Title: A matter of opinion
Author: AnnieVH
Fandom: Without a Trace
Characters: Danny & Martin - mentions of Danny/Elena and of previous Martin/Sam.
Prompt: slash_me_twice challenge: I
Summary: One night, Martin slips something he shouldn't have. My explanation on why Jack was Danny's best man.
Word Count: 1564.
Rating: PG - friendship/pre-slash
Author's Notes: none.
Maybe it was the bad timing. Martin had rushed to the break room hoping there would be no one there to talk to, because he had this urge to get that feeling out of his chest and knew how it would sound - one of those things that just doesn't have a right way of saying. Perhaps after fifteen minutes of coffee and a tasteless snack he'd feel good enough to go back to the bullpen and celebrate along.
Only, Danny didn't give him that choice. "That's where you've been hiding!"
Martin nearly jumped. "Hi."
"C'mon! Viv and Sam cornered Elena and I'm left to the mercy of their girl talk. I need another guy there, a.s.a.p."
"Hm." Martin nodded, forcing a smile on his face.
Danny frowned, but didn't stop smiling. "What's up with you?"
"I'm just a little overwhelmed, that's all."
"Why? You're not the one getting married."
"Yeah, but I thought you'd still have a few months ahead of you as a free man."
"Well, papa is closing for business in six days." He laughed, joyous. "Can you believe she said yes?"
Caught unaware, Martin couldn't refrain the truth. "No."
Danny, however, laughed. "Gee! Thank you, best man!"
"Really?"
"Yeah! Of course you are! Who else?" Danny rested a hand on his shoulder and gave him the huge smile he was carrying around the office the whole day. Martin couldn't remember a time where he had seen him so happy. That had to be enough, right?
When Danny pulled away, Martin said, "I'm happy for you guys."
"You should be."
"Really." Martin said, emphasizing the word, allowing his face to fade from a forced smile to an honest expression. "I'm glad to see you guys together. You both deserve to be happy."
Danny still had that big smile on his face - Martin wondered if his future children would inherit it from daddy or take after Elena - but there was a troubled feeling shining inside his eyes, and he asked, "Something wrong?"
"Hm? No." Martin said, hoping that, at least that once, he'd be a good liar.
"Are you sure? You look a little-"
He wished Danny would stop asking. "Yep. I'm good."
"'Cause if you do, you know you can-"
"I know." Martin nodded, firmly, hoping to put an end to the subject.
Danny nodded back. "Okay then. Good."
Danny turned to leave. Expecting Martin to follow.
Only Martin didn't. Couldn't.
"C'mon!" Danny called. "Lets tell Jack."
Before Martin could explain what happened, his mouth opened and he whispered. "Danny, don't."
"I have to, Martin, he's the one with the power to free me for my honeymoon."
And the words struggled out of his mouth. "No. Don't... marry. Her."
Danny stopped. Turned. Stared at him, surprised. Started to smile, thinking it was maybe a joke, but Martin didn't laugh back at him and soon his face turned sour. "What did you say?"
A rush of red made it to Martin's face and he stared at the floor for a second before repeating, "Don't marry Elena."
"But... you just said-" He started, genuinely confused.
"I know."
"You said you were happy."
"I am."
"You said you wanted us to be happy."
"I do."
Danny stared at him. Waited for an explanation that did not come, making him grow frustrated. "You see where you lost me, don't you?"
Martin hesitated and dared to glance up to find Danny's glare, expecting reasonable argument Martin wasn't sure he could give. Almost like a whisper, Martin said, "I understand that you love Elena. And you know I like her, she's a great woman and a great mother and I know you'll be a fantastic husband and father. You both deserve the best. Seriously-"
"But?" Danny rushed
"But... maybe... you may be rushing the whole situation."
"We're not." Danny said, as if he was being accused of something horrible.
"Alright. Then forget that I said anything. Can we do that, please? It doesn't matter."
