Hook, line and sinker

By Livvy

Summary: A convoluted tale of sleepless nights, old friends and flannel.

Author's note: No video store clerks were harmed in the making of this story

Feedback: Love it can't live without it.

Disclaimer: Nope not mine I just stole them for a while but I promise I'll give them back relatively unharmed

Friday 11.30 a.m. Helen's office

Lindsay arrives, looking disheveled, tired and miserable. Helen looks up from her desk as Lindsay enters and the shock of seeing her friend that way causes her mouth to act before her brain does. "Lindsay you look like shit!"

"Why thankyou Helen that is exactly what I needed to hear." Lindsay slumps into the chair with a sigh.

"Sorry" a very repentant Helen stands up and walks around to sit in the chair next to Lindsay "What's wrong?"

Lindsay looks at her with eyes filled to the brim with tears "It's... it's just ... I'm tired ... I haven't been sleeping and ... and then last night ..." sighing she turns away from Helen's gaze unable to finish the sentence. "I'm tired Helen and I need some time to myself to think about some things and, so if you don't mind, I need to cancel lunch today." She looks back at Helen her eyes begging for understanding "Is that ok? Can we please do it another time?"

"Sure if that's what you want."

"It is."

"Lindsay are you alright?" Lindsay doesn't respond and Helen becomes very concerned. "It's Bobby isn't it? You're fighting?"

Lindsay sighs, "Things have been a little ... last night we had words..." she sighs again "I'm sorry Helen. I can't talk about it yet; it's too soon. I need time to think things through and I need to work this out on my own."

Helen nods and squeezes Lindsay's hand "I'm here for you though if you need me."

Lindsay smiles appreciatively and rises to leave. As she opens the door Helen says to her "I don't know what's going on but whatever he may have said or done Lindsay I know Bobby loves you."

Lindsay pauses before going through the door considering what Helen said. She looks sadly back at Helen quietly saying, "I know" then she leaves.



1 p.m. DYD&F office

Lindsay walks into the office beaming. Bobby, who is talking to Rebecca, looks up when she arrives and smiles at her. She walks straight up to him and grabs his hand. "Can we talk?" Bobby excuses himself to Rebecca as Lindsay pulls on his hand drawing him into his office. Bobby closes the door behind them. Lindsay turns throwing her arms around his neck and kisses him enthusiastically.

"I take it all went well?" he laughs stroking her cheek after they separate.

"Yeah"

"So she bought it?"

"Hook line and sinker!"

"Are you sure?"

Lindsay looks at him questioning why he is asking that.

"It's just, you aren't a very good liar Lindsay, especially to Helen."

"I didn't have to lie."

His brow furrows in confusion "I thought you wanted her to believe we are fighting?"

"I do and she does."

"But we aren't fighting."

"I realize that" she grins, her hand has managed to slide between the buttons of his shirt and she is playing with his chest. He groans enjoying her touch but having trouble concentrating on the conversation because of it. He grabs her hand halting its movement.

"But you didn't lie?"

"Nope."

He laughs and swings her around until they are on the couch with Lindsay draped across his lap. "So what exactly did you say if you didn't lie?"

Between soft kisses peppering his neck, jaw and face she answers him. "All I said was ... I'm tired ... I haven't been sleeping ... last night we had ... words ... it's not my fault ... if she took that to mean ... we are fighting ... the main thing is ... she has no suspicion of me knowing ... 'and' she'll be willing to do anything I ask ... to cheer me up."

Pushing her back so he can look into her eyes he proclaims, "You did lie!"

"I most certainly did not!"

"You said we were fighting."

"I said we had words."

He gives her a look that says 'and how is that different'. She laughs "We did have words last night Bobby. I remember a lot of 'oh Gods' and 'right theres' and 'love yous' and if they aren't words I don't know what are."

He laughs and whispers against her ear "Miss Dole you have me very worked up I'm afraid I may have to have words with you tonight."

"Oh I certainly hope so Mr. Donnell," she replies seeking out his lips.

Lucy knocks on the door and popping her head in says, "Bobby, Monroe wants to know if he can move his appointment forward from three to two?"

