Fic: [NR] Mix of Dark Minors and Sunny Majors (Chapter 4/14)
Mix of Dark Minors and Sunny Majors
Word Count: Chapter 4: 3,715; [48,282 total]
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Nico/Dani-Possibly. Eventually?
Spoilers: References something from 1x07 and 1x11.
Disclaimer: don't own. Don't profit. Don't … a lot of things
Summary: She'd be willing to bet the Nico of reality was somewhere between her good guy and his evil one but he wasn't ready to see that just yet. "Nico, I work on feelings and intuition. Of course I see the potential. You work in cold facts and realities that aren't pretty so you see the bad. In order for music to be beautiful, there has to be a mix of sunny majors with the dark, harsh minors."
Author's Note: So, you can blame or credit, jeer or cheer brokenroots & goodisrelative for this 92-page (20+ chapter) fic. Brokenroots started me thinking about NR fic (go read hers, it's better) and then they both beat me up to get more. Please note, this fic is done. finished. fin. over. ended. ... that doesn't mean there might not be a sequel. at least a "Sunday Supper at Mama C's" [you'll meet Mama C in a much later chapter]
-%-
"Doctor D, whaaaz up? Come on, up top, Doc!" TK rolled into her stadium office. "It's a great morning! I got offered a new sponsorship! Can ya see me swinging in style with Rayban?!" He plopped himself on her couch. "I'll get Jaybird and Lins some, they'll be the en-vy of everyone!"
Dani raised an eyebrow with a frown. "TK, we talked about this." Trying to use her patient voice and keep the exasperation out of her tone.
"Doc, come on, they's just glasses, won't be signed or nothing." TK whined.
Dani rolled her eyes and frowned when Nico appeared in her door. She waved him in, "Yes, Nico?"
"There is a situation, unrelated, that needs my attention and will take me out of the stadium for a few hours. You do not leave the secure areas. If necessary I will enlist TK to keep you here."
TK blinked. Then it dawned on him. "Wait! I get to tell Doctor D what to do? Really? This could be interesting."
Dani glared at Nico. "Do not even think about it, Terrence! Nico was only kidding. There is plenty of security around and I am sure that there is one down the hall from my office and another watching all the video feeds of the stadium as we speak. I am fine. I'll be here. I'll call Jeanette and cancel lunch, but, Nico, you owe me. And it is Tuesday so I know just how you can make it up to me."
Nico blinked once then steadied his gaze on her. She was blackmailing him. In front of a witness. Using information he had given up to her not long ago.
Dani just held his glare.
TK looked from one to the other. "Hey, my man Nico, should I come back later? Ya two need a room? I gots that meeting with Coach."
Neither one was willing to break the staring contest but TK was laughing.
Dani sighed, he was her patient, so she cut her eyes over to TK. "Terrence." The threat was implied in the tone-and the steel in her eyes. She knew Nico was gone as soon as she broke eye contact, but she'd deal with that later, at the restaurant.
"Awww. Come on, Doctor D! Yas two were holding a staring contest, what ya expect me to say?" TK was back to whining.
Dani laughed. "God, you are good for me right now, TK. I need to laugh."
TK smiled. "Glad I can do something to help, Doc."
And with that one comment, she knew why he was talking about bringing the kids sunglasses. Dani smiled over at him, "TK, you can visit the chicklets. There will be boundaries, but you can visit them. In fact, I would like you to. It will help them get their minds off the threat on me."
TK stared over at her. Not sure if he was more surprised at her use of his term for her kids, chicklets, or at her encouraging him to visit her kids when the boundaries for that had been written in stone before. He blew out a breath and studied her for a moment. She was squinting more today, the bags under her eyes were darker this morning, and, he remembered, her hand had shook when Nico appeared in the door. "What happened?"
Dani's head snapped up. She had been writing something down. "Oh, Terrence." She closed her eyes. She had meant to call him last night but she had been so emotionally rung out. She stood up quickly and moved to sit next to him on the couch. She grabbed his hand and frowned when his eyes darkened. "No, Terrence. Nothing happened to me physically." She reached up to touch his face. "He destroyed my home office and broke things in and around the house. Mostly in my office. No one was home."
TK stiffened. "You okay, Doctor D?"
Dani offered him a smile. "I am, Terrence, I promise you that. I moved the kids in with Jeanette and Nico has me shacked up in a Hawk's guest house."
TK smiled at her word choice, just as she knew he would. "So you and my man Nico shacking up together? Hmm. This has potential to be really bad for me. One of you knows too much of what I have done and do as I do it, the other of you makes me want to make better decisions. You two team up and I'm never going to live down any mistakes I make."
