This Is Almost... Early, Except for the Whole Twice a Day Thing..
We Have a Situation
Word Count: 2,772
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Nico/Dani
Spoilers: References something from 1x10, but goes AU in the middle of 1x06.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I just break things.
Summary: She thinks he thinks everything is a situation. Trouble is, he's right. She just doesn't know it yet.
Author's Note: I finally got one part handled. I've been meaning to do this for a while...
A Peace Offering
"Nico!"
He had wanted to make it to his office without incident, having no desire to speak to anyone or deal with anything before he'd had a chance to reassess everything from the quiet of his office, but he had known that he'd never be that fortunate. He had managed to make it in from the parking lot and through most of the building, and that shouldn't have given him a false sense of security, and yet it had. He should have known better. He lacked stealth when he was injured. It was a basic fact. He turned back to look at the man who'd called to him.
"Donnally." If there was someone that Nico truly did not want to speak to right now, it would have to be the trainer. He was not looking forward to any questions, particularly about his relationship with Danielle. That was private.
Unless, of course, her best friend happened to have posted a picture and told the whole world that they were married. Then things were definitely not private.
"Damn, Nico," Donnally exclaimed, taking in Nico's still bruised appearance. He could have done something about that, he supposed, but he didn't feel like it. "What happened to you?"
"Are you asking for the truth or the rumors started by Ms. Balzarini?" Nico asked, resuming his walk to his office. He would rather deal with whatever this was sitting down. His back ached, and the few pills he'd allowed himself to take had not even dulled the pain. "I'm not married. Is that answer enough?"
"Not really. It doesn't explain why you look like you got the crap kicked out of you."
"It was a porch. It collapsed. Dr. Santino was also injured. I took her there. Blame me if you want. And now we're done, so leave my office," Nico said, sitting down and closing his eyes for a moment.
"You know, I could help with the injuries. It's kind of my job."
"I am not an athlete. I did not pull anything. I am bruised. I will live."
Donnally came around the desk. "Look, I know we've never really gotten along, but you're obviously in pain. You could let me take a look. I might be able to help. And the doctor could give you something if the other ones you saw didn't. You did see a doctor, right?"
"I did. I have a prescription," Nico answered. He did not have any intention of filling the prescription, but that was not something he felt the need to share with Donnally. He just wanted the other man gone so that the could have a moment of peace. He shook his head. "I don't want anyone poking at me. I... appreciate the offer, but it is not necessary."
"Okay, fine," Donnally said. He shook his head. "There is one other thing. I know you're helping your niece and-"
"And what?" Nico demanded. "You expect something for your silence?"
"Damn, what kind of a world do you live in, Nico?" Donnally asked, shaking his head. "I was going to say that... sometimes a physical training or exercise program can help with rehab-if the person's body can take it. It can be really light at first, but it could help her. If you want, I'll work one up for her. That's it."
Nico frowned. "Why are you doing this?"
Donnally sighed. "Dani said some things the other day that made me think. Juliette did, too. I just thought I'd offer. No harm, no foul, right?"
Nico opened the bottom drawer to his desk. "It's up to Juliette if she wants to work with you on the training program or exercise regimen or whatever you want to call it. You can contact her through Dr. Santino. And I have to remind you that Pittman has made his orders clear about helping her. I won't do anything about it as I am far guiltier myself, but you are aware of the potential consequences if someone else-perhaps Ms. Radcliffe-chooses to say something, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I am. I'll talk to Dani later," Donnally said, turning to leave. He stopped in the doorway. "How the hell can you date her and call her Dr. Santino?"
"In this instance, professionalism was required. I do not always call her Dr. Santino, and that is all that you need know," Nico answered. He would never be... friends with Donnally, that much seemed clear, but they did not need hostilities, either. "Send Ms. Radcliffe in to see me, would you?"
"Anything else you need, Dani?"
"Juliette, really, you do not need to wait on me hand and foot. I'm fine. I didn't ask you to stay because I wanted a servant. I asked you here because I wanted your company. That's all," Dani insisted. She really didn't want Juliette thinking that she had to take care of Dani to be welcome. Juliette really didn't get the concept of someone doing something without getting anything in exchange, even though Nico was not like that. Then again, Juliette had a lot of confusion where her uncle was concerned.
