(no subject)
Title: No Sleep for the Wicked
Rating: PG-13 (at most)
Words: 2,200
Spoilers: Up to 3x18 *squee*
Summary: What happens immediately after 3x18?
Disclaimer: Of course I own the characters. That's why I insist on torturing myself instead of having them hook up from Day 1. *nods*
Note: It's probably slightly... mood-swingy and the writing style's choppy but I'm still trying to get a feel for writing these two! Enjoy!
------------------------------------------
Danny Messer was feeling distinctly lightheaded. He wasn’t sure if this was due to the relationship that was forming between him and Lindsay, the feel of her small hand encased in his, the fresh Montana air that was practically burning his lungs, or the fact that he really hadn’t slept in a long time. Either way, he was feeling good.
Laughter escaped Lindsay once more. It felt good to hear her laugh again. It had been ages since he heard that sound, so he turned around and smiled at her. He nearly tripped as a result, and she giggled.
“Maybe I should lead the way,” she teased. “This IS my hometown.”
“Lead away,” he replied while gesturing up ahead.
As she ran up ahead, he followed, not particularly minding the view he was afforded. She’d lost weight since he’d last seen her, Danny noted somewhat grimly. When he’d landed at Gallatin Field, he’d barely noticed how tiny the airport was. He had been far too wired to sleep, partially afraid for Lindsay, but mostly at how she would react when she saw him. Already tense while he was on the plane (his nervous tapping drove the flight attendant and other passengers nuts), he had been dangerously close to snapping during the 20 minute drive over to the courthouse. The creak of the doors into the courtroom had nearly caused his already frayed nerves to snap, but all of it had melted away the second he saw her on the witness stand.
Tiny.
And afraid.
And with eyes that lit up with disbelief and so much emotion that it made his trip worthwhile.
Hearing the fear in her voice as she recounted the rest of her story had been difficult. Sobs echoed in the courtroom from the still-grieving parents, who had had to wait ten years for justice. Lindsay had still been trembling when she left the stand and came to sit down next to him. Almost immediately, his hand slipped into hers.
Leaning in so only she could hear him, he had whispered, “You did good, Montana.”
Her tears began to spill over, and he could see the edge of panic hitting her. Without saying anything else, he had led her firmly out the courtroom and into the hallway where he’d pulled her in his arms. Cries wracked her body.
“You did good, Montana.”
And she had. She had amazed him with her courage - remembering what had to have been terrifying memories and facing her friends’ mothers.
His hand squeezed hers purely on reflex, causing her to turn around. “Danny?”
He didn’t particularly trust his voice at the moment. With his emotions still churning the way it was, he was afraid that he’d start croaking the second he started speaking.
He smiled at her.
She smiled right back.
------------------------------------------
They’d lost the reporters by the time they reached Montana State U. Still mid-afternoon, the campus had been brimming with student life. They had blended in rather easily, and Lindsay, mood buoyant from the verdict and possibly nostalgic, had decided to give him a tour. She had kept him entertained even though Danny had sensed that she hadn’t been the most outgoing girl after the brutal murders of her friends. Finally nearing sunset, they strolled with their hands loosely clasped, slowly making their way off campus.
“What time’s your flight at?”
“In a couple of hours. I only got the day off, and you had to be all the way out in Montana.”
She made a small noise, in agreement or something - he had no idea. Then, she spun around to look at him. “One last pit stop. Then I’ll take you to the airport.”
“We gonna go eat?” he asked hopefully.
Her laughter rang out. “No.” At the sight of the dejected slump of his shoulders, she nudged him. “Some place better, I promise.”
He lifted his eyebrow at her words. “Woah, Montana! There are some things I just don’t do on the first date…” He paused, “Although if you asked nicely…”
Some day, he was going to learn to process thoughts before they came flying out of his mouth. Showing up as moral support at a trial for a girl he cared about hardly constituted as a date. His steps faltering, he hoped he looked as apologetic as he felt.
She only gave him a smile, filled with gratitude at the normalcy he was trying to give her. “It’ll be worth it - promise.”
“Then we eat after?”
That smile only widened - this time with mischief. “Maybe.”
Who was he to argue? He was happy enough just being in her company, and and being a part of whatever this was.
------------------------------------------
Small towns worked differently than giant metropolitan cities, Danny came to realise. As soon as they’d stepped off campus, she’d come across a few residents, who clearly adored her (not that he could blame them) and had been awed by the courage she displayed by testifying. When they’d heard that she and her charming (heh) friend were about to hail a cab, they would have none of that.
