A/N: I do not claim any rights to anything that is copy-righted, patented, otherwise legally owned; I'm just borrowing them to satisfy the plot-bunnies running through my head. Please read and review, but most of all enjoy.

Chapter 1

Danny stood next to hear, listening and watching the tears run down her face. What was it that drew her to him; she wasn't the type of girl he usually went for. She was nothing like Cindy, but maybe that's why Cindy and he hadn't worked out.

Sure, there was that casual, comfortable banter that they had between them and the underlying sexual tension combined with the occasionally flirt, but he couldn't date a co-worker, could he? He wasn't sure how Mac would react. He and Stella were quasi-dating, but was that different? And what would happen if it didn't work out, how could they possibly work together.

"What do I do wrong? Why am I so disposable? Why am I so attracted to people who don't understand me?" Lindsay sobbed. "He said he couldn't handle my job!" Pounding the side of her first on the railing she was leaning on, she practically screamed that last sentence.

"Lindsay, you are not disposable. You are a wonderful, kind, caring, and attractive woman. Pacey is a fool. By the time he realizes what he had, it'll be too late. You'll have moved on to someone who appreciated you and saw you for everything you are." Danny tried to console her, but couldn't help but be happy that Pacey was out of the picture.

"Yeah well," said Lindsay spat out bitterly, "that doesn't exactly mean a lot coming from you."

"What in the hell does that mean?" Danny asked angrily, staring hard at her.

Lindsay stared hard back at Danny as well, her face red and wet with tears. "If you want to help, tell me how not to attract losers. Why, after I tell a guy what I do, does it seem they bolt? Tell me what makes me so disposable, so forgettable? Tell me what I do wrong and so that maybe I can fix it."

Danny turned to face Lindsay, his face unreadable.

"You are asking the wrong guy." He said sternly, grabbing both of her arms and pulling her close to him, hard. Wrapping his arms around her, his lips met hers, and only when the need for oxygen was burning both of their lungs did they break apart.

"Danny -" Lindsay started when she was cut off.

"Lindsay, I have to go." Danny said abruptly, turning on his heel and running off.

Lindsay sank to the floor, with her back against the wall. Why did I even move here, she thought silently to herself as the tear started to fall once more.

FLASHBACK

"Lindsay, there's a call on line one for you. I think it's Pacey." Stella said as she passed by the lab, smiling at the newest CSI. Lindsay nodded, put down what she was working on, went out into the hallway, and answered the phone.

"Hello, this is Lindsay." She said into the receiver, with a slight smile on her face. She could hardly believe that she had been dating Pacey for about 6 months. She was beginning to think that she was really starting to fall for him. After a series of bad relationships within the past year and half of moving to Manhattan, she was beginning to think that she would never find someone that she would really click with. Then, at a small party at Stella's, she met Pacey.

Pacey was a columnist for the Manhattan Daily News, and he was working on getting his first book published. She thought he was attractive at first, and then she got talking with him. She was amazed at how much they had in common. He had lived in Montana, about 45 minutes from her home town, for several years when he was younger. They were both avid runners, loved being outdoors, liked to ski in the winter…the list went on an on.

Actually a lot of things had changed in the year and a half since she'd first came to Manhattan. She had become close with all of her co-workers, even Danny. They were like family to her now, and the thought comforted her on nights when she missed her family the most. She had even taking to going out every once in awhile with the team. The person however, that had surprised her was Danny. Once she broke through that tough New York exterior, he was really a nice guy and she actually enjoyed being around him. They still had the casual bantering, and there was occasional flirting, but Lindsay knew that Danny had Cindy and she wasn't going there, she wasn't that woman.

"Hi Honey," came the voice from the other end, "I was just wondering if you wanted to meet me for lunch since I got my column done early."

"Pace, I would love to" Lindsay started, "but I can't. Danny and I are working on this case and we have--" She was cut off and her smile slid from her face.

"Whatever. I knew that this was a mistake. I should have never called you. How could I have expected you to want to join your boyfriend for lunch, when you're working on a case with Danny" He said the last word laced with malice.

This was only area that Pacey and Lindsay didn't agree on. Pacey had told her time and time again that he would feel more comfortable if Lindsay would only work with Stella on cases. But it wasn't that he didn't like Danny, no…oh no, he thought Danny was a great guy…blah, blah, blah. He always said that it was just that he wasn't happy with the "hold" that Danny seemed to have on Lindsay. Whatever that meant.

"Pacey, please don't start." Lindsay sighed, not wanting to have this conversation, "you know there's nothing going on with Danny and I. We've been over this, Danny is a part of my life, he's one of my friends, like family."

Lindsay listened to his breathing on the other end of the line. She waited for a response that she knew in her heart wasn't going to come.

"Pace, look I get out at 4 today, why don't you make reservations at a restaurant or we can order in and watch movies tonight? Whatever you'd like, it'll just be us tonight." Lindsay said, hoping it would change the subject.

"Fine." Pacey finally answered her, although the stiffness in his voice was hard to miss. "Any specific mood you're in tonight?"

"As long as we're together, I'll be fine with whatever you decide." Lindsay answered, somewhat honestly. She would rather just stay in, cozy in her pajamas, snuggling on the couch with a him and a hot cup of cocoa, but with the mood that he was in she wasn't going to press the issue.

"Ok," Pacey said, some of the stiffness gone from his voice, "I'll be at your apartment at around 5, ok?"

