Nicholas' scarred hand lovingly stroked the stock of the toy rifle. The predatory stare he fixed on the little tin targets sent chills down Danny's spine. This was it! He was finally going to see Nicholas' sharp shooting skills. Oh how he has longed for this moment; but Nicholas' aversion to firearms had been so strong that Danny had suggested the fun booth only as a last resort. He was elated if not a little surprised that Nicholas had agreed. Danny honestly had not thought he would humor him but Nicholas' attitude towards him had softened greatly since their night on the couch. There was a new twinkle in his eyes and a warm affection lightened his usual smirk. Danny suspected with smug delight that this affection was the only reason he was giving in now.

With a crack of the air-rifle and six distinct little pinks, all of the little tin people lay flat. Nicholas was smirking again as Dr Hatcher gaped at him and Danny stared with open admiration bordering on adoration. He was so focused on Nicholas, it took a second for him to register that he was handing him the gun. Danny reverently took the offered rifle and attempted to form a sentence that expressed even half of what he was feeling. He was still gawking when the gun went off. The pop of the gun and the howl of pain were almost simultaneous.

The best Danny could figure is he had squeezed the trigger while he was nervously fiddling with the toy and had apparently shot Dr Hatcher in the leg. He felt his eyes go wide as shock, shame, and embarrassment at what he had just done all vied for his attention at once. Nicholas frowned and squeezed his eyes shut before he waved for the paramedics. Damn it! He and Nicholas were having a moment too. Why was it every time they were sharing a special ... something, things had to happen and mess it all up (and just when it looked like Nicholas was having fun). It was the gardens all over again but at least then no one was bleeding.

Despite Danny's clumsiness and subsequent collateral damage, Nicholas was still given his cuddly monkey prize. Danny kind of liked how he looked standing among the fair booths in full uniform holding the giant plush toy. It was delightfully absurd and kind of adorable. It almost took his mind off his shooting the good doctor.

"He's a doctor. He can deal with it," Nicholas said in a matter-of-fact fashion in response to Danny's regrets over shooting someone. Nicholas looked at him then with an expression he didn't quite understand. It was warm despite the almost total lack of a smile and the twinkle was back in his eyes ... until Tim Messenger decided to barge in, eyes wide and muttering nonsense to Nicholas before leaving in a hurry.

"What was all tha' abou'?" Danny asked as they watched Messenger rush off.

"I'm not sure."

"Sergeant Angel to the stage please!" All warmth left Nicholas' face at the sound of the Reverend's announcement. Exasperated, he thrust the cuddly monkey into Danny's arms before marching towards the stage. Danny was disappointed but watching him go wasn't all bad. Those ladies did have a point. Nicholas Angel has a nice arse.

Blood covered the grass glittering in the afternoon sunlight as it pooled around what was left of Tim Messenger. Nicholas stood rigid with shock. Danny guessed he had seen the whole thing. He almost couldn't hear his dad's voice declaring there had been a terrible accident and urging people to move away. He couldn't stop staring at the corpse even as he felt Nicholas move away from his side. Had this been a movie, he would have delighted in such a messy death but this had been Tim Messenger. He couldn't say they were close or even really friends but they were friendly enough with each other. Tim hadn't deserved this. Sadness clouded Danny's face mirroring the darkening sky above. It was a shame really. It had been such a lovely day.

The rain poured down in sheets but Danny kept running, the cuddly monkey bouncing under his arm as he ran. He was back at the station before he stopped running, soaked to the bone and face streaked with rain and tears. He wasn't even sure why he ran away, just that he couldn't stay at the church any longer. Then the guilt set in. He should have stayed by Nicholas, no Angel's, side. He was his partner after all and that is what partners do, but his heart still throbbed painfully from Angel's outburst. He really thought that Angel had believed in him; thought he could do the same amazing tings he did, maybe be as amazing as Angel himself one day. Danny had even started to believe it himself. It hurt to remember the truth. He was too big and clumsy and thick to be anything like Angel. No one ever expected anything from him and he had been no different. He knew that pointing out Angel's insecurity about not being able to switch off had been a low blow but he was hurting in that moment and had indulged in the urge to hurt him back in a childish knee-jerk response.

He dragged himself dripping and shivering to the locker room to change, dropping the monkey on the floor. Maybe, deep down, he had always known he could never be just like Angel. Danny was naive but he wasn't stupid. He peeled off his sopping uniform and ran a dry towel through his hair, all of his motions automatic as his mind remained fixed on self-loathing and a sad image of Angel standing alone in the rain. He sighed deeply. The part of him that knew he would never be like Angel had at least hoped that he could always be with Angel ... The realisation froze Danny half way through putting on a clean shirt. That was why his row with Angel hurt so much. Danny had fallen for Sergeant Nicholas Angel; Probably at the very moment he first laid eyes on him, now that he thought about it. It hadn't all been awe and hero-worship and it was far more than just a crush. He had fallen in love with he man.

The revelation didn't make him feel better. If anything, it just made his heart ache more. He finished dressing and heaved another deep sigh. It was just as well things had turned out this way. What hope had he ever had? Nicholas was bound to reject him eventually. It was better that it had happened now before he could be too heartbroken by it. Angel is as perfect and unobtainable as his name suggests. It was right for him to be beyond Danny's reach. Those thoughts didn't ease his bitter heartache either. He turned to leave only just catching sight of the cuddly monkey as he did. He had almost forgotten about the thing. Even soaking wet it was cute, staring up at him with sappy, unseeing googly eyes. His eyes began to sting again. As much as he would like to give into his emotions, drag home the toy and cuddle with it all night sobbing and lamenting his fate of being him, he just couldn't. The monkey belonged to Angel and he would return it. He left without saying goodbye to Frank. He didn't feel like talking to anyone right then and after how today had gone, he knew dad would understand.