Daphne pulled up outside the apartment and immediately spotted the pretty blond agent walking away, "Agent Spade!" She called urgently. Samantha turned around surprised to see the redheaded girl running up to her outside Danny's apartment. "Have you been in to see Danny?"
"No, there was no answer, is there something wrong?" she said seeing the terrified look on the younger girl's face.
"I think my boyfriend has horribly got the wrong idea, he thinks Danny and I was having an affair" Sam stared at her, not even beginning to comprehend what she had just said. "Is he dangerous?"
Daphne's face turned almost white "I think he has got a gun"
"Oh God!" Sam ran to the door of Danny's apartment, Daphne at her heels. "Danny!" She rapped "Danny please open this door if you're in there!"
Danny glanced at Fred again who looked like he really didn't know what to do. He didn't have the chance. Sam used her considerable strength to break the door down, Fred's arms immediately wrapped around Danny's neck the cold steel of the gun pressed firmly against the side of Danny's head. Danny breathed heavily.
"I'll shoot him!" Fred screamed as Sam burst in, followed by Daphne. Seeing her seemed to confuse Fred momentarily, relaxing his grip on Danny and lowering the gun ever so slightly. It was all Danny needed. Using what little strength he had left, he twisted quickly to free himself, knocking the gun out of his arms before he could react. Sam was already calling for back up as Daphne ran forward and positioned herself between Fred who had recovered the gun and Danny.
"No Sam! It's OK" Danny cried. "There's no need" Sam looked at Danny like he was insane, after what Daphne told her outside she didn't know if she really knew him at all.
"Fred" Daphne implored "please drop the gun, I'll tell you what happened when we were captives. I promise you have no reason to hurt Danny so please just drop the gun" Her eyes pleaded with him, finally the gun clattered to the floor and Fred looked back at her with empty eyes. Samantha was completely at a loss as to what was happening but trusting Danny; she hung up and came to stand by his side.
"The truth is Fred is that Danny does know something that nobody else knows. There is no easy way to tell you what I'm going to say"
"Just tell me" Fred demanded. Daphne's eyes met Danny who nodded at her urging her to continue.
"Something happened that I've not really been able to come to terms with and I don't know how to tell you but whilst I was a prisoner at Jake's house". She could no longer make eye contact and looked away. "Moss raped me"
"He raped you?" Fred practically exploded. Sam was shocked, she hadn't been expecting that at all. Danny looked pained. "Sick son of a bitch!" Fred was shaking uncontrollably now and dropped to the floor completely shell shocked. It was Danny who placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he sobbed bitterly, a shattered man.
"I'm so sorry Freddy it didn't seem right for me to tell you" Danny's eyes were forgiving. The realisation of what he had done suddenly hit Fred, he had terrorised an already traumatised FBI Agent in his own home! He was disgusted with himself, Danny had done nothing wrong.
Samantha was struggling to take everything in. It seemed that Danny and Daphne's ordeal had more far reaching consequences then she could possibly have imagined.
Finally, Fred stopped crying enough to question what he had seen "Then why were you still talking to Danny? Why did I see you go meet him?" He said suddenly realising that what she had just told him didn't explain why she had met him. Sam looked at Danny, she wanted to know that reason too. Danny's hand left Fred's shoulder and looked at Sam forlornly.
"We went to the clinic" Daphne said in a small voice. Sam's eyes widened, she guessed why.
Fred was confused "The clinic? What did you go to the clinic for, they only do…" and then the realisation hit him. "Oh God no tell me it didn't happen……." Fred was at breaking point.
"I was pregnant" she sobbed "I had to, had no choice" She looked over at Danny "I couldn't go through it alone but I just couldn't face telling you..."
Danny expected him to be angry, feared for all their safety but instead he just buried himself in Daphne's arms, a young couple united in their grief and trauma. They were strong and still deeply in love, they would get through this, they had to. Danny hoped and prayed the couple would begin to repiece together their shattered lives. He promised he wouldn't press any charges against Fred, he understood completely and wholly. They vowed to move away and try to make a fresh start, Danny hoped they could, they deserved to.
After they had gone, Sam stayed with Danny. "Are you sure you're OK Danny?" Her eyes were full of concern for her friend, despite his bravado, it was clear he was still majorly shook up after what had happened. He had been quiet, sullen unwilling to talk about what had happened. She was worried about him, gone was the glimmer in his sparkling eyes and cocky swagger, replaced by fear and uncertain eyes. "Danny" she pleaded "please talk to me about what happened, I'm here for you" Danny's eyes glazed over as he looked at her sat next to him. Obviously what had just happened had brought back something Danny wanted to hide, he was just beginning to look like his old self again but this had retreated him back into his shell. "What happened Danny?" she gently probed. Danny's mind wandered back to a place he wanted to forget
Flashback
He slammed Danny hard up against the wall, almost cutting off Danny's airway, Danny gasped for breath as he received harsh blow after harsh blow, his hands were tied firmly beyond his back, he couldn't respond or fight back. Moss was like a wild animal taking sadistic pleasure every time Danny screamed in agony. Moss wasn't finished yet, he ripped off Danny's shirt and burnt his bare flesh. He took a piece of duct tape and sealed Danny's mouth. "I've had enough of your screams" he told a horrified Danny holding up a syringe plunging it into Danny's neck, Danny slowly felt his world being taken away from, as he was pushed to the floor, he heard Moss's words as he collapsed into unconsciousness "Now its time for some real fun…"
Danny's mind churned lost in his thoughts, a voice in the distance, Sam's voice. "Danny?"
