Author note: I edited the first chapter. This story is placed before the series beguin. Sorry for the mistake ;)

Ten minutes ago, Danny was leaving the Hospital to go have dinner with Flack. Two minutes ago, he was already seating in a hidden restaurant. The sun was starting to rise, but he was used to eat whenever he could. It wasn't a surprise for him neither the fact that little business like this one was open at this time, they survived with out of clock customers like him.

The headache he supported since he hit his head was starting to disappear; surely all the pills the doctors gave him had something to do with it. He took a sip from his glass of water and looked to the door, where Flack was making a phone call. He should be calling his girlfriend to tell her he's not going home.

Flack closed his phone and stuck it in his pocket as he went inside. At the same time their orders were coming to the table. Danny took the fork and the knife and started making little pieces of the big steak in front of him. When he finished cutting it he looked at Flack's plate and saw half of his meat was already gone. Danny looked up and saw Flack chewing a piece of meat while looking at Danny.

"I told you I was hungry" said Flack with a smile when he finished chewing. "Are you going to eat your food or you're looking for the evidence of the weapon that killed the poor cow?" Danny looked his own food and started eating. He was really hungry, but it looks like Flack was more.

When they both finished eating, Flack offered Danny his cell phone. "What's this for?" Flack flashed him a smile "That's a cell phone, and people use it to call other people, like your boss, because you need to call him if you're not going to work this morning. I already called mine, had to tell him I was the one sick."

Danny went cold. Flack didn't know Mac fired him, even after he called his boss. Maybe that's why he kept on being nice with him. "I got fired yesterday. You don't need to lie; you should go back to work and forget about me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know. What happened?"

"It's a very long story, and you should go back to work." Danny stood up and took his wallet out of his pocket. Flack took his hand and put some money on the table as he looked at Danny.

"Look, I can say you're hiding something more. You need to lean on someone before all this shit explodes in your face. I know we barely know each other, but I'm trying to help you here." Danny looked at his hand, Flack was still holding his wrist, but he wasn't making any oppression, just barely holding it, as if to reassure him he wasn't alone.

"It's a long story, and probably, after I finish telling you all, you won't want to see me again." He looked at Flack and saw him with a sweet smile.

"I doubt it, Danny, I seriously doubt it" Said that, Flack released Danny's hand and stood quiet, waiting for Danny to open up and make move.

Danny kept on looking Flack's eyes. He really wanted to trust him, he desperately needed for someone to lean to, someone to trust so he could relieve some weight accumulated in his shoulders. Somewhere inside him, he knew he could trust him, he knew he could be the strength he needed, but it was hard and difficult to trust someone after everybody failed you after you failed them. It was his decision, it as now or never. He decided he wanted to fight for his freedom, for his happiness, but any of it would be possible if he's the only one in this fight. There is a moment when you need to ask for help, and this is it.

"I'd like to go somewhere else, don't feel like talking here" Danny said. First step is done. Now all he has to do is follow the direction the step is giving him.

"Do you want us to go to your apartment?" asked Flack while he took his coat.

"I'd rather go yours, if you don't mind"

"Yeah, sure. Let's go."

Flack's apartment was clean. That's the first though Danny had when he trespassed the door that opened Flack's world to him. From where he stood he could see the standing room and the kitchen. Bedroom and bathroom should be after the door at the end of the standing room. He stepped inside the room and seated on the black coach. In front of him there was a big tv screen. He could hear a door closing and Flack coming. He breathed deep; he had to be strong now.

"Too soon for a beer, too late for a tea, and we don't want you asleep right now, too nervous for a coffee... You run out all my options, so I bring you water." Flack seated beside Danny on the coach and put two glasses of water on the table between them and the tv. "I have milk and orange juice, but they've been here for so long I've already put them names. In fact, I'm thinking about making them pay some of the rent" Danny laughed at his comment. He was starting to feel comfy beside him, so he wished this wasn't the last time they would be like this.

"It all started a long while ago." Flack stood silent waiting for Danny to continue. Danny looked at him and kept and continued his story. "I have… had, a relationship, what a thought it was a serious relationship. We were living together, I thought we were happy. Yesterday, after Stella and I processed the crime scene where we meet, I went home, to our apartment, and…I found my boyfriend in our bed with another man." Danny stood silent waiting for Flack reaction to his declaration. After all that happened in his life he expected a lot of things, rejection, hate, even physical pain, one thing he didn't expect was silence. He looked up to Flack, and instead disgust or hate, his eyes just showed interest, he was simply waiting for Danny to continue and showing no signs of hate or rejection. Flack even seemed to be showing some sort of compassion in his eyes.

