Chapter 5
"You look chipper." Mira said, as Mandy walked into the lounge.
"I feel good." Mandy said, sitting down at the table with Mira.
"That's good to see." Mira said, watching Mandy get up and pour herself some coffee. "You just stole Danny's mug, he's going to kill you." Mira said.
"No he won't." Mandy replied.
Mira laughed. "So, are you going to tell me when the hook-up happened or do I have to guess based on the twinkle in your eye?" She said, as Mandy laughed.
"And I thought us making out in the lab gave it away." Mandy said, turning to face her friend.
"Girl, you better be lying." Mira said.
"Do I look like a girl whose out to lose her job?" Mandy asked.
"True." Mira replied.
"I'd at least use M.E.'s office or the elevator." Mandy replied, sitting down at the table, crossing her legs and then sipping her coffee.
"So?" Mira asked.
"So what?" Mandy asked.
"Are you going to tell me anything?" Mira asked.
"There really is nothing to discuss." Mandy replied.
"You and Danny finally got together, and you're telling me there's nothing to discuss?" Mira said.
"Cause there isn't." Mandy said, as Danny walked in and went straight to the coffee. He searched the shelf of coffee mugs and then turned to face the girls.
"What happened to my mug?" He asked.
"Mandy took it." Mira said, as Mandy sipped some of her coffee.
"I may have to steal it back then." Danny replied.
"Ew, you two are going to play kissy face in a second." Mira said, as Mandy laughed and sat down the mug. Danny quickly picked it up and sipped some of the coffee.
"Do you not remember the talk about losing jobs?" Mandy said, laughing.
"Someone's having fun in here." Flack said, walking in.
"Hey Flacky, what are you doing over here in our neck of the woods?" Mandy asked.
"Flacky?" Danny asked.
"Yeah. Cause it's Danny, Mandy, and Mirry. So, to make him fit, it's Flacky." Mandy said, her eyes drifting over to Mira.
Mira staid silent, just watching Flack. Every move he made, she watched. Every laugh he made caused her to smile. Mandy couldn't deny it; Mira had a crush on Detective Don Flack.
"Hey Flack, basketball tomorrow." Danny said, sipping out of Mandy's coffee while she kept watching Mira.
"Hawkes and Chad playing?" Flack asked.
"I believe so." Danny said.
"May be a good game. Drinks tonight?" Flack said.
"Team drinks if I'm thinking right." Danny said.
"Okay." Flack said, as Aiden walked in.
"Everyone looks rather chipper today." She said, her eyes resting more on Danny than anyone else.
"I think I said that." Mira said.
"But, it was just to me. Aiden's commenting on everyone's chipperness." Mandy said, as Mira nodded.
"She's covering everyone I missed?" Mira asked.
"Pretty much." Mandy replied.
"Okay, we've got some cases people." Stella said, walking in.
"I knew there had to be a reason Flack was here." Mira said.
"Aiden and Mandy will be with me. Mira and Danny, can I trust you to handle one?" Stella said.
"It's only been how long since we almost burnt something down?" Mira asked.
"Does that count the Bunsen burner incident last week?" Danny asked.
"I think I have an answer." Stella said, handing an address to Danny and then to Aiden. "You two are going to have to start without me. I have something to tie up with Mac really quickly." Stella said, as Aiden smiled. "So, Aiden, you'll be in charge until I get there."
Aiden nodded as Mandy started walking out of the lounge. Aiden followed behind.
"What? No good-bye kiss?" Mira asked, as Flack and Danny shrugged.
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"Okay, DB is Jack Riley, hockey coach. Taught pee-wee hockey and took care of a nearby rink." Mandy said, sitting in the lounge.
"Hard day?" Danny asked, as he walked into the lounge, his suit jacket hung over his arm.
"Aiden's just riding my ass with this case." Mandy said, not looking up from her papers.
"Aiden getting power hungry?" Danny asked, as Mandy looked up.
"Does she hate me?" Mandy asked.
"Well, you are dating the cutest guy here." Danny said, puffing up his chest and pretending like he was great.
"Since when have I been dating Hawkes?" Mandy asked.
"Ha ha, very funny." Danny said. He watched her turn back to her work. "You gonna come over?" He asked.
"Depends." Mandy said.
"Everyone's leaving. You can too." Danny said, sitting down next to her.
"I know." Mandy said, as she watched Danny smile. "I just don't want Aiden to be able to find something else to chew me out for." She said.
Danny took one of her hands in his and gave it an empathetic squeeze. "Don't worry about her." Danny said, as Mandy smiled.
"What would I do without you?" Mandy asked.
"Continue dating Hawkes." Danny replied.
"So, we rent a movie, get some Chinese and frozen yogurt?" Mandy asked.
"Chick flick?" Danny asked. Mandy looked at the look on Danny's face. He did not look at all amused at the idea of watching a chick flick.
Mandy stood up and started walking out of the lounge. Danny followed, waiting to hear her answer.
He followed her to the locker room, where she went to her locker and pulled out her jacket and purse. And, he watched her walk back to the doorway of the locker room. She turned and started slipping on her jacket, as Danny started doing the same. "Mr. Messer, I will defiantly make it worth your time." She said, as Danny smiled.
Aiden walked into the lounge. She had felt like making it an all nighter, and figured it was time for a break. And, possibly, she'd run into Danny while she was wandering around.
So, she started pouring herself some coffee, and started to look at the random people walking around in the hallways.
And that was when she saw them. Danny had a hold of Mandy's hand, and they were walking down the hallway. Both had a smile on their face and were laughing. They both seemed pretty happy.
