DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything from csi:ny, or friends.
A/N: So CBS posted "the lost kiss" in my mind it happened. I don't care if it didn't air, it happened. Plus Fan fiction: I get to choose. Ha love that. Also this goes through the summer to the season 3 premiere. This came out to like 20 pages in word, so hope it meets everyone's expectations. Love Gigi.
.
.
: : CHARGE OF THIS POST : :
.
.
The day was perfect. That was the only way it could possibly be described. Even waking up had been a pleasant experience. Beams of sunlight shone through the blinds and danced playfully across the hardwood floor. Coffee tasted exceptionally wonderful.
It was warm, and sunny, and Sunday morning. It didn't matter that work had to be done. Everyone else was enjoying their Sunday, and that put Lindsay Monroe in a good mood. Seeing all those smiling faces put a smile on her face. She almost couldn't focus on paperwork because the sunny New York street outside the bullpen window kept grabbing her attention. Her day dreaming was getting so bad that she was glad to get the call to meet Mac at a scene. It was a reason to get outside. Even if just for a little while.
.
She bounced her way over to the elevator bay with her kit, and humming herself an upbeat tune while she waited until the lift arrived. Danny Messer greeted her when the door opened. He grinned his little half grin "Ey Montana."
"Hey Danny." She greeted him brightly. Oh she had a crush on this guy, and was oh so tempted to do something about it. They DID work together, and as she really hadn't seen anyone in the lab attempt a relationship before, (and it would have to be a relationship, fuck buddies just wouldn't work not when they worked as close together as they did, it would get awkward, and just wrong) she wasn't entirely sure if it would be accepted. Well, she knew it sure as hell would not be accepted by the gossipy lab techs that were infatuated with Danny. But it was really Mac and the higher ups she was worried about. You only live once. The motto she and Jenna had adopted sophomore year came to mind, well…if the moment presented itself.
He chuckled at her bubbliness, "You're in a good mood today? Where you off to?"
"It's a nice day." She shrugged. "And meeting Mac on a homicide in the village."
"Nice day but you're going to investigate a murder?" Danny asked quizzically, he knew it but to others it would seem odd to have a good day when there was a murder to investigate.
"It's a good day for a puzzle." She smirked stepping onto the elevator. He couldn't help but watch, he was mesmerized by this girl, shaking his head he went back to work. That wasn't an easy task.
.
.
"ehhhhhh." The radio sirened, "we have a 10-33, 624 Greenwich. We have a bomb. CSI team evacuating public."
Danny, Sheldon, and Stella all looked at each other, and then at the radio in the break room. It felt like minutes but it had really only been a millisecond. Lindsay was the first thing Danny thought of followed by Not again, not more of the team, not like this. "Lindsay said she was heading to the village on a case with Mac."
"Go." Stella commanded jumping up. "Get your cases and meet me at the Avalanche I'll be out front waiting. Go."
.
.
There was chaos everywhere, but it was all moving in the same direction, down the street. She had done her job. Suddenly it felt like all went quiet and still or the chaos was just background noise turned real low. It was going to happen. She looked back at the building, Mac and Flack should be coming out about now. Then…
**BOOM**
Lindsay felt herself blown off her feet and backwards. She closed her eyes waiting for impact. This was going to hurt. Scenes started to flash before her eyes, but it was by no means her entire life, just the important bits, her friends smiling faces, the blood in the diner, funerals, graduation, college, boyfriends, family, New York, tiger cage, handing Danny the cigarette butt results, the batting cage with Danny, sitting with Danny after Aiden's funeral. Danny, Danny, Danny. Pavement. OUCH!
When Lindsay finally got up the nerve and the strength to open her eyes and get up she saw devastation. The building had split wide open. Smoke and rubble were everywhere and Flack and Mac were nowhere. They never came out. They were inside when it went off. She whipped out her cell phone and speed dialed Mac, nothing, then Flack nothing. Then Mac again. She heard sirens nearing, and knew people needed help, but that's what the paramedics were for, she had to get to Mac and Flack. They were her team, and they had to be okay.
.
Stella threw the car in park and leapt out sprinting over towards Lindsay, leaving the guys to get the cases and follow in her dust. They had to be okay.
