Danny's shift was awkward.
The two line cooks were on Gloria's list and even though he wasn't going to sell them a damn thing, it was hard knowing they were just normal guys trying to live their lives and were being targeted by a predator like this. He felt awful, guilty.
Danny ended up flushing the drugs down the toilet and then began on the backstory. He wasn't sure how Chief was planning on helping him out of this, but this was what he could do at least for right now so he clung to it.
"Shit!" Danny exclaimed under his breath, just loud enough for the wire to pick up, "No, no, no, no. Oh fuck—" He added for good measure as he ran the commercial dishwasher.
Danny pulled out his phone and sent some texts to Gloria.
Danny: I have a problem
Gloria: Why am I not surprised
Danny: I may have just accidentally destroyed some stuff
Gloria: Accidentally
Danny: I forgot and I just drenched myself while running the dishwasher
Gloria: Your bad luck knows no bounds. Someone will be by with replacements.
Danny: You don't have to do that, I can try again tomorrow
Gloria: I will not accept liabilities like this. I can send you back to jail if you would prefer?
Danny: I'm sorry, it was an accident
Gloria: This was your one accident, do I make myself clear?
Danny: Yes
Gloria: You'll receive a new set of instructions tomorrow
Danny was relieved the pressure was off for the night, but knew this would only buy him a small window to figure out a plan.
The door chimed and Danny rushed out front to find Scott Ogden and his father waiting for a table. Danny's sense of urgency faded as he continued walking forward.
Of course this was happening right now. He forced himself to continue on, remembering that he was representing Johnny and his restaurant.
"Welcome. Just the two of you?" Danny asked happily as he grabbed two menus and some silverware.
His genuinely kind face was not matched by a surprised Mr. Ogden and his eye rolling son.
"Danny, you, work at the diner—" Mr. Ogden nodded, speaking more to himself as he searched his brain to try and determine if he'd known that before he stepped inside the restaurant.
"I do." He smiled and began walking toward a clean booth.
You could almost see the debate on whether they should stay or whether they should go raging in Mr. Ogden's pea-sized head.
"Wanna go somewhere else?" Scott asked his dad.
"C'mon, table's ready. Coffee?" Danny waved them down the aisle like old friends and set up the silverware.
"Dad—"
"You know what, it's fine." Mr. Ogden followed Danny and slid into the booth, suddenly very aware of all of the eyes on them.
"Coffee sounds good, Danny. Thank you." Mr. Ogden agreed.
Danny turned his eyes to the young man who had beaten him bloody with a baseball bat. He never forgot the small tap Scott had given him at his temple with the end of the bat that night. Almost like a 'you're welcome you're not dead' or maybe it had been a promise to complete the task at a later date. Either way, Danny wasn't the least bit surprised that Scott was out of prison much earlier than he was sentenced.
"Scott? What can I get for you?"
"Don't talk to me." Scott grumbled out.
"Scott—" His dad kicked him under the table.
"Well it'll make it difficult for me to serve you if you're not speaking to me." Danny grinned and waited patiently for this asshole to pick a drink he'd never have to pay for.
"FINE. Water."
"You got it!" Danny said joyfully just to piss Scott of further.
Danny was busy assembling the coffee when Johnny came out of his office and connected with who his current patrons were.
"Hey, Danny. You balancing all that?" Johnny threw his chin up toward the Ogdens, knowing all about their history.
"You have no idea."
Danny was struggling to keep his shit together, serving Scott was weirdly the least of his troubles at the moment but it certainly didn't help to add another layer to the larger stressors at hand.
Danny's peace had shrunk so much at this point that he felt like he was walking around naked. While a bit jarring at first, the more Danny thought about everything going on the more he realized that he was actually very secure being naked.
He wasn't scared of anyone or anything anymore, he was in charge and it was time to take his life back. At least, that's what his brain was telling him at the moment.
"If you're not up for it I can take over that table."
"Thank you, seriously, but I got this."
Danny returned with a flawless drink delivery and took their food order: a BLT for Mr. Ogden and a basket of chicken tenders and fries for Scott. Danny gave the men a nod and turned to go submit their order.
"Danny—" Mr. Ogden called him back before he got too far, "Scott wants to say something."
"Oh?" Danny turned his full focus to Scott, "Would you prefer ranch to the honey mustard? I don't blame you—" Danny pulled the order book back out of his apron.
"No." Scott muttered.
"Oh, okay, ketchup?" Danny asked skeptically, knowing he had to be annoying the shit out of Scott at this point.
"Scott, tell him." Mr. Ogden all but growled.
"I'm sorry."
Danny looked at Scott seriously, this guy, who decided that after tag teaming to beat him up he would go and get a metal bat and come back to continue beating him, was now apologizing? Nah.
"So the honey mustard is fine then?" Danny ignored Scott completely.
