Title: Moving On?
Chapter 10 – Promises Kept

A/N: Hey everyone! So glad everyone is still liking this little take on this season! I am a bit torn b/c I do love Danny and Maria together but wanted to keep this story following the show a bit so am gonna continue to hint at them like the show does and then might do another standalone with them as a couple after this one (but too much on my plate right now so not able to go over my two current stories) and hope that's okay! Don't wanna disappoint anyone but I gotta keep myself in check here

"Something smells good," Erin praised as she and Danny stood in the kitchen on Sunday night just before their weekly family dinner.

"Not burnt…yet," Danny retorted as Erin looked at him with a kind smile.

"Any more blowouts with the kids?"

"Sean…basketball hoop. He's right…he keeps asking and asking and…and I just haven't had time," Danny huffed as he recalled talking to Baez about his plight. "Trouble is…damn things are so expensive."

"You can buy one of those ones you assemble yourself," Erin reminded him with a friendly smile. "You want me to go with you?"

"I uh…" he paused as he thought back to his last discussion with his partner.

"Yeah…I'm going shopping."

"Shopping?" She arched her brows in wonder. "Should I ask?"

"Basketball hoop."

"Toys R Us?" Baez snickered as Danny pursed his lips.

"Yeah well you'll see how good it works when I beat your ass on the court."

And then when he realized that he had just asked her over again, he pulled back as he didn't want to make it seem like he was being too personal or make it awkward for his boys.

"Well if you need some shopping pointers…" Baez suggested.

"Danny?" Erin interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah…talked to Baez about it but she said to just suck it up and buy a damn net already."

"She's right," Erin agreed.

"I've never…I told her…I'll tell you the same…Linda always did that kinda stuff. I don't know what to buy. We had one but it was always just there. Out last one…I came home from work one day and it was there. And of course Sean spouts off about all the things mom did for them and that I don't…I just…"

"We'll go right after work tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow," Erin told him firmly. "Can't you get off work a bit early?"

"Can you?"

"I'll just get Anthony to handle whatever needs handling."

"Yeah, he's pretty handy," Danny tossed in sarcasm as Erin rolled her eyes. "Okay fine. But who's going to put it together us?"

"Well last time I checked we both can read," Erin shot back as they heard one of the boys heading their way and the talk instantly changed to dinner. A few minutes later they were all seated around the dinner table and talking about a case that Jamie had endured and the talk about the basketball hoop was almost dropped. And he was glad that his boys hadn't brought up the fact that his partner had joined them for dinner.

At least…not yet.

"Just wanted to say Uncle Danny these chicken cutlets are pretty good," Nicki piped up with a big smile.

"I agree," Frank smiled. "What did you to?"

"Me? Put it in the oven and prayed," Danny retorted with a grin as everyone chuckled. However, fate was about to hand him a rather seemingly innocent curveball.

"Maybe after you put into practice Maria's tips," Sean snickered as the family instantly stopped and looked at the youngest Reagan in wonder; Danny slightly shaking his head as Erin looked at her brother in wonder.

"Maria? Thought it was Amber?" Erin inquired as Danny's lips pursed.

"Thought you said it was Evelyn or something in your office."

"Okay already," Danny huffed as his father looked at him in amusement.

"Who's Maria?" Henry asked.

"Who's Amber?" Nicki asked next.

"Who's Evelyn?"

"Does everyone forget that my partner does have a first name?" Danny shot back as he glared at his son.

"What?" Sean shrugged. "She did help you when she came over…for dinner…" he paused and then stopped. "I'll stop now."

"Who started this?" Danny growled.

"Sean did," Jack snickered as his brother hit his shoulder.

"My partner came over for dinner and helped with a few things because I wanted to make Linda's favorite dish for family dinner and as for Amber she came over when Baez was there and…and I think she finally got the hint. Okay? Everyone okay with me getting a few pointers from my partner?"

"Sure."

"Course."

"Yup."

"So how was dinner?" Nicki pushed with a wide grin as Danny looked at her with a frown.

"Dinner was good."

"Yeah Maria is cool."

"And she can cook really well," Sean added to Jack's comment as Frank's brow gently furrowed.

"Alright…so back to Jamie's case," Danny offered weakly as Jamie offered his brother a look of sympathy and then quickly changed the subject; much to Danny's relief.

"Didn't mean to embarrass you back there," Frank commented to his son as he entered the quiet kitchen about a half hour after family dinner; Danny's turn to clean up.

"Ah figured one of the kids would bring it up sometime. Baez…no big deal."

"And Amber?" Frank questioned.

"I think she took the hint when she saw Baez at the table with the boys. Kinda glad too. I mean it's my partner so…"

"So…?" Frank pushed as Danny looked up with arched brows.

"What?"

"Nothing," Frank said as Danny leaned back on the dishwasher and looked at his father square on. "I figured it was better to be honest. I had already told her no…and then she came over so…so maybe this was a better hint."

"And the boys were okay with it?"

"I mean it's not like they haven't been around Baez before so…yeah they were okay with it and she helped a lot with the food and stuff. That's what I wanted. She's been great since Linda died so…" Danny rattled off before he stopped and looked at his father with a small frown. "Boys say anything to you?"

"Not about that but it's still fairly new. I'm sure when you start dat…"

"When?" Danny's brows instantly shot up.

"If?" Frank countered as Danny's lips pursed.

"What? You and Grampa didn't get remarried."

"You're a lot younger than we were," Frank reminded his son. "I'm just saying…if…when…no matter what happens and if the boys want to talk about it, I'm sure they'll say something."

"I told them they could come to me with anything," Frank assured his father. "Even…look I'm not ready yet or just…I don't know okay?"

