Fic: [NR] Mix of Dark Minors and Sunny Majors (Chapter 6/14)
Mix of Dark Minors and Sunny Majors
Word Count: Chapter 6: 4,063; [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]
-%-
By 1030 AM, Dani knew something serious was going to go wrong and she couldn't contain her nervous energy. She wished Nico was there to bounce ideas off, or really, to just calm her, but he had left at 10 AM for that other situation. Yesterday had been too quiet, like a lull before a storm. There was something they were forgetting. Someone they weren't protecting. Dani could feel it.
She bolted out of her office and ran right into Frank when it hit her fifteen minutes later. "Car now, Frank."
Frank started to shake his head. He had his orders. Doc was not allowed to leave the stadium without the Boss.
Dani's eyes hardened. "Car now, Frank. I will not allow another to suffer. We forgot one woman. We need to get to her right now." Then she moved passed him towards the doors.
Frank had seen the fear and helplessness in her eyes and barked orders. He pulled her to a stop just as she reached for the doors to the outside. "No. I go out first. I scout the area then I get you. You get in the SUV directly, do you understand me?"
Dani nodded. And followed his instructions to a 't'. Once she was in the SUV, she called Nico. When he answered, she took a fortifying breath and demanded something that she knew was going to destroy his trust in her. It didn't even give her pause, she couldn't let it. "Nico, the address of Juliette's rehab. Now!"
"What are you talking about?" Nico growled. "I'm in the middle-."
Dani closed her eyes and cut him off. "Right now, Nico. Juliette's rehab. We don't have time for this!"
Nico swore. "What the hell is going on, Doctor Santino? How do you even know about Juliette? Let alone she is in rehab?"
Frank was the only one who saw the tear escape her closed eyes. "Goddamnit, Nico! Just give me the damned address right frigging now! She does not have time for this!" She listened then repeated the address to Frank and disconnected the call. When it rang a second later, she moved to shut it off then thought better of it and just put it on vibrate and tossed it in her purse. "Faster, Frank."
Even as they pulled up to the building, she was giving orders that no one was to get in her way. It took too long for her to get the room number and another moment to get to the room. She reached it first and flung the door open. She didn't even think, didn't call for Frank, didn't even care what happened to her. She grabbed the needle and jabbed it into the leg of the man holding it. Then she fisted her right hand and delivered an upper cut to the man's jaw a heavyweight would have been proud of.
"Frank, get him the hell out of here and then close that door and let no one in. And I mean absolutely no one. Not even the Boss." Dani ordered and turned to Juliette and softened her face and voice. She couldn't let the fury get in the way of helping this young woman.
"Juliette? Are you okay? I am Doctor Dani Santino. I am a friend of Nico's." She started as she knelt beside the young woman on the bed. She debated on using her title but she didn't want it to look like she was hiding it when Juliette found out later on.
She blinked. "Is he gone? Are you sure? I didn't want them. He made me take them. Nico is going to be so pissed I'm using again."
Dani smiled. "Juliette, he's gone. Frank will dispose of him. I know you didn't want to take the drugs. He didn't get them in you. I put the needle in his leg. Nico will be proud of you." She was going to say more but there were angry voices at the door before it was pushed open. Dani was at it even before it was fully open. "I said no one in here, not even you."
"I have-."
Dani's voice softened. "Nico, I can't care about your wants when Juliette needs this right now." She looked up at him, knowing this would hurt him but needing to take care of the scared young woman before she tried to help the scared man. "Please, Nico. I swear she is safe. He didn't get the drugs in her."
Nico stared at her and nodded. "Can I just-."
"I need you to take care of the man, Nico. No permanent disappearance, but he doesn't have to arrive at the police station without damage either." Dani ordered gently. If Juliette had been one of her children, she'd want the man dead but would settle for immense pain. She wouldn't deny Nico the same satisfaction.
Nico nodded. "You are sure?"
"I am going to be okay, Nico." Juliette's voice spoke up and Dani turned to give her a smile before she nodded to Nico and shut the door.
"He could have come in, Doctor." Juliette started. "He's seen me worse."
Dani smiled. "I am sure he has, but he needs to let some of the fear and anger go. He can do that with the man Frank hauled out of here. He cares for you a great deal; he wouldn't have brought you here if he didn't. You wouldn't have hurt him so much if he didn't."
Juliette flinched. "I know I have." She looked over at Dani. "Who exactly are you? How do you know Nico?"
Dani sat beside the young woman. "I am the Hawks therapist. I was brought in to help control TK. When I refused to control him, Nico asked me to try. I still refused but told them I would help TK learn his own control. Now I work with six other players and your father and Nico refer others to me."
Juliette flinched. "I don't want-."