"I said, I'm sorry." Scott tried again, his voice noticeably louder and catching Johnny's attention.
"It's fine to change your mind, I do it all the time. Did you know we actually have three different flavors of barbecue sauce too?" Danny threw a thumb behind him as he spoke.
Scott slammed his hands down on the table and stood, stepping right up into Danny's face. The whole diner became silent and watched the two foes seemingly reignite their feud. Danny didn't flinch and he didn't back down, keeping his hands and his body to himself and ready to defend, just like that night.
"Scott!" Mr. Ogden called after his troublemaker son with the level of effort Danny surmised he probably gave him his whole life, almost zero.
"You're such a piece of shit—" Scott fumed.
"Looks like prison didn't cure your short temper, huh?" Danny kept poking, his voice just low enough to be out of earshot of Mr. Odgen, "How'd you get out anyway?"
"Scott sit down right now!" Mr. Ogden tried again.
"Is there a problem here?" Johnny interjected just in time, ready to bounce these assholes out of here.
"Johnny, my son was offering Danny an apology, but it seems he's not interested." Mr. Ogden explained as if Danny was in the wrong.
"Danny, you good?" Johnny checked on him carefully.
"I'm good." Danny smiled, "I'm just trying to confirm which dipping sauce Scott would like with his chicken tenders." Danny confessed simply.
"And my son decided to apologize to you for your altercation last month instead." Mr. Ogden explained further.
"Oh, well in that case, no thanks." Danny tucked his order book back into his apron.
"No thanks?" Mr. Ogden looked at Danny suspiciously.
"Yeah, I'm not accepting his apology."
Johnny kept himself between Danny and the Ogdens.
"Danny, boys fight, okay? Scott wants to move past this." Mr. Ogden tried to get his son out of this again, still trying to make it seem like Danny was the irrational one.
"No he doesn't. Also, I am a boy and I don't fight, and your son is not sorry. Are you?" Danny turned toward Scott who was now seething, "He's not." Danny answered for him, "With all due respect, Mr. Ogden, I don't need some forced apology from your son. It wasn't an altercation, he beat me with a metal bat until I asked him to stop before he killed me. So, no, I don't accept his bullshit apology and he's not forgiven. Congratulations on getting out of jail early though, I'm sure you earned it." Danny added sarcastically, "I'm sorry Johnny, excuse me."
Danny walked straight back into the walk-in freezer so he could literally cool down and scream somewhere no one would hear him.
Danny wasn't scared of the Ogdens, but he worried that too much drama followed him and maybe Johnny would let him go. He needed this job to try to earn back the money that he lost so he would be ready for when he could finally get out of this town.
After a few minutes of cooling down, Danny walked out of the freezer and looked for Johnny in his office so they could talk. He wasn't there. Danny headed toward the front and heard more commotion than usual. He remained out of sight while he tried to decipher what was going on.
The regular patrons of the diner began to object that the Ogdens had the audacity to remain sitting there after Danny had tried to make them feel welcome only for them to victimize Danny all over again. Johnny agreed and asked them to leave. Maybe he did belong here after all.
Several hours later, Danny was wiping down a table and heard someone clear their throat from somewhere behind him. What next? He thought to himself.
Danny took a breath and turned to find Judy Porter standing there with her hand on her hip.
"Mrs. Porter, good evening." He offered her a seat in the freshly cleaned booth.
Of all people, Danny wouldn't blame Judy for kicking his ass, but knew she at least wouldn't use a bat, maybe.
"Coffee." She said simply and slid in facing the window.
"Right away." Danny made Judy a fresh cup, "Here you are—" Danny set the hot coffee down, "What else can I get you?"
"Sit. Help me understand what you did to my daughter at the beach."
Danny scooted in across from Judy calmly and looked her right in the eye, "I hurt her."
"Why?"
"I didn't want her stuck with me—"
"That makes two of us." Judy sipped her coffee.
Danny looked down and played with the frayed corner of his apron, "I made a mistake and I am sorry. I'm sorry." Danny said twice, "We're working on it now."
"Lacey's already been with someone who didn't treat her right. She tried to make it work for years. I know you didn't mean to hurt her, but you did it anyway. This is the second time. If you're not ready to be the person she needs, stay gone. Understand me?"
"Understood."
Danny slid out of the booth and thought about Judy's suggestion as he restocked the drink supplies and rolled silverware. He knew he should stay out of Lacey's life, lord knows he had no idea what the outcome of this new bullshit chess game with Gloria was going to be.
Despite wanting to protect Lacey by jumping ship like he had before, he knew that his error at the beach proved he wanted her in his life even more. Maybe it was selfish but Lacey agreed that she wanted the same. She was his ride or die and he wasn't about to lose her again.
