Title: Becoming Blue
Chapter 2 – W.Y.B.
A/N: I must admit editing this with the thought that Linda will eventually die was really hard so I hope it's okay and you all enjoy a little.
Danny picked it up and then cast a wondering glance at the three letters printed on it. W.Y.B. "WYB? Where you be? Huh? What the hell?" Danny muttered as he tossed the paper into his locker and shook his head. "Whatever…that means," he added as he pulled on his jacket and then headed for the exit and busted outside into the cool night air.
"Hey…." Linda greeted with a somewhat strained smile as she neared the unit desk where Danny stood. "What's going on?"
"I was in the neighborhood," Danny replied with a smile as she neared. They shared a brief kiss on the lips before she pulled back with a wondering glance.
"I'm working the night shift," she reminded him; noting that she wouldn't be off until the morning.
"I know. Just…ah new guy at work. Racist. Just…rubbed me the wrong way and I wanted to see a friendly face."
"Uh oh…rubbed?" Linda asked slowly as the two of them slowly wandered down the hallway toward the staff lounge. "Danny…"
"I didn't get into anything with him," he assured her in haste. "I know…better."
She cast him a sideways glance of mild disbelief that he just shook his head to. "So on a happier note…I booked the photographer."
"Any good?"
"A friend of Bec's."
"That means what?" Danny tossed back with a snicker as they both sipped some hot coffee. "They're cheap?"
"Actually…their prices are pretty good but I've seen their stuff and they have some really neat things. Here…look."
Danny tried to pay attention but his mind now wandered as he thought about who the weird note might have come from and if it was the new guy – Dickson and his idea of just messing with his mind. But to what avail? He thought if he asked Linda that she might get worried for no reason and with their wedding coming up soon, he didn't want her to worry needlessly. So he push it aside – for now.
"Danny?"
"Yeah sorry…like them."
"Really? Or are you just saying that?"
"I do like them. Just tired."
The two of them chatted a bit longer before she had to get back on break and he regrettably had to take his leave. Once back outside, the cool night air coupled with her company for the past half hour, lifted his mood considerably and his agitation subsided. However, he had angered a man not to be suffered lightly and he would come to learn the folly of his ways.
"Danny?"
"Yeah it's me," Danny replied to his father as he entered the quiet living room. "So new guy walks into a police station…"
"Is there a punchline there?" Frank retorted as looked up from his files.
"New racist guy walks into a police station. Mine," he concluded with a bitter hiss.
"Ah. Tell me what happened."
"Some blowhard from the South…and by south I don't mean mid-south I mean like the southern US. Redneck country."
"Danny…" Frank warned with a slight smirk.
"Okay fine, not all of them are like that, but this guy he comes in and starts calling Daniel's boy…he didn't have to say it's because Daniels is black but he didn't use that term on anyone else. And in rollcall mouthed off again."
"How did Renzulli handle it?"
"He made sure this new guy…Dickson…dickhead is more like it…was paired with another white cop. How did you okay his transfer?"
"He came without complaint."
"Course…like they're going to crucify one of their own," Danny stated bitterly. "I hope he's paired with me."
"Renzulli better not. Danny the last thing you need right now is another disciplinary hearing or write-up on your file," Frank warned his son in truth as Danny's lips pursed.
"I know I know…he needs that transfer. Pull any strings?" Danny countered.
"Think any area is racist free?" Frank shot back as Danny shook his head. "Every department has their issues. This guy is from the south and perhaps where he came from…things were more lax. He'll find out that he won't get the same tolerance here among the squads. Daniels has lots of friends to stick up for him. If he doesn't tire of it, Dickson might just want a transfer back to where he came from. If not…reports will be made and kept and too many strikes and he's out."
"That's what I'm hoping for. Out for good."
"Just keep yourself out of trouble."
"Copy…that," Danny acknowledged as he slowly stood up and turned to leave.
Frank watched his son leave and then cast him a furtive glance to his tense back. He would make note to investigate Owen Dickson on the side and perhaps ask his father but not to openly. If he was sent to them under the guise of no red flags then that concerned him – should concern them all. But at the same time, his warning to Danny held true and if Danny went looking for trouble with Owen Dickson, he'd find it.
Little did Frank know but Own Dickson had already started on a plan to make that happen – Danny's professional demise.
XXXXXXXX
'You thought you could take me on and win? I'll show you whose top dog in this precinct!'
BANG!
