Title: Mango
Rating: PG-13 (some violence, angst, a couple f-bombs)
Characters: Charlie Crews, Dani Reese, Kevin Tidwell, Ted Earley, a few OCs
Pairing: Crews/Reese
Summary: Crews and Reese, five years post-series. Life is changing.
Spoilers/Time Period: Set five years after One. (May 2014)
Disclaimer: Most of the characters (sans the Ayers) aren't mine, but the situation is.
Author's Note: A bit of a break from the doom and gloom in the form of flashbacks. Everybody likes a nice wedding, right? (Lil D most surely does.) Sorry for the long delay.
Chapter Five: Adaptation
"I cannot believe we forgot a lunch. And a sweater! Classrooms are air-conditioned and cold. We're really sucking at this."
"Dani…"
"I know, I know. It's only been a few weeks. We're learning. I got that speech from Dr. Brooks today."
She looks over his shoulder into the living room, to where Daniel and Noor are talking and folding laundry. D is pretty much on sock duty.
"Okay, no speeches."
"Thank you."
"But we're going back to work on Monday. It's just going to get crazier."
"By the time we get six-year-old down, we'll have to learn newborn."
She shoots him a glare and climbs up onto one of the counter stools.
"Besides, your mom is here to help. And they get along so well. We're lucky to have her."
"Except for that whole my mother is now living with us thing. Don't get me wrong, I love my mother. It's just a weird adjustment."
"For all of us," Charlie agrees, resting his hip on the island counter. "But I like having your mom around."
"That's because you like her cooking."
"That is a plus, definitely. And I like our eventual three on two odds much better than two on two."
She snorts. "That's the truth." Dani looks up, feeling his eyes on her. "What?"
Still grinning, Charlie shrugs. "Just thinking."
"Well, do your thinking on your way to the freezer. What kind of ice cream do we have?"
Charlie's grin breaks into a full smile. "I love food craving Dani."
"Shut up and start scooping."
"Yes, dear," he teases. "So, our last weekend before getting back to work. What do you want to do?"
"Sleep."
"That can be arranged. Anything else?"
"Did I mention sleep?"
"I smell ice cream!" Daniel announces hurrying into the kitchen.
"You smell ice cream? Really?" Dani questions.
"Yup."
"Right. Take a seat, buddy. Tell us about your day. Sorry we forgot your lunch."
"It's okay. My friends' parents do that sometimes, too. What kind of ice cream are we having?"
"Whatever Aunt Dani wants."
"You mean whatever Mango wants," D corrects.
"'Mango'?" Dani questions incredulously.
"The baby," D informs her.
"We decided this morning," Charlie explains. "We can't just keep calling it 'It'."
"What happened to no fruity names?"
"It's not a real name."
"Just until it has a real name," D spells out, wondering why his godmother doesn't understand the perfectly reasonable decision he and Uncle Charlie came to in the car that morning.
"As long as it doesn't stick. Oh, and cookie dough," she tells Charlie as he surveys their choices. "Maamaan, do you want ice cream?"
"Coming!"
"What are you gonna name Mango, Aunt Dani?"
"Not Mango."
"Aunt Dani…"
"Ask your uncle."
"No, no. Your aunt gets final say."
"What are they bickering about, Daniel?" Noor asks as she claims the third stool.
"Mango."
"The fruit?"
"The baby."
"Ah, yes."
Charlie provides three bowls of chocolate chip cookie dough, but settles for a papple for himself, still full from Noor's yummy dinner.
"Can Grandpa Ted bring Teddy over to play this weekend?"
"I'll call tomorrow and ask," Charlie assures him. "Eat your ice cream."
Daniel grins and digs into it with gusto. A few bites in he pauses. Dani's the first to notice.
"D, what's up?"
"Cookie dough. Mommy's favorite."
His face is pensive, as if he's not sure if he should be upset about this.
"Yeah. Yeah, it was." Dani reaches a hand to his shoulder. "It's yummy isn't it?"
"She saves the dough for last, 'cause it's the best part."
Blinking back her own tears, Dani nods. "Let's do that, huh?"
