A/N: I'm lousy at updating because inspiration keeps trickling in slowly, and at the worst of times.

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Conversations

The summer sunshine did nothing to cool his temper as he stormed into the lab, up the stairs and into the break room. Hawkes was eating from his lunch bag when Danny collapsed on the cushioned chair across him and released a hard sigh.

“Hey, Danny, you alright?” Hawkes observed Danny’s crossed arms and forlorn expression.

“Yeah,” the vein at his temple was throbbing, so he reached up to press his fingers against it.

“Want to share some of that trouble?”

Danny looked up and saw Hawkes’ calm face with concerned orbs staring back at him. He hadn’t known Hawkes for as long as he had been tight friends with Don, but Danny knew the doctor was trustworthy, and one of the most observant people he had ever met. Before he could decide if Sheldon was worth talking to about girl trouble, his mouth opened on its own accord and words started spilling out.

“Lately I just feel empty, y’know? Other than work there’s nothing better to think about. The only other thing I seem to be able to think about just gives me a giant headache.” He sighed and closed his weary, jaundiced eyes, unsure of his friend’s reactions.

Sheldon smiled inwardly, moments like these are when his rotations in psychiatric wards during med school came into use. Truth was, he already knew what was bothering Danny, probably even before when Danny started to realize he was bothered. “Do I know what that other thing is?” Sheldon maintained a placid face and leaned in slightly closer. Danny had been skirting around Lindsay for way too long and she was perhaps the most guarded person Danny had taken an interest to.

“She just drives me crazy!” Danny exclaimed, rough emotions pushed their way through his vascular system. The thudding in his head was calming down, but not stopping.

Hawkes grinned, “By ‘she’ you mean a petite brunette with a soft mid-western accent, don’t you?”

Blushing, Danny ducked his head to hide that fact. “You already knew the answer, Doc. Just tell me what to do.”

Hmm, that was when Sheldon was pleasantly surprised. “You’re actually seeking relationship advice from me?”

“Yes.”

Obviously the man was too engrossed with his wallows in self pity.

“What happened?”

“I think she was flirting with Flack.” Danny muttered sullenly.

“Oh, wow. Seriously?” Sheldon could hardly believe his ears, “You sure you weren’t just over reacting?”

“I dunno, man, I dunno,” Danny scratched the back of his ear and let out another long sigh.

“Well, Lindsay’s not the kind of girl who appreciates crazy, huge romantic plans. She’s the kind of girl who remembers breakfast and coffee, little jokes and quips…”

“Since when do you know so much about courting Montana. Have you been flirting with her too?” Danny asked, alarmed.

Sheldon rolled his eyes. “Danny, I am not flirting with her. I give you my word that I am also not planning to court her, that wonderful job is all yours. But I talk to Lindsay too, you know.” Whoever thought Danny would use such old fashioned words like ‘courting’.

Almost immediately and incredulous expression painted itself on Danny’s face, “She actually tells you all that stuff?”

“Not so explicitly, of course. ANYWAY…she appreciates small things and good surprises that she says must make sense.”

“What do you mean ‘must make sense’?!”

“I don’t know, maybe you should ask her yourself. After all, you’re the one trying to impress her.”

The conversation died out when Mac came into the break room to get Hawkes, telling him that there was a new lead in their case. Danny sat alone, listening to the hum of the coffee pot drown out the thoughts rushing through his mind.

---

“What is it, Stella?”

“Shush Lindsay. You’re the only other female in the entire lab that I can even vaguely begin to talk to.”

“Dramatic, much?” Lindsay raised an eyebrow as Stella continued to pull her down the sidewalk.

“I said shush. Peyton is all grabby hands with Mac, and she’s nice but sometimes I get tired of her accent. And Jane Parsons is kinda weird. Don’t you think she’s weird?”

“Stell! What are you talking about?”

Stella pushed her into a café where they found a booth towards the back and sat down, straightening herself, she said, “I think Don asked me out.”

Lindsay tried her best to look surprised, “Really? And what did you say? No! What did he say?”

“He said, ‘Hey, you’re off tonight, right? Want to grab a beer after shift?’ I said okay.”

“Then what’s the matter?”

“I haven’t dated anyone since Frankie.” Stella’s features were clouded with doubt, apprehension and shame.

“Hey, hey, listen to me. Frankie was an ass, you didn’t do anything wrong. Just because he was an ass doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to go out there and find someone for yourself. It doesn’t mean a treasury filled with a lifetime’s supply of guilt; or fear of disappointment. Everybody is bound to feel lost now and then, but just because of an asshole we don’t stop living for the one you love. Don’t you see? You deserve more than the scum that rides this earth; we deserve more than an empty eternity.”

Stella watched in shock as her friend launched into emotionally charged sentences that held truth but each line seemed to cut Lindsay painfully.

“You go out tonight and have fun with Don; I’ll even sit by you and make sure nothing awful or embarrassing happens.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I feel like drinking tonight.”

“Are you alright? That little speech was awesome, but rather scary.”

Lindsay offered her a weak smile, “I’m fine.”

“Okay, if you say so. Oh look, lunch’s here.”

Lunch was mostly a companionable silence and they both left the café full and satisfied. As they walked back to the lab, Lindsay teased the taller woman for blushing every time Don’s name was mentioned. “Do you want me to sing Unchained Melody tonight while the two of you stare into each others eyes? Because I could, and I think it’d be very fitting.”

“No, you had better not! I much prefer My Heart Will Go On.”

Both ladies walked past the glass walls of the break room laughing loudly, unaware of Danny glaring sullenly behind them.

---

The hour for lunch had passed and it was time to head back to work, where emotions were suppressed beneath long lists of tasks to do and problems to solve. Danny got up from the couch and tossed his empty lunch bag into the bin, if luck be a lady they could close the case before nightfall and perhaps there’d be an opening for conversation before crime delivered itself to them in a large range of gruesome possibilities.

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A/N: Okay, I think there's a need for some minor character breakdown. Lindsay is convincing herself that she can love, which she knows she can and should, except that she's still bogged down by fears from the past which have built brick walls around her. Danny is pretty simple here, he's jealous of every guy who speaks Lindsay's name. Which is very caveman, but inevitable. He's as simple as a caveman because he's already gone past the insecurity stage and just really wants to grab hold of Lindsay and have a decent date with her. Sheldon Hawkes is the nicest guy who willingly gives out love advice. I haven't figured out if he likes Lindsay just a teensy weensy little bit. He might, but he won't act on it because he's the nicest guy who will step aside. Stella and Don are very uncomplicated at this moment. He likes her, but she's older than him and almost a boss. She likes him but is afraid. But there's not much in their way except for wobbly first dates just as in any other relationship. Mac is non-existent so far but I have hopes of putting more emphasis on him later on. But it all depends on inspiration and how the story will go on. I hope I haven't talked too much. Haha. Do review!