"Juliette, what you want and what you need are different things. You started seriously looking at what you need when you had Nico bring you here. You've been clean for a few weeks. He's proud of you." Dani cut her off and reached out to take the young woman's hand. "I promise it will be okay. I can't promise it will be easy, but I can promise that one day, it will be okay. You'll come through this a stronger woman, but I suspect you already know that." She smiled over at Juliette.
The younger woman looked at her with suspicion. "What do you think happened here?"
"I know that a player I got terminated from the team for terrorizing woman with sexual harassment and sexual assault is attacking me. He threatened others around me. Nico has made sure my children, best friend, mother, and the two other women bringing charges against Rat Bastard--that is the player's new name-are secure and cannot be touched. Yesterday was too quiet, I realized this morning. I took me a few minutes to put together that you were not secure. I should have thought of you earlier." Dani sighed and looked away. "That man Frank took out of here was sent here to get you high and probably sexually assault you."
Juliette squeezed Dani's right hand. "He was detailing what he would do as you busted in."
Dani nodded, in pain. She must have broken something in her hand when she punched the guy, but there was no way she was asking Juliette to let go or stop talking. "Did he touch you?"
Juliette was quick to shake her head no. "No. He arrived a couple of minutes before you busted the door in. He knocked me to the bed and grabbed my arm and put his knee into my chest to hold me still. I was stunned and just about to call out when you came in." She kept her grip tight on Dani's hand, never hearing the older woman's wince.
Dani reached up to stroke Juliette's hair. "Shush. It will be okay. I promise you you'll come through this." They stayed like that for a while, Juliette leaning into Dani, squeezing her hand, Dani stroking her hair and offering silent support.
Juliette pulled back and but didn't let Dani's hand go. "We should see Nico. He has to be out of his mind right now."
Dani smiled. "I'll get him. You stay here. Frank will allow no one to come in unless you okay it, understand? You have to say 'yes, Frank' or 'no, Frank' so he knows you truly mean it. Understand, Juliette?" She wanted to start giving the younger woman control over the little things and build back up to the big things.
Juliette nodded. "I get it." Reluctantly, she let Dani's hand go.
Dani stepped out of the room, shut the door and spoke softly to Frank who was standing guard, telling him what she had told Juliette about how to allow someone into the room. Then she asked where Nico was.
"Right here." Nico spoke behind her and she wheeled around to face him. For a split second, he saw her sorrow and pain, then her eyes were blank and she was speaking to him.
"Nico, Juliette would like to see you. She's fine. He didn't touch her like that. He hit her and spoke to her, but that is it." Dani stated quickly before she turned to knock on the door.
Nico grabbed her hand and Dani's eyes glazed over and a whimper of pain escaped before she pulled her hand away. He pulled her left hand away from the door before she knocked on it and gently took her right hand in his. He could easily see it was broken. "You-."
"The team doctors can look at it later, we need to deal with Juliette then get her secure." Dani kept her eyes blank as she looked up into his eyes. This wasn't the time or the place to have the painful discussion she knew would come. Then she turned and knocked on the door as she asked Juliette if she and Nico could come in. Dani heard the correct response and opened the door.
Nico stayed back from Juliette but ran his eyes over her, looking for bruises. "Are you all right, Juliette?"
Dani had never heard his voice so soft. It made her betrayal all the worse. She struggled to keep the smile on her face while the two talked softly for a few minutes.
"We need to move-."
"She still needs rehab." Dani cut Nico off. God, she needed this over and to get away from the accusations, guilt, and pain in his eyes. How had she ever thought his eyes dead? "Juliette and I will discuss how to proceed with that later. Right now, she needs stability and security." She closed her eyes. This decision had the potential to destroy her family but she opened her eyes again and looked in Juliette's eyes and knew the decision had already been made. Straightening, she turned to Nico and faced him head on. "Jeanette and the kids and Ma move to Jeanette's beach house and Juliette goes with them. No school for the kids until Rat Bastard is caught. One base for all security. I stay at the team's house."
Juliette started at the other woman staring Nico down, almost daring him to challenge her declaration. "Wait. You want me near your family?" She was the druggie screw up-no one wanted her near their families, not even her own!
Dani softened her gaze as she turned it to Juliette. "I'm not saying my family is normal but it's steady, relatively stable, and completely secure. You want to change, Juliette, so, yes, I want you with my family. I need you safe. My mother and Jeanette will not tolerate your shit; Lindsay will prove all parents destroy their kid's lives; and Ray Jay will be a good laugh for you. But there will be ground rules you will obey."
Nico stared at Dani. She could not be serious about having Juliette with her family. "That's not-."
