1If You Don't Know By Now
Chapter 13 of this story. I have a crazy idea where House and CSI:NY collide so look for that later on. R&R- SPOILERS! Do not read if you haven't seen "On the Job." I will have this on here for a while until the storyline deems fit to wrap up.
"Danny!" Arielle rushed down the stairs, jacket in hand, her hair flying. "What did you tell the Commissioner?"
"I told him the truth, how I saw it, of course," he replied, slowing down to let her catch up. "I can't let go of this goddamn guilt inside."
"You were supposed to be at the hospital," she said.
"I know, and I didn't want to be there."
"What if Mac finds out about this?"
"I'll deal with Mac. He's not the worst thing in the world I have to deal with right now."
"But Danny-" She caught his arm. "What about your job? Your badge? What if you lose those? I know you well. There's no way you can survive without work. You'll go nuts."
"I know that. What about you? How did Mac take it?"
"Don't change the subject."
"I'm just asking-"
"Who gives a crap about that, I'm more concerned with you." She softened her grip on his arm. "Danny... I've grown really used to having you as a partner. So if you go because of some dumb mistake I'm really going to lose my mind."
He smiled a little, an unusual change from the straight line it had been for the past forty-eight hours.
"So what are you going to do?"
"You mean, what's Mac going to do, right?" He shrugged. "Mac's mind isn't a book. And if it ever was, it'd be a diary. Locked up and cemented together. There's no knowing what will happen." He patted her shoulder and walked off. Arielle watched his back, lost and confused. She might as well have talked to Mac for another two hours.
"Are you kidding me?"
She turned to see Mac standing behind her. "If you don't know what's going to happen by now, you're very much behind."
He left as well, leaving her alone in a half-full hallway. She rolled her eyes and put a hand to her head. Men here were so unpredictable, and so freaking secretive. They gave her a headache.
"Looks like you're not the only one suffering from work-itis," Aiden said, walking towards her.
"You too?"Arielle didn't look up.
She shook her head. "Flack. He's got a major mind-block, he's going crazy in the other room. The case is trickier than he thought."
She smiled tiredly. "I should help him out."
Aiden nodded. "Be careful." As Arielle walked away, Aiden called to her, "Hey. Is everything all right with you?"
She nodded. "I'm good."
"Well, I'm no good at girl talk, but I'm always free."
"Thanks."