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December 23, 2004Author’s Notes:
#1 - This started out as a simple h/c, but then the angst plot bunnies got hold of it...
#2 - If you like Jack, don’t bother reading this. He’s not very nice in this fic.
Monday, 8 AM“You didn’t have to drive me to the airport, you know,” Danny said.“I know.”
“You’re gonna be late for work, you know.”
“I know.”
Danny rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“You’re already on Jack’s shit list, you know,” he said.
“I know.”
“And I love you, you know.”
“Which is why I’m driving you to the airport, making myself late for work and continuing to be on Jack’s shit list,” Martin said with a gleam in his eye, breaking his roll of two word answers.
“What am I gonna do-” Danny started to ask.
But Martin had put a finger onto his lips, silencing his question and then giving him an answer.
“You’re going to have a wonderfully boring time at the Anti-Terrorism Train the Trainer seminar in Washington this week, miss me a lot and therefore bring me lots of kitcshy souvenirs from the Smithsonians. Especially from the Air and Space Museum,” he said.
Danny smirked and shook his head. Then he leaned over and kissed Martin soundly on the lips.
“I’ll see you Saturday,” he said, opening the door to the truck and exiting. After he grabbed his suitcase out of the back of the truck, he leaned on the door, with its window now rolled down and said, “I’ll call you later.”
“Safe trip,” Martin replied and then watched as Danny entered the terminal of LaGuardia airport.
Monday, 10:03 AM
“Where the hell is Fitzgerald?” Jack asked, annoyed.“Haven’t seen him yet,” Samantha replied. “Tara said he called, though. Said he was running late.”
“Okay, thanks, Sam,” he acknowledged and looked at the clock again.
It was 10:03 AM. He was about to continue reading the report in front of him, when he heard Martin’s voice.
“Sorry I’m late, Jack,” Martin said, leaning into Jack’s office. “Didn’t hear the alarm. I miss anything?”
“See Vivian about some background checks on the McGinty case,” Jack told him. “She needs to check into his wife’s bank accounts.”
“Sure, Jack,” he agreed and headed back into the main office area.
Monday, 9:14 PM
It had been a long, boring, tedious day and Martin couldn’t wait to get into the apartment, take off his shoes and take a long, hot shower.He entered the bedroom, took off aforesaid shoes, and the rest of his clothing, leaving a pile on the bed, and headed for the bathroom and the aforementioned shower.
Martin started the water and checked the temperature before stepping under the spray. He couldn’t hold back the audible sighs as he let the hot water melt away the day’s stress, relaxing his muscles.
He grabbed the bottle of shampoo and put a dollop into his hand, put the bottle back and then worked the shampoo into his hair, rubbing and scratching his scalp, massaging away the headache he’d gotten at work.
After he’d rinsed his hair, he grabbed the soap, next. Rubbing it all over his chest and arms, he closed his eyes and imagined someone else’s hands doing it for him. Was it just last night that it had been Danny’s hands massaging him, rubbing him, caressing him...? He worked the lather down lower, gripping his cock and stroking it with one hand while fondling his balls with the other.
“Oh yeah, Danny. Just like that,” he whispered. “Mmmm... ooh...”
He continued to stroke his cock, tightening his grip, still imagining it was Danny’s hands upon him. He took his other hand and moved it behind him now, his soapy fingers finding his hole and slipping a finger in.
“Oh, God,” he moaned, spreading his legs a bit and tilting his hips back, to get the finger in further.
He eventually added another finger and rocked his pelvis back and forth, fucking them in time with his other hand’s stoking.
“Yeah, Danny, fuck me,” he murmured, throwing his head back, letting a spray of hot water hit his chest, beat on his nipples.
Images of Danny came to mind... lying below him on the bed as he sat atop him, fucking himself on Danny’s cock, of Danny’s hands on his own as he held him down on the couch, his ankles hooked around Danny’s shoulders as Danny fucked him, of being pushed up against the tile wall in this very bathtub, Danny’s fingers being replaced by his cock...
“Oh, God! Yeah!” Martin shouted as he orgasmed, his cum splattering the tile wall.
“God, I miss you, Danny,” he whispered, ducking under the warm water to rinse off.