"It is necessary, Nico." Dani insisted. "It makes it easier on protection details and gives Juliette the stable model she needs right now. We'll get everyone settled then you and I will return to the stadium. I have a few things I need to finish up from earlier."
Nico opened his mouth to argue but looked at Juliette and nodded. He would allow this: Juliette was actually listening to what Dani was saying and considering it. He could see Juliette's shock suppressing her suspicion at Dani's motives and knew the good doctor might actually reach Juliette this time. "Fine." But they were definitely talking later. "You and Juliette pack her stuff while I go sign her out."
Dani stepped in front of him, forcing his eyes on her. "Don't do anything to this place, Nico. Let me take care of this place, please."
Looking from Dani to Nico, Juliette had to wonder how wise the woman was-Nico looked ready to tear her apart. She understood then: that was what Dani was afraid of: not Nico hurting her but Nico losing control with the staff. She reached for his arm. "She's right, Nico. She's a doctor; she should handle this place."
Dani's eyes moved to Juliette and she nodded her thanks.
The two women packed fast- Dani had Frank take Juliette to the SUV while she went to collect Nico. Her heels clicked as she made her way to the director's office. She didn't take comfort in that she didn't hear yelling: with Nico, she'd prefer yelling. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw he really was just signing papers.
"I'll just be a minute, Mr. Careles. Miss Pittman is settled in the vehicle with Mr. Frank." Dani dismissed him as she walked into the office.
Nico stared at her. Now she was dismissing him? He blinked when he spotted the coldness in her eyes. This was someone he had never seen before, not even when he tried intimidating her into telling him what TK had discussed in therapy. He'd give her this, though, because he had a feeling even he couldn't put that much fear into the doctor in charge. He moved to stand outside the office.
Dani faced the other doctor and spoke quietly, her voice steel. "I suggest, doctor," she twisted that word, "you do a thorough background investigation into everyone of your employees. And you make some serious changes. The State will be here on Monday and they will close you down for any violation they find. Then, I guarantee, you will never get another job anywhere near a rehab center or group home." Dani held his gaze for a moment. She watched him open his mouth as his eyes flashed anger, but the ice he found in her eyes kept him quiet. She nodded to him and turned to head out.
She walked passed Nico, then sighed and let him go ahead of her. She pulled out her phone and put a call into an old college friend when they got outside. She chatted about kids, friends, and jobs for a minute before she got into her favor. "Charlie, I need it done this Monday and I need the hardest bitch or prick you have to do the investigation." He didn't even argue with her about timetables, he just sighed and said fine. "Thank you, Charlie. Give Clarisse my love and hugs to the kids." Then she nodded to Frank and he opened the door for her as Nico got in the front of their SUV. She heard him call someone to make arrangement to pick up his car.
"Doc, Xeno pulled the kids from school and Jeanette and your mother have been notified of the change. They are currently packing." Frank informed her.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Doc?"
Dani reached over with her left hand and patted Juliette's leg. "I am, Juliette, positive this is the best decision for all." She smiled absently as the young woman threaded her fingers through hers. She leaned her head back on the rest and closed her eyes, keeping her broken hand between the door and the seat-if she didn't move it, she could tolerate the pain.
Two hours of introductions, explanations, and crying later, Dani knew there was nothing more she could do and sent them on their way. When Jeanette and her mother had eyed her hand she just shook her head and whispered, "later."
Dani watched the SUVs leave and blinked back tears. She turned to Nico and Frank to say they should head to the stadium now.
Nico shook his head at her and turned his back on her, and just got in the SUV. He looked over at Frank, "Make sure the house is closed up then head over to the team's house."
Frank's eyes flicked over at Dani before he brought them back to his boss and nodded. "Will do, Boss."
Dani sat in silence, waiting for the blow up. She kept her eyes focused on something just outside her window and waited.
Nico saw her inside the stadium and to her office, then headed to his own. He needed to get some control over his anger or he was going to hurt her.
TK came around the corner, looking for Dani, and ran into her, jarring her hand. Dani's eyes rolled back into her head and TK freaked out as he caught her. He settled her in his arms and screamed for Nico.
Nico was set to dismiss the player. He didn't need a TK issue right then, but when the player screamed this time for a doctor, the fear in his voice penetrated Nico's anger and set him in motion to find the player. He stopped short of the sight of TK carrying Dani. He blinked: how had he forgotten about her broken hand? Immediately, his phone was out and he was ordering the team doctor and the surgeon to the team hospital. He let his mind rewind the last few hours and realized she had done a good job of hiding her hand from all of them.
"What the hell, Nico? You supposed to protect the good doc! How could you let her get hurt?!" TK accused him. The hospital staff had taken an awake Dani only two minutes ago.
