Don't own or have affiliation with Without a Trace.
When You Least Expect It- Ch 1: Whole Weekend Ahead of Us
The thickening rain clouds hung stagnantly over the FBI Headquarters in New York City, adding to the prominent sense of depressing monotony that is the aftermath found in paperwork post-case. Having already completed his report of the missing person of the day, Jack expected everyone else to have theirs submitted to him by Monday morning, and as supervisor took the liberty of leaving early.
Ever efficient, Vivian completed hers just before the rain started to pour, and Samantha and Elena knew they'd be able to finish theirs within minutes Monday. After saying their goodbyes Vivian eagerly rushed home to domestic comforts with her family, as Samantha and Elena headed out to the new upscale mall that opened just outside the city limits.
"Bye guys, ya'll have fun…" Samantha called out from the hallway.
"See ya, Sam." Martin said barely looking up.
So that left Danny and Martin. After working in total silence for fifteen minutes, Martin looked over to his coworker to see him not writing and staring off in space, obviously preoccupied, visibly sad. Martin frowned thoughtfully, but dismissed it.
Another five minutes rolled by and Danny still hadn't moved. Martin balled up a piece of scratch paper after writing a quick note on it and tossed it over hitting Danny on the side of his head.
"Hey, what…" Danny jumped, visibly startled as he reflexively caught the paper ball.
"What's up, Space cadet?" Martin playfully inquired.
"Nothing, man. Just thinkin'…" Danny replied.
"Yeah, I see that. Care to share?" Martin asked out of genuine curiosity.
"It's the weekend. I don't want to depress you." Danny mumbled.
"Danny, come on. Let's just talk. I'm bored anyway; I'd love any kind of distraction at this point."
"Well alright Fitzy, since you asked. I was just thinking about what I'm going home to after this is done." Danny offered.
Martin nodded. "Go on."
"Well, I'm tired of going to my apartment and listening to the sound of nothing. It just gets me down sometimes, ya know what I mean?" Danny explained.
"Yeah, I know the feeling pretty well. Not fun." Martin agreed.
"Yeah."
After that little talk, both of them continued to work quietly. Danny heaved a sigh and closed the folder for the day, also having reached a stopping point that could be easily picked up before the due time. He shut the folder, put on his coat, and mentally prepared himself for the elements outside.
"You gone?" Martin asked.
"Yes, I just can't take any more of it today. I'll see you Monday, Martin."
"Sounds good. See you then."
Danny turned away and headed for the door, and as he did he casually flattened out the paper ball in his hand from Martin that he'd been idly playing with since he'd caught it. He noticed the writing on one side, and it read:
Hey Danny, cheer up! :)
Smiling softly to himself, he turned around and looked at Martin's furrowed brow as Martin concentrated on finishing his work.
Danny slowly approached Martin. "Hey."
Martin looked up and paused. "Hey yourself. I thought you were going."
"I am…."… "Would you like to come over tonight for dinner, and maybe a movie or something?"
Martin looked up startled, then grinned, "Sure, that sounds like fun. Let me get my things."
And so Danny and Martin headed out, hoping for the best come Monday. But to hell with it, they were simply happy to start the weekend and relax, assuming no one vanished…
"Crap, of course it would rain on the day I don't have an umbrella on me," exclaimed a pissed Danny.
Martin hesitated before replying "Well, you could share with me. If you want to, that is."
Danny glanced quickly enough to see Martin blush but then recover deftly. "Thanks."
"Not a problem." Martin said.
They walked a few blocks, and then a few blocks more and Martin inquired "How far do you live, anyway? I know the traffic is bad during weather like this but maybe we should just brave it if it's a too much further."
"Ha. You're really lazy, you know that? It's not that much longer, I promise. When we get there I'll order us a pizza, and we can sit down with some drinks." Danny offered in consolation.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the company. And no I am not lazy, jerk…whoa!" Just as Martin came back with that statement, he tripped in a crack disguised by a puddle of water and Danny quickly reached out to grab him. Martin landed against Danny's chest and Danny found his hands at Martin's waist.
Martin quickly withdrew from that impromptu connection, and picked up the fallen umbrella, "Sorry about that. Here you go."
"It's not your fault. Thanks." Danny said.
"Yeah, but now we're all wet."
Danny laughed and said "Don't worry about it, Martin. We're home."
After getting inside, Danny grabbed the cordless and headed to his room. "I'm going to call for food, and get changed. I'll bring you out a t-shirt if you want."
"Thanks, Danny." Martin said, as he took his shoes and socks off.
After about ten minutes Danny came out wearing an A-shirt and some boxers, replaced his phone to its hook and handed Martin a shirt, "Go to the bathroom and get comfortable. You're leaking all over the place. Pizza's coming. Hope you like pepperoni."
Martin went into the bathroom and undressed down to his underwear and toweled off, then put Danny's shirt on. Martin grabbed his rain-soaked shirt and pants and walked back to Danny's living room to find the pizza already there.
"Does the pizza place operate down the hall or something? I didn't even hear anyone come in."
"Yeah, actually its next door, Smart-ass. Nice tighty-whities by the way." Danny snickered.
