"Hey babe, can you give me a hand with this zipper?" Maddie asked as she walked into her living room. "I can only get it halfway."
Danny watched her for a moment, a goofy grin spreading over his face. "You look amazing," he told her, sliding his arms around her waist and kissing her.
She smiled brightly when their lips parted, her eyes roving over his tuxedo-clad body. "I'll look even better walking in with you."
His grin returned as he brushed a thumb over her cheek. "We're gonna knock 'em dead."
"But only if you zip me up," she prodded, turning around.
"Actually, we'd probably make a more memorable entrance if I didn't zip you up…" He laughed a little, picturing the scene.
"Danny!"
He snapped back to reality and grabbed the zipper without missing a beat. "Yep, got it."
"Up, Danny…"
"Right."
The zipper went up and Danny's hands slid down the shimmery blue material of the evening gown, resting on Maddie's hips. She turned in his arms, running her hands over his shoulders and kissing him before reaching for the untied bowtie around his neck.
"Now all we gotta do is tie this…"
He squirmed a little like a small child. "You know how much I hate wearing ties."
"Yeah, but this fundraiser is important to the department, and Mac went to all the trouble of getting everyone in the lab tickets. Besides," she smiled slyly, "you look so damn good in a tux."
He chuckled. "That's the second time you've mentioned that."
She finished tying his tie and ran her hands over his chest, leaning up and kissing him with a sly grin. "That's 'cause it's true," she mumbled against his mouth.
His arms tightened around her and he moved in for a second kiss, slow and deep, leaving them both breathless. Maddie finally pulled back, eyes still closed as she took a moment to recover, making Danny laugh.
He planted his lips on hers again. "We're pretty good at that, aren't we?"
She opened her eyes halfway and smiled. "Among other things, yeah." She kissed him once more and patted his chest, opening her eyes the rest of the way. "We should get going or we're gonna be late…"
He sighed dramatically, squeezing her affectionately as he kissed her cheek. "Alright, let's go."
The ballroom the police department had rented for the occasion was decorated elegantly, with a large crystal chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling and a band playing on the stage at one end. Stella and Aiden greeted Danny and Maddie at the door as they arrived, decked out in evening wear of their own.
"Wow," Danny grinned. "You two look great!"
Aiden swished the full skirt of her red halter-topped gown. "We clean up pretty well, don't we?"
"Yeah, not bad for a couple of science geeks," Stella added, smoothing out her purple sleeveless number with hands encased in elbow-length gloves.
Maddie smirked and nudged Danny. "Close your mouth, slugger, before you trip over that jaw."
He blinked—hard—and smiled charmingly at her. "I think I'll go get us something to drink."
"Good idea," she giggled.
He meandered off to the bar, leaving the three women alone. Maddie looked from Aiden to Stella and noticed versions of the same silly grin on both their faces.
"Okay, spill," she declared, meeting Stella's gaze.
"What?" the detective asked innocently.
Maddie chuckled. "I know why Aiden looks like she just won the lottery—he's standing at the bar with Danny. But what's up with you?"
"Come on Stel," Aiden prompted. "You've been walkin' around with that mooney look on your face for a couple of weeks now."
"It's a guy, isn't it?" Maddie asked.
"No, it's not a guy," Stella replied, shaking her head and trying to sound convincing.
"Of course it is," Aiden smiled cheerfully. "Only a new love can bring that look to a woman's face."
The women meandered across the nearly empty dance floor, slowly making their way toward one of the many tables set up on the far side of the room. They sat down, Aiden and Maddie across from Stella, looking expectantly at their friend.
She caved. "Okay, it's a guy."
"I knew it!" Aiden cried.
"Did you bring him tonight?" Maddie asked.
Stella frowned, choosing her words carefully. "He's not really the dancing type," she said.
The two younger women looked at each other and nodded knowingly, having both been required to coddle, cajole, and persuade their men to attend the event.
"Well, tell us about him," Aiden insisted. "Is he cute?"
