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Station 45 - home of Anderson Cleary, the youngest Chief in the history of Cascade. This man gave his all for the station. He brought it back from the brink of closure as a Captain. He remodeled the building, made sure that everything out of date was improved and replaced. However, the station soon came upon turmoil as it was torn in half by the actions of two men. Even after all the close calls he had gone through, nothing could take him away from his beloved station and job. That was until his life was taken in the performance of his duties. It left the station in shock of losing their leader and friend.
As they gave the highly decorated hero his final ride on the truck and laid him to rest, a new threat came to Station 45 and the two others in the city. A pyromaniac was about to make his mark on the city and give this station a new threat to face without their leader. This wasn't their only problem. The actions of two men a few weeks before Anderson's death left the station torn. Five crew members and a Captain was replaced and left a gap in the personnel. Now this burden rests upon the shoulders of a new Chief and old friend to Anderson - Gavin O'Leary.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 166 Karma: 2
Trick or Treat « Thread Started on Oct 28, 2009, 9:01pm »
When Courtney had rolled out of bed that morning, she had groaned when she looked at the calendar. It was Saturday - a day that the Haven was naturally busy, but it was also Halloween - a day that she didn't quite care for. She'd been in Cascade long enough to know the trouble that would ensue on the 31st of October. Grown men became adolescents again, and when you added liquor to that mix, you usually ended up with a mess, either inside or out. She could remember what had happened the year prior, when she'd had to close the Haven early and the cops had been called. Actually, the cops had been there several times that evening, when a fight had spilled into the street, and then again when people had reported a disturbance.
She wouldn't be caught dead dressing up again, either. Last year she'd dressed up as a police officer, and the flirting had not only been rather direct, it hadn't quit for days to come. She didn't need that kind of reaction again. The bar had been decorated rather lightly - some fake cobwebs in the corners of the ceiling, some rubber bats hanging from the ceiling, and some decals in the windows. Other than that, it would be a normal day at work, if you looked past the trouble she would no doubt encounter. Her friend was unable to come in and help her either, so she would be on her own. Not that she couldn't handle a rowdy bunch of off-duty cops on her own, but she preferred back up.
The day seemed to pass quickly, and soon enough it was opening time. She took a chance and took a cab to the bar, not wanting her Mustang to fall prey to some prankster, and she would take a cab home too. Not long after the door was unlocked, the first patrons began to spill in, ordering wings and flipping the TV over to some sports network that she had little interest in. As the night wore on, she could hear sirens whirring by outside as a cruiser responded to a call somewhere in the city. That wasn't unusal here either, but she figured that she'd hear them more frequently tonight. The bar began to fill up and the noise level increased. Things were fine so far, and sales were up - a definite bonus.
Shit didn't hit the fan until she called last call. It was nearly two o'clock in the morning, and there was still a fair amount of people there. Words were exchanged - she didn't know what was said, but before she knew it, fists were being exchanged as well. This was nothing new, and she stepped out from behind the bar, hollering for them to stop before she called the cops. They stopped long enough for her to usher both parties out of the bar and onto the street, where they were more than welcome to continue their brawl, just so long as it wasn't damaging her property inside.
Eventually everyone filed out, drunken revelers released onto the city streets to find their own way home. There were a few young adults who'd had too much to drink that had started raising trouble inside, and they'd been taunting her, warning her that when she closed up, they'd be waiting. She didn't doubt them either. She'd had trouble the year before as well, and had made Daniel come down when she was closing to walk her to her car. This year she didn't have her boyfriend to protect her, but she did remember Danny's offer. Still, it was late and she was hesitant to call.
She didn't want to worry him, but she was genuinely concerned. She'd seen innocent enough situations turn into troublesome situations at the drop of a hat, and she'd been walking home after closing one night when she'd been shot. That was not something she wanted to happen again. Finally giving in to her better judgment, she rifled through her wallet and found his card. She dialed his number, hoping that she wouldn't be waking him up - but she just didn't feel safe. She'd already locked the door, and was skipping most of her clean-up in order to leave at a half decent hour. She could always come in early and finish what she didn't get done tonight.
