A/N: See summary. This is an Au of the ep and will contain some cannon moments, and as much as I liked the original airing,it's always fun to write a what if of how things would happen if it played out a little bit differently,enjoy.
-Pessi . Rom
"Mindy, Min!" Danny called out as he spotted her walking aimlessly around an alleyway dressed in a hospital gown over her regular clothes.
"Danny, what are you doing here? I'm on a guy-hiatus, leave me alone." Mindy said, and then attempted to sit down on the bedbug infested couch.
"Hey, whoa, don't sit on that. What's a guy-hiatus, what's wrong with you, are you drunk?" Danny asked as he led her away.
"No Castel-lamo, I am not drunk. I'm under the influence of drugs so the joke is on you. I was about to sit on this lovely couch till you rudely interrupted me."
"Oh, so its drugs then, come on, let me take you home."
"No, I'm fine, Danny, I don't need your help. Tell him, tell him little red child, tell him I don't need an old man's help. See what I did there I made another joke. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha" Mindy said laughing maniacally as she talked to a fire hydrant.
"I'm gonna ignore that jab at me this one time, cause you're clearly high. Come on." Danny said gently holding her arm and leading her out of the alleyway. He hailed a cab, helped Mindy in, got in himself then told the cab driver where to go.
Mindy woke up on her bed, having no memory of how she got there. The last thing she remembered was checking in for her elective surgery, but had no idea as to how she ended up at home and why she was still wearing that unflattering hospital gown . She heard noises coming from her kitchen, she quickly grabbed the knife she hid under her pillow and made her way to the kitchen.
"I hear you in there, I have a gun, now's your last chance to get out of here, before I shoot you and I will totally shoot you with my gun! Danny?!" Mindy yelled as she walked toward the kitchen and saw Danny standing at the stove back turned toward.
"Hey, you're awake." Danny said facing her.
"Danny, what the hell?! You scared me, what are you doing here?" Mindy asked confused, why was her secret ex and co-worker standing in her apartment, cooking something?
"Is that a knife? You should really be careful with that, and to answer your question, I found you high and wandering the streets, so I brought you home."
"You did? Wait how'd you get in? I lost my keys, was gonna get another copy from my super, I forgot where I put the spare" Mindy said.
"I uh remembered where you keep the spare key." Danny said running his hand through his hair.
"Oh. Well that was nice of you, but I'm clearly sober now, so you don't have to stick around, you can go." Mindy said looking away.
"Yeah, of course, you don't want me in your hair. I made you some soup, it's basically done, I'll just turn it off, you can eat it whenever you're ready." Danny said, and then made his way to the door.
"Danny?" Mindy called out before he could leave.
"Yeah?" Danny said turning around.
"Thanks, you know, for making sure I got home ok and the soup."
"Anytime, Min." Danny said then opened the door and left. She tried to ignore the slight look of disappointment on his face.
Mindy sighed as she looked around her apartment. Danny coming to her rescue was not good; she was supposed to be over Danny and done with men. If she was really going to be done with men, she realized she needed to eliminate situations where she would need a guy. There were so many broken things that needed fixing in her apartment, her faucet was leaking, toilet was always clogging and one of her electrical sockets was just a couple of sparking wires, not to mention the spider she had trapped in a cup.
As she thought about it all, she decided there was only one solution to her predicament. A solution, which like any other important thing in her life, she announced publicly to the Schulman & Associates office as soon as she got into work the next day.
"Office announcement, everyone. I have decided that I'm going to buy an apartment, and I'm meeting with a real estate agent tomorrow." Mindy said walking in. Betsy replied to Mindy's announcement with a sad tale about renting a room in a house for sick women.
"You know I always thought I'd just rent until I met my husband ,then I would just move in with him. And then I'd be like honey get this porno out of here, take these beer posters and put it all in the man cave." Mindy said, which got Danny's attention, he immediately looked up from his chart and up at her. This time Peter responded to Mindy's comment saying something offensive and douchey about how her marriage would be.
"Ok well I'm just sick of relying on a man to do something I can do by myself." Mindy said voicing her earlier epiphany. This prompted Beverly to talk about the fact that she did her own dental work.
"You want me to go with you?" Danny asked.
"Did you not just hear me? I said I'm trying not to rely on men. Oh, Morgan when you're finished darning my jeans, can you get me a cup of tea with one ice cube in it?" Mindy said to Danny then called out to Morgan he immediately appeared, her jeans in his hand.
"Yes my queen." Morgan said.
"You know you're bad at negotiating. Remember all that money you spent on that time share in Mexico?" Danny said not ready to drop the subject.
"Yeah and if I visit Cabo eighty times this year it will have paid for itself."
"Danny, I want to do something on my own." Mindy said. As much as a part of her wanted Danny to tag along as that safety net, the other part of her couldn't help but remind her that it just wasn't that easy to let him back in, not completely, like before.
"You can. You'll just have me there to lean on if you need help. It's one of the perks of being friends with me, right?" Danny said with a smirk.