Tuesday, 9:36 AM
“Martin’s late again?” Jack asked, looking back and forth between his watch and the clock on the wall.Vivian and Samantha looked at each other. They knew Jack was in a bad mood - their current case was not going well, the AD was on Jack’s back again about their budget and now Martin was late again. They did not envy the young man when Jack finally got a hold of him.
“I’ll check with Tara,” Samantha offered.
“I’ll try his cell again,” Vivian added.
Ten minutes later, the women reported to Jack’s office. Jack knew by the looks on their faces that they had not been able to find their missing coworker.
“Fine. He’s AWOL,” he said. “In the meantime, the rest of us have work to do.”
“I told the front desk to let you know the minute he shows up,” Samantha told him. Jack did not reply.
Tuesday, 1:30 PM
“I’ve tried both his home and his cell,” Vivian said, speaking quietly.“This isn’t like him,” Samantha agreed. “I mean, I know he likes to rattle Jack’s cage every now and then, but just not showing up? That’s not like him at all.”
“Maybe we should swing by his place? We’ve got to go that way anyway, to check up on Amanda Gentry’s story.”
“You think something happened to him?”
“I don’t know what to think, Samantha,” Vivian replied.
Jack came out of his office with a couple of file folders in his hand. The two women looked up, quickly ending their conversation.
“After you’re done interviewing Amanda Gentry, why don’t you stop at Martin’s place. See if he’s there. And if he is, get his ass in here,” he said, dropped the files onto Vivian’s desk and returned to his own office.
The women looked at each other and shrugged.
Tuesday, 4:00 PM
Samantha knocked on the door again, while Vivian tried calling Martin’s phone with her cell phone. They heard the ringing of the phone from within the apartment, but no one answered.“Maybe he slipped in the shower or something?” Samantha suggested.
Vivian shrugged.
“Can I help you ladies?”
The women turned to see an older man approach them. He had old, dirty clothes on, and a key ring hung from his belt.
“I’m Steve Marcus, the building super,” he told them. “You looking for Mr. Fitzgerald?”
“Yes, have you seen him today?” Vivian asked, pulling out her badge and ID.
“Can’t say that I have, but then, I’ve spent most of the day down in the basement working on the furnace,” he said. “Couple of the apartments have been having problems with their heaters and such. In fact, I was just about to come check on the ones on this floor.”
“So you’ll be keying in?” Samantha asked, glancing at Vivian.
Mr. Marcus nodded his head.
“Want me to start with Mr. Fitzgerald’s?” he asked.
“If you don’t mind.”
The women waited as Mr. Marcus knocked on the door and keyed it open at the same time. “Maintenance!” he shouted as he entered.
The women followed and looked around the apartment. It was as neat as they had thought it would be, considering Martin’s personality. The furnishings were basic, the decor sparse. While Mr. Marcus went right to the thermostat, Vivian and Samantha nonchalantly checked the other rooms of the apartment, making sure Martin was not there, sick or injured.
“You all set?” Mr. Marcus asked as they headed for the door.
“Yes, thank you,” Vivian replied.
Tuesday, 5 PM
Martin groaned as he opened his eyes. His head still throbbed mercilessly along with each beat of his heart, and his situation hadn’t changed. The last thing he remembered before waking up bound and gagged was coming out of the shower, one towel around his waist and another rubbing his hair dry.He’d seen no sign of his attackers; they’d come up from behind him, hitting him on the head with some blunt object or other. And while he was unconscious, they’d tied his hands and feet together behind his back and gagged him before shoving him onto the floor of the large bedroom closet.
He’d spent hours after he’d first woken trying to undo the bonds, but whoever it had been to tie him up had done a good job. His wrists and ankles were probably bloody and raw for his efforts, if the pain they emitted were any sign. His shoulders weren’t much better, sore from being in one position for so long.
Any cries for help came out as muffled whimpers.
He groaned again as his bladder protested, and he knew what he’d have to do. Again.
Somebody, please, find me. Danny!
Tuesday, 5:30 PM
“How’d the interview with Amanda Gentry go?” Jack asked.“She still hasn’t changed her story,” Samantha replied. “She admits to the affair with John McGinty, but says she hasn’t seen him in a month, when she broke it off with him.”
“I believe her,” Vivian added. “There were plenty of witnesses when she broke it off. She’d have to know that if she did anything, she’d be suspect.”