Nico sighed. "I was dealing with Juliette. Not that that is an excuse."
TK started to ask who the hell Juliette was compared to Dani when it hit him: Pittman's daughter. The one no one was supposed to talk with or help anymore. "Is she okay?"
"Doctor Santino saved her." Nico whispered.
"Well, duh, my man. This is Doctor D we's talkin' about. She saves everyone. It's what she does. You fix situations, she saves people from themselves." TK rolled his eyes. For being the all-knowing, scary dude, he was acting wacked out right now.
Nico stared at TK. For once, the player was right. She saves everyone. Nico rubbed his face, how could he have forgotten that? But who had told her he had gotten her in rehab? That he knew where she was when no one else did? He needed to know before the Pittmans found out.
"I had to go in and do some manipulating of the bones and remove some bone fragments. So many little bones fractured. She'll regain full use with physical therapy later. She said she punched a guy. That break was more pressure related, not hitting, Nico. You need to find out who threatened her." The surgeon told him three hours later.
Nico sighed. "It wasn't intimidation, Doctor. Doctor Santino just put a patient's needs above her own. She knocked out a guy trying to inject a patient with drugs then the patient latched onto her broken hand. The patient was too unstable to pull her hand away."
The surgeon sighed. "All right. She's awake: I only blocked the nerve in her shoulder. Give her an hour here, get her prescriptions filled, and get her home. And, Nico, see that she gets some rest."
Nico nodded and relayed the news to TK who promptly went down to the gift shop to buy the good doctor something outrageous.
Dani looked up from the bed to see Nico standing in the doorway. She tilted her head slightly, still only able to really see his silhouette but knowing it was him. "I am sorry, Nico."
Her softly spoke words pulled him out of his thoughts and he moved into the room to stand beside her bed. "Who told you about Juliette, Doctor Santino?"
Dani sighed. "I've always known about Juliette, Nico. How could I work for the Hawks and not know about Mr. Pittman's party daughter?"
Nico's eyes narrowed. She was evading his real question. "That is not what I meant and you know that."
"But it was what you asked, Nico." Dani stated and held his eyes.
"Is this payback? Vague answers for all the ones I give you?" Nico growled.
Dani shook her head. "No." But she couldn't give him the answer he wanted.
TK called out as he entered the room. He paused and it hit him that maybe he should have waited, they seemed to be in a pretty serious conversation, but then Dani smiled and he went in anyway. "How's you be, Doctor D? What's this you punched some dude out? Knocked him out cold, I heard."
Dani laughed. "I did. One punch, an upper cut to the jaw even a heavyweight would be proud of."
"Except the heavyweight wouldn't have broken his hand, Doctor D!" TK chuckled. "I's got you some things. Everyone in a hospital needs balloons and teddy bears and flowers." He held up a bear bigger than the one he had gotten Ray Jay after his ACL injury and a fist full of balloons.
Dani eyed him. "So where are my flowers?"
TK smiled. "That's Nico's responsibility. The shop didn't have any, so Nico, my man, you are going to have to stop somewhere and pick up dozens worthy of the good doctor!"
Nico raised a brow. "Why is this duty left to me? You have a vehicle here."
"Yeah, buts you's bringing her home in like thirty, so you get to stop along the way for flowers." TK eyed him. "And I'll know if you don't. I can tweet faster than you can."
Nico's eyes narrowed but he said nothing.
TK shook his head. "For Doctor D, your wrath don't scare me."
Dani blinked and reached out for TK's hand. "I'm fine, Terrence. Really. There were things I needed to deal with before I could get my hand fixed. I was headed to see the doctor at the stadium when you hit the hand and I blacked out."
"Yeah, buts Nico should have taken you right to the hospital when you were done with your stuff." TK stated softly, his eyes accusing Nico before they softened with worry and turned to Dani. "The rat bastard is hurting you too much."
Dani sighed. "Terrence, we knew this would get worse before it got better. I want him focused on me, not hurting others with less protection. Now, don't worry: when my hand is better, I'm making Nico teach me how to throw a punch without breaking my hand." She smiled up at the player and squeezed his hand. "Besides, now the team knows I too can knock them out." She chuckled.
"You could give my man over there a run for his money on scariness, Doctor D! Can I tweet this? Come on! Please?! It'd be fatastic!" TK asked, his voice taking on that whiny quality.
Dani rolled her eyes. "I need to tell the kids tomorrow morning, so you wait until tomorrow noon, and I'll allow the tweeting. I won't even pre-approve it." She figured she'd regret that decision but let it go.
TK smiled. "All right, doc orders rest for you, so I'm bouncing. Nico, take care of my doctor and make sure you get dozens of good flowers for her. No cheap carnations or nothing!"