"Don't tell yourself anything just yet. Let…nature take its course."

"Right…"

"But always remember…if there is more than one heart getting emotionally involved that could be dangerous…especially if one sided."

Danny watched his father take his leave and then felt his shoulders sag as he leaned against the counter. Course he knew his father was right but having Baez around felt…comfortable. He had known her for so long now it seemed that he just took it for granted that…that what? You also like having her around his brain aptly reminded him. So just to be safe he confirmed with his sister that he'd go with her shopping for a new hoop for their backyard and then invite his partner over to see his handiwork instead of getting her too involved.

You're so screwed his inner voice told him as he could only groan in agreement.

XXXXXXXX

"You look a bit more refreshed this morning."

"Chicken cutlets were a big hit so thank you."

"Happy to hear it," Baez replied as Danny plunked himself down in his desk chair opposite her. "And the hoop?"

"Erin found a deal so we're going to pick it up today…and then hopefully we can set it up so that it'll work."

"So then Erin will be doing the reading and directing," Baez retorted as his lips pursed. "You know men and directions."

"So I've heard," Danny groaned as his phone rang. "Reagan…yeah we'll be right there."

He was thankful for a quick call as the last thing he wanted was to put any kind of emotional obligation on his partner but at the same time he felt a bit of guilt because he did infer that she'd be there to at least play one game with them. "Wouldn't want you to play with a broken hoop or anything," he added with a small smirk to which she looked over and smiled. And the rest of the day passed by with just work talk and he wondered if maybe he had soured things between them and that might hurt their friendship and partnership. Unlike Amber, whom he didn't care if he told off or let her down hard, Baez was his partner whom, he liked and respected and had to work with on a daily basis.

"Baez…" Danny started as they neared the end of their shift; Danny wanting to end a bit earlier than normal to go shopping.

"Don't keep Erin waiting. Boys are counting on you," she told him with a friendly smile.

"Right. See you tomorrow."

"You will."

And the guilt that he had at the start of the day started to subside so that by the time he met up with his sister they were able to just focus on the task at hand – buying the hoop apparatus and setting it up before his boys got home. "Surprised you actually agreed to leaving early to come get this," Erin commented as they loaded up the large item into his jeep and then headed for his new home.

"Baez can handle whatever comes in. She knows to grab one of the guys and not go alone," Danny assured his sister as they neared his back yard. But when he heard silence he looked over in wonder. "What? Trust me I'm not going to get into trouble."

"No, I think it's great that your partner has been so supportive as of late."

"Late? She always has been," Danny quickly qualified as he stopped the Jeep and looked at her square on. "What's going on? Tell me."

"Just wondering if…more than work feelings are involved?"

"She's my partner."

"I'm just saying," Erin reminded him as they got out of the Jeep started to carry parts into Danny's modest back yard.

"She's safe to be around okay? Besides…sometimes I just need…you know what? Never mind…let's get this damn thing built before the boys come home."

"A woman's input?" Erin interjected as she reached for the instructions. "Seriously? You're going to try to put this together without reading these first?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," Danny retorted in sarcasm. "And okay fine…yes sometimes a woman's input and when you're not around…look I trust her judgement. She's my partner and my friend. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Erin answered kindly. "And how are the boys with her…being there…?"

"It's not like she's at the house every day. They know she's my partner and I think because their mom knew and liked her then it… what?"

"Just…be careful."

"Dad said the same thing. I'm being careful," Danny insisted as his shoulders tensed. "Can we please get started on this?"

"Okay."

"Okay so what do we do first?"

"Well…"

And about an hour later, and just in the nick of time, Danny looked at the completed basketball hoop with a proud smile. "There…perfect," he stated as he tugged on the net to make sure and then tossed the ball to his sister. "Give it a try."

"Okay…let's test this out," Erin stated as she lined up the ball. The ball bounced in the air and almost gave off the impression it was going to bounce into the neighbor's yard but didn't; instead it swooshed down into the net and bounced on the floor. Erin offered a happy cry while Danny called out, "ah luck…"

And before any more sibling banter could ensue Jack and Sean round the corner and stop short. "What's going on here?" Jack asked in haste.

"Hey guys," Erin greeted with a warm smile.

"You bought it!" Sean exclaimed excitedly.

"Promises kept!" Danny started to tell his boys, "I may not have some of your mother's skills but I can build a regulation basketball hoop with my bare hands and I didn't even need to read the manual," he concluded as Erin shot him a dirty look of disdain.

"Because I read the instructions," she reminded him firmly as he snatched the ball from her hands and then bounced it and dunked it into the net while his boys watched with happy faces.

"Those are fighting words," Sean and Erin stated at the same time as Danny laughed.

"Okay…two on two…"

"Team Erin!" Jack called out as he high fived his aunt.

"Well…you're a girl so…that's actually one and a half on two," Danny goaded as Erin charged him, grabbed the ball and then proceeded to slam dunk it.

"Hey dad…think Maria will like this?" Sean asked suddenly with a happy smile. And in that moment, his mind recalled what Erin said as his sister looked at him and he knew…he now treaded unfamiliar and dangerous ground. He thought that it was only two hearts that could be involved…now it might be his sons also. And that…worried him.

A/N: so wanted to get the dinner scene in but expand upon it b/c I was like…Danny burnt it one day and then it was perfect for the next family dinner? Hmm and then kept the basketball setup scene canon but then added a bit more Baez hints into the family mix. Thoughts? Please do let me know before you go and thanks!

PS: ugh the site last weekend was broken and I never got my 'Becoming Blue' update email alert! Hope you all get this today!