"He saw me, and didn't stop. He just kept having sex with him while he looked at me, as if I was just a wall, or a flower vase. I felt empty, used…" Danny couldn't stand anymore the memory of that scene and broke on a silent cry. He hided his head in his hands, as if trying to block the image of himself to the outside world, and then he felt a hand stroking softly his back. After a few minutes of silent cries, Danny's face remerged and he took his glass of water with shaky hands. He looked at the glass from above while he kept his back curved, still feeling Flack's hand supporting him from behind.

"After I caught them I run from the apartment, I had to get out of there. I walked for hours, I didn't even know where I was going, until I noticed the time and that I was supposed to go back work. I went there as fast as I could, but it was already late and Mac was angry at me. He didn't know about Andrew, my boyfriend, I correct, my ex-boyfriend, so I couldn't tell him why I took all that time. He assured me another mess and I'd lose my job. Later Stella came too; she blamed me because she covered me so I could go back to my apartment, and Mac was angry with her too. She didn't like Andrew, now I understand why, so she didn't let me explain. I've never seen her so angry before." Flack stroked him with more strength, assuring him with that subtle contact that he could count with him to whatever he needed.

"After that, I kept on working, and when it was almost time to leave I got assigned to the other case. When I left you on the crime scene, as I went into the station, a hooker tried to hit on me so I could free her, so when I tried to escape I fell and hit my head. That's how I got the brain contusion." Danny took a sip of the glass in his hands and then put the glass in the little table in front of him. His shake was starting to cease, and Flack's hand on his back seemed to be the reason.

"I think I blacked out after the fall, a sergeant was trying to stop me from leaving, he even called for a bus, but I needed to go to the lab. When I escaped and finally reached the lab Mac was there, and he was really angry, and he fired me." The last phrase was said with a whisper, but Flack understood it clear. For Danny it wasn't just a job.

"I couldn't believe all that was happening to me. I think the hit in the head made me blur for a second, because suddenly I was in my apartment, with Andrew, and he told me he was using me since we first meet. The other man was his long time boyfriend, and I was just the one that paid the rent. He chose me because I was the stupid man that was always working and also made money. He's been stealing me and I didn't even notice. After he told me all that I felt used, abused, betrayed… but also felt it was my entire fault, I should have realized, I should have notices something was wrong. Stella told me to take care, she never liked him, and she saw something wasn't right, but I was unable to do so."

"And that's what I'm now. I'm a stupid man that yesterday woke up happy beside who he thought was the love of his life and today is a mess who finds himself without love, without friends, without an apartment, without money, without a job, and without a family, 'cause they don't forgive me for being gay, not even after I asked for help because I was in the street and didn't know what to do."

Danny's tears were starting to flow again. He tried, he really tried to be strong, to kept them from coming out, but he wasn't unable. The headache he suffered all the night wasn't anything compared to the pain and empty feeling he had in his heart. Suddenly Flack's hand wasn't in his back anymore and felt him leave his place beside him. He was waiting to be told to leave the place when he felt Flack kneel in front of him and his arms held him in a sweet embrace. Danny surrendered and let go all he had inside. He cried, he cried hard in Flack's shoulder until he felt himself unable to cry anymore. Although he was better he couldn't let go of him, he hung to him even harder than before, asking for human contact, and Flack did what Danny's body was asking, he started to stroke his back with both hands, showing him he was there for him, and for the first time in a long time, more than he even though, Danny felt himself relax knowing he had someone to lean on.

More than half an hour passed between sobs and some tears, and when Danny seemed to be calmed, Flack retreated and talked to Danny as he kept on stroking his face. "I know you need to rest, but the Doctor said no sleeping before tonight, so, why don't you take a shower and relax a bit? After that we should go and talk to Mac."

"I have no clothes, and Mac said I was fired, no matter what I say, I've lost the only job I'm good for."

"I don't want you to think you're already back but if you fell on the lobby and a sergeant called for an ambulance, there should be some sort of report to justify your absence. You also had a contusion, and that's why you were unable to stand back his accusation. About the other things, take a shower, I'll lend you some clothes that may fit you, and after that, we'll se what we can do."

"Why are you helping me? We barely know each other…" Danny's eyes stood firm against Flack's, the first ones with doubt, the second ones with reassurance and care.

Flack simply looked at Danny with a half smile. "Why don't you take that shower? I'll go look for some clothes for you after I make some fresh coffee for me and tea for you. Bathroom is the second door on the right behind that door. If you need anything, just give me a call."

With that, Flack stood up and offered his hand to Danny to stand from the couch. Danny accepted it and after he released his hand turned to the bathroom. Before entering the little hall, he turned back and saw Flack staring at him. He didn't knew his reasons, he wasn't ready to trust anyone after all that happened him, but something inside told him he wasn't going to trust this Don Flack.

He already does.

Reviews are appreciated. Really appreciated.