A/N: Hey guys sorry for the wait - just to clarify the episodes referenced in this chapter (Charge of This Post and Pay Up) are deliberately out of order to make this fic work so please bear with. In this, Pay Up comes about six months before COTP and then this fic is a few months after that. Thanks again for reading! Hope you enjoy.
The team sat huddled in the waiting room a few hours later. Several cups of coffee and various pastries had been bought and consumed by all at the insistence of Stella, who had not wanted any of them to be running on empty, but nobody had been in the mood for idle chatter. The lack of contact from the nurses and Danny with regards to Flack's condition was leaving everyone worried and restless. Sid, who had recently joined the sombre crew, was about to offer some consoling words when the double doors swung open to reveal a tired-looking and blood-stained Danny.
"Hey guys" he whispered with a small smile, "Thanks for waiting… thanks for being here"
They stood up to greet him and ask after Don, and Danny was struck with deja vu as to the time he had done the same to Flack after Jess' murder.
"How's he doing, Danny?" Mac's voice brought him back to the present.
"He's a fighter" Danny replied, looking around at the faces of his colleagues, of his friends.
"He's tired, he's been through a lot, but you know Don - he always pulls through for us!"
The others could tell Danny was clearly exhausted so they held their questions and waited for him to continue and shed some light on the situation.
"He's currently having some 'audio-visionary' problems but the doc says they should sort themselves out after the initial swelling has gone down. Basically his brains moving normal speed but his mouth and eyes can't keep up - and he's not hearing so good neither"
Mac hung his head and sighed, only Don Flack could get himself into this much trouble chasing a perp. Always faster, always braver - always the hero. It was people like Flack, that put the job above their own welfare, that gave the NYPD such high solve rates - but also put years on Mac for the stress of worrying it caused him.
"But also we gotta tell you guys somethin'. Well, me and Don that is…"
Danny's voice dropped and he looked to Mac for approval. Lindsey and Stella both guessed that what Danny was about to divulge would probably clear things up for them. Mac gave Danny a small smile of encouragement.
"I dunno how you guys are gonna take this if I'm honest. I hope things don't change between us and I gotta say you all mean the world to me. I dunno what I'd do if this … I dunno…"
He trailed off, only to have Lindsey take his hand and give him a hug.
"I know I speak for everyone when I say that nothing you could have to tell us would ever change how we think of you. You and Don both mean so much to us and we couldn't function without you two on the team. You can tell us, trust me"
Lindsey's words of encouragement seemed to be the last sign that Danny needed before launching into his story. He took a deep breath and looked around at his friends scattered before him. He knew in his heart of hearts this was a right decision.
"See me and Don, we been… well, 'dating' I guess… for a while now"
The team held their tongues, feeling Danny had more explaining to do and not wanting to interrupt this.
"You remember when Jess… got shot. Well, I guess it was in the aftermath of that… in the time when I was looking out for Don that our… our relationship kinda 'bloomed'"
Danny chuckled at his own use of flowery language. Before getting together with Don he'd never have said anything like that, but Don's secret love of rom-coms and cuddling had brought out the softer side in him.
"He's… I dunno how to explain really… I guess to be totally truthful - he's the man I love and if any of ya's gotta problem with that then I'm afraid there's nothing gonna change that fact. I love him, and it's been too long not to tell you guys"
Danny felt a total rush of emotion swell inside him. He was proud to have finally come out with Don to his friends. He was ready to be defensive, internally planning the eventuality of having to transfer to another team. His body stiffened with the anticipation of a bad reaction.
"Oh Danny I thought it was gonna be bad news!" exclaimed Lindsey, relief taking place of the tension in her features.
Stella moved forward to embrace Danny saying "Oh I'm so happy for you both"
Danny smiled in relief and saw over Stella's shoulder that Adam was handing Hawkes a twenty dollar bill.
"Wait a minute - you two had a wager?!" he asked incredulously.
"Look Danny anyone with eyes can see the fondness you have for each other, I just had to find a sucker with no eyes to win some money off!" Sheldon laughed, hugging Danny and slapping him on the back.
"I don't believe it…" Adam shook his head as a smile broke out on his face, "I'm happy for you though. Don could use someone to look out for him the way he puts himself out to protect other people all the time"
Mac smiled across at Danny over the heads of his colleagues, and Danny caught a glimpse of Mac's approval and wordless congratulations and for the first time in hours, felt a little more at peace.