A/N: I couldn't get this out of my mind after that scene from last episode that showed Danny seeing Mindy and Brandon talking. Hope you enjoy this!

The Midwife Intervention

Mindy walked into her office and was surprised to see nearly half of her staff dispersed in the office. Danny stood next to her desk while Jeremy half-sat on the other end, arms crossed casually over his chest. Betsy stood the side, puppy-dog eyes watching her with a sincerity that was both puzzling and slightly disturbing. Morgan stood beside the door and closed it with a click, stepping in front of it with a sense of authority.

"Uh, hey guys," Mindy said uncertainly, glancing around. "What are you all doing here?"

"We need to talk to you," Jeremy began, his English accent making his words sound crisp. "Something has been brought to our attention."

"I saw you talking with Brendan on your birthday," Danny explained. "And, for your own good, we need to intervene."

"Excuse me?" Mindy stammered. "You need to intervene?"

"Look, I get it, Dr. L.," Morgan said. "He has that hair and always smells faintly of the beach."

Mindy shook her head and said, "It's slightly disturbing that you know that."

"We're just looking out for you," Morgan continued.

"What is this?" Mindy said. "Some Brendan intervention or something?"

"You know, that isn't what we were calling it but that's a smashing name for it," Jeremy said appreciatively. "Anyway, yes, this is a sort of intervention. We cannot let you become involved with him again."

"I'm not-"

"We all understand the allure," Danny interjected, cutting Mindy off. "You guys were together. Maybe he wasn't too shabby in bed or whatever, but don't forget that he also ended up being a Grade-A jerk."

"Yes, Danny, I'm aware of that," Mindy retorted. "You know, I was there for all the wonderful scenes that showed that. And, for the record, I'm not 'becoming involved' with him again. He just came to apologize and give me a birthday gift."

"That's how it starts," Morgan said loudly. "They apologize and work their way back into your heart. They buy you gifts and pretend they're different, and then they just go and cheat on you with the milkman. Again." His voice cracked and Mindy turned around, giving him a look as he wiped at his eyes. "Just don't do it, Mindy. Don't do it."

"I won't do it, Morgan," she said slowly. "And whoever did that to you – total ugh. I mean, cheating with the milkman? Talk about tacky."

"Thanks Mindy."

"Okay, how about we get back on track here," Danny said. "I'm just going off of what I saw, and there were some questionable vibes going on there."

"Questionable vibes?" Mindy repeated sarcastically. "Danny, you don't know what you're talking about. There were no vibes. We were just two old friends talking."

"See, that's it!" Jeremy said, pointing emphatically toward her. "That's how it starts! You start of being friends and then things are all friendly until you end up drunk together at a bar and then one thing leads to another and you're staring at the midwife's ceiling. That cannot happen!"

"You really think I have so little self control?" Mindy shot back. "Or so little respect for myself? I mean, seriously-"

"What did he get you?" Danny interrupted, setting her with a firm look. "What was his gift?"

"It doesn't matter," she answered quickly.

"Yeah, it kind of does. What did he get you?"

"Danny, stop," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't want to admit to them all that he had gotten her something personal. Or that it was making her view him differently. Because they were wrong. All of them were wrong. You can look at something and see them in a different light without jumping in their bed.

"Was it something generic? A book? A pair of socks?"

Mindy gave him a look and snarked, "Who gives someone a pair of socks for their birthday? Seriously, Danny."

"What was it then?"

"You know what," she said irritably. "I don't have to deal with this. What I choose to do – or not do – with my life is my business and not yours. So, excuse me, I need to go buy some celebrity magazines now to calm myself down."

She turned toward the door and Morgan straightened up, shoulders squared in front of the door.

"I can't let you do that, Mindy."

Mindy responded in a measured voice with, "Morgan, I swear to God if you don't move in the next three seconds I will fire you."

"You wouldn't do that." She gave him a hard look and he stammered, "You wouldn't, right?"

"Want to try me."

"Sorry guys," Morgan said, stepping quickly from the door. "I have my grandma's dipping tobacco habit to support."

Mindy stormed out of her office, too angry to even think about where she was going. She went over to the elevators and rammed her finger against the down button. The doors slid open and she stepped in, a chorus of swear words leaving her mouth when Danny stepped between the door just before they closed.

"You have got to be freaking kidding me," Mindy said. "What part of me storming out did you not get?"

"We're just trying to be your friends," Danny said.

"Yeah, well, you're all wrong. And stupid. And did I mention judgmental? Seriously, sometimes you guys-"

"It's just because we care."

Mindy snorted. "That would have sounded better coming from anyone but you, Danny."

The doors opened and she walked out quickly, hoping that he wouldn't follow. He did, though, all the way to the corner Walgreens and magazine stand where she ignored him as she leafed through celebrity magazines.

"What was that supposed to mean?" he asked.

She continued ignoring him as she looked through the magazine, mostly because she didn't know what to say. She hadn't really meant that thing before. She was angry, and she had a habit of saying things she didn't mean. Over the past few weeks Danny had unfathomably become one of the people she felt closest to in the office. She knew he cared.

"I don't want to see you get hurt, Mindy."

"I know," she sighed, finally looking at him. "I know. I don't know why I said that thing before."

"I saw what that guy did to you. He's a jerk."

"Yeah, I know," Mindy said. "A Grade-A jerk, right?"

Danny smiled a bit. "Exactly. Look, you deserve better than that guy."

"I do?"

"Yeah, come on, you're the one obsessed with all those stupid romantic comedies. Why the hell would settle for someone like him?"

Her gaze drifted to the side and she wondered just why she settled for him. Then she remembered Josh and his betrayal. Then there was Tom and the utter disaster that created.

"I guess my track record is making me believe my life won't really turn out like those romantic comedies. I mean, gosh Danny, think about it. My love life sucks."

Danny took a deep breath, nodding a bit, and said, "Yeah, well, just think about those movies. Don't the main characters have to go through a lot of stuff before they find their perfect guy or whatever?"
She considered what he said and murmured, "Yeah, I guess."

"That's just what you're going through," Danny said with a shrug. "This is you pre-movie. It's all the stupid stuff you have to go through before you meet the guy who's right for yo."

Mindy smiled slightly and said, "Danny Castellano, that just might be the sweetest thing anyone has told me."

"Good, you feel better?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Good," he said with a curt nod. "Now, what magazine are you getting? It's my treat."

"Nah, I'm not getting anything," she said, turning back toward the office.

"You're not?"

"I have them all already. I was just seeing if there was something new."

"You have all the celebrity magazines?"

"Yeah, I subscribe to them."

"You subscribe to all the celebrity magazines? Isn't that a waste of money?"

"No," she said steadfastly. "I like to read the stories from all angles."

They stepped back into the building and he cleared his throat before asking, "So, you think you could keep what I told you down there from the others? It's, uh, sort of embarrassing."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "It was pretty amazing."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Okay," she said. "It'll stay between us."

"Good."

They stepped into the elevator and said, "Danny?"

"Yeah."

She glanced over at him and said, "Thank you."

A/N: I just love writing these characters. Let me know how you liked it!