Close to Home || Danny

Danny waited at the door for Nicole, exchanging a few words with the Agent that was in charge of Nicole's apartment for as long as this all would take. When Nicole came back with Merlin, he walked back to the car with her and opened the trunk for Nicole to put her bag in. He got the blanket he kept there and put it on the backseat, for Merlin to sit on during the ride to his apartment.
"Well then... off we go." Danny said quietly.

Nicole nodded in reply, then got Merlin and her stuff into Danny's car. She then got in the passenger's seat and buckled up. Merlin watched her, then laid down on the back seat of Danny's car, keeping his eyes open as he did. Nicole glanced back to Merlin, then reached back and gently pet him as he laid there.

Danny got into the car himself, put the seat belt and then took them back to his apartment. He knew that Oscar would probably run and hide the moment he saw Merlin, but since the two of them got along pretty well, last time they saw each other, Danny wasn't exactly worried about it. They had to get along some time soon, anyway. Because he didn't want to give Oscar away, just as Nicole probably wouldn't give Merlin away. And he wouldn't make her either. With the plans he had for them then, there would be enough room for all four of them.

"You had dinner, yet?" Danny asked Nicole, as he was driving them to his apartment. He wouldn't mind making her something to eat when they got there, if she hadn't had dinner yet. Even though it was actually getting late, but that didn't mean that she needed to be hungry.

Nicole looked at Danny when he asked her that. "No I haven't" she replied while looking at him. No soon had she said that then did Nicole's stomach growl. Nicole looked down and smiled a bit when that happened, then looked back out the window. "I'm glad I've been going to the range all this time." she said to him honestly while looking out the window.

Danny nodded a little, hearing that growl, too. He smirked a little, making a mental note to himself to make her a light dinner when they got home. While he did, he went through the things that he had home, that would go well together. He remembered that he did have some ingredients for a small, fresh salad and some chicken breast. That sounded like a nice dinner to him.

"Even if you hadn't, Nic... you wouldn't have missed." Danny told her honestly. True, over the time the aim could become a little less steady, but usually you didn't forget how to shoot a gun. At least not with the sort of training she had.

Nicole nodded, knowing that Danny was right about that. Still it didn't hurt for her to be at the range, doing the same drills that she did while in the army. "If you want, there is an outdoor range I practice at. I've seen many policemen and women there." she said to Danny, her tone gentle as she spoke to him. "It would be ace if you came with me." she added off the cuff.

Danny parked the car on the parking lot to his apartment building's property. He shrugged a little, not blown away by the idea to go to a shooting range, but not really minding either. He had enough practice though, at the shooting range that the FBI office worked with here. He knew that his skills with his firearm were important in his line of work and he was one of the best marksmen among the Agents that worked for the FBI. Not that he would brag about it, though.

"Sure." he said, while shut off the engine.

Nicole glanced over and smiled a little when Danny said that. She knew that he wasn't blown away by it, but she looked at it as a way for them to spent time together. She had a thought that they could learn a few things from each other, which she was always open to. "Ace" she said softly in reply while Danny shut the car's engine off.

Danny gave her a small smile in return. He didn't really like spending too much time at the range, but on the other hand that way he could spend even more time with Nicole and that was reason enough for him to tag along, even though it wasn't exactly his favorite hobby. For Danny shooting a gun was just part of his job, part of his training. Although it was something that made him proud, because he was really good at it, he just never said that to anyone.

"Well... let's get inside." he said a moment later, glancing at Merlin on the back seat through the rear view mirror. "You two settle down and I'll make us a quick dinner. Haven't had the chance to eat yet, either."

Nicole nodded in reply when Danny said that to her, then unbuckled and got out of the car after it was put in park. She went to the back and got Merlin and her bag out of the back. Merlin was clearly intrigued to know where he and Nicole were. Nicole got his leash back on him, then had him hop out of the car. She closed the door after getting her bag, then waited for Danny to join them.

Danny waited until Nicole had Merlin out of the car and then locked it, while joining them on the other side. It was almost dark outside by now, but Danny didn't really mind. He would probably call in for a day off tomorrow morning, considering everything that happened, he'd rather stay at home with Nicole.
Thinking about that, Danny led them back to his apartment, unlocking the door, once they got there. Oscar was sitting on the top platform of his scratching tree next to the couch, looking at the door when they walked in.

Nicole and Merlin walked in first, Merlin looked around and saw Oscar on his post. Nicole noticed as well as she stood there with him. "Greetings Oscar.....Merlin, don't be a no-hoper while we are staying here." she said to him. Merlin looked up when Nicole said that and whined softly. "Merlin" Nicole said to him gently as she stood there. Merlin looked back to Oscar after Nicole said that. Nicole watched him as he looked at the cat.

Danny followed them into his apartment and closed the door behind him, then locked it. They probably wouldn't be going out tonight anymore and even if they were he could just unlock it again.
As he turned around, he spotted Oscar on his scratching tree and shook his head, seeing the bushy tail his cat made, eying Merlin. Even though they've met before, Oscar still wasn't quite used to Merlin, yet. He always needed a moment to get used to his new friend whenever they met, which hadn't been that often yet, but a few times. The cat hissed once and climbed off his tree.

