Thank you all so much for your encouraging reviews. Usually I write a story pretty fast, but with this one it won't work because I have to wait for the Nico files to appear and then go with it. The chapter for NF2 will be up as soon as possible, but I decided to add a little filler so it will become clearer why Dani is acting the way Dani will be acting. I found some typos in the last chapter and I will fix them later. Hopefully I caught them all this time, but then again I highly doubt it. Hope you like it anyway.

Chapter 2: The Nico chat

When Dani got home that night she changed into her pajamas, washed off her makeup, put on her glasses and started her laptop. She quickly wanted to check her emails before she called Matt. Most likely they would talk for a few minutes and then argue like teenagers who would have to hang up first. Matt make her feel like a teenager a lot. She knew that she was giggly and girly as soon as he was around, also more whiny and clingy. He seemed to love it, but sometimes when she was alone she wondered what caused her to change so much whenever he was around. She hadn't acted that immature when she had been with J.D. And even with Ray she had acted more mature. Maybe that was it, she wondered. Maybe because she had become a mom at such a young age she was trying to make up for it now?

Maybe she should ask him later if he had an idea, she thought as she opened her email inbox. She clicked through several junk mails before one from Facebook caught her attention. It couldn't be... A large grin lit up her whole face when she saw the friend request from one NicoC. Of course she had to accept it immediately and opened Facebook. Once she had added him she flipped through the profile, but of course it was empty. No photos, no infos, zilch. And she was his only friend so far.

"Of course, Mr. Mysterious," she muttered disappointedly, but stopped frowning when she realized he was still online and had the chat turned on.

D: Got ya! Thanks for the friend request, I didn't think you were serious about joining Facebook. What are you doing now? I hope you're filling out your profile, but I guess you're snooping.She wrote with a smile on her face and hit the send button. She didn't have to wait long for an answer.

N: No one but you knows that I have an account and I intend to keep it that way. And I am not snooping. Nothing on here I don't already know.Dani wrinkled her nose and was tempted to make a quiz out of her favorite music and Tv shows.

D: So why did you sign up?

N: just because I knew that a certain doctor I know would never stop bugging me about it if I didn't.His response made her smile and the nervous flutters in her stomach were back. She placed a hand on her belly and enjoyed the feeling. She wasn't used to it that friends could make her that nervous and giddy, especially not over a chat, but that was just Nico.

D: This doctor sounds just delightful! She replied cheekily and adjusted her position on the bed. She wondered briefly if Nico was also lying in bed with glasses on his nose as he was writing to her, but knew that he would never answer that question.

N: Try annoying. What are you still doing online? Don't you usually go to bed around eleven?Nico was back to being his grumpy self, but she didn't mind. She wasn't even surprised that he knew at what time she usually went to bed. Maybe she should ask him if he bugged her bedroom? The thought made her flush and she decided that not knowing might be better this time.

D: yes, I do and it creeps me out that you know that. That is, if a certain mysterious security guy doesn't show up at my house in the middle of the night because of some ominous situation.

N: Now he sounds just delightful. But I haven't come to your house at night in a while and you didn't answer my question.The first part of his answer made her smile. Nico always had a witty comeback and that's what made it so fun to banter with him. The second part however made her squint. It was true, he hadn't been over in a while. The last time he had stopped by in the middle of the night had been when TK had been shot and he had walked in on her and Matt. the last time he had been over altogether was when he texted her to come outside and then paid her a dollar for her secrecy and played Marshall's talk to himself. Why didn't he come over anymore? Why didn't he knock in her door anymore but texted her instead? It had been a lame excuse that he had wanted to talk to her in his car. What was it that had caused her to lose Nico's trust? They had been past the paying her for secrecy and now they were suddenly back to it. He didn't see her as a friend anymore, but as a therapist who needed to be paid. All the happiness and giddiness she had felt before drained from her in seconds and an empty feeling remained. Should she ask him about it here on the chat? She was staring at the screen for a good five minutes before she finally began to type.

D: I just got back from. The movies and some late dinner with my kids. Now I wanted to check my mail because I haven't done that all day. And it's true, you haven't interrupted my sleep in a while. What gives? No more situations? Maybe playing it light was a good idea. If this didn't get her anywhere she could still grill him in person later.

N: None that required your help at night. It could either wait or I got it alone.She didn't like his reply one bit. She had considered her and Nico friends and a team to some extent. They were the fixers of the Hawks and they worked together. They did not tell each other everything but they worked together. His reply made it clear though that the time of teamwork was over. Nico was back to doing everything on his own. Her partner seemed gone and a sudden sadness overtook her. She didn't want to lose her partner and friend.