Jack nodded his head. “I take it you didn’t find Martin, either?”
“We went to his apartment and the super let us in,” Vivian said. “He wasn’t there. No sign of any foul play or anything.”
“You’re treating this like one of our cases?” Jack balked.
“This isn’t like him and you know it, Jack,” Samantha replied.
“We all know he’s been rocking the boat a bit around here, Jack,” Vivian added. “But just disappearing like this isn’t his style. I’m ready to call his father, to see if some family emergency or something came up.”
“Martin’s a big boy, Vivian. He knows how to use a phone,” Jack insisted.
“Exactly,” Vivian deadpanned.
“You ready to tell his dad you didn’t start looking for him right away?” Samantha asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jack looked at the two women, and thought about the problems their unit had endured this past year, and sighed.
“Fine. We’ll play better safe than sorry. Why don’t you start by calling Danny, though,” Jack suggested. “He probably has an idea of who might be in Martin’s little black book these days.” And before Vivian could speak up, he added, “I’ll call his dad,” before turning and heading back to his office.
Tuesday, 5:35PM
Danny sat down, joining a few fellow FBI agents for dinner. They’d been waiting at the bar, drinking sodas and beer, while their table was readied, and now, twenty minutes later, they were more than hungry.“Can you believe that guy, Franklin?” Danny asked. “I thought I was going to fall asleep for sure when he kept repeating how important it was to memorize the meanings of the Alert colors and categories.”
“Yeah,” Agent Carol Stark agreed. “As if we haven’t had them memorized for the past three years already.”
“And did you see the way the guy’s nose twitched every time he mentioned Bush?” another agent put in, causing the group of six to start laughing.
Danny was about to add his own remark about the twitching nose, when his cell phone rang. “Excuse me,” he said, pulling out the phone. “Taylor,” he answered, trying to keep the laughter out of his voice.
“Danny, it’s Viv.”
Danny was a bit disappointed hearing Vivian’s voice. He’d hoped it would have been Martin’s sexy voice that was calling to him.
“What’s up, Viv?” he asked.
“Have you talked with Martin today?” she asked.
“No, why?” Any disappointment Danny’d been feeling was now turned to concern. He put a finger to his other ear to block out any noise from the table. “Vivian?” he asked when she didn’t answer his question right away.
“He didn’t show up for work today,” Vivian told him. “No call to the office. We can’t reach him by either his cell or his home phone.”
“Did you check his apartment?” Danny asked.
Vivian sighed. “Yeah, Samantha and I stopped by after interviewing Amanda Gentry. We saw his super and he let us into the apartment. He wasn’t there. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Was his truck there?”
“We didn’t see it parked out front. Do you know of anywhere else he might park it? Or anywhere else he might be?”
“No,” he replied quietly.
A tense silence followed.
“Danny?” Vivian called.
“I’ll be back tonight. I’ll call you when I get in,” he said and ended the call. He turned to the agents at the table. “Sorry, guys, duty calls,” he told them as he rose from the table. He opened his wallet and threw a twenty-dollar bill down onto the table. “I’m headed back to New York. I’ll call Franklin in the morning to explain.”
As he walked out of the restaurant, waving his hand to flag down a cab, Danny muttered, “Where the hell are you, Fitz?”
Tuesday, 11:10 PM
Martin shivered at the cold and groaned again at the painful response the subtle movement was causing. Between being hit on the head and locked in the closet without food or water he wasn’t sure of much more than the pain. He had no idea how long he’d been this way, other than too long. He wasn’t sure if it was still Monday or if it was Friday.Surely someone ought to be missing him, he thought. But who would be there to miss him - Danny was in Washington. Sure, people would notice when he didn’t show up for work. Jack would be pissed. But would they come looking for him? Would they even know where to look?
Martin closed his eyes tight and tried not to cry. The last thing he needed was to suffocate, choking back his own tears.
Danny?
Wednesday, 12:06 AM
Vivian looked up from her computer screen, hearing someone walk into the office.“Danny?”
“Sorry it took so long,” he began, putting his suitcase and coat down next to his desk. “The flight got delayed and then there was an accident...” He shook his head and said, “Whatever. Any news?”