"That's great, I'm really looking forward to it." Lindsay said honestly, "I'll see you then."

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Lindsay pinched the bridge of her nose, and shook her head.

"Hey Linds," called Danny from the lab, "I got something."

"Coming Danny," Lindsay called back, "Be right there."

She pinched the bridge of her nose once more and rubbed her eyes quickly before walking back into the lab. Danny smiled at her.

"Who was that? Pacey?" Danny asked, not trying to be nosey, but just being curious.

"Whatcha got?" She asked, ignoring his question, walking over to the table where he was working. She didn't really like discussing Pacey with Danny for some reason, though she didn't know what that reason was.

Danny was looking into a microscope, examining something that must have come off the victim's clothing.

"Look into the scope," Danny replied, "Tell me what you see or rather what you don't see."

Lindsay looked into the scope, she knew that the fiber on the left was tri-lobal, but the other was some other type of synthetic weave that Lindsay couldn't tell what it was just by looking at it. She looked away from the scope and at Danny.

"They don't match." She said, feeling completely stupid for mentioning the obvious. "Where's the one on the right from?"

"We pulled them both out of the victim." Danny said smugly, "I ran a color analysis test on them, and they are both the same type of fiber, color, weight, and weave." He was talking very quickly and animatedly.

"Ok," said Lindsay, jumping on Danny's train of thought, "that means we're looking for what? Manufacturers' of this type of fiber? I didn't immediately recognize the one on the right. It looks like it might be a new type of weave, maybe micro-fiber?" She raised an eyebrow, and cocked her head to the side. She bit her lower lip, deep in thought.

"Ya know," said Danny smiling slightly, "You look pretty cute when you do that."

"Do what?" ask Lindsay, looking slightly confused.

"You bite your lower lip when you're thinking." Danny said offhandedly, "I just think you look cute when you do that."

Lindsay blushed and wasn't exactly sure what to say, so she didn't say anything. She knew Danny was watching her, to see what she was going to do. Half of her wondered if he was serious, that he thought she was cute, then guilt took over. She was with Pacey and she shouldn't be having these thoughts. She turned to Danny.

"So, if you're so smart, do you know what kind of fiber it is on the right and do you have a list of manufacturers'?" She asked him with a knowing smile on her face. Danny shook his head, indicating no.

"Well then," said Lindsay, interlocking her arm with his, "Let's get to work."

Danny and Lindsay spent the rest of the afternoon, going over fiber weaves and finally had it narrowed down to one type of weave and had a working list of manufacturers'. Lindsay looked down at her watch, it was three minutes to four.

"Wanna go get a drink or something?" asked Danny, noticing her looking at her watch.

"Rain check?" she asked, "I've got plans with Pacey."

"Yeah, sure," said Danny, "Rain check." He smiled at her in a reassuring manner, just to make sure she knew how disappointed he was pretending not to be.

Danny watched her as she took off her lab coat and hung it on the rack. His eyes followed her down the hall until she was out of site. He sighed inwardly, she looked gorgeous today, and whether she knew it or not, he really did mean it when he said she looked pretty when she was thinking. He started working on the case again, thinking what he wouldn't give to be in Pacey's shoes tonight.

Back at her apartment, Lindsay showered and got dressed in a pair of comfortable slacks and an oversized sweatshirt. Since she didn't know what Pacey had planned, she wanted an outfit that was easily changed. She settled in on the couch, and waited for the sound of the buzzer, indicating that Pacey was here.

About forty-five minutes later, the buzzer finally sounded. Lindsay walked to the intercom.

"Who is it?" Lindsay asked, just being on the safe side. She didn't want to be one of those people who just buzzed people in because they were expecting someone. Danny had been drilling safety into her since she had gotten her own place.

"Pace" came the response. Lindsay smiled.

"Come on up." Lindsay said and opened the door slightly.

Lindsay was in the kitchen making some hot tea, when a pair of strong hands wrapped around her neck and snuggled into her neck.

"You smell so good" came a muffled sound from in between her neck and collarbone.

"Thank you Pace," Lindsay said, "and as much as I am liking this, I'm starving. What are we doing for dinner?"

He turned her around to face him. He kissed her gently, and held her close.

"I thought we would just stay and relax, maybe watch a movie. Since you've had this place, I don't think you've enjoyed one singularly relaxing evening here."

Lindsay smiled at him.

"I definitely, definitely agree with that." Lindsay said, closing the gap between them to kiss him again. "So what are we going to eat?"

"I don't know, how about Chinese?" asked Pacey.

"Sounds wonderful. Why don't order me some sweet and sour chicken with white rice? I'll go pick out a movie. What are you in mood for? Action, or romantic comedy, and no you don't get any other choices." Lindsay stuck out her tongue at him and went into the living room.

After their dinner had arrived, they ate and chatted about their days, and what had gone on. Well more Pacey chatted and Lindsay listened, but it was comfortable nonetheless. When they were finished eating, they settled on the couch to watch the movie Must Love Dogs. They were about a quarter into the movie when Lindsay's cell phone went off. She heard Pacey groan as she reached for the offending device. She threw him an apologetic look, and he paused the movie.

"Lindsay" she answered, "Uh huh…uh huh…you did…well that does change things…ok…ok…yup." Lindsay got up off the couch, while still talking on the phone.

"Everything ok?" Pacey inquired, looking at her.

She motioned for him to wait one minute, and then she hung up the phone. She looked at him apologetically again before she spoke.

"I'm sorry, that was Danny. I have to go."