Danny desperately wanted to get to the team, but he had to keep his cool as well, if one thing could screw up everything it would be him losing it and going with his emotions and not his instinct. His instinct was good, emotions screwed all that up. It had last year. It wasn't going to this year, no matter how much he might want to run up and pull Lindsay into a crushing hug and kiss her senseless, he suddenly saw George Bailey and Mary Watch's first kiss in It's a Wonderful Life. He couldn't there was a job to do. But he had to make sure she was okay. She just had to be, all of them just had to be.
.
"Lindsay!" Did she just hear her voice. Honestly the ringing in her ears was a little irritating. All she wanted was to hear that both Mac and Flack were okay. "Lindsay." Yea that was her name. She turned and saw Stella racing towards her. Thank god: reinforcement.
"Hey, I've been trying to reach them since it happened, they were inside."
"Yea we heard the 10-33." Stella sighed she'd been hoping for better news, she was in charge. "HEY GUYS." She shouted to some officers pussy-footing around, "THERE ARE AT LEAST 2 NYPD COPS INSIDE. THERE MAY BE OTHER SURVIVORS, LETS GO MOVE IT." She had to admit Stella was good. Hawkes had joined them, With Danny not far behind.
"We'll set up a temporary post."
"We were working a DOA in the back of the building." Lindsay informed. She felt Danny come up next to her. He saw her and his heart rate settled a little. She was okay, but where were the other two? She had a nasty cut. That's not good, it was bleeding pretty badly.
He reached out and touched her arm. Yes she was here. "Are you okay?"
"What." Oh yea, she got a good gash in the head. "Yea, yea I'm fine." She touched it, yea that was blood.
"Okay, we'll go check that out." And he ran off to the building. He couldn't stay with her right now and risk emotions, he had friends/coworkers and survivors to get out of that building. Hawkes followed. He heard Stella say they were more than likely radio safe before they were off.
"Lindsay, you're cut." Stella said turning to Lindsay cupping her head and checking out the wound.
"It's fine." Lindsay said offhandedly. Honestly it was just a cut, everyone was treating her like she was 5 again, no mom, it's just a scrape, now can I play. "It's just ringing." She still couldn't get through to them.
"Lindsay, look at me." Stella commanded, that tone of voice was not to be taken lightly. Stella took the phone, and hung it up. "Danny and Hawkes are on it. Now do me a favor."
Lindsay nodded, okay, she was working. "I want you to get the cut checked out by a paramedic. No buts about it. By the time you're done the ME van will be here, go back to the lab with the body, make sure its Sid's first priority, shower, and then get the autopsy results and call me. Understand."
Lindsay nodded. "Paramedic, ME Van back to lab, shower, autopsy, call." She repeated. "Got it."
"Okay, go, I'll keep you informed on Mac and Flack."
"Thanks Stel."
"No problem kiddo, now go, we need that autopsy asap."
"Yes Ma'am."
.
They wanted to give her stitches, she didn't need stitches, she didn't even need the butterfly clamp they used. She was fine. What was all the fuss for? She grew up with 4 siblings, she'd been injured worse than this before, she needed to get back to the lab, if it split open again Sid could take care of her. He was a doctor after all. The clamp was coming off with the shower. Just as the body was bagged and they were leaving Lindsay heard "we need some paramedics here, Det. Flack is injured." It was Danny, Flack's hurt. No, but, that meant Mac had to be okay. It was just Flack, he was strong, he'd pull through.
.
.
Danny caught up to Lindsay in the lab, she was working on the bit of phone left of the detonation device. "How are ya doing Montana?" Danny asked pulling on a pair of gloves.
"I could use a little help to be honest." She was having trouble, she needed the sim card, but it was difficult to extract in its charred and burnt state. "And can people please stop asking how I am." She was a little sick of it. She was fine, now let's move on, it was like going back to high school after the massacre all over again. All the sympathy, the looks, it doesn't help, at all.
"Yea, sure." He smirked, if she was exasperated, she was fine. He grabbed a pair of tweezers and moved in close. She had showered and had a seductively flowery scent to her. He relaxed next to her, or at least as much as he could, his best friend was in the hospital, and had been touch and go since they found him in the building. But being around Lindsay made that seem less threatening. It was…weird to say the least.
.
