Archive of Our Own

Fanfiction: A Friend, Necessary Roughness, PG
Title: A Friend
Author: goodisrelative
Rating: PG
Spoilers: through S1
Character/Pairing: Nico Careles, Dani Santino / friendship
Summary: Or at least never again alone and without a bottle of wine – a very large bottle of wine.

Author's note: Given the pictures on his phone, I can easily see this. And I needed a break from the fic that has 45 pages and is giving me fits. This was born.

She’d never doubted his words to her – them – and right now she just needed a friend. After the whole Gabriella Pitman thing, she hoped he considered her words as the truth. It had been months, although it seemed like years when she thought back on it. She hadn’t seen him in a month or more – football season was long over and it wasn’t time for training yet. She hadn’t even fully thought out her decision, if you could call it one. She’d started driving and it wasn’t until she was in the parking lot that she even realized where she was.

The kids were on vacation with their father and she’d taken the time to do some cleaning. Never again. Or at least never again alone and without a bottle of wine – a very large bottle of wine. She hadn’t understood what it was when she first saw it. It had taken flipping through the photo album twice before she realized what she was looking at.

She was already inside the restaurant before she started really questioning her actions. What am I doing here? How can I look him in the eyes and tell him what has me upset? I should go! Her thoughts were all over the place. He can beat the crap out of him for being such a jackass!

The choice was made for her when she heard her name from behind her when she turned to go. “Doctor Santino?” His voice hadn’t changed. Neither did her reaction to it. It had been why, after TK had been shot, that she’d broken it off for good with Matt. She couldn’t see a man when another’s voice could soothe her just by speaking her name. She turned to face him after a deep breathe. This was a good thing.

“Nico,” She smiled at him.

“What’s wrong?” He saw through the smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“I – I need a friend tonight, Nico.” She faltered in her words, but knew they were the right ones.

“Come join me, Doctor Santino, and we can talk,” Nico nodded and led her back to his table.

“I shouldn’t have come. But I was here before I knew where here was, and I just… The kids are on vacation with their father. Jeanette’s in Barcelona, planning what I sincerely hope and believe is her last wedding.” She was babbling.

“Danielle. Please tell me what is wrong.” His hand closed over hers.

She looked over at him at the use of her first name and his touch. “He kept a photo album.” She blurted and then closed her eyes in humiliation. “I was cleaning the garage and there it was. I don’t know if he forgot or expected me to find it months ago. I think maybe he wanted me to find it and have it out with him. I don’t know if he expected me to just let it drop or divorce him, but I believe he wanted at least the secret out.”

“I am sorry, Danielle.” He hadn’t thought her ex had it in him to be so calculating. Likely, he hadn’t meant for it to be found at all and then in the divorce had forgotten it was there. But Nico couldn’t speak to the man’s motives and didn’t.

“You always knew how many there really were, didn’t you?” Her words weren’t an accusation. She just wanted to know the truth and knew he would give it to her.

“Once my man gave me the report on him, yes.” Nico answered truthfully. “You didn’t ask; didn’t want to know. And I wasn’t going to hurt you more than he already had with the truth.”

“I don’t understand why I was so blind all these years. I am a therapist. I should have…” Dani closed her eyes.

Nico’s hand covered hers on the table. “You weren’t always, Danielle, and you were too close to the situation to see it clearly. He was good at the lies and deception. You had your children and they always came first.”

She looked over at him and he could see the tears she wouldn’t let fall in them. “Sometimes all that sounds like are excuses. Especially when I tell myself those reasons.” She took a deep breath and blinked the tears away. “But when you say them, I can see them as the truth.”

Nico just watched her. She didn’t expect him to say anything. “Have you eaten tonight?” Dani shook her head. “Then stay and join me.”

“I shouldn’t intrude like that Nico. This is your Tuesday Night Restaurant and I imagine you use it to decompress and reflect.”

“Sometimes, but it isn’t football season and TK has been quite manageable these days. So I would like you to join me, Danielle, as a friend.”

“I think I’d like that, Nico,” Dani smiled.