***
Ted and D are his only company in the orchard office, converted into a changing room for today only. Bobby Stark and Jamie Ayers were here earlier, but they aren't officially in the wedding party. Bobby volunteered to make sure set up is going okay for the reception while Jamie, on six months leave from Afghanistan but still looking every bit the soldier in his dress blues, sets off to check on the arrangements for the ceremony.
"Who's giving her away?" Ted asks, watching as Charlie patiently fixes fidgeting D's bow tie. Bent over, Charlie's jacket falls just so, revealing his sidearm, tucked in an underarm holster. Ted would definitely not be surprised if Charlie's beautiful bride-to-be were packing heat as well today. They certainly belong together.
"Nobody. She's a 'grown woman', she 'can give herself away'."
"Makes sense." Also not surprising.
"Is Teddy coming?" Daniel asks after his playmate, just a few months younger.
"He's out with Olivia," Ted assures the boy he won't be bored.
Daniel nods, reaching for his pillow.
"Okay, Little Danny. What do you have to do?"
"Walk straight."
Charlie nods.
"Hold the pillow."
Another nod.
"Not fall over."
Charlie grins. "Did Aunt Dani teach you that?"
Daniel grins and nods.
"What next?"
"Stand still. Give Grandpa Ted the pillow."
He's picked up the endearment from Teddy.
"Good job. It's very important." Charlie picks up a glass off the side table. "It's apple, but try not to spill. Plenty more where it came from, after the ceremony."
"Juice," D grins.
"Yes, as much as you want."
Ted shakes his head.
"Charlie," he finally broaches the subject. "Is there a certain reason – " He glances at D, who is oblivious. "Is there a reason we threw this wedding together in two weeks? There aren't any major upcoming expenses I should know about?"
"No, Ted," Charlie shakes his head. "No 'expenses'. Little D thought we should get married."
"You're getting married because a four-year-old thought it was time?"
Charlie shrugs. "He's very smart. You should ask him about dinosaurs coming back."
"It's okay, Grandpa Ted. Aunt Dani will protect us."
"See!" Charlie grins. "Another great reason to marry her."
"You two really need to let the dinosaur apocalypse go."
"Don't worry. Ted. We'll let you in to our Dani-protected bunker. Ooh, can we build one of those? In a tree? Like a tree house."
Little D nods enthusiastically.
"Dinosaurs are tall. And those that aren't can jump."
Charlie leans in conspiratorially. "We really just want the tree house."
"Okay. And you're sure about not having a pre-nup? I know it's Dani, but as your financial advisor…"
"No pre-nup," Charlie says, cutting Ted off. "Thank you for your concern." He glances at his watch. "You look nice, Ted."
"Aren't you nervous, Charlie?"
He, personally, had been a wreck before both of his weddings, the second one especially, though that was probably because he was much less hung over.
"It's simple addition."
Ted is pretty sure that's Zen.
A knock on the door breaks up their philosophical discussion.
"Mommy, no girls," Little Danny complains.
"Oh hush. You're just mad we wouldn't let you spy for Uncle Charlie. I'm here to collect the ring bearer. The justice wants you two, pronto. Time to get this show on the road."
Ted takes in a nervous breath.
"Ted, the four-year-old is calmer than you are," Charlie teases.
Katie Ayers smiles, looking beautiful in her simple black cocktail dress.
"Mommy, you look pretty."
"Why thank you, baby. You're so well trained. Say good luck to Uncle Charlie."
"Good luck!" Danny lilts. "Oh, and don't fall."
Katie chuckles. "Sound wedding day advice. See you on the other side."
***
The DJ plays slow, classic Sinatra, as the guests rock gently across the improvised dance floor. Through the clear plastic window of the tent, the setting sun illuminates the rows and rows of orange trees. The sun also filters in to catch a head of warm, fiery hair at the center of the dance floor. There, a tall man in a ridiculously expensive tuxedo, moves his smaller, dark-haired dance partner around the thick crowd of extended family. He leans down to say something so she can hear him. The woman, dressed in beautiful burgundy, tips her head back and laughs at whatever her new son-in-law has just told her.
