December 20


His family had all made it a habit to stop by for the past couple of weeks, Jamie bringing takeout and helping Danny and the boys put the tree up. Eddie helping her hang stockings. Maria smiling as the boys had disappeared to town and re-appeared with stocking for her, etching her name across the top.

So it shouldn't surprise her when Frank stops by but it does. Though she wished it wasn't as they were on the way out of the house. Jack was beneath Maria's arm as Danny took her other one and helped her down the steps. Sean still sleeping, unimpressed with the early morning notion.

"What's all this?" Frank asked as he let the door close behind him.

"Ah…' Maria and Danny both had the grace to look a bit guilty. "Busted." Maria said softly.

"She wanted ice cream." Danny throws her under the bus.

"Ice cream. Are you supposed to be up yet?"

He knew the answer to that.

"I'm not putting any weight on it.' She answered smoothly, motioning to the door, which Danny opens and they sneak her into the car. "You gotta start calling Frank… gonna keep sneaking over here and surprising us gonna keep catching us sneaking off to get ice cream." Danny smirks at the amusement on Frank's face as he closes the door. Moving himself around the edge of the car to get in the driver's seat. Jack climbing in the back.

"It's 8 in the morning." Frank reminds and she shrugs as she buckles the seatbelt.

"Ice cream knows no time frames." He smiles, giving them a wave and letting himself into the house.


Jack comes through the door with Maria beside him again, Danny following with bag. "Still here?" Maria questions as she makes her way over to the couch.

"Still here." Frank confirms watching as Danny stows the leftover ice cream and Maria as she waves Jack off.

"I'm good."

"Jack could we have a moment." Frank asks,

"Sure."

Frank is not surprised when Danny sets his feet to the right of Maria and the end of the couch, a resigned look on his face. Waiting until the door closed down the hall. "What's up Pop?"

"What exactly is this?" Maria glances towards Danny. Watching as he raises an eyebrow,

"What is what?"

"You two? Her staying here."

"My apartment has stairs… no way in hell I was gonna be able to do that. Sir." Frank smiles, watching as she gestures to her foot. "My Ma drives me crazy and my sister is not talking to me."

"There is nothing you want to tell me?"

"As police commissioner or my father?"

"Either is open."

"As police commissioner not a thing. My partner broke her leg, she's recovering. Using my spare room."

"And as your father?" Frank tries again, watching as Danny's jaw sets and he holds his gaze.

"I'm helping a friend."

"That's all."

"All I'm willing to share."

"Is this going to be a problem?"

"Has it been a problem?" Danny asks evenly and Frank had to admit that it hadn't… but he didn't know what exactly was going on. With Jamie and Eddie at least they had been forthright about what they were doing. Made it known to everyone.

Then again Danny and Maria were more reserved, had seen more, had been through more, had lost more. And they we're dealing with more.

"Are you worried about being split up?" He asked, confused and watched as Danny crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm not worried about anything because it's not a problem. The only one that has said anything is standing in this room and that's only because he likes to walk into my house unannounced at all hours." Frank ducked his head, granting that.

"I just want you to be careful."

Frank watched as Maria reached out, lightly touching Danny's hand, stalling his words before they can form. Frank watching as he downshifts, blowing out a deep breath and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Look…' Maria said softly, turning Frank's attention to her. 'Do you trust us?"

"Of course."

"Then… trust us. We're big kids. We know what we're doing."

Frank had to admit that made sense, watching as she held his eyes. The peace there settled him more than anything.

"Alright." He pushed his hands into his knees. Nodding twice. "Alright."


"I don't know how you do that."

"He's your Dad… he's worried."

"I'm…' he shakes his head, 'I get it. I never thought we would be here."

"We never would have Danny…' Maria says softly, 'if Linda was here… we wouldn't be."

She watches as he presses his hand against her shoulder, nodding slightly twisting his eyes towards her. "I don't want…' he trails off and she gives him time to figure out how to say whatever it is he wants to say. 'This is different,' he says as points between them. '... Linda was home for so long. She was comfortable, stability, and god knows somehow kept us sane. I knew what I was walking into when I pissed her off or did something stupid and got hurt." She smiles, remembering the times Linda had berated him in the hospital. "But this has been so easy."

He took her hand, laced their fingers together, "I don't want you to be Linda… and I don't want you to think that I want you to be Linda."

"I've never felt like you wanted me to be Linda…' she says softly, sees him relax. 'And I know you miss her and that's okay Danny. I know the boys miss her. You can miss her and love her and still lo…' she trails off before biting her lip

"Love you.' He says softly,

"I'm not saying…'

"I do.' He says it softly, 'we do."

"Yeah?" She asks softly and he nods, hands pushing the hair back out of her face.

"Yeah." Danny says softly "And I'm a selfish son of a bitch for not telling you sooner."

"Danny…'

"No…' he shakes his head, 'you deserve to hear it, to know that."

"I know,' she said softly, 'I mean, I know your family is everything to you and you're not gonna share that with anyone."

"You deserve to have this… a house and a family and I don't want to hold you back from any of that, don't want you to think you have to be here."

"I want to be here Danny." She says softly and he nods, "And not just because you're my partner but because… I trust you. You always make sure I'm okay… that I'm happy."

"I want you to be happy.' He says and she nods, 'and I hope that is here with us."

"It is."

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