Martin looked at Danny, to make sure things were okay. They weren't, but he decided to leave the room anyway. But Danny placed a hand on his chest on his way out and pushed him very softly back to where he was. If he had shoved Martin against the wall, it'd have projected less anger than that so very controlled push. "We're not done."
"Danny, c'mon-"
"Where did that come from?"
"It doesn't matter-"
"I matters to me!" He said, trying hard not to shout. He looked around the room, to make sure nobody had heard, but it was after hours and almost everybody had gone home. "It matters to me because you're my best man and my best friend, and I count on you to tell me the truth and if you know of any reason why I shouldn't get married to the woman I love then it is your duty to tell me and I want to know what you got to say."
Best friend duties suck!, Martin thought. No one is ever actually open to hearing certain things, no matter what they say - and you can't count on men in love to be reasonable, far from it.
And yet, Danny was demanding an answer.
Martin looked around, as if the walls could whisper him a way out of there. When they didn't, he said, "It's not one thing. It's small stuff. It's..." Martin sighed, heavily, rubbed his face, made sure not to look Danny in the eye before he had his thoughts back on track. "Throughout her whole crisis with Carlos, you helped her, and took care of her, and made sure she and Sophie were safe. But she just kept pushing you away until she realized you made Sophie feel safer. Or maybe you make her feel safer, I don't know."
Danny shrugged. "I make her feel safe. Is that bad?"
"Do you want to be the safe choice?"
"I'm not her safe choice." He said, as if the whole thing was so ridiculous he wouldn't even bother being mad at it.
"You do everything for her and you allow her do anything she wants with this relationship." Martin said, raising his voice just a little to catch his attention back. "And I get that she went through enough and you to give her a break and show her you'll be different and better and that you'll be there for her."
"And how is it bad?" Danny asked, aggressive. "You know what she's been through, what was I to do?"
Martin didn't reply, looking into his friend's eyes and trying to see just how much he could push. There was so much a friendship could endure, and he wasn't sure if he had reached the limit or already crossed the line beyond the chance of salvation.
"Oh, c'mon!" Danny demanded. "You 'til here! Get the whole thing out!"
With a very soft, but firm voice, Martin said, "It can be bad because need is not the same thing as love. And she won't need you forever."
"You're thinking of Sam."
Martin wasn't, not until that moment, and the comment threw him off a little. "Yes," he said, honestly. "Talking from experience, I know-"
"She's different. She's not the type who gets serious." And even though his voice was cold, Martin could feel a hint of urgency in his words.
"I was her safe guy, Danny, trust me, it's the same. Elena needs stability because she's still shaken up by Carlos and wants what you can offer, and that is a surrogate father for Sophie. Somebody who can take care of of both of them."
Danny gave his a sigh, almost like he was trying to pretend to be bored by that meaningless conversation.
"And, quite frankly, you're not doing any favors to her or Sophie or yourself by pretending you're okay with it, because I can see it hurts you when she takes you for granted."
Danny didn't reply. Didn't seem to be giving that much thought either. Martin continued, "She doesn't love you, Danny." And waited for the punch. It didn't come, but he could see Danny's attention was now completely focused on him.
Martin said, "She's not there yet. You're still the right guy for now, but what happens once now is gone? And you know what I'm talking about, don't you?"
No reply.
"If you didn't, you wouldn't have been so surprised that she said yes."
Danny said nothing.
"I honestly think you should give her some time to think things through. To solve her own problems, and I'm not saying you can't help her, but maybe you should think about yourself too. Because she'd walk away a lot easier than you."
Danny didn't allow time for considerations. Once Martin closed his mouth, he challenged, "Is that it?"
"Yes."
Danny nodded. "Then go the hell." And turned to leave.
"Danny, c'mon-"
"I get it." He turned at the door and looked at his friend. "I get that you're concerned about me, and Elena, and that you wish me all joy in the world. But I really - really - don't wanna be around you right now." And gave Martin an angry look before leaving, to make sure Martin understood something between them had been broken.
Martin sighed and rested against the wall.
He had the feeling Jack would be the Best Man now.
**Fim**