princessg - Hmmm, looks like I made you wait a while - sorry about that! I had a clear image of him - and he's not even based upon anyone!!

demolished-soul - I figured I could have some fun with that one - do you have any suggestions?? He's back for a while, and then I'll have him back for good

laplandgurl - the new job fell through (:c) but at least I still have that one - my friend got made redundant!! I think I would have been close to violent - Tay has a little more restraint that I do. Maybe we need to get Danny to a shrink too.

Madison Bellows - RL has been taking over, but it's been going alright so I can't complain. Is it wrong that I quite like that image?

RK9 - Thank you! See, personally, I like the idea of those two together, but I'm still working on it - maybe she will tell him.

sparkyCSI - no timezone problem and I still can't get online! Grrr! Darn the neighbours for putting passwords on their wireless, lol! I have no idea either, but apparently I am at work in the most boring of shops today, so maybe something will come to me

daytimedrama - yeah, I'm still the DL sucker. Which may become even more obvious in this chapter.

meadow567 - thank you!

brttmclv - I think I kept you waiting this time though, so sorry about that! Lol, I'm cruel - in my head, he was either shuffling about or dancing like an idiot!

Sorry for the long delay folks! I moved house!! Anyhoos, here's 188 for ya, and a big thanks to my beta, sparkyCSI!

What The Eyes Can't See

Chapter 188: Though you're gone we want you all to know we'll carry on

A while after Big and Rich had finished and left the stage, Taylor found herself being dragged over to Danny and Lindsay, the former of whom she had been avoiding a little, by Flack who had decided it was enough.

'Glad you came, Drew,' Danny smiled at her.

'Really?' Taylor asked, feeling a little uncomfortable.

'Of course,' Danny told her. 'Don't be all paranoid!'

'I didn't think tonight would happen,' Taylor frowned.

'I didn't want to,' Lindsay jumped in. 'I was prepared to cancel.'

'Alright, this is a party,' Danny butted in. 'We're supposed to be getting drunk and having fun.'

Taylor inhaled, stood upright, and pulled Flack's Stetson off his head and on to hers. 'I'm going to get us alcohol,' she announced, bouncing off to the bar.

'I do wonder about her sometimes,' Flack muttered, watching her go.

Taylor bounded up to the bar, arriving with a jump and startling the auburn haired woman who was busy nursing both a beer and a shot of what looked like whiskey. 'Sorry,' Taylor smiled at her.

'You're… perky,' the woman told her, eyeing her suspiciously.

'I have had a crap couple of weeks and I'm determined to have a good time tonight.'

'I can relate,' the woman muttered, taking a shot of whiskey and then chasing it with a swig of beer. 'I got demoted.'

Taylor pulled of her Stetson and dumped it on the side. 'That sucks.'

'I deserved it,' the woman muttered miserably before looking over at Taylor, finally seeing her. 'You're Taylor Turner,' she muttered, slamming her head on the bar.

'Um, yes,' Taylor responded, hesitantly. 'What did I do?'

Cory raised her head. 'Nothing. Actually. Nothing at all.'

Taylor frowned. 'Do I know you?' she asked her, semi-convinced she recognized her voice from somewhere.

Cory quickly shook her head. 'No. I'm not sure I know me anymore though, either.'

Taylor glanced to the side, swiped a stool and pulled it over, sitting down next to her. 'Are you alright?'

Cory sighed and looked at her. 'I'm sorry,' she said heavily.

'It's alright,' Taylor told her, not fully realizing the true meaning of the apology. 'So, you like country music?' she asked, trying to change the subject.

Cory gave a dry laugh. 'Not really.'

Taylor looked at her, puzzled. 'Then, why…?'

'I was feeling a little homesick,' Cory sighed.

'Look, I don't know what's going on with you – I don't even know you. But tonight, I'm going to have fun, so if you want to join me and my friends, feel free. They're a great bunch.'

Cory was in the process of nodding when she caught who Taylor was pointing at. 'I think I've had enough,' she said instead, ducking her head and leaving.

Taylor watched her leave, feeling completely confused, but turned back to the bar. Flinging the Stetson around her neck, she gathered up the drinks and headed back to the others.

'What took you?' Lindsay asked.

Taylor took a swig of her cocktail and frowned. 'I was talking to someone at the bar. And now I'm wondering if alcohol is the answer to life's problems.'

'It might not be the answer to life's problems, but it tastes good,' Marty announced, appearing behind them.

'Where's Sheldon?' Flack asked.

Marty pulled a face. 'Took the Maddy lookalike home.'

Taylor choked on her cocktail. 'What?'

'Yeah, the Pino Powers didn't work.'

'Calling them that, I'm not surprised,' Stella cackled in laughter.

Taylor's head snatched up as Footloose burst out of the speakers.

'Is this country?' Angell asked.

'Who cares?' Taylor grinned, grabbing Brie's hand in one hand, Ikaia's in the other, and dragged them onto the dance floor.

'I really do wonder,' Flack muttered, shaking his head, although there was a big smile on his face.

'Aw, stop being so boring,' Danny told him, grabbing Lindsay's hand and following the three women onto the dance floor and joining the line which was already forming.

'Who's that, and what have they done to Danny?' Marty asked, his mouth hanging open.

Angell looked at the three remaining people. 'What the hell? I'm joining my girlfriend,' she muttered, heading out, Stella right behind her.

Marty looked at Flack. 'You do realize we're the ones who are going to look stupid now.'

Flack sighed, swallowed the remains of his beer and headed out.

--

'I'm drunk,' Taylor declared with a happy grin.

'I know,' Flack agreed, helping her with her jacket. 'So how about we get you home and into bed?'