Dani shook her head as she rolled her eyes. "Everyone makes mistakes, TK. Nico and I are not excluded from that." She caught TK's raised brow and chuckled. "Okay, so Nico makes less than us mere mortals and can hide his better, but he makes them."
"So, Doc, what does it matter that it is Tuesday?" TK asked.
Dani smiled. "It makes all the difference in the world, Terrence." Dani paused as she stood up. "It means Monday is over."
TK groaned and rolled his eyes.
-%-
Dani frowned as she looked at her watch again. It was after 3 PM, Nico had been gone over five hours, and she was getting worried about it. She looked around her office and sighed. She needed different scenery so she headed over to Nico's office. She smiled, helped herself to the long black coat he left on his coat rack and curled up on his couch. Maybe she would just rest her eyes for a bit.
-%-
"Damnit! Where the hell is Doctor D? She isn't allowed to the leave the secure areas!" TK swore moving from her office down the hall to Mattie D's. "Have you seen Doctor D?"
Matt shook his head no. "Haven't seen her for a few hours. Last I saw her she was in her office reading a file."
TK slammed his hand into the wall.
"Terrence, what do you need Doctor Santino for?" Nico asked quietly, standing behind the player.
"She isn't in her office. No one has seen her for at least an hour. Something could-." TK started, clearly worried. "I know you were joking about me making sure she stayed in secure areas, but what if-?"
Nico sighed. "Terrence, she has not left the secure areas. I would have been alerted if she has. Maybe she is just avoiding you? Have you been pestering her today?"
Dani wasn't sure what threw her out of sleep, but the ruckus in the hall might have had something to do with it. She barged out of Nico's office, bumping into one of his security men. She was blinking at the sudden harsh light and Nico's coat was still on her shoulders. "What is it? What's wrong? TK?"
"No, ma'am. TK just couldn't find you and got worried."
Dani nodded. "Okay, where-?" But then she heard TK and sighed. She shook her head, trying to clear it, to wake up. "TK! I was resting. What do you need?" she called down the hall. She reached out to the wall to stead herself but her hand landed on the solid muscle of the security man.
"You are okay?" TK asked as he rounded the corner.
"I was fine. Woke up too fast right now. I'm really okay, Terrence." Dani nodded. God did these lights have to be so harsh?!
"Good." TK smiled and turned away. He closed his eyes in relief and then headed off down the hall.
"When Nico gets back, just tell him I need a minute to wake up." Dani sighed and turned to head back into Nico's office. "What's your name?" She turned back to the security man.
"Frank, ma'am." He didn't smile.
"Well, Frank, thank you for standing guard."
"It's my job, ma'am." He shrugged and turned to put his back against the wall again, taking up his post.
Dani sighed and shut herself back in Nico's office. She sat on the edge of his desk and scrubbed her hands over his face. God, the nap was a bad idea: it just left her more tired and feeling retched. When her phone rang she groaned and answered it without looking at who it was.
"You should be here watching your son practice. A mother should take an interest in her children's activities, don't you think, Doc D?"
Dani just reacted, bursting out of Nico's office right into Frank. She used him to steady herself and looked up at him with fear clearly written on her face.
"Boss, something's wrong. Her phone. Now!" Frank whispered into some communications device and reached out to hold her up.
<"Why aren't you at his practice? Can't you hear them doing drills?" Then there was cheering and yelling in the background before just silence.
"Where is he, Frank?"
"The boss will be -." Frank's eyes moved to something behind her.
"Dani, he is nowhere near the school. Ray Jay doesn't even have practice outside today." Nico stated from behind her. He reached out to catch her as she stumbled turning to face him.
Dani reached out blindly and Nico caught her under her elbows and helped her over to a chair in his office. He glanced back at Frank to close the door.
"Dani, listen to me. He was not near the school. Practice was inside today. Xeno talked with their coach and they did weight training inside today. Rat Bastard was nowhere near the school." Nico kept talking until it penetrated her mind.
Dani looked down at him. He was squatting in front of her as she sat in his chair. "You are sure?"
Nico nodded. "Yes. Do you want to talk with Xeno?"
Dani shook her head and just burst into tears.
She leaned forward and Nico sighed. His hands were still at her elbows so he lifted her to stand. She wrapped her arms around him and he tried to suppress the shudders running through her small form. He sighed and just kept his arms tight around her and waited her out.
She took five minutes in the security of his arms before she started taking deep breaths and brushing at her tears. She pulled back slightly and his arms loosened.
