Linda groans as she tosses the book onto the bed. It's one AM, she's not sleeping, and Danny's wrapping something up at work. She wishes he is next to her, holding her as she rambles. She needs to talk to someone about what's bothering her, but who could she talk to? Talking to Danny might just make his attitude towards her going back to work that much worse, and the other family members are too busy for her. She briefly wishes Joe was still here- he always listened to her and always had good advice.
She's so wrapped in her thoughts, she doesn't hear Danny coming in.
"You're not supposed to be up."
She jumps, the sighs, "oh, you scared me."
"What're you doing up so late?"
Linda shrugs as he starts undressing. She watches him for a little bit before speaking, "I guess I'm a little nervous about work. I mean, I've done it. My first day is over, but I'm still... nervous. You know?"
"Why?" He sits across from her, resting his hand on her knee.
"What if I didn't make the right choice?"
"Now you're questioning it? What happened to Danny, you're being ridiculous. It'll totally be fine?"
"It went away." Linda answers simply, shrugging again.
Danny frowns slightly, "look... it may have sounded like I didn't want you to go back to work, but that's not true. I didn't want you going back because we need another paycheck. I wanted it to be your choice. I'm sorry if it sounded like I was... trying to control you, or whatever.
"I didn't, and I know what you wanted for me... you know the car you're working on? The one with Angela Ferrera?"
"Yeah. So?"
"Well... I think it might be my fault her boyfriend is dead."
"What?"
"I was the one who patched her up. I told her she needed to protect herself. But I meant get the hell away from him, not shoot him!"
"This wasn't your fault, Linda."
She sniffs, looking at his hand on her knee. "But what if it is? What if I didn't make the right choice in going back? What if they find me as an accessory or something?"
"That's ridiculous, honey. There's no way you could be an accessory to murder. And you love the work you do as a nurse; you made the right choice."
"What if it's not?" She whispers as the tears come. "Stupid tears," she nearly pouts as Danny brings her into a hug.
Linda walks to the boys' room, after her failed attempt at reading. They boys have been in bed for the last hour and a half, they should be asleep. But Sean's awake, playing with his toy car. She tilts her head, sighing, walking towards him.
"Hey," she whispers, feeling his forehead then his cheek. She's checking for a fever; he feels normal, so she sits down next to him. "Are you having trouble sleeping?"
"No," he lies, still rolling the toy car over in his hands.
"Oh... okay." She pauses as he looks at her, seemingly for an unknown answer. "I mean, the only reason I ask is because since I've been back to work, I haven't been sleeping very well myself."
"Why?"
She looks over at Jack, checking if he's still sound asleep- he is. She leans against Sean's pillows, sighing again. Putting her arm around Sean, she continues slowly. "Well... I think that when things change, it can get Kinda scary. Because, you know, we're used to things going the way they were, and then... it feels all out of whack. You know?"
"Yeah," Sean agrees, though Linda suspects he doesn't know exactly what she's talking about.
She kisses his hair, "listen. Do you think it would be okay if- if I slept here next to you for a little while?"
Sean scoots over to make room for his Mom.
"Good. Thanks, bud," she gets as comfortable as she can in the small bed, and drapes an arm around her son after putting his toy away.
Sean's asleep in fifteen minutes, and Linda very quietly extracts herself from the bed. She plods to her own room, runs a hand over her face. She had wanted to go back to work ever since she left to be with the boys. So why is she now questioning it?
"You know why," she mumbles to herself as she picks out Danny's pajamas from the drawer. She enters the en-suite, her thoughts with Angel Ferrera. She hadn't meant for Angela to shoot the guy! She just wanted Ángela to get away from the psycho!
Linda sighs as she stands under the hot spray of the water. Why can't she mind her own business? Why does she have to meddle? Frank says it isn't her fault, Danny says that too... but what if it is? What if they're wrong?
She stays under the water until it turns cold. Once dried off and dressed, she walks into the bedroom. She's surprised to see Danny sitting on the bed, waiting for her. "Don't you have work?"
"Not till tomorrow. What's up?"
"What makes you think something's up?"
"You only really wear my pajamas when something's bothering you."
"What are you talking about? I wear your pajamas all the time."
"Linda." His tone says he knows she's lying. "Is it still Angela?"
"Yes."
"You did the right thing, sweetheart," he holds out his hand for her to take. Once she's next to him beneath the covers, he holds her and kisses her hair. "You saved that girl's life."
"She's in jail, I don't see how I helped her."
"She's not being abused any more. And she's not dead- He would've killed her if you hadn't stepped in to help."
"Danny, she shot the guy! I planted that idea in her head!"
He gently pinches her arm, making a small squeal come from her mouth. "Stop it, Linda. It wasn't your fault- you didn't shoot the guy. Now I'm gonna let here with you, and we're not falling asleep until you realize it wasn't your fault."
"You don't have to treat me like I'm five..."
"I'm not, and you know I'm not." He pauses, waits for her to start talking. "I'm waiting, Linda."
She gives him the stink eye. "Angela going out and buying a gun had nothing to do with me helping her."
"Good. Now say it like you believe it."
She groans, "Danny!"
"Come on."
She sighs, repeats what she said with more conviction. "Angela going out and buying a gun had nothing to do with me helping her."
"See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?"
Linda exaggerates a sigh, rolls her eyes. "I just... I didn't expect to be... a part of a murder investigation like this. And I know no one's looking to me, but... you know what I mean."
"It's a lot to take in on the first week, huh?"
Linda nods, "for the first day!" She pauses, listening to the night sounds. "Thank you for listening to me."
He kisses her cheek, "always. You always do the same for me, it's only right that I do the same for you."
She turns in his arms, "and that's why I married you." She kisses his lips lovingly, snuggles into his embrace. "Plus you're hot."
Danny chuckles, pulls the covers tighter around his wife. He hopes she gets into the rhythm of the ER easily again.