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #1 on Oct 29, 2009, 12:45pm »
Jordan had taken Haley to one of the safer neighborhoods Seattle had to offer about five o'clock that afternoon along with a few of her friends from school. So, he and one other parent had five children racing around them as they ran from door to door hoping for candy and comparing costumes. Haley, dork in the making that she was, had opted to go as a box for Halloween. Where the other girls were princesses and the boys were ninjas, Haley was a cardboard box-- a costume Danny had allowed her to mostly make herself, sans cutting of course. It was decorated with wrapping paper and ribbons, and Haley had graduated from telling people she was a box to telling them she was the best Christmas present in the whole world. That tended to make people laugh and caused Danny to shrug. His child had a lot of free run of her life when it came down to it. Obviously, he made major decisions, but she made the smaller ones.
By seven o'clock, the kids were bushed and the two guys had loaded them all back up into the Seqouia and were headed back to Danny's house where some of the moms had opted to cook dinner and the other dads were sitting around talking and watching the game. Turned out they had been right on time because dinner was ready and the kids were 'starving' as they wriggled out of their costumes and into jeans, shirts, and a couple put on their Pjs. By eight thirty, Haley was saying bye to all her friends and Danny was picking up the last few things that needed tidying. The candy trades had been made and Haley put hers in a jar near the sink so she could have a piece when she was good or when she helped with the chores.
It wasn't long after that, she had curled up in her bed with Danny finishing a story before she fell asleep. Once she was out, Jordan headed into the study to check his email and see what kinds of cases he would get to deal with come Monday morning. He might have been working for the county, but with so much of the gang activity centered in Cascade, the city kept him there more often than not, unless he was actually in the courtroom. Otherwise, a lot of it was interviewing police officers and talking to victims at the police station.
Stretching from his spot, he had been sidetracked by a case he wanted to work on, he glanced at the computer clock. It was almost two in the morning, and his thoughts drifted to Courtney. She was able to fend for herself, Danny knew, but she was still a bartender which meant that she would be closing up right about now and on a night like this, a woman alone was just an easy target. She might be one tough cookie, as the saying went, but a group of guys could still overpower her. And, in his experience, bars tended to get a few treats, or tricks, of their own.
As if on cue, his phone rang and he looked down to see her number pop up on his cell. He agreed to come down to the bar, assuaging her worries that she was bothering him by letting her know he had been up anyway and that they oughtta catch up. It had been a while since they had ran into each other at the waterpark, and they really didn't see much of each other beyond that. Haley sometimes asked about Courtney, but was quickly distracted by other things as Danny didn't quite know how far their friendship went and therefore couldn't tell her whether or not she would get to play with her soon.
Hanging up with Courtney, Danny gave his neighbor a call. They were still up watching horror movies and had no problem moving their fright fest over one house in case Haley woke up. A few minutes later, they were over and Danny showed them where he kept the popcorn in case they wanted to make some. The couple was about his age, though the husband was gone a lot of the time for work. He kissed Haley's forehead, careful not to wake her, before leaving.
About fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot at the bar. It was empty, though, and he grew a little concerned. Still, it was entirely possible that Courtney had gotten a ride. If she hadn't, her car was definately missing which would be a problem in and of itself. He stepped out, his jacket tight around him. He kept up the shape he had when he had been with JAG, and as such, his low body fat percent left him chronically chilled. Not that he minded, he supposed. He called Courtney via his cell phone and let her know he was outside so she could unlock the door. Locking the door behind him, Danny hung his jacket on the rack and looked around. She had obviously done some cleaning, but the Halloween drinkers had left the place trashed. "Hey," he said with a smile, "It looks like you had your hands full tonight. How are you?" Probably knackered, he figured.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 166 Karma: 2
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #2 on Oct 29, 2009, 10:06pm »
Someone had once referred to Courtney as a feisty little spitfire. That person wouldn't have been that far off base either, had they ever seen her attempt to disband a fight in her bar. She didn't take kindly to those who came to the Haven looking for trouble. Sure, trouble usually tended to find those who frequented her bar, considering that most of the regulars were police officers. Cops in Cascade weren't exactly winning popularity contests, so little arguments were bound to happen from time to time. When those arguments turned violent though, she sprang into action. People who threw punches in the Haven often never threw punches in there again, considering she even let them through the doors again.
Courtney did not advocate the use of weapons. She didn't like the feeling of the cold blued metal in her hands, or the awkward weight of it either. But, after having needed to defend herself once, she didn't feel safe without the added weight in her purse. She'd had to use a gun three times since moving to Cascade three years prior. Once, it had been her then current boyfriends service weapon. That had been the time she'd taken three pieces of lead, and had nearly died, only to come through numerous surgeries to find that her boyfriend had left her when she had needed him the most. After that, she'd bought her little Beretta, got a concealed carry permit, and had needed to draw it twice. It was no wonder she'd already suffered one nervous breakdown.