Nico nodded, more just to get the player out and on his way.
Chapter 5
Word Count: Chapter 6: 4,063; [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]
-%-
By 1030 AM, Dani knew something serious was going to go wrong and she couldn't contain her nervous energy. She wished Nico was there to bounce ideas off, or really, to just calm her, but he had left at 10 AM for that other situation. Yesterday had been too quiet, like a lull before a storm. There was something they were forgetting. Someone they weren't protecting. Dani could feel it.
She bolted out of her office and ran right into Frank when it hit her fifteen minutes later. "Car now, Frank."
Frank started to shake his head. He had his orders. Doc was not allowed to leave the stadium without the Boss.
Dani's eyes hardened. "Car now, Frank. I will not allow another to suffer. We forgot one woman. We need to get to her right now." Then she moved passed him towards the doors.
Frank had seen the fear and helplessness in her eyes and barked orders. He pulled her to a stop just as she reached for the doors to the outside. "No. I go out first. I scout the area then I get you. You get in the SUV directly, do you understand me?"
Dani nodded. And followed his instructions to a 't'. Once she was in the SUV, she called Nico. When he answered, she took a fortifying breath and demanded something that she knew was going to destroy his trust in her. It didn't even give her pause, she couldn't let it. "Nico, the address of Juliette's rehab. Now!"
"What are you talking about?" Nico growled. "I'm in the middle-."
Dani closed her eyes and cut him off. "Right now, Nico. Juliette's rehab. We don't have time for this!"
Nico swore. "What the hell is going on, Doctor Santino? How do you even know about Juliette? Let alone she is in rehab?"
Frank was the only one who saw the tear escape her closed eyes. "Goddamnit, Nico! Just give me the damned address right frigging now! She does not have time for this!" She listened then repeated the address to Frank and disconnected the call. When it rang a second later, she moved to shut it off then thought better of it and just put it on vibrate and tossed it in her purse. "Faster, Frank."
Even as they pulled up to the building, she was giving orders that no one was to get in her way. It took too long for her to get the room number and another moment to get to the room. She reached it first and flung the door open. She didn't even think, didn't call for Frank, didn't even care what happened to her. She grabbed the needle and jabbed it into the leg of the man holding it. Then she fisted her right hand and delivered an upper cut to the man's jaw a heavyweight would have been proud of.
"Frank, get him the hell out of here and then close that door and let no one in. And I mean absolutely no one. Not even the Boss." Dani ordered and turned to Juliette and softened her face and voice. She couldn't let the fury get in the way of helping this young woman.
"Juliette? Are you okay? I am Doctor Dani Santino. I am a friend of Nico's." She started as she knelt beside the young woman on the bed. She debated on using her title but she didn't want it to look like she was hiding it when Juliette found out later on.
She blinked. "Is he gone? Are you sure? I didn't want them. He made me take them. Nico is going to be so pissed I'm using again."
Dani smiled. "Juliette, he's gone. Frank will dispose of him. I know you didn't want to take the drugs. He didn't get them in you. I put the needle in his leg. Nico will be proud of you." She was going to say more but there were angry voices at the door before it was pushed open. Dani was at it even before it was fully open. "I said no one in here, not even you."
"I have-."
Dani's voice softened. "Nico, I can't care about your wants when Juliette needs this right now." She looked up at him, knowing this would hurt him but needing to take care of the scared young woman before she tried to help the scared man. "Please, Nico. I swear she is safe. He didn't get the drugs in her."
Nico stared at her and nodded. "Can I just-."
"I need you to take care of the man, Nico. No permanent disappearance, but he doesn't have to arrive at the police station without damage either." Dani ordered gently. If Juliette had been one of her children, she'd want the man dead but would settle for immense pain. She wouldn't deny Nico the same satisfaction.
Nico nodded. "You are sure?"
"I am going to be okay, Nico." Juliette's voice spoke up and Dani turned to give her a smile before she nodded to Nico and shut the door.
"He could have come in, Doctor." Juliette started. "He's seen me worse."
Dani smiled. "I am sure he has, but he needs to let some of the fear and anger go. He can do that with the man Frank hauled out of here. He cares for you a great deal; he wouldn't have brought you here if he didn't. You wouldn't have hurt him so much if he didn't."
Juliette flinched. "I know I have." She looked over at Dani. "Who exactly are you? How do you know Nico?"
Dani sat beside the young woman. "I am the Hawks therapist. I was brought in to help control TK. When I refused to control him, Nico asked me to try. I still refused but told them I would help TK learn his own control. Now I work with six other players and your father and Nico refer others to me."
Juliette flinched. "I don't want-."
