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The Meachum’s had been his family in almost every way after his parents death. Harold had mourned his friend's death right beside Danny. He had cried with Danny, shared the best stories of his father, and did everything he could have done for him.
He had opened his home to Danny, welcomed him with open arms. Joy had held him as he cried for hours and days. Never leaving him and promising everything would be okay, promising one day he would see his parents again.
Ward had been kind to Danny after his parents accident but only so much as to say he understood the pain. He didn't coddle Danny like Joy did, or make it about himself like Harold. He'd been a quiet support that Danny would come to learn had been his saving grace.
Falling in love with Ward had been a slow burn. An impossible to foresee consequence of coming to understand him. Ward's barely held contempt softened with time, and that animosity became affection, which became attraction and with time, after years, became love.
They'd married on Danny's eighteenth birthday, a no nonsense civil ceremony at the courthouse, that had seemed perfect because in the end he had Ward. Nothing could have been better, not back then.
Harold’s ire when they told him had been heart shattering.
Harold showed his true colors then, he'd taken the only thing that could hurt Ward, the only thing he treasured more than Danny. He sent Joy to study abroad and forbade her from ever contacting Ward again.
He disowned Ward, stripped him of his inheritance and fired him from Rand. Had called him a disgusting person. An abomination. A mistake.
It was the last thing he ever said to Ward. He died two years later of prostate cancer. Ward had been excluded from taking part in the service.
Danny's inheritance had been lost to Harold too. He'd been left destitute because of Harold’s cruelty and after realizing they'd never win against him in court, Ward and Danny decided together to simply walk away. It had been an easy decision then.
Joy had never obeyed her father's orders outright, she'd never broken contact with her brother or Danny. Had never turned from them and Danny knew that had been dangerous and difficult. She stayed his friend and sister even then. When her father died it was she who had taken charge of Rand. She'd even agreed to return Danny's inheritance four years before. He had only accepted after Ward's insistence, had made Danny realize it was his birthright. The last piece he had of his father’s legacy.
Danny began working regular blue collar jobs before then, sometimes two or three at a time to support Ward through law school. It was hard and thrilling at the same time. They were two riches to rags stories in love.
With time Ward opened his own practice and built it into a success in under a decade. He became a prominent figure in corporate law and through sacrifices and compromise made Meachum, Murdock & Hogarth the unimaginable success it was now.
For all their struggles and adversity Danny knew his love for Ward was an immovable protection against the world. The way his father's love for his mother had been.
But sitting here now? Danny felt like a fool. He sat alone at his dining room table and stared at the cold spread that used to be his anniversary dinner. The cliche candles were almost burnt out and the untouched food was congealed goo by then. Beef Bourguignon, Ward's favorite.
Danny couldn't believe this had happened. Ward had been late for things for a while now but not like this. A dinner here or a Hampton trip there but not this dinner.
Danny sighed and stood. Long since having finished the wine and not touching a morsel of food he decided to just leave the mess where it was. Not that anyone was likely to notice, this house was an empty place now anyway.
Danny made his way upstairs and stripped lazily before crawling into his bed. The hollow embarrassment sunk into his chest and stayed there.
He stared into the dark, head buzzing from the red.
Ward's calls had gone to voicemail all night and after the third message Danny had given up trying. He was too embarrassed to call the office directly, afraid he’d catch Ward's assistant and have to ask for his husband on their anniversary.
It hadn't been easy over the years to stay happy or even content with each other. They fought like everyone else. Over big things, small things, inane things, and impossibly important ones. They came to yelling and storming out, smashing plates and lamps in anger, but afterwards they always came together again.
Ward would come back to their closet of an apartment with day old flowers, the only ones he could afford back then, and Snickers bars in apology.
Danny would never stay gone later than midnight, knowing Ward's biggest fear was something happening to him, and even at his maddest he would never purposely hurt Ward.
They weren't perfect and they both made mistakes along the way but in the end they were 'they’, and nothing could change that.
Danny couldn't remember the last time they had been that close. Over the years, especially after MM&H, those small moments became rarer and rarer. Fights and arguments were left unresolved more often than not. Silences stretched out longer, dinners and dates became a thing of the past, something their younger selves had done and forgotten how to do.
Danny fell asleep with dry eyes and a hollow pit in his stomach.
***
When Danny woke the next morning it was to an empty room, Ward's side of the bed disturbed but cold.
Danny swallowed the lump in his throat at the sight.
After showering and changing he walked into the kitchen to find it in the same state as it had been the night before. Ward hadn't even realized it had been there.
There was no note anywhere. No explanation, no excuse, no reason for forgetting, he simply overlooked the date and Danny's voicemails.
