Boston Legal Slash Fanfic -- Wake Up Call -- Denny/Alan
Title: WAKE UP CALL
Author: TheOneAndOnlyBBB
Email: the1andonlybbb@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.livejournal.com/users/the1andonlybbb/1727.html
Permission to archive: YES
Fandom: Boston Legal
Genre: slash
Pairing/Characters: Denny/Alan
Rating: FRM
Summary: Basis for this story comes from the ABC penned episode overview that reads in part: "Brad is up for partner, but Shore has other ideas."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~
Scene: 3:38am Room 1407 in a downtown Boston hotel.
Alan's POV
I finally give up trying to sleep. It is bothering me too much. I nudge Denny's left shoulder to wake him. I am facing him in bed at the moment. It's been a month since Denny has made it his regular habit to sleep at my place 4 nights a week to help me with my night terrors. Haven't had one since, I am happy to report. We were 3 nights into it when I finally convinced him that it is much easier to have a decent conversation face to face than back to back. Also that nothing that could hurt his hetero reputation would happen as long as he didn't want it to. So, now he lets me curl around him from the front like a lion cub with his mother and it has been blissful nights ever since. Not to mention the fact that I no longer suffer from rope burn at the ankle anymore from trying to get up to go the bathroom. Anyway, after a few nudges more I hear him rumble,
"Mmmph, brrr denny cra....mrrrwwwhr"
"Denny, are you asleep?"
"MMph, what?"
"I said Denny are you asleep?"
"Well, I was. What time is it?" I look at the time that is being digitally projected from the clock against the wall at the foot of our bed.
"It's 3:38 AM"
"Mmm. Alan it is 3:38 AM. Go back to sleep" His right arm and hand, which he is using to cradle me to his chest, gives me a warm squeeze and rub.
"I can't, Denny. I need to ask you something"
"Won't it wait until morning?"
"It is already morning, Denny"
"I mean later in the morning."
"I suppose it could, but I will be awake for the next several hours all aquiver with anticipation of your answer until then."
"Please don't use the term 'all aquiver' when we are lying in bed face to face. I am only holding you close so we don't have to use the rope, remember?"
"I am sorry, Denny. I'll try to remember"
"Okay no harm done. Now go back to sleep please" He arches his back slightly and cuddles me a little closer in the process.
"But Denny, I would really like it if you would answer my question right now. That way we could both go back to sleep."
"Oh alright Alan. What is it?"
"Are they really planning on making Brad a full partner?"
"Yes, they are."
"Has he been with the firm that long?"
"Yes, he has. He started with us right after he finished the military and law school"
"Have you considered what it will mean if you make him a full partner?"
"What do you mean?"
"Have you considered what it will mean? You do realize that he will get an equal say in what happens at the firm?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Well here is the question that is causing me to lose sleep: How loyal do you think Brad is to you?"
"I don't get you"
"If Brad is made a full partner of Crane, Poole and Schmidt, he won't have to predicate anything he thinks or says based on his loyalty to you anymore. If he decides he doesn't like an idea of Shirley's, Peter's or even Paul's, he will no longer have to worry about what you might think. Especially if what he thinks does not agree with what you might think about it."
"You know, I hadn't thought about that."
"Well, I have and that's why I am worried about it at 3:38 am" I lean up a little to look in Denny's eyes just to make sure that he is fully taking in what I am saying. He is.
He turns his head slightly and looks at me for a bit.
"You don't think he would do anything...to hurt me, do you?"
"Well, not intentionally. There is one thing I think I know about Brad and that is he always does things for what he thinks are the right reasons. What has me worried is how much value he will place on his loyalty to you as opposed to his loyalty to the firm. I worry that he might side with the firm if he thought doing do so might in the long run might be the right thing for you."
"You think so?"
"I think so."
"Well, he wouldn't do that. I'm Denny Crane"
" 'I know you are, but what is he?' to misquote PeeWee Herman. He will be *Brad Chase* Period full stop. Brad Chase...who will be responsible to not just you but the entire partnership of Crane, Poole and Schmidt."
"Alan, I think I begin to see what you mean. I will have to give that some thought I see."
"Hmm" Now that I had shared my mind's burden with Denny, I felt the load a little bit lightened and was beginning to relax in relief. I was snuggled close enough to Denny to smell the exclusive and very expensive shower gel that he used to wash himself. I was still trying to decide if it was scented with pine or ambergris when Denny said
"Alan, can I ask you something?"
"Certainly."
