipping her own mega cup of coffee eyeing up her roommate. She raised an eyebrow at the back of Lindsay's head. She was allowed to wear, or was comfortable wearing that much of a v-neck to work. Lucky and confident, Lindsay reeked of it today. She let out a wolf whistle when Lindsay turned and leaned against the counter. "Who you dressing up for today Linds?"

"Just for me." Lindsay shrugged. A playful smile did grace her lips though. Sid had said yesterday that Danny had a crush on her. Just the thought gave her confidence a boost; it made her feel slightly giddy in a way she hadn't felt since college.

"Uh huh." Jenna said. She wasn't blind and Lindsay's smile wasn't dull. "So this has nothing to do with Messer?" she asked mischievously.

"What?" Lindsay laughed nervously. "No, nothing, besides we're just friends."

"Yea, that's why he spent the night last week." Jenna pried. She thought Danny might be catching on, but Lindsay was another story. Maybe.

"What? He was on the couch; it wasn't like he was in bed with me." Lindsay shot back but there was a glitter in her eyes, and her coffee mug wasn't large enough to hide her I've got a crush on him smile.

"He would have been if you had the nerve to ask."

"Yea, probably." Lindsay laughed. She gave in, there was no denying it anymore, especially to Jenna, she knew her all too well.

"So you like him?" Jenna asked just to get it out in the open.

"Early bird girl talk really?" Lindsay laughed playing for time, but she really couldn't put it off. Having Jenna to talk to would be good, great in fact. She made Lindsay ballsy when it came to guys. She made her want to take the leap, to initiate contact and the relationship. "Yea, okay, I have a crush on him, but this" she gestured to her outfit, "has nothing to do with him."

"So the shot down your shirt isn't for him."

"Nah, that's for Flack." Lindsay deadpanned. Both women broke out into a cackle.

"Okay, Linds. I love you."

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Lindsay walked out into the brightly shining street. Unshed tears were brimming in her eyes. She had held onto control through the interview with Sarah's dad, and until she could get out into the busy street. But one fell, then another. She started walking. She was going to get coffee, good coffee.

A sip of the intensely homey feel of the same coffee brew she got back home, and she felt the pang again. She had to call her Dad. If only to tell him she loved him. His cell rang once, then twice before…."Hey Pumpkin."

Just the sound of his pet name for her in his rough voice was enough to make her happy again. "What's up?"

Sucking in all her sadness, she answered. "A case is hitting pretty close to home, and I just wanted to call and say, that I love ya."

"I love you too sweets." She could hear the smile on her Dad's voice if that was even possible. "Now how close to home?"

Her Dad, well everyone, was concerned about her. Since the diner incident she had dealt with Post Traumatic Stress, with Survivor's Guilt, with Clinical Depression, and had bounced back to almost her old self in college. Everyone was just worried that she may slip back. And that was something she promised herself she wouldn't let happen. Lindsay sighed, she had to tell him, or he'd worry. "Young girl from Montana, named Sarah, I just finished talking with her Dad."

"Sarah, like the girl that worked at the"

"Yea." Lindsay abruptly cut in she wasn't about to think about that night. Not if she could help it. It was in the past. It was, well not done with, but until the monster slipped up and was caught somewhere, somehow. She still held out hope.

"Still don't want to talk about it?"

She grinned, "Not if I can help it"

"Okay Linds. So how are you?"

"I'm good…"

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"We arrest James Vackner." Lindsay said striding past Danny and Don. "It's time for some answers." Danny and Flack smirked although Danny's was a little more 'ats my girl.

"She always this aggressive on a case?" Flack asked Danny as they followed her into the bull pen. Something was different with the new kid. And it wasn't just the cut of her shirt.

"The vic's from Montana, alone in the city, she's I don't know, pulled to it. Similarities and such. Just let her be." Danny waved off. Flack didn't need to worry, Danny had that covered. He's been watching out for her, she's fine.

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There was an all too familiar knock on the doorframe. Looking up, Mac nodded allowing Danny entrance to his office. "You guys close up the Butler case?"