"I'm here. I can get you what you need. Really. It's not a problem."
"Just because my daughter is being unreasonable about you being here does not mean that you have to earn a place," Dani insisted. "Lindsay is having a very hard time adjusting-to my divorce, to the idea of me as a single parent, to me dating your uncle. She's not good with change, and she resents it. We're working on it, but her issues are not your problem. Don't take on more than you already have. You just need to focus on your recovery and where you go from here."
Juliette nodded. "Still, I don't want to be a problem for her."
"I know you don't. I think that Lindsay might actually like having another girl around, once she stops being offended. Give her another couple days."
"Nico said he'd send someone over to get my stuff from my place. I guess my lease is up anyway. I'll have to find someplace new. Something I can afford, I guess. I don't know. I don't have much of anything. I've never worked before. I don't have any money. I think Nico was making sure that I didn't end up on the street... I know, enabling, right? I can't complain, though. Bad enough I was willing to trade it, but if I took money for it..."
Dani held out her hand and Juliette took it with a frown. Dani pulled her close and hugged her tightly for a long time. "It's going to be okay. You don't have to worry about going anywhere right now. You can start to make choices. Is there anything you would have liked to do in college? I'm not suggesting that we put you in courses right now-the pressure might be too much, at least if you were doing full-time classes, but maybe one or two might be nice, give you something to work on as you get back on your feet?"
"I never gave it much thought. Ha-I know what I should do. I should get a business degree and stick it to my parents by running some company that takes theirs over," she said, laughing. Dani didn't really see her as a business major, but then Juliette was always surprising her.
The doorbell rang. Juliette got up. "I'll get it."
"I'll be here," Dani muttered, sending a death glare to her ankle. She was already sick of being unable to move around. She couldn't wait until she had full mobility again.
"Dani, there's someone to see you," Juliette called, disgust in her voice as she led Matt into the room. He glanced at her uncomfortably and forced a smile for Dani.
"Hi."
She waved from her couch. It was equally awkward for them, even though Dani knew he'd been trying to help when he warned her away from Juliette. "Hi. You here to inspect the doctor's job? It's not that bad, I don't think."
"That's probably because you, unlike Nico, seem willing to take the painkillers."
"It's that obvious that he doesn't?" Dani asked, trying to sit up a little more. Matt came over to help her, and Juliette snorted, turning to leave.
He looked back and winced. "She hates me. I can't blame her."
"You said some rather ignorant things," Dani began. "Juliette doesn't need her mistakes thrown in her face. She did a lot of things for the attention she wasn't getting, and she's desperate to please someone, anyone. I'm not saying that she should be... coddled, but some respect would go a long way. She is making positive choices."
"I know. I'm sorry. You were right. I was angry because of that stupid tweet TK did about you and Nico, and then we fought. I said things I shouldn't have."
Dani nodded. "I'm not the only one that needs an apology."
"I know. And I came with more than an apology. I have a peace offering. More than one, actually. Since I knew you were laid up, I brought pizza. It's in the car. I figured I'd make sure it wasn't going to be thrown in my face or anything before I brought it in," Matt explained. Dani smiled at him. "And the other thing... I thought I'd offer to help Juliette create a program for exercise or training. It could help with her recovery. Only if she wants, though. Nico was very clear on that."
"Thank you, Matt," Dani told him with another smile. She reached for her bell, the one that Juliette had written not for Nico on, but it was too far away. "Can you pass me that? I'll call her back so you can talk to her."
"'Not for Nico?'" Matt asked, reading the words aloud. "What?"
"Oh, Nico snuck up on me again this morning, before he left, and I threatened to put a bell on him. Again. When Juliette gave me this, she said it wasn't for him. I think she actually likes that he can come and go like that," Dani answered, shaking her head as she rang the bell.
Juliette poked her head in the doorway. "You rang, mistress?"
Dani laughed. "Matt brought us pizza. And he wants to apologize to you."
Juliette studied the trainer for a minute. "Okay. I'm listening. For now."
"You're late, you know. We already ate. The trainer guy brought us pizza," Juliette scolded as she opened the door to the Santino house. She shrugged. "I might even forgive him."