D: you know that I REALLY don't mind when you wake me up to help you, right? She emphasized. How could she get him to work with her again if she didn't even know where the problem was?

N: yeah, we'll, maybe you don't but I know for a fact that Donally gets in a foul mood when he is woken up in the middle of the night. Matt? He was worried about Matt's mood? What the heck was going on here? If Matt didn't like it that she got woken up for work in the middle of the night he should just sleep at his place!... Whoa, where had that come from?

D: Nico, I don't want my relationship with Matt stop you when you need help. I'm here, I'm your friend and I don't mind.She wrote quickly and didn't dwell too long on her last thought. She needed to fix this and fast. She waited for a reply, and waited, and waited. She just wanted to ask if he was still there after ten minutes of silence t then his reply popped up.

N: Which movie did you watch?He was avoiding answering her. That was not good. That was bad, really bad, even for Nico's 'I avoid nearly every straight answers'-standards.

D: The new ice age movie.

N: 3D?We're they really talking about a movie after he had just revealed that he didn't trust her anymore because of her relationship with Matt? He would deny it if she would ask him, but it was all in the subtext and she was trained to read subtext after all.

D: Yes, it was really funny and a nice bonding experience with my kids. Now that RayJay has Olivia and Lindsay more and more has her own life these moments have become rare.

N: The circle of life

D: are you really quoting the lion king now?She tried to bring the humor back into the conversation after it had become just too mundane and random.

N: ;o) Did he just wink at her? He sent her a winking smilie, so he winked at her. In her head she could see him do it for real, although he had never done it. Nico winking at her... She would probably blush like a schoolgirl, her knees would go weak and she would dissolve into a puddle. The flutters were back. Nico Careles winking at her... YUMMY!

D: Jeanette will never believe me that you just send me that winking smilie. I think I am in shock. Shock was a bit of an understatement. A winking Nico would be hot as hell... Jeez, was she even allowed to think this? She had a boyfriend, a hot one... Then again the thoughts were free.

N: Close your mouth, doctor. I know how to chat, obviously. ;o)There he went again with the winking. Bastard! as if he knew what it did to her.

D: Do you spy on people in chats? ;)Payback is a bitch. However it would probably do nothing to him if she winked at him.

N: Sometimes. It's unbelievable what people put on the Internet about their private lives.

D: Will you at least fill out your profile here on Facebook?

N: No. Why should I? People can always ask if they want to know something.He was joking right? There was no one who could deflect a question like he could and here he was presenting himself as an open book?

D: yeah, sure, because you are always answering questions about yourself *insert snorting here*

N: what do you want to know?Ha! This was her chance!

D: let's see what it says on here. Name and job I know. Religion?

N: Catholic, not practicing.

D: I'm not surprised. Favorite quote?

N: Don't have one.Oh Nico...

D: favorite book?

N: No time to read.Gah!

D: favorite music?

N: No idea.Niiicoooo! She could picture him sitting there with this smug smile on his face which he always had when he had avoided answering a question.

D: Niiiicooooo, this is frustrating! You are avoiding answering again!

N: I have to go. I'll think about your questions and get back to you later. Yeah, sure, as if he would ever do this.

D: if I send you more questions via pm will you answer them as well? :D

N: good night doctor! You better call Donally now otherwise he will already be asleep.

D: How do you know that I am going to call Matt?

NicoC has signed off.

"Oh Nico, " Dani sighed frustrated. Not only hadn't he answered any of her questions, but he left her with the realization that the night he had found Matt at her place had destroyed their fragile friendship and had brought them back to coworkers, and not really close ones. When she had met Nico she had wondered what had made him so closed off and wary, but she had come to understand that it was part of his job. His strange friendship with Marshall and the confession of his affair with Gabrielle Pittman had provided a bit more insight, but not enough to decipher him completely.

It wasn't fair that he had to deal with all of his problems alone. She had seen that the Pittman divorce had been hard for him. He had witnessed all the fights and he had put his career on the line when Marshall had spun out of control and had threatened her. Now all that was left was one hot mess and it was Nico's job to fix it all. He needed a friend, someone to talk to and she wanted to be it.

The whole situation left her restless and she lay awake for hours, thinking about how to fix her broken friendship with him. She had to. He meant too much to her to lose him.

TBC