A/N: Couldn't resist this after tonight's episode! Hope you enjoy :D
Closing Time
The several flutes of champagne go straight to her head and the room seems to be shimmering as she makes slow turns in her spot, body swaying ineffectually to the beat of the Spanish song that Jeremy is butchering. She takes a turn too quickly and her feet clumsily trample over each other as she careens to the side. Two hands take a hold of her waist and she blearily turns her head to find Danny there. He seems to be everywhere that night.
"Easy there," he says, his hands remaining on her waist until she steadies herself.
"You know, this ended up being a not half bad party," she tells him. "I mean, yes I found out my perfect boyfriend was dating someone else. And that someone else is handcuffed to my banister. But all in all…"
"Not a half bad party," he finishes, smiling slightly. "You know, you're right. It came together in the end."
"Yes, it did. To things coming together!" She raises her drink and when she notices that he doesn't have a drink she says, "Danny, don't tell me you've gone all teetotaler. You need a drink!"
He laughs, shaking his head. "I'm fine. I think you've had enough for all of us."
"If that's a veiled jab at my drinking I'm going to choose to ignore it."
He grins. "Not a veiled jab. Seriously, though, you might want to slow down. Don't want to be three for three."
"Huh?"
"Three Christmas parties with you incapacitated. Jeremy will never let you live it down."
"Any by Jeremy you me you, right?"
He shrugs. "I can't say I wouldn't be part of the ribbing."
She laughs and repeats, "The ribbing? Seriously, Danny, who even says that? Well, except for you apparently."
"Ribbing is a fine word. It has character."
She snorts and says, "Whatever you say."
She brings the champagne flute to her lips and tilts her head back as she finishes. Shauna appears at her side with another flute and coaxes it into her hand. Danny gives her a look and she says, "The girl just had her heart ripped out and stomped on in front of her friends and coworkers. She needs another drink."
"Here here!" Mindy says, raising the flute for a non-existent cheer before downing half of it.
Danny just shakes his head and says, "This is going to get worse before it gets better."
Two hours later the party thins out and it's just Betsy and Danny left. Jeremy left when one of his hook-ups called and Shauna and her boyfriend left soon after with the trespassing girlfriend. Mindy is hunched over the island, her head resting on her arms.
"Think we should get her to bed?" Betsy asks, glancing worriedly at Mindy. She's half-sitting on the stool and looks like she's about to fall off.
"I got it," Danny says.
"Are you sure?"
"I got it," he repeats. "You go home."
She nods. "Okay. Good night, Dr. Castellano."
"Night Betsy."
He walks over to Mindy and gently pokes her in the arm. "Come on, lush, it's time to get you to bed."
"No, I'll just sleep here," Mindy slurs, shifting on the stool. She nearly slides off and readjusts, hunching further over the island. Danny sighs before taking a hold of her arm and physically pulling her from the seat.
"Hey," she says indigantly, tripping and nearly knocking him over. He slips his arm around her waist and says, "Hey yourself. You're the one who was passed out on a kitchen island."
"I was comfy."
"You were also dangerously close to my gingerbread house," he says. "Didn't want you to knock it over."
"That's all you'd care about," she throws out. "Your precious gingerbread house."
"I spent a long time on that," he says. "Did you hear about the cotton candy insulation? Pretty smart, huh?"
"It's a fake house for fake gingerbread men," she returns. "Insulation is unnecessary."
He manages to get her into her bedroom and he deposits her onto the bed. She sits on the edge, watching him leave the bedroom and then return with a glass of water.
"Hey, you were meeting a girl," she says after a moment.
"Huh?"
"Earlier. You were going to meet a girl."
"Oh, yeah, so?"
"Did you ever meet up with her?" she asks, taking the water and dutifully drinking it.
"I took a rain check."
"You took a rain check?" she repeats, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What do you mean you took a rain check?"
"I told her we'd reschedule."
Her eyes go soft and she murmurs, "You rescheduled for my party?"
He clears his throat uncomfortably – something about the softness of her eyes making his stomach twist – and says, "Well, yeah. I couldn't miss the great Mandy Lahiri implosion of 2012."
She gives him a look and says, "Ha ha, very funny."
"You should go to sleep," he tells her. "You're going to be in a lot of pain tomorrow. Sleep will help."
"I'll be fine," she says dismissively. "I didn't have that much to drink."
"You had four flutes of champagne," he says. "And that was only after Nick left."
"You were counting my drinks?"
"Jeremy and I had a bet on how many you'd have. I bet three. He bet five."
"Ass."
"Come on," he says, walking forward. "Under the covers."
"You're bossy," she says, but complies anyway. She burrows under the covers and Danny tucks them under her chin. He leans down and for a moment she thinks he's going to kiss her forehead or something, but then he pulls back and she watches his Adam's apple bob as he swallows hard.
"Alright, good night Mindy."
"Good night, Danny."
He walks out but before he leaves she says, "Danny, wait."
He turns back. "Yeah?"
"Thank you for tonight. I don't know if I say it enough, but…"
"You're welcome," he says, smiling softly. "See you at work tomorrow."
A/N: This couple gives me all the feels! Hope you enjoyed this! Would love some feedback...