“No,” Vivian replied sadly. “Jack’s been dealing with Martin’s father most of the night. Sam and a couple of other guys, Mike Watson and Chris Carpenter, I think, are interviewing Martin’s neighbors.”
“What about you?”
“I’ve been checking on any credit card or bank transactions - so far nothing,” she replied.
“This just doesn’t make sense,” Danny said, running his hands through his hair. “I mean... I don’t know.”
“Martin have any girlfriends, anyone he’s been seeing lately?” she asked.
“No,” Danny answered quickly, harshly. “No one he’s mentioned, anyway,” he added, more calmly “Have you checked into his old cases? Maybe someone he arrested got out?”
“I’ve only had access to the ones he’s dealt with while working with us,” Vivian replied. “Maybe you could try for some of his older ones,” she suggested, knowing Danny had a way with computers and the people who used them.
“Sounds like a plan,” he replied, taking a seat at his desk and booting up his computer.
Wednesday, 3:24 AM
Danny looked over at Vivian’s desk and saw that she’d put her head down onto her arms. He couldn’t be sure if she was just resting or actually sleeping. He’d been yawning almost non-stop for the past hour, his eyes hurting from reading through case file notes and cross-checking names with parole records.Jack and Samantha had headed home two hours ago, promising to be back by 7 AM. As much as he wanted to stay, to keep working, to keep searching for Martin, he knew his physical limits were being tested. That, and he knew Vivian would probably be forcing him to leave soon, too.
“Yes, Danny,” she said knowingly, looking at him now. “Time to go home. I’ll give you a ride.”
He nodded his head. Maybe when he got home, he’d use his home computer and keep working.
Wednesday, 4:30 AM
Danny waved goodbye to Vivian and headed up the stairs and into his apartment building. He still couldn’t believe that Martin was missing - that he and his coworkers would be looking for one of their own. But beyond that, he was scared. Scared that the most important person in his life, the one that meant everything to him, might be gone.Stepping out of the elevator and walking down the hall, Danny took his keys out of his pocket. He tried not to jingle them too loudly, not wanting to wake the neighbors, as he unlocked the door and entered the apartment.
He took two steps to his right and reached for the light switch, flicked it upwards and froze.
His apartment had been ransacked.
Taking out his gun, Danny quickly, but carefully swept through his apartment, in case the burglars were still there. He found no one, returned to the living room and took out his cell phone.
“Viv?” he spoke into the phone as he now, more slowly, began to check out the damage done to his dwelling. “It’s Danny. Come back to my apartment. Someone broke in,” he told her.
“You think it might be related to Martin?” she asked
“Anything’s possible,” he replied, leaving the living room and heading for the bedroom.
He stopped and turned, looking around the room, looking at, but not touching the open dresser drawers, bedside table and messed up bed. That was when he noticed the trench coat on the floor next to the bed. And the shoes.
“Oh, God, Vivian,” he said, dread in his voice. “He was here. He was here.”
“Danny? Danny?” Vivian called. “Who?”
Danny looked around the room again - saw how everything was open and messed up - except the closet. Breathing heavily, scared of what he would find, he slowly stepped toward the closet and reached out for the sliding door’s handle. He ignored Vivian’s voice, as she continued calling to him over the phone, the phone itself having been dropped to the floor.
“Oh, please don’t be...” he prayed, and opened the door. “Oh, God! Martin!”
Danny quickly knelt to the floor and reached out for his partner, elated that he’d seen that Martin was still breathing, but horrified at the condition he was in.
“Vivian!” he shouted, knowing she was still listening. “Vivian, call an ambulance! He’s here! He’s here!”
“Martin? Oh, God, Martin? Can you hear me?” he called, his shaking hands trying their best to remove the gag from Martin’s mouth.
All he got was a quiet moan for a response, though.
“I’ll be right back, Fitz. I’ll be right back,” he said, then and quickly rushed to the kitchen to get a knife to cut the bonds keeping Martin immobile.
He returned in less than a minute and began sawing the twine, trying to be careful of the wounds they had caused around Martin’s wrists and ankles.
“Almost done, Fitz,” he soothed as he worked. “There, that’s it,” he said when Martin’s limbs were finally free and they dropped to his sides.
“Danny?” Martin whispered, hoping that it wasn’t a dream, that Danny really did come to his rescue.
