Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue!
Merry Christmas to Esmerelda Diana Parker who wanted a Danny/Jenny story!
Holiday In Handcuffs
Jenny sat at her desk, eying the large pile of paperwork that had appeared after she returned from lunch. She rested her head on her hand; she'd be here all night just trying to put a dent in the pile.
She could hear Connor and the others carrying on in celebration down the hallway. Jenny sighed and began on the monstrous pile of paperwork.
This would be her first Christmas both working and alone.
She needed the alone time after everything that had happened between the anomalies, Cutter's death, and her divorce several month's prior to that. She cut ties with her family, mostly her mother, in order to avoid any further criticism for her "drastic life changes," since becoming employed at the ARC.
She briefly glanced up when Abby and Connor knocked and opened the door.
"Jenny, you're still here?" Abby asked.
"Yeah, I just have a bit more work to do before I leave." Jenny explained.
"Can't you just let it go and finish it after the holidays?" Connor asked.
Jenny shook her head. "No, it has to be turned in before I leave tonight."
"Try not to work too hard then, yeah?" Abby requested.
"Don't worry." Jenny gave a smile.
"See ya soon, Jenny." Connor nodded.
"Merry Christmas, guys." Jenny smiled at the pair.
"Merry Christmas." Abby and Connor replied simultaneously before heading out.
Jenny returned to her paperwork and keeping her mind busy. She was about a quarter of the way into the stack when Sarah and Becker stopped off to say their goodbyes and wish her a Merry Christmas.
"Oh, and if Quinn happens to show up sometime before you leave," Becker spoke before he and Sarah left. "You don't know where anyone is or what he's talking about."
"Okay," Jenny replied hesitantly.
Around nine pm, Jenny was startled from her paperwork by a loud bang in the hallway.
She rushed out of her office to find a vent panel hanging from the ceiling and Danny lying on the ground, rubbing his head.
""What are you doing?" Jenny asked, crossing her arms.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm fine." Danny answered sarcastically.
Jenny raised an eyebrow, still awaiting an explanation.
"Have you seen Becker?" Danny asked after a moment, as he got to his feet.
"He left roughly five hours ago, with everyone else."
"Huh. I knew I shouldn't have trusted Becker when he smirked at me before I climbed into the vents." Danny muttered to himself.
"Why are you still here?" Jenny asked impatiently.
"Why are you?" Danny countered.
"Why are you falling out of vents?"
"Checking security." Danny beamed.
"It took you over five hours to check security?"
"Well, the vents got a bit warm, and I—sort of—fell asleep." Danny recalled.
"You fell asleep—in the vents?" Jenny asked in disbelief.
"It was a long day." Danny shrugged.
Jenny threw her hands in defeat before returning to her office, Danny following.
Danny whistled upon seeing the pile of paperwork on Jenny's desk.
"All this paperwork keeping you from enjoying the holiday, Jenn?"
"No, Danny," Jenny answered as she sat down at her desk. "I chose to work through Christmas this year."
"You should be out celebrating with your family and friends, not stuck in your office doing paperwork." Danny stated.
"This is my first Christmas on my own; so if you don't mind, Danny, I'd like to get back to work." Jenny shook her hand to wave Danny off.
She froze when she heard two simultaneous clicks and cold metal around her wrist she had just been waving at Danny moment earlier.
She glanced over to see that Danny had handcuffed her wrist to his.
"I'm going to kill you."
"Wait," Danny spoke immediately. "I'm going to this family get-together and I have to show up with someone this year and you're the only who didn't abandon me in the vents."
"I didn't even know you were in the vents; only Becker did."
"Which proves what a great friend you are, Jenn."
Jenny sighed. "Where's the key, Danny?"
"At my house—I think."
"What?"
"Don't worry, Jenn; I'll fix this."
"You better."
Jenny sighed again. "I can't believe this is happening."
She groaned and placed her free hand over her face.
"Look on the bright side; at least you won't be spending Christmas alone this year."
"Let's just go and find the key."
The car ride to Danny's was a silent one.
Jenny was still fuming at Danny's little joke; and Danny, well, he seemed a bit too happy about their predicament.
As they reached Danny's flat, Jenny couldn't help but notice Danny still wearing a smirk.
"What?" Jenny asked angrily.
"Nothing." Danny beamed with a shrug.
Danny opened the door and Jenny jumped with a start as Connor, Abby, Becker, and Sarah shouted "surprise!"
"You all had this planned, didn't you?" Jenny asked, unable to hide her joy.
"Falling asleep in the vents, no. Saving you from a lonely and otherwise boring Christmas, yes." Danny laughed.
"Actually, you falling asleep in the vents was part of the plan." Becker pointed out.
Sarah lightly jabbed him.
"Someone had to get Jenny here. Who better than Danny?" Becker added.
"I'll try to find a compliment in there somewhere, Becker." Danny spoke jokingly.
"Key?" Jenny asked, lifting her arm to remind Danny.
"After the party?
"Now."
"Come on, Jenn, just enjoy the party, and I promise to find the key afterwards." Danny pleaded.
"Fine." Jenny relented.
As the night wore on, Jenny found herself more and more thankful Danny had dragged her away from the ARC and brought her here.
Between spending time with her friends, the lovely— yet late— Christmas dinner and opening a few presents; she found that she was forgetting all the things that had been clouding her mind lately.
When the time came, they said their goodbyes to Connor, Abby, Sarah, and Becker.
After everyone had left, Danny and Jenny sat on the couch, staring out at the balcony, both too tired to bother about the handcuffs now.
"Better than spending Christmas on your own?" Danny asked.
"I thought you had a family gathering to go to?" Jenny questioned with a yawn.
"I did."
"But—"
"Speaking from personal experience, Jenn, Christmas on your own is never fun."
Danny looked down to see that Jenny had taken hold of his hand.
"Thank you." She mumbled, resting her head on his shoulder and drifting off.
Danny waited a bit before reaching into his pocket and producing the key. He smiled before replacing the key back in his pocket.
He'd tell her tomorrow.
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