Nico looked at his niece and shook his head. "That's not necessarily eating."
"Oh, please, just because it's not from that one obscure but authentic little restaurant you like so much does not mean it's not food," she said, shutting the door behind her. "So, my stuff came today. Thank you. I didn't expect it so soon."
"All I did was ask."
"Yeah, and everyone's still too scared of your myth not to do what you want. I saw that there was an official retraction on Jeanette's photo and then a lot of press to deflect it, all about some new program the Hawks are doing that I've never heard of before," Juliette said. "You frighten that PR lady today? Radcliffe? I never liked the way she tried to 'spin' my latest breakup, but I guess she does good work."
"She is quite talented at manipulation," Nico agreed. "Shouldn't you be asleep by now?"
"You going to try and give me a curfew now?"
He shook her head. "No. I remember the last time we did that."
She grinned at him, then stood up to kiss his cheek. "I was just waiting to say good night to you, I swear."
He knew she was lying. They both did, but he didn't call her on it this time. She turned toward the living room. "You better not be cheating, Ray Jay! That game is supposed to be paused."
Nico shook his head again and pushed her toward the living room. It was enough for him to see that she was doing good today. He didn't need to put her in bed himself. He had done it before, but she needed to make these decisions on her own, and the Santino children were another step in her recovery. He wasn't sure how well he liked her spending time with them, given the boy's behavior toward women and her weakness for men of all sorts, but he couldn't stop her, either.
"Dani's already upstairs. Ray Jay helped her up earlier," Juliette said, stopped in the doorway. "Lindsay still hates me. Ray Jay's going to when I kick his butt at his favorite game. And she's going to be mad if you don't at least go up and say hi to her. Wake her up if she fell asleep. I'm not kidding. Do it. Go up there."
"You are in no position to order me around, Juliette Marie."
"I quiver in fear of the middle name," she laughed, faking a shudder. "Hey! You are cheating, you little punk."
Nico watched her disappear into the living room and shook his head. He looked at the stairs. He was not doing this because of his niece's orders. There were things that he should tell Danielle before he left, and now was the best time to do it. He walked up and crossed over to her doorway.
Danielle had fallen asleep with a book on her lap, and he smiled a little as he saw the cover. So she'd taken his advice about the other novels. Then again, if it put her to sleep, then perhaps she was enjoying it less than the last one. He went over and picked up the book, placing the nearest piece of paper in it to mark the page and set it to the side. He pulled the sheet up so that it covered her and turned off her lamp.
He was halfway to the door when he heard her. Her voice was thick with drowsiness. "Nico?"
He looked back at her. "You should be sleeping."
"And miss you stopping by? No way," she said, trying to sit up. "Get back over here."
"You are the second person to try and order me around in the space of ten minutes. You should know that it doesn't work."
"Please? Or at least sit on the other side of the bed. I haven't gotten to see you all day."
He sat down on the other side of the bed. "Technically, you are not seeing me now. It's too dark. Still, I did have some things to tell you about. First, I should tell you that I employed Ms. Radcliffe to diffuse the photograph situation."
"Oh?"
"The Hawks have a new charity program that is far more newsworthy, and it may obscure the retraction, but it got the notice I believe it needed," Nico explained. She reached across the bed for his hand, and he gave it to her. "Donnally seems to have taken the situation rather well."
"Rather well? That's a compliment, coming from you."
"Donnally is a valued member of the Hawks staff. My personal feelings do not matter," Nico said dismissively.
"Are you jealous?"
"Why would I be?"
She made a face, then pulled on his arm. The action took him by surprise, and she managed to yank him down to the bed. Leaning over, she kissed him. "You know very well why, you silly man."
"You are entirely too easy, Doctor Santino."
She rolled her eyes but kissed him again. "You should stay."
He shook his head. "I don't have anything here for in the morning."
"I don't mean just tonight, Nico," she said, and he frowned at her. "Juliette is staying here. You're spending your free time here anyway, between her and me, and you're hurt and tired. I can see that right now, in spite of the lack of light. I want you here. Just... stay. Move in."
Chapter Thirty-Two