Chapter Twenty-Eight

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but the plot.

A/N: Lol! I've never seen so many angry/independent Lindsay fics! I was tempted to write one too, but so many writers have already posted so many good ones, I couldn't possibly compete. So yes, while I am disheartened at what the writers did for the past episode, I am quite content to stay in the happy universe I've created for D/L in this fic! You may have to drag me out.

This is the end for this fic and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Thanks!

After years of service and working on this job, Mac snapped wide awake in his bed at home at the sound of his house phone ringing. It was unlikely that the caller was from work and after last night, he doubted it was Peyton again. That she had called was a surprise and a shock, but he had gotten over it as she explained that Hawkes still kept in touch and had told her what happened. The two had talked, a little awkwardly at first and they had kept well away from the topic of their break-up, sticking strictly the team and other safe topics happening in their individual lives. With the limited topics they had, the two managed to stay on the phone for over an hour.

The phone rang again and Mac turned on the side-lamp, picking up the phone in the same motion. "Taylor." His brain perked up as he heard, or rather didn't hear, a familiar sound. Silence. A dial-tone. Mac looked at the caller display, knowing what he would see. 333.

Letting out a husky groan, Danny awoke slowly to the smell of coffee. Squinting his eyes, he flopped onto his back, slightly disoriented at the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling. Slowly, the events of the last night came back to him and he sat up to glance sleepily around the room. The sheets were cold on the other side and Danny ran a hand through his bed-hair.

Yawning, he gave one last stretch, got out of bed and snagged his jeans from floor. Putting them on, he went in search of Montana and coffee. Danny padded silently down the hallway towards the kitchen where he halted at the sight of Lindsay sitting morosely on a kitchen stool, staring at a family photo in her hand.

He watched, concern shining in his eyes, as tears slipped from beneath her lowered lids, landing on the glass. Shuffling quietly over to her, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her from behind.

"I'm sorry," Danny whispered quietly into her newly-washed hair, smelling of peaches and vanilla. His nose nuzzled the silky strands, inhaling the scent and tightened his arms around her body.

It was a quiet cry this bright morning and Danny held her tightly to his chest throughout, murmuring and cooing comforting words into her hair.

"You know, I don't think Mac would begrudge you staying home today," he ventured softly, running a hand through her hair.

Shaking her head, Lindsay wiped her tears away. "Staying here alone with my thoughts is worse." She took a calming breath.

He kissed her gently on the forehead before giving into her tug on his jeans and giving her a sound kiss on the lips. "I'll be right beside you every chance I get." He pulled her up from the stool and fiercely hugged her. "How about tonight I make you dinner? I can cook a few things that'll wow you." He smiled comfortingly at her.

"That sounds nice." She gave his bare chest a butterfly kiss. "Why don't you take a shower and I'll make us breakfast, sound good?"

Danny nodded, hesitant to leave her alone. The sadness hadn't wavered from her face. "I'll only be a bit."

Watching him disappear back down the hallway, her attention re-focused on the picture of her family. Lindsay traced the faces of her parents, feeling the pang of pain. Having Danny back in her life brought a wonderful feeling, but she would give almost anything to have her parents alive and safe.

"I love you, mom, dad." She lovingly placed the picture frame on her kitchen counter, giving it a sad smile before beginning to work on breakfast. Today marked the beginning of a slow heal.

After a quiet breakfast, the two shrugged on their coats, getting ready to face another day. Waiting patiently for his girlfriend to lock her apartment door, a protective feeling rose within Danny as he took in her quiet sorrow.

"You ready?" Reaching out, Danny looked back at her.

Lindsay took the hand that he held out to her, clutching it tightly. "Yes."

--

Throughout the day, the two had managed to stay close to one another. Danny's hovering behavior catching the ever-aware eye of Mac Taylor, who assigned Lindsay to help with his case. At any other time, the ferociously independent Lindsay would have quickly become irritated with his lingering, but today, she welcomed it. Clung to it to keep her steady, grounded.

Seeing Stella was also a comfort. The older woman holding the place of 'big sister' in Lindsay's life; she was also relieved Stella didn't press her. It was a tribute to the entire close-knit team that no one else in the lab knew the ordeal Lindsay had gone through. She was spared from any sympathetic looks or whispers behind the back.

The day passed normally as Lindsay found slight comfort immersing herself in her job, but mostly it was due to the man that could be found always in her vicinity. He lent her silent strength and support, made sure she ate, and kept her spirits up with the teasing banter she so enjoyed between them.

