August 3, 2007

Danielle dreaded telling him the truth. She paced the length of her garden. How to tell him everything without scaring him away? She stopped when she heard the back door slam shut. She knew before he spoke that it was him; it was funny that even over a course of twelve years someone could still smell the same. It'd taken almost a year before that smell had disappeared from her sheets.

"Want to tell me what's bothering you?" He asked leaning against a white porch post.

"Nothing, why?" She replied, bending down to deadhead a marigold.

"I've been here almost a week and you haven't told me to go to hell. In fact you hugged me when I got here and you were crying. I know for a fact you don't cry."

She smiled and turned back toward him, "I was worried about the article."

"What? The one in the article?"

Danielle nodded before heading for the porch swing. Taking a deep breath she began, "It's a fake. The vic's parents agreed to lying in the article. There isn't a double body."

Dean straightened, his hazel eyes narrowing at her, his stomach clenching. "What do you mean it was a fake?"

"I needed you here with me. Damn it this is harder than I imagined."

He felt his blood run cold. She didn't lie and lure him there under false pretenses did she? "What's going on?"

In the pale moonlight he saw her bite her bottom lip as if trying to keep something in. That was okay, he'd wait her out because in the long run she'd tell him what was going on her in her head.

"I need you to testify Dean. You were the only one that got away, the only one that wasn't threatened about speaking to the police." She replied her gaze locking with his and never leaving his face.

She hated herself for the fear that flashed across his face but remained in his eyes. When he was there the last time she'd tried so hard to take it away, but in the end she'd failed at that too.

"No," He all but croaked, "there's no way in hell."

"Please, just listen. You can stay here with Abby and me. You and Sam will be safe." She pleaded taking a step forward.

"I won't. Fuck Danni you lied to me. And for what to advance your career, Detective?" He asked, his body instinctively taking a step away.

Her head snapped to the side as though she'd been slapped. Did he really think that little of her? With a steadying breath she asked, "Do you think I want to do this?"

"I couldn't begin to tell you. Sam and I'll leave in the morning."

He turned to go inside and felt his blood flow stop at her next statement, "No as of now you are under house arrest. You aren't allowed to leave the house without an escort and all calls will be monitored by me or Abby. Your car keys have already been confiscated."

"You've got to be kidding! You'd pull that on me."

The emotions that had been raging in her dark eyes cooled. Her voice was calm and even when she replied, "Allow me to escort you inside Mr. Winchester."

She held the back door open to allow him entrance. It slammed shut behind them; she locked it and pocketed the key.

"Dean," She said softly to his retreating back, "you once told me it was your job to fight the evil in this world. What kind of evil does a person have in order to violate those put in their care?"

With no more than a grunted goodnight Dean left the room, leaving Danni struggling with her buried emotions. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears. She hadn't wanted to use the order her captain had given her, but Dean hadn't given her any other choice.

"Danni?" Abby asked from the doorway. Her blue eyes were wide with concern. "What happened?"

He was going to leave and let the son of a bitch walk, she thought bitterly before kicking at a chair and then dropping into his. She folded her arms on the table to slump her head on. "Nothing Abby. Nothing happened."

"Right, so now what?"

"I had to pull the house arrest order. Did you grab what I asked you to?" She asked holding out a pale hand.

Reluctantly Abby dropped the spark plug in her sister's outstretched hand. She didn't like doing this to Dean but if it meant that he'd help then she'd do it over and over again. These cases were eating at her older sister but she tried not letting it show, after it was never right for a cop to become to intimate with a case. Unfortunately this case was very personal for Danni and Dean.

"I shouldn't be bringing you into this Abby but you know cars better than I do. I'm gonna head to the station, lock these up. Make sure you go to bed at a decent hour and that they do too." Danni demanded standing and shrugging into her jacket that hung off the back of her chair.

Abby mocked saluted her, "aye aye captain. Everything will be fine, I know where the guns are in case of an emergency, my cell phone's charged, and after you leave I'll set the alarm."

She laughed, "I have you trained so well. Are you sure you don't want to become a cop? I mean really you have the makings for it."

"Nope, dance is my calling, almost like being a cop and writing is yours. Goodnight Danni," She replied, pushing her older sister out into the back entrance.

"Night Abigail."

Abby walked into the living room, not the least bit surprised that Dean wasn't in there. She could vaguely recall him liking to pout when Danni put her foot down over something. Sam sat in the chair on her left, his blue-green eyes focused on her.

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Can she legally do that?"

"Her captain gave her the order. Listen she hates the idea, I don't know what's gotten Dean's panties in a bunch but he needs to get over it. There is a known rapist in jail and the only one who can identify him is Dean."

"Why Dean?"

"Duh, because he was raped by the same guy." Abby slammed a hand over her mouth. She'd said too much and was mentally slapping her head against a wall. "Forget I said that. Do you wanna play a game?"

Sam's face had paled. That was what Dean had been keeping from him? He didn't know whether or not he should cry or laugh or both. He should've recognized the signs, for months after Dean hadn't let anyone touch him. His face would pale if a friend even casually put a supporting hand on his shoulder. Why hadn't he told him?

"Sam, please. Danni'll kill me if she found out I told you. It wasn't supposed to leave my lips, let alone Danni's. Dean swore her to secrecy."

Sam nodded and thought about the question he'd asked, was it legal. What the hell kind of law student was he if he didn't know the answer to that question. Of course having a few beers in his system tended to screw up his thinking skills, another one of those wonderful things his brother had taught him.

"You look tired," She prayed he'd go to bed.

"I won't tell. Not yet anyways. So what exactly do you do?"

"I dance still. Actually I'm studying dance in college and I'm hoping to have another major in history."

"Interesting choices."

"Well I thought it'd be different."

Sam stood up and towered six inches over her. Without a thought he did the one thing he'd thought about over the years since he'd left with Dean and their dad. He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, curious about the fact if she tasted like peaches. He was right.

Abby stared up at him, her dark blue eyes locked on his. This couldn't be happening not now, "It's time for bed."

He tucked a curl of red hair behind her ear, "Goodnight then."

She took a step back and said a hurried goodnight before disappearing upstairs.