Just after she had dialed Danny's number, she had nearly hung up. She didn't want to bother him, and she'd almost figured that he would have been in bed at this ungodly hour. After all, the only people awake in the city were those dabbling in the illicit trades, those serving booze, and the boozers looking to cause trouble. If she were to pick one day where she truly didn't feel safe in the city, it had to be Halloween. The mess inside her bar spoke volumes as to why. It disgusted her, how people could have such blatant disregard for the property of others. She should have realized it long ago, but she couldn't come to terms with it.
Thankfully, Danny picked up rather quickly. She explained what was going on and that she'd really like some company downtown, if he didn't mind. When he explained that he'd been up anyway and that he felt as though they should catch up, she smiled and thanked him, then hung up. She didn't really know where to start with the clean up, and didn't really feel like taking at it tonight. While she waited for Danny to show up, she took a wet rag and a bottle of cleaner and began spraying down the bar and the tables, wiping them down. If she didn't, they would be a sticky mess come morning. Between the beer, the soda, and the sugary liqueurs she had been serving, there was quite a mess. The dishes had already been finished, but the place was still a wreck.
Courtney had just started sweeping when the phone rang. She answered, and promptly went and unlocked the door, careful to watch that he locked it again behind him. "Hey", she returned the greeting, sounding dead tired. The broom had been left leaning against one wall, and it didn't even look as though she had started. "Ugh". She made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat. She'd definitely had her hands full, and could have used a hand earlier, but Blake hadn't been able come down. Something about a party he'd agreed to go to. Oh well. "I guess that's a good way to put it...", she replied. The Haven had certainly brought in a good haul, with her Halloween menu of ghoulish drinks she'd concocted. They were nothing more than the usual drinks she served with new names, but the novelty sold.
Courtney walked over to the bar, glancing over to her shoulder to see that Danny was following her. She leaned against it with one elbow, glancing at him. "I feel like ready to go home", she told him when he asked how she was doing. She left out that she was ready to sleep for a week. But, she had a lot of work ahead of her when she came in again the following day. Sweeping and scrubbing and taking down the decorations would occupy her for the afternoon, and she would work half of the evening. Blake would take the rest of the evening, but they closed early on Sunday's anyway. "How have you been?", she asked, sliding onto one of the bar stools just to be able to get off her feet for a little bit. Oh, what she wouldn't give for a nice foot massage.
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #3 on Oct 30, 2009, 1:45am »
Danny chuckled good naturedly when she described the place and her well being in one simple word- ugh. It was quite the fantastic word when one didn't have a word that came easily to mind. Sometimes, it even worked better than any word in the dictionary. This was one of those times. He picked up a few loose pieces of trash from the seats as he followed behind her to the counter.
He nodded, throwing a few things away in a nearby trash can as Courtney sat down. "Well, two pairs of hands'll get you home faster," he said with a smile, but she looked bushed. He ducked behind the bar and grabbed a glass. He found the ice behind the bar and scooped some into the glass before filling it with water after a few seconds of confusion on how to work the damn buttons. "So, I'm not a good bar tender, but just relax for a few minutes. You've been on your feet all night." He grinned.
"I'm doin' alright. Haley went trick or treating with some friends tonight. She opted to be a Christmas present. That said, if you ever need any candy for any reason, I have a huge jar full on my kitchen counter that you're welcome to. She won't notice it's gone for about three months, and then it won't matter." He chuckled, tossing a few more things. He took the broom to the floor and started at one end. He was very detail orientated, but he was also quick. He'd had a hard DI and the lessons had stuck. Needless to say, his pad didn't look like a bachelor's pad either.
"Looks like business was good tonight. Did you have any pranksters come by for some 'fun?'" He used that word liberally and put air quotes around it with a slight roll of his eyes before he went back to sweeping, turning a few chairs up on the tables to sweep under them. As he progressed, the place looked a little tidier where he had been. That was his goal, though, so it only made sense.
