A/N: Danny’s thoughts are underlined, Lindsay’s are italicized. Also, I had to break up most of the dialogue... (sorry if it’s a little confusing). Wouldn’t it be a lot easier if we could color-code? I think so.

This Thing

Love run cold.

Oh, how they had to talk. Not just a flippant remark here, or a strained conversation on a bustling New York City sidewalk. A talk, right now.

Does she think she’s walking away from me? “Lindsay Monroe.”

Oh God. My entire name just came out of Danny’s mouth. This place doesn’t have enough exit doors. Is that Stella? Maybe I can catch up with her before he gets his hooks in me.

Oh no, she’s not getting away this easily. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Damn it, Danny, let me go. It’s better that way, just let me... go.

“I have to know what’s going on with you.” And you owe me an answer, so stop runnin’ and get to talkin’.

No, Danny, you don’t. Please, just let it go. Just, be angry with me. Ignore me. Stop wanting to talk to me. You don’t need for me to hurt you, I can’t... please don’t make me hurt you.

“Look, I mean, you and I, we have this thing, right? This chemistry? Like we’re into each other?” I can feel it, even now... and you can, too. So don’t tell me I’m wrong, Monroe, you owe me more than a big fat lie.

Please don’t say it like that, Danny, you know it’s more than that. God, you have to know.

“But every time we’re in the same room together today, it’s like... don’t tell me you don’t feel it also.” Aww, come on, don’t make that face, please? I can sense something bad is coming... come on, Linds, don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Than it already is.

You know I do... please... please don’t make me have this conversation...

“I can’t do this, Danny.”

Did she just say that? What does that even mean? She can’t talk to me in the hallway, or she can’t eat some pizza with me? Doesn’t have to be pizza, we can grab some tacos or something... don’t tell me you mean that how it sounds...

Did that just come out of my mouth? Please don’t take that the wrong way, Danny... just bow out now before I have to tell you...

“You can’t do what?”

Say you can’t replace a manifold. Can’t send back the wrong soup at the deli. Can’t catch a fly ball. Anything else. Is it me, or is it extremely hot in here? We can’t get some air conditioning in here?

You can do it, just say it, hurry up, spit it out. Crush his heart. Oh God.

“I can’t... be in a relationship... with you.”

What?

Please don’t hate me...

“All right, I don’t, I don’t... um, I just... I’m talking about spending some time together. Dinner. A few drinks. Some laughs.”

It’s not like I’m shoving a ring on your finger, Linds, just asking for some time alone with you... come on... don’t end it like this, before it even got a chance to begin.

Don’t make this harder than it is, I already feel horrible... God, why couldn’t I have met you a year later, or maybe...

“Look, Danny... I like you. A lot. But right now, I can’t. It’s not you, okay? I just... I need to be by myself so I can... work some stuff out, that I thought... I had put behind me. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Maybe we should just do our jobs.”

What happened to this girl? She doesn’t get it. She don’t know how good I am at fixing things... just gimme a chance, please. How do you expect me to ‘just do my job’ with you standing next to me every damn day, distracting me... smellin’ like coconuts? I can’t.

I have to get out of here... I have to get out of here...

“If there’s anything you need from me, just let me know, okay?”

Linds, you gotta know I’d do anything for you.

He has to learn to let me go, for his own good...

This thing...

We have this thing... and it’s killing me inside.