Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything from Twisted.
So in light of recent episodes and this whole Dacey pairing that the Twisted writers have decided to run with, I decided to write my own twist on Twisted (haha, I amuse myself).
There's no better inspiration than to see your favorite pairing being undermined by the show's writers. So if you're a Janny fan, I do hope you enjoy this story. It does take place in the future and it doesn't quite start out with all the Janny fluff, but it will eventually build up to that. Happy reading!
Chapter One: Birthday Surprise
"Hey Jo, here are those files you asked for."
I was instantly pulled away from my thoughts from the sound of paper being slammed onto my desk. I glanced discouragingly at the two-inch stack before looking up at the female officer who had brought it to me.
"You're kidding, right?" I asked, gesturing at the files. "Kris, it's gonna take all night to go through all of this."
The officer shrugged and, with a tight-lipped grin, replied, "It's your call, Detective."
I sighed quietly and took a moment to consider my options. I glanced up at Kris again, with questioning eyes that seemed to ask what the best course of action would be. Her opinion on the matter was made clear by the weary expression on her face. That settled it. I took the stack of papers, shoved them into the file cabinet of my desk, and – with a turn of the key – secured the lock. A broad smile spread over the officer's face as I dusted my hands off in dramatic flair.
"So we're calling it a night?"
"We're calling it a night," I replied with a resolute nod. "We've got the guy behind bars, so we'll just revisit the case on Monday. Besides, I really don't wanna be here any longer than I have to."
"That's right," Kris said as she nudged me suggestively. "Are you planning yourself a birthday bash this weekend?"
I rolled my eyes. "I'm a little too old for birthday parties, don't you think?"
Kris laughed. "Girl, you're only turning twenty-nine! If you think you're old, then by your standards, I must be ancient!"
I couldn't help but chuckle. In some ways, Kris was right; twenty-nine really wasn't that old. But considering everything I had experienced in the past and my work as a homicide detective, I often felt that I saw things most people wouldn't have to see in their lifetime. At length, I packed my things and said goodbye to Kris. By now, the precinct office was nearly empty. Only a few officers remained, finishing off some last-minute paperwork before making their weekend escape.
As I left the office and headed to my car, my mind too was cluttered with thoughts about the weekend ahead. To be honest, I was not looking forward to celebrating my birthday this year because it was going to be my first birthday without him. The thought of it was unbearable as I felt hot tears welling up in my eyes. I quickly wiped away my tears and pushed the thought aside before jamming the key into the ignition. With a defeated sigh, I pulled out of the parking lot and headed home, in hopes of escaping my harsh reality at least for the next couple of days.
Half an hour and one tedious drive through rush hour traffic later, I reached my four-story apartment building where I had a cozy little studio apartment on the third floor. As I was taking the elevator up to my floor, I gazed at my reflection on the metallic doors. After graduating from the police academy a few years ago, my mom couldn't stop raving about how much baby fat I had lost and how lean and slender my body had gotten from all the physical training. Aside from gaining some muscle mass, the only other major physical change I had undergone was in my hair. At some point during college, I had decided that my curly locks were too much associated with the identity of someone I no longer wanted to be. It was as if my hair carried with it the twisted complexity of my past and all the painful emotions that came with it: bitterness, anger, hurt, and sadness. And so I started straightening my hair as if to give myself a clean slate and I had not returned to my curly hair ever since.
At last, I heard the ding! of the elevator, indicating that I had finally arrived on my floor. I stopped in front my door and began digging through my bag for the apartment keys. Sometimes I really hated being a girl for this reason; how did my bag always manage to become an abyss of useless junk? All of a sudden, I heard footsteps approaching from behind.
"Detective Masterson," came a deep familiar voice.
I jumped in surprise and turned to see the one and only Danny Desai standing before me.
"Danny," I gasped. "How long have you been standing there?"
Danny smirked. "I actually just got off the elevator. As a detective, shouldn't you be on high alert at all times?"
"Theoretically yes," I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "But it's the weekend so cut me some slack."
