SN Fic; One for the Money, Part Six ~COMPLETE~
Charlie sat on Casey’s lap as the police officer gently questioned him. Charlie started crying when he was asked if any of the hostages are hurt. "They hit Danny. They hit him with the gun, because he wasn’t sitting right, and kicked him really hard."
"When was this? Was he, ah, awake when you left?"
"Yeah, he was. It was right at the beginning, and he went to sleep for a little bit but then he woke up. He had blood and stuff on his face."
"Anybody else hurt?"
"Just Danny."
"Okay, good. Now tell us what you mean about Danny being their favorite hostage."
Casey shook off the sickness he felt at the thought of Danny being hurt, and listened in disbelief to the rest of Charlie’s story.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Everything happened at once, then. The boom of the shotgun and the ensuing screams will be all that Dan remembers of the final moments of the bank robbery. He doesn’t remember throwing himself on top of the woman next to him, or the SWAT team charging through the doors, or getting shot.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Stop hovering. I’m okay."
"You got shot, Danny. During a bank robbery. I think a bit of hovering is called for."
"It’s just a graze."
"A graze from a bullet." Casey sat down on the edge of the bed, and kissed Dan softly, wishing he could ease the distress so evident in Dan’s eyes. Dan had been amazing, putting himself in danger in an effort to protect Charlie and the other hostages. Why couldn’t he see that?
Casey looked pointedly at the bandage on Dan’s head and his taped ribs. "You seem to have a few other bumps and bruises as well. If you weren’t so stubborn, you’d be in the hospital. Let me take care of you."
"You should be taking care of Charlie, not me."
"Charlie’s fine, Danny. He’s fast asleep in my room, and he’s fine. He got out of this without a scratch, because of you."
"He was in a bank robbery because of me. I took him in there with me, and I didn’t, I didn’t - "
"Didn’t what, Danny? Didn’t know what was going to happen? Didn’t stop two armed bank robbers with your bare hands?" Casey pulled Dan to him, close enough to take comfort in the erratic beating of his heart, and whispered fiercely, "Don’t do this, please. This is not your fault. This is the fault of two idiots with shotguns."
Dan pulled away. "Yeah, but I didn’t - I said I would watch, but I didn’t. I shut my eyes, and I couldn’t, I didn’t see him, I didn’t . . . "
Rambling words, choked with tears, but Casey understood. "Shutting your eyes didn’t get Carl killed. He took a chance, and he knew you weren’t close enough to help him. There was nothing you could have done, Danny; you weren’t even anywhere near him."
"I guess." Still doubtful. "I just wish . . ."
"I know you do, but you have to realize that you did everything you could. You are so amazing, and I love you so much, and if something had happened to you it would have killed me, and it was so close, Danny, so close." Casey took a deep breath and didn’t even try to hide the way his hands were shaking. "And you wouldn’t have known, even, how much I love you."
"I know you love me."
"But you don’t know how much, Danny, because I don’t tell you and I don’t show you, and I made you keep it a secret, and you probably think I’m ashamed about it, about us, but I swear to God I’m not."
Dan looked stunned. "I know you’re not, Casey. And I know you love me, you don’t have to -"
"I know. I want to. I want to complain to Jeremy when you listen to weird music in the car, I want Natalie to stick her nose in when we have a fight, and I want Dana to go shopping with me for our anniversary."
"Like you’re going to remember our anniversary." Dan grinned, and slid his hand into Casey’s. "So, we let our friends in on the big secret?"
"Yes, our friends, and also . . ." Casey cleared his throat self-consciously. "Also, I’m thinking, Rebecca."
"Rebecca?" Dan arched his eyebrows. "Why Rebecca?"
"My ex-wife knows; your ex-girlfriend should know."
"She’s hardly my only ex-girlfriend, Casey. Or ex-boyfriend, for that matter."
"She’s the only ex-whatever who calls you every week."
"Not every week. Bi-monthly, at most."
"Whatever. She is clearly not content with her ‘ex’ status, and you’re telling her." Casey crawled over Dan awkwardly and slid under the covers next to him, pausing while Dan squirmed around until he got comfortable in Casey’s arms. "You still awake? Because this is important stuff. Maybe you should be taking notes."
Dan shook his head. "Nah, I got it. I love you, you love me, we’re going to tell our friends and Rebecca. Can I go to sleep now? Because I’m kind of tired, here."
"Bullet wounds and pain killers will do that to a person. Yeah, go to sleep. I’ll be right here, okay?"
Dan mumble incoherently, eyes slipping closed, and Casey kissed the top of his head and whispered a promise. "Don’t worry, Danny. I’ll always be right here."