Stella smiled and nodded, her cheeks taking on a faint shade of pink. "He's taller than me if I don't wear heals, dark brown hair, blue eyes…"
"What does he do for a living?" Aiden asked.
"He's, uh, a scientist…"
Maddie laughed. "Of course he is. It makes perfect sense."
The color in Stella's cheeks deepened a shade as she tried to continue. "He's very sweet, very kind, but not wishy-washy. He can be tough and take charge when he has to…"
"Who's that?" Don asked, arriving at the table with drinks for himself and for Aiden.
"This guy Stella's dating," Aiden answered with a kiss and a smile.
Don raised an eyebrow curiously but didn't get a chance to articulate his thought before Maddie cut in.
"Speaking of dates," she said, "where's mine?"
"He was right behind me…" Don told her.
All eyes drifted over to the corner of the room that had been designated as the bar area. Danny was still standing there, a drink in each hand, talking to a woman in a dress that left little to the imagination. His body language suggested that he was still determined to join his friends, but the expression on the woman's face said that she was equally determined not to let him go.
"Will you excuse me for a minute?" Maddie asked the group with a tight smile, rising from the table and heading over to the bar. Her smile brightened artificially as she approached Danny, taking her drink from him and sliding her arm through his. "Hey babe, we've been waiting for you…"
He returned her smile, looking both guilty and relieved at the same time. "Hey beautiful," he replied, kissing her cheek. "I was on my way over when, uh…" He gestured toward the woman, forgetting her name.
"Desiree," she added helpfully.
Danny nodded. "Right, Desiree…when Desiree tripped walking past me."
Desiree giggled. "I'm such a klutz, but Danny was nice enough to stop and make sure I was okay."
"He's very sweet that way," Maddie managed, keeping a straight face. "In fact, I slipped in the shower the other day and he caught me right before I fell."
Danny took a sip of his drink and nearly choked on it as she spoke, and Desiree's smile suddenly soured.
"H-he caught you in…the shower?"
"Yeah," Maddie continued, "and it's a good thing, too. I coulda cracked my head open on the faucet." She took a drink from her glass and smiled sweetly. "So you ready, hon? Don and Aiden and Stella are all over at the table, and Desiree here seems to be okay…"
Danny tried his best to suppress a grin but didn't quite succeed. "Yeah, I'm ready."
"It was nice to meet you," Maddie told Desiree pleasantly as she and Danny walked away.
When they were a sufficient distance away Danny let loose his laughter. "Slipped in the shower, huh? That was subtle."
"Hey, it wasn't any worse than when you thought that salesman was hitting on me last week. You made a comment in the middle of a crowded store about the birthmark on the inside of my thigh."
He laughed again and took her free hand in his, remembering the moment in question. "I like the birthmark on the inside of your thigh…"
They arrived back at the table where Sheldon and his new flame Sarah had joined the little group.
"I didn't know you had a birthmark on the inside of your thigh," Don grinned as Maddie sat down beside him.
She smiled calmly at Don and swatted Danny without even glancing at him. "Well, now you know."
The table laughed and the band began playing a light, peppy song and people began to dance. Sheldon offered his hand to Sarah who giggled a little when she took it, and the two of them headed toward the dance floor. Don and Aiden followed their lead, finding a place off to the side and wrapping their arms around each other tightly. Danny, insisting his feelings were hurt by Maddie's swipe at him, asked Stella to join him. With a wink she accepted, and they followed the other couples out toward the stage.
That left Maddie all alone at the table, but not for long.
"This seat taken?" a voice asked.
"Hey Mac," she smiled in reply. "There's always room for you."
He pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. "So where's Danny?"
"Dancing with Stella."
"What? He left you all alone?"
She grinned. "I hurt his feelings."
"Ah," Mac nodded. "I see."
"So what about you?" Maddie asked, changing the subject. "How come you're all by yourself tonight?"
"Couldn't find a date," he said, looking past her.