He glanced at Courtney as he swept. "You look beat, Courtney, and not just from today. You been sleeping alright?" He wanted to check because he knew she worked a lot of long, hard hours and didn't get much chance to spend time pampering herself or just sleeping in. He listened as he swept, truly curious about her. He knew a lot, but he really didn't know that much, and it was interesting to find that she was the kind of person he knew he could listen to talk about themselves all day and all night. Some people, he just didn't want to hear about. Others, he did. Courtney fell so completely into that other category.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 166 Karma: 2
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #4 on Oct 30, 2009, 7:42pm »
There was no other way to put it. Words failed to describe the kind of night she had just experienced, and it had seemed to get the message across to Danny just fine. She didn't doubt it one bit that he had a day or two that compared to what she'd just worked through. Thank God there were only a few times during the year that things got this hectic. Halloween, Christmas, New Years, Super Bowl, and the Fourth of July seemed to be the busy days. When the NHL Playoffs were going on, she often had a standing room only type of situation. Still, sports fans were usually better behaved than the drunken revelers on Halloween, unless, of course, their team was losing.
Courtney shook her head. She hadn't called for him to help her clean up the bar. "I didn't expect you to come down here and help me clean, Danny", she told him. But, she definitely wouldn't turn down a helping hand. It would save her coming in extra early the following day to try to get the place back in working order. At least they hadn't broken anything this time, and she hadn't been forced to call the cops to deal with any out-of-hand patrons. "I really appreciate you coming down, especially at this hour", she told him, turning to lean back against the bar.
Courtney smiled. The picture that flashed through her head of Haley dressed up as a Christmas present, complete with bow and all was especially cute. "I suppose she thought of that all by herself", she said as he picked up the broom from where she had left off. "Beats me being a bag of jelly beans when I was her age. Might have been equally as cute though", she grinned. Dressing up as a bag of jelly beans had been rather creative though, and had warranted quite a few laughs. Now, she could care less about dressing up, even though she'd seen a myriad of costumes tonight.
"Oh, business was definitely hopping", she explained, "But being that busy when you're the only one working the front is brutal". Not that she minded actually making a decent haul for a change. Most months she was struggling to pay her overhead fees and the rent for her apartment. The only thing that she owned free and clear was her Mustang, and she was concerned that one of these days she would end up living out of it. She loved her bar dearly, and loved the people that she got to meet therein, but she definitely needed more money. Unless she expanded, maybe got a few pool tables or something, she couldn't see herself still owning the Haven in five years. Until she went broke though, she'd keep doing what she loved, even if it left her tired, bitter and frustrated at the end of the day.
Courtney stared at the floor, listening to the bristles of the broom on the floor as he swept for her. He was such a sweetheart - she just couldn't understand why he was single. She'd been thinking about him a lot lately, wondering how he and his daughter were doing, ever since running into them at the water park. That day had been fun, and spending that day with them surely beat spending it alone. A water park wasn't the place you wanted to spend your day alone.
She sighed. He wasn't only a gentleman, and an attractive one at that, he was intuitive as well. "If you've really gotta know, I haven't really been sleeping all that well", she admitted. She owed him the truth, and she had no reason to lie, even if she was reluctant to admit her problems. Before he even had the chance to ask why she had become an insomniac as of late, she launched into her explanation. It was easier that way, rather than hum and haw about her answer.
She couldn't remember whether or not she'd ever told him about Marcus. She was ninety-nine percent sure that she had clued him into what had happened. She remembered telling him about the time she had spent in the hospital after being shot, and Marcus leaving her was one in the same, so she figured that he knew. "Marcus came back", she grumbled, "Again". This was the third time he'd come back grovelling since he'd left her in the hospital. This time was a bit different though - she didn't take him back, and didn't harbor the same feelings. Who could expect her to, after he'd left her the last time, pregnant?
But, seeing him again had stirred up old emotions, ones best left in the past where they belonged. "I didn't let him stay, but I didn't expect to see him again, not after the last time he'd walked". That was one thing she hadn't told Danny about - the miscarriage was still a sensitive issue for her, and it was one she didn't talk about unless she absolutely had to. Maybe one day she'd fill him in on the missing parts of her past, but for now, he'd have to assume.
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #5 on Oct 31, 2009, 4:20pm »
"I know," he said with a grin, "but I can't just do nothing." He continued sweeping, moving the tables that weren't attached to the floor and sliding them back in place once he had swept under them. The ones he couldn't move, he left and swept around them for obvious reasons.
"Actually," he said, pausing with a silly grin, "she did. She surprises me sometimes, but she's always been a fan of Santa, and I always tell her she's my present. Maybe it went to her head, but she spent the evening telling people she was the world's greatest present." He chuckled only because he knew Haley really didn't understand what she was saying. She had picked it up from somewhere-- the 'world's greatest' thing-- and had applied it to where she thought it fit.
