Alright here we go, chapter 7! this is a big one, I had wanted to split it up into 2 chapters but then they seemed to short so you get one extra long one insted! enjoy!
Disclamer: I do not own the song mentioned below, nor do I own Necessary Roughness or any of it's characters.
By Monday Terrence was back in the coaches good graces. He'd called back into the radio show, under Nicos' strict supervision, and issued an apology to any and all Chicago fans, he also wished them luck on their next game. Dani talked with Matt and they came up with a few exercises that Terrence could do that would not only help his body heal but his mind also. Dani was proud with the progress he made, she told him so as they sat down for their appointment on Tuesday afternoon.
"So you said Matty D would help me, what are you and I gonna do?" He asked.
"We're just going to talk; you can tell me anything you want, vent, shout, get angry, anything to get the extra anger out." She explained.
"And you think that'll help?" He raised an eyebrow at her.
"I think along with what Matt has you doing, plus re adjusting to everyday life, I think it will help, yes."
He spent the rest of the hour explaining why he was so upset. It was things Dani knew already but she understood that Terrence had to explain it to himself for him to really get over it.
"You know I think your right Dr. D I do feel better." He said as she walked to the door with him.
"Good, keep working with Matt and when you come in on Friday we'll see how much better you feel." She said with a smile.
"Will do."
She opened the door and smiled at Isabelle who stood on the other side.
"Hey Isabelle."
"I know I am early, Nico had 'stuff' to do so he dropped me off early." She said with a roll of her eyes.
"That's fine, come on in."
Terrence watched as she walked past him.
"Isabelle right?" He asked, she turned around to face him.
"Yeah, why?"
He shook his head, "Just askin, Terrence King, nice to meet you." He extended a hand for her to shake which she took warily.
"I know who you are; Nico told me all about you." She gave him a smirk and he stepped back.
"You and Nico are buddies huh?" He gave her a once over and smiled at her.
"We're siblings, now if you'll excuse me I have more pressing matters to deal with. Dr. Santino I'll be in the kitchen if you don't mind." She looked Terrence up and down one last time then turned to leave. Dani suppressed a smile at T.K.'s face.
"Siblings, why didn't nobody tell me Nico had a sister?" He asked.
"Probably because he didn't want anyone to know, so you keep it to yourself understand?" She gave him a look he knew well so he held his hands in front of him.
"You got it Dr. D. I hope you have fun with her though, if she's anything like her brother therapy won't be much help." He said with a laugh.
"Terrence, she's making great progress with her therapy and that's all I can tell you. You really shouldn't be so mean to Nico; he's helped you out of a lot of situations." She said, Terrence watched her carefully.
"I thought you didn't agree with his methods Dr. D?" He asked curiously.
"Not entirely but that still doesn't give you the right to be mean to him." She told him. Terrence squinted at her for a second then nodded.
"You know I heard you and Matty D broke up." He told her.
"Who told you that?" She asked, he shrugged.
"Locker room talk." She rolled her eyes.
"Well we did but it was mutual and we've both moved on." She said.
"Yes I can tell." He said, "Sticking up for Nico and everything, but your doin a good job of keepin it on the D.L . otherwise." He said casually.
"Terrence, I am not involved with Nico." He held his hands up again and nodded.
"I get it Dr. D, you're 'not involved', don't you worry I'll keep it between you and me." He winked at her and smiled, then left.
Dani sighed and shook her head as she watched him drive off. That was not how she'd intended that conversation to go.
Not only did he now have her worried that everyone would find out about her and Nico, even when there was nothing to find out. He now had her thinking about the possibility of having something with Nico. She shook her head and cleared the thoughts away. Ever since Nico had kissed her, her brain had been all messed up. She couldn't stop thinking about him and she was extremely nervous to see him again which she hated because they had such a good working relationship before and now she had no idea what they had. It upset her, all he did was kiss her on the cheek and he'd shaken her whole life up and seriously messed with her head. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he gave her a proper kiss, but every time she let herself think about that she would lose hours at a time fantasizing about Nico kissing her, his lips soft and warm against her own, a strong hand holding her close to him, the other running gently through her hair.
She shook the thoughts from her head, she needed to focus. She headed into the kitchen where she found Isabelle seated at one of the barstools sipping from a water bottle.
"I hope you don't mind." She said, capping the drink and standing.
"No, that's fine. Dani said with a smile.
Isabelle eyed her curiously, Dani seemed distant all of a sudden, and she needed to know why.
"What were you and T.K. talking about?" She asked, pointing back to the door so Dani would understand she meant just now.
"He was asking about Nico and why he never knew he had a sister." Dani said.
"So you were talking about Nico?" she asked, she had to be absolutely sure. Dani nodded.