He cleaned the table and the kitchen in a numb state, until he heard the doorbell. He didn't want to answer, could not deal with his neighbor Linda today. Her petty comments hidden in seemingly innocent statements drove Ward crazy and usually amused Danny but today was simply not the day. He played deaf.
Only the doorbell rang again, and a third time. So with a huff Danny dropped the soapy dishes and made for the door.
Expecting Linda and opening the door to find Claire was the shock he needed to let out a shuddering breath.
“Surprise!” Claire said after a tense moment. Eyes immediately worried as she looked over Danny.
Danny didn't know what else to do, so he rushed her and threw his arms around her shoulders, squeezing harder than was probably polite but if her tight squeeze back was any indication she didn't mind.
It'd been almost a year since his best friend had left to save the world with red Cross. Her volunteership had taken her South America for relief work, and though Danny couldn't be prouder to call her his friend, he was selfish enough to wish she had been just a phone call away.
He hadn't realized how lonely he had felt until that moment.
“Jesus, Danny. What happened?” She asked as he let her go backed up to let her in.
“Bad morning.” He answered lamely as they returned to the kitchen. “God it's so good to see you. When did you come back?”
“Just yesterday, actually.” She jumped onto a stool at the island and accepted the water Danny handed her. “Wanted to see you but figured the birthday boy could use a little sexy time with the boo. Where is Mr. Grey anyway?”
Danny hesitated too long and caught Claire's sharp look at the dishes and food still on the counter. Plates still served with food, and one empty glass.
“Danny, where's Ward.”
“Work,” Danny answered.
“On a Saturday? Okay, so how was your anniversary?”
“It was fine Claire.” Danny turned to the sink and began scrubbing the damn pot that had stuck for having been left overnight. He heard the stool scrape and her step around the island.
“Danny, what's going on?”
Danny stopped scrubbing. “It's just been a tough time. Busy you know.”
“No. I don't know.” She reached out and pulled his arm to turn him around, Danny was too embarrassed to lift his eyes past her shoulders.
“How did you know Matt was being unfaithful?” He asked, shocking himself and Claire if the sudden grip was any indication.
“Holy Shit. You think Ward's cheating on you? Ward?”
Danny didn't respond.
“Fuck.” She took his wet hand and pulled him out of the room. She led him past the dining room and into the living room, sitting him down and opening his liquor cabinet. She poured him two fingers of Jack and handed it over. “Why do you think this?”
“I don't know what to think.” He decided to fuck it and swallowed the drink in one go and held out the glass for a second one. She gave him a look but poured it for him anyway. “How did you you know?”
“Well,” Claire paused looking off into the distance, “it was the small stuff. He made excuses for missing dates, if I was lucky. He wasn't as interested in sex, at least he wasn't with me.”
She smiled tightly and Danny took her hand. She'd divorced Ward's business partner just over three years ago, and had become his fast friend when she asked for Ward to represent her. He couldn't, obviously, but with Danny's meddling he got Ward to get Matt to settle out of court and avoid the ugly divorce that had loomed.
She was a kind, generous woman, who Danny had been lucky to call his friend if for nothing else than her brutal honesty.
“Matt and Ward are nothing alike. You know that right?”
“I know.” Danny said tipping back his second drink. “Did you hate Matt? Afterwards? Before?”
“I wish I did.”
Danny nodded. “I don't want to hate Ward.” His eyes blurred, it was taking all his will to keep a dry eye.
“I know.”
“What do I do?”
“You talk to him. Ask him for the truth, and work towards fixing whatever's not working between you two.”
“That easy?”
“That's not easy. Walking away is easy. Staying silent is easy. Giving up is easy. This? This is probably the hardest thing you'll ever do.” Claire squeezed his hand. She didn't look at him with pity and Danny was eternally grateful for that.
***
Claire left that morning with a promise from Danny to call that night no matter what, otherwise she'd come to his place and break the door down herself.
Danny waited the rest of the day out. Nerves getting the better of him over and over again. He changed his mind on confronting Ward a dozen times, before deciding that maybe day drinking wasn't the solution and setting down his third glass of wine.
He waited into the afternoon, and into the night. He made dinner, and ended up eating alone again. Wrapping a plate and leaving it in the oven.
Ward came home home just after eleven. Danny's hands were shaking and he couldn't decide whether to sit or stand. In the end Ward walked in as Danny stood and seemed surprised to see him at all.
“Danny, what are you doing up?” Ward asked as he set down his case and hung his jacket by the door.
Ward had matured amazingly over the years, his bravado became confidence. His defensiveness became protectiveness. His self hatred became generosity. He had become the man Danny's father would have been proud to call son in law.