Danny swept the rest of the area and grabbed the dustpan from where he had seen it earlier, pushing all of the dirt into that and dumping it into the trash bin. Jordan sat beside Courtney at the bar as she sighed, sounding about at exhausted as she looked. Courtney had always been somewhat vague about Marcus, and Jordan got the picture that he was not the kind of guy to spend time with. Either his good moments were very, very good or Courtney had gotten caught in a going-nowhere relationship. Regardless, his bad moments were very, very bad, and it worried Danny that he was back in town. He made the mental note to call and check in with her a little more often than their once in a while meetings. Not that he wouldn't mind chatting with her or even spending time with her, but at the very least to know Marcus didn't come back again.
"Not to sound like an ass, but I'm glad you didn't let him stay. It sounds like he's more harm than help." He gently massaged the back of her neck with one hand. It didn't take a massage therapist to recognize that she was tense and he'd been told his winning charm was his instinct to know when someone else needed something. He wasn't entirely sure if the whole touching thing was alright, but he trusted Courtney to tell him if she was uncomfortable with him rubbing her neck.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 166 Karma: 2
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #6 on Oct 31, 2009, 5:26pm »
Courtney rolled her eyes, but it was more a playful gesture than one of annoyance. If he wanted to sweep the bar, she certainly wouldn't stop him, but she did feel bad for calling him down here, and essentially putting him to work. Days like today made her wish she could afford to hire someone full time to work there with her, but she truly didn't have the funds needed to add a salary. What she was able to take out of this place paid her bills and not much more. She was living paycheque to paycheque, but she was used to that kind of life. After all, she'd been leading that kind of life for a couple of years now. She was just putting her tips aside in a jar, occasionally cashing it in and putting it into a savings account. Eventually she'd be able to pay her way out of there, or into a better setting at least. For all its shortcomings, Courtney did love Cascade.
"I figured as much". For what she knew of his daughter, Haley seemed to be a very smart, very imaginative, and quite intuitive little girl. She definitely had to hand it to Danny - he was doing a wonderful job raising her on his own. She laughed as he proceeded to recount the story of how Haley had been telling everyone that she was the World's Greatest Present. To her father, she was quite sure that was true. She was a beaming little ray of sunshine, and with a dark job like Danny had, Haley was probably the light of his life. Someday, she figured, she would have a family too. She just had to find the right person. Marcus certainly hadn't been the right person.
When Jordan joined her at the bar, she glanced at him and smiled, offering her thanks for his help. She knew she should probably tell him more about Marcus and explain to him everything that had happened, but it was painful to remember everything that he had done to her, so she left it in the past, where she felt it belonged. It had taken her a long, long time to get over him. She had actually thought that he had been the one for her -- that she would marry him -- then he had left her alone when she had needed someone the most. Why she'd let him come back a second, and then a third time, she didn't know. After the second time he had disappeared, she had managed to convince herself that she didn't love him anymore.
It wasn't so easy to lie to yourself when the object of the lie came back. She'd spent one night with him -- one stupid, drunken night -- and it had changed her life forever. He'd stuck around for a bit, and she'd hired him on as a bouncer at her bar, in exchange letting him live at her apartment while she stayed with Daniel. That one night culminated in a positive pregnancy test two weeks later, and he'd run off like a scalded cat. He'd told her that if she had been pregnant, he would have stayed and tried to be a good father -- he had sure changed his mind in a hurry once she confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. Three months later, she'd had a miscarriage that the doctors still couldn't explain, and had slipped into a depression. It had taken her a long time to come out of that hole, but when she did, she had a new outlook on life, and more importantly - she was completely over Marcus.
She shook her head. Danny didn't sound like an ass - he sounded exactly like her conscience did. "You don't know the half of it", she said quietly. It had been the miscarriage that had totally opened her eyes. It still hurt, and she was left wondering if she would ever be able to carry a baby to term if she did get pregnant again. The doctors weren't one hundred percent sure, but she'd be under close monitoring if she did find the right person to settle down with and start a family. That was just too much to explain to him, and though she knew he would be sympathetic - like everyone else - she just didn't want to bring it up. If he pried, she'd explain it. Telling him would likely be therapeutic too.
Just like his hand on the back of her neck. At first she tensed at his touch, somewhat uncomfortable with the feeling, but it didn't take long for her to relax into his touch. Her shoulders slouched and she closed her eyes lightly, giving in to him. She hadn't been to a massage therapist or a chiropractor in ages because she couldn't afford it, and it wasn't like she had health insurance. "Mmmm... thanks", she murmured softly. She was tense and definitely stressed out, but she had grown used to living that way. She had pretty much forgotten what it felt like to just relax and enjoy herself, and that was a shame. She just needed someone to teach her how to live again.