Aiden dumped her cup of coffee and marched back to where she was working. Maybe working harder on this case would keep her mind off what she just saw.
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Mandy walked into the lab the next morning, humming to herself. She saw Aiden there already, studying a piece of paper that was written all over. "Morning Aiden." Mandy said, coming closer.
"What's got you so chipper?" Aiden asked, as Mandy slowed down.
"You okay?" Mandy asked.
"Do I sound like I'm okay?" Aiden asked.
"Sorry. Did not mean to press a button." Mandy said, as she pulled on a lab coat and then went over to the lab table.
"Don't touch anything, I have things situated perfectly." Aiden said.
"Well, if I'm going to help on this investigation, it may help if I can look at the evidence." Mandy said, reaching for a bag.
Aiden knocked her hand away. "I told you not to touch it." She growled.
"So sorry that I'm trying to do my job." Mandy said.
"Like you're doing with Danny?" Aiden asked.
"Mine and Danny's relationship is none of your business!" Mandy said.
"When you flaunt it out in public, it's kinda hard not to make it part of my business!" Aiden said.
Mandy bit her lip, trying to control her temper. But, it didn't work. She grabbed a hold of the papers and bags and threw them up in the air. "There's all your evidence, have fun." She said, storming out of the lab.
Aiden followed behind. "What is with you?" Aiden asked.
"With me? What's with me? You have the nerve to ask me that when I've been nothing but cordial with you? When I've bent over backwards on this case to please you? When I never touched anything of yours?" Mandy asked, as she noticed Aiden's eyes looking like they were on fire.
"Didn't touch anything of mine? You're with Danny!" Aiden said, her voice raising.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know he was claimed already. I'll check next time for an ownership card before I date someone." Mandy said, her voice raising to match Aiden's.
"What the hell is going on here?" Stella said, walking over to see her two investigators yelling at each other.
"Nothing." Aiden quickly replied.
"Like hell!" Mandy said.
"What's going on out here?" Mac asked, stepping out of his office. Danny was a few steps behind him.
"Not sure." Stella said. "Aiden claims nothing is wrong, while Mandy doesn't seem to agree."
"She's mad at me about my dating choice, and it carrying it over to work." Mandy said.
"Is this true?" Stella asked, looking at Aiden.
"No." Aiden replied, crossing her arms and looking away.
Mandy didn't like the response, and it was no surprise when she swung at Aiden. It was more of a surprise that she actually made contact, and that Danny quickly pulled her away after that.
"You are wacko!" Aiden said, holding her hands over her nose that was now bleeding due to Mandy.
"You finally gonna tell me what your problem is, or do I have to try again?" Mandy asked, fighting against Danny.
"Actually, I think I may have an idea of what the deal is." Danny said.
"Really?" Mandy asked.
"You two, talk this over. And then, I'd love to see the two of you in my office. It seems like we may have something we need to talk about." Mac said. "Stella, tend to Aiden's nose."
Danny gulped loud, as he slowly let go of Mandy. Stella quickly ushered Aiden away.
"So, what's Aiden's deal?" Mandy asked, scared of where this may lead them.
"A few weeks before you arrived, I was really down in the dumps. Craig, from high school, he had mailed me an invite to his wedding. I couldn't stand the fact that I was still single, that I went to the bar that night and got into quite the drinking mood." Danny said.
"What does that have to do with Aiden?" Mandy asked.
"She showed up, set on taking me home. But, I talked her into having a few drinks. And afterwards, we kinda slept together." Danny said.
"You and Aiden slept together?" Mandy asked.
"She apparently thought more of it than me. We swore that nothing was going to come of it, and it was just a fluke and we were drunk beyond reason. I hadn't really thought much about it." Danny said.
"But apparently she had." Mandy said.
"Mandy, I know I should have told you, but I thought it was just going to be the past. I didn't think it would wind up biting me in the ass." Danny said.
"Danny, I'm not going to say that I totally forgive you for not telling me. But, I understand. We've all had our one night stands. Just promise me you'll tell me stuff like this before I punch out a co-worker." Mandy said.
"I promise." Danny said, as Mandy hugged.
"So, let's go get yelled at by Mac." She said, as the two started walking to Mac's office.
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"Seems to me we have a little matchmaking going on here." Mac said, watching Mandy and Danny grow uncomfortable under his gaze.
"We promise Mac, we'll keep our relationship out of work. I won't beat up any more co-workers. We've done a good job of it until now." Mandy started babbling.
"What's she's trying to say Mac, is that we don't want to break up, and would do anything to stay together." Danny replied.
"You think I'm going to make you break up?" Mac asked.
"Well, I did just hurt Aiden cause of my relationship." Mandy said.
"Stress levels. And besides, Aiden had it coming to her anyways." Mac said. "I think you guys have something great. I'd hate to come in the way of that." Mac said, watching the two relax a little. "Reminds me of a couple I know." He said, looking at a framed picture from a police ball on his desk.
"Mac? Are you dating someone and we don't know it?" Danny asked.
"See, it can be done." Mac said, smiling. He noticed Stella walk past, and he watched her for a second. "All I ask is that you be careful. We don't want one of you put in danger because of your love for the other." Mac said.
"We'll be careful." Danny and Mandy both said.
"Back to work then." Mac said, as the two got up and quickly left.
Stella walked in. "They gonna be okay?" She asked.
"Just testing the waters of their relationship. Soon, they'll be as good as me." Mac said, smiling at Stella, who smiled back.