"Is that what has you so distracted?"
Dani glanced at her and shook her head. "I am sorry, Terrence is just, a lot to deal with." Dani said. Isabelle nodded and smiled.
So Dani was thinking about her brother, that was why she had that distant dreamy look in her eyes. She wanted to smile and jump up and down and maybe call her brother and say 'I told you so' but she'd save it for later. She had proof now that Dani felt the same way about Nico. Sure maybe it wasn't definitive proof, she didn't actually say anything but Isabelle knew, she could tell.
"So, let's go to my office, no harm in getting started a few minutes early." Dani said, changing the subject. Isabelle nodded and followed her out of the kitchen.
"So the past two sessions I've asked you to talk to me about an event, today I want you to talk to me about people okay?" Dani said as she and Isabelle sat down.
"Okay."
"I want you to talk to me about your mom and your dad. Anything you can think of it doesn't have to be specific, it doesn't have to be an event, you can just list things off if you want. I just want you to tell me about them." Dani explained
"Alright, who do you want me to talk about first?" Isabelle asked.
"Whichever one you're most comfortable talking about." Dani said.
Isabelle thought for a few minutes then began talking.
"Well, my mom wasn't so bad. When my dad wasn't around she would try and take care of Nico and I." She said, Dani nodded and motioned for her to continue.
"I always kind of thought that she didn't mean for my dad to act the way he did, she never really caused any of it, that's just how he was. He would get angry at the littlest things and go crazy. Sometimes my mom would try to stop him or calm him down but he was a lot stronger than she was. I guess she would be so upset she'd just lock herself in her room. I always hated that." She mumbled.
"Why did that upset you?" Dani asked.
"Because it always just seemed to me like she was to scared to do anything so she ran away and hid. I mean, if I were her I would have tried to take control of the situation, no matter what the cost I would have protected my children, you know?" Dani nodded.
"So what would happen when your mother went to her room?" She asked.
"Sometimes Nico would have already taken me to our room. Other times we would be left alone with dad." She said.
"What would happen then?" Dani asked, she knew she was treading on eggshells here; she had to ask the right questions otherwise Isabelle would clam up.
"Usually Nico would make me leave, he'd tell me to go to our room or go outside for a while, sometimes I'd go but I wouldn't go all the way to my room, I'd sit in the hallway to make sure he was alright." She said.
"What kind of things happened when you left?" Dani asked, Isabelle was quiet for a while.
"Bad stuff." She said quietly.
"Like what Isabelle?" She shook her head quickly.
"I can't." She said.
"I know you can Isabelle, you got this far, don't backtrack now." Dani said. It wasn't that she wanted to hear what happened; she just knew she needed to get through to Isabelle.
"Take a few seconds Isabelle; I know you can do this." She said.
Isabelle took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes.
"My dad would yell, really loud. Nico would try to get him to stop but when he was still young he didn't have much control over what dad did, he'd get hurt a lot." Isabelle said quietly.
"What about when Nico got older?" Dani asked.
"He was stronger than dad, especially after he joined the Navy, so he wouldn't get hurt anymore." She said simply. Dani nodded.
"What about you Isabelle?" She asked.
"What about me?"
"Did your dad ever hurt you?" She asked quietly.
Isabelle was quiet for a while, then took a deep breath and continued.
"Yeah."
"When you were younger?" Dani asked.
"Not a lot when I was younger, just a few times, but Nico would get really upset with dad and especially mom when that happened." Dani nodded in understanding. Nico was the protector, as far as he was concerned when he was around his sister was safe. She could imagine that if something happened to her on his watch he would get really mad, especially with his mom for not bothering to stop it.
"What about when you got older?" Dani asked.
"It was pretty bad the first few weeks after Nico left. Dad figured no one was around to protect me anymore so he'd take a lot of his anger out on me. I wrote Nico about it and the next time he came home on leave he and dad got into it pretty good." Isabelle told her.
"After that he didn't bother me all that much, he still had his moments but I got stronger and learned to defend myself." She said.
"How did all of that make you feel Isabelle?" Dani asked. She took a deep breath and sighed.
"Bad, look, can we just-" She stopped talking and glanced down at the floor.
"I need a break." She said quietly.
"That's okay Isabelle, you made really good progress today, we can stop." Dani said.
"I just, I am not any good at talking about my feelings, I mean, I can sing about um, I just don't like talking about them and analyzing them." She said.
"Okay, then make that your homework for next time." Dani said, Isabelle glanced up at her and quirked an eyebrow.
"Go home, find a song that expresses how you feel and then when you come in on Friday you can perform it for me. If singing makes you feel more comfortable." Dani explained. Isabelle nodded.
"I can do that."
