Chapter 10

"Well that was a waste of time!" Danny sighed frustrated. He and Martin had been talking with a couple of their missing persons friends but hadn't learnt anything new.

Both men were frustrated by the lack of information but it was affecting them both more than usual. Probably because this was the first time they had worked together in the field since Martin had come back and things were still very tense between the two.

They got to the elevator and Martin punched the down button. Neither of them wanted to be stuck in an enclosed space with each other, even for a few minuets, but they were on the tenth floor and didn't want to walk down all those stairs either.

Thankfully the elevator arrived quickly and they climbed on. Both stood at the back facing the doors but hugging the side walls to keep as much distance between them as possible.

The first few moments were spent in silence with just the hum of the elevator motors. Then the elevator came to a shuddering stop, the dim lights flickered but stayed on.

Both agents looked around looking a little uneasy. After a couple of minuets it was clear to both that the elevator wasn't going to move again, Danny, who was closest, moved to the emergency phone only to find the cord had been pulled out.

"Well that's a lot of fucking good isn't it!" He swore throwing the phone in to the opposite wall close to Martins head, and not by mistake.

Martin ducked his head as the phone flew towards him. He straightened watching Danny with a deep frown on his features as he pulled out his cell phone "Damn, no signal" He sighed with frustration. Danny pulled out his cell phone to find that he to had no signal.

Both men looked at each other for a few minuets, sizing the other up as they realized they were stuck in a box together for the foreseeable future. Martin was the first to look away. Danny decided to take advantage of their situation to let Martin know what he thought of him with out any interruptions or being over heard.

"You know, I always thought you were a decent guy Martin. I thought you were good for Sam. I have never been so wrong about someone. I may have been a bit of a player and not one for serious relationships but I would never, never, sleep with a girl and leave before she woke, let alone leave town before she woke!" Danny's voice rose as he spoke, advancing on his target.

"Look, Danny you don't understand, okay? You don't understand why I left and I can't explain why I did what I did to Sam. It's just what happened and it happened three years ago so can't we just leave it in the past?" Martin almost pleaded, looking very uncomfortable Danny was pleased to see.

"Forget it? Forget it!" Danny uttered in disbelief. He was directly in front of Martin now and Martin couldn't look at him "Look at me Martin." Danny ordered his voice the same dangerous, icy tone it had been back in the office.

"I won't say it again Martin" He added as Martin squirmed. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Danny almost shouted as he grabbed Martins shoulder and swung him around, holding him against the wall of the elevator by the back of his jacket. Martin cried out as his head struck the metal.

"Explain Martin because I thought you respected women, which clearly I was very wrong about. Explain to me why you destroyed my sister! Was it payback? Eh? Did you get a kick out of treating her like that? Was it because she went back to Jack? Tell me!" Danny shook him hard as he finished so Martins head and upper body hit the wall again.

Martin cried out again not caring if he seemed weak to Danny. He knew he deserved this and a hell of a lot more from him. He also knew that he did owe Danny, and Sam for that matter, an explanation. "Okay! Okay" He said as Danny pulled on his jacket to once more slam him into the wall no doubt. "I'll explain" He wasn't happy about the idea of telling Danny everything but was even less keen on Danny beating the crap out of him which was most likely the alternative.

"Don't even think about leaving anything out" Danny threatened as he let Martin down. Martin glanced at him briefly as he turned around straightening himself out. "I won't" He promised quietly.

"It's actually quite simple" Martin started "I'm in love with Sam"