csi:ny part 18
Don and Danny were cuddled on the couch after Danny's last exam for the term. It was starting to snow, and they had coffee with a little whiskey to warm them, if their kisses hadn't.
"Maybe we should reciprocate the hospitality from last Christmas, invite your cousin and her kids for New Year's Eve."
Thinking about it, Danny answered, "That would be nice. Though I haven't told Helen yet, she thinks your coming to visit was just a friend in the area. Mark knows, 'cause I told him why I needed the car..."
"Why don't you call her now? It's mid-afternoon on a snowy Saturday, I doubt she's doing much besides putting snow clothes in the dryer every hour."
"Too true." Reaching for the phone, he dialed her number. When she answered, he told her he had something important to tell her.
"What's wrong, Danno? You sound tense."
"Nothing's wrong, Lenny. I...You remember Don, he came to see me when I was staying with you?"
"Yeah, the hottie. If I wasn't married, and very happy with Henry..."
"Umm..he's more than a friend."
"Oh, sweetie. You were worried I'd hate you? Besides, Mark's not as good keeping secrets as he thinks."
"You're OK with it? Well, I have a question to ask you."
"Shoot."
"Don and I share an apartment now, wanna come visit for New Year's? Stay overnight and such? We have a pretty big living room, and an extra bedroom."
"Let me go grab Henry, get him on the other extension..."
They talked about it some, and they agreed that they'd come in on the train the morning of the 31st and leave mid-afternoon on the 1st.
Dec 18, 1993
Dear Mr. Messer,
We, the members of the Alternative Parole Board, have reviewed your class work and extracurricular activities. We are pleased with your degree progress and behavior. Continue the good work.
We wish you to keep in mind that the agreement is conditional upon your continued good conduct and high grades. Please alert Donna Fellton (x45320) if the grant organization has not deposited the funds with the university bursar by one week prior to the first day of classes.
Sincerely,
Chief Terrence Jenkins
Chairman
"Donny, your father is still not being reasonable, and with his promotion...He's debating the wisdom of negating Danny's agreement. He's senior enough on the committee now that he feels he could bring in false accusations to Terry to get Danny's scholarship pulled."
"You mean, fabricate assault charges, or cheating accusations! Ma, you have to stop him. Get Sam to yell at him, or something. A sixteen-year-old girl screaming at him might actually do something."
"I'm also planning on talking to Derek and Lidia Barrows, and Terry. I'll see if I can head it off."
"Thanks, Ma. Oh, and given the uproar, maybe Danny and I shouldn't come by except for Christmas dinner."
"That's probably for the best. It also gives the cousins a chance to think about things before you have to deal with them."
There was almost six inches of snow on the road by the time Don pulled up in front of the house. Danny shivered as he got out, pulling the bridge coat he'd gotten at the Navy surplus tightly around him. He was too thin for this weather.
"Cold?"
"Yeah. I've never been built, but I lost weight during those few weeks your dad kept coming over. I just don't have the padding."
"Let's get inside then, it's about 20 minutes until dinner. Ma's coffee could warm a vampire."
Laughing, they went into the house, though the laughter petered out at the glares some were giving them.
Gathering courage, Don said, "Hey, everyone, Merry Christmas. This is Danny."
Sam ran up, giving Danny and Don a double-barreled hug, squealing, "I missed you, bros! Come on, Ma has coffee. She let me have mocha."
"I can kinda tell, Sam. How many did you have?" Danny chuckled.
"Just two...in the past hour."
Even those who a minute ago were glaring at them were laughing gently. They could see that the two acted like any other couple. Some of the older ones remembered Elle and Donald acting this way during the initial family introductions. By the time Danny had unwound himself from his outerwear and everyone had coffee or cocoa refills, almost everyone was on their way to loving Danny.
Don leaned over to whisper in Danny's ear, "Seems you have more victims to your charm."
The matriarch, Don's grandmother, tottered over to them, sitting down next to Danny.
"So, Daniel. Have you kept Donny happy?"
Stifling his amusement, he answered, "I'd like to think so."
"And Donny, I hear you've been living in sin for six months now. When are you going to sign some papers?"
"We're in no hurry, Grans. And signing those papers would make work more difficult. As of now, on paper we look like roommates. NYPD's fine with that, but..."
"Just as long as I get to see you in matching jewelry."
Danny answered, liking this tiny old lady, "Yes, Ma'am. We'll get right on that."
She pinched their cheeks, then wandered into the kitchen to check on her daughter-in-law.
The only problem they had after that was to ignore Don Sr. glaring at them.