Nico rested his hands on her hips, needing to make sure she was steady on her feet. He took a small step back and looked down at her face. Silently, he asked if she was all right.
Dani saw the question in his eyes and offered him a watery smile. "Thank you, Nico, for holding me up while I cracked."
Nico pushed a strand of hair out of her face as he let her totally go. "Not cracking, Dani, venting stress." His words were soft in the darkness of his office.
Dani nodded. "I need a minute or two to pull myself together. A mirror." She chuckled. "I cannot look good right now."
Nico shrugged. "What's a little mascara running between friends?"
Dani looked over at him and stared. He was smiling. She just shook her head and chuckled. "Thanks, Nico. I needed that."
Nico just nodded and opened a door Dani just assumed was a closet. It wasn't. She squinted at him. "A bathroom in your office? How can I rate one of these?"
Nico shook his head. "Years of faithful service."
Dani laughed as she closed the door behind her. Holy god! She looked like hell! Sighing, she grabbed a towel, some soap and just washed all of her makeup off. She'd deal with going naked. At least she had mascara in her purse. She gave herself another minute in the bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror and sighed.
"Thanks, Ni-." Dani cut herself off when she realized no one was in the office anymore. Sighing, she opened the door to head out and ran smack into Frank again. "God, Frank, I am sorry! What is that? The third time? I'm not usually this clumsy!"
The big man's laughter was low and rumbly. "No worries, Doctor Santino."
"What time is it, anyway?" Dani asked, looking from Nico to Frank.
"Sixteen hundred thirty, ma'am." Frank answered.
Dani looked at him blankly. Nico rescued her. "4:30 PM, Doctor Santino."
Dani chuckled. "Military time, subtract twelve. Got it now. Thank you, Frank." Turning to Nico, she said, "I'd like to talk with Xeno now." She held up her hand when he started to talk. "I know in my mind, Nico. I know you and your men would never let anything happen to my children, but they are my children and I just need to hear it from the one close to them right now, the one who has eyes on them."
Nico nodded and pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and handed it to Dani.
She sighed, thanked Xeno, and hung up the phone. "Now what do we do?"
Nico shook his head. She was still running at full speed. "I have about an hour's worth of stuff I need to get done here. The situation that took me out of the stadium this morning ended up taking more time than I anticipated. Can you keep yourself occupied for an hour or should I get Terrence to keep you company?"
Dani scrunched her nose and glared at Nico. "Do not forget that you owe me dinner at Tuesday Night Restaurant."
"I believe you blinked first."
Dani waved a finger in his face. "That had nothing to do with you owing me dinner, Nico. The staring contest was because you couldn't believe I would blackmail you in front of a witness. And considering just who the witness is, someone had to deal with him and he is my client and it was during his session."
Nico shook his head. "I disagree. The staring contest had everything to do with your proclamation that I owed you dinner. I did not make you cancel your lunch with your friend."
Dani stared at him. It dawned on her then. "So let me get this straight, if I want to meet with friends for lunch, I can just have them come to the stadium. That is what you are implying right now."
Nico raised his hand. "That is not what I said."
"Boss, do you really-." Frank cut himself off at a glare from Nico.
Dani tilted her head, her eyes staying on Nico. "Thank you, Frank, but not necessary. Nico and I have these arguments whenever we are in each other's company for more than eight minutes. As for you, Mr. Careles, having lunch with a friend is an in-person thing. Your orders kept me here in this stadium, in the secure areas, and I did not think it appropriate to have Jeanette come here for our lunch. Hence why I cancelled on my best friend. So, I would conclude that, yes, the unrelated situation that took you out of the stadium for longer than you anticipated, was the reason I cancelled my lunch with Jeanette."
Nico wondered just when he had lost control of this conversation. "About an hour, then we leave, Doctor Santino."
Dani smiled. She knew this time he blinked first. "I'll be in with the Team. We have a group session at 5 PM. Should be about an hour, so you have a bit more than an hour, Nico, to accomplish what you need to."
Nico blinked. "Should I-."
"The hell you should. You scare the crap out of them, Nico, I do not need that at this session." Dani glared.
Nico took a step back with a chuckle. "Noted."
Dani rolled her neck and headed away from his office.
-%-
Dani couldn't ask for a better discussion. The players were taking this seriously and policing themselves on the few inappropriate comments.
"Doc, how do we tell we are stepping out of bounds? It isn't like there are lines in the grass!"
