Chapter 3: Situation?

As she finally opened the door, Nico looked up at her. He wondered how on earth could she still look so perfect at 2am.

"Hello Nico, I thought you never gonna knock!" said Dani, inwardly reveling in the surprise that flitted across his face for a second, she liked surprising him.

Had she known, that he had been standing outside contemplating this (whatever this was) for some time.

"I was arrested by a thought, Doctor" "A very persistent thought"

"And what might that thought be Mr. Careles?"

"If I told you…."

"I know I know! God, you and your secrecy" said Dani half-serious, half-jokingly while wagging an accusing finger at him and simultaneously allowing him access to her home.

"My secrecy is essential to my success as a fixer, Doctor" surmised Nico. The further and professional I keep it, the better.

"What's your poison? I have some scotch, but I prefer my wines" offered Dani while pulling out two glasses.

"I abstain from drinking while I'm working Dr. Santino, it saves me a lot of trouble." Said Nico, but his mind knew that her presence was intoxicating enough, he did not need alcohol to make it worse.

"Well I've had a tough day, scratch that, week, so I am going to drink! And you can tell me what situation you need me to handle at this god forsaken hour." Huffed Dani, secretly hoping that he had come on personal business rather than the Hawks needing her, but she knew him too well.

"I was concerned Doctor." "About the, um, situation with you and Donnally" said Nico with more bitterness than he had planned. Even thinking about the two of them together made him cringe.

"Oh so that's what it is to huh? That's what I am to you? A situation, Nico?" Dani bit back, surprised at her own anger. She was an asset to the Hawks and his job was to protect them, what had she expected? Still, the letdown was hard and she tried her hardest to will her tears not to fall.

"Dani…" said Nico softly, as he reached out to touch her arm.

"No, Mr. Careles, you do not get to come in here, treat me like I'm some problem that needs fixing and get away with it."

Dani needed him to know she was hurt. She was always the one who took care of the others, now she needed someone to take care of her.

And the only person who could do it was treating her in the complete opposite way.

She was pushing him away. He had known this feeling, but it had never troubled him like this ever before. What had this woman done to him?

He knew he had come too far now and refused to back down. He came closer to Dani, lifting her chin up, he saw pain in those beautiful eyes. They were swimming in tears. He needed to fix this.

"You are so much more to me Dani, more than I am willing to admit, so much that it scares me. But I don't care anymore." Confessed Nico.

" When you are upset, I can feel it like physical pain" "What have you done to me?"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Dani said while her tear-riddled eyes grew big in astonishment.

"How could I? You seemed to be so happy with Donnally, I couldn't come between that." Said Nico, the sadness clearly seeping through

"And then he went and bought you that ring" said Nico with a lot bitterness. That had been a bad day for him, he knew she was involved with Donnally but he didn't know it would be this serious. It had taken all his self-control to stop himself from physically hurting Donnally. He tried fixing himself by the only way he knew how. Got into bed with another woman, thoughts of Dani still plagued his mind while he was with Vera.

And then she had asked about Dani. Was he that transparent?

"I thought I had lost you forever." "I didn't know what to do" exclaimed Nico with much pain.

"You knew about that? I should have guessed" "Crap!" Thought Dani, of course he knew. He knew everything.

How could explain to him that she could never be that serious with Matt, they were too different, he was a good fling but getting married again, that thought hadn't even crossed her mind after the fiasco with Ray.

"I wouldn't have agreed anyways, we are…we were too different" explained Dani

"What would you agree to then Doctor?" said Nico slyly with a twinkle in his eye.

"Well, we'll have to see about that now, won't we Mr. Careles?" said Dani as she giggled.

This was good. Some semblance of sanity in an otherwise crazy week.