So they’d been stuffed into the truck of Ed and Amy, who Danny had learned were long time friends of the family, and had known Lindsay since she was ‘ye high’ (they’d gestured exactly how tall she was no less). He had been partially impressed, amused, and then embarrassed to death when the older couple had asked them how long they’d been going out for. He’d found it momentarily satisfying to see Lindsay redder than he was. Elbowing her lightly, he had smirked only to have her cast him a dirty look. Ed and Amy had just grinned knowingly at their antics.
As the buildings of the small town fell behind them, he had found himself struck by the vast amounts of land overcast by the mountains. Though never one for nature, he had been able to appreciate its beauty. Moments later, there had been a wide grin on his face as he realised where Lindsay was taking him.
After thanking and bidding farewell to the kind couple (he’d blushed again when they told him they’d be seeing him soon), Danny turned around to face her.
“A wheat field, Montana?”
“Considering you’ve never seen one before, I thought it appropriate.”
The sun’s dying rays bathed the entire field in gold. It should’ve been the scenery that caught his breath, but instead, he found himself taken with the look upon Lindsay’s face. There were definitely memories behind them, both happy and painful all at once.
“Kelly’s family owns this field. We used to spend so much time out here, just sitting there, chatting and getting up to no good.” Her lips quirked. “Nobody could ever find us in the wheat fields, and it used to drive our parents nuts whenever we headed out here.”
“Especially at your height,” he added.
“Hey,” she chided with no heat in her words. Then she sighed before continuing, “Life was so simple back then. I mean, I never wanted to stay in Bozeman forever. None of us did, but in the end, I was the only one who got out.”
Reaching out, he grasped her hand, his thumb grazing the skin right below her knuckles. “Don’t you think your friends would want you to be happy?” he asked softly.
“I’m not sure I know how to, Danny. I was afraid for a long time. I was numb. I kept seeing their bodies, and I remembered right after I called 911 and the cops showed up, my friends’ parents did too. We’d all grown up together. They were like my own parents.
Seeing that look on their faces when I told them their daughters were dead, it nearly killed me. For a long time, I wondered… why me? Why didn’t I die with them?”
He squeezed her hand tight.
“When the opportunity to leave Bozeman came, I took it. I couldn’t face them anymore. It was so hard being there, not seeing my friends, and knowing that the murderer was out there somewhere living his own life while I couldn’t live my own. I thought the move would give me a new start, you know? I could be in this big city, and nobody would know me as Lindsay Monroe, the girl who saw her friends die. For a while, it was easy. I was a country girl,” she paused to smile a little at him, “trying to survive in New York City and my job. Cases were coming in a lot faster than I was used to. There was also getting used to working with others since I was used to handling cases on my own.”
Danny found himself filled with remorse at having bugged her as much as he did initially. He hadn’t meant to add to her difficulties.
As if knowing how he felt, she turned around to take his hand. “If anything, you helped me feel normal. I… I hadn’t felt like that in a long time. Someone was there to tease me, challenge me, and make me forget that I was a girl with this… past, you know? It felt good - so good I almost forgot.” Her face fell. “Then, one night, it all changed.”
“That night…” he said, understanding dawning upon him. After the case with the Hollys, he’d felt closer to her than he ever had, and with the way she’d clung on to him, Danny had thought that she’d felt the same way. It all made sense now. She’d received the call from the district attorney right after she had gone home to change for their date.
“I wanted to tell you, but it was like all my demons had come back again. I couldn’t drag you down with me like that. I was a mess.” She laughed humourlessly. “Still am really. But I’m not sure how long I can hold everything together by myself.”
Pulling her closer, Danny stared at her, lifting up a hand to brush her hair away from her eyes. “I told you, Lindsay. If you need anything, anything at all, you just let me know.”
Her mouth trembled. “I wanted to tell you.”
“I know.”
“I did.”
He leaned forward, pressing a kiss against her forehead before wrapping his arms around her. He could feel her inhale sharply as if to control her emotions. Her hands reached up to clutch at his jacket, the same way she had after the undercover stint.
Her “thank you” was muffled, but he still heard it.
“Any time.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hand in hand, they made their way to the airport. Lindsay had taken the opportunity to use the bathroom while he had gone to the ticketing counter. Making his way back to her, Danny wondered what was going to happen to them now. She emerged, looking more beautiful and more at peace than he’d ever recalled seeing her.