"When did you start worrying about this?" I flinched a little and hoped that Denny didn't feel it. I had not expected to ever have to answer that question, especially to Denny, especially at a moment when he could actually see my face when I answered. But seeing that our relationship had progressed to the level that it had, I felt that maybe he deserved to know.
"The day I met Brad."
"The day you met him? What happened that caused that reaction, particularly that you still know exactly when it was?
"I first met Brad the day of my first major staff meeting as a new employee of Crane, Poole and Schmidt. I remember picking a seat at the conference table to be near Tara. As no one was yet seated, I figured that seats were still up for grabs. Besides, I wanted to be near Tara. So, I moved a legal pad and pen I found lying there down the table to another location. It turned out that it was Brad's and I knew that because after I moved them, I felt daggers in my back from his piercing blue gaze."
"Heh heh heh that does describe it alright. Kind a like an eagle staring at his prey." Denny's rumbling laugh moved his stomach up and down in a funny but charming way. I pet it slightly and then continued.
"He then introduced himself as 'Brad Chase from Washington DC' and tells me that those were his things that I moved. I politely informed him where his things could be found and then inquired as to the territorial nature of the employees at this company and all I got were more daggers from him. That's all. Can you believe that?"
"Coming from you, I don't know. But I don't make the connection as to why you think that Brad means me some harm."
"Well that was not what made me feel that way. It was when you hugged him."
"When I hugged him?"
"Yes. Everyone else at that meeting you greeted with a handshake or a tip of your head. But him you greeted with a full body hug. And you know what ran through my mind when I saw that? Cleopatra."
I had by this time shaken off a little of my sleepiness with the recollection I was making as I related my tale to Denny. He was sitting up in bed a little leaned back in his pillow and I was turned facing him, playing with a few of the chest hairs that were peeking out of the top of his pajamas.
"Alan, are you sure that I have not given you a little of my Mad Cow? I really am not following this."
"Denny, even it was possible for you to somehow infuse me with Mad Cow, we have not yet explored those options. But we will leave that for later and I will make myself a little less obtuse. First of all, did you ever see the movie Cleopatra?"
"With Claudette Colbert or Elizabeth Taylor?"
"Elizabeth Taylor."
"Yes I did. Beautful woman. Never had her though."
"Well I am sure it was only because she could not fit you in between her marriages. But in her Cleopatra, there was a scene when she tearfully told Caesar Rex Harrison that she did not want him to go to court that day on the Ides of March because she had had a premonition that he would come to harm and that it would be at the hands of his senators. Well, she was right and they stabbed him 23 times."
"You don't say?"
"I do say."
"You think that Brad means me to stab me?"
"Well it's hard to say what an ex-Marine will do with his bayonet. Yes I do, but only figuratively speaking. What I think is that the next time it comes up, he might take up the general feeling among the partners and consider the possibility that your retirement might be a good thing."
"Is that the general feeling among the partners?"
"Yes it is."
"How do you know this?"
"Paul has not so subtlely indicated it numerous times. But with Paul it's hard to know what part is barking and what part is actual teeth."
"True. Paul is funny that way. Do you think I should retire Alan?"
"To be blunt, no. Do I think that you should slow down, maybe."
"why shouldn't I retire?"
"I think going into the office everyday helps your mind. The doctor did say you needed to exercise it often. But I don't see why you shouldn't slow down a little. You are after all Denny Crane."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You are the CRANE of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. You founded this firm. Poole is "resting" comfortably somewhere in Connecticutt and Shirley, well, she's Schmidt."
"And?"
"AND because you are Denny Crane, you can do what you damn well please. Including deciding who gets to vote you out and who doesn't get to vote you out. And a person cannot vote you out if they never got in in the first place."
"Like maybe Brad?"
"Like maybe Brad. You can remind him of that before vote comes up."
"Aaaah, I see"
"I was sure that you would."
"Are you going to be able to sleep now?"
"Yes I think so. I feel so much relieved."
"Why are you so relieved? It was my problem."
"Correction. It was 'our' problem."
"How do you figure it was 'our' problem?"
"Denny, do you know where you are right now? And do you know how you came to be there?"
"Are these some kind of trick questions?"
"No."
"I am lying in bed with you in Room 1407 at fairly decent hotel in downtown Boston. And I am here simply because you asked me."
"Thanks for the left handed compliment."
"You're welcome. But so what?"
"You are lying in bed with me in Room 1407 and simply because I asked you to, you have slept here 4 nights a week for the past month. And you know why you have done that, Denny?"
"Why have I done that, Alan?"
"Because you decided that 'my' problem was 'our' problem and helped me solve it. Get it?"
"I get it."
"I thought you you might. Denny?"
"Yes, Alan?"