“I was waiting for you. You left early this morning.” Danny's voice came out disappointingly small, cautious.
“Mmm yeah.” Ward walked past Danny and planted a loose kiss on his cheek before moving around him, heading up the stairs.
Danny felt cold at being dismissed so easily.
“Ward.” He called up as Ward reached the landing, the man huffed a little before turning to him, impatience written on his features. “There's dinner in the oven.”
Ward turned and made for the bedroom. “Already ate Danny.” He called over his shoulder.
Danny was a coward. He couldn't think of what to say, didn't have the guts to say those words out loud. He let Ward walk away.
He sent a quick text to Claire warning her off of coming out there tonight and followed Ward.
Danny didn't sleep. He laid and listened to Ward's soft breathing. Remembered when all it took to fight off the nightmares was curling around Ward and listening to his heartbeat.
***
There was nothing in the world that Danny could weigh against his marriage and find wanting. He had known at fifteen that he would marry Ward. Even before their first kiss, before their first anything he knew where his future was.
Maybe that had been the problem.
Walking into MM&H the next week was, for the first time ever, nerve-racking. He wasn't a rare visitor but now, with Danny's suspicion, he couldn't help but look around at the people that worked for his husband and wonder if maybe one of them was enough to make Ward cheat.
He immediately felt sick with the idea and tried to school his features as he approached Megan's desk. “Good morning Megan. Is my husband in?”
“Good morning Mr. Meachum, how are you?”
“Good, thank you.” he answered as she stood and bid him to follow. He followed her away from Ward's office and down to a conference room just down the hall. She knocked lightly and opened the door.
Ward was sitting at the head of the conference table, phone to his ear and talking a mile a minute as he shuffled files and papers around. The associates around the table all looked up at the interruption and hushed as they realized who he was there for. Ward looked over his shoulders and scanned over Danny before holding a finger up and returning to his call.
Danny caught a couple of raised eyebrows at the dismissal and felt his cheeks heat at them. He caught sight of Matt at one end of the table sitting beside Nelson. The man that had once been his assistant, before he was his lover, and eventual husband.
Danny averted his eyes and tried not to feel awkward as he stood beside the door like a child waiting to be called into the principal's office.
Eventually Ward stood and excused himself, leading Danny back to his office and closing the door.
“What's going on?” Ward asked as he took a seat at his desk, jiggling his mouse to wake up his computer.
“I just wanted to see you. I've barely seen you all week and thought maybe we could have lunch.”
“You should have called first Danny.” Was all Ward's answer as his eyes scanned an email. The man couldn't even look him in the eye, and Danny became incensed.
“I need permission to see you now?” He asked voice steeling.
“Would have saved you the drive.” Ward answered, clicking a second email.
“Or you could take a half hour off? I mean, you are the boss after all.”
Ward sighed and looked up, features bothered and again that impatience from before. “For what?”
Danny's stomach sank at the words.
For what?
He watched Ward turn back to his screen and with a sudden overbearing need to leave the room before he said something he regretted, he turned without a word and left the room.
Ward didn't call for him.
***
Ward had confessed his feelings for Danny in the rain. They had been arguing about Danny's latest breakup. Danny at sixteen had been stupidly in love with Ward and thinking that hopeless, had thrown himself into shit relationship after shit relationship.
Until Ward had enough, yelled at him that he was worth more than that. Worth more than anything those stupid boys could ever be. When Danny had asked why he even cared, Ward confessed his feelings and pulled Danny into a toe curling kiss. It was wild and dumb and reckless and everything Danny had wanted then.
At sixteen he had thought it was romantic. At 31 he couldn't even remember what that kiss felt like.
Going to Joy's office had been an involuntary reaction to being in the city. He never missed a chance to visit her. Especially since she was always too busy to travel out of the city to visit them, and since Ward hadn't set foot back at Rand since his father's death, this was the most contact he had with her.
He was showed in by Joy's new assistant, a blonde bombshell that smiled too widely and leered at Danny. Joy unfortunately tended to go through them like tissue paper.
She was speaking on the phone when he knocked on her open door. She smiled and excused herself from the call, before standing and moving in for a hug.
“Happy Birthday!” She laughed as he lifted her off her feet. “Put me down you animal!”
He laughed and set her down.
“Thanks Joy.”
“Visiting my brother I assume?” She asked as she sat back down, straightening her blouse fussily.
“Yeah, he sends his love.”
“Mmm. And you how was the weekend? Lots of gross sex I'm hoping.”
“Actually…” Danny debated on whether to continue, mostly because he didn't know what to say.
“What?”
“He forgot.”
