Disclaimer: Yada yada yada, its all the same, CSI New York and its characters are the property of CBS
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: : Daze of Wine and Roaches : :
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Danny was still reeling from that kiss at the airport. He was in a blissful state the entire flight. So blissful in fact that he didn't even notice the turbulence, which was quite intense, He just kept replaying the events of the last few days in his head. From the moment he read the article about the murders to the final wave of his hand as he disappeared into security. He had been playing that on a loop for the past 3 days. Whenever he got the chance to day dream. They had spoken a few times since he left:
Cadence had been given 4 consecutive life sentences, no chance of parole, the picture the media snagged of them was on the front page for a few days with the caption "sole survivor and witness celebrates verdict." She'd gotten shit about it from her brothers. He'd only been introduced to Charlie when he visited last summer but from that brief moment he got the feeling if he'd known him better he'd expect no less. And, he was going to pick her up from the airport Friday evening when her flight got in. Jenna was going to do it but Ben surprised her with a weekend away, so Danny had offered.
Now he stood at the gate waiting, her flight was due any minute.
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Lindsay was antsy as the plane taxied to the gate. Technically she'd been antsy since Danny left Montana. Sure they had talked when he got back to New York. But in true girl fashion she was analyzing and re analyzing, and over analyzing the last few days. Was she too bold? What are they? What are they becoming? Are they becoming something? She grabbed her carry on and made her way off the plane out into arrivals: Danny was picking her up, her mind would be settled in just a few seconds.
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There he was, standing with his hands in the pockets of his black leather jacket, rolling back and forth on his heels, waiting. He looked good, it maybe the ecstasy from the kiss, but he looked better than usual. His face crinkled when he saw her, that was a smile she was happy to see, one she had only ever seen when he was with her. That smile was for her. Butterflies erupted in her stomach. She giggled to herself and moved towards him-quickly.
"Hey Montana." Danny said opening his arms for her and hugging her snuggly. "Welcome home sweetheart." He said kissing her temple.
"Hi Danny, it's good to be home." She said letting him lead her toward baggage claim, she slipped her arm around his waist and walked along with him.
"So how was the flight?"
"Long." Lindsay laughed. "The kid behind me screamed the entire flight."
"You poor thing." Danny laughed pressing a kiss to her temple again. He was a little apprehensive about initiating anything more personal. He wanted to, but in a more private setting. "You hungry?" He asked watching the carousel of luggage for Lindsay's bag."
"Perhaps, what do you have in mind?"
"Well, I remember promising you real pizza once you got back."
"Sounds perfect." Lindsay said reaching for her bag and hauling it off the belt and waved off Danny's helping hand. She could do it on her own. He did however take her bag away and wheeled it behind them, an arm draped over her shoulders.
"Aright, come on, parked in P4."
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20 minutes later they were sat in a booth just off to the side of the door at Ray's. Just the smell of New York pizza places was better. They had ordered a pepperoni and jalapeño pizza, and were now waiting, chatting, and sipping beer. Danny put his beer down forcefully making it foam, "No way, still don't believe it."
They had been bashing on the media. They had been hounding a current white collar embezzlement case, and the conversation had rounded on the media that surrounded and stormed the court house for Lindsay. Danny was still in denial. Lindsay laughed and shook her head at him. Fine, if he wouldn't believe it until he saw it, well then, he'd see it. She leaned over and pulled a newspaper out of her bag and laid it on the table, a picture of the two of them about to kiss stared up at them. "Now do you believe me?"
Danny looked at the paper then up at Lindsay's smiling face. She was giddy, she loved showing him up, and the look she was giving him now, he would gladly let her show him up more often, but he did however love winning. "I don't know." He started, "Is this even a legit paper?"
"Yes, it's legit; I have been fielding questions about my 'mystery man' for the last few days." Lindsay laughed nervously. Oh they were getting close to the talk. The dreaded talk.
"And your answer has been?"
"Depends." Lindsay smirked leaning back and while twirling a ring on her middle finger and eyeing Danny up.
"On…..?"
"On who's asking and how badly they want to know."
Danny thought a minute then decided to humor her "Aright, the media?"
"No comment" Lindsay answered, as she would if they had asked her.
"Your brothers?"
"None of their business."
"Your parents?"
"The father of their grandchildren." Danny nearly choked on his beer at that. He had to pound his chest before he could breathe and speak right again. Lindsay was laughing, apparently that was the reaction she was going for.
"Their what now?" Danny asked still coughing a little. Lindsay just shrugged and continued to grin at him, Danny shook his head at her. "Happy now?"
"Very, you know I didn't pin you as someone that easy."
"You know Montana…" Danny started when Lindsay jumped in
"Flack."
"What's…"
"Just came in, spotted us, walking this way." She said through her teeth. Danny made a quick swipe for the newspaper getting it out of view just as Flack walked up.
"Well, isn't this cozy." He joked. "You just get in Monroe?"
"Yea about an hour ago."
"Well welcome back."
"Excuse me sir." Came the waiters voice as he sat their pizza down onto the raised cooling/serving rack.
"So what you doing with Messer? This a date." Flack asked. Lindsay gave Danny a look this was his to answer.
"Flack man, if this were a date, you wouldn't have to ask." Danny said giving Lindsay a little wink while Don was preoccupied with the waiter. "Feel like joining us?"
"Wish I could Danno." Flack said flipping his phone open as it had just beeped. "Dead woman at an U.N. function."
"That even our jurisdiction?" Lindsay asked.
"Guess so." Don shrugged.
