"Sarah," Danny demanded gently as he paused at the table where she was carefully scrapping some grit off the artefact, "I need to talk with you privately after I run some things by Lester. Meet me in Office Four in thirty minutes."

Sarah nodded mutely, avoiding making eye contact with him, and scrapped a bit harder at the artefact.

They arrived at about the same time and Danny gently guided her into the room with his hand on the small of her back before turning and shutting the door.

Immediately Sarah turned towards him, but her eyes didn't leave the floor. To his surprise, he noticed that she looked pale and nervous. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Are you going to fire me?"

Danny's eyebrows shot up, amused, and decided he should question her on this statement before going further with the real reason he wanted to talk with her.

"I'm not quite sure that 'sorry' is going to cut it this time, Sare," he said softly as he gestured for her to sit down on the black leather sofa. When she had, he perched himself on top of the desk across from her. "What I do wonder is if you even realise what you did, because if not, we have a problem."

"It could be one of a few things," she admitted.

"Such as?"

"Well, for starters, I almost locked you all in the future because I panicked at an insect that wasn't all that big. I mean, it was big, for an insect, but not, you know, prehistoric big. I'm pretty sure the rest of you could have handled it. And then there's the incident a few weeks ago where I snuck through the medieval anomaly without permission and hung up on you, ignoring your orders when you told me not to come to the church without backup, but you have to admit that turned out for the best. And then, well, you know, just the fact that since Cutter's died, the whole reason I was hired is sorta obsolete now. Can't really research dates for his model when we don't have him or the model, so… but please don't fire me. I'll find something to do."

"You sure know how to talk yourself up to your superior," Danny chuckled. "No wonder you kept getting in trouble at your previous jobs. Really though, we should talk about those things at some point, however I had something different on the agenda today, so no, I'm not going to fire you."

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief and finally looked at him. "What then?"

Danny moved over to sit beside her on the couch. "Sare, you're wearing yourself out and I don't like it. I was trained in psychology before becoming a copper, helps keep one safe if you can read the opponent, guess his next move et cetera, and, if I say so myself, I'm pretty good at it."

She looked at him curiously. "And…"

"You've been tired and distracted for the past week or so, I'm guessing nightmares."

Sarah felt her cheeks redden a bit, letting him know that he was right, but she didn't answer immediately, clearly unsure of what to respond.

Danny reached out and rubbed her shoulder tenderly. "What are they about, Sare?"

She shrugged, "Does it matter? I'm fine, Danny. I'd really prefer not to talk about it. Just a couple restless nights is all and I don't see what that has to do with work."

"Could have quite a bit to do with it, I'm thinking," he answered. "For one thing, sleepy employees aren't as focused on their jobs, and if you're planning on going into the field anymore I need you focused a hundred percent. For another thing, given the nature of the job, I'd be pretty stunned to learn that the bad dreams aren't about work, but if you want the honest truth, that's not why I'm asking. Forget work for a moment, Sare. It matters to me because I care about you."

She blushed a second time and then gave him a sheepish look, "Well they aren't all about work, you know. Last night I dreamt that there was a seahorse in my bathtub and I didn't know how to save it. It was terrible thinking the little guy might die. He was already injured and missing a piece of his tail."

Danny gave her a suspicious look. "We deal with dinosaurs and your nightmares are about a seahorse?"

"What, you think I made that one up on the spot? But yeah, sometimes they might be work related. Silly isn't it? A grown woman losing sleep over a bad dream?" She looked to him for reassurance that he didn't think so.

"Everyone gets them, Sare, and believe it or not, I've had similar conversations with most the staff. I dare say even Lester has them on occasion, but, you know, I've decided it might be best not to broach the subject and let his wife deal with that one."

At that, Sarah let out a little giggle, "If you change your mind, I'd like to witness the conversation please."

"I'll let you know," he grinned before turning serious again. "Really though, Sare. It helps to talk about them, you know."