Danny walked over to the end of the booth and connected with Judy, "Mrs. Porter, I am ready to be the person she needs." Danny admitted, "I'm not going anywhere unless Lacey wants me gone."
The door chimed and Danny looked over to see Samuel Porter walk in. Danny hadn't seen either of the elder Porters since he had said all of the vile shit to Lacey. He took a deep breath.
"Hi Mr. Porter." Danny said and slid a drink napkin his way, "Can I get you something?"
Sam glared at Danny, "I don't want anything from you." He replied calmly.
"Mr. Porter—"
"You grew on me, Danny. I was rooting for you."
"But not anymore?" Danny wasn't sure what else to say.
"I know what happened at the beach. I know why you did it and I know that you're back in my daughter's life again. But if you're looking for my wife and I to trust you again anytime soon, you're highly misguided."
"That's fair, I handled everything poorly."
"And you're sorry, I know. This is about your character, your actions. Show me. Show her." Samuel stressed, insinuating Lacey.
"I will." Danny stood straighter and kept his head up.
Lacey bounced into the diner and straight into Danny's arms. Danny held his breath and did his best not to squeeze her tight enough for her to feel the infernal recording apparatus currently clinging haphazardly to his chest hair.
"Danny!" She smiled brightly, "Hi." She pecked him on the lips.
Danny's hands circled her waist, "Hi." His body drank in her light and positivity, "Where'd you go this morning?" He said away from her parents, "I thought you said you could stay—"
"Gloria told me the meeting would take hours and that I should leave, she didn't tell you?"
Danny shook his head no. This was the second time Gloria chose to interfere with the women in his life, he was definitely done with this shit.
Lacey slid into the booth next to her father.
"Strawberry shake?" Danny slid her a napkin too.
"Mmm, yes please." Lacey smiled bigger.
Danny quickly made his girlfriend her favorite treat and served it to her.
"So where's Clara tonight?" Danny tried to show Samuel that he cared about all of them.
"Busy." Judy said as she took another sip of coffee.
"None of your business." Samuel grumbled at the same time.
"Piano." Lacey confirmed at the same time as her parents, "Guys, c'mon—"
"Piano, that's nice!" Danny ignored Lacey's parents and engaged Lacey's response.
"Yeah, Gloria's great with her."
"Gloria?" Danny asked in confusion.
"Yeah, she sees Clara twice a week for lessons." Lacey responded happily.
Danny's face fell, he didn't like that at all. He forgot how close Lacey and Regina were, of course their families would also be close.
"You okay?" Lacey noticed his change in demeanor.
"I'm great, that's great. I had no idea—"
"If you'll excuse us, Danny." Samuel shooed him away.
"Daddy—" Lacey scolded him.
"Let me know if you'd like anything else." Danny rubbed Lacey's shoulder and left them to talk, he was working after all.
At the end of the night, Lacey was the last Porter remaining.
"All set." Danny held his hand out and helped her out of the booth, "Did you drive?"
"No." Lacey linked arms with him as they stepped outside.
They began walking slowly in the direction of Lacey's neighborhood. Danny kept his eyes cast down.
"You're quiet, Desai. You good?" Lacey squeezed his hand in support.
"Yeah, I'm just tired." Danny suddenly brought his head up and scanned all around them.
"D, what's up?"
Danny's shoulders relaxed a little when he didn't see anyone waiting to pummel him.
"Scott's out." Danny revealed.
"Cole too. I saw him out walking earlier today." Lacey added.
"What's it been like maybe three weeks?" Danny shook his head, "Have you heard anything about Charlie?"
"He's in for a long time, you know that. Anyway, the guys aren't going to mess with you now, it'll be so obvious who did it, you know?"
"I guess."
Danny had almost forgotten about the wire. As soon as he remembered he shut up about these losers. The last thing he wanted to do was give Gloria any new ideas.
"You figure out who stole your money?"
"No." Danny wanted to forget. He hated knowing that the thief was likely one of the three people he considered his closest friends.
"It wasn't me, I highly doubt it was Whitney—" Lacey thought she was helping.
"Wait—so you think it was Archie?" Danny almost scowled at her in disbelief, "He's my best friend."
Lacey held her hands up gently in surrender, "Hey now, I'm just giving you my opinion."
Danny sighed and stuck his eyes back on the ground.
"I haven't asked Regina yet." Danny suggested an alternative that made more sense to him.
It was Lacey's turn to object.
"Seriously?" She looked at him like he had three heads, "Regina wouldn't do that, she definitely doesn't need someone's epically small savings—" Lacey couldn't shut herself up in time before her mind just threw up what was obvious to her.
"Epically small."
"I'm—I just meant—" Lacey stuttered through trying to back pedal.
"I get it, okay? Can we just—can we just drop it?"
"Yeah."
