AN: This is just a little one shot, from me to you. So those of you who read and hopefully review, enjoy!

The Long Goodbye

"Watch ya want Messer? I'm a little busy here." His eyes were on her, studying her face. He took in the red rimmed eyes; the mascara that lined her eyes had smudged just that little bit. Danny's gaze looked over her shoulder now and onto the mess behind her.

"I heard you got fired," he spoke quietly, crossing his arms over his chest tightly. Aiden simply stared at him, unblinking it seemed.

"Well are you gonna invite me in, or am I gonna be standing here the rest of the night?" Stunned Aidan opened the door fully, staring at him wordlessly.

Danny stepped into the familiar apartment, and dropped abruptly onto the couch. He stretched out his arms, feeling all his muscles groan at the movement. Aiden closed the door and turned to face him, hands on her hips.

"Danny, what the hell are you doing here?" she exclaimed staring at him with wide, open eyes.

"The more important question is what are you going to do now?" he asked. He was leaning forward, his eyes intent on her. He shook his head before asking the real question that was plaguing his mind.

"Why'd you do it Aiden?"

----------------------------

He'd confronted her that night…Amidst their talk; he found that her frustrations were becoming his own. Her anger, her pain he tried to sooth with jokes and harsh words. At the end of the night he'd said goodbye, like a gentleman, when all he really wanted to do was stay as long as he could, wrapped up in her presence.

---------------------------

The coffin rested there, directly in front of him. Aiden had never had much family and the family she did have hadn't bothered to show up. The light reflected off the coffin lid, making him clam his lips together tightly.

Closed casket. She'd always wanted it open.

He could see her smile, the dour expression on her face when she talked about that night, the one when she had been fired. He remembered she'd cried that night.

Tough, fiery Aiden Burn had cried because she thought she had disappointed them all.

Danny knew he'd let her down. He hadn't realised what she was planning. Or now what she had been doing. He hadn't pressed her enough about that side project he'd told him he had. He thought she was moving on. He thought Pratt was behind her. In his heart of heart's he knew that had never been true. There was no way she could let a two time rapist get away with it again.

The casket began to sink down, the earth enveloping the coffin grateful and eager. Danny felt his heart stop, prolonging the inevitable as he heard the first shovel of dirt hit the top of the coffin.

He squeezed his eyes shut, remembering that smile. That bee stung pout.

The tears were coming now hard and fast, and had no idea how to stop them. Somewhere in the silence he heard a choked sob. It took Danny a single second to realize that it had been him. His chest and throat were aching from where he tried to swallow back the emotions that were beginning to overwhelm him.

His heart was breaking into a million pieces as each memory, bringing a fresh searing pain to this heart. Her voice was ringing in his ears, over and over again.

A hand reached out and clasped his tightly, somehow soothing him. Danny opened his eyes and turned his head to the man standing next to him.

It was the first time that he'd ever seen Detective Donald Flack with tears in his eyes.

Flack's head was held high, he didn't move to wipe the tears off his face. He simply stood there against the feelings of rage, and fear that were building his chest. He shed those tears with pride and a dignity that Danny hadn't even know he'd had.

Aiden deserved someone that was proud of her and Flack was showing his allegiance.

The mistakes she had made were her cross to bear, and no one could ever deem her a coward.

Danny raised his head to the sky above them as Don pulled his hand away. He let deep hurting in his heart run free; the bitter sobs were being forced out of his chest as the tears ran down his cheeks.

It began to rain and as it soaked through Danny's clothes, he could feel it washing all the pain away.