“Took you long enough,” he remarked. “What do women do in bathrooms anyway?”
On the ride over, she’d recovered her spirits enough. “It’s a secret. Women’s code of honour.”
He grinned.
“So, your flight is leaving soon?”
He rocked on his heels. “Yeah. Girl at the counter said I should check in soon. Apparently, there are a lotta folks heading to New York. Gotta get a good seat. Get some sleep before going back to work.”
An apologetic look appeared on her face as she reached out to touch his arm. “I’m so sorry, Danny. I…”
He met her gaze. “I wanted to, Lindsay.”
Basking in her smile, he felt himself filled with warmth knowing that she was smiling just for him. “When are you heading back?” he asked.
“Tomorrow. If I’d known, I would’ve…”
“Don’t worry about it, Montana. We’re going to see each other back in New York anyway…”
She must’ve heard the note of uncertainty in his voice. “Definitely.” Her cheeks reddened, making him wonder what she was thinking. “How about Friday?”
He blinked. “As in a date?”
“As in a date.”
He lifted a brow. “As in a … I buy you dinner, we laugh, have a good time, and I get to feel you up sort of date?”
Laughing, she shook her head. “I don’t know what type of girl you think I am…”
The words escaped before he could censor himself - again. “Mine I hope.”
He was completely caught off guard when she threw her arms around him and hugged him. “Me too,” she replied against his chest.
Resting his chin on top of her head, Danny gave up trying to fight the grin. He kissed the top of her head. “We’re gonna do this, Montana.”
“I’ll see you when I get back?”
“Count on it,” he replied, voice filled with promise.
“You should go. It’s the last boarding call.”
Pulling away, they both stared at each other awkwardly before Lindsay smiled and thrust a paper bag into his hands. “Dinner. Let it never be said that I let a man starve on me.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Leaving a man to eat on his own. That’s cruel.”
“Next time.”
“Next time," he repeated and lifted his hand in a wave. "See ya, Montana.”
“See you back home, cowboy.”
The second Danny cleared security, he let out the loudest whoop anyone had ever heard in the airport. With Lindsay’s answering laughter echoing in his mind, he boarded the plane and finally gave in to the lightheadedness he’d been feeling since he arrived.
He slept - soundly and loudly much to the same flight attendant's dismay.
Rating: PG-13 (at most)
Words: 2,200
Spoilers: Up to 3x18 *squee*
Summary: What happens immediately after 3x18?
Disclaimer: Of course I own the characters. That's why I insist on torturing myself instead of having them hook up from Day 1. *nods*
Note: It's probably slightly... mood-swingy and the writing style's choppy but I'm still trying to get a feel for writing these two! Enjoy!
------------------------------------------
Danny Messer was feeling distinctly lightheaded. He wasn’t sure if this was due to the relationship that was forming between him and Lindsay, the feel of her small hand encased in his, the fresh Montana air that was practically burning his lungs, or the fact that he really hadn’t slept in a long time. Either way, he was feeling good.
Laughter escaped Lindsay once more. It felt good to hear her laugh again. It had been ages since he heard that sound, so he turned around and smiled at her. He nearly tripped as a result, and she giggled.
“Maybe I should lead the way,” she teased. “This IS my hometown.”
“Lead away,” he replied while gesturing up ahead.
As she ran up ahead, he followed, not particularly minding the view he was afforded. She’d lost weight since he’d last seen her, Danny noted somewhat grimly. When he’d landed at Gallatin Field, he’d barely noticed how tiny the airport was. He had been far too wired to sleep, partially afraid for Lindsay, but mostly at how she would react when she saw him. Already tense while he was on the plane (his nervous tapping drove the flight attendant and other passengers nuts), he had been dangerously close to snapping during the 20 minute drive over to the courthouse. The creak of the doors into the courtroom had nearly caused his already frayed nerves to snap, but all of it had melted away the second he saw her on the witness stand.
Tiny.
And afraid.
And with eyes that lit up with disbelief and so much emotion that it made his trip worthwhile.
Hearing the fear in her voice as she recounted the rest of her story had been difficult. Sobs echoed in the courtroom from the still-grieving parents, who had had to wait ten years for justice. Lindsay had still been trembling when she left the stand and came to sit down next to him. Almost immediately, his hand slipped into hers.
Leaning in so only she could hear him, he had whispered, “You did good, Montana.”
Her tears began to spill over, and he could see the edge of panic hitting her. Without saying anything else, he had led her firmly out the courtroom and into the hallway where he’d pulled her in his arms. Cries wracked her body.
