Well Done

Summary: Danny and Lindsay discuss their cases with each other. - DL, part 3 of the season 2 series

Author's note: This oneshot is set after episode 2x05 Dancing With The Fishes. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing the other parts! Special thanks to Dine89, LoveIsInTheAir4DL, NothatRose and afrozenheart412!

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything.

Rating: T

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Sitting at one of the table in the break room, Danny was glaring at the mug of coffee in front of him. He wasn't sure if his mood could get much worse than it was at the moment. He and Hawkes had successfully managed to close their case, but the case itself had frustrated him. The fact that his girlfriend also put pressure on him with his expectations didn't make it any better for him.

"Is that how someone who just solved a case looks like?"

Interrupted in his thoughts by Hawkes's voice, Danny sighed. He waited until his friend had joined him at his table before he shrugged. "Sorry, I'm just tired of the way some people behave. Wouldn't you just like to kick them all sometimes?"

"Sure," Hawkes agreed. "But I think we always get that feeling with every killer."

"True." Danny released another deep sigh. "See, Doc...I don't get this world sometimes. I mean, isn't it okay anymore to send you child to a normal kindergarten? To a normal public school? Is it really a fact that when you don't pay thousands of dollars a year for education, your child won't ever have the chance to study at a good university?"

"I don't know," Hawkes answered, shrugging as well. "I didn't go to any private school, yet I managed to become a doctor. I doubt it's a must. Then again we grew up a generation earlier. I don't know what they're expecting nowadays." He paused before he gave Danny a questioning look. "But didn't you say you don't want to have kids anyway?"

"Yeah, but you never know, right?" Danny hesitated. He hated such conversations. Clearly he could remember the little exchange between him and Mac in a church a while ago. Love would happen to him as well. Just the thought of discussing that with his boss had made him cringe.

Love. That was no topic he liked to talk about. Danny had gotten used to pretend that he wasn't interested in falling in love at all. He liked himself in the role of the player who went out, flirted and had easy relationships which he could get out of when things got too much for him. He didn't want to open his heart to a woman, knowing he would become vulnerable.

But even though he had gotten used to not being in a serious relationship, to having his fun and not having to be responsible for anyone than himself. But sometimes he caught himself while imagining how it would feel like to fall in love. So many times, his mother had tried to convince him that he was getting into an age where he should have his own little family. Sometimes he wondered how that would feel like.

"You never know," he repeated. "Not everyone plans on having a wife and kids, yet it happens. But I doubt I could afford something like a private kindergarten or private school."

"I doubt it's necessary," Hawkes replied. "Look at us. You went to a normal public school as well, and look how far you have come already."

Danny nodded. "Yeah." He paused for another moment. "The poor man, he worked his ass off because he thought his son should go to such a kindergarten, and what happens? This jealous idiot kills him for that. How can some people be so damn jealous? Gosh, it wasn't the vic's fault his son was chosen."

"Yeah, but you know how some rich people are," Hawkes told him. "Some of them believe you can get everything as long as you have enough money. He bought that sandbox, he thought that was enough to qualify his son for that kindergarten."

Danny snorted. "Yeah, Daddy shows his full wallet and junior gets what he wants." He shook his head. "Still, even if they didn't give in to that, the way they treat those children is still creepy. I mean, you saw how young they were. Is it wrong that I think kids should be allowed to play and be happy instead of starting to learn who knows how many different languages at this age?"

Hawkes shook his head. "No, I think some people are overdoing it nowadays. They invest millions in their child's education, but they don't even have time to read them bedtime stories anymore. I think something's going wrong here."

"My words," Danny agreed, taking a sip of his coffee. As he felt that Hawkes kept on watching him. "What is it?"

"Nothing special," Hawkes answered with a smile. "I was just thinking about what else you told me this morning. Did you and your girlfriend find a solution?"

"Depends," Danny replied. "Sarah and I broke up."

"Just because of that?" Hawkes raised his eyebrows in surprise.

But Danny shook his head. "Nah, it just didn't fit anyway." He rolled his eyes. "What is it, Doc? Stop looking at me like that."

"I really think you should start looking for someone who does fit to you," Hawkes suggested. "I don't want to tell you what to do, but does that really make you happy? Dating some random woman who's actually getting on your nerves? Why don't you look for someone who's nice, who you like? Someone who you could see yourself being together with for more than just a few weeks."