Dani smiled. "At least you all realized there are out of bounds." She sighed. "Seriously, what is out for one woman is can be in for another. We are women, not a field with concrete lines." Everyone groaned. Dani held up her hand. "But there are clues. A lot of women who work in male-dominated fields or in men's locker rooms are more tolerant. It should not be directed at her person specifically. If it is more generic, that is better. Also, you shouldn't be backing her into a corner or a wall physically as you say something. There shouldn't be intimidation in your voice." Dani watched the men nod to each other. She smiled, they would try. It was all she could really ask for.
Dani picked up another thread of conversation and sighed. "Men, I know you have beautiful, willing women throwing yourself at you all the time: in hotel rooms, bars, clubs, even on the street. It is one thing for you to expect it out there. It should never be expected nor tolerated inside here. Think of this as sanctuary. The women should get it from your sexual innuendos and you should get it from women throwing themselves at you. And if it does happen, -."
"I need to know about it. Staff is vetted heavily before they are hired here for a reason: to protect this team." Nico spoke up from the doorway. "I'm sorry to interrupt your session, but it is after 6 PM and some have appointments elsewhere."
Dani nodded. "Thank you, Nico. Guys, it will take time. It will get easier. We'll do a few more of these group sessions, okay? Thanks for participating, guys."
Dani made her way to the back of the room and to Nico. She smiled over at him. "Let me grab my purse and we can head back to the house."
Nico nodded and held open the door for her.
Dani had closed her eyes in the car while he drove, but when she opened her eyes, she blinked. "What?"
"We do need to eat. And it is Tuesday." Nico shrugged. "Unless you want to return to the house?"
Dani was quick to shake her head. "No. We don't have any food there anyway."
His hand was on her back as he walked her into the restaurant and then waited a moment for his table to be readied. He helped her with her chair then sat across from her. "Wine?"
Dani nodded. "Just a glass of red. I'll embarrass myself if I have more than one right now."
Nico nodded. He lifted his head and immediately the waitress from that long ago Tuesday was at the table. He asked her for two glasses of malbec and she told them the specials.
Dani smiled. This interaction made him seem human. Idly, she wondered if that was why he had fought against bringing her here. Wait a minute. This place was packed and it was nearly 7 PM and the line they had skipped was long. She tilted her head and studied him a moment. "You called here to say you were coming before you broke up the group session." It wasn't a question, just an observation that had her smiling.
"It is usually busy here no matter the day. I try and give them notice if I will be coming during their busier hours. It makes it easier on the staff." Nico nodded, pleasantly surprised she came to that conclusion.
Dani nodded and sipped her wine that had just appeared on the table. She looked down at it then up at Nico. "This is really good. You said it was a malbec? Where is that from?"
"Malbec, it was started in France as Cot, but in recent years it has taken over in Argentina and a bit in Chile. Good ones can be very good. It's dry with a bit of berry and pepper." Nico informed her.
Dani smiled. "What book are you reading now?"
Nico held her gaze as he returned her question. "Which type?"
Dani blinked. "You are one of those annoying people who can be reading multiple books at once and keep them straight. I've moved on to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I like it. It's dark, depressing at times, frighteningly vivid at others, but it is so different from American books, that I really like it. Even if I have to put it down at times to just pause in the reading of it."
Nico smiled. "Yes, he was a good author. I read once that 'Americans live surrounded by the sunny majors' [reference: Siberian Light by Robin White] and while the author was comparing us with Russians, I think it goes well with Sweeds. They know how to live in the dark, to survive there, because nature puts them directly in it. The only place nature puts Americans directly in the dark is Alaska and many do not consider that a part of the United States. We live our days in the sun. We are not attacked on our soil except in rare times, September 11th was the first time since Pearl Harbor and even that wasn't the mainland. Sure we are involved in war but it isn't on our homeland and it is so far removed from the people unless you know a soldier there."
Dani blinked and nodded, she looked over at the waitress who stood at their table. "Sorry, I haven't even looked at the menu." She eyed Nico. "I'm sure whatever Mr. Careles chooses will be enjoyable, so I'll take whatever he is having." She really didn't think she could make a decision right now.
Nico nodded. "The special is fine, Marcie, so two of them, please. And salads with the house dressing."
"Very well, Mr. Careles, ma'am." And she was gone.
"You bring up an interesting point, Nico." Dani sat back in her chair and sipped her wine. "One that I am going to have to think on for a bit. I know I agree but I still need to think on it and right now, my mind isn't at its best."
Nico nodded. "So you are taking back book club?"
Dani chuckled. "No. Ray can keep Book Club. I chose the high road: to read for my own pleasure. I doubt I will pick up every Oprah or Booklist top seller, but we'll see."
