Bad Things, Good People

Part 2

By: ioanhoratio

A/N: So I originally planned on this just being a one-shot but I thought about this immediately following Flag on the Play and just thought it went pretty well with the first chapter. THERE ARE SPOILERS for last night's episode. This time it's Lindsay's turn to be pissed.

Special Thanks to LMooD7, new-york-babeee, tottalymad, Brinchen86, Lindsay1234, afrozenheart412, Sweet LIL loz, FuTuR3 4NsChIk, Annabeth83, The-Kiwi-CSI, JESSMARY25, KTmac09, AnickaMarie, kcatlin, CMW2, and laurzz. An extra big thanks to those who reviewed.

"What the hell?" Lindsay asked softly, "How can this be?"

Danny just shook his head in confusion, "I don't know Linds. This doesn't make any sense. I mean, come on, Casey is locked up for life," Danny began tapping some keys on the computer, "This is gotta be a mistake. I'm gonna run it again."

Lindsay had stopped listening. She could only see the headless body that had been hanging from a ceiling fan, or the eye sockets that had been filled with railroad spikes. Shane Casey was a murder who had done his best to destroy Hawkes...

Lindsay's breath caught in her throat--Hawkes. Casey had done his best to frame Hawkes for robbery and murder and now he might have gotten a hold of Danny's badge?! Lindsay's mind went a hundred different directions as she began to panic. One thing was extremely clear however as she turned to walk out of the lab, diapers and wipes forgotten.

Danny caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Hey, where ya goin'?" He called after her.

She gave no response just continued to walk. Danny followed after her and tried again, "Linds wait up. Where ya goin'?" He caught up with her fast pace and grabbed her arm, turning her around to face him.

"Lindsay, where are you going?" he asked again slowly and deliberately.

"I'm going to Mac's office and doing exactly what we should have done a week ago," she said firmly.

"No, babe, just wait a second a'right?" Danny implored.

"No!" Lindsay snapped, "I'm done waiting. We tried this your way first but enough is enough. I know you wanted a chance to find your stuff first, but that window passed days ago. And what's more is that you know it too. It's why you get so irritated at me when I bring it up because you know I'm right. I still don't understand why you've been so adament about not reporting your badge gone but this changes everything. We got lucky that you even found those dog tags. Don't you realize that Danny?"

Danny rolled his eyes in frustration, "Of course I do Lindsay, you think I'm stupid?"

"Don't start that with me, Messer. I've done nothing to deserve your attitude. I have been patient and have been trying to see this from your perspective but this is a whole new thing now and I am not going to risk our family to appease your pride," Lindsay turned again to walk away but Danny refused to let her go. He took in her anxious face.

His voice was softer as he spoke. "You're right. I'm sorry, but Lindsay just let me run the prints one more time ok? Just to be sure."

Lindsay's response was immediate. "No." She wiggled her arm out of his grasp and continued down the hall.

Danny ran a hand through his hair, then down his face as he geared up to fight with his wife. He jogged after her and cut off her route with his body.

"Move, Danny," Lindsay commanded quietly.

"Look, Lindsay I promise as soon as I'm certain the print goes back to Casey I'll go straight to Mac a'right? Please, just trust me," Danny pleaded.

Lindsay closed her eyes in resignation and Danny felt a bit of relief. He placed his hands on her shoulders to maintain contact with her before adding, "It's gonna be ok Linds."

Lindsay stood motionless for a moment, the fight slowly draining out of her as the adrenaline rush began to ebb. Lindsay couldn't let it go though.

"Please, Danny," Lindsay begged wearily, her distraught eyes rising to meet his, "I do trust you but I'm also afraid for you. I don't want to be afraid anymore. I am so sick of feeling worried. I know you are too; the tossing and turning at night, snapping at me, distracted conversations, skipped meals. I know you're concerned but what I don't know is why you keep thinking you're the only one dealing with this. I can't take feeling like this. I honestly don't know how much more I can handle but I can definitely tell you that I can't handle watching you deal with this on your own. It makes me feel like you don't need me and I need you to need me Danny. There have been so many days when I just wanted to give up, run away, and hide from everything that has been going on, but knowing that my family needs me—that you need me is what gets me through the really rough days. So please listen to me, please hear me when I say I am scared Danny and I'm asking you to go with me to Mac, please."

For the first time since his visit to the acupuncturist, Danny remembered that what happened to him; happened to her. He had thought he'd been doing such a great job keeping this off of her but he realized as he saw her taunt expression that he was only making things worse. Danny had spent years fighting his own battles and it was hard for him at times to understand how his wife worked into that part of his life. She had been such a strength to him, in ways neither could have imagined. It was his turn to be there for her.

Danny brought his hands up to cup her face and leaned in to kiss her forehead then rested his against hers whispering, "Go home Linds and kiss our daughter. I'm gonna go see Mac, a'right?"

Lindsay pulled back and studied his face.

"Really?" she asked surprised. She had expected her husband to put up more of a fight.

"Really," he confirmed, "I'm still not sure how to keep from screwin' things up, but I can at least work on fixing things when I know I've messed up."

Lindsay gave him a small smile and agreed, "That's what your wife is for."

Danny smirked at her, "That and so much more. Go home and don't...

"...worry about it?" Lindsay finished for him derisively, raising an eyebrow.

Danny lifted his arms in surrender, "Sorry, I forgot. You've got my back," then added teasingly, "You better wait up for me."

"Like I could go to sleep wondering about this whole Casey thing," Lindsay told him.

"I'll call ya as soon as Mac and I find out somethin' about what's goin' on, ok?" Danny pulled her into a quick hug. Then he turned and headed down the hallway, while she made her way towards the parking garage.

"Oh, and Montana," she heard her husband call out, "For the record, I will always need you."

The end

Thanks for reading!