Dani watches this from a foldout chair, nursing sore feet and a club soda. Her many aunts, uncles, and cousins mix and mingle with a few, select co-workers (including Bobby and Jane Seever) from the station, plus, of course, Charlie's family: Ted and Rachel, with their significant others (and Ann and Teddy) in tow. It's probably the most relaxed wedding reception she's ever attended, which is probably not something most brides can say about their own wedding day. For Dani, though, it's just a party, a party celebrating a formality, and a party that is mostly for the benefit of her Charlie and her mother. She has even amazed herself with how decreasingly nervous and uncomfortable she has become over the past two weeks. She's accepted that she can't imagine life without Charlie (no Reese without Crews) and that marriage is just a legal affirmation of that.
The music changes to the faster-paced "Fly Me to the Moon" as the DJ continues his Sinatra kick. Noor begs off another dance with Charlie, and Rachel cuts in.
As couples continue to twirl about the floor, a gaggle of children hopped up on sugar and feeding off each other's energy, weave their way through a sea of dress shoes, suits, and pantyhose. For the most part, the group is comprised of her cousins or their children, but Daniel's towhead has banded with them, and Teddy follows quickly at his heels. As they pass Charlie, Dani watches him pause his dancing and grab each boy under an arm, spinning them around and then setting them both down. All three join in laughter as the boys dizzily wobble off to rejoin the group. His eyes meet hers, like he feels her watching and he smiles with a short little wave before resuming his dance with Rachel.
"It's your wedding reception," Katie's voice cuts in. "I'm pretty sure you're supposed to be out there dancing the night away. Or at least spending it with your husband."
"Just taking a moment," she assures her.
"It was a beautiful ceremony. And with all the trees around." Katie slumps into the seat next to her.
"What was yours like?" Dani asks with the slightest wince.
When twenty-three-year-old Katie Conroy had gotten married, Dani Reese had been deeply undercover, and starting her downward spiral.
"The normal church wedding. White dress," she says pointedly, teasingly, gesturing to the silvery grey of Dani's dress. "Daddy officiated, even though he was too sick to walk. We had the reception in the parish hall, and then we stayed at a fancy hotel for a few days. Oh, speaking of, where are you going on your honeymoon?"
"You didn't think to ask that before now?"
"You gave me two weeks to prepare for my best friend's wedding! That's not very much notice."
"Sorry. It's your kid's fault."
"Something we should never forget. But really, where are you going? Somewhere fun and exotic?"
"We're just renting a house on the beach an hour or so up the road. Just for the weekend."
"What?! You mean you married a man worth over 50 million and you're going 'an hour' up the road? Make that man take you to Hawaii, at least."
"We have to go to work. We couldn't take more than the weekend off. I just got promoted two months ago."
Katie grins and shakes her head. "Cops. Can I go to Hawaii instead?"
"Sure," Dani rolls her eyes. "Talk to Crews."
As they lapse into comfortable silence, broken only when Daniel wanders over, bow tie hanging loose from his unbuttoned collar like a Rat Packer.
"Hey handsome. Having fun?" Katie asks as she pulls him into her arms.
D nods sleepily, resting his head on her shoulder.
"Poor sleepy buddy. Don't you think Aunt Dani looked pretty tonight?"
Dani rolls her eyes.
"'Course," D yawns.
"Such a charmer, Little D," Dani teases.
"Can I have more grape juice?"
"Did someone ask for more juice?"
Charlie swoops in with a glass of grape juice. Daniel reaches for it, grinning at his 'uncle'.
"Thanks."
"You spoil him."
"I promised free juice for a job well done. I'm just holding up my end of the bargain," Charlie defends against Katie's mostly joking reproach. He leans against the back of Dani's chair, his hand gently on her shoulder. He leans down to whisper something in her ear. She shoots him a skeptical look, but gives him her hand so he can help her up. "D, I'm stealing one of your lovely ladies. Enjoy the juice."
D gives him a thumbs up as he leads Dani back to the dance floor.