He couldn't stop the words from spilling out, he had to confess. "He was going to go for her again, Sam, I couldn't let that happen"
"He was going to rape her again?" Sam questioned "What did you do?"
Danny was really struggling "I saw her, saw her fear, I couldn't let her go through all that again, so I, I offered to let him us me as his punch bag but but I didn't think he would dothat I mean I think he did, I just don't know…" Tears were forming in Danny's eyes.
"Oh God" Sam felt the bile rising up in her stomach, held Danny close, as his barriers came down and he sobbed freely. Sam was crying as well "You don't have to tell me Danny, really you don't"
Danny wanted to free his mind totally but he was so confused. "He he used a needle on me, I don't know what it was but it made me feel immobile and drowsy, I fell unconscious but before I did he" Tears were falling down his face readily, drops falling onto his shirt. "He pushed me to the floor and I felt his hands on me touching me, going lower and lower and lower…"
"Oh Danny" Sam cried not even beginning to imagine, what he had gone through.
"But when I woke up again he was gone, don't know where, don't know how long I had been out but my clothes were back, I just don't know what happened. Sam I just don't know" He finished in a whisper. Sam wrapped her arms around Danny and he buried his head against her chest, the tears, he couldn't control. Sam's heart was breaking for her friend. She kissed his forehead as she comforted him. She hated Jim Moss with all her heart for what he had done to Danny, she didn't know if he would ever be able to recover, she had seen the fear in his eyes when that gun was pointed at him, his body had just shut down. His confidence had been shattered and after what he had just told her...
"I think you should see a councillor" the words just spilled out before she could react. Danny looked at her in fear "No, cant" he rasped. "You need some help Danny to deal" She firmly told him, cupping his face.
"Don't want to see councillor"
"I know its scary baby, trust me I know but they can really help you. You're never going to forget what happened in there, you can't just erase bad memories believe me ive tried but they will always stay with you no matter how painful"
Danny nodded his head weakly, he didn't want to feel like this for the rest of his life, he wanted his life back. "Ok" he agreed "I'll get help"
"Don't think you're ever alone Danny, you'll always have people here for you" Sam hugged him tightly.Danny knew he was lucky to have friends as good as Sam. He froze as there was a knock at the door. He looked at Sam in fear who got up to look, "its Martin" she told him. Danny quickly dried his eyes, didn't want Martin to see him like this, Sam went to go answer but before she could, Danny grabbed her arm.
"Please don't tell Martin what I told you" he pleaded. Sam nodded she understood and went to answer the door.
"Hey" she greeted Martin, lightly brushing his lips with a kiss.
"Still running around after Danny huh? Boy is he taking you for a ride!" Sam just laughed.
"Hey buddy" Martin greeted Danny in the lounge. "You're looking so much better, I think Sam must be taking good care of you, just wished she would do the same for me" he gently teased. Sam playfully smacked him on the arm. Danny smiled it was good to see his friends so happy. "So, just like the old days eh? Movie and a pizza at Danny's?" Martin exclaimed.
Sam laughed incredulously "Just like in the old days, you couldn't stand Danny if I remember rightly for some time! I had to practically drag you round here!"
Martin smiled sheepishly "OK so Yeh I guess I thought you were a jerk at first, sorry"
Danny smiled back "Don't apologise I thought you were just some jumped up little wannabe trying to impress your old man and after your first case well…"
"Hey alright alright I made a mistake, it was two years ago! You guys are never gonna let me forget are you?"
"Nope" Sam smiled mischievously.
Martin sighed defeated "so back to my original suggestion, movie and a pizza?"
"Sounds good to me" Danny replied
Martin grinned "good I was hoping you would say yes so that's why I brought…"
"E.T!" Sam groaned seeing the DVD Martin had produced from his bag "Jesus Martin how many times do you need to see that!"
"It's a classic!" Martin protested "and a lovely harmless movie. I brought 'The Sound of Music too"
"Wow Martin" Danny joked "I always thought you looked a little alienish to me"
Martin chose to ignore the comment and slipped the DVD on the player.
"You know" Danny commented "I don't think I've seen this movie since I was kid"
"Oh Martin has" Sam teased "lots, and he never fails to cry at the end"
"I do not" Sam rolled her eyes at him "Ok maybe I got a little teary once"
They settled down to watch the movie, Sam and Martin curled up on the sofa together, and Danny sprawled out in his easy chair. As Martin once again became engrossed, Sam sneaked a look at Danny and caught his eye, they shared a knowing glance for a second and then Danny smiled at her. And in that moment she knew he was going to be ok. Sure he had the mental scars that would never fully heal but in her heart she knew he was going to be alright. That smile betrayed the pain, Danny felt inside but it was defiant, he was a fighter and he was going to get through this. Just one look at him told her that he was going come out of this, stronger than ever before. Why? Because he was Danny Taylor and Danny Taylor was never to be defeated.
A/N: And thats it! Sorry for the cheesy ending there but i needed it to be a bit light hearted after all the angst, I wanted to end with Danny's defiance that he would overcome everything that has happened, as to exactly WHAT happened well it shall never be known, that dear reader is all down to your interpretation. Thank you for reading and reviewing this fic and hopefully I will be back soon with a new Without A Trace fic, i already have some ideas and this time its not a crossover just purely WAT.