Disclaimer: This is for entertainment purposes only, i have no hold over anything that belongs to CBS. (although i wouldnt mind a piece of Danny Messer ;) lol

Chapter 17:

Flack and Stella returned to the place that he had stood 5 minutes earlier with Danny. He took a deep breath and turned to face Stella.

" If i dont say this now, Stella, Im gonna... " He felt so frustrated that he couldn't find the right word to explain how he was feeling, but he had no choice but to tell her.

"Come on Flack, you have no reason to be secretive with me." Stella looked up at him and their eyes met.

"I was stupid, Stella." Flack sighed, and dropped his head. "I dont know why I never said anything to you sooner, i guess i thought that we would jus forget everything that had happened."
Stella stood closer to Flack and rested her hands on his sides. "Don, why do you think i brought Adam here with me tonight? It wasnt just to keep me company ya know. I did it to see if you would tell me how you felt..."
"But its been nearly a year now, Stel, ya didnt think ya could have done it sooner?" He grinned at her, and brought his hands up to cup her face.

"Well, time is a great healer, Don. I jus thought that after the explosion it was easier if we went our seperate ways. And you didnt disagree."

Flack moved his face closer to hers as she closed her eyes, and gently brushed his lips with hers. "I love you Stella. Always have. Nothing has changed." He felt her shiver with the chill of the wind, and pulled her closer.
"I love you Don. Can we go inside?" Stella looked up at him, and smiled. She had finally got the result she had been wanting, and she didnt want this feeling to end.

Stella and Don walked back inside just as the countdown to Midnight had begun. They joined hands with Mac, Peyton, Hawkes, Sid, Adam, Danny and Lindsey and counted down from 5.

"5...4...3...2...1...'Happy New Year!!!!" Everyone cheered and the sound of party poppers, and fireworks made their ears ring.

"I love you Linds," Danny whispered, kissing her softly as he ran his hand over her hair.

"I love you Danny, More than anything. " She kissed him back, and over Danny's shoulder she could see Mac and peyton, and Flack and Stella, all celebrating the new year ahead.

Lindsey and Danny had jus finished dancing to a song by Celine Dion, when she felt hot and dizzy. "Danny,.. i .. think i need .. sit down..." breathless and feeling slightly out of it, she walked carefully over to her seat a few feet away.

"Linds, you ok?" Danny looked at her worriedly. Kneeling down in front of her slowly, resting his hand on her knee, he motioned for the waiter to come over. " Can you get me a glass of ice water, please?" The waiter nodded and walked off, only to return mere seconds later with the order.

"I dont know what come over me.. " Lindsey said, taking a small sip of the water. " Maybe its all the champagne. It never agrees with me."

"Hey, i hope that doesnt mean you gonna be sitting in the bathroom all night with your head in the bowl!" Danny chuckled as he sat on a chair infront of her. "You wanna go home, Hon?"
Lindsey smiled and nodded. He leant forward smiling and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "I'll be right back, ok? Gonna call us a cab."
Lindsey watched him walk away in disbelief. She still could not understand how a girl like her, and a guy like Danny could hook up together and be so... what was the word she was looking for?... cute! She remebered when she first laid eyes on him at her first crime scene - a Staten Island boy who thinks he has all the charm, was what she thought when they were introduced. She never liked to hear stories about him and his 'conquests' when she was at work - it just made the green eyed monster inside rear its ugly head for the billionth time. She laughed to herself as she sat and reminded her self of all the times she had tried to fend Danny off of her, when at the same time she jus wanted him all to herself.

Her stomach churned and her throat was burning. Quickly she swallowed a large gulp of the water, and the sensation passed jus as Danny took her hand.
"Cab's gonna be here in 5. Let's say goodbye to the others 'k?"

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3:23AM Were the bright red letters that Lindsey could jus about read through her squinting eyes. She blinked a few times until the lines were no longer blurred, and rubbed her face. The moon was bright tonight, brighter than she had ever seen it since she had come to New York. Back in Montana where the fields were dark,and the sky was littered with tiny bright stars, the moon shone brighter than anything you had seen. Clothes were strewn across the end of Danny's bed, hanging off a chair in the corner, and shoes and socks were scattered on the floor. She smiled softly to herself, knowing what joy had come out of it. The churning in her stomach returned again, and this time she knew it wasn't going to pass in a hurry. Knowing she had to get up and make her way to the adjoing bathroom, she gently lifted Danny's arm from her waist, swung her legs off the bed and dashed quietly to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Her eyes squinted from the bright light as she flicked on the light, and knelt on the floor. With her head hanging over the edge of the toilet seat, she felt a sudden rush of acid surging up through her throat, dispensing into the toilet bowl.

A good 10 minutes later, and a splash of cold water over her face, she brushed her teeth and unlocked the bathroom door. When she stepped back into the bedroom, Danny

was awake, and sitting up.

"Hey, are you ok?" Danny whispered as he pulled the duvet back on her side so she could climb back in.

"Yeah, im fine Danny... i definatley think i had too much champagne.. remind me not to drink it again." She replied, sleepily. She turned to face him as he wrapped her in his arms and pulled the duvet up closer. She snuggled into him and he kissed the top of her head, rubbing her back with his hand.
"G'night babe." He whispered.
Lindsey didn't reply. The rhythm of his heartbeat had sent her back off to sleep.

Danny had woken at 9AM, had showered and got dressed by 9.30. Today felt different to him - he had no pain like he usually had. Quietly he left the bedroom, pulled on his jacket and left the apartment to get some breakfast for Lindsey and himself.

Out in to cold rain, he walked quickly to the Bagel shop, 2 blocks from his apartment. He pushed the door open, and was hit with the smell of cinnamon bagels. He knew Lindsey had grown to love them since she had come to New York - every morning with out fail she would turn up to work with one.

He ordered 2 bagels, a hot chocolate, and a milky cappucino to go. As he turned around to leave, he caught Stella and Flack sitting in the corner or the shop.

"Well well well! What have we here?" Danny exclaimed as he walked up behind them.

"Morning Messer. " Flack replied, sounding groggy. "What you doin here?"

"I was jus about to ask you guys the same damn thing!" Danny laughed. "Thought you two would have been all snuggled up at your apartment?"
"Flack thought it would be nice to get me some breakfast. And you know how much i love this place!" Stella said as she drank her steaming coffee.

"Ah, so now i know why Lindsey has a thing for these cinnamon bagels huh!"

"So how is Linds this morning?" Flack enquired, looking up at Danny. "She wasnt too good last night, no?"
"Nah, she was up vomiting that champagne at like 3 o'clock this morning. Thought id come and get her a treat. Anyways guys, i'll leave ya to it, ok?"

Danny patted Flack on the shoulder, and made his way out in to the rain once again.

Once inside his apartment, he pulled off his soaking wet jacket and threw it into the laundry basket just inside the bedroom door. Water dripped from his hair, onto his glasses, and from his glasses to the floor. He watched Lindsey sleeping for a few minutes as he stood in the doorway, and smiled to himself. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep, and he hated having to wake her up. He sighed to himself and smiled, before making his way into the kitchen to get her breakfast.