Nico didn't come inside to pick her up, he didn't even get out of the car, he just pulled up, parked the car so Isabelle could get in, waved to Dani and then drove off.
She sighed as she walked back inside, she needed to figure out her feelings for Nico and fast, she wasn't going to ruin the relationship they'd built over a kiss on the cheek.
By Friday Dani had mentally prepared herself for seeing Nico. She knew there was a chance that he wouldn't even come in and talk to her but in case he did she wanted to be prepared. Unfortunately nothing could prepare her for being in close physical proximity to him. He walked Isabelle up to her door and the second he was within feet of her she could feel the nerves kick in and her heart sped up a bit.
"Good afternoon Doctor." He said, offering her a small smile. Isabelle walked up behind him and another man followed her.
"I needed someone to play piano for me this time, this is Brad, he's my voice coach, I hope you don't mind that I brought him." She explained. Dani smiled and shook Brad's hand.
"That's fine with me."
"Can I take him to the piano?" Isabelle asked, Dani nodded and watched as she escorted Brad to the back room.
"So, I'll see you when you come to pick her up." Dani said, trying to avoid his piercing gaze.
"Actually Isabelle asked me to stay, if that's okay with you." Dani felt her heart speed up a bit more but she looked up at him and smiled.
"Of course." She said, and showed him to the back room.
Isabelle was standing next to the piano when Dani and Nico entered the room. Dani glanced around and cursed herself for not having two separate chairs in the room. She walked over to a small sofa and took a seat, she felt Nico sit down next to her, extremely close because of the size of the sofa. Isabelle turned back to the two of them and smiled but then her face morphed into a more serious position.
"Okay, so, you asked me to find a song that explained my feelings and I think this one is the best representation." She turned back to Brad and whispered a few things.
"Do you know what she's singing?" Dani whispered to Nico.
He shook his head, "She wouldn't tell me."
Isabelle turned back around and Brad began playing.
Four years old with my back to the door, all I could hear was the family war.
You're selfish hands always expecting more, am I your child or just a charity ward?
You have a hollowed out heart but it's heavy in your chest I try so hard to fight it but it's hopeless.
Hopeless, you're hopeless
Oh father, please father, I'd love to leave you alone but I can't let you go.
Oh father, please father, put the bottle down for the love of a daughter.
Dani watched her carefully as she sang. She could tell the song hit pretty close to home and Isabelle was having a difficult time dealing with it. She closed her eyes but she kept singing.
It's been five years since we've spoken last, and you can't take back what we never had.
Oh, I can be manipulated only so many times, before even I love you starts to sound like a lie.
You have a hollowed out heart but it's heavy in your chest I try so hard to fight it but it's hopeless.
Hopeless, you're hopeless.
Oh father, please father, I'd love to leave you alone but I can't let you go.
Oh father, please father, put the bottle down for the love of a daughter.
Isabelle took a deep breath and laid a hand on the piano, Dani figured to try and brace herself, she was struggling with her emotions.
Don't you remember I'm your baby girl, how could you push me out of your world?
Lie to your flesh and your blood; put your hands on the ones that you swore you loved.
Don't you remember I'm your baby girl how could you throw me right out of your world?
So young when the pain had begun, now forever afraid of being alone.
Dani could see a few tears roll down her cheeks and Nico moved to stand up but Dani took his hand in hers and he sat back down.
"Let her get through this." She whispered.
Oh father, please father, I'd love to leave you alone but I can't let you go.
Oh father, please father.
Oh father, please father, put the bottle down for the love of a daughter.
For the love of a daughter
Tears continued to roll down her cheeks after she'd finished singing and Dani watched as Nico stood and walked over to her, wrapping her in a tight hug. She stood and motioned for Brad to follow her outside. She caught Nicos' gaze before she closed the door and made sure he understood that they could take as much time as they needed.
"Come sit down okay?" Nico said, he walked with her over to the small sofa and they sat down together. Isabelle leaned against him and tried to calm herself but she was far to worked up.
"It's okay, just take your time." He said quietly, she nodded and let herself cry as Nico tried to help calm her down. He rubbed her back and ran his fingers through her hair gently until she was calm enough to talk.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"I will be, yeah." She said, taking deep breaths to stop herself from crying anymore.
"You sang beautifully Bell." He told her, wiping tears away from her face. She scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Please, I started crying halfway through it was horrible."
Nico shook his head and pushed her chin up so her eyes met his. "That was what made it so beautiful, you connected with it and you made it your story, that's true talent Bell."
She turned her gaze away and closed her eyes.
"I am never going to get past this; I'll never be able to perform again." She said quietly.
"Yes you will, you and Dr. Santino are making great progress. The fact that you were able to stand there and sing a song like that, knowing what you've been through, that's amazing Belle. You have so much strength and you're so brave, you can do this." She turned her gaze back to look in his eyes and she could tell he meant it.