"Well grab a slice to go." Danny offered.
"Thanks man." Flack said grabbing a piece, "Good to see ya Linds."
"What am I chop liver?" Danny called after his friend. He got a lone back handed wave. Danny turned to Lindsay she had the smile on her face again. "What?" he asked grabbing a slice.
"Nothing." Lindsay shrugged taking a bite out of her pizza. "So you go all out for your dates huh Messer?" Lindsay asked curiously with a hint of mischief.
Danny raised his eyebrows at Lindsay. "Don't worry sweetheart, you'll know soon enough."
"Is that so?"
"Yea, so how's the pizza?"
He was changing the subject, not that Lindsay objected, the heavy stuff could come later, this was just better. "Sooo much better than I remember."
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The Queensboro bridge was backed up something awful thanks to an accident, so Danny pulled over and parked. Danny and Lindsay got out and walked a few blocks what was the point in sitting in a car in traffic? They fell upon a warmly lit coffee shop with a sign out front reading "Open Mic Nite." Danny grabbed Lindsay's wrist and gave her a little grin "How 'bout it Montana?"
"Two conditions." Lindsay said as Danny's slight grip loosened and slipped down, their fingers entwining. Lindsay looked down at their hands then back up. "Okay, One, I'm not getting up on stage, and two, we get hot chocolate."
"Done. And Done." Danny said giving her hand a little tug and pulling the door open for her. Warmth engulfed them, They got into the line as a female guitarist got up on stage and began to play some mellow tunes. "So when's your first day back?"
"Tomorrow morning actually." Lindsay replied as they reached the register.
"Guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow." Danny said grabbing the hot chocolate. They found a small table in a dim secluded corner. The sounds of the guitarist on stage filtering around the place. Lindsay took a long deep sip of her cocoa, closing her eyes and let out an appreciative moan. It may be spring, but it was still quite chilly outside. Danny watched her in awe. She was gorgeous. When Lindsay opened her eyes they caught Danny's. He wasn't at all embarrassed at being caught. He gave her a little wink causing her to blush slightly.
"What?" she asked through a nervous laugh.
Danny smiled and shook his head, "Nothing, you're just…..gorgeous."
Lindsay looked away trying to hide and control her blush, and figure out what to say. Really, they were working together again, and they couldn't pretend that kiss didn't happen. "Danny." Lindsay began to ask biting chewing her bottom lip. "What are….what is this?" she finished gesturing between the two of them.
Danny took a deep breath. "Honestly, I don't know Lindsay." He reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. "To repeat myself, we have this chemistry, and I don't know about you, but I want to see where this goes."
Lindsay smiled at that. "Okay, well then, to repeat myself, I like you a lot, and I would really enjoy seeing where this goes. You know, dinner, drinks, some laughs." She gave a shrug and took another sip of her hot chocolate.
"Okay, so we're gonna try this out? Date?"
"Yea, I believe so." Lindsay said blushing, "But um, can we keep it…"
"Keep it quiet and out of the lab?" Lindsay nodded. "Read my mind." Danny laughed.
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It was getting late, when Danny pulled up in front of Lindsay's building. Being the gentleman he had been all night he carried her red luggage and walked her up to her door. "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow." Danny said as Lindsay pulled her keys out and fidgeted with them looking for the key to unlock it.
"Yea." Lindsay said looking down at her keys, when she looked up at him and caught his eyes. It was now or never. Danny smirked to himself before taking a step closer to her. He pulled her head towards his and sealed his lips over hers. Lindsay took a step even closer pressing her hips against his and making her heart beat faster. She then opened her mouth and inhaled deeply. She literally took his breath away.
Lindsay backed off a touch, then grabbed his belt loops and yanked his pelvis toward her as she attempted to catch her breath, she looked into his eyes, neither said a word. She felt heat begin to emanate from his nether regions, and took that as a signal for round two. She pulled his face towards hers forcefully held him there.
"Excuse me." They barely heard the woman's request, but parted as best they could. Connie. "About time you made your move Messer. Welcome back Lindsay." She said as she moved past them unlocked the door and slipped in with an "As you were."
Danny and Lindsay both fell into a fit of laughter at being caught. She looked so beautiful to him. He caught her off guard and swept in for another goodnight kiss. Lindsay responded with equal enthusiasm. Then released Danny, gave him a cheeky pat on his bum. "See you tomorrow Danny." His eyes were trained on her as she turned and slipped into her building. Oh the possibilities.
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Lindsay was looking through her locker for her hair brush. Oh the cockroaches just made her feel grotty and well, she just felt ewwwe. Danny had gone to interrogate the bug guy, and she had gone to rinse off the ewe even if it was just all in her head. She was fumbling around in her locker getting all of her stuff together when she heard the locker room door open and someone enter. "So Montana."
Danny. Lindsay smiled to herself then grabbed her bag and shut her locker door. Danny was leaning against the adjacent locker. "Yea Danny, did the guy crack?"
"The guy was cracked in the head."
"What did i say about New Yorkers and their cockroaches."
"Nice Montana." Danny said pausing for a moment to think. "So, I was wondering..."
"Wondering what Messer?" Lindsay asked flashing a flirtatious grin.
"You're more than beer and buffalo burgers, I'd like to see that." Danny said flashing her his own grin. "Dinner Friday night?"
"Sounds good." Lindsay confirmed. "Goodnight Danny."
"Night Monroe." He watched her sashay out of the locker room. She was going to keep surprising him from here on out, that he was sure of. That he was looking forward too. This was the beginning of what was sure to be an awesome relationship.
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