Chapter 3
Word Count: Chapter 4: 3,715; [48,282 total]
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Nico/Dani-Possibly. Eventually?
Spoilers: References something from 1x07 and 1x11.
Disclaimer: don't own. Don't profit. Don't … a lot of things
Summary: She'd be willing to bet the Nico of reality was somewhere between her good guy and his evil one but he wasn't ready to see that just yet. "Nico, I work on feelings and intuition. Of course I see the potential. You work in cold facts and realities that aren't pretty so you see the bad. In order for music to be beautiful, there has to be a mix of sunny majors with the dark, harsh minors."
Author's Note: So, you can blame or credit, jeer or cheer brokenroots & goodisrelative for this 92-page (20+ chapter) fic. Brokenroots started me thinking about NR fic (go read hers, it's better) and then they both beat me up to get more. Please note, this fic is done. finished. fin. over. ended. ... that doesn't mean there might not be a sequel. at least a "Sunday Supper at Mama C's" [you'll meet Mama C in a much later chapter]
-%-
"Doctor D, whaaaz up? Come on, up top, Doc!" TK rolled into her stadium office. "It's a great morning! I got offered a new sponsorship! Can ya see me swinging in style with Rayban?!" He plopped himself on her couch. "I'll get Jaybird and Lins some, they'll be the en-vy of everyone!"
Dani raised an eyebrow with a frown. "TK, we talked about this." Trying to use her patient voice and keep the exasperation out of her tone.
"Doc, come on, they's just glasses, won't be signed or nothing." TK whined.
Dani rolled her eyes and frowned when Nico appeared in her door. She waved him in, "Yes, Nico?"
"There is a situation, unrelated, that needs my attention and will take me out of the stadium for a few hours. You do not leave the secure areas. If necessary I will enlist TK to keep you here."
TK blinked. Then it dawned on him. "Wait! I get to tell Doctor D what to do? Really? This could be interesting."
Dani glared at Nico. "Do not even think about it, Terrence! Nico was only kidding. There is plenty of security around and I am sure that there is one down the hall from my office and another watching all the video feeds of the stadium as we speak. I am fine. I'll be here. I'll call Jeanette and cancel lunch, but, Nico, you owe me. And it is Tuesday so I know just how you can make it up to me."
Nico blinked once then steadied his gaze on her. She was blackmailing him. In front of a witness. Using information he had given up to her not long ago.
Dani just held his glare.
TK looked from one to the other. "Hey, my man Nico, should I come back later? Ya two need a room? I gots that meeting with Coach."
Neither one was willing to break the staring contest but TK was laughing.
Dani sighed, he was her patient, so she cut her eyes over to TK. "Terrence." The threat was implied in the tone-and the steel in her eyes. She knew Nico was gone as soon as she broke eye contact, but she'd deal with that later, at the restaurant.
"Awww. Come on, Doctor D! Yas two were holding a staring contest, what ya expect me to say?" TK was back to whining.
Dani laughed. "God, you are good for me right now, TK. I need to laugh."
TK smiled. "Glad I can do something to help, Doc."
And with that one comment, she knew why he was talking about bringing the kids sunglasses. Dani smiled over at him, "TK, you can visit the chicklets. There will be boundaries, but you can visit them. In fact, I would like you to. It will help them get their minds off the threat on me."
TK stared over at her. Not sure if he was more surprised at her use of his term for her kids, chicklets, or at her encouraging him to visit her kids when the boundaries for that had been written in stone before. He blew out a breath and studied her for a moment. She was squinting more today, the bags under her eyes were darker this morning, and, he remembered, her hand had shook when Nico appeared in the door. "What happened?"
Dani's head snapped up. She had been writing something down. "Oh, Terrence." She closed her eyes. She had meant to call him last night but she had been so emotionally rung out. She stood up quickly and moved to sit next to him on the couch. She grabbed his hand and frowned when his eyes darkened. "No, Terrence. Nothing happened to me physically." She reached up to touch his face. "He destroyed my home office and broke things in and around the house. Mostly in my office. No one was home."
TK stiffened. "You okay, Doctor D?"
Dani offered him a smile. "I am, Terrence, I promise you that. I moved the kids in with Jeanette and Nico has me shacked up in a Hawk's guest house."
TK smiled at her word choice, just as she knew he would. "So you and my man Nico shacking up together? Hmm. This has potential to be really bad for me. One of you knows too much of what I have done and do as I do it, the other of you makes me want to make better decisions. You two team up and I'm never going to live down any mistakes I make."