"Let's go back to sleep."
"Good idea."
The End
Author: TheOneAndOnlyBBB
Email: the1andonlybbb@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.livejournal.com/users/the1andonlybbb/1727.html
Permission to archive: YES
Fandom: Boston Legal
Genre: slash
Pairing/Characters: Denny/Alan
Rating: FRM
Summary: Basis for this story comes from the ABC penned episode overview that reads in part: "Brad is up for partner, but Shore has other ideas."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~
Scene: 3:38am Room 1407 in a downtown Boston hotel.
Alan's POV
I finally give up trying to sleep. It is bothering me too much. I nudge Denny's left shoulder to wake him. I am facing him in bed at the moment. It's been a month since Denny has made it his regular habit to sleep at my place 4 nights a week to help me with my night terrors. Haven't had one since, I am happy to report. We were 3 nights into it when I finally convinced him that it is much easier to have a decent conversation face to face than back to back. Also that nothing that could hurt his hetero reputation would happen as long as he didn't want it to. So, now he lets me curl around him from the front like a lion cub with his mother and it has been blissful nights ever since. Not to mention the fact that I no longer suffer from rope burn at the ankle anymore from trying to get up to go the bathroom. Anyway, after a few nudges more I hear him rumble,
"Mmmph, brrr denny cra....mrrrwwwhr"
"Denny, are you asleep?"
"MMph, what?"
"I said Denny are you asleep?"
"Well, I was. What time is it?" I look at the time that is being digitally projected from the clock against the wall at the foot of our bed.
"It's 3:38 AM"
"Mmm. Alan it is 3:38 AM. Go back to sleep" His right arm and hand, which he is using to cradle me to his chest, gives me a warm squeeze and rub.
"I can't, Denny. I need to ask you something"
"Won't it wait until morning?"
"It is already morning, Denny"
"I mean later in the morning."
"I suppose it could, but I will be awake for the next several hours all aquiver with anticipation of your answer until then."
"Please don't use the term 'all aquiver' when we are lying in bed face to face. I am only holding you close so we don't have to use the rope, remember?"
"I am sorry, Denny. I'll try to remember"
"Okay no harm done. Now go back to sleep please" He arches his back slightly and cuddles me a little closer in the process.
"But Denny, I would really like it if you would answer my question right now. That way we could both go back to sleep."
"Oh alright Alan. What is it?"
"Are they really planning on making Brad a full partner?"
"Yes, they are."
"Has he been with the firm that long?"
"Yes, he has. He started with us right after he finished the military and law school"
"Have you considered what it will mean if you make him a full partner?"
"What do you mean?"
"Have you considered what it will mean? You do realize that he will get an equal say in what happens at the firm?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Well here is the question that is causing me to lose sleep: How loyal do you think Brad is to you?"
"I don't get you"
"If Brad is made a full partner of Crane, Poole and Schmidt, he won't have to predicate anything he thinks or says based on his loyalty to you anymore. If he decides he doesn't like an idea of Shirley's, Peter's or even Paul's, he will no longer have to worry about what you might think. Especially if what he thinks does not agree with what you might think about it."
"You know, I hadn't thought about that."
"Well, I have and that's why I am worried about it at 3:38 am" I lean up a little to look in Denny's eyes just to make sure that he is fully taking in what I am saying. He is.
He turns his head slightly and looks at me for a bit.
"You don't think he would do anything...to hurt me, do you?"
"Well, not intentionally. There is one thing I think I know about Brad and that is he always does things for what he thinks are the right reasons. What has me worried is how much value he will place on his loyalty to you as opposed to his loyalty to the firm. I worry that he might side with the firm if he thought doing do so might in the long run might be the right thing for you."
"You think so?"
"I think so."
"Well, he wouldn't do that. I'm Denny Crane"
" 'I know you are, but what is he?' to misquote PeeWee Herman. He will be *Brad Chase* Period full stop. Brad Chase...who will be responsible to not just you but the entire partnership of Crane, Poole and Schmidt."
"Alan, I think I begin to see what you mean. I will have to give that some thought I see."
"Hmm" Now that I had shared my mind's burden with Denny, I felt the load a little bit lightened and was beginning to relax in relief. I was snuggled close enough to Denny to smell the exclusive and very expensive shower gel that he used to wash himself. I was still trying to decide if it was scented with pine or ambergris when Denny said
"Alan, can I ask you something?"
"Certainly."
"When did you start worrying about this?" I flinched a little and hoped that Denny didn't feel it. I had not expected to ever have to answer that question, especially to Denny, especially at a moment when he could actually see my face when I answered. But seeing that our relationship had progressed to the level that it had, I felt that maybe he deserved to know.
