DISCLAIMER: CSI New York and all of its characters are the property of CBS, not Gigi.

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: : Not What It Looks Like : :

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"Said like a true romantic." Lindsay quipped at Danny. Yea he didn't look like the cards candy and flowers type. He was different, and honestly that was one of the things she liked most about him. He was so far from anything she'd dated before. She liked that. She liked the flirting and the banter, and just the way days seemed to go when they were working together, god it seems like ages ago that she despised him, back when she wanted anything to not work with him. Huh, how things change in a year.

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So she wants romantic, I can be romantic…ok maybe I can't be cliché romantic, but I got this.

"Detectives, you've got to see this."

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"Size 2 will get you in." Stella says looking back at Lindsay. An ecstatic smile spreads across Lindsay's face, fun! Today is going to be anything but ordinary. Danny looks her over. Yea, size 2 is about right. He smirks in her direction and gives her a double click. Yea. Oh this is going to be fun. Lindsay felt herself warm at the look Danny gave her. Oh today was going to be good.

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"Nice ass Montana." Lindsay let out a nervous giggle and felt butterflies erupt in the stomach. Well, he thinks my ass is nice, god what is with this school girl crush.

"Guess Flack and Stella are gone Messer." Lindsay laughed.

"You think I'd say that with them in the room."

"Guess not." Lindsay chuckled. It was just for her! "So Messer, you gonna go around back and help me out of this tube?"

"Ya know the Holly's did it on their own." Danny teased. "In heels none the less."

"But not with bags of evidence that we don't want compromised, so Messer, Are you gonna help me out of this hole." Lindsay shouted down the shaft. The sarcasm was evident in her voice and the echo intensified it.

"Yea, be round in a sec." Danny laughed. Who was he to say no. He gets to get his hands on Lindsay Monroe again. It was turning out to be a pretty good day.

Danny hurried out of the building and met Lindsay at the nicely disguised 'air vent' He got there right as she pushed the flap open. "Nice timing Messer." Lindsay smirked. Handing over a few bags of evidence.

"What can I say Montana, I'm good." Danny said, a twinkle in his eye.

"That has yet to be determined." Lindsay shot back.

"Ouch." Danny feigned hurt before packing the evidence into the truck they had parked back there, then turned back to Lindsay. "That all of it?"

"Yea." Lindsay said pushing herself out of the hole as best she could, she was wiggling her way out of the tube and he got a nice cleavage shot. "Feel like helping?" Danny smirked. He'd been caught. But this was good too. He moved closer and Lindsay reached out to steady herself on his shoulder. (An even better view for Danny Boy) he reached up to help her out grabbing her under her arms and pulling her out.

"That better sweetheart?" he teased.

"You want to climb through that thing twice" Lindsay asked an eyebrow fish hooked in Danny's direction.

"Sorry babe, don't think I'd fit." He smirked then dodged one of Lindsay's slaps.

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Danny stood there listening to Don explain what was going to happen. This is crazy. She can't possibly be serious about doing this. It was just insane, to go in blind on 5 minutes warning, she was going to get herself killed. He glanced over and saw Lindsay in only a tank top, getting fitted up for her wire. He had to try to talk her out of this, it was a lost cause but, really, it had to be said.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked coming up behind her.

"Danny, I'll be fine." She assured him, not paying much attention to him. She was distracted getting the Kevlar on. Really, she wasn't going to do it. When Beth had mentioned a Dana, well Lindsay was 15 again and Dana was sitting in that diner with the others, and she had to save her, she just had too.

"No, no we have under covers that can do this alright, it's not our job."

"Well it is now, we're out of time, you heard her—if we don't get in there in 4 minutes her friend dies." Lindsay responded calmly. And turned to grab the bag full of jewelry and left Danny deep in thought. Yea but what if you do.

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He was out the door in a flash. No way was he losing her before even getting her. The squad was in movement and Danny followed them up the stairs and to the apartment door as quickly as possible. Flack and Stella caught up. "Wait until you hear the…" *BOOM.* "GO!" Stella commanded. Flack and Stella went straight for the suspects. Danny however was only looking for one tiny brunette.

"Lindsay!" He called into the dust. Was that her name? Damn there was a serious ringing in her ears. She couldn't tell then it came again. "Lindsay." Yes that was definitely an agitated Danny.