Dani shook her head as she rolled her eyes. "Everyone makes mistakes, TK. Nico and I are not excluded from that." She caught TK's raised brow and chuckled. "Okay, so Nico makes less than us mere mortals and can hide his better, but he makes them."
"So, Doc, what does it matter that it is Tuesday?" TK asked.
Dani smiled. "It makes all the difference in the world, Terrence." Dani paused as she stood up. "It means Monday is over."
TK groaned and rolled his eyes.
-%-
Dani frowned as she looked at her watch again. It was after 3 PM, Nico had been gone over five hours, and she was getting worried about it. She looked around her office and sighed. She needed different scenery so she headed over to Nico's office. She smiled, helped herself to the long black coat he left on his coat rack and curled up on his couch. Maybe she would just rest her eyes for a bit.
-%-
"Damnit! Where the hell is Doctor D? She isn't allowed to the leave the secure areas!" TK swore moving from her office down the hall to Mattie D's. "Have you seen Doctor D?"
Matt shook his head no. "Haven't seen her for a few hours. Last I saw her she was in her office reading a file."
TK slammed his hand into the wall.
"Terrence, what do you need Doctor Santino for?" Nico asked quietly, standing behind the player.
"She isn't in her office. No one has seen her for at least an hour. Something could-." TK started, clearly worried. "I know you were joking about me making sure she stayed in secure areas, but what if-?"
Nico sighed. "Terrence, she has not left the secure areas. I would have been alerted if she has. Maybe she is just avoiding you? Have you been pestering her today?"
Dani wasn't sure what threw her out of sleep, but the ruckus in the hall might have had something to do with it. She barged out of Nico's office, bumping into one of his security men. She was blinking at the sudden harsh light and Nico's coat was still on her shoulders. "What is it? What's wrong? TK?"
"No, ma'am. TK just couldn't find you and got worried."
Dani nodded. "Okay, where-?" But then she heard TK and sighed. She shook her head, trying to clear it, to wake up. "TK! I was resting. What do you need?" she called down the hall. She reached out to the wall to stead herself but her hand landed on the solid muscle of the security man.
"You are okay?" TK asked as he rounded the corner.
"I was fine. Woke up too fast right now. I'm really okay, Terrence." Dani nodded. God did these lights have to be so harsh?!
"Good." TK smiled and turned away. He closed his eyes in relief and then headed off down the hall.
"When Nico gets back, just tell him I need a minute to wake up." Dani sighed and turned to head back into Nico's office. "What's your name?" She turned back to the security man.
"Frank, ma'am." He didn't smile.
"Well, Frank, thank you for standing guard."
"It's my job, ma'am." He shrugged and turned to put his back against the wall again, taking up his post.
Dani sighed and shut herself back in Nico's office. She sat on the edge of his desk and scrubbed her hands over his face. God, the nap was a bad idea: it just left her more tired and feeling retched. When her phone rang she groaned and answered it without looking at who it was.
"You should be here watching your son practice. A mother should take an interest in her children's activities, don't you think, Doc D?"
Dani just reacted, bursting out of Nico's office right into Frank. She used him to steady herself and looked up at him with fear clearly written on her face.
"Boss, something's wrong. Her phone. Now!" Frank whispered into some communications device and reached out to hold her up.
<"Why aren't you at his practice? Can't you hear them doing drills?" Then there was cheering and yelling in the background before just silence.
"Where is he, Frank?"
"The boss will be -." Frank's eyes moved to something behind her.
"Dani, he is nowhere near the school. Ray Jay doesn't even have practice outside today." Nico stated from behind her. He reached out to catch her as she stumbled turning to face him.
Dani reached out blindly and Nico caught her under her elbows and helped her over to a chair in his office. He glanced back at Frank to close the door.
"Dani, listen to me. He was not near the school. Practice was inside today. Xeno talked with their coach and they did weight training inside today. Rat Bastard was nowhere near the school." Nico kept talking until it penetrated her mind.
Dani looked down at him. He was squatting in front of her as she sat in his chair. "You are sure?"
Nico nodded. "Yes. Do you want to talk with Xeno?"
Dani shook her head and just burst into tears.
She leaned forward and Nico sighed. His hands were still at her elbows so he lifted her to stand. She wrapped her arms around him and he tried to suppress the shudders running through her small form. He sighed and just kept his arms tight around her and waited her out.
She took five minutes in the security of his arms before she started taking deep breaths and brushing at her tears. She pulled back slightly and his arms loosened.