Lacey guided them into the cemetery park, a peaceful place to walk, even at night. They made their way around the winding paths toward the other side, a quiet shortcut to her house.
Lacey stopped near a row of trees and pulled Danny in closer, her lips capturing his in a sweet, loving kiss. Danny closed his eyes and pulled her against him tightly, returning her kiss and mirroring her softness.
"Your parents hate me." Danny blurted out in a horny whisper when they finally broke apart.
Danny couldn't help it, out of all the shit he was going through, this issue was absorbing everything else he wasn't allowed tell her about and was becoming much bigger than it really was in his mind.
"Well, you did call their daughter a slut." Lacey giggled, still grounded in reality and seeing things for what they were, "They'll get over it. I'm happy, they see that."
Lacey attempted to pull him back in for another kiss but Danny resisted. He was so uncomfortable knowing he was being recorded and monitored and he was suddenly feeling very protective over their privacy.
"You're not into it?" Lacey ignored his rebuffs and licked Danny's bottom lip, "I know that's not right." She smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek, god she loved his face.
Lacey turned his face toward hers and kissed him again, her persistence pulling Danny away from his woes and shoving his brain back down into his pants.
He kissed her back hungrily, stealing ass squeezes and rutting against her like it was feeding time and Lacey was his meal. Danny shifted them down onto the soft grass atop whatever poor soul lay in the ground beneath them.
"Skirts are always a good idea." Lacey smiled and rolled Danny over to straddle his waist.
Danny intercepted her hands as they went to rub his chest. He intertwined their fingers together and rolled his hips up. Lacey liked that and ground herself down against him. They were torturing each other in the best way.
Lacey tried again to wriggle her hands away from Danny's so she could make this move faster. Danny held them tighter, terrified she'd find the wire taped to his chest.
"C'mon D—"
"We shouldn't." Danny panted, wanting nothing more than to make love to his girlfriend, "Not here."
"No one's watching—"
Lacey finally got her hands back and went straight for Danny's belt instead of rubbing his chest. Danny let her unzip him but was not about to let Gloria hear them fucking. He stopped her again.
"Lacey, Lacey wait. I can't, I can't do this." Danny sat up and adjusted himself, paying attention to the stupid wires and the battery pack that was secured to his side.
Lacey couldn't help feeling rejected even though she knew this probably wasn't the best place to ride her boyfriend until he screamed her name.
"I can sneak you in—" Lacey suggested, "Or I'll drive you back, we can make a pit stop in the car like old times."
"Not tonight." Danny pulled Lacey toward him and massaged her shoulders a little. He didn't want to push her away, maybe he could offer a different form of intimacy, "Massage?"
"Mmm, okay." Lacey agreed.
Danny began rubbing her, really putting in the effort until he saw her head loll and heard some sweet relaxed moans.
He paused to catch her eye. Lacey looked at him in confusion and he put a finger to his mouth, hoping she would just trust him. Once Lacey caught on that he wanted her to stay silent, Danny threw up his pray hands to thank her and held up one finger to silently ask her to wait a moment.
Lacey watched as he rummaged around in her purse to find a pen and an old receipt, scrawling as legibly as possible on the tiny scrap of paper: I'm wired. Gloria is listening to everything.
Lacey looked at him with great concern. Danny continued writing: I'm in trouble
"Your hands are magic." Lacey groaned a little, not sure what the hell was going on but ready to help her man in any way. Pretending to get the massage seemed like the way to go.
Danny smiled appreciatively, "Maybe I'll go to school to be a masseuse?"
He continued writing: Chief and Jo can explain everything
Lacey nodded in understanding. Danny was so thankful they had the connection that they did.
"Alright, if the massage is all I'm getting tonight I think I'm full." Lacey giggled, "C'mon, I'll drive you back."
Lacey stood and pulled Danny to his feet. Danny took her hand and gently pulled it over to his chest to trace the tiny wires that were taped to his body as the two continued on walking to Lacey's house. Lacey didn't like this.
Once inside Lacey's car, Danny turned up the radio and took to writing in a notebook Lacey had handed to him: Things are bigger than you think. I'm not intentionally lying to you, I promise. I'm not trying to be a hero and make sure you get saved, but I'm very concerned about you. I don't know what's safe and what's not anymore. Maybe we should keep our distance until it's over. I love you.
Lacey pulled into Gloria's long driveway and read Danny's note. She grabbed the pen from him and scrawled a simple response: Distance is not an option. I love you too.
Danny smirked and accepted a kiss from her.
"Thanks for the ride."
"Any. Time." Lacey gushed with the innuendo Danny knew so well. His eyes rolled closed as he tried to reel in his feelings about what he was missing right now.
"Good night."
Lacey watched Danny exit her car and disappear inside the Crane manse. Danny was right, she didn't need saving, he did. Lacey was determined to do just that.