"Juliette, what you want and what you need are different things. You started seriously looking at what you need when you had Nico bring you here. You've been clean for a few weeks. He's proud of you." Dani cut her off and reached out to take the young woman's hand. "I promise it will be okay. I can't promise it will be easy, but I can promise that one day, it will be okay. You'll come through this a stronger woman, but I suspect you already know that." She smiled over at Juliette.
The younger woman looked at her with suspicion. "What do you think happened here?"
"I know that a player I got terminated from the team for terrorizing woman with sexual harassment and sexual assault is attacking me. He threatened others around me. Nico has made sure my children, best friend, mother, and the two other women bringing charges against Rat Bastard--that is the player's new name-are secure and cannot be touched. Yesterday was too quiet, I realized this morning. I took me a few minutes to put together that you were not secure. I should have thought of you earlier." Dani sighed and looked away. "That man Frank took out of here was sent here to get you high and probably sexually assault you."
Juliette squeezed Dani's right hand. "He was detailing what he would do as you busted in."
Dani nodded, in pain. She must have broken something in her hand when she punched the guy, but there was no way she was asking Juliette to let go or stop talking. "Did he touch you?"
Juliette was quick to shake her head no. "No. He arrived a couple of minutes before you busted the door in. He knocked me to the bed and grabbed my arm and put his knee into my chest to hold me still. I was stunned and just about to call out when you came in." She kept her grip tight on Dani's hand, never hearing the older woman's wince.
Dani reached up to stroke Juliette's hair. "Shush. It will be okay. I promise you you'll come through this." They stayed like that for a while, Juliette leaning into Dani, squeezing her hand, Dani stroking her hair and offering silent support.
Juliette pulled back and but didn't let Dani's hand go. "We should see Nico. He has to be out of his mind right now."
Dani smiled. "I'll get him. You stay here. Frank will allow no one to come in unless you okay it, understand? You have to say 'yes, Frank' or 'no, Frank' so he knows you truly mean it. Understand, Juliette?" She wanted to start giving the younger woman control over the little things and build back up to the big things.
Juliette nodded. "I get it." Reluctantly, she let Dani's hand go.
Dani stepped out of the room, shut the door and spoke softly to Frank who was standing guard, telling him what she had told Juliette about how to allow someone into the room. Then she asked where Nico was.
"Right here." Nico spoke behind her and she wheeled around to face him. For a split second, he saw her sorrow and pain, then her eyes were blank and she was speaking to him.
"Nico, Juliette would like to see you. She's fine. He didn't touch her like that. He hit her and spoke to her, but that is it." Dani stated quickly before she turned to knock on the door.
Nico grabbed her hand and Dani's eyes glazed over and a whimper of pain escaped before she pulled her hand away. He pulled her left hand away from the door before she knocked on it and gently took her right hand in his. He could easily see it was broken. "You-."
"The team doctors can look at it later, we need to deal with Juliette then get her secure." Dani kept her eyes blank as she looked up into his eyes. This wasn't the time or the place to have the painful discussion she knew would come. Then she turned and knocked on the door as she asked Juliette if she and Nico could come in. Dani heard the correct response and opened the door.
Nico stayed back from Juliette but ran his eyes over her, looking for bruises. "Are you all right, Juliette?"
Dani had never heard his voice so soft. It made her betrayal all the worse. She struggled to keep the smile on her face while the two talked softly for a few minutes.
"We need to move-."
"She still needs rehab." Dani cut Nico off. God, she needed this over and to get away from the accusations, guilt, and pain in his eyes. How had she ever thought his eyes dead? "Juliette and I will discuss how to proceed with that later. Right now, she needs stability and security." She closed her eyes. This decision had the potential to destroy her family but she opened her eyes again and looked in Juliette's eyes and knew the decision had already been made. Straightening, she turned to Nico and faced him head on. "Jeanette and the kids and Ma move to Jeanette's beach house and Juliette goes with them. No school for the kids until Rat Bastard is caught. One base for all security. I stay at the team's house."
Juliette started at the other woman staring Nico down, almost daring him to challenge her declaration. "Wait. You want me near your family?" She was the druggie screw up-no one wanted her near their families, not even her own!
Dani softened her gaze as she turned it to Juliette. "I'm not saying my family is normal but it's steady, relatively stable, and completely secure. You want to change, Juliette, so, yes, I want you with my family. I need you safe. My mother and Jeanette will not tolerate your shit; Lindsay will prove all parents destroy their kid's lives; and Ray Jay will be a good laugh for you. But there will be ground rules you will obey."
Nico stared at Dani. She could not be serious about having Juliette with her family. "That's not-."
"It is necessary, Nico." Dani insisted. "It makes it easier on protection details and gives Juliette the stable model she needs right now. We'll get everyone settled then you and I will return to the stadium. I have a few things I need to finish up from earlier."