Nico rested his hands on her hips, needing to make sure she was steady on her feet. He took a small step back and looked down at her face. Silently, he asked if she was all right.
Dani saw the question in his eyes and offered him a watery smile. "Thank you, Nico, for holding me up while I cracked."
Nico pushed a strand of hair out of her face as he let her totally go. "Not cracking, Dani, venting stress." His words were soft in the darkness of his office.
Dani nodded. "I need a minute or two to pull myself together. A mirror." She chuckled. "I cannot look good right now."
Nico shrugged. "What's a little mascara running between friends?"
Dani looked over at him and stared. He was smiling. She just shook her head and chuckled. "Thanks, Nico. I needed that."
Nico just nodded and opened a door Dani just assumed was a closet. It wasn't. She squinted at him. "A bathroom in your office? How can I rate one of these?"
Nico shook his head. "Years of faithful service."
Dani laughed as she closed the door behind her. Holy god! She looked like hell! Sighing, she grabbed a towel, some soap and just washed all of her makeup off. She'd deal with going naked. At least she had mascara in her purse. She gave herself another minute in the bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror and sighed.
"Thanks, Ni-." Dani cut herself off when she realized no one was in the office anymore. Sighing, she opened the door to head out and ran smack into Frank again. "God, Frank, I am sorry! What is that? The third time? I'm not usually this clumsy!"
The big man's laughter was low and rumbly. "No worries, Doctor Santino."
"What time is it, anyway?" Dani asked, looking from Nico to Frank.
"Sixteen hundred thirty, ma'am." Frank answered.
Dani looked at him blankly. Nico rescued her. "4:30 PM, Doctor Santino."
Dani chuckled. "Military time, subtract twelve. Got it now. Thank you, Frank." Turning to Nico, she said, "I'd like to talk with Xeno now." She held up her hand when he started to talk. "I know in my mind, Nico. I know you and your men would never let anything happen to my children, but they are my children and I just need to hear it from the one close to them right now, the one who has eyes on them."
Nico nodded and pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and handed it to Dani.
She sighed, thanked Xeno, and hung up the phone. "Now what do we do?"
Nico shook his head. She was still running at full speed. "I have about an hour's worth of stuff I need to get done here. The situation that took me out of the stadium this morning ended up taking more time than I anticipated. Can you keep yourself occupied for an hour or should I get Terrence to keep you company?"
Dani scrunched her nose and glared at Nico. "Do not forget that you owe me dinner at Tuesday Night Restaurant."
"I believe you blinked first."
Dani waved a finger in his face. "That had nothing to do with you owing me dinner, Nico. The staring contest was because you couldn't believe I would blackmail you in front of a witness. And considering just who the witness is, someone had to deal with him and he is my client and it was during his session."
Nico shook his head. "I disagree. The staring contest had everything to do with your proclamation that I owed you dinner. I did not make you cancel your lunch with your friend."
Dani stared at him. It dawned on her then. "So let me get this straight, if I want to meet with friends for lunch, I can just have them come to the stadium. That is what you are implying right now."
Nico raised his hand. "That is not what I said."
"Boss, do you really-." Frank cut himself off at a glare from Nico.
Dani tilted her head, her eyes staying on Nico. "Thank you, Frank, but not necessary. Nico and I have these arguments whenever we are in each other's company for more than eight minutes. As for you, Mr. Careles, having lunch with a friend is an in-person thing. Your orders kept me here in this stadium, in the secure areas, and I did not think it appropriate to have Jeanette come here for our lunch. Hence why I cancelled on my best friend. So, I would conclude that, yes, the unrelated situation that took you out of the stadium for longer than you anticipated, was the reason I cancelled my lunch with Jeanette."
Nico wondered just when he had lost control of this conversation. "About an hour, then we leave, Doctor Santino."
Dani smiled. She knew this time he blinked first. "I'll be in with the Team. We have a group session at 5 PM. Should be about an hour, so you have a bit more than an hour, Nico, to accomplish what you need to."
Nico blinked. "Should I-."
"The hell you should. You scare the crap out of them, Nico, I do not need that at this session." Dani glared.
Nico took a step back with a chuckle. "Noted."
Dani rolled her neck and headed away from his office.
-%-
Dani couldn't ask for a better discussion. The players were taking this seriously and policing themselves on the few inappropriate comments.
"Doc, how do we tell we are stepping out of bounds? It isn't like there are lines in the grass!"