Danny caught up to Lindsay in the lab again later that day. She was in the locker room with her head resting against her closed locker. He was about to ask if she was okay, but earlier she had asked for it to stop, so he withheld. "Hey Linds, we're going to check on Don, you coming?" It was a safe alternative. At least this way he got her attention. She seemed to shake herself out of her daze and register Danny opening the locker next to hers.
"Um yea, but could you possibly, maybe give me a ride home, I don't exactly want to be taking a cab or the subway tonight."
"Yea sure, but can I ask why?"
"Possible concussion, I'm pretty sure if I fall into a coma on the way home I'd be safe with you." Danny let out a light laugh at that. She could bring a smile to his face even on a day like this. She was making it really hard for him to deny his feelings for her. They were there and so was the pro and con list, and with each passing day the pro list was growing and the reasons on the con list, well they disappeared.
"Yea Montana, I can do that." It was silent for a moment. They were alone, their eyes not leaving the other. The tension was felt by the lockers it was so intense. The quiet moment was interrupted by Hawkes before it got awkward or someone said something that would have been well, not right.
"You guys coming."
Danny smiled, still looking at Lindsay. He could tell she wanted to say something else, hell he wanted to say something else to her, but it wasn't the right moment. "Yea, we're coming."
.
.
Flack should be fine. That was great, but it didn't change to look of the poor guy strapped up to machines, breathing through a tube, and with bandages on his face and body. He just, he didn't look like Flack. They didn't have to all stay and watch over him. Stella was getting Mac coffee, Hawkes was going to talk with the doctor see if he could simplify all the medical information, and Danny, Danny was going to take care of Lindsay, because that's what they do, they take care of each other. And with a possible concussion, he wanted to get her home and safe.
"Well, you still want that ride?" He asked leaning back and looking at her.
"Yea sure." She answered Danny before turning towards the boss. "Night Mac." Mac smiled and nodded. She was taken care of. They'd all been through a lot that day.
"Call if anything changes alright." Danny asked. It was his best friend in there. If he turned for the worse, well that wasn't good, and he'd be back in a heartbeat. Truthfully, he'd be back in the morning. He followed Lindsay out the swinging doors; he had been looking at the floor, in his own head. He hated seeing Flack like that, it wasn't who he was. This day had just been long and he needed to sleep this day off good.
He was so in his own head he didn't see Lindsay stop and turn around. He barely heard "Is this the way we came in" before their bodies slammed into each other catching them both off guard and off balance. They both mumbled a sorry, but neither made the attempt to move. "Did I…." He trailed off reaching up to check her cut.
"No it's fine." She smiled reaching up herself to check for blood as a reflex and just in case. Concerned, Danny cupped her face-her hair was so soft-and checked to make sure he didn't tear it open. It was a pretty bad gash, frankly he was surprised she hadn't needed stitches, that a butterfly clamp had held it closed earlier. "You know what; you should put something on that."
"Back home they say it's better just to let it breathe." Lindsay said as Danny's hand gently fell from the side of her head running through her hear slightly then resting on her hip. Their eyes never parted, there was a beat where they just stood before she made the first move. She pushed herself up on her toes and pressed her lips to his tenderly, the moment he responded her hand cupped the back of his neck and slid forward slightly as he wrapped an arm gently around her waist holding her to him securely, his fingers curling and grasping at the small of her back. It was soft and gentle yet passionate and hot. The kiss broke but she kept a hand on his cheek. They stared into each other's eyes both in shock as to what just happened. She was worried until she saw the smile that had formed on Danny's face. "Sorry." She smiled. "I don't know why I did that."
"Hit your head harder than you thought." He chuckled, pushing a stray curl back from her face.
"Oh God, can we just pretend this didn't happen?" She asked slightly embarrassed and slightly nervous stepping away from him.
"For Now." Danny nodded, and stepped forward and they continued on their way to the car.
"Thanks…" Lindsay trailed off, and fell in step with him. That kiss rocked his world, and there was no way in hell they were going to just let it go.
"So let's get you home."
.
.
The drive home was very quiet, the radio played alternative and rock hits in the background. But the thoughts of the day and what had just happened played in their minds louder than any rock ballad.