“I’m right here, Fitz,” Danny reassured him, carefully turning Martin onto his back and gathering him into his arms. “Help’s on the way.”
Martin began shivering and Danny cursed himself for not thinking sooner to cover him up. He eased Martin back to the floor, got up, went to the bed and grabbed a couple of blankets before returning to Martin’s side.
“Let’s get you warmed up, huh?” Danny spoke, wrapping Martin up in the blankets, and taking him back into his arms.
“Danny?” Martin called out again.
“I’m right here, Fitz. No one’s gonna hurt you anymore.”
“Not dreaming?” Martin murmured.
“No, buddy, not dreaming. I’m here,” Danny replied. “Who did this, Fitz? What happened?”
“Don’t know. Never saw ‘im.” Martin reached up and grasped Danny by the shirt, holding onto him as best he could. “Missed you,” he said. “Came here because I missed you.”
“Oh, damn, Martin,” Danny whispered, kissing his forehead. “I missed you, too.”
Danny heard Vivian calling his name.
“In here!” he yelled back to her, holding Martin tighter in his arms.
Vivian quickly knelt by their sides, putting a gentle hand to Martin’s cheek. “How is he?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Danny got out. “His wrists and ankles... he was tied up in the closet. Gagged.”
Vivian looked to the closet and saw the cut twine and gag where Danny had left them. She gently opened the blanket and tried to check for any other injuries. It didn’t escape her notice that Martin was nude. She replaced the blanket and patted Danny’s shoulder.
“I’ll take a look around,” she said.
Danny nodded his head and watched as Vivian began to check the room over, looking for any signs of crimes beyond the obvious burglary.
“Usual type stuff taken,” he told her. “TV, DVD player, some jewelry... Hell, I think they even took some of my CDs.”
They heard the siren of the ambulance and Vivian headed for the door. “I called Jack,” she told him before leaving the room.
Wednesday, 5:47 AM
Vivian had gone to the hospital with the ambulance almost an hour ago. As much as he’d hated not going with Martin, Danny knew that he’d have to stay behind and wait for the boys from NYPD to finish going through his apartment, and he was still awaiting Jack, as well.The big question, in everyone’s minds, was, ‘What was Martin doing at his apartment to begin with?’
He’d had an idea. Sort of. They’d exchanged apartment keys months ago; he remembered their “mi casa su casa” conversation vividly. He figured Martin had either forgotten something here, or just didn’t want to drive so far home that night. They’d talked Monday evening while Martin was still at the office - he knew Martin had had a stressful day.
But to have to explain their arrangement - their relationship - to others... Explain why some of the clothes in the closet belonged to Martin, why there were two toothbrushes in the bathroom...
Danny collapsed down onto the couch and put his head into his hands.
“Danny?”
Danny looked up and watched Jack and Samantha flash their ID’s to the agent at the door and enter the apartment.
“How’s Martin?” Samantha asked, sitting down on the couch next to Danny.
“Concussion, dehydration...” Danny said, shrugging his shoulders.
“Danny? Vivian said Martin was probably here when the burglars arrived,” Samantha began. “That he either tried to stop them or was surprised by them and they tied him up and left him here. But what was Martin doing here to begin with?”
“I don’t know,” he replied, honestly. He looked around at the agents and police officers in the room. “I gave him a key to the place a while ago - so he could water the plants and stuff when I go away.”
“So he could water the plants?” Jack asked, the tone of his voice giving away the fact that he didn’t believe Danny.
Danny took a deep breath and let it out. “Yeah, Jack,” he replied, then. “Not that it matters. But right now I’d like to spend some time finding the bastards that hurt him and took my stuff, if you don’t mind.”
“We will, Danny,” Samantha reassured him, with a hesitant smile, patting his knee.
Jack just nodded his head and walked over to the NYPD officers handling the burglary case and began talking with them.
Wednesday, 7:12 AM
When Danny arrived at the hospital, Vivian was waiting for him in the waiting room of the ER. She stood and walked to him.“How is he?”
“He’s doing just fine,” she said. “The doctor said he’s got a mild concussion and had been dehydrated, just like the paramedics said. They’re still trying to find him a room, to keep him for a day or so.”
“So he’s still in there?” he asked, gesturing to the ER.