Dani smiled. "At least you all realized there are out of bounds." She sighed. "Seriously, what is out for one woman is can be in for another. We are women, not a field with concrete lines." Everyone groaned. Dani held up her hand. "But there are clues. A lot of women who work in male-dominated fields or in men's locker rooms are more tolerant. It should not be directed at her person specifically. If it is more generic, that is better. Also, you shouldn't be backing her into a corner or a wall physically as you say something. There shouldn't be intimidation in your voice." Dani watched the men nod to each other. She smiled, they would try. It was all she could really ask for.
Dani picked up another thread of conversation and sighed. "Men, I know you have beautiful, willing women throwing yourself at you all the time: in hotel rooms, bars, clubs, even on the street. It is one thing for you to expect it out there. It should never be expected nor tolerated inside here. Think of this as sanctuary. The women should get it from your sexual innuendos and you should get it from women throwing themselves at you. And if it does happen, -."
"I need to know about it. Staff is vetted heavily before they are hired here for a reason: to protect this team." Nico spoke up from the doorway. "I'm sorry to interrupt your session, but it is after 6 PM and some have appointments elsewhere."
Dani nodded. "Thank you, Nico. Guys, it will take time. It will get easier. We'll do a few more of these group sessions, okay? Thanks for participating, guys."
Dani made her way to the back of the room and to Nico. She smiled over at him. "Let me grab my purse and we can head back to the house."
Nico nodded and held open the door for her.
Dani had closed her eyes in the car while he drove, but when she opened her eyes, she blinked. "What?"
"We do need to eat. And it is Tuesday." Nico shrugged. "Unless you want to return to the house?"
Dani was quick to shake her head. "No. We don't have any food there anyway."
His hand was on her back as he walked her into the restaurant and then waited a moment for his table to be readied. He helped her with her chair then sat across from her. "Wine?"
Dani nodded. "Just a glass of red. I'll embarrass myself if I have more than one right now."
Nico nodded. He lifted his head and immediately the waitress from that long ago Tuesday was at the table. He asked her for two glasses of malbec and she told them the specials.
Dani smiled. This interaction made him seem human. Idly, she wondered if that was why he had fought against bringing her here. Wait a minute. This place was packed and it was nearly 7 PM and the line they had skipped was long. She tilted her head and studied him a moment. "You called here to say you were coming before you broke up the group session." It wasn't a question, just an observation that had her smiling.
"It is usually busy here no matter the day. I try and give them notice if I will be coming during their busier hours. It makes it easier on the staff." Nico nodded, pleasantly surprised she came to that conclusion.
Dani nodded and sipped her wine that had just appeared on the table. She looked down at it then up at Nico. "This is really good. You said it was a malbec? Where is that from?"
"Malbec, it was started in France as Cot, but in recent years it has taken over in Argentina and a bit in Chile. Good ones can be very good. It's dry with a bit of berry and pepper." Nico informed her.
Dani smiled. "What book are you reading now?"
Nico held her gaze as he returned her question. "Which type?"
Dani blinked. "You are one of those annoying people who can be reading multiple books at once and keep them straight. I've moved on to Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I like it. It's dark, depressing at times, frighteningly vivid at others, but it is so different from American books, that I really like it. Even if I have to put it down at times to just pause in the reading of it."
Nico smiled. "Yes, he was a good author. I read once that 'Americans live surrounded by the sunny majors' [reference: Siberian Light by Robin White] and while the author was comparing us with Russians, I think it goes well with Sweeds. They know how to live in the dark, to survive there, because nature puts them directly in it. The only place nature puts Americans directly in the dark is Alaska and many do not consider that a part of the United States. We live our days in the sun. We are not attacked on our soil except in rare times, September 11th was the first time since Pearl Harbor and even that wasn't the mainland. Sure we are involved in war but it isn't on our homeland and it is so far removed from the people unless you know a soldier there."
Dani blinked and nodded, she looked over at the waitress who stood at their table. "Sorry, I haven't even looked at the menu." She eyed Nico. "I'm sure whatever Mr. Careles chooses will be enjoyable, so I'll take whatever he is having." She really didn't think she could make a decision right now.
Nico nodded. "The special is fine, Marcie, so two of them, please. And salads with the house dressing."
"Very well, Mr. Careles, ma'am." And she was gone.
"You bring up an interesting point, Nico." Dani sat back in her chair and sipped her wine. "One that I am going to have to think on for a bit. I know I agree but I still need to think on it and right now, my mind isn't at its best."
Nico nodded. "So you are taking back book club?"
Dani chuckled. "No. Ray can keep Book Club. I chose the high road: to read for my own pleasure. I doubt I will pick up every Oprah or Booklist top seller, but we'll see."
Chapter 3