She kissed me, she made the first move, she kissed me! Well at least I know how she feels, that attraction isn't just in my head. What's going to be my next move, cause the ball is in my court now. She wants to forget it ever happened, yea that's not going to happen. I can see that smirk on her face now. She liked it as much as I did. There is no way in hell we are not doing that again. Have to look into the NYPD policy on dating within the department. It can't be that bad, I mean it's not like she's my subordinate. Her lips were so soft. Damn, we're here. Maybe, I can get another smooch. Maybe…..
I kissed him. I actually kissed him? What the hell was I thinking? But it's not like he hated it, it actually looked like he enjoyed it. Oh god, it felt so good being held in his arms like that, and that kiss, oh god. Why did I say can we forget it happened? I don't want to forget it? I want to repeat it! He did say 'for now.' For now, okay, the ball is in his court. He makes the next move. Wonder what he kisses like when he knows its coming, cause catching him by surprise was wow, oh, we're here, maybe he'll make a move here, maybe a good night kiss. Maybe…..
Danny pulled into a spot in front of her building and put the truck in park. He turned to look at her. She slowly unbuckled, then their eyes caught. Both wanted another kiss, but for now. "Thanks Danny."
"No Problem Montana, take care of that cut." He couldn't help it, he reached out and pushed her hair behind her ear, to get a better look at the cut you know, not to calm the ache to kiss her, (right, wink wink).
"Yes, Messer." Her voice cracked with nervous sarcasm. Oh kiss me already. He leant forward, and placed a tender kiss to her forehead.
"G'night Linds."
"Night Danny." She smile, and stepped out of the truck cab. Well it had been a kiss of sorts. She needed to talk with Jenna. "Drive safe."
"Sure thing." He watched her enter her apartment building before taking off towards his own place. Damn it, he was going to fall hard for this girl. Boy was he in trouble.
.
Lindsay rushed up the stairs to her apartment. She heard the TV on as she unlocked the door and the voice of her neighbor, okay good, double opinion, she needed that. Upon entering the door she went straight to the TV and flipped in off, not responding to the "Hey Lindsay" when she appeared.
Another "Hey Linds!" Came when their show was flipped off. Jenna got up to turn the TV Back on, but Lindsay spoke first. "I kissed Danny."
"No!" Connie said in disbelief, never would she have thought Lindsay would make the first move.
"OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD." Jenna chanted excitedly changing her path and gripping Lindsay's shoulders.
"It was unbelievable." She said throwing her head back and slipping her jacket off.
"OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD." Jenna said again running back to Connie.
"Ok, alright, we want to know everything. Jenna get the wine, and unplug the phone, Lindsay does this end well or do we need to get tissues?"
"Oh it ends very well." Lindsay said dancing on the spot.
"Oh." Connie sighed sinking back into the couch.
"Do Not Start Without Me." Jenna shouted running back into the room with a bottle of wine and 3 glasses. She began to pour and handed the wine to each woman.
"Alright, let's hear about the kiss, was it like a soft brush against his lips, or was it like a I gotta have you now sort of thing?"
"Well, it started because I thought we were lost, and he sort of bumped into me. And there was just like….this jolt. So he steadies me, and checks my cut, And his hands sort of cupped my face and his fingers were kinda like in my hair. And our eyes locked, his hands fell away, but one stayed placed on my waist, and I just tipped up on my toes and pressed my lips to his, and then we sort of just sunk into it."
"Oh, so was he holding you or was he clawing at your back."
"Well, the arm around my waist tightened and he sort of gripped my hips and pulled me so close."
"Ohhhh." Both women groaned in unison. Just the image of being held like that against THAT torso, YUM.
"And then what?" Jenna asked.
"Oh, I said something stupid." Lindsay sighed plopping down into a plush chair.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!" Connie asked jumping up on the edge of her seat.
"I said, well, I asked if we could forget it happened."
"No." both said in shock "Why the hell would you do that?" Jenna asked oblivious.
"I don't know, but he responded with a 'For now.' Anyway, he drove me home, and then he pressed a long lingering kiss to my forehead."
"Oh good, she didn't completely screw it up." Connie said relieved hitting Jenna in the side of the arm.
.
.
Lindsay had come to see Flack early the morning after he had woken up. He looked so much better, he had gotten some of his color back, and was smiling, sure he was in pain, but he was alive….thanks to Mac and a shoelace. They sat around talking and playing a game of war for a few hours. Lindsay was a few rounds away from winning again when Danny knocked at the door.