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #7 on Nov 4, 2009, 2:58pm »
He could feel the tension in her shoulders begin to ebb, though not much. Likely, she needed a good massage therapist to work out those hard knots and just give her a day of pampering to herself. Jordan made a mental note to ask Verna, a public defender he so often worked with, where she got her massages. She was always telling him to go to one, and though he had caved and gone once, he couldn't remember the name. Still, he remembered the place and it seemed quite the spiffy thing.
"If you ever want to talk about anything, I'm a good listener," he told her, his voice soft so as not to startle her while she was so relaxed. He worked his hands over her shoulder blades and down her spine a few inches before going back to massaging her neck and shoulders. He liked giving massages purely because he liked seeing people relax. Life was something he thought about after a major case, usually involving a shooting or a homicide, and he had long ago decided it was too short to carry around the heavy burdens. Sometimes, it was nice to just put them somewhere. Not forget about them, but just not have to think about them so often. It was something he had learned in his infantry days before they had made him a JAG Corps Officer. Like putting down his ARX-160, he had learned to store memories, to call them up as needed, but otherwise, to just know they were there, somewhere, unable to cause harm until played upon.
Using his fingers, he gently combed the ends of her long hair over one of her shoulders. "And, from the looks of your muscles back here, you have a lot to talk about." It made his heart hurt that she was so stressed out and that she had been hurt so badly because, evidently, Marcus had done a number on her psyche if not her physical body. Courtney had always been very vague about him, though she had told him a generic amount of information. Even if it hadn't been Marcus, someone had taken a remarkable toll on her body, more than just the broken promises and broken hearts.
"Why don't you come by tomorrow for lunch," he suggested, "anytime before you have to be here. Nothing too fancy, burgers on the grill or something." He shrugged non-chalantly, though he did wonder if his offer was too friendly. He thought Courtney was a sweet woman and considered her a friend, but he didn't know if she considered him a friend as well, though something had to be said for being called up so early in the morning. "Just a thought. You'd have to suffer Haley talking your ear off, but I make pretty good burgers that might be worth it. Buffalo or regular." And, it beat eating alone, which he figured she did from everything he knew about her so far. He didn't say that, though. It wasn't important, and it might offend her, something he did not enjoy doing.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 166 Karma: 2
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #8 on Nov 4, 2009, 6:29pm »
Courtney didn't doubt his statement. Danny struck her as a very thoughtful man, and she knew that she could turn to him. It spoke volumes that she even trusted him, but she did. There weren't many people in this city that she felt she could trust, either, but Danny seemed genuine. She didn't feel threatened around him. In fact, it was the exact opposite. When she managed to spend a little bit of time with him, she was more relaxed than she normally was. Now especially, considering he was giving her a massage. She could feel the tension slip away, but that was just superficial. The stress of the day was wearing away as his hands worked her muscles to rid them of the knots, but the stuff she couldn't let go of - what she kept bottled up inside her - kept her tense.
She should have learned a long time ago to just put things aside and not let them hurt her any more. She'd be much better off if she could live in the now, rather than the past. Courtney sighed, defeated. Danny was right. She did have a lot to talk about. There was so much about her that she wanted to share with him, but she was afraid that he would think she was an idiot. A lot of the pain that she was holding onto was self-inflicted, especially the pain of Marcus leaving. She could have saved herself a lot of heartache had she said no to him when he'd come back on his knees. She wanted to show him the scars - abdomen, chest, shoulder. Seeing them every day in the mirror disgusted her. She was very self-conscious of them. However, the scars were a constant reminder that she was a fighter. She could have given up that night - she'd been so close - but she couldn't do that.
Her body language read that she had a lot to tell him, but she couldn't begin to explain everything she'd been through. "Believe me when I say you don't want to hear the half of it, good listener or not", she finally admitted. If she started from the beginning right now, they'd be there all night and into the morning before she would be able to get through it all. She was a sucker for punishment, and she had been labeled a Badge Bunny. That was half of her problem. Police officers didn't make the best partners unless there were two very strong individuals committed to making it work. Marcus had been a member of the SWAT team in Cascade. Daniel had been associated with the SWAT team as well as a hostage negotiator. She'd been with Sergeant Alaric Esslinger too - he'd been a Detective, and an alcoholic. Then she'd actively pursued Sergeant Duke Chase, head of Major Crimes. None of her adventures within the PD had panned out.
