The Flowers
Rebecca, the woman he had fallen hard for, the woman who had left him to return to her bastard of a husband, had sent him flowers.
Spoilers: End of series
Rating: PG-13 for bad words
Characters: Danny/Rebecca, Casey
Disclaimer: They belong to Aaron Sorkin, not me
Notes: I *think* I may have had Macha beta this at one point. I may even have posted it somewhere, although I don't remember doing so. But I recently unearthed it from an old diskette and decided to add it to the rest of the fic on the pile.
It was another late night at Anthony's, just like any other they had spent there over the last few years. Only it wasn't. Because on previous visits their station wasn't under threat of sale. On other visits they weren't fearful for their jobs. And Casey wasn't determined to throw his career away for Lisa's sake. And Dan wasn't usually so glum.
A woman asked for his and Casey's signatures. He signed the paper she held out to him and returned it to her without any enthusiasm.
"By the way, my roommate's friend knows a girl you used to date."
"Oh yeah? Who?" he asked politely, barely registering the woman's words. Things like this were said to him all the time – the friend of a friend of a friend. After several years of hearing similar comments, he barely paid any attention to what was really said.
"Rebecca Wells?"
And then the woman's words sank in. And he knew who had sent him the flowers.
Rebecca Wells.
She had sent the flowers.
Not Raquel Welch. Not Reggie White. Rebecca Wells.
Dan plunked his glass onto the nearest table and headed for the door. He needed air. His lungs suddenly felt useless, unable to take in much needed oxygen. His stomach cramped with tension.
She had been gone for nearly a year and yet the mention of her name still managed to get to him. Admittedly, he thought of her less and less frequently as time went by. Now he only thought of her every other day instead of every hour. But still, as soon as her name had been mentioned, all the feelings of euphoria and disillusionment and heartache had come rushing back.
Rebecca Wells.
He'd been smitten with her from that first glance in the elevator. There was something about her – something in the eyes that showed a steely strength behind the fragile looking exterior. He had wanted to know more about her and had pursued her relentlessly until she'd succumbed to his charms.
And then she had left. Left to fix a marriage that was beyond repair.
The anger came rushing back and he leaned against the cool brick wall, sliding down it until he was crouching low. He propped his elbows on his folded knees and sank his head into his upturned hands.
He felt a presence and looked up to see Casey standing nearby, a beer clasped lightly in his hand, a slight smile on his face.
"Rebecca sent the flowers."
"Yes."
"Rebecca."
"Yes."
"*Rebecca* sent the flowers."
"So you've said. Three times."
Dan's eyes snapped to Casey's. Was that amusement he saw in his expression? Was Casey *laughing* at him?
He was.
How could he laugh at a time like this? Dan felt like his world had collapsed. Rebecca, the woman he had fallen hard for, the woman who had left him to return to her bastard of a husband, had sent him flowers. Something just wasn't right. He needed to figure this out.
He surged to his feet and began pacing.
"Rebecca sent me flowers," he repeated yet again to himself.
"We've established that," Casey said.
"It's not funny, Casey. She sent me flowers."
"I know."
"Why would she send me flowers?"
"Because she heard about the pending sale and thought you could use some cheering up?" Casey ventured.
Dan ignored him. There was something there. Something his mind refused to grasp.
"She's the one who said goodbye. She the one that decided to go back to Steve Sisko." Scorn dripped from his voice as he said the name.
"Fucking Steve Sisko," Casey amended.
"Fucking Steve Sisko. So why did she send the flowers?"
"Call her. Find out," Casey suggested.
"No. She made it clear that anything that had been between us was over. No, I won't do it," Dan declared, shaking his head to further illustrate his obstinacy.
"Ok then. Come back inside. We'll drown our sorrows in beer."
Dan perked up a little. "You buying?"
"Yes."
Casey clasped an arm around his shoulders and led him back toward Anthony's. "You know, she could have sent them as an apology. Maybe she was afraid to call."
"You think?"
"Maybe. Or maybe she thought it was your birthday."
He couldn't prevent the smile that was beginning to form. "Rebecca sent me flowers."
"Yes, she did." Casey's smile matched his own.
"Damn, but this is getting interesting!" Dan pushed his way through the door into the noisy bar. Maybe Continental Corp. was a lost cause. Maybe he and Casey would no longer be a team. Maybe he wouldn't go to LA.
None of that mattered. Rebecca had sent him flowers. That's all that mattered right now.
~End~
Posted by Cassie on 01:58 PM