"Maybe," she admitted reluctantly.

Danny slipped his hand to her farther shoulder, giving her an encouraging squeeze, but he remained silent until she spoke.

"I don't remember all of them," she finally said softly. "Some of them deal with the creatures you know, but other ones it's just the team telling me I'm not good enough for the job anymore, telling me to leave because I'm not wanted. And sometimes I dream about the insects, I hate them. I dream that I screw up and everyone gets hurt. Last night I had two nightmares, in the first one the team used me as dinosaur bait because they said I was the most disposable member. I woke up just before I got eaten. In the second one, everyone but me got eaten and the dinosaur actually started talking, told me even he didn't want me." She fell quiet again.

Danny kissed the side of her forehead gently. "Sare, I'm going to tell you something, but first, I feel the need to state that you cannot use what I tell you as an excuse to disobey orders in the field."

She laughed, "I don't usually need an excuse for that one."

Danny chuckled softly, "Here's the thing though, Sare. No one is thinking of dismissing you. I don't know where you got the idea from, but your job security is actually quite excellent, dinosaur attacks aside. The team values your ideas and opinions, and, quite honestly, I like you too much to let that happen."

She bit her lip, tilting her head a bit to see him better as she scrutinized his expression before nodding. "Thanks, Danny," she replied simply.

"Do you feel better now?" he asked her and she nodded again. "Good," he continued. Sare, listen, and this is important, okay? From now on, I want you to come to me when something's bothering you, no matter how small it seems. I'd prefer you talk to me even if it's the middle of the night, than stay up tossing and turning and worrying. You'll sleep better after. You've got my home number?"

"Yeah, I've got it," she answered.

"Promise, Sare," he pushed.

"I promise," she agreed.

Sarah knew it was late when she pulled up at his house, but she had promised and she assumed by the way the lights in his upstairs window flickered that his television was turned on and he was likely still awake. She shut her car door quietly so as not to wake the neighbours and quickly ran up the drive, trying unsuccessfully to avoid the falling raindrops.

She rang the doorbell and heard a bit of thumping from inside before Danny appeared dressed in his pyjamas, a red robe thrown hastily over them. When he saw her, he held the door wide and gestured for her to come in.

"Thanks," she said as she stepped over the threshold and slipped off her shoes and coat.

"I'll put on a tea," he replied and she followed him into the kitchen.

A few minutes later she found herself seated across from him, fiddling with the handle of a large blue and yellow mug that had a picture of handcuffs across the front of it. The tea was still a bit too hot to drink, but she blew on it gently and took tiny sips. Danny was watching her, his own cup of tea sitting almost unnoticed in front of him.

He waited silently for awhile, but when Sarah showed no sign of speaking he gently asked, "So, what were the dreams about this time?"

She smiled meekly at him, "I didn't have any." Her smile widened into a bit of a grin when she noticed his puzzled expression, but she continued on, explaining, "I didn't get as far as the dreams, couldn't fall asleep in the first place. My thoughts kept me stressed and worried and just kept tossing and turning, so finally I got up and came here."

He nodded understandingly, "You wanna talk about it?"

"No, well, yes, but, not tonight. To be honest, I'm pretty exhausted. I just…" she shrugged and trailed off.

"Think you'll sleep better with company? You can spend the night. I'll just move to the couch if you like and we can talk in the morning?"

She started to nod but then shook her head, "At the risk of sounding ridiculously forward, maybe, you know, you can stay with me? I wouldn't mind being held tonight."

He grinned at her, "Nice to know you trust me that much."

"Well, you do have an honest face," she retorted back with a smile.

Sarah smiled smugly to herself in the dark an hour later as Danny slept peacefully beside her. She hoped he was as understanding in the morning after their talk, as he had been before, but for now she felt better and she was glad he let her stay. She'd been worried he wouldn't, not when he heard what was keeping her awake, which is why she'd put off their talk until the morning. Feeling more content now than she had in a long time, she finally closed her eyes and fell into a long-needed deep sleep of her own.