"Yup, well, sort of. We have the evidence to convict the guy, and we have the guy, just no confession. Just 'So it goes.'"

"That's good enough for me and the DA." Mac nodded closing the file. He looked up. Something on Danny's face told him he had more to say but was slightly nervous about voicing it….That was new, he'd never really been shy about voicing his opinions in the past. He must be learning from last year's mistakes. He had been a much better CSI since their little talk last May, and even better since September. Then again, he'd pin that on Lindsay. She was his equal in too many ways. The competition got the work done right and fast. Neither was getting comfortable. This was good. "So, how'd it go?"

"Pretty straight forward, was held up by a judge on a search warrant, but other than that, Lindsay was on top of everything, she did a great job on this one."

"But…." Mac started. That look had not dropped from his face.

"But, I don't know Mac. She struggled a little in interrogation. When we didn't get an answer as to why….I…I mean, the case, she had to solve it, and not getting an answer it got to her."

"It gets to all of us, even you Danny." Mac smirked

"What's that now?" Danny asked eyeing up his boss.

"Last year, the gypsy cab driver."

"That was different." He scoffed.

Mac smiled warmly, "Sure it was, I'll talk to her."

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Danny looked at his phone, it was a number he didn't know, he wouldn't have answered it but Flack was chatting up a redhead and he had stepped away to give them privacy like a wing man should when given the sign. "Hello."

"Hey Danny, sorry to bother you, it's Jenna, Lindsay's roommate, um, is she with you?"

"No she isn't why? What's up?" Okay for Jenna to track down his number and call him something wasn't right.

"Lindsay's late, late and she hasn't called, and isn't answering her phone, and she's always in touch. So I thought maybe she was with the team, so I grabbed your number out of her phone book."

"Wait, Lindsay has a phone book?" Danny laughed. No one had phone books anymore.

"Yea, she has a habit of damaging her phones, it's a back up. Anyway, do you know where she is?"

"I don't know exactly." Danny sighed. "But I have an idea. Let me call her, and if she doesn't answer I'll check it out."

"I don't want to ruin your night."

Danny laughed. "Nah, it's pretty much a bust already."

"Okay, Thanks Danny."

"No problem." Danny hung up and hit Lindsay's speed dial. No answer. "Lindsay." Danny gritted out, waving to close his tab, he'd only been two drinks in, and headed out into the May night. It was still pretty brisk out. He had a hunch as to where she could be. She couldn't let this case go. She needed an answer so she was either in the lab, or at the jail. He was coming across the lab when his phone rang. Lindsay. "Montana, where you at?"

"What's up Danny?"

"Where you at?"

"Why?"

"Why, because your roommate called me up when she heard we parted ways hours ago she got worried. Now where are you?"

"I um….I went to see…."

"To see who Montana?"

"Vackner." She whispered. She was a little ashamed. Cases weren't suppose to get to her like this.

Danny sighed deeply "Lindsay."

"Danny, I just have to know why, I thought I'd give it another shot."

"You still there?"

"Just trying to hail a cab."

"Don't I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Danny."

"Lindsay." He responded sternly. Almost scary sternly.

"Fine."

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A few minutes later a cab pulled up and Danny hopped out. "So Linds." Danny grinned. "Did you get your answers."

"No." she pouted. "Why'd he do it?"

"Because he could." Danny shrugged. He'd gotten used to these types of murders. Sometimes people just did stuff because they could. "Did you call Jenna?"

"Yea, she told me to make it up to her I'd have to bring back food. Ben's over, and since your night's bust you get to come too."

Danny laughed at that. "What?"

"I don't know what she's got planned, but she's making Margaritas."

"So we're picking up?..." His smile was growing. Tonight may not be a bust after all. He couldn't lie anymore, he had a significant crush on Lindsay, and a night with her in a coupley setting, even if they weren't a couple sounded pretty great. It was a chance to test the waters, she may be worth risking awkward moments at work for.

"I was thinking wings." Lindsay said thoughtfully.

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They arrived back at the apartment 30 minutes later two bags of wings and dipping sauces in their arms. "Sounds like the party's already under way." Danny chuckled. Music was blasting out of the apartment as was laughter.