"Danny." She called trying to get up. And there he was, he turned quickly and rushed the few steps to get to her and helped her up. He quickly cupped the side of her head, then moved his hands down to steady her shoulders, and attempt to calm her, or was it him he was trying to calm, both were gasping for air. She reached out and placed one hand on his shoulder. "You alright." He panted.

"Yea." She gasped and gave in and fell into him. He squeezed her tight for a second and breathed out a "thank god" she continued to pant and gasp for air, he pushed her back for a minute just to double check, cupping her face and looking straight into her eyes. He could see the shock, the worry, the terror was fading, but, still, he pulled her close once again. This time he felt her clutch at the vest he wore.

The dust was beginning to settle and Lindsay's breathing was returning to normal, but still she clung to Danny, and he had no intentions of letting her out of his sight or his arms for that matter.

"Danny, take Lindsay to get checked by the EMT, get her statement, and take her home please."

"Yea Stel, I got it." Danny called back hugging Lindsay under one side and walking her out of the apartment, into the crowded hallway, then out of the building. The EMT's inspected her, and Danny wrote out her statement, not taking his eyes off her. She was breathing normally now, it had to help that she was out of the dust and debris.

"We should get you to a hospital, just in case." The one was saying, Lindsay was getting irritated at this. Danny, or really just about anyone could tell except for these medical minded people. She could go all Doc Hollywood on them, and ya know, just give me a Coke. "She could have hit her head pretty hard."

"I don't have a concussion!" She screamed at them, just let me go. "I've hit my head harder than this and have gone back to work, so please!" she begged.

Danny laughed, "You heard her."

"But detective, if she has a concussion…"

"I'll watch her." Danny reassured the man. Lindsay shot him a dirty look, What am I a 4th grader, I can watch myself. Granted she wasn't really against Danny staying with her it was just his tone. "And if she throws me out her roommate or her neighbor will keep an eye on her."

"Fine, she all yours." The EMT said in an irritated tone.

"That's what I like to hear." Danny smirked, turning to help Lindsay off the back of the ambulance. Lindsay rolled her eyes at his cockiness, but let him help her. And had no objection to him wrapping an arm around her shoulders and steering her towards the avalanche. He opened her door for her, (After all chivalry is romantic) She was about to get in but called his name first "Danny."

"You all right there Montana?" He asked concern leaking out in his voice.

"Yea, just the adrenalin is wearing off." She yawned. "And, well thanks." She murmured.

"My pleasure." He lifted his hand and pushed some fly away hair out of her face. "Just don't scare me like that again." He said twirling the strand of hair in his fingers

She let out a healthy gurgle of laughter. "I'll try not to."

"Good, I kinda like having you around." She smiled up at him, and it just happened. His hand cupped her face. And then he was kissing her. His mouth on hers, gently parting her lips and she felt a white-hot dart of excitement. His hands ran down her back and just stopped short of her rear end then pulls her tight to him, and suddenly she was finding it hard to breathe. Lindsay stepped away to regain control of her breathing, she'd just gotten it back to normal. "Sorry." Danny said, his breathing coming in puffs as well.

"Oh please, let's not start with the sorrys again." Lindsay begged, a smile playing at her now swollen lips.

Danny smirked at that. "Well then." He pulled the door open again and gestured inside. Lindsay smiled at that then hopped into the passenger seat. The door closed with a thud and Danny was in the driver's seat in another second.

The ride back to her place was a quiet affair. But both kept stealing glances at the other, and then would get caught, but still the radio played and on they drove.

He pulled up in front of her building and threw the car in park. They were both silent for a beat, neither knowing quite what to say.

"Danny"

"Lindsay"

They spoke at the same time,

"Sorry mine was nothing, you go." Lindsay insisted.

"Okay." Danny began, "I was just going to ask if maybe you wanted to grab dinner sometime?"

"Like a date?" Lindsay asked a little skeptically, a flush coming to her cheeks.

"Yea like a date." Danny confirmed with a grin to match hers.

"Then, sure."

"Okay, it's a date, I'll call you with details. So what were you going to say?"

"Just thank you." She then leaned over and kisses him determinedly on the mouth. He reaches up and cups the back of her head holding her in place. A hand to steady her is placed firmly on his upper thigh and squeezes just ever so slightly. "Bye, Danny." She grins stepping out of the truck. "Talk to you soon."

"Yea you will." Danny smirked to himself as he drove off in direction of the lab. Today had been a very good day.

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