So, I'm reintroducing Austin - a character of my own creation. Just a refresher, Austin is Danny's best friend and Flack's girlfriend. This is set after Aiden died; it's an idea I've been toying around with that finally met OpenOffice tonight. Yeah, okay, I'll shut up now and let you read it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
And I'd walk through hell and high water,
Wash away with the tide,
I can lose the damn war all by myself,
If you were on the other side,
So in the morning, when the rooster crows,
Pack your bags and get ready to go,
If you're walking through hell and high water,
Please don't do it alone.
-Black Stone Cherry's 'Hell and High Water';
"Best friends aren't supposed to die." She stood in the doorjamb of his office like an angel watching over his broken form. He looked up and gave a small smile as she walked across the room and ran a hand through his dark blond locks.
"You're still here."
"Yeah, well, I'm invincible." She explained as she took his calloused hands in hers and pulled him from her swiveling desk chair, "C'mon, Bub, you, me, the docks, and a bottle of Jack."
"Sounds like the second worst hangover of my entire life." He smirked and allowed himself to be lead through the tiled corridor of the crime lab and tracing his thumb over her porcelain wrist as they waited on the elevator. She leaned against the wall and he stepped closer, "Aust-"
"Danny," She breathed and straightened, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead, "it's just me. Stop pretending to be so strong."
"I thought I was the strong one." Danny gave his first true smile as Austin hooked his arm over her shoulder and together they stepped onto the elevator car. The ride down to the ground floor was filled with a companionable silence that could only be built by the lifelong friendship the two shared. She watched him out of the corner of her eye and he twirled a long chocolate lock around his pointer finger, letting it go, and repeating the process.
As the doors reopened, Austin tilted her head up and whispered, "It's okay, Bub, I won't break. You can lean on me this time."
"I love you, Graceless." He mumbled against her head and he leaned on her. She shouldered the brunt of his weight and helped him out into the clear night air. The 1977 Firebird that had been a landmark of their teenage years sat in the parking spot before them. He laughed, "You went all the way to the Bronx after your shift just to get the car and came back?"
"It's all part of the process." She explained, unlocking the door and helping him into the passenger seat. He felt like a child as she stretched the seatbelt across his chest and locked it into place. She pulled her long brown locks into a bun as she rounded the car and climbed into the drivers seat.
The engine turned over and the radio roared to life filling the car with the sounds of Social Distortion as she popped the car into drive and sped off in the direction of nowhere. His lips moved with the lyrics and he watched as the city lights passed them by. Austin popped open a pack of Marlboro Reds and extended the pack to him and she took one for herself. It was the rare indulgence that only accompanied the worst of days; steering with her knees, she placed the cigarette between her lips and lit it, taking a long drag. She extended the lighter to Danny and he did the same, allowing the nicotine to course through his veins and calm him down.
"Remember when we stole our firsts from Louie?" She spoke over the music, cigarette dangling between her pointer and middle fingers as she pounded her free hand on the steering wheel to the beat of the hard rock song.
"I don't think I've ever coughed so hard," He smirked and took a drag, "At least I didn't throw up."
"Shove it." She flicked the ashes into the ash tray. The pack had been in the car since the last time they took it out; that was their deal, they only smoked in the car and they only took the car out when something bad happened. The 'bird had seen the worsts of their friendship; Austin moving out of her parents' place, Danny shattering his wrist in the minors, and every other downfall the two had faced together.
The tires came to rest of the blacktop along side the river, the docks ran out across the black waters and security lights resembled candles in the distance. She reached behind the front seat pulling out the brown paper bag and stack of Dixie cups. Sitting on the hood of the car, Austin poured the amber liquid into the paper cups and gave one to Danny, "To Aiden."
"To Aiden." He reiterated as he tilted his head back and downed the liquor with a cringe. It burnt the back of his throat and tears stung his eyes as his insides warmed.
Austin did the same and scooted back on the hood, laying against the windshield and tucking an arm behind her head, "I think I see Orion's belt."
"I think the whiskey's done gone straight to your head, Graceless," Danny nudged her as he leaned back as well, "this is New York City, you can't see anything besides New York City."
"When was the last time you bothered to look?"
"Touche." He countered, foregoing the formality of the paper cup and taking a swig right from the bottle, "I haven't seen much of you lately, Baby Girl."
"I've been busy having a life, Bub." She tucked into his side, "But, you know if you ever need me all you have to do is pick up the phone, right?"
"I know." He smiled at her and blinked hard, "I didn't think losing Aiden would hit me this hard."
"Danny," She breathed his name, "she was thirty. That's far too young to die by any standard and if it was going to hit anyone hard, it was going to hit you two. I know you'll deny it but I also know that you had a pretty big thing for her."
"Okay, granted." He removed his glasses and ran a hand over his tired face, "It was like if you had died, Austin. I mean, not on the same caliber but the two of you had that same 'balls-to-the-wall' personality that sometimes I'd look at you and see her and vice versa."
"C'mere," She whispered and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around him and pressing a kiss to the back of his head, "I'm still here, Bub. I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere." She knew he couldn't help it, given the past they shared she was actually relieved he didn't see her in the victims more often.
"Why does everyone get taken from us, Baby Girl?"
"Danny," She rubbed his back, "You've got to cry. Let it out before it eats you alive."
"I hate it." The tears began and all Austin could do was hold him together while he was falling apart.
She held on long after he had finished; the moon was high in the night sky before she let go of him and they slid off the hood, climbing back into the car. Like always, the radio was left off on the drive back into the city and not a word was said, the only connection was their hands joined and resting between their seats.
As she parked in front of his building, he leaned over and captured her lips with his. The moment was over before it began; her hand flat on his chest as she pushed him away slightly, "Danny, no."
He let out a groan of frustration, "Why not?"
"Cause your other best friend might break your jaw for it." She explained and he nodded reluctantly, "Besides, I saw how you and Lindsay have been looking at each other. You should go give her a call and thank her for being there the past few days."
"Why do you always have to be the clear headed one?"
"Cause, you're a hormone fueled idiot." Austin shrugged and kissed his head, "Go get some sleep and then muster up the courage and ask her out already. I'm just the easy way out that you're not taking this time, Messer."
"You know you're a lot more than that, Hawthorne." Their foreheads met and they stared into one another's eyes for a moment before breaking apart, "Love you, Graceless."
"Love you too, Bub." She squeezed his hand before he slid out of the car and watched her drive off into the night.
Shaking his head, he climbed the stairs to his third floor walk up and let himself in. Tossing his keys on the table and toeing off his Converse, he hit the play button on his answering machine before heading to the fridge for a bottle of water, "Danny? This is Montana – Monroe! Lindsay Monroe, dammit Messer, now I'm doing it too."
Danny laughed as he pulled his shirt over his head and flopped down on his couch, "Anyways, I just wanted to make sure you were alright – well of course you aren't alright after today, but I wanted to... I don't know. I just wanted to check in with you after the day we had. Alright. Well, call me... or I'll see you at work. Yeah, okay, bye."
Grabbing his phone off the coffee table he dialed her number and waited for her to pick up, "Montana, you leave answering machine messages like a high school girl. Anyways, I just wanted to say..."