When he invited her over for lunch, she glanced at him with uncertainty in her eyes. She didn't have a reason to turn him down, and she was a terrible liar to boot. Then there was Haley - with whom she wouldn't mind visiting. For only sort-of knowing him, she considered Danny a good friend, and a potential confidant if she could get over her traumatic past enough to vent to someone. "I appreciate the offer, Danny", she finally spoke. "I think I'd like that". She offered him a smile. It was a tired one, but it was genuine - something that wasn't seen very often anymore.
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #9 on Nov 11, 2009, 4:31pm »
"Courtney," Danny said, carefully choosing his words, "I care about you. I do consider you one of my friends." He pushed her pretty blonde hair out of her face, looking level with her. Worry reflected in his eyes, but so did honesty and a genuine concern. She was such a kind hearted woman, and he didn't think she deserved so much pain. "Anything you need to talk about, I will listen. I want to know because it's important to you, and I'm not going to judge you for it."
He wouldn't even to the typical guy thing and try to fix her problems. He would just let her vent, tell someone. After all, if she hadn't already noticed, he wasn't the typical guy. Like pillars to a house, everyone needed someone to lean on every now and again. Courtney, for all her strength, really didn't seem to possess that in someone else, and it could wear down the soul very quickly. He didn't want to see her hurt more if she didn't have to feel that pain. Humans were social creatures. Without the ability to socialize and discuss things weighing on their minds, they tended to hit a depression, and Courtney didn't need that on top of everything else already on her shoulders.
Danny smiled when she accepted his offer of lunch. He could see the hesitation in her eyes, as if she didn't know what she wanted to do. He figured the question in her mind was whether or not she could trust him. She could, of course, but she would have to come to that in her own time. Tired or not, Jordan had to admit, Courtney was stunning when she smiled. He had noticed it a couple of times, but hadn't said anything, not wanting to frighten her. He just thought she had a beautiful smile, but he knew hearing that from someone she didn't know very well might put her off. "We'd like it, too," he answered, "so, how about you tell me what else needs doing so we can get this place closed up and you can actually sleep for a little while today?" He gave her a broad grin. Really, he had no problem helping her out, and she clearly needed a few hours nap.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 166 Karma: 2
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #10 on Nov 11, 2009, 6:09pm »
"Maybe some other time. Not now", she told him, trying to keep him from pressing the subject. Someday she might need to talk about it, but she wasn't confident that right now was a good time to do it. She hated herself for her past, and part of her pact with herself was to leave the past in the past and to move on with her life. Moving on wasn't always so easy though. Some things she had managed to push into a memory box and lock it in the back of her mind, but the bigger things didn't want to fit. It was why she was so tense. In reality, she was the cause of her own problems. Had she learned to let things go, she would be much better off than she was. After all, her life was great now that Marcus was out of the picture for good. Why she kept beating herself up over things she couldn't change now and had been unable to control then, she didn't know.
Courtney was well aware that Danny wasn't like most guys. Slowly but surely she was beginning to fall for him, despite the fact that she was constantly reminding herself not to get too deeply involved, lest she end up hurt again. She just couldn't handle that kind of pain another time - it would break her, quite literally. The time she spent with Danny and Haley was definitely time well spent, and she enjoyed it. When she looked at him, she saw that he had what she had always wanted. He had a family, despite the fact that he was a single parent, and she admired his strength. He was kind, considerate, compassionate and caring - something she'd yet to find in another guy. Marcus had been all of that and then some when she had first dated him. Then she had found out that wasn't who he truly was underneath it all. Danny, on the other hand, seemed to be so genuine and so up front about everything that she couldn't help but trust him.
Courtney hadn't seen Haley since they'd met up at KennyWood quite some time ago. She was wondering how the young girl was doing and was actually anxious to see her again. She envied Danny. He had her dream job, he had a smart little girl, he had the strength to not only survive but thrive in this dark, desolate place. Definitely an amazing man - there was no doubting that. When he asked her what else there was left to do for the night, she glanced around. There were numerous last minute things that could wait for the next day when she came back, but for now, she was ready to go home and she wasn't about to let Jordan clean up anymore of her mess. "All that's left is to lock the door and get the Hell out of here", she told him, heaving a sigh of relief. Her least favorite night of the year was over. Now she could look forward to Christmas and New Years - the next busy spurt she'd encounter.