Sarah awoke to a room filled with red light as the sun streamed through the like-coloured curtains. Danny was already up it seemed, so she rose and poked about until she found her way to the bathroom where she showered and changed out of the pyjamas he'd lent her and into her own clothing again.

When she found him he was cooking up some sausages and eggs for breakfast. "Sleep well?" he asked her, his back still to her as he faced the stove.

She nodded, knowing he'd somehow sense her answer even if he wasn't watching.

"Good," he replied, as he turned and set a couple plates down on the table. When they'd both been seated he asked, "You weren't still worried about getting fired, were you? Because I thought we'd settled that, but we can go over it again."

She laughed and shook her head, "No, actually, I was worried about something else last night."

"Go on."

"Something you mentioned during our little chat."

Danny frowned, "I thought I was being a little more reassuring than that."

She smiled, "Well you were, as far as I was concerned. And you were right, you know, when you said it helps to talk about the nightmares, but I sorta guessed you hadn't."

"Hadn't what?"

"Talked about them. You said everyone gets them, Danny. What are yours about?"

Danny put down his fork, his face registering his surprise. "This is about me?"

"I was worried about you, kept wondering how long you've gone without a proper sleep. I thought maybe you'd do better with some company, so I came over and I think we both slept better because of it. Don't tell me I'm wrong, Danny, I know I'm not."

"You're not wrong," he admitted softly and Sarah was relieved he didn't deny it. He sat silently for a couple moments and then suddenly stood and moved around behind her, his hands rubbing her shoulders gently because it was easier for him to talk to her when she wasn't looking directly at him. He wasn't used to being on this side of these conversations. "I worry sometimes that if people found out, they'd think I'm too weak to trust as the team leader, you know."

"I don't think that, Danny," Sarah said softly. "I think it makes you human. Anyways, I trust you because of the honest face, remember?"

"I'm never going to live that line down, am I?"

" 'Course not," she laughed. "But if it's any consolation, it worked, didn't it? I do trust you, Danny."

He learned forward enough to kiss her cheek quickly and then returned to his standing position. "They're like yours, my dreams, always different. Sometimes it's just as simple as being chased by terror birds, but quite often it's that the team gets hurt after obeying something that I told them to do. Sometimes the dreams seem more related to my copper days. And sometimes I dream about Patrick."

Sarah's hand rose to cover his own on her shoulder comfortingly. "Oh Danny," she whispered.

He shifted slightly behind her and then, while she still couldn't see his face, he decided to take a chance. After all, she clearly cared. "And then," he continued hesitantly, "There's the nightmares that seem almost silly in comparison as they aren't related to any terrifying real life experience, and yet nightmares they still are."

"They aren't silly if they are keeping you awake, Danny. You can talk to me about anything. After all, I told you the seahorse dream."

"Well," he said, still slowly, "There's this one reoccurring one where I finally get up the courage to ask you on a date and you turn me down and laugh in my face."

Sarah blushed, thankful he was standing behind her and unclear what to answer for a moment, but then she smiled, "That would never happen, Danny, for the same reason you've said you'd never fire me; I like you too much."

"Yeah?" he asked, hoping he still sounded casual. "So what would you do if I asked?"

She chuckled and tugged at his hand to get him to move around where she could see him again. When he complied she grinned at him, "You don't think that's too easy? I almost think I should make you actually ask before divulging that kind of information."

He couldn't help but to laugh back in his relief as he sensed her teasing tone and knew that she wouldn't tease him if she actually had any intentions of turning him down. "That's just cruel, Sare."

"Well let's put it this way, if you asked, I'd likely accept."

Danny crouched down in front of her so that they were eye level, "Go out with me, Sarah Page."

"Is that a direct order?"

"No, I'd like it to be, but you never follow those."

She smiled, "Then, yes."

The End