Title: Birthday Questioning

Summary: Danny has questions about what he saw on Mindy's birthday, but she's just not answering.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: This is a post-ep for "Mindy's Birthday," and I'm not sure if I actually like how it turned out, but I had to get rid of it before the new episodes air because it's been annoying me for weeks. I could see Danny trying to question Mindy about seeing her with Brendan, and in his own way, trying to make her feel better about her party. It turned a little angst-y at the end, but I don't know if it can be qualified as angst because I don't think these two realize yet how they feel about each other. But we do. ;)

Comments would be most welcome. Enjoy the two new episodes this week! :D Happy Tuesday!

He manages to catch her the next morning. She's apologizing to Parker for not being more gracious about his gift and helping him shred old paperwork. Well, more like handing him stacks of paper while they debate Chris Evans versus Chris Pine, but considering no one usually pays Parker any attention during the day, she's helping nonetheless.

"Hey."

"Good morning, Danny!"

"It's eleven-thirty," he points out as he heads toward the file cabinet.

"Yeah, exactly. It's still morning," she declares with a smile. "How's your ankle? No crutches?"

"Nah, don't need 'em."

"Ah, of course not. Nothing can slow a Castellano. Whoa! Did that rhyme?" she wonders out loud, turning to Parker to repeat the words and ponder her own question out loud.

"I believe it did," Parker says with a grin, nodding in awe of his boss. "Nice work, Dr. La-"

"So, how was the rest of your night?" Danny questions casually as he tries to flip through a file at the same time. Casually, of course. That's not the file he needs so he returns it to its right spot.

"You mean after the disastrous birthday party, and your manly manhole accident?" She smiles through the teasing, but Danny glares at her for good measure anyway. After all, he has a reputation to uphold. "Fine. The girls and I went out for ice cream, and they planned a Best Friend Day in my honor to make up for their lame party."

"That's nice," Danny says. He grabs the patient file he's been searching for from the drawer, and turns to leave... but doesn't yet. He stands staring at her, rocking back and forth on his feet. He finally speaks when she raises an eyebrow expectantly and gives him a quizzical look. "You gotta know though, no one wanted to make you feel bad." Mindy sighs deeply at his words and rolls her eyes, so he hurries to continue before she can interrupt. "I mean, hey, all those people came to celebrate your birthday. That's pretty cool, right?"

Mindy pauses for a moment, her brow crinkled in thought as she weighs his words. "I guess," she admits with a shrug. "Mike Accident and I connected. I advised him to ask his girlfriend to move in with him. He's been debating whether or not to take the next step."

Danny bites back a smile because it's so typical Mindy. Even at the worst birthday ever, she takes the time to dispense love advice. "Yeah, see, there ya go. I mean, my housekeeper hates me. I always make her dust twice."

"Of course you do." But she smiles at his words, and nods gratefully.

"And I wouldn't have pitched in for that elliptical machine if I knew you wouldn't like it. I was gonna get you a book."

"Another book, Danny? Really now?" Mindy narrows her gaze, her tone accusatory and Danny hurries to explain.

"No! Not a cooking book. That one famous lady who has a new book out. Jessica-something..." He trails off with a wave of his hand, knowing Mindy will fill in the blanks.

"Jessica Alba?" Danny gives a half-shrug and nods at the familiar name. "Danny! Really? How'd you know she has a book out?"

"I turned on the news early one night and she was promoting it on some dumb talk show or another."

"Hey, talk shows are not dumb! And I already pre-ordered it. It should be arriving this week," Mindy announces with a happy bounce of her shoulders.

"Of course you did. Good thing I didn't get it then."

"Yeah, but I could have just cancelled my order. Thank you anyway, Danny," Mindy replies lightly.

"I didn't end up buying it."

"Well, it's the thought that counts, so..." Mindy's eyes go soft as she looks at him, beaming with pride as they lock eyes.

They jump at an ugly noise, and find Parker at the shredder, pressing buttons frantically while the machine makes some awful combination of a whirring and cranking sound, instead of the usual hum as it digests paperwork. "Sorry! I don't know what I did again- I just can't-"

"Parker! Not again!" Mindy grimaces at the awful sound. "Sorry, everyone, it's Parker versus the machine again," she says to everyone in the office who's turned at the sound of the chopping noise.

Danny hurries over to unplug the machine, nodding at Parker reassuringly as he says, "There. We wouldn't want you to lose a finger."

"Thanks, Dr. C."

"Well, back to work then." Mindy heads down the hallway, Danny following behind her. She pauses at her office door to turn to him. "I hear you and Alex hit it off."

Danny nods. "Yeah."

"Well, she's awesome, that's all you need to know. If it goes far enough, I guess I'll hear all about how well your penis actually works," she teases with a wink, then crinkles her nose. "Ew. Never mind. I'll have to tell Alex to keep the details to herself on this one."

For some reason unknown to him, Danny squirms at the comment, suddenly feeling like that's information he doesn't want Mindy to get. Everything's working fine. Perfectly fine. But for Mindy to get the inside scoop, it feels wrong.

"I-" He shakes his head at himself, because he doesn't know what to say on that subject. Instead, he asks what he does want to know, what's been nagging his thoughts since last night, even when he was chatting with Alex in the waiting room, or meeting patients this morning. "So, what about you?"

"What about me?" Mindy questions right back in puzzlement.

Danny shrugs unhelpfully. "Are you seeing anyone?"

"Between last night when I was pathetically single to this morning when I am a mix of pathetically and fabulously single? No," she says slowly, shaking her head at him in confusion.

"Oh. I thought, you know, maybe you met someone or something."

"At the hospital? At the ice cream place? What are you even-"

"Just- never mind," he snaps. "I was just asking."

"Okay. Well, that's really sweet of you to be invested in my love life, but since you're about to date one of my best friends, I'd advise you to focus on your own game right now."

"I'm good, thanks," Danny snaps as he heads toward his office.

Fine. If she doesn't wanna tell him, then he doesn't wanna know.

They wait for the elevator doors to open at the end of the day, and stop abruptly when Brendan Deslaurier's leaning against the back wall as if he owns the place. He eyes them as they step in, and Danny notices his gaze lingers on Mindy for a second longer than necessary. All three of them remain quiet as the doors close and they wait to reach the ground floor.

"Oh, Danny, I heard about your sprain. I trust you're recovering nicely," Brendan says in that haughty midwife tone of his.

"Yeah, how'd you hear about that?" Danny's question comes out more curt than he intends. He notices Mindy stiffen immediately at his side, but she remains silent to hear Brendan's answer.

"Morgan tweeted updates."

Before Danny can reply, the doors open and Brendan steps out first. He turns back to say, "Good night, Mindy. Enjoy the night sky."

What the hell?

"Weirdo," Danny comments, shaking his head. "Real weirdo." He leaves the elevator and looks over his shoulder to find Mindy lost in thought. "Hey, you comin', Min?" He puts a hand out to make sure the doors don't close on her. She shakes her head at herself as she follows him out of the building. They walk to the subway in silence and he catches her staring up and scanning the darkening sky as if she's looking for something in particular.

He doesn't get it.

end ~