Chapter 21

Frank had to admit that the signs had been there but they weren't clear. She came to dinners spuractically. The boys talked about her about being at some of their events. He had seen her at some of their games with Danny but nothing had seemed different about them. Frank had been close to some of his partners over the years, they had gotten close to his kids. Stepping in when his brothers had been away as family role models.

A simple "No Maria today?" question had been met with an icy stare and closed off expression.

"Working a detail..."

"Fair enough...' he left the tone open watching as Danny dismissed it as he headed into the room. Sean following to help in the kitchen, Jack raising an eyebrow. 'What?"

"Leave it be." Jack says softly, "He'll talk to us when he's ready."

Late October

Danny frowns as he turns the corner, the man handing her a card, a smile and he dipped for a kiss. Maria turning her head so he kissed her cheek before she backed up. Holding the two coffee cups, he tries and probably fails to school his features as she looks up and sees him.

"Hey.' She holds out the cup, watching as he gives a tight smile and takes it. 'It's nothing Danny."

"Didn't look like nothing,' he tries to keep his voice even, can tell by the slight eyebrow raise that he didn't quite manage. 'Sorry. I don't have any say in what you do."

He hates that it looks like he's punched her, her mouth opening before closing and starting again. "I was just…'

"Later…' he says as he pulls out his phone as it rings. 'Dispatch."

They muster through the day and he can tell she's tired of his crap and tense tone by the end of it.

"Drink?" He tries and is not surprised by the look she tosses his way.

"I don't think so." She says evenly and he can feel the pit that's been forming in the bottom of his stomach grow.

"Baez."

"Not tonight.' She says firmly and he ducks his head, 'just…' she glances away around the empty office '...not tonight."

"It's game night.' He says softly and she sighs, biting her bottom lip. Danny watching as she sends out a quick text to Jack and Sean,

"Told them had to go to my sister's…" He listens as her phone dings twice, "I'll see you in the morning."

She's there and judging from the circles under her eyes she got about as much sleep as he did. He holds out the coffee, watching as she took it with a half nod. It's midday when he looks up to find her staring at the computer screen, her hands resting on the keyboard but her mind a million miles away. "Let's get lunch." He says softly and her eyes swing back to his.

"Not really hungry."

"Then let's take a walk."

"Not sure that's a good idea."

"Well… you need to tell me where you head is at because you're scaring the hell out of me."

"Not now,' she says evenly and he hums 'tonight. Tracey's."

It does nothing for the knot in the pit of his stomach when they take separate cars, but he holds the door open for her, orders two drinks and carries them to one of the side booths near the back, away from the noise of the bar. "I was an ass. I'm sorry."

"No… no you weren't…' she's holding the beer, lightly spinning it between her fingers. '... we've been not talking about this for awhile." She says evenly and Danny clutches the beer between his hands,

"I don't…' he clenches his jaw, 'I shouldn't have questioned you."

"Why not?" She asks softly, eyes open and the vulnerability in them kills him.

"You're my partner… you're…' he trails off. Uncertain how to answer that.

"Danny…' she clicked her teeth together, a habit he noticed she did when she had something to say that she wasn't sure he was ready or able to hear.

"How about tonight it's not about me and it's about you… you're in this too."

"I'm not being fair."

"You're not being fair? How the hell do you figure that?'

"I'm over all the time, even when you haven't asked me and I'm apart of game night and family dinners and homework… you didn't ask for that."

"I haven't been complaining."

She tips her eyes away from his, to the world outside the window.

"Just…' she bit her lower lip, '...this was about me helping you, being there for you, and now it's gotten complicated and I…' she shook her head, 'maybe… maybe we should take a step back."

He felt his stomach drop but the tears in her eyes confused him more… "Is that what you want?"

"I don't know…'

"Well it sure the hell isn't want I want." He says firmly and gains her eyes again, "I mean… I don't have a right to say that."

"Why not?" She pressed again and he let his own jaw clench, "I don't know what you want Danny… I…' she glances to the side again 'I mean… beside the sex..."

"This isn't about that."

"Then what is it about… we're not dating… we're not just partners… we're…'

"Do you want to date?" He asks, "Me…. or someone else?"

"I just…' she shrugs, 'I want something… parameters… defined..."

"You and me.' He said softly, watching as her eyes dart to him, 'that's what I want and it's not fair… it's not fair to you to deal with my hang ups. You deserve more than that."

"I don't want it.' She answered back, saw his eyes tag hers. 'I don't want to think you wouldn't care if I went on a date… or something… with someone else."

"Believe me… I would care." He says, "If the past two days were any indication. I want what we have… dinners and game nights and family time. Together as us. Just us. Danny and Maria… outside of work."

"Just us?" She asks softly and he nods, pulling in a deep breath and watching as she does the same.

"Yeah. Just us." She nods, watching as he focus on her. "I definitely don't want others… involved in this…' he gestures between them

"Okay." She repeats the gestures, pointing between them "Goes both ways. I don't share well."

"I wouldn't ask you too.' He says softly, seriously, seeing her acknowledge that. Because he knew her history, knew how she had been hurt before.

"I'm…' he shakes his head, '... an ass. I shouldn't have said what I said, made you feel like I didn't trust you, didn't care what you were feeling like."

"I should have said something sooner…' Maria murmured and Danny holds his hand out too her, feeling her take it. Palm to palm as they both took an even breath. 'but it kinda freaks me out. You're my partner."

She says softly and he nods because he gets that. She makes the job easier. Bearable some days. Risking that. Was dicey. But he felt stable. Felt comfortable. God knows doesn't want to lose what they had gained outside of the office.

"Yeah… me too,' he says watching as she nods, 'but you know what freaks me out more?"

"What?"

"You suddenly not coming to game night.' She chuckles before smiling 'selfish, I know but…' he trails off '...let's just be us."

"Okay."