We're starting off with a flashback here, stay with me people.
Charlotte slides her hand into Danielle's and laces their fingers together, smiling widely at the look of shock on her face.
"Char! What if someone sees-"
"They won't," Charlotte assures her, and she's right. They are walking together, making their way to Danielle's house behind the city buildings. No one can see them, certainly no one they know. "I hate hiding." Danielle admits.
"I know, so do I." Charlotte starts, "but I care about your safety more than anything else. I'll hide this forever if it means you're safe." Touched, Danielle stops walking and takes a tentative glance around to make sure they really are alone, then gently pushes Charlotte up against the brick of a near-by building. A small starts to creep over the blondes face as her girlfriend gets closer and closer.
"I love you," she whispers when their lips are mere centimeters apart. Danielle puts her hands on Charlotte's cheeks and pushes her body flush up against hers, pushing her back harder against the brick. She brings their lips together, and smiles at the sigh that is pulled from Charlotte's mouth.
"Mmm, I love you too," she mumbles, letting her hands slip around her girlfriends waist and pulling her tighter against her. After a make-out session worthy of junior high, Charlotte finally pulls away and takes her hand before making their way the rest of the three blocks to Danielle's apartment. "Do you think you can get away tonight?" Charlotte asks quietly as they walk, not wanting to get her hopes up, but failing miserably.
"I can try, but my dad has been on a rampage lately." She glances up at her girlfriend and is nearly heart broken at the look of disappointment on her face. She stops just outside the entrance of her building and turns to face her, grabbing both her hands. "I'm going to try though, okay? I'll say- I'll say I'm going to a football game with a guy or something."
Charlotte's eyebrows shoot up, but a smirk plays on her lips. "A guy, huh?"
"A guy," Danielle giggles. "A guy with beautiful, long blonde hair. Who is sexy, and funny, and adorable, and doesn't have a penis."
Charlotte laughs loudly, "try not to mention that last part, might be a give-away."
"Right, good thinking."
"So tonight?"
"Tonight," and even though they are not in the safety of a hidden alley, and they are right in front of her building, Danielle can't help but place a quick but steamy kiss on her girlfriends lips before ducking into the building.
Maura is still holding a sobbing Danielle, rocking back and forth slightly and pressing her lips to her temple, "shh, talk to me, Danielle." She whispers in her ear.
The girl takes a few shuddering breaths, "he- he only hurt me because of her. B-because I was with her, he didn't want me to be with her."
Maura lets the words sink in for a moment before it finally clicks, and she feels stupid for taking so long to figure it out.
"Charlotte was your girlfriend," she says quietly. "You loved her."
And the sob that wracks Danielle's body is enough of an answer.
"I. SAW. YOU." He roars, grabbing Danielle by the arms forcefully and demanding that she look him in the eye. "I saw you with her! You disgusting, stupid, selfish little girl!" He throws her to the ground and she lands on her knees, hard. "Don't lie to me, dyke. What have I told you about her? Did you think I was kidding when I said I wouldn't send you away? I told you to finish this, it never should have started in the first place. You are a disgrace-"
"I love her!" Danielle screeches. Still kneeling on the ground in front of her father. "I'm sorry Daddy, but it's true. I love her and we're not hurting anyone so-"
"You're hurting me! And you're mother, and sister! You think we want people to know we are housing a fucking dyke?"
"Stop calling me that!" A hard blow to the upper back sends her into silence, in a fetal position now, groaning from the piercing throb in her shoulder. This has become his new favorite place to hit her, and the pain from the previous bruise in the same spot is brought into brutal focus.
"Shut the hell up," he spits. Danielle attempt to stand but in an instant he is on the ground next to her, one hand gripping her neck so hard that his nails break the skin. He brings his face close to her ear, and she can smell the bourbon on his breath as he whispers in her ear. "Remember, this is your fault. You didn't end it, so now I have to. Thanks to you, she'll get what's coming."
"Danielle, you realize I can't send you home if some one there is the one hurting you, right?" Maura says quietly as they step off the elevator together.
"I know you can't," the teen replies, and pulls her car keys back out of her purse. Pink and sparkly key chains jingling away, yet another reminder for Maura of just how young she is. Just a child. "But you're not sending me anywhere, technically. I'm leaving on my own."
Maura gives her a 'you know what I meant' look, and takes her hand, stopping in the middle of a bustling BPD to get her attention. "Is there anywhere else you can stay tonight? I can call a lawyer friend of mine and-"
"You promised." Danielle cuts her off, "you promised not to." And she did, before they left the morgue, Maura became victim to Danielle's impressive powers of persuasion and promised not to say anything to anyone, and to not ask who it was, but trust when she said they would stop, and Maura always kept her promises. "I'll be okay, and I don't want you mixed up in this anymore than you need to be." The young girl glances down at the hand in hers, eyeing the simple wedding band. "You've got someone to go home to, a family, worry about them, not me."