Nico opened his mouth to argue but looked at Juliette and nodded. He would allow this: Juliette was actually listening to what Dani was saying and considering it. He could see Juliette's shock suppressing her suspicion at Dani's motives and knew the good doctor might actually reach Juliette this time. "Fine." But they were definitely talking later. "You and Juliette pack her stuff while I go sign her out."
Dani stepped in front of him, forcing his eyes on her. "Don't do anything to this place, Nico. Let me take care of this place, please."
Looking from Dani to Nico, Juliette had to wonder how wise the woman was-Nico looked ready to tear her apart. She understood then: that was what Dani was afraid of: not Nico hurting her but Nico losing control with the staff. She reached for his arm. "She's right, Nico. She's a doctor; she should handle this place."
Dani's eyes moved to Juliette and she nodded her thanks.
The two women packed fast- Dani had Frank take Juliette to the SUV while she went to collect Nico. Her heels clicked as she made her way to the director's office. She didn't take comfort in that she didn't hear yelling: with Nico, she'd prefer yelling. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw he really was just signing papers.
"I'll just be a minute, Mr. Careles. Miss Pittman is settled in the vehicle with Mr. Frank." Dani dismissed him as she walked into the office.
Nico stared at her. Now she was dismissing him? He blinked when he spotted the coldness in her eyes. This was someone he had never seen before, not even when he tried intimidating her into telling him what TK had discussed in therapy. He'd give her this, though, because he had a feeling even he couldn't put that much fear into the doctor in charge. He moved to stand outside the office.
Dani faced the other doctor and spoke quietly, her voice steel. "I suggest, doctor," she twisted that word, "you do a thorough background investigation into everyone of your employees. And you make some serious changes. The State will be here on Monday and they will close you down for any violation they find. Then, I guarantee, you will never get another job anywhere near a rehab center or group home." Dani held his gaze for a moment. She watched him open his mouth as his eyes flashed anger, but the ice he found in her eyes kept him quiet. She nodded to him and turned to head out.
She walked passed Nico, then sighed and let him go ahead of her. She pulled out her phone and put a call into an old college friend when they got outside. She chatted about kids, friends, and jobs for a minute before she got into her favor. "Charlie, I need it done this Monday and I need the hardest bitch or prick you have to do the investigation." He didn't even argue with her about timetables, he just sighed and said fine. "Thank you, Charlie. Give Clarisse my love and hugs to the kids." Then she nodded to Frank and he opened the door for her as Nico got in the front of their SUV. She heard him call someone to make arrangement to pick up his car.
"Doc, Xeno pulled the kids from school and Jeanette and your mother have been notified of the change. They are currently packing." Frank informed her.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Doc?"
Dani reached over with her left hand and patted Juliette's leg. "I am, Juliette, positive this is the best decision for all." She smiled absently as the young woman threaded her fingers through hers. She leaned her head back on the rest and closed her eyes, keeping her broken hand between the door and the seat-if she didn't move it, she could tolerate the pain.
Two hours of introductions, explanations, and crying later, Dani knew there was nothing more she could do and sent them on their way. When Jeanette and her mother had eyed her hand she just shook her head and whispered, "later."
Dani watched the SUVs leave and blinked back tears. She turned to Nico and Frank to say they should head to the stadium now.
Nico shook his head at her and turned his back on her, and just got in the SUV. He looked over at Frank, "Make sure the house is closed up then head over to the team's house."
Frank's eyes flicked over at Dani before he brought them back to his boss and nodded. "Will do, Boss."
Dani sat in silence, waiting for the blow up. She kept her eyes focused on something just outside her window and waited.
Nico saw her inside the stadium and to her office, then headed to his own. He needed to get some control over his anger or he was going to hurt her.
TK came around the corner, looking for Dani, and ran into her, jarring her hand. Dani's eyes rolled back into her head and TK freaked out as he caught her. He settled her in his arms and screamed for Nico.
Nico was set to dismiss the player. He didn't need a TK issue right then, but when the player screamed this time for a doctor, the fear in his voice penetrated Nico's anger and set him in motion to find the player. He stopped short of the sight of TK carrying Dani. He blinked: how had he forgotten about her broken hand? Immediately, his phone was out and he was ordering the team doctor and the surgeon to the team hospital. He let his mind rewind the last few hours and realized she had done a good job of hiding her hand from all of them.
"What the hell, Nico? You supposed to protect the good doc! How could you let her get hurt?!" TK accused him. The hospital staff had taken an awake Dani only two minutes ago.
Nico sighed. "I was dealing with Juliette. Not that that is an excuse."