"Explain this to me, what is a condo? I mean I know what it is, but can you remind me." Mindy said deciding to skip right over the friend thing.
"A condominium" Danny said with another smirk.
"That's what I thought. I mean that's what I knew." Mindy said trying to save face at her ignorance. She noticed Danny moved closed to her then moved back, what was that. If he hadn't have broken up with her, she could of sworn the movement meant something romantic.
"Yeah." Danny said.
The next day Mindy and Danny went to go look at a place in little Chernobyl. Danny didn't like it cause it was a ninth floor walk up. He didn't like idea of Mindy living so high up, what if there was a fire? A fact he pointed out to Mindy who said her plan was to just "close my eyes and wait for deaths embrace". Danny went on to point out that the windows didn't match and there was no kitchen. Mindy and the landlord made fun of Danny not being able to afford takeout. Despite Danny's objections, Mindy said she would take it. Seeing she was intent on buying a place both above her price range and away from their subway line, Danny has no choice to make an apartment suggestion of his own, or so he told himself.
"No, you're not taking this dump, ok. If you insist on a place, look at this." Danny said taking out his phone and showing Mindy some pictures.
"Oh my god." Mindy said impressed.
"Yeah it's in Tribeca, it's half the price of this place." Danny said.
"It's great Danny why didn't you tell me about it earlier?" Mindy asked as she scrolls through the pictures on his phone.
"Well, there's a catch, it's in my building next door to mine, and there's another catch, I own the apartment."Danny said with a smirk.
"Hmm." Mindy said, not sure what to else to say. Wasn't she supposed to be distancing herself so that they could try to be friends? She guessed it wouldn't hurt to at least look at the place.
So Danny took Mindy to his spare apartment. Once inside she was very impressed with it. Danny told her he had it professionally staged, and that he bought it after a Suze Orman divorce investment seminar it was called "get over it and get rich girlfriend" and Danny swore there were men there too. The look Mindy gave him made him think she didn't believe him.
"I love it, but don't you think it'd be like a little weird me living down the hall? Given what happened." Mindy said. Things were a little better between them, but their failed start of a relationship was never far from her mind, even if it was from Danny's. And she was realizing the fact that she was here even considering buying his spare apartment, must mean she was getting to the point where she could start to be ok with the fact that they hadn't worked out as a couple. Maybe she was wrong and she could be friends again with him, like before.
"Well I don't know, it doesn't have to be weird. We're friends now, right?" Danny said.
"Yeah, we're friends." Mindy practically whispers and looks away. Ok, so maybe she wasn't ready, because it hurt a little hearing him say that out loud, when, if she was honest with herself she couldn't completely forget about the short time that they were something more.
"Tell you what, here's what we'll do, stay here a couple of nights see how you like it. If you do, you buy it." Danny said confidently.
"Ok."" Mindy said, deciding to just go with it. She could use it as a test, to see if they really could be friends. What other way to test it then to be living down the hall from her ex as well as working in the same medical practice. Danny tossed the keys up in the air, caught it, and then welcomed her to the neighborhood.
That Next Night
Mindy was sitting on the couch in Danny's spare apartment when she heard a knock at the door. She opened the door to find Danny standing there holding several reusable target bags.
"Hey I was at Target, saw a couple things you might need." Danny said.
"Oh! That's very nice of you. I wish you had told me you were going, my whole outfits from there. I would have asked you to pick me up some bras." Mindy said taking the bags from Danny, placing them on the counter and peering inside.
"Alright, I guess I should be getting back to my place." Danny said, but showed no signs of leaving, instead he stared kind of intensely at her, she couldn't quite read his expression.
"Oh no what's wrong did someone die here? I knew it! Luckily for you ghosts love me, so not gonna be an issue." Mindy said thinking maybe he was struggling with deciding how to tell her there was another catch to the apartment.
"Are you hungry?" Danny asked.
"Well, I did just have an enormous meal." Mindy said then went on to defend her eating habits saying a doctor had advised her about them, that doctor being herself.
"Great lets order a pizza and go back to my place?" Danny asked excitement in his voice.
"Ok, yeah."
They joked as they watched some movie about a man planning on murdering his wife, empty pizza boxes littered across Danny's coffee table.
"What?" Danny said noticing the way Mindy was staring at him a smile on her face
"Nothing, I'm just surprised that's all, this fun."
They continued to watch the movie and eventually Danny fell asleep his head resting on her shoulder. As Mindy watched him sleep, she couldn't help but smile at how peaceful and content he looked. Not a frown line on his face, just pure peace. She wondered what he was dreaming about as a light smile appeared on his face. Then she heard him mumble in his sleep "Min".
Mindy's smile disappeared as she realized what was happening, this, what they were doing, hanging out, it didn't feel like something just friends did. It reminded her of when they were still together. And she didn't like the reminiscent way hanging out with him was making her feel. Maybe she still needed more time.
"Danny, Danny." Mindy said shaking him awake.