"Ahhh!" Danny gasped as his eyes snapped open and he bolted upright in bed; his head damp and his heart racing. He had relived that moment in the alley when he was on the Detective squad but this time it was Dickson who pulled the trigger in the dark of night.
"Damn…bastard…" he huffed as he flopped back down and then flipped onto his side and tried to close his eyes. But as his mind started to echo with Daniel's voice inside his head asking why he didn't do more to help, Danny's weary eyes snapped back open and he knew the rest of his night would be spent in restless sleep.
He'd be right and he'd wake up feeling tired and agitated.
"You look tired Danny," his mother commented early the next morning as he trudged into the kitchen and nearly kicked the leg of the table.
"He had a late night."
Danny turned to see his youngest sibling – Jamie entered and offered that with a serious expression and just shook his head. "Gooberhead is somewhat right. Just…stuff I'm fine."
"Well if you feel very tired just make sure you don't push yourself too hard," Mary gently warned as Danny offered her a tired smile and gratefully took the cup of coffee. At first his mother's somewhat overprotective concern annoyed him but she reminded him that no matter how old he'd get, if she were still there to draw breath she'd still worry and show the same motherly concern.
"Don't study too hard," Danny told Jamie as he playfully ruffled his hair as he left the kitchen and headed for the front door to go out. As he drove toward the precinct, he told himself that the best way to not get himself in trouble with Owen Dickson he had to avoid Owen Dickson as much as possible. That plan…wasn't about to happen.
"So Reagan?"
Danny poked his head around the side of his locker door and watched his new nemesis approach and offered a nod before he ducked back and offered Dickson an unseen eye-roll.
"So you pretty much BMOC around here?"
"Not a fan of acronyms?"
"No," Danny looked back with a small glare of annoyance.
"Your old man…makes you the big man around here right? Just in case…you know you're slow with acronyms."
Danny slammed his locker shut and then looked at Dickson with pursed lips; his father's voice in his head to remind him to keep his temper in check. "Not sure what you're getting at?"
Dickson offered Danny a slight snicker before he leaned in closer and sneered; his face a few inches from Danny's. "Just…keep out of my way."
"Or what?" Danny shot back with a clenched jaw as his gaze held Dickson's a few seconds longer. "You're a racist ass in private as well as public?"
"What's that?"
"Deaf as well as stupid?" Danny continued to goad; his plan to get Dickson to lose his temper so that he'd have a professional infraction on his file. A few more and Dickson would be sent back to where he came from. But unfortunately for Danny only the first part worked; as another officer just entered and looked at them in wonder.
"Guess we'll see…" Dickson sneered as pulled back and offered Danny's shoulder a 'thwack'. "Have a good day Reagan."
Danny watched as Dickson slowly shuffled out of the locker room and disappeared from view. Danny just gave the other officer a shrug as he grabbed his cap and headed out of the room and watched as Dickson neared the end of the hallway and then made another snide comment toward another officer that Dickson would deem 'interior' – something that angered him more than words could express.
Just before he rounded the corner to the roll-call room, Dickson paused and turned back to see Danny near the entrance to the locker room and winked before he looked at Officer Chan and offered the snide comment that made Danny's anger surge.
"Hey Danny…"
If it wasn't for Sam's verbal interlude he was sure he would have gone after Dickson and cleaned the floor with his face; something he knows would have brought him up for review again.
"Hey….yeah," turned to greet his partner with a strained smile.
"You look tired," Sam commented as Danny cast him a sour glance. "Sorry."
"Yeah…late night. So what did you come up with for date number one?"
Danny tried to tell himself to listen to Sam's explanation but all he could think of what Owen Dickson and how he just wanted to pound him. And those feelings were about to get a lot more intense.
Just as Renzulli concluded his assignment callout, Dickson used the opportunity to make himself even more obnoxious to Danny and those around him.
"So…when do I get to work with some of the local color?" Dickson laughed as he slapped Officer Daniels on the back and then purposely looked at Danny.
"Assignments are final," Renzulli stated in exasperation as everyone offered a silent sigh of relief – except Officer Dylan Michaels who felt he drew the short end of the stick and was paired with Dickson.
"That guy…bugs me," Danny hissed in an undertone, within earshot of Renzulli.
"Brass has been alerted. Don't give it a second thought. Get out there and do your job. Focus on that."
"Sir," Danny muttered as he pulled back and headed for Sam, giving him a brief glance that signaled for him not to push the issue. "Don't…ask," Danny huffed as they headed for the door and then outside into the somewhat overcast Manhattan morning. "Who are we looking for again?"