"Hey man, heard you were up." Lindsay looked up. She really hadn't seen Danny since the kiss a few hallways over. She smiled warmly at him. But nerves were bubbling up again. Oh god, oh god. "Hey Montana."
"Hey Messer." Their eyes caught, and everything else disappeared for a beat, until Flack "eh hemed" Lindsay looked away from Danny and up at the clock. It was the first time she had looked at a clock in 90 minutes…"Shit, is that the time! I have to get to work." She grabbed her jacket. "Feel better Don, see ya guys." And with that she was gone. Danny watched her leave. When he turned back, Flack had a shit eating grin across his face. "What was that?"
"What was what?" Danny asked, before taking Lindsay's vacant seat. There was a bouquet of flowers on the side table. "Who got you flowers?"
"Connie sent them with Lindsay, and that." He said gesturing through the door Lindsay had just left. "That look, that…that."
"Oh, um yea….the night of the bombing, she sort of kissed me." Danny grinned. Yea, he still thought about it. It was a good kiss.
"With tongue?"
"Yea."
"Cool, what's your next move man?"
"Honestly, don't know yet."
.
.
Danny and Lindsay fell into back to their old selves over the next week, although the flirty banter was much flirtier. Danny held off, he wanted to ask her out, but she had said forget about it, and he said for now. Her for now period was almost up. Flack was almost out of the hospital. Then it was game on. Danny was sitting by Flack's bedside playing a game of poker when Stella and Lindsay came in with hushed, but very excited voices.
"Flack, when's your next check up?" Stella asked as Lindsay closed all of the blinds and locked the door.
"Not for another few hours, why? What are you two up to?" He asked suspiciously.
"And should I leave?" Danny inquired. If those women had something up their sleeves he may or may not want to be involved.
"Only if you want to Messer, but if I were you I'd stay." Lindsay playfully threatened the all familiar twinkle in her eye.
"Well." Stella began. "Since you've been cooped up in this hospital room for a week on end with only cards, Danny, and some nurses for company, we decided its about some time you had a little fun."
"Don't kid yourselves, the nurses can be a hoot"
"And hott at that." Danny added with a smirk. He caught Lindsay's eye. Was that jealousy he saw flash there? Yea it was. He smiled and gave himself a mental pat on the back.
"Well, if you don't want us here we'll take our Papaya King with us." Lindsay tossed back. Oh if he wanted to make her jealous she was going to go for the kill shot, their stomachs.
"Oh, don't go please. As a dying man's last wish." Flack pled.
"Oh Flack, you're not dying."
"Yea, but I could have."
"Yea, and you didn't and to thank you for that we also brought…."Lindsay started and left the end hanging for Stella to finish once she was done fussing with her bag.
"MONOPOLY!" She cried pulling it out of her bag with a flourish. "Let's play."
.
The hot dogs were quickly finished and Flack was dominating the game. Much to Danny's dismay, but he did have Park Place. It was nothing to Boardwalk that Lindsay held, and refused to trade. "That's my safety net Messer, I'm not giving you a Monopoly, I'll take my $50 a piece, Thank you very much."
"Montana, come on, you already got hotels on the yellows!"
"And that's nothing to Flacks Red, Green, and orange monopolies. You should have been smarter."
"Smarter, the only reason Flack's got all those because Stella was carefree."
"No talking badly about the banker." Stella had gone bankrupt to Flack completing two more of his monopolies and was now playing her favorite job, rich auntie penny bags.
"I hate this game."
"No you don't, you just hate losing Messer, don't try to blame this on the game."
"Yea listen to the lady." Flack piped in
"Oh you're only winning because you're injured, we're taking pity."
"When have we ever taken pity on him Messer?" Lindsay asked. She hadn't she beat him every time she possibly could.
"Linds, you're supposed to be on my side here!" Danny cried.
"Says who? Last time I checked you were trying to get my boardwalk."
"Exactly."
"You know that makes no sense Messer." Lindsay said exasperated. He was infuriating sometimes, and this was over a simple game of monopoly. Honestly. There was a jiggle at the door. It was still locked, there was a loud rapping. "Donald, why is this door locked!" Called a shrill elderly voice.