"The day I met Brad."
"The day you met him? What happened that caused that reaction, particularly that you still know exactly when it was?
"I first met Brad the day of my first major staff meeting as a new employee of Crane, Poole and Schmidt. I remember picking a seat at the conference table to be near Tara. As no one was yet seated, I figured that seats were still up for grabs. Besides, I wanted to be near Tara. So, I moved a legal pad and pen I found lying there down the table to another location. It turned out that it was Brad's and I knew that because after I moved them, I felt daggers in my back from his piercing blue gaze."
"Heh heh heh that does describe it alright. Kind a like an eagle staring at his prey." Denny's rumbling laugh moved his stomach up and down in a funny but charming way. I pet it slightly and then continued.
"He then introduced himself as 'Brad Chase from Washington DC' and tells me that those were his things that I moved. I politely informed him where his things could be found and then inquired as to the territorial nature of the employees at this company and all I got were more daggers from him. That's all. Can you believe that?"
"Coming from you, I don't know. But I don't make the connection as to why you think that Brad means me some harm."
"Well that was not what made me feel that way. It was when you hugged him."
"When I hugged him?"
"Yes. Everyone else at that meeting you greeted with a handshake or a tip of your head. But him you greeted with a full body hug. And you know what ran through my mind when I saw that? Cleopatra."
I had by this time shaken off a little of my sleepiness with the recollection I was making as I related my tale to Denny. He was sitting up in bed a little leaned back in his pillow and I was turned facing him, playing with a few of the chest hairs that were peeking out of the top of his pajamas.
"Alan, are you sure that I have not given you a little of my Mad Cow? I really am not following this."
"Denny, even it was possible for you to somehow infuse me with Mad Cow, we have not yet explored those options. But we will leave that for later and I will make myself a little less obtuse. First of all, did you ever see the movie Cleopatra?"
"With Claudette Colbert or Elizabeth Taylor?"
"Elizabeth Taylor."
"Yes I did. Beautful woman. Never had her though."
"Well I am sure it was only because she could not fit you in between her marriages. But in her Cleopatra, there was a scene when she tearfully told Caesar Rex Harrison that she did not want him to go to court that day on the Ides of March because she had had a premonition that he would come to harm and that it would be at the hands of his senators. Well, she was right and they stabbed him 23 times."
"You don't say?"
"I do say."
"You think that Brad means me to stab me?"
"Well it's hard to say what an ex-Marine will do with his bayonet. Yes I do, but only figuratively speaking. What I think is that the next time it comes up, he might take up the general feeling among the partners and consider the possibility that your retirement might be a good thing."
"Is that the general feeling among the partners?"
"Yes it is."
"How do you know this?"
"Paul has not so subtlely indicated it numerous times. But with Paul it's hard to know what part is barking and what part is actual teeth."
"True. Paul is funny that way. Do you think I should retire Alan?"
"To be blunt, no. Do I think that you should slow down, maybe."
"why shouldn't I retire?"
"I think going into the office everyday helps your mind. The doctor did say you needed to exercise it often. But I don't see why you shouldn't slow down a little. You are after all Denny Crane."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You are the CRANE of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. You founded this firm. Poole is "resting" comfortably somewhere in Connecticutt and Shirley, well, she's Schmidt."
"And?"
"AND because you are Denny Crane, you can do what you damn well please. Including deciding who gets to vote you out and who doesn't get to vote you out. And a person cannot vote you out if they never got in in the first place."
"Like maybe Brad?"
"Like maybe Brad. You can remind him of that before vote comes up."
"Aaaah, I see"
"I was sure that you would."
"Are you going to be able to sleep now?"
"Yes I think so. I feel so much relieved."
"Why are you so relieved? It was my problem."
"Correction. It was 'our' problem."
"How do you figure it was 'our' problem?"
"Denny, do you know where you are right now? And do you know how you came to be there?"
"Are these some kind of trick questions?"
"No."
"I am lying in bed with you in Room 1407 at fairly decent hotel in downtown Boston. And I am here simply because you asked me."
"Thanks for the left handed compliment."
"You're welcome. But so what?"
"You are lying in bed with me in Room 1407 and simply because I asked you to, you have slept here 4 nights a week for the past month. And you know why you have done that, Denny?"
"Why have I done that, Alan?"
"Because you decided that 'my' problem was 'our' problem and helped me solve it. Get it?"
"I get it."
"I thought you you might. Denny?"
"Yes, Alan?"
"Let's go back to sleep."
"Good idea."
The End