014: Rethinking Things

Angela had honestly never been this happy for a long, long time. It had been about a month since the first time that she and Danny had been together. It was now a sort of an unspoken knowledge that Angela and Danny were involved. They started going out to dinner again and doing more "date-like" activities, although they tended to keep their relationship out of the office more now that it was more public.

It seemed as if it was going to be just another day at the office. Angela was talking to several banks in order to get some ATM surveillance videos, and Danny and the others were on site looking for a missing woman. He had been so excited the previous night because he was going to be undercover for the case, something he hadn't had a chance to do for awhile. Angela had been slightly concerned for him, but Danny assured her with a smile and a kiss that it was nothing to worry about.

"At about 2:15 that afternoon to about 5:00. Yes, ma'am, we'd like all of that footage," Angela repeated to yet another bank as she sat back in her chair and watched some background checks print off. "Yes, if you could just send it to our tech team that would help us out a lot. Oh, wait, could you hold please? Ok, thank you."

Her other line was beeping and caller ID flashed "Malone."

"Hey, Jack. I've got the backgrounds printing off, the ATM videos on the way, and the credit cards—"

"Angela, I, uh…" Jack's voice sounded as if he was searching for the words. "I think you need to come down to the hospital."

"What? Why? Did you find something there?"

"No… it's, uh. Angela, it's Danny."

There was a long, pregnant pause as she let the words sink in. "What? What's wrong with him? Is he hurt? Is he ok?"

"Just calm down. He's alright, but he's pretty roughed up."

"Oh, my God. What happened? What—how did this— St. Vincent's?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, I'll be right over."

---

"Danny Taylor," Angela said immediately as she came onto the nurses' station. "I need to see Danny Taylor."

"Are you related?"

"No, but—"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we can't let you see him then."

"You don't understand. I need to see him."

"We can't allow you to do that. Protocol."

"But… wait," Angela reached into her pocket and pulled out her badge. "This wouldn't help, would it?"

"Oh, why didn't you show that in the first place?" The nurse checked her clipboard. "Danny Taylor is in room 304. That's just down this hall to the left."

Angela didn't stay to hear anymore as she took off down the hall. 301… 302… 303…

The door to 304 was open and she skidded into the room to find Martin and Samantha already there, standing next to a bed where Danny was lying. Angela's eyes began to burn and she was having difficulty breathing when she saw him.

"Uh, I'm going to go get something to drink," Martin said quickly. "Sam, you want to come?"

Samantha didn't say anything, but followed Martin as they walked passed Angela who stayed rooted to the spot as she looked on at her Danny, lying in the white hospital bed.

His face was badly bruised and there was a large cut over his eye that looked as if it had been stitched up just awhile ago. His knuckles were taped up probably from beating them bloody trying to protect himself. The sight of his broken body was almost too much for Angela.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Danny said gently.

"Danny…" she said in a near whisper. She started walking towards him finally, her eyes looking over his body. "What did they do to you?"

"It just went bad. They figured I wasn't who I said I was. They said my grammar was too good."

"It's not funny, Danny."

"I know, but Angela. I'm alright. I'm still here, aren't I?"

She reached the side of his bed, and he took her hand in his bandaged on. Holding on to it, she lifted it to her lips and kissed it gently.

"I'm going to be alright. Ok?"

"But… are you sure?"

"No broken bones. Just a few bruises, and then this stupid cut on my forehead. I swear to you, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."

Angela put her hand on his head and ran her fingers through his short, dark hair. "Ok," she said softly, though she was still out of her mind in fear. "You got the woman though, right?"

Danny hesitated. "Her body."

Angela nodded slowly, not wanting to think about it anymore. She looked around and pulled up the chair next to Danny's bedside. The two of them didn't speak for the next several hours, just being their in each other's presence for hours until Angela drifted into an uneasy sleep.

---

Danny was released from the hospital after a few days after the bruising had gone down more. He was more than ready to get back onto the field, and nothing like a few bruises was going to keep him very long from the place he belonged.

But it seemed as though Angela was having more trouble with him being back in the field than he was. She knew that the beating had just been a fluke in the plan, but it still didn't make her feel any easier.

It was one of the first nights that Angela had been back in Danny's apartment since he had been released from the hospital. He was sleeping soundly next to her with his arm draped lazily over her waist, but she was still awake.

She rolled onto her side, and to her surprise, Danny's arm lifted off of her body. She turned over to see him awake next to her.

"If I had known you were awake, I would have said something," he said sleepily. "What are you doing up?"

"I'm scared for you," she said, finally letting out what she had been thinking for the past week.

"You are?" Danny furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"You know why."

"Oh. Because of last week? Angela, that was just a few bruises—"

"But it could have been more, Danny! They could have killed you!"

"No, they couldn't have," he said, with slight annoyance in his voice. "There was no way that they could have hurt me."

"Then what do you call that gash above your eye?"

Danny ran his fingers over the healing scar above his eye quickly, as if he were trying to hide it. "It's not a gash. It's a cut."

"It's the same thing, Danny."

"What are you trying to say, Angela?"

"I'm saying that I'm scared for you. Out on the field. I mean, anything could happen. You could… you could end up like Brady… And I don't want to lose you…"

Danny was silent as Angela lowered her head and blinked away her tears. After a few moments, his fingers lifted her head gently as he looked her earnestly in the eyes.

"Hey… listen to me," he said seriously, brushing her hair out of her face. "You're not going to lose me, ok?"

"But… what if something bad happens?"

"Nothing's going to happen to me."

"How can you say that?"

"Because. I just know."

"No, you don't, Danny. That's just the point."

"Hey… do you trust me?"

Angela bit her lip as she looked at him and a tear rolled down her face. Danny's thumb brushed it aside.

"Do you?" he repeated softly.

She nodded quietly.

"Alright then. I promise you. Nothing bad is going to happen to me. I promise."

She was silent for awhile. "Promise?"

"Promise."

They were quiet for awhile longer. She sniffed loudly, and Danny smiled gently. He pulled her into his arms against his large, warm body and kissed her on the side of her head.

"I promise," he whispered.

A/N: Whee! Ok, now I don't have to be the one to tell you that this maybe, might possibly (aka definitely) will play a part later in the story. But. You guys knew that, right:)

Anyways, so I hoped you enjoyed the chapter. School has been insane. I swear to God, they're trying to kill us. I'm trying to link a short story that I wrote (I mean… haven't written yet) to the Civil War and then how it's relevant to today. This is what I have to say to that: …

And I haven't exactly finished the story yet…

SO. This promises to be an interesting weekend. I hope yours is less stressful than mine! Take care!

-Laura