On The Verge Of Something Wonderful (fka Let It Snow)

By: DKM

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Danny/Lindsay

Season: Post 2, before 3

Synopsis: Christmas is all about spending time with the people you love, but when Lindsay Monroe gets stranded in Manhattan and can't get home to Montana, Danny Messer is there to save the day, taking her to Staten Island to spend the holiday with his family. But that doesn't mean they'll have a stress free time. Fate has plans for them.

Author's Note: I'm just in that mood right now… Its Christmas time and I've got my heart set on a cute little love story between our favorite couple. Hehe! Definitely a nice change from the horror show I played for you guys with "If Tomorrow Never Comes." I hope you enjoy this one as much as you enjoyed that one, though!

Disclaimer: You know the drill… Not mine. Just having some fun here. Not making any money off it, although I should. LOL! Just kidding!

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"Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful…" The radio in the lab was on today, and Danny Messer was in a good mood, humming along with the Christmas song as he tried to focus on his work. But his focus waned from the microscope to the upcoming holiday only a day away. He was excited to go home and see his family for the first time in a month. Work had been keeping him away, his caseload almost too much to bear, but he worked through it, slowly, passing off as much as he could to whoever could help.

"And since we've no place to go, let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!" Danny softly sang as he whipped back to his work and took down a few notes.

Lindsay Monroe sat beside him, her chocolate brown eyes rolling as she too tried to focus on work. Unlike her colleague, she wasn't in such a good mood this holiday season. With New York City under almost two feet of snow and more on the way, every flight back to Montana had been cancelled, and there was no way she'd be getting on a bus or a train since all tickets had sold out months in advance. Having missed Thanksgiving, Lindsay felt obligated to go home for Christmas this year, but the prospect became bleaker and bleaker as more snow fell onto the city streets. "Will you shut up already? You're so off key it hurts my ears," she finally barked when she'd had enough of his good mood.

Danny's head snapped up, his sapphire blue eyes staring at her in shock and surprise. "What's wrong, Montana?" he teased, calling her by the nickname he'd given her the first day the met. There was a half smile on his lips as he added, "You get on Santa's naughty list this year or something?"

"You're such an ass," Lindsay grumbled under her breath as she returned to her work.

"Hey, I heard that," Danny replied, still grinning as he watched her.

"Good," she shot back, her mood still as foul as ever after finding out that this might be the first time she'd spend Christmas away from her family.

Quickly sensing her bad mood, Danny dropped his teasing and decided to take a more sensitive approach. "I'm just trying to make you feel better," he said, knowing where her anger stemmed from. It didn't take a genius to figure out her plans had been ruined with the snow storm outside. "I know how much it sucks to be away from family on Christmas."

"I bet you do," Lindsay replied in an uber-sarcastic tone as she threw down her pen and started to make her way towards the door. This was the last place she wanted to be right now. All the Christmas cheer was making her sick.

But Danny wasn't having any of her hissy fit. He stood up, effectively blocking her exit as he caught her by the arms and held her where she stood. Lindsay struggled to release herself from his hold, but he was too strong for her. "Hey, Linds, calm down. I'm sorry you're stuck here on Christmas, but you don't have to take it out on me."

Her shoulders slumped forward and the rest of her body went slack when Lindsay realized what she'd done. "I'm sorry," she mumbled her apology, her eyes staring down at her shoes. "It's just… I missed Thanksgiving and now I'm missing Christmas. I wanna see my family "

Danny began to feel bad. He'd been in such a good mood that he didn't notice just how hurt it made her feel. He gently rubbed her shoulders as he replied, "Look, if you can't find a way home by tomorrow morning, why don't you spend Christmas with my family?" Lindsay gave him a quizzical look and he added, "Seriously, I'll come pick you up wherever you are, airport, train station, bus depot, and I'll take you to Staten Island with me, that way, at least you're with a family for Christmas, even it if isn't your own."

"You're too kind, Danny, but I think I'll be able to find a way home, somehow," Lindsay was trying to reassure herself more than she was him.

"Offer's still on the table. Just call me, okay?" he said with one of his trademark grins that almost seemed to make her heart melt as he let go of her arms. That was Danny Messer for you; always the knight in shining armor.

Lindsay warmly smiled back at him as she headed out of the lab towards the locker room. "I think I'm gonna leave early today. I'm hoping someone dropped off the waiting list somewhere," she called over her shoulder.

"Alright, good luck," Danny answered back. He watched Lindsay saunter away slowly, her head down and her hands in her pockets. He felt bad for her, especially since she was so far away from home in a place that she barely knew. It broke his heart to see her, or anyone else for that matter, so sad on such a joyous occasion. The least he could do was offer her some hope, which is exactly what he'd done by extending her the invitation to join his family that year.