'How about we walk home?' she asked.

Flack looked at her incredulously. 'How about we get a taxi? It's a ten minute ride as it is.'

Taylor grinned mischievously. 'How about we save the horsepower and I ride a cowboy,' she laughed before leaping on his back.

'What the hell?' Flack cried as he grabbed Taylor from underneath her knees to support her. 'Taylor, not funny. And really not original.'

Taylor laughed in his ear. 'Not for you, maybe. Me, I quite like the idea.'

'You know, I think Big & Rich had a slightly dirtier vision when they wrote that song,' he grumbled as he tried to flag down a cab.

'Oh, not as dirty as what's going through my mind right now,' Taylor whispered in his ear before nibbling at it.

'TAXI!' Flack bellowed.

--

Hours later, Danny followed Lindsay into his apartment, still humming Rascal Flatts Loveable, Huggable, Kissable, and sat down beside her on his couch. He watched her for a while as she stared off into space.

'What are you thinking about?' he asked, noting the pensive expression.

'The future,' she said distractively.

'What about it?'

Lindsay turned to face him. 'When you see the future, what do you see?'

Danny was slightly taken aback. 'That's a little deep for three in the morning, isn't it?'

'Seriously, Danny,' she pressed. 'What do you see?'

'You,' he told her simply, surprised at his answer, but knowing it was true. 'You, and me, a house, a family… maybe a little girl, or a boy… or both…' he trailed off when he saw the startled look on Lindsay, mentally kicking himself – they had only been back together for a short time. Sure last year they had been together for much longer, but there was a reason Lindsay had broken it off. And sure, he still had the ring. But the ring had been burning a hole in his wallet since the two of them had split up.

He had wanted to propose on Valentine's Day, last year. But then the whole thing with Frankie and Stella happened… then Louie's court case. Then they had split up, Louie had died. Although they had finally gotten back together, it had never felt like the right time – he was scared of losing Lindsay again.

All he knew was that he loved her. And if he had to wait until 2020 to propose, he would.

Next to him, Lindsay turned so that she was facing him – her expression unreadable. 'Really?' she asked.

Danny nodded. 'Really.'

Lindsay took a deep breath. 'I know this is a really unconventional way to do this, but I never claimed to be conventional.'

Danny blinked, wondering what the correct reaction was to that statement and what on Earth she was heading for. He'd never seen her this fidgety.

Lindsay gave a nervous laugh. 'Now I can see why the guys normally do this,' she muttered, so quietly that Danny barely caught any of it.

Lindsay cleared her throat, 'Danny, I love you,' she placed a finger over his lips to stop him from speaking. 'No, it's my turn,' she told him firmly. 'You can have yours next. Danny, I stopped believing in love, and forever, but right now, after everything that has happened in the past year… since I transferred here, I know one thing for certain: I love you, and life is too short to waste – work is a constant reminder of that. So, Daniel Messer, will you spend however many tomorrows we have left with me, as my husband? Will you marry me?'

Danny gaped at her, quickly regaining his composure. 'Where's my ring?'

Lindsay frowned – of all the reactions she had played out in her head, this was definitely not one of them.

Danny reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, extracting something from it. And then, he got off the couch and dropped down onto one knee, producing the ring. 'No, Lindsay, will you marry me?'

There were tears sparkling in Lindsay's eyes as she nodded, and Danny slipped the ring on.

And then Lindsay began giggling. 'There are many things I never expected from you, Danny, but I think you proposing dressed as a cowboy – still wearing the boots and hat – would have been one of them, if it wasn't such a crazy image!'

Danny pulled his hat off and placed it on top of Lindsay's head. 'The boots I like. The boots are staying on.'

--

Danny awoke the following morning happy and content (and with one boot on either side of the room), with Lindsay nestled firmly in his arms.

As she realized he was awake, Lindsay rolled over. 'Morning, handsome.'

Danny grinned. 'So, when do you want to tell everybody we're a couple?'

Lindsay laughed. 'How has no one guessed yet?'

'We were careful,' shrugged Danny. 'And we're good at our jobs – we know how to hide things… you know, I bet we really could kill someone and get away with it.'

'And who are you wanting to murder?' asked Lindsay with a laugh.

Danny frowned. 'The guy who invented mornings.'

'You really aren't a morning person,' Lindsay agreed.

Danny pulled a face. 'Taylor knows.'

Lindsay nodded. 'I'm not surprised. You did turn up in Montana – that was kind of a giveaway.'

Danny smiled. 'How about we tell them today?'

'How about we keep it quiet – tell them when we give them our wedding invitations?'

'Wow!' Danny exclaimed.

'What?'

'Say that again.'

'What?'

'Our wedding,' Danny grinned. 'Man, I never thought I'd see that happen. When do you want it to happen?'

Lindsay bit her lip. 'Well, that depends on where you'll let us have it.'

'You're thinking Montana, aren't you?'

Lindsay nodded. 'There's this tradition for the Monroe's to get married at the Monroe Ranch – my grandmother's. But it's outside. I didn't do it the first time around, and look what happened there.'

'Lindsay, if you wanted to get married in the morgue, I'd think you were extremely weird, but I'd do it if that's what you wanted. And just because something like that happened to you before - it doesn't mean it's going to happen again, Linds,' he told her gently, kissing her hand.

Lindsay leant over and kissed his nose. 'August. We're pretty much guaranteed good weather. But you can pick the date.'

Well guys, I'm sorry about being MIA for so long - I had my vacation and then I was moving house (seriously, it took me five days to build my bed!) I'm still moving, still at the henious job, but I'm still writing too - so thank you for still reading!