"And be single for years like you?" Danny shrugged.

"I know someone who'd fit well to you," Hawkes said with a wink. He glanced at his watch, releasing a sigh. "Sorry, but I better get going."

Danny only nodded in response. He watched as Hawkes left the break room again, mentally replaying what he and his friend had just talked about. Of course it was getting frustrated to hop into a relationship with someone who didn't fit to him, someone who didn't understand him. But at the moment, he didn't know what else to do if he didn't want to be single for a longer period of time.

Just as he moved to get up and leave as well, he spotted another co-worker who was just on her way to the break room. Instinctively, Danny sat down again, and returned the smile Lindsay gave him as she walked through the door.

"Hey," she greeted him. "Would you mind if I joined you?" She waved the small box she was carrying. "I got some lunch, I could share it with you."

"What is it?" Danny wanted to know.

"Fish," Lindsay answered, climbing onto a bar stool at his table.

"Fish?" Danny cringed. "I think I have enough of fish for the next couple of days."

Lindsay gave him a questioning look. "Why?" she asked, opening the box.

"Our vic got killed by a swordfish," Danny answered. With amusement, he watched how she took in the smell of her lunch with delight. He had stopped fighting against his habit to watch her. He enjoyed doing that; he believed that none of his co-workers could get that excited during work. He loved to see how she seemed to be constantly smiling and in a good mood. Watching her made his own work a lot more enjoyable as well.

Lindsay cringed as well. "I see. Do you mind the smell? I could eat it later, or somewhere else."

Danny couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her. "You're funny. Of course I don't mind. I surely wouldn't expect you to eat your lunch anywhere else just because I had to deal with a killer swordfish."

"Thanks." Smiling back at him, Lindsay started to eat. He watched her for another few moments. Danny wasn't much into lab gossip, but it had one big advantage; as she was the new girl, a lot of people like to pay close attention to her. So he had heard a lot about how her own case had gone.

"I heard you did great work today," he said then. "You solved the case all by yourself?"

Immediately, Lindsay's cheeks flushed. "Not really. I worked together with Mac and Stella. Our cases were linked."

"But from what I heard it was you who found the important evidence, who found out that the woman's bruises were fakes and who found out what had really happened," Danny replied. "Come on, don't be so modest. It's your right to be proud of that. I mean, Mac and Stella had didn't know who the killer was. It was you who figured it out, put all the pieces together."

"Well, I worked as a CSI for a few years before I came over," she answered, her cheeks bright red now. "I'm not entirely new to the job."

Danny laughed. "Can't you just accept a compliment? You did awesome. How did you figure out the bruises were faked?"

Lindsay shrugged. "I thought her behaviour was odd. It didn't fit. I'm glad she confessed." Shaking her head, she sighed. "She killed him because she hated her marriage."

"She could've gotten divorced," Danny said.

Lindsay nodded. "Yeah, but then she'd have lost the money. She thought he owed her that after all those years."

Danny groaned. "It's always about money, huh?"

"Seems like that," Lindsay agreed. She released a deep sigh. "But I think they'll always find a reason to justify their actions, right? Let's not get angry because of that."

"Yeah, instead we should celebrate how good you solved this case," Danny told her with a wink.

Playfully, Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I really wonder if you're honest or just making fun of me."

"Will you ever trust in me?" he asked back with a smile. "Really, I think you should be proud of yourself. I know how nervous you are as the rookie. When I started working here, I wanted to do everything right. I wanted to impress Mac, and that wasn't easy, believe me. From what I heard, Mac and Stella both think you fit in really well."

"Do you think that as well?" Lindsay asked. She was smiling as well, but he could feel she was serious with her question.

"Yeah, I think that as well," Danny answered. "And don't forget, you still have to prove if you're really that good with playing pool."

"You'll be surprised," Lindsay said with a wink. She chuckled as she caught him glancing at her lunch. "Are you sure you don't want to give it a try? It's tasty. And no swordfish, don't worry."

He smirked back at her. "You're pretty stubborn, huh?"

"Yeah, I am," she said, handing a second fork to him. "Enjoy."

Indeed lunch tasted well, and as Danny continued chatting with Lindsay, he could feel how his mood started to get better. She was right; their cases shouldn't anger them. A lot more, he enjoyed having fun with someone he got along with so well.