"I hope so." She whispered.
"I know so, and I'll be here all the way, understand?" She nodded and he pulled her in close for a hug.
"She loves you ya know?" She said as she pulled away.
"What?"
"Dani, she loves you, I can tell." She told him, wiping the last of her tears away.
Nico shook his head, "I told you we're not talking about this."
"I am serious, my last session when I came early T.K. was still here and he met me and when I left Dani stayed and talked with him. When she came to get me she was all distracted and dreamy looking, when I asked what they were talking about she said you. Trust me Nico, when a woman has that look on her face, they're in love."
"You're my priority right now Bell, I need to make sure you get better." She sighed and rolled her eyes.
"I am an adult I can look after myself. You need to talk to Dani, you need to make a move, let her know you're interested, and don't try and argue with me because I know you are." She cut him off.
"She's good for you Nico, and as messed up as I am, I am still smart enough to know that you need someone to be there for you. I know you don't think you do but, well, you're wrong." She said with a smirk.
"Please listen to me. I am only saying this because I love you, seriously, you and Dani, get yourselves together, take some time alone, do some adult like things."
"Isabelle."
She laughed and pushed his arm.
"I am kidding, I mean, don't go that far yet, you need to at least kiss her first. And I mean a real kiss, not a kiss on the cheek, what are you ten?"
He sighed and rolled his eyes.
"I'll think about it."
"Oh I am sure you will."
He pulled her in for another hug.
"Do you want me to get Dr. Santino now?"
"Yes please."
He stood and made his way to the door.
"Oh, Nico."
He turned back around to look at her.
"Thank you for being here." He smiled and nodded.
"You know I love you Belle."
"I know, I love you too."
Dani was leaning against the wall in the hallway when Nico emerged, she stood up straight when she saw him and offered a warm smile.
"Is she okay?" She asked, coming to stand next to him.
He nodded, "She's fine, she's ready to talk."
"I am glad you were here for her, I think she needed that." Dani said.
"I just hope that helped." He said with a shrug.
"I think it did. I think by singing about it, something she's made a career of, I think she brought it into the forefront of her mind, she embraced it, now she just has to work through it." She told him.
"Let her know I'll wait for her outside." Nico said with a nod, Dani smiled and watched him go then turned back and walked in the room.
"Feeling better?" She asked as she sat down next to Isabelle on the couch.
"Yes." She said.
Her cheeks and eyes were still red from crying but Dani could tell she'd pulled herself back together and that she'd be okay.
"We're not going to talk for to long, I think you need a break after what just happened. I do what to tell you that I am proud of you though Isabelle. You've gotten over the second hill, you opened up and you let me in. you sang about it instead of talking about it but the point got across. Now we just have to work on helping you come to terms with what happened and moving on, you think you can do that?"
Isabelle sighed but nodded.
"Yeah, I do."
Dani smiled at her, "Me too."
They talked for a few more minutes and then Dani walked her out front where she met Nico and they drove off. As she walked back inside she couldn't help but feel pride for Isabelle. She'd clearly gone through a lot as a child and Dani knew that the brake down she had today was something that was a long time coming but that it would help her in the long run.
She moved to the kitchen and grabbed something to drink then started to make her way back into the living room when the doorbell rang. She sighed and sat her glass down as she moved to open the door, not bothering to check and see who it was.
"Janette?" Dani was shocked to say the least. Janette beamed back at her and wrapped her in a hug.
"It's so good to see you!" She said happily.
"You too, what are you doing here though?" Janette had left for Spain almost three months ago.
"I decided to take a little vacation, plus I just needed some girl time." She said with a smile.
Dani smiled and laughed and pulled her in for another hug.
"That sounds great."
"Good because tonight I plan to party." Janette said with a laugh.
"Is this all you brought?" Dani asked, gesturing to the small bag Janette was holding.
"Oh no, the rest of my stuff is back at the hotel, but I figured we needed to look good tonight so I may have splurged a little and gotten us some new dresses." She said with a grin.
Dani smiled and hooked her arm through Janette's as they walked into the house.
"God I missed you."
So I hope you all liked it. The song mentioned is 'For the Love of a Daughter' by Demi Lovato, it was kind of the insperation for this story so I wanted to include it in some way. And yes Janette is back! I love her to much to leave her out of the story! :D
I'll try and post the next chapter as soon as I can, my puppy is home now so I am gonna be spending alot of time with him, training him and all that so my free hours will be cut short but I'll do my best to update when I can.
Keep sending in reviews, I love them all and it really makes me happy to know your enjoying the story. thanks so much everyone!
~Tara~