"Really." She paused, taking a sip from her drink and smiling faintly. "Stella was just telling Aiden and me about this guy that she's seeing…"
Mac unconsciously flinched just a bit. "Yeah?"
"Brown-haired blue-eyed scientist…" She let the words hang in the air, and when it was clear he wasn't going to respond she continued. "It's you, isn't it?"
He shook his head uncertainly, but knew Maddie wasn't buying it. "It's me," he said, barely controlling his smile. "We've only been out together a couple of times, and we're taking things slowly, just seeing how it goes…"
She impulsively threw her arms around him and laughed merrily. "I'm so happy for you!"
He hugged her back briefly, then tried to tactfully untangle himself from her. "It's not that big a deal," he tried to tell her.
"Of course it is," she replied, releasing him and lowering her voice a bit. "I know how much you lover her, Mac. And if you'd have seen the look on Stella's face when she was talking about you…well, you'd be excited, too."
"I am excited," he told her, allowing himself to smile a real smile. "But I don't want to get ahead of myself."
"Okay, okay, I'll calm down," Maddie chuckled. "But do me one favor."
"What's that?"
"Make sure you dance with her tonight, even if it's only once."
Mac looked down at the table, his smile growing at the thought of having Stella in his arms. "I'll try."
The dancing couples had finally had enough, returning to the table wearing happy expressions on their faces. Stella noticed Mac and smiled a secret little smile without realizing she was doing it. Maddie forced herself not to giggle giddily, instead grabbing Danny's arm.
"My turn," she smirked, leading him back out to the dance floor.
The band continued to play throughout the evening, and the little group switched off dance partners for most of the night. Mac kept one eye subtly on Stella, and she was constantly glancing over at him, trying to keep that secret little smile off her lips. Finally, though, the fundraiser began winding down, and the band picked one last song to play. Maddie led Danny out to the dance floor, throwing a questioning look Mac's way as the opening strains of Frank Sinatra's It Could Happen to You floated through the room.
Sheldon and Sarah smiled shyly at each other as they found a place on the dance floor. He slid an arm around her waist and clasped her hand in his, pulling her as close to him as he dared in front of all those people. She rested her hand on his shoulder and they fell quickly in rhythm with the music.
Hide your heart from sight, lock your dreams at night
It could happen to you
Don't count stars or you might stumble
Someone drops a sigh and down you tumble
Aiden wrapped her arms around Don's neck and laid her head against his chest, sighing happily as he held her close and kissed her neck. His lips made their way softly across her cheek to her lips, and he kissed her deeply, not caring if everyone in the room saw him do it.
Keep an eye on spring, run when church bells ring
It could happen to you
All I did was wonder how your arms would be
And it happened to me
Danny's hand rested on the small of Maddie's back, his mouth forming a smile at the lyrics to the song. They moved gently, feeling each other's breath against their skin as they leaned against each other. Maddie marveled at Danny's dancing ability, a skill she would have never thought he possessed, kissing his cheek and murmuring teasing words in his ear.
Keep an eye on spring, run when church bells ring
It could happen to you
All I did was wonder how your arms would be
Stella's fingers brushed lightly across the back of Mac's neck as they danced, eyes focused on each other, hoping not to give away their secret.
"I've been wanting to do this all night," Stella said softly.
Mac tried to keep the elated expression from his features. "Me too."
"We're still on for dinner tomorrow night?"
He nodded. "As long as I get to hold you like this again."
Her cheeks turned pink and she looked away, embarrassed and thrilled at the same time. "I think that can be arranged."
And it happened to me
A/N: I had no idea there was a song out there called It Could Happen to You when I titled my story, so when I found the lyrics to this one by Frank Sinatra I couldn't help but borrow it for the last dance in this section. It just fit so nicely there...
And the mention of Danny (and Maddie) in the shower is a little shout out to my girls in the Lockerroom over at TalkCSI. I haven't been by to visit since school got going again--too many papers to grade already--but I know you're keeping the place warm for me...and steamy, and soapy, and...