She was still nodding her head as Danny turned and headed for the doors to the ER, his badge and ID already in his hand. Vivian saw that Samantha and Jack had entered the waiting room. She gave them the same report she’d given Danny.
“So he’ll be okay?” Jack asked.
“The doctor seems to think so,” she replied. “Have you called his father yet?”
“Yeah, he’s on his way.”
+ + + + + + +
Danny found his way to Martin’s side with surprisingly little argument from the staff. Martin was awake and had smiled when he saw Danny coming his way.
“‘Bout time you showed up,” Martin said.
“I’m sorry,” Danny replied, taking Martin’s hand, careful of the IV and bandaging.
“I was kidding.”
“I’m still sorry.”
Martin rolled his eyes, shook his head and winced for the effort. Then he looked at Danny again.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have just gone home. I just... I...”
“Missed me,” Danny finished, smiling a little. “I know.”
“We’re out, aren’t we?” Martin asked.
Danny shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. Probably.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Danny told him. “All that matters is that you’re gonna be okay.”
+ + + + + + +
“So do the PD boys have any leads yet?” Vivian asked Samantha and Jack as they took seats in the waiting room.
“I was with one of the uniforms as she was interviewing the neighbors,” Samantha began. “One of his neighbors, Suzanne Gould, just moved out. According to Danny, she had a key to his apartment.”
“So she might have packed up more than her own things,” Vivian remarked.
“Yeah, quite a coincidence that she moves out the same day Danny goes out of town,” Jack added.
“I take it we’re trying to track her down, right?” Vivian asked.
Jack and Samantha both nodded.
“So. Was anybody else besides me in the dark about Taylor and Fitzgerald?” Jack asked, clearly annoyed.
Vivian and Samantha both raised their hands a little bit, timid smiles on their faces.
“Not like there’s never been office romances before,” Vivian said, subtly directing her remark to Jack and Samantha.
“But still...” Samantha began, but didn’t finish, when she saw Danny heading their way. “How is he?” she asked.
“He’s doing okay, considering,” Danny replied. “They’re keeping him, probably until tomorrow morning; moving him to a room now.” Then he headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” Jack asked.
“I’m going to do my job,” Danny replied. “I’m going to find out who did this.”
Wednesday, 12:15 PM
“Danny!” Samantha called. “We got ‘em!”Danny and Vivian came running to Samantha’s desk and listened as she continued her phone conversation. When she hung up she looked to their expectant faces.
“New Jersey State Police stopped Suzanne Gould’s car near Trenton. Two guys were with her. Danny, some of your stuff was in the back of the car,” she told them.
“They bringing them back here?” he asked.
“Eventually.”
“Eventually?” Vivian balked.
“The two guys have active warrants down there in Trenton. Once they’ve been arrested and arraigned on those charges, we can extradite them back up here,” she explained.
“I would think assault of a police officer charges here would take a bit of precedence,” Danny remarked, clearly unhappy that he wouldn’t be able to get his hands on the men that had hurt Martin any time soon.
“Danny,” Vivian began, soothingly, putting a hand to his shoulder. “They’ve been caught. They won’t hurt anyone again. That’s what’s important.”
Samantha watched the emotions play across Danny’s face. She wondered how she could have been so oblivious to Danny and Martin’s relationship.
“Why don’t you go see Martin,” Vivian suggested.
“We’ll call you if anything changes,” Samantha added, giving him a sympathetic smile.
Danny let out a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, turning away from the women.
“I’m sorry,” he said, turning back to them. “I’m just... I don’t... God!” He rubbed his hands down his face in frustration. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”
He walked away from them, and left the office, leaving the women awkwardly speechless.
Wednesday, 2:37 PM
Martin kept his eyes closed. It wasn’t hard to do, considering the sedatives and painkillers floating through his body. What was hard, impossible, really, was sleeping. He wished he could shut down his hearing just as easily as his sight.He’d tried to ignore the different sounds and voices around him, outside in the hall. He knew there was an FBI agent at the door, sitting guard duty. He’d heard the man checking names and ID’s each time a nurse came into the room to check on him. He knew lunchtime had come and gone by the squeaky wheels on the meal carts.
But now the sound he didn’t want to hear was that of his father’s voice. He really didn’t need this. Not now.
“I know you’re awake, Martin,” Victor Fitzgerald spoke from the left side of Martin’s bed.