TK started to ask who the hell Juliette was compared to Dani when it hit him: Pittman's daughter. The one no one was supposed to talk with or help anymore. "Is she okay?"
"Doctor Santino saved her." Nico whispered.
"Well, duh, my man. This is Doctor D we's talkin' about. She saves everyone. It's what she does. You fix situations, she saves people from themselves." TK rolled his eyes. For being the all-knowing, scary dude, he was acting wacked out right now.
Nico stared at TK. For once, the player was right. She saves everyone. Nico rubbed his face, how could he have forgotten that? But who had told her he had gotten her in rehab? That he knew where she was when no one else did? He needed to know before the Pittmans found out.
"I had to go in and do some manipulating of the bones and remove some bone fragments. So many little bones fractured. She'll regain full use with physical therapy later. She said she punched a guy. That break was more pressure related, not hitting, Nico. You need to find out who threatened her." The surgeon told him three hours later.
Nico sighed. "It wasn't intimidation, Doctor. Doctor Santino just put a patient's needs above her own. She knocked out a guy trying to inject a patient with drugs then the patient latched onto her broken hand. The patient was too unstable to pull her hand away."
The surgeon sighed. "All right. She's awake: I only blocked the nerve in her shoulder. Give her an hour here, get her prescriptions filled, and get her home. And, Nico, see that she gets some rest."
Nico nodded and relayed the news to TK who promptly went down to the gift shop to buy the good doctor something outrageous.
Dani looked up from the bed to see Nico standing in the doorway. She tilted her head slightly, still only able to really see his silhouette but knowing it was him. "I am sorry, Nico."
Her softly spoke words pulled him out of his thoughts and he moved into the room to stand beside her bed. "Who told you about Juliette, Doctor Santino?"
Dani sighed. "I've always known about Juliette, Nico. How could I work for the Hawks and not know about Mr. Pittman's party daughter?"
Nico's eyes narrowed. She was evading his real question. "That is not what I meant and you know that."
"But it was what you asked, Nico." Dani stated and held his eyes.
"Is this payback? Vague answers for all the ones I give you?" Nico growled.
Dani shook her head. "No." But she couldn't give him the answer he wanted.
TK called out as he entered the room. He paused and it hit him that maybe he should have waited, they seemed to be in a pretty serious conversation, but then Dani smiled and he went in anyway. "How's you be, Doctor D? What's this you punched some dude out? Knocked him out cold, I heard."
Dani laughed. "I did. One punch, an upper cut to the jaw even a heavyweight would be proud of."
"Except the heavyweight wouldn't have broken his hand, Doctor D!" TK chuckled. "I's got you some things. Everyone in a hospital needs balloons and teddy bears and flowers." He held up a bear bigger than the one he had gotten Ray Jay after his ACL injury and a fist full of balloons.
Dani eyed him. "So where are my flowers?"
TK smiled. "That's Nico's responsibility. The shop didn't have any, so Nico, my man, you are going to have to stop somewhere and pick up dozens worthy of the good doctor!"
Nico raised a brow. "Why is this duty left to me? You have a vehicle here."
"Yeah, buts you's bringing her home in like thirty, so you get to stop along the way for flowers." TK eyed him. "And I'll know if you don't. I can tweet faster than you can."
Nico's eyes narrowed but he said nothing.
TK shook his head. "For Doctor D, your wrath don't scare me."
Dani blinked and reached out for TK's hand. "I'm fine, Terrence. Really. There were things I needed to deal with before I could get my hand fixed. I was headed to see the doctor at the stadium when you hit the hand and I blacked out."
"Yeah, buts Nico should have taken you right to the hospital when you were done with your stuff." TK stated softly, his eyes accusing Nico before they softened with worry and turned to Dani. "The rat bastard is hurting you too much."
Dani sighed. "Terrence, we knew this would get worse before it got better. I want him focused on me, not hurting others with less protection. Now, don't worry: when my hand is better, I'm making Nico teach me how to throw a punch without breaking my hand." She smiled up at the player and squeezed his hand. "Besides, now the team knows I too can knock them out." She chuckled.
"You could give my man over there a run for his money on scariness, Doctor D! Can I tweet this? Come on! Please?! It'd be fatastic!" TK asked, his voice taking on that whiny quality.
Dani rolled her eyes. "I need to tell the kids tomorrow morning, so you wait until tomorrow noon, and I'll allow the tweeting. I won't even pre-approve it." She figured she'd regret that decision but let it go.
TK smiled. "All right, doc orders rest for you, so I'm bouncing. Nico, take care of my doctor and make sure you get dozens of good flowers for her. No cheap carnations or nothing!"
Nico nodded, more just to get the player out and on his way.
Chapter 5