“You did good, Montana.”
And she had. She had amazed him with her courage - remembering what had to have been terrifying memories and facing her friends’ mothers.
His hand squeezed hers purely on reflex, causing her to turn around. “Danny?”
He didn’t particularly trust his voice at the moment. With his emotions still churning the way it was, he was afraid that he’d start croaking the second he started speaking.
He smiled at her.
She smiled right back.
------------------------------------------
They’d lost the reporters by the time they reached Montana State U. Still mid-afternoon, the campus had been brimming with student life. They had blended in rather easily, and Lindsay, mood buoyant from the verdict and possibly nostalgic, had decided to give him a tour. She had kept him entertained even though Danny had sensed that she hadn’t been the most outgoing girl after the brutal murders of her friends. Finally nearing sunset, they strolled with their hands loosely clasped, slowly making their way off campus.
“What time’s your flight at?”
“In a couple of hours. I only got the day off, and you had to be all the way out in Montana.”
She made a small noise, in agreement or something - he had no idea. Then, she spun around to look at him. “One last pit stop. Then I’ll take you to the airport.”
“We gonna go eat?” he asked hopefully.
Her laughter rang out. “No.” At the sight of the dejected slump of his shoulders, she nudged him. “Some place better, I promise.”
He lifted his eyebrow at her words. “Woah, Montana! There are some things I just don’t do on the first date…” He paused, “Although if you asked nicely…”
Some day, he was going to learn to process thoughts before they came flying out of his mouth. Showing up as moral support at a trial for a girl he cared about hardly constituted as a date. His steps faltering, he hoped he looked as apologetic as he felt.
She only gave him a smile, filled with gratitude at the normalcy he was trying to give her. “It’ll be worth it - promise.”
“Then we eat after?”
That smile only widened - this time with mischief. “Maybe.”
Who was he to argue? He was happy enough just being in her company, and and being a part of whatever this was.
------------------------------------------
Small towns worked differently than giant metropolitan cities, Danny came to realise. As soon as they’d stepped off campus, she’d come across a few residents, who clearly adored her (not that he could blame them) and had been awed by the courage she displayed by testifying. When they’d heard that she and her charming (heh) friend were about to hail a cab, they would have none of that.
So they’d been stuffed into the truck of Ed and Amy, who Danny had learned were long time friends of the family, and had known Lindsay since she was ‘ye high’ (they’d gestured exactly how tall she was no less). He had been partially impressed, amused, and then embarrassed to death when the older couple had asked them how long they’d been going out for. He’d found it momentarily satisfying to see Lindsay redder than he was. Elbowing her lightly, he had smirked only to have her cast him a dirty look. Ed and Amy had just grinned knowingly at their antics.
As the buildings of the small town fell behind them, he had found himself struck by the vast amounts of land overcast by the mountains. Though never one for nature, he had been able to appreciate its beauty. Moments later, there had been a wide grin on his face as he realised where Lindsay was taking him.
After thanking and bidding farewell to the kind couple (he’d blushed again when they told him they’d be seeing him soon), Danny turned around to face her.
“A wheat field, Montana?”
“Considering you’ve never seen one before, I thought it appropriate.”
The sun’s dying rays bathed the entire field in gold. It should’ve been the scenery that caught his breath, but instead, he found himself taken with the look upon Lindsay’s face. There were definitely memories behind them, both happy and painful all at once.
“Kelly’s family owns this field. We used to spend so much time out here, just sitting there, chatting and getting up to no good.” Her lips quirked. “Nobody could ever find us in the wheat fields, and it used to drive our parents nuts whenever we headed out here.”
“Especially at your height,” he added.
“Hey,” she chided with no heat in her words. Then she sighed before continuing, “Life was so simple back then. I mean, I never wanted to stay in Bozeman forever. None of us did, but in the end, I was the only one who got out.”
Reaching out, he grasped her hand, his thumb grazing the skin right below her knuckles. “Don’t you think your friends would want you to be happy?” he asked softly.
“I’m not sure I know how to, Danny. I was afraid for a long time. I was numb. I kept seeing their bodies, and I remembered right after I called 911 and the cops showed up, my friends’ parents did too. We’d all grown up together. They were like my own parents.
Seeing that look on their faces when I told them their daughters were dead, it nearly killed me. For a long time, I wondered… why me? Why didn’t I die with them?”
He squeezed her hand tight.