"Name is…uh oh…"
"What?"
"We better find him before Dickson does."
"Why? Is he black?"
"Uh uh…wanted for petty robbery. But you can be sure if Dickson gets to him first that resisting arrest will take on a whole new meaning."
"Great," Danny groaned as he turned the police cruiser to the right and they continued their patrol. "Okay….what do we know?"
Danny listened to Sam rattle off some case details about their suspect but all he kept thinking about were Sam's words and knew them to be true – if Dickson caught up to him first and being a suspect of color, they'd have trouble. Course if Dickson was to get a charge against him that would work in their favor to help get rid of him. But his mind reminded him that that shouldn't come at someone else's expense.
"Danny!"
"Yeah I heard it. 12-David responding. 96th and main. Step on it Sam!"
Sam reached the area where their suspect had been last spotted and told Sam to slow the car and just patrol until they got an actual siting.
"Dispatch. Come again…where did…never mind we see him! Sam…just…ah damn there he goes!" Danny growled as he jumped out of the passenger seat and bolted after their suspect who saw the police car and bolted. "STOP! POLICE!" Danny shouted as he veered to the right and started to race down a narrow alleyway between two buildings – an area Sam wasn't able to come with the cruiser. "Heading…to the…back…alley!" Danny panted as he pulled his baton and prepared to send it flying toward the fleeing suspect's feet.
"STOP! POL…" is all Danny managed as he emerged into the back alley and instead of slamming into the suspect, his body was flung into the air and slammed onto the hood of a police car. "Ahhh…" Danny groaned as he quickly pushed himself up on the front of the hood and locked eyes with the driver. Dickson! Dickhead! Danny's mind inwardly cursed as he pounded the hood with his fist and pushed himself off and then tried to turn around. Instantly he felt a pang in his right side and thigh.
But as soon as he turned around, Danny's lips hissed as he saw the suspect had gotten away and his chase had been in vain. "You knew I was in pursuit!"
"So was I!" Dickson stated as he stomped up to Danny as Dickson's partner just offered an exasperated sigh. "This perp, is mine!" Dickson whispered as he leaned in closer.
"Why so you can stomp his ass like you would back home? Maybe plant a gun so you could take down another boy?" Danny goaded as Dickson's fists balled at his sides.
"What's…that?"
"You heard me."
"You…" Dickson started as Danny's radio cracked to life. "Danny, where are you? I think I saw him!"
"Coming back to 96tth!" Danny replied as he looked directly at Dickson with a narrowed gaze and held his angry gaze in return.
"Looking forward to the day when we ride together."
"Likewise!" Danny retorted before he turned and darted back into the alley he just emerged from. Once he was out of Dickson's view, he paused for a few seconds as his left arm wrapped around his waist and tenderly felt his throbbing ribs. He knew none were broken but also knew he wouldn't escape completely unscathed with some deep bruises. "Bastard," he cursed before he reunited with his partner on the main street.
"Got stopped by construction," Sam apologized as they headed to where dispatch said another call came in with regards to their suspects whereabouts. "What happened back there?"
"Dickson," Danny sneered as Sam's lips pursed. "That guy…we just better find this guy first. I think he's been away from his bad buddies too long and now is itching for some redneck justice."
"That guy…he better WHB."
"Wait…what?"
"Well he better because if Dickson fin…"
"No…what is WHB? Or even WYB?" Danny interjected in haste.
"Watch your back."
W.Y.B. Danny's mind shot back in time to when he found the note in his locker but brushed it off as nothing. Now he wasn't so sure. Was it from Dickson? Telling me to watch my back? That angered him even more but at the same time a little voice in the back of his mind told him that he should take it seriously and today's little purposeful run in was just a small warning of something more to come. That little voice?...it would be right. Owen Dickson wasn't a man to suffer lightly.
A/N: Okay so hope this didnt suck too much! oh dear Danny – just exactly who are you now going to mess with? Think he felt a small taste of what's to come – uh oh. Will Danny tell anyone about the altercation? And what move will Dickson next make? Some cute Danny/Linda moments and some Danny/Sam bonding but Danny…yikes! And will Frank find out anything? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!
PS: my dear readers so…for the next number of months things will be very …. Busy so while I am going to try to update this story and possibly add one for this season with Danny's new situation I might have to do alternate weeks to balance – well life and hope everyone understands and isn't mad! I did think about stopping altogether but am hoping I can still try to keep some regular weekly updates (of course with all your amazing support!) Thanks everyone!