"SHIT!" Flack moaned, "Flip the board, Stella you're playing me, I've been asleep for 3 hours, and hide the hot dog wax paper." He snuggled under the covers, as keys jingled and the knob turned.
"What's this? A little party!" She shouted.
"Ssssh. Don's sleeping." Lindsay hushed the nurse.
"Bull shit, he's sleeping! And you brought him hot dogs, what the hell are you people trying to do, kill him! Out with you, go." She shooed them out and slapped the door closed behind them.
"Oh she was a bitch." Lindsay said to the door.
"Yea that would be Nurse Greta. We do not like her." Danny informed.
"Yikes, should we go…" Lindsay began to ask.
"Well, she really doesn't like you." Stella laughed at Lindsay,
"I can't believe you tried to shush her, you'll be banned from this floor." Danny laughed.
"Watch it, or you'll be in a bed right next to him." Lindsay warned in a teasing voice.
"I'd like to see you try Montana."
"2 brothers Messer."
"And that means…."
"That means, she'll take you." Stella finished flipping her phone open. "and Linds, we have to go, Mac needs us at a scene."
"Okay….This doesn't mean you win Messer."
"Sure it does." He smirked. Turning back to the door Nurse Greta came out of. "Greta." He nodded on his way in. She sneered at him. But hey that impromptu party, that was all the girls. He was playing poker with his buddy.
"Girls gone?"
"Yea, got called to a scene. You win bud."
"Like there was any suspicion that I wouldn't." Flack said smugly, he rocked monopoly, hadn't been beat since his tonsillectomy of '87. "so now that they're gone….."
"Yea?" Danny asked turning back to his friend after tossing the cleaned up game onto the windowsill.
"Dude, what's your next move with Monroe?"
"Not sure yet man." Danny shrugged. He had attempted to make a move, but there was always another team member, or a dead body around, and it just wasn't good timing.
"Just don't go all Ross on her."
"Adam Ross?" Danny asked quizzically. What the hell was going all Ross?
"No Ross Geller, from that F.R.I.E.N.D.S. show." He waved at the TV. "but don't do anything Adam Ross like either."
Danny eyed his friend, "You're actually using a F.R.I.E.N.D.S. reference?"
"I have nothing else to do here, and the good nurses like it, and sit with me." He smirked. "Already have Jill's, Gloria's and Molly's numbers."
He laughed at his friend. At least he was using the injury to his advantage. "Player of the fourth floor."
"Nah that would be 96year old Mr. Gregoravitz down the hall, he even has Greta eating out of the palm of his hand."
"Now that's an accomplishment."
.
.
"SO boy's what's on the agenda today?" Lindsay asked plopping into the chair besides Flack's bed.
"Well, since I'm getting out tomorrow, figured we'd be on our best behavior and have a civilized game of poker."
"Alright, deal."
.
Danny was is a huff, he lost again. He could not beat her. It was just impossible. She was unbeatable. And it didn't help that she was all flirty today, tossing her hair, wearing the low cut shirt, giggling, joking, smelling so good. It was hard to focus. "Damn it Montana." He yelled slapping down another losing hand, she chuckled.
"Time for a check Detective." A cute little nurse came in and did she have eyes for Mr. Flack. Lindsay and Danny both laughed knowingly as they moved to leave the room. Lindsay linked her arm with Danny's, her hand grabbing the inside of his arm, he could feel the heat so much more there, and all he wanted to do was twirl her, pin her against the wall and snog her senseless. She leaned up and whispered "Keep practicing Messer, and you may just beat me." She patted him on the butt and made her way out. "Later guys."
"DUDE WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Flack yelled at Danny, How was his friend missing this moment, the girl had pretty much just thrown him the perfect moment, and nothing. "What are you doing! Go catch her and kiss the crap outta her!"
"Flack! DO you hear yourself?" Yea, it was a good moment, but, He couldn't just jump her, or could he. Too late, the moment passed she was gone.
.
"He hasn't made a move yet!" Lindsay slumped into the couch next to Jenna, "I gave him a few ins today and nothin."
"Maybe you just have to jump him again." Jenna laughed shoving a heaping spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. Her roommate wouldn't do that again, would she?
"Yea Maybe..."
.
.
.
And into season three! Hope you enjoyed season two. =)