“When the opportunity to leave Bozeman came, I took it. I couldn’t face them anymore. It was so hard being there, not seeing my friends, and knowing that the murderer was out there somewhere living his own life while I couldn’t live my own. I thought the move would give me a new start, you know? I could be in this big city, and nobody would know me as Lindsay Monroe, the girl who saw her friends die. For a while, it was easy. I was a country girl,” she paused to smile a little at him, “trying to survive in New York City and my job. Cases were coming in a lot faster than I was used to. There was also getting used to working with others since I was used to handling cases on my own.”
Danny found himself filled with remorse at having bugged her as much as he did initially. He hadn’t meant to add to her difficulties.
As if knowing how he felt, she turned around to take his hand. “If anything, you helped me feel normal. I… I hadn’t felt like that in a long time. Someone was there to tease me, challenge me, and make me forget that I was a girl with this… past, you know? It felt good - so good I almost forgot.” Her face fell. “Then, one night, it all changed.”
“That night…” he said, understanding dawning upon him. After the case with the Hollys, he’d felt closer to her than he ever had, and with the way she’d clung on to him, Danny had thought that she’d felt the same way. It all made sense now. She’d received the call from the district attorney right after she had gone home to change for their date.
“I wanted to tell you, but it was like all my demons had come back again. I couldn’t drag you down with me like that. I was a mess.” She laughed humourlessly. “Still am really. But I’m not sure how long I can hold everything together by myself.”
Pulling her closer, Danny stared at her, lifting up a hand to brush her hair away from her eyes. “I told you, Lindsay. If you need anything, anything at all, you just let me know.”
Her mouth trembled. “I wanted to tell you.”
“I know.”
“I did.”
He leaned forward, pressing a kiss against her forehead before wrapping his arms around her. He could feel her inhale sharply as if to control her emotions. Her hands reached up to clutch at his jacket, the same way she had after the undercover stint.
Her “thank you” was muffled, but he still heard it.
“Any time.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hand in hand, they made their way to the airport. Lindsay had taken the opportunity to use the bathroom while he had gone to the ticketing counter. Making his way back to her, Danny wondered what was going to happen to them now. She emerged, looking more beautiful and more at peace than he’d ever recalled seeing her.
“Took you long enough,” he remarked. “What do women do in bathrooms anyway?”
On the ride over, she’d recovered her spirits enough. “It’s a secret. Women’s code of honour.”
He grinned.
“So, your flight is leaving soon?”
He rocked on his heels. “Yeah. Girl at the counter said I should check in soon. Apparently, there are a lotta folks heading to New York. Gotta get a good seat. Get some sleep before going back to work.”
An apologetic look appeared on her face as she reached out to touch his arm. “I’m so sorry, Danny. I…”
He met her gaze. “I wanted to, Lindsay.”
Basking in her smile, he felt himself filled with warmth knowing that she was smiling just for him. “When are you heading back?” he asked.
“Tomorrow. If I’d known, I would’ve…”
“Don’t worry about it, Montana. We’re going to see each other back in New York anyway…”
She must’ve heard the note of uncertainty in his voice. “Definitely.” Her cheeks reddened, making him wonder what she was thinking. “How about Friday?”
He blinked. “As in a date?”
“As in a date.”
He lifted a brow. “As in a … I buy you dinner, we laugh, have a good time, and I get to feel you up sort of date?”
Laughing, she shook her head. “I don’t know what type of girl you think I am…”
The words escaped before he could censor himself - again. “Mine I hope.”
He was completely caught off guard when she threw her arms around him and hugged him. “Me too,” she replied against his chest.
Resting his chin on top of her head, Danny gave up trying to fight the grin. He kissed the top of her head. “We’re gonna do this, Montana.”
“I’ll see you when I get back?”
“Count on it,” he replied, voice filled with promise.
“You should go. It’s the last boarding call.”
Pulling away, they both stared at each other awkwardly before Lindsay smiled and thrust a paper bag into his hands. “Dinner. Let it never be said that I let a man starve on me.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Leaving a man to eat on his own. That’s cruel.”
“Next time.”
“Next time," he repeated and lifted his hand in a wave. "See ya, Montana.”
“See you back home, cowboy.”
The second Danny cleared security, he let out the loudest whoop anyone had ever heard in the airport. With Lindsay’s answering laughter echoing in his mind, he boarded the plane and finally gave in to the lightheadedness he’d been feeling since he arrived.
He slept - soundly and loudly much to the same flight attendant's dismay.