I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

Seven

A/n I did this one, Ancilla edited.

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Linda wonders why Danny didn't duck as she gets his ice pack from the freezer. He doesn't like pain, so why does he keep putting himself in pain?

Self -arm a voice says in her head, and it might be true, but she doesn't want to think about that. She knows he's already torturing himself with cold showers--truly ice cold showers, not lukewarm water, which she thinks is cold.

She grabs a dish towel, glances at the thermostat. It's dropped a lot since they turned off the gas. She shivers, casually glancing out the kitchen window.

Huh, it's kinda bright outside, she thinks, wondering if it's later that she thinks it is. It takes a moment, but now that she isn't focused on Danny's hands, Danny's mouth, and the way he makes her feel.. she realizes it's snowing again.

"Fantastic," her voice is sarcastic as she turns to make it up the stairs.

Linda sits on the bed, not wanting to turn the light on. She turns it on anyways, blinks a few times at the brightness. "Here. Sit, please."

Danny does so, tries to distract her from asking the questions he knows she's going to ask. "You're still the nicest nurse I've ever met. You always say please."

Linda only smiles and shrugs, he's told her that many times before, and she knows exactly what he's doing. She presses the ice pack to his ribs, "I wrapped it in a dish towel so it isn't super cold, and doesn't hurt your skin."

"So considerate too."

She slumps a little, opens her mouth, then closes it. She isn't going to...

Never mind, she is.

"Why did you let it hit you? You saw it coming; why not get out of the way?"

He shrugs, winces. "I....guess I didn't register what it was. Was...kinda still half in a flashback. 'M sorry."

He holds the ice-pack to his side and braces for the scolding he's about to get.

Linda's quiet for a moment.

"I'm sorry... was it that bad you don't wanna tell me about it?"

Why isn't she yelling at him? She should be telling him how stupid it is to not move out of the way of a big, heavy object swinging towards him. "You're... not gonna yell?"

"No, Danny, I'm not gonna yell."

"Why not?"

"You don't need to be yelled at." She slides her legs under the blankets, links her arm with his. "Now what's going on?"

"Just...a really, really bad flashback. I don't wanna talk about it." He can feel his heart rate and breathing picking up, just thinking about it.