"Huh, what?" Danny said waking up.
"I think I should go." Mindy said.
"Oh, are you tired, sorry I fell asleep on you. You probably want to head to bed." Danny said apologizing.
"No, not back to your other apartment. I mean I should go back to mine." Mindy said looking away.
"Oh." Danny said.
"Yeah." Mindy said getting up from the couch.
"Can I ask why?" Danny asked before she could walk toward the door.
"Honestly, cause this is weird Danny. Remember when you broke up with me and said you wanted to go back to being friends, and I said I didn't need a friend, I meant it. I thought maybe if time passed that would change, but it hasn't. Hanging out with you like this, it still hurts Danny, cause it reminds me of what we almost had, what I thought we could have together. Pretending friendship with you is enough, I can't do it anymore, I'm sorry, I just can't." Mindy said holding back tears.
"Min-." Danny said, but she cut him off.
"So I'm gonna go, it's late, so I'll stay one more night then head back to my own apartment." Mindy said and started walking toward the door.
"Mindy, wait!" Danny said quickly getting off the coach and stopping her.
"What Danny, what do you have to say that I haven't heard already, save your "I'm sorry", and just give me some more time to get over you." Mindy said, she cursed under her breath as a lone tear escaped from her eye. After the breakup she promised herself she would never cry over Danny again, well there goes that promise. Danny reached up to wipe away her tear and she flinched, which caused him to frown and sigh.
"That, wasn't, I wasn't going to apologize, and I don't want you to have space to get over me." Danny said, fighting the urge to cup her face in his hands so he could look straight into her eyes, when he said what he had to say.
"What, are you some kind of sadist, do you enjoy seeing me hurting over you? I get it, it was easier for you to move on, because when you had me you realized you didn't want me anymore. And that's ok Danny, I get it you changed your mind, but you gotta understand, it's not that easy for me." Mindy said, another tear joining the previously lone one.
Danny couldn't take hear the pain in her voice any longer, he needed to let her know, that everything she'd just expressed about him was wrong. That he was so wrong when he broke up with her, hell even when he said 'guys don't break up with girls that they secretly want to be with', boy was he wrong. Because that's exactly what he had done. He thought he ended things early enough to maintain their friendship. But the truth was, he was already so far gone before he'd taken the leap and kissed her on the plane.
He tried to form the words out loud, to tell her everything that was flowing out his mouth, but just like when she'd asked him why he started it all, why he kissed her. The words, the stupid words wouldn't come. Instead he stared at her mouth open nothing coming out. So she shook her head and was almost out the door, when something in Danny snapped, and the words, the perfect set of words came to him.
"I love you!" Danny shouted. Mindy stopped and turned around to face him shock evident on her face.
"You what?!" Mindy said extremely confused. Danny didn't respond with words instead he walked closer to her cupping her face and kissing her. She fell into it for a second before she snapped out of it pulled away and slapped him across the face.
"What was that for!" Danny said rubbing his face, just like when she was pretending to be Chloe Silverado, she hadn't held back not even a little bit.
"No, Danny, just no. You don't get to say you love me and then kiss me. I can't do this again with you, I just can't." Mindy said.
"Min, look at me, I love you, I was an idiot, who was reckless with your heart, but I love you. I threw what we had away because I was afraid of losing this, us, but I love you. I love you, and I'm going to keep saying it until you believe me. Mindy Lahiri, I am the biggest idiot in the world, I love you and I'm always gonna love you." Danny said.
Mindy wasn't sure what to say, so she just stood there absorbing his words. Danny moved closer to her again he grabbed a hold of her hand and when she didn't move away, or even flinch, he grabbed a hold of her other hand and looked at her straight in the eye before speaking.
"I love you, and I want to be with you. I'm gonna count to three. If you think you can give me another chance, and that you could love me too, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to deserve you even though I know I never will."
Mindy still didn't say anything she didn't even blink, but Danny could feel some pressure on his hands coming from hers as she stared right back into his eyes.
"Here we go, 1...2…3...4." Danny said hopeful that that number would again ring true. It didn't, another second went by, before Mindy spoke.
"First, how dare you reuse a romantic gesture, second yeah you're an idiot, who broke my heart, and who doesn't deserve me. I couldn't stop loving you, not for lack of trying." Mindy said with a smile.
"You, you love me?" Danny said.
"Yeah, Castel-lamo, I love you, you idiot." Mindy said freeing one of her hands from his and poking him in the chest.
Danny cupped her face with his hand, kissing her, but this time, she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back. His hand went to cup her ass, just like he'd done on the plane. Which didn't surprise Mindy, Danny was always a sucker for her brown sugar, and Mindy a sucker for him having her heart.
A/n:Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it and if you read it on tumblr and are reading it again thanks for reading. Special thanks to my awesome beta numba 2 at thewinchesterbaes on tumblr for editing this, you can follow me at mindiangrowl on twitter/tumblr got one more story to post today, so look out for that.
-Pessi . Rom