Lindsay pushed open the front door and started laughing as well "Guess so." Ben and Jenna were all tangled together in a game of Twister. "Eh hem."

At the sound of a throat being cleared Jenna looked up, lost her balance and she and Ben went tumbling to the ground. "Lindsay!" She shouted jumping up and tossing herself at Lindsay in a tackle worthy hug.

"You drunk already?" Lindsay giggled.

Jenna shook her head and took a bag of wings. "No, I was telling Ben a story about college, and he said he wished he knew me then. Thought we could revert for a night."

"Okay." Lindsay laughed humoring her. "And Danny's for…."

"Oh, yea. Danny-Ben, Ben-Danny." Jenna jumped introducing the two guys. Instead of shaking his hand, Danny offered his hand to pull Ben up from the floor.

"Nice to you meet you man, Sorry, but I don't know what I just got us into for the night. They were bubbly as college girls." Ben said standing a cracking his neck.

"Nah, it'll be fun." Danny said with a smirk. A night with college Lindsay. This could be good.

"And Danny's for?" Lindsay asked again.

"Well, you always had the platonic Jake Watson friend." Jenna said with a wave of her hand

"Platon…" Lindsay began to ask, but saw the twinkle in Jenna's eye before darting into the kitchen. Lindsay followed her and spoke in a hushed whisper. "You know damn well that Jake was never just platonic."

Jenna let out a loud gasp of laughter. "Oh Linds, I know, we shared a wall, and if you think that you and Danny won't end up in that position by the end of this year, you're insane."

"You are an evil bitch you know that." Lindsay told her. The glint in Jenna's eye only grew.

"Oh I know, why do you think I pulled out Twister….So who's ready to eat!" Jenna exclaimed entering the living room again with a huge tray of wings. Lindsay shook her head, of course Jenna would stoop to this. Lindsay grabbed two margarita glasses and filled them and followed her roommate out into the living room.

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"So Danny how long have you and Lindsay been together?" Ben asked taking a seat in the chair close to Danny's end of the couch.

Danny let out a snort of laughter. "Nah man, we're just coworkers."

"Sorry, didn't know." Ben laughed too.

"You and Jenna?"

"Oh I think we're going on 5 months."

"Long haul huh."

Ben looked over at the breakfast bar and spotted Jenna and Lindsay gabbing. "Man, she may be it." Danny smiled and nodded. If this guy was saying that to a perfect stranger, than he must have feelings for this girl. He'd never had that with any girl. What that must feel like, he was wondering. Something he never ever did. His day dreaming was cut short when Jenna reappeared

"So who's ready to eat!"

"Who's ready to drink?" Lindsay asked handing Danny a large margarita and sitting down next to him. He watched her down a few big gulps.

Raising his eyebrow he asked "You okay there Montana?"

"Yea, fine. If I'm gonna be college Lindsay, I need some tequila in me, and to drink away the case." Lindsay added the second part in a whisper.

"Gotcha, so." He said clapping his hands and grabbing a wing. "What were you two like in college?"

"Lots of tequila, music, games, what else Linds?" Jenna started

"That about sums it up, we didn't do any studying right."

"Nah, what for….We gonna play more twister?" Jenna asked after finishing a wing.

"Not until I've had about 3 of these." Lindsay said gesturing to her now half gone margarita glass.

"That's right you get extra bendy when intoxicated." Danny nearly shot tequila through his nose.

"That so Montana?"

Lindsay smiled slyly. "Yea sure."

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The night wasn't a total bust, free booze, and a good time with good people. Lindsay loosened up significantly with the second margarita, (She did win a few games of twister, the girl could bend) Jenna had pulled out a game of 90's trivia as a storm let loose outside. Most of the night, Lindsay sat next to Danny, on the floor at the coffee table, with his arm strung around her. It was cozy, it was comfortable, it was relaxing and enjoyable. Maybe Ben was onto something here. Maybe, just maybe Lindsay was worth it.

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Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it. Until next update, Gigi