"Ha ha. Scoot over, I'm starved." Martin said as he sat down next to his partner.
"So what do you want to watch?" Danny asked, alluding to his DVD shelf.
"I don't know, hey is that Urban Legend?? I haven't seen that in such a long time." Martin said.
"Yeah, because that movie is like a decade old. I'm embarrassed I have that actually." Danny muttered.
"Whatever man put it in… This is really good." Martin said with a mouthful of pizza.
Having watched, or at least staring at the screen, most of the movie, Danny found his gaze shifting away from the 90s horror flick to his friend and partner. He became aware of his longer than average staring only when Martin turned to him frowning in question.
"What's up?" Martin asked quietly, the movie completely forgotten by both at this point.
Danny shook his hand and attempted to look like he was back to concentrating on the movie, "Nothing. I'm good."
Martin nodded slowly, turning back to the screen but retaining none of the content. "Does this have anything to do with what we talked about earlier at the office?"
"Martin just let it go. I said I'm fine ok." Danny said still not turning to face Martin again.
"Well, if you say so." Martin glanced at Danny.
They sat in silence just a few minutes more before Martin pressed again, "It just seems like something is weighing on you, man. But if you aren't comfortable talking about it, I'll wait."
Danny slowly shifted so that his whole body was facing Martin, then he sighed almost inaudibly. "Martin I am perfectly fine. You just caught me in a daze is all. I'm sorry for staring at you."
Martin reached out and rubbed his shoulder, "It's cool Danny. Just figured you had a cloud hanging over you." By this point the credits were rolling and it was reaching midnight pretty fast and they were both drained from the week of missing person hunting.
"Well, I think it's about time to hit they hay my friend." Danny said to Martin.
"Yeah. I know I shouldn't think like this but I hope we don't get called to go chasing anybody down two hours from now…I'm beat." Martin said as he got up to turn off the tv.
"No kidding. So, I only have one bed, but you're welcome to it." Danny gestured toward his bedroom.
"No way, man I'll take the couch. It's no problem." Martin said shaking his head.
"Martin please, I insist. Look you're my guest, I want you to be comfortable here. One night on my couch won't kill me." Danny said as he grabbed a quilt from his closet.
After Danny claimed the couch, Martin really had no choice "Well, ok. But only because I have nowhere else to go now." And with that Martin climbed into Danny's bed and settled in. It wasn't before long until he heard soft snoring coming from the living room, and he chuckled lightly as he nuzzled into the warm folds of his friend's pillow. He breathed in deeply and felt more at ease than he did in his own apartment, and he concluded that it must be the smell of his friend surrounding him.
Four hours later, Martin got up from a fitful sleep to get some water to soothe his dry throat. After walking quietly into the kitchen area and drinking his glass quickly, he stopped as he saw Danny's sleeping form in the moonlight. At some point during his sleep, Danny had kicked the blanket off everything but his feet and was curled up in a fetal position with a pillow that threatened to fall off the couch.
Martin smiled to himself at the precarious scene before him and walked over to pick the blanket up. He draped it gently over Danny, and then moved to readjust the pillow under Danny's head. As he did this, his hand ever so slightly brushed over the side of Danny's face and he couldn't help but pause. Before now, Martin had never really taken in the sight of his partner's face. What lay before him was such a gentle, vulnerable visage that he couldn't even imagine forming those taunting smirks that Danny so frequently bestowed upon him.
He found the consistent ebb and flow of Danny's breathing to be peacefully calming. After leaving only to retrieve a pillow and the quilt from Danny's bed Martin perched himself at Danny's feet next to the sofa so that he could observe for just a little while longer, until he was tired enough to go back to sleep.
Danny awoke to the sunlight trickling its way down into the room and he yawned accordingly to welcome the new morning. He looked down to find Martin lying parallel to his sofa and he smiled to himself. How stubborn Martin was, he thought, to give up a perfectly comfortable bed in order to be with him. With one arm now out from under his blanket, he reached down and delicately ran his hand up and down Martin's back.
Martin sighed contentedly, unaware of the treatment he was receiving from a contemplating Danny.
While lazily stroking Martin's back, Danny's thoughts drifted from the imminent conversation they were going to have upon Martin's wake to how far they'd come since their first meeting. It was true that they once resented each other at best, but if one were to look at them now he'd note how close they'd become and how nicely they complemented the other on and off the field.
Martin yawned and began rousing so Danny quickly withdrew his hand as if it had touched a flame. "Why'd you stop? That felt really nice…" Martin said slightly more than a tired whisper.
"What are you doing down there, Fitzy?" Danny asked playfully.
"You're bed sucks. I opted for the next best thing." Martin said jokingly.
"Seriously, Martin. Why are you on the floor?" Danny asked again.
Martin sighed cursing himself for falling asleep there. "Like I said, I went where I was comfortable."
"You're a real freak, you know that?" Danny quipped.
"I'm freakin thirsty that's what I am." Martin said as he rose to again drink some water.
Danny knew that wasn't the truth, but for now he'd put it on hold until he could find a way to extract the truth from Martin.
"What do you want to do today? We have the whole weekend ahead of us."