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #11 on Nov 13, 2009, 3:16pm »
Jordan smiled. He didn't mean to push. He just wanted to make sure Courtney knew whatever she told him, if she ever told him anything, would be safe. He didn't expect her to spill her guts, in a manner of speaking, to him, but if she ever needed someone to lean on, he didn't want her to be afraid that he would let her fall. It was a scary thing, he knew. When he had come back from working infantry, there were just some things that had been so eye-opening and traumatic that he hadn't talked about them at first. He had been worried that other people wouldn't understand what he had seen or done. But, his buddies from the Army had always been there, and he trusted those that were still his friends. They had all helped each other more than he could explain, and he was grateful everyday for their presence in his life.
Nodding to Courtney, he looked around. He wasn't really much of a bar person, so he didn't know how the whole venue was run. Most of his friends had kids, so they would get together for a playdate and sit around and chat while the kids ran around the park or up and down the stairs and in the back yard depending on where they met up. "Alrighty, then." He paused, somewhat uncertain. "I didn't see your car in the lot," he said, "Did you need a ride home?"
Really, he had no problems giving her a lift. It was a lot cheaper than a cab and at least he knew she would get safely home. He rather enjoyed her company but was afraid to look at her in a different light lest he frighten her off. Obviously, she had some bad experiences with guys, and even though he was starting to have a bit of a crush on her, he was more concerned with their friendship than finding out whether or not she wanted a relationship or if she even liked him.
Joined: Nov 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 166 Karma: 2
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #12 on Nov 14, 2009, 12:24am »
Courtney wasn't exactly used to having someone there for her anymore. It had been a year since Marcus had first left her, and though she had grown accustomed to having Daniel there for her over the past six months or so, she had long since gotten over him as well. Then there was Eric, with whom she hadn't spoken for quite some time. Having no one she could really turn to, besides Blake who would come in and run the bar for her every once in awhile, she hadn't really vented. She hated talking to Blake, because quite honestly, she felt like one of those drunks you always saw, spilling tears into a stein of beer while the bartender listened with an empathetical nod thrown in for effect.
As Danny glanced around, Courtney was already formulating a list in her head of all the things left to do for the following day before she could open. The list wasn't overly long, but it was the mundane chores that she hated to do. She had placed a liquor order the week prior, and the truck was due in sometime soon, which meant that she would be stacking pallets of beer and stocking her shelves with booze. She had inventory to do after every night - especially a night like Halloween where she managed to sell quite a bit of alcohol. Then there was the last minute tidying and taking down of the decorations. Still, it would be enough to keep her occupied for most of the afternoon before she opened.
When he mentioned her needing a ride, she shrugged it off. "I was just going to call a cab, actually", she explained. "I had some trouble last year with vandals on Halloween, so I didn't really want to go through an insurance claim again so soon - so I took a cab down". The year prior, she'd had to file an insurance claim for damages done to her Mustang by some punk. She didn't know if it had been some drunk that had done it, or if it had maybe been an area teen who didn't have anything better to do than smash windows. She slipped from the bar stool and stood, stretching. She was exhausted and more than ready to go to bed for a few hours rest before having to get up and do it all again. Courtney headed around the counter and grabbed her coat and her purse before rejoining her friend. Despite not wanting to call Danny, she was quite glad that she had, and not only because he had helped her clean.
Re: Trick or Treat « Reply #13 on Nov 17, 2009, 2:41pm »
Jordan nodded. "Well, if you wanna save fifty bucks, I have no problem dropping you off at your home," he said. Really, he meant it. It would be safer to take his car, but he could understand if she didn't want to let him know where she lived. Given her experience with guys, it might not be the foremost ideal thing on her mind. Not that he would really remember unless she lived next to something major and unique-- like a floral shop or an auto dealer. But, still, he understood.
He grabbed his own coat and slid it back over his shoulders, pulling it around the front. Halloween was always an interesting night. Cold as all get out, and kids wanted to run around gathering candy and playing pranks. It never made much sense, but the following week day, he was always busy in the courthouse doing arraignments for those arrested that night. This time, they would have a day to sit around in jail waiting for Monday to come around so they could possibly get bail.
Danny stretched. "If you wanna take a cab, I'll wait here with you until it gets here." He smiled warmly, his hands in his pockets. He'd rather wait for her than leave and risk her being hurt if he left before she did.
(Sorry it's short and sucky. Shall we start something new?)
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