It's A Love Story

We'll Make It Out Of This Mess

Linda yawned against Danny's shoulder, reaching for his hand. He took it immediately, squeezing it occasionally. She rubbed her eye, then frowned when she saw tiny white dots. "I suddenly don't feel good."

"Don't feel good? Like how?"

"Tired and dizzy." She yawned again, "little white dots."

He would have insisted they go to the nurse's desk when the doctor came out.

"Linda O'Shea?"

She opened her eyes, pushed her head off Danny's shoulder. Her head felt like led, "yes?"

"I'm Dr. McIntyre. You were hit in the head?"

"Yeah."

"If you follow me, I'll check to make sure nothing's wrong."

She stood and swayed, and Danny was quick to stand and catch her. He saw the look the doctor gave him, and he nodded. "I'll help her."

As they followed the doctor, Linda told Danny, "I feel nauseous." She yawned again, and he was pretty sure she had a concussion.

********

Danny felt guilty when the doctor came out with Linda and told him she did in fact have a concussion. When she stepped towards him, she took a stumble, and he caught her.

"She did throw up, and she does have a pretty bad concussion. I would stay with her, or have someone else be with her for the first forty eight hours, maybe more." Dr. McIntyre handed Danny some papers. "She'll know what to do, since she is a nurse, but here are some instructions for you."

"She.... is she allowed to sleep?"

"Course I am. Or else my brain will explode." Linda said from Danny's side. He looked to the doctor.

"She's not wrong, and the no sleeping thing is a myth. Sleep will do her good."

Danny got Linda checked out and insisted that she either be carried or wheeled out to the car. She chose the wheelchair. He helped her get buckled in the front seat, then he got in. "I wish I could be with you, honey, but I really do gotta work. Is Brie at the apartment today?"

Linda nodded, "she was just going grocery shopping. I think she'll be there."

"And if she isn't? Someone needs to monitor you, Linda."

She paused, thinking about an option. "Take me to Mary. She'll be home, won't she?"

"Yeah. Good idea."

*********

Brie was waiting for Danny and Linda at the elevator on the first floor. Danny had called, making sure she'd be home, told her the bare minimum details. She wanted to kick Tony's ass! She saw her friends, "Linda! Are you okay?" She held out her hand, and Linda put her free hand in it.

"I'll be okay."

They walked into the elevator together, and Danny handed Brie the instructions. "Here are the instructions. Linda knows what to do, but the Doc gave this to me to give to whoever ended up watching her."

Brie nodded, "I've had concussions before- I know what to do."

The rest of the ride was quiet, and once Brie and Danny had made sure Linda was situated in her room, he pulled Brie aside.

"Look, I know that it's just a concussion, but..." he sighed, shrugging. "I don't want to be a widower before I even get married."

Brie smiled sympathetically, "you won't be, Danny. She'll be totally fine- physically, I mean. I don't think she'll ever heal from this emotionally."

"Yeah," he scratched the back of his neck, and was surprised when Brie's arms circle him.

"Don't worry, Danny. Linda will follow all the instructions, and then she'll be all ready to marry you."

He nodded, realizing he was being ridiculous. "Take care of her?"

"Always." She nodded, then turned him towards the door and almost had to push him out. She closed the door and walked into Linda's room. "Linda? Honey, you okay? Can I get you anything?"

"Water maybe? And- and crackers?"

"What kind of crackers?"

"The mini saltines, please."

Brie nodded and went to retrieve the desired items. Oh, she wanted to kick Tony's ass!

**********

Frank was surprised to see his oldest pop his head in his door late that afternoon, "Danny? What's wrong?"

"If someone assaults someone else, say.... with a night stick... and the person who was hit received injuries... what exactly can the attacker be charged with? Can he be charged with a felony?"

"It depends. What happened?"

Danny sighed, walked into Frank's office. He sat down in the chair, "earlier today, Tony- er, Mr. O'Shea- came into the station with Linda. He basically told me to stay away from her, and she can absolutely not marry me-"

"Are you going to listen to him?"

"No, f*** him. I'm gonna marry that girl even if it's the death of me."

"So he came to you at the station..."

"Yeah... and then he hit Linda in the head with a nightstick."

Now Frank was paying attention, "that's assault!"

"So I can charge him with a felony?"

"Was he intending to... kill her?"

An unreadable expression came to Danny's face. "He was drunk, and he hurt her. I don't think he wanted to kill her."

"So you can't charge him with murder charges."

"No...." he sighed, debating whether or not to ask this question. "Dad.... is there something wrong with me?"

He was taken aback, but teased him nonetheless. "Besides the obvious?"

"I'm serious, Dad. I have given Tony and Marni and the whole O'Shea family absolutely no reason to hate me. I've treated their daughter like a complete princess! And still they don't like me."

"I thought you didn't care what they said."

"I don't. I don't care what anyone says... but I do care about Linda, who's in her apartment right now with a nasty concussion, and... Dad, she's walking away from her entire life. She says she doesn't care, but she hold family and family values very high."

"Are you having second thoughts, son?" The wedding was next year, maybe Danny was getting cold feet?

"No! No. No, not at all. I'd marry her right now if I could... but..."

"You need to talk to her."

"She says she doesn't want to charge Tony, but me and twelve other cops saw what happened. I wouldn't mind charging that jackass."

"Talk to Linda."