Bobby looks at his watch and groans because his lunch break has just been shortened to twenty minutes. "Fine" he says grumpily and turning to Lindsay after Lucy has left says, "As much as I don't want to move right now..."

Lindsay stands and pulling him to his feet, says, "Lunch."

"Lunch" Bobby agrees. They walk to the door. "Or we could..." Bobby begins, grabbing her waist and pulling her back against him. She laughs "No you need to eat because you 'will' need your strength later."

"Ooh do tell" he leers following her out the door.





Monday 11.45 p.m. Bobby and Lindsay's apartment

After a hectic weekend and another grueling day at work Lindsay is frustrated. She hasn't had the time or inspiration to devise a suitable plan to pay Helen back. She's tossed and turned since getting into bed unable to get it out of her mind.

"Lindsay go to sleep!" Bobby groans after the tenth huge sigh from Lindsay in the past half hour.

She rolls over so she's facing him "She's going to get away with it Bobby. I can't come up with anything."

"Stop thinking about it and an idea will come to you."

Lindsay is desperate enough to try anything. Feeling hopeful she says, "Do you really think that will work?"

"Probably not but at least then I'd get some sleep."

Giving him a filthy stare she pinches his shoulder.

"Ouch!" he rolls onto his back and rubs his shoulder "Spousal abuse!"

"Sorry" she moves closer to him and kisses it better. She lays against him her head resting on his chest and he drapes his arm around her gently stroking her back.

"Forgiven ... now get some sleep."

"I'll try ... talk to me that ought to help" she peeks up and sees his amused grin.

"Once upon a time there was a brilliant and devilishly handsome man..."

"Ooh wouldn't mind meeting him."

"... who thought he had everything he ever wanted until an annoying and very opinionated woman came into his life..."

"Bobby this does end with happily ever after doesn't it?"

"Definitely!"

She snuggles in against him, their legs entangled, to hear the remainder of the story. Either the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear or the soothing sound of his voice has the desired effect as in less than five minutes she's sound asleep, much to Bobby's relief.





Tuesday 5 p.m. DYD&F office

Lindsay pops her head into Bobby's office. "I'm heading home so I'll see you later"

"Is everything ok?"

"It's great! I've just worked out how I'm going to get Helen back. It's a little complicated so I want to go and start getting things organized."

He smiles at the excited look on her face. "See you later" she says and leaves. He is about to laugh when the door opening again surprises him. It's Lindsay again. "I just wanted to say don't make any plans for next weekend, all weekend! Ok?"

"Ok" he agrees knowing it would be suicidal to argue "So you have a plan?"

She nods "A brilliant one. Do you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you get to do all the work" she laughs and shuts the door leaving him like a goldfish spluttering out of water.



8 p.m. Bobby and Lindsay's apartment

Bobby arrives home and is amused to find Lindsay cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by papers and furiously writing. She has a little picnic set up next to her and is obviously enjoying herself immensely if the big grin and occasional chuckles are anything to go by. He is almost next to her before she acknowledges his presence. Even then her only reaction is an "Oh hey" and a half wave. "Yeah I missed you too" Bobby thinks to himself but leaves her to it and goes to change. When he returns in sweats and a T-shirt he sits behind her his hip resting against her, his hands on the floor by her hips and his chin on her right shoulder as he tries to read what she's writing.

"Don't touch anything Bobby!" she warns.

"I won't" he promises reaching out and taking a sip of her drink. No reaction. He steals a donut. Still no reaction. Feeling brave he reaches for the top page of one of the paper piles closest to him. A hand appears out of nowhere and slaps his away. "Ok" he thinks, "Food and drink yes but papers no." Pleased with his powers of deduction he decides to push his boundaries a little further. He runs one hand back and forth across her shoulders. No reaction. He lets it skim teasingly down her spine. "Was that a pleased hum I just heard?" he thinks. Not convinced he hasn't imagined it he pushes on further allowing his hand to caress her hip and then slide forward across her stomach. He lets it skim back and forth along her waistband, with every second pass or so it threatens to drop lower, but never does. No reaction. Damn! Must have imagined the hum. Determined to get a reaction he makes a sudden dive for the page she is writing on and when he has it in hand rolls away from her so he is lying on the floor his back to her and the paper securely shielded by his body. Oh yeah that got a reaction. A whack to his shoulder and a desperate attempt to pry his arms lose to release the page and an angry "Bobbeeeeee you creep! Give it back!"