Danny laughed as he reached over to give me a hug. His arms were strong and solid, just the way I always remembered them, and as he pulled away he handed me a small box wrapped in shimmery magenta paper with a silver bow.
"Happy birthday," he said with a knowing smile.
Upon finally retrieving my keys, I ushered Danny into my apartment, a comfortable single-bathroom unit with adequate loft space and a small kitchen. A wooden screen panel separated the bedroom from the living room, where two French doors opened out onto a balcony.
"I see you've done a little decorating since you first moved in here," Danny said, eyeing some of the new paintings I put up.
I shrugged nonchalantly as I took a seat on the couch.
"Yeah well, you know…just trying to make the place feel more like home."
As soon as Danny joined me on the couch an awkward silence entered the room like an unwelcomed guest. For what seemed like an eternity, I sat there and fidgeted in my seat, not quite knowing how to get the conversation started. Lucky for me, Danny decided to break the ice.
"So…" he started, gesturing at the gift on the coffee table. "Are you gonna open that?"
"Oh right!" I exclaimed as I covered my face with my hands in embarrassment.
Danny just smiled as he watched me unwrap the gift. It had become somewhat of a tradition in our friendship to send a small gift when one of us was unable to see the other for their birthday or for Christmas. The gift was never anything expensive or ostentatious; it was simply to let the other person know that you were always thinking of them.
"Oh," I said, examining the box of decadent treats I had unwrapped. "Chocolate-drizzled cookies."
"Chocolate-drizzled maple cookies," Danny added. "From Canada. I went there on a weekend trip recently and thought you might like them."
"Well you know that I have one hell of a sweet tooth." I gave a genuine smile and then reached out to hug him. "Thank you, Danny. I love it."
"So is you being here also part of the gift?" I asked, narrowing my eyes suspiciously at him.
Danny laughed. "You could say that."
I raised an eyebrow at him, not quite convinced by his answer. I knew for a fact that Danny was up to his neck with work this past month, interning with a law firm in New York City while studying to finish his law degree and pass the state bar exam. All things considered, the last place he should be is out here in Philadelphia, visiting his best friend for her birthday. Though I had to admit, it was a nice gesture.
"To be honest, I just needed to get away for a bit. I'm getting too bogged down with work and I just need a little break."
I nodded my head in understanding. "You know you're always welcome here."
I looked at Danny then and noticed him gazing at me as if he were trying to decide whether to say what was on his mind.
"What?" I asked, feeling a little uncomfortable under his probing gaze.
"I also came 'cause I didn't wanna leave you alone for your birthday this year, especially since…"
His voice drifted and his words were lost to the air, but I knew what he meant. Without thinking, my hand slowly went up to grasp the necklace around my neck, where a silver ring with a white pearl hung like a pendant. Danny's dark brown eyes moved from my face to gaze at the necklace.
He was thoughtfully quiet for some time before asking, "How are you holding up?"
"Well I haven't wanted to crawl into a hole and die yet today, so pretty good if you ask me," I said, hoping my biting sarcasm could discourage the tears from falling.
The ring on the necklace was given to me by Rico over a year ago when he asked me to marry him. We were only engaged for three months when a head-on collision with a drunk driver instantly killed him, shattering my whole world apart. We had been living together in New York City at the time, but in the months following his death, I found it extremely hard to escape the bittersweet memories of our relationship. Tired of living in the shadow of Rico's death, I made the bold decision to leave New York City and start a new life in Philadelphia. It had taken some getting used to, but the move was one of the best decisions I could have made.
Just then, I felt Danny's hand on my knee, breaking me from my thoughts.
"Hey, c'mon," he said, getting up from his seat. "Let's get something to eat. My treat, birthday girl."
He held out his hands and waited for me to take them. I looked up at him and smiled, shaking my head in amusement. Eventually I took hold of his hands and let him pull me up from the couch. In a midst of teasing and laughter, Danny and I headed out the door to go to dinner. And for the first time all day, I felt a sense of relief knowing that I didn't have to spend my first birthday without Rico alone.
Well what do you think so far? I would love to hear your thoughts so please leave a review!