"But I am worried about you, sweetheart. Call it my maternal instinct kicking in early, but I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight if I know you're not safe." She reaches into her own purse and pulls out a business card and a pen before using her abdomen as a flat surface to scribble something on the back of it. "Here, this is my card, you can reach me on my cell or at home, my house number is on the back. Day or night, please don't hesitate. I'll always pick up."
Danielle gives her a warm smile before puling her into a brief hug. Maura's hormones make a quick appearance and she sniffles back tears before kissing the girl on the head. "Be safe."
"I will," Danielle answers as she turns to go, but a shrill voice that is eerily familiar to Maura causes her to look up in surprise.
"Danielle Alexandra Davidson, where on earth have you been?" Her mother howls, pushing her way through people to get closer to her daughter. "Why are you here anyway? I thought you left with your father hours ago?"
"I came back." Danielle says simply, "I needed to do something. How did you find me anyway?"
"I was driving past to police station when I recognized your car out front, and don't change the subject, what-" But she stops short, finally noticing Maura standing a few yards away. And with a jolt, Maura finally puts a face to the name, or rather, a memory.
Mrs. Davidson, the woman who she and Jane ran into at the baby store. The woman who called them abominable, and perverse.
The homophobic woman with a daughter Maura had just found out was gay.
"You." Mrs. Davidson whispers menacingly. "Have you been hanging out with my daughter? Is she who you were here to see?" She turns her attention back to Danielle. "Answer me young lady! Is this despicable woman who you are here to see?"
Danielle's face contorts into deep confusion. "N-no, I came to see if...if Charlotte had any personal belongings on her possession that I could have." It was a good lie, but apparently not good enough. "How do you know Dr. Isles?"
"Never you mind," she spins her head back to the ME. "What have you been saying to my daughter, huh? What have you been telling her? Pushing her to be more like you? More like your people?"
"No, she told you why she was here, and that's the truth." Maura was silently thankful for the tightly pulled-over lab coat that was hiding her hives. Trying her best not to let her emotions overwhelm her again and start to cry.
Mrs. Davidson moved closer to Maura, and with each step, Maura could feel her heart beating louder and louder. "Stay. Away. From my child. Understand? Or I'll sue you, and this whole god-damned precinct." By now, they had started to attract attention from the people in the building, and a familiar, but this time calming voice echoed out above the murmurs.
"Hey, what's going on here?"
Jane.
Maura closed her eyes momentarily in relief as Jane walked through the front doors, Frost close behind.
The brunette halted for a moment at the sight of Mrs. Davidson, who she recognized immediately, and glanced between her and Danielle, connecting the dots.
"Mrs. Davidson here came to collect her daughter," Maura says quietly, not taking her eyes off Jane.
"I see," Jane says, "Mrs. Davidson, didn't we have a little talk about what would happen if you ever threatened Dr. Isles again?"
The mother visibly swallows, but doesn't back down. "That was before I found out that your significant other was talking to my daughter."
Frost takes the opportunity to step in, and plants himself firmly right in front of Mrs. Davidson. "I don't know who you are ma'am, and quite frankly, I don't care, but Dr. Isles here is a lady, and you will respect her as one, understood?"
Jane and Maura smirk at this comment.
Frost continues, "and, if I' not mistaken, there is no law against Dr. Isles speaking to your daughter here. And it's safe to say I know the law pretty damn well, so before you cause anymore unnecessary trouble, why don't you take your daughter and head home, sound reasonable?"
Mrs. Davidson makes no comment, but is fuming. She grabs her daughter's hand forcefully and stomps towards the exit.
In one last (slightly immature) attempt to get under the woman's skin, Jane calls out, "Hey Davidson! One last thing."
The second that she turns her head to face Jane, the detective grabs Maura by the face and plants a big, wet, sloppy kiss right on her mouth. The precinct erupts in applause and hoots and hollers, and they separate just in time to see Mrs. Davidson storm off, and Danielle following slowly, walking backwards and gaping open-mouthed at Jane and Maura, who are giggling like school girls.
I am so so so so so sorry for not updating for so long. I feel awful, I hate it when updates take forever and now I feel like a hypocrite. My teacher threatened me with not graduating and I had a mini heart attack and hit the books. Hard. I promise to try to keep up with this story, I have plenty of ideas, so I'll try not to catch writers block.
I am so incredibly grateful to you all for sticking with me, and I am constantly surprised by how much people seem to enjoy this story. I can't express my gratitude enough, your reviews make me happier than I can say.
Much love,
J.