"No!" he holds it even closer and grins, loving having finally provoked a reaction.

She's still for a moment then sighs and lays down beside him playing with his ear. Quietly she says "Bobby my love please can I have it back?" she kisses his neck much to Bobby's amusement. He laughs "First you ignore me, then you abuse me and now you're all sweet and coy and expect me to fall for it. Well it ain't gonna work Lindsay. You're not getting this back until I read it."

"Fine" she says grumpily and sits up. He watches her warily knowing there is no way she has given up this quickly. Suddenly she grins and straddling his back leans down draping herself over him and whispers into his ear "You can read it if you really want to Bobby but I'm warning you, you won't like what you read." She gently lovingly begins massaging his shoulders humming contentedly to her self.

He knows she's teasing him but he also detectd a hint of sincerity in what she said. "Why? What is it?"

"If you are so brilliant you work it out."

'Ok she is just too smug now' he thinks. He lifts his shoulders off the floor and slides the page out from under his chest quickly scanning it afraid she will snatch it away before he gets to read it. "It's just a list of names," he says disappointed.

"Mmmm hmmm" is her reply as she climbs off him and sits cross-legged facing him, a smile and a look of expectation on her face. He sits up and mirrors her position, confident now she isn't going to stop him reading. He again looks at the page but reads it in more detail this time. Each name is accompanied with a date, some specific some approximate, an address if it's known, an occupation and a brief descriptive note. It is after reading a couple of the descriptions that it clicks what the list is.

"Eeeeewww" he throws the page at her "these are Helen's ex boyfriends."

"Not boyfriends necessarily but men she's been involved with."

He gives her an amused look "Is this another of your had words/are fighting distinctions?"

She pulls a face at him "She didn't sleep with them all if that's what you're worried about."

"I wasn't worried"

'Yeah right!' she thinks.

Bobby is pensive for a moment then looks at her and grins as if he's just realized something brilliant "How come my name isn't on the list Lindsay? You're not suffering from denial about something are you?"

'Oh this is too good' Lindsay thinks trying to control her delighted smile "Bobby you only saw one page ... there are four others."

"No way!"

She reaches over picks up a pile of papers and passes it to him "Who's in denial now?"

His face drains of colour. He scans the list and gives little reaction save for a few "I know him"s and one "that explains that" until he reads one name that amuses him, "Ed from the video store! Helen dated a video store clerk!"

"Bobby you sound like a snob when you say it like that!" she admonishes.

Sheepishly he says "I didn't mean it like that. It's just ... Helen? I mean I'm sure he's a nice guy and everything but ... Helen?"

Lindsay explains that Ed is actually someone Helen knew from high school. She never 'really' dated him. He was nice but a little nerdy and she felt sorry for him and used to spend time with him occasionally but just as friends and in a group. He had a big time crush on her but nothing ever happened and she never saw him again after high school until just after Helen and Lindsay moved in together. They went to the local video store one night and who should be working behind the counter but Ed. Helen insisted they register under Lindsay's name because she didn't want Ed to know where she lived. She'd told him she lived out of town and was just visiting Lindsay. Lindsay was always sent on her own to get videos from that night on. Telling the story Lindsay suddenly gets an idea. "I've got to go somewhere I'll be back in about 40 minutes."

"What? Where?"

"I'll explain when I get back." Lindsay says running around preparing to leave.

"I'll go with you it's late."

"No. That's sweet, but no. You study this." She hands him a piece of paper "This is what you have to say to Helen tomorrow so I want you to memorize it now. I'll test you on it when I get home." She kisses his cheek and walks to the door.

"I don't know whether to be excited or afraid," he says.

She laughs "Be afraid be very afraid."

Afraid he should have been because it took over 24 hours before Lindsay was satisfied with his performance. The academy award's judges are easier to please than this he whined on numerous occasions but she would not be appeased. His performance needed to be flawless to fool Helen and Lindsay wouldn't accept anything less than perfection.

Continued in part 3