“Good, then I can tell you that I’m okay,” he responded. “You can truthfully tell Mom you talked to me and that I said I was okay.” He still didn’t open his eyes.
“I thought I’d fixed this little problem,” the elder Fitzgerald continued with a sigh. “When the transfer to New York went through-”
Now Martin’s eyes flew open and he sat up straight. He ignored the pain. “You what?!” he shouted. “You fixed what little problem?”
“I couldn’t have my son, a Fitzgerald,” he began, sighing, “fooling around with... with..-”
“A Puerto Rican?” Danny asked, entering the room. “A Catholic? Somebody with a steady, full time job with great benefits?”
“Another man?” Martin added, staring at his father as he reached for Danny’s hand.
The two Fitzgerald men stared at one another silently for a moment, before Victor nodded his head.
“I didn’t want you to get hurt,” he said. “That office you were in... if they’d found out about you,” he went on. “I’d sat in on some of the disciplinary hearings there. Martin, I only wanted to keep you safe.”
“So you transferred me.” Martin let out a chuckle. “Hate to tell you, Dad, but I’ve been in the hospital more times since I got to New York than in my whole life.”
“But until now, it was never because of what you are,” Victor corrected.
“It still isn’t,” Danny put in. He saw both of the Fitzgerald men about to correct him, so he quickly added, “You didn’t get hurt because of me, or us. Just... wrong place at the wrong time, man. That’s all.”
“I wouldn’t have been there if...” Martin quickly looked back and forth between Danny and his father.
“Did you water my plants?” Danny asked. “Feed my fish?”
“Yeah...”
“Just like any friend would have done,” Victor put in, emphasizing the word, friend.
Martin shook his head slowly, their old arguments going around in his head again and again.
“I’ll quit before you try to transfer me again,” he told his father.
“And the same would go for me, too,” Danny added, giving Martin’s hand a squeeze.
Victor looked at their joined hands and rose from his seat. “I’ll tell your mother you’re well,” he said and left the room.
After the door closed, Martin sank back down against his pillow with a groan, closing his eyes against the pain, both physical and emotional. He opened his eyes again when he felt gentle kisses against his temple.
“God, Danny, I need to get out of here,” Martin whispered.
“I know,” Danny replied. “We’ll see what the doc says when he visits later. Maybe we can get you sprung early.”
Martin smiled and nodded his head.
“Would you really quit? For me?” he asked a moment later.
“In a heartbeat, Fitz. In a heartbeat.”
+ + + + + + +
In the hospital lobby, Victor met up with Jack.
“Good news,” Jack began. “Jersey State Police picked up Suzanne Gould and two men down near Trenton.”
“Have the extradition orders gone through yet?”
“Not yet, the two men have outstanding warrants in Trenton to answer to, first.”
Victor nodded his head as he listened to Jack. “Fine. Let NYPD run with it; the Bureau is done with it; no Federal charges pending. After all, Martin was off duty when it happened,” he told him as he walked toward the hospital’s exit. “Keep me informed,” he added and left Jack standing in the lobby.
Thursday, 9:00 AM
“Malone,” Jack spoke into the phone.“Jack, it’s Danny.”
“Yeah, Danny? It’s nine a.m. You should be in my office, not on my phone.”
“Yeah, well, I was hoping to take a personal day today. Martin’s getting discharged this morning and I wanted to pick him up and take him home,” Danny replied.
“We’ve got work to do.”
“And I wasn’t supposed to be in the office this week, anyway,” Danny retorted.
Jack stayed silent for a moment, trying to come up with a reply to Danny’s retort. Samantha walked by the door at that moment, though, and waved good morning to him. He let out a sigh.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll mark your timesheet.”
“Thanks, Jack. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Danny, wait!” Jack called into the phone, hoping to stop Danny from hanging up.
“Yeah?” Danny asked, expectantly.
“Tell... Tell Martin I hope he’s feeling better,” he said quickly.
“Sure, Jack.”
Thursday, 9:05 AM
“He buy it?” Martin asked.“I think so,” Danny replied.
The two men snuggled up against one another under the covers of Martin’s bed.
“You doing okay?” Danny asked, gently rubbing one of Martin’s wrists.
“Couldn’t be better,” Martin replied.
END