"Silly cat..." Danny said with a smile on his face, as he watched Oscar slowly walk up to Merlin, being curious, recognizing the smell, but also being uncertain about the new guest.

Nicole could help but smile a bit when that happened. Merlin looked at Oscar as he walked over to him, sniffing him in return. Merlin then barked softly at the cat. "You know who this is Oscar." Nicole said to the cat while standing there and watching him. After doing so, Nicole went to put her bag up. As she did, her mind flashed back to the moment she shot Guy in her apartment.

Danny shook his head, watching the two animals act like that. Although the two animals have met each other, Oscar was still a little uncertain, seeing the bigger dog standing in front of him. But when Merlin then barked at him, he arched his back and made a big bushy tail, hissed and then turned and ran into Danny's bedroom, hiding.

"Merlin... no barking at Oscar." Danny said to him. He walked into his bedroom and to the walk-in closet, seeing Oscar sitting on his bed, his ears up to the front, looking at the door. He was slowly calming down again. Danny took the pet bed from the bottom that he bought for Merlin a little while back, just for occasions like this. And because Merlin was going to be a part of his family, too.
Danny took the pet bed back to the living room and set it down on the floor next to the couch. Then he called Merlin over.

Merlin looked at Danny when he said that, then looked down, as if he was ashamed about what he did. Nicole soon came back at this time, seeing what Danny was doing. "I heard Merlin bark, is everything okay?" she asked while watching him, Nicole didn't know what Merlin was barking about. The last thing she needed was for Merlin to snap and hurt Oscar.

Danny looked up, giving Nicole a small nod in reply, while he then watched as Merlin inspected his new place in Danny's small apartment. He had bought the pet bed for Merlin just a couple of weeks ago, hoping to use it for moments like these. After all, Oscar and Merlin did have to get along. And they did, Oscar just wasn't used to Merlin barking at him.

"Nothin' to worry 'bout." he said to Nicole. "Merlin just meant to greet Oscar with a bark, which my little guy didn't like... but he'll be okay."

Nicole nodded in reply when Danny said that to her. "Ace" she replied while watching them. Merlin looked at Nicole, then back at Oscar before rolling over onto his back. Nicole giggled a bit when Merlin did that. "You silly bloke" she said to the dog.

Oscar slowly came walking out of the bedroom. He was still being careful, as if he was scared. He walked up to Danny and around his legs, pressing his little body up against his legs as he meowed. Danny smiled a little, shaking his head.
"You..." he said with a small chuckle in his voice. "Don't remember your new friend?"

The cat stayed close to Danny, meowing again, not caring what his daddy just said. Danny shook his head with a small smile. "You two behave... I gotta make our lady some dinner."

Merlin looked up at Danny when that was said, then walked over and sat in front of the couch. Nicole smiled when he did that, then looked over to Danny. She was thankful that he let her and Merlin stay with them until it was safe to go back to her apartment.

Danny walked over to his small, open kitchen and got some things out of the fridge. He washed the vegetables for the salad, which were tomatoes, red pepper, a last piece of cucumber and corn salad and some lettuce. Then chopped them into pieces, put them in a bowl and prepared some salad dressing and then fried some chicken breast, which he then sliced into small medaillons and then took everything to the dining table. Their dinner was ready within 20 minutes.

Nicole smelled it from where she was and walked over to him. "Looks like I'm not the only cook here." she said to Danny, teasing him a bit as she spoke. Merlin watched her mom walk over to where Danny was, then looked back at Oscar after Nicole said that to Danny.

Danny looked at her and shook his head with a small smile on his face. He grabbed forks and knives and took them to the table.
"You got yourself a rare kind of man here." he teased her back, then pulled the chair out for Nicole, just like he did so many times before.

Oscar had gone back to his scratching tree and was looking down at Merlin. He was now used to the guest again and was settling down in the hammock.

"That I do mate" Nicole replied as she watched Danny, smiling a little at the same time as she went to sit down after Danny pulled the chair out for her. "Thank you Danny" she replied after sitting down. At the same time, Merline looked at Oscar as the cat lay in the hammock. Merlin tilted his head to the side, then looked back to Nicole and Danny.

"You're welcome." Danny said, smiling softly at his fiancée. This was probably called old-school these days, but he liked being a decent gentleman. It was exactly what made him different from other men, who had only one thing on their mind.
There had been a time when he was like that, after he had his heart broken, but he never really was a playboy. He had that side to him, that flirtatious, charming side, but he usually wasn't one to use it just to have some fun, because he was a faithful man. However, he did turn into a playboy for some time. Not that he was proud of that. Nicole didn't know everything about it, just part of it and sometimes he wondered if he should tell her about that time a little more, just so she understood how he was, why he acted in certain ways. But he never got himself to talk about it.

After Nicole sat, he walked around the table and took a seat across from her. He kept that small smile on his face, actually feeling good about this. It felt nice to have her around and this felt as if they were already married. He liked that feeling and he hoped that she wouldn't retreat to the guest room this time around, but stay with him, just to be close to him. But he wouldn't mention it to her.