It was nearing the end of the day when Danny looked up and then sighed. "Brace yourself," he said quietly as he stood beside Lindsay at the evidence table where she was helping him sort through dozens of fingerprints that he had collected from his latest case.

Lindsay looked up questioningly. "What?" She followed the direction of his chin jerk and saw Hawkes accompanied by Flack heading their way. "Oh." Danny briefly laid a hand over one of hers that was lying on the table.

As if his stature wasn't enough, Flack announced his presence with arms spread in the air. "Lindsay!" In complete opposite and part of his personality, Hawkes looked warmly at her. Flack moved to hug her when she stepped back and held out a hand. "Bullet graze to the arm," she gestured. "It still hurts a bit. But I'm still glad to see you guys." Perhaps it was her soft voice or the look in her eyes, but both Flack and Hawkes gave her comforting smiles and Flack changed his hug to a tiny peck on her cheek, grinning cheekily at Danny.

"We've missed you, Linds," Hawkes said, meaning it. Out of the corner of his eye, he could feel Flack's curiosity radiating off him and stifled the urge to laugh. But from what he could tell, neither Lindsay nor Danny were talking.

Recognizing this, Flack clapped his hands. "Hey, the day's almost over, ours at least anyway; how about we all go out for a drink?"

Lindsay gave her exuberant friend a meek smile. "Can't. Danny's coming over to cook me dinner." She looked up as the man himself moved closer until their sides were touching and he placed a warm hand on the small of her back.

Hawkes had a look of amusement on his face while Flack laughed loudly. "Danny? Cook? Be careful Linds, you might get food poisoning."

"This coming from the man who sometimes comes over to raid my fridge," Danny snorted, helping Lindsay out of her lab coat seeing from the clock that they were almost done for the day. His hands trailed softly over her arms as he took the coat off, ignoring the looks from his friends and enjoying the slight blush on Lindsay's face. He hung the coat as well as his own and returned to his previous position. "We should start heading out." He looked at the two men. "We'll see you guys tomorrow, yeah?"

Lindsay gave a soft goodbye as Danny led her out, towards the locker room, with his hand never leaving her back. Hawkes and Flack watched as the two disappeared, their heads bent together, and showing that their relationship was well on its way to being stronger than ever.

--

"So what do you want to watch?" Lindsay asked as Danny settled down on the couch beside her. "Shockingly, there isn't a game on tonight."

He draped an arm around her and pulled her close, nuzzling her neck. "I don't really care," Danny mumbled against her soft skin, inhaling her scent. "I'm just glad that I'm here with you." He wrapped his other arm around her waist. Ordinarily not a touchy-feely kind of guy, Danny threw his old rules out the window when it came to Lindsay. He really was just glad that she had come back from Montana, that she was still working at the lab, that she had given them a second chance, but most importantly, that she still showed a semblance of that spark that made him fall for her. There was still hope. Danny wasn't going to press her to jump into bed anytime soon; there was still a lot of things Lindsay needed to work through and he would be there for her, in this new open-and-honest relationship. He would go at her pace.

Lindsay shivered lightly as Danny pressed tiny kisses on her neck, coasting slowly to her collarbone. The tiny hairs of his goatee scraped against her skin and she sighed, sinking into his embrace, feeling relief and protection from the pain in her life. She reached up and caressed his cheek, drawing his attention to her. As her deep brown eyes connected with his sky blues, she beamed a soft brilliant smile that had his heart jumping and a smile lit his face. Leaning her forehead against his, she whispered between their lips, "I'm glad you're here with me too." Her eyes dropped to his lips before closing. "Really glad." Danny took his time reaching her lips; skimming his lips across her cheeks, giving a small peck to her cute button nose before drawing her lips in with his.

Danny felt Lindsay wind her arms around his neck, her nails scraped gently against his scalp, and he couldn't suppress the moan coming from his throat. His Montana felt so good and he had missed her so much.

Breaking apart for air, but not moving apart, they looked at each other softly, saying nothing, but feeling everything. Danny drew her lips back to his. They had definitely missed each other.

END

AN: Any of you notice that he's calling her Montana at the end instead of Lindsay or Linds since this fic started? Just thought I'd point that out.

There is a sequel in the works, coming sooner than you think that tie up some of the loose ends I've left dangling in this one. I already have it all planned and will definitely have more romance than this one, now that Lindsay's back in the city. Future smut? Quite possibly.

Thanks for reading! Thanks for all the reviews! Every time I got one, they gave me warm fuzzies (what writer doesn't get them? :)). So, thanks, thanks, thanks!!