“Forgot what?” She asked tilting her head and pausing as she reached into her desk.
“To come home on Friday.”
“He forgot your anniversary?” she exclaimed, scandalized. Danny flinched and nodded silently. “What did he say when he realized?”
“He hasn't.”
Joy was speechless. Brow furrowed and looking madder and madder by the second.
“Why didn't you say anything?”
“Like what?”
“Oh I could think of a few choice words. You just didn't say anything? Come on.”
He was honestly getting tired of that expectant reaction. As if Danny was supposed to just know what to do. Supposed to know how to handle something he honestly never thought he would have deal with. Not in his worst nightmares.
“Yeah, well I guess you're just stronger than me then.” He stood with a huff. “Everyone seems to be these days.”
“Hey, don't go! I'm sorry, I-”
He paused by the door and sagged, turning back he felt bad about it. “I shouldn't have come. Don't say anything, please, I'll talk to him. I just- I honestly just wanted to see you.”
Her eyes were soft and understanding, closer to pity than he was comfortable with but he knew Joy only meant the best.
“Then sit back down.”
He nodded and took a seat again.
“How long have you guys been going through this?”
Danny shrugged. He couldn't pinpoint the day they'd began drifting apart from one another, had just woken up one day and realized he had a roommate, not a husband.
“Years, I guess.” Danny felt sick at the words.
“What do you want to do?”
“I don't know. I don't even know what my options are.”
“Well, there's confrontation, ignorance, or acceptance.” She said carefully.
“Do you think he's…”
“What? Cheating?” She asked.
He nodded.
“No. There's never been anyone else for him. He may be an asshole, and a shark. But you're it for him.”
“People can change.”
“People, yes. Ward, no.” she joked. “Do you still love him?”
“More than anything.” He answered without hesitation.
“Then I think you have your answer.”
“I think I'm really scared.” Danny whispered as he stared into the sky behind Joy.
She stood and moved to kneel beside him, he looked into her eyes and couldn't help to see the ten year old girl who had wiped his tears away, all those years ago. He felt all of ten again, just like that. Tears spilled over then.
For the first time in years he let himself feel the sadness that had been his life for so long. The monumental loneliness.
She hugged him tightly.
***
In the end all his doubts and fears were nothing but pale fantasies to the truth.
It was a week after his birthday and with a plan in place and speech rehearsed he had felt properly prepared.
He had to remember, Ward deserved the benefit of the doubt, he deserved a chance to explain his side of the story, to air his grievances too. Danny was 50% of this marriage and just as culpable for whatever problems they had.
He had to be careful and clear-headed.
Finishing up dinner he heard a knock at the door and wondered who on Earth it could be so late.
He opened the door and found no one, instead there was an ominous envelope taped to his door. The street was empty, no cars or movement. He took the envelope and went inside.
He set the orange envelope on the kitchen island and stared. It was addressed to Daniel Meachum and nothing else. He decided to open it, fearing the worst.
The worst was what he saw.
Dozens of pictures spilled out.
Ward was in bed with a woman in all of them. They were taken from what looked like a hidden camera. Awkward angle and low resolution but more than clear enough to know positively that it was Ward.
Danny was sick in the sink, spitting up his late lunch and then some. His hands shook. This couldn't be happening.
There had to be…
There had to be an explanation. He picked up the pictures again and stared at them. He didn't recognize the woman, didn't know whether to be relieved and that.
He sat on the kitchen floor and let the pictures fall away from his numb fingers.
How could Ward do this? Why?
He looked around his kitchen. He had loved it when they bought the home. It was the first place he and Ward had had sex in after moving in. Ward and he would make breakfast and dinner together everyday back then.
Ward trying to distract him from the stove with neck kisses and soft caresses every few minutes. Burning dinners and eating takeout on the island because they couldn't be bothered setting up the dining room.
He had a sudden thought of Ward fucking the woman in the pictures and let out an involuntary sob. He went numb then
It was hours before he moved again.
Brought back to life by a phone ringing. He dugout his cell and answered without seeing.
“Hey, baby. It's me.”
“Ward?”
“Yeah, listen I'm gonna be late tonight. Something came up. Go ahead and have dinner, Kay. Don't wait up.”
“Okay.”
“Hey you alright? You're sounding kinda raspy, are your allergies acting up again?”
“No, yes, i- I don't know.”
“Mmm, remember your spray is in the downstairs medicine cabinet, Kay? Feel better.”
“Okay.”
“I love you.”
“Me too.”
***
Claire opened the door, took one look at him, and gasped. “Oh babe. Come here.”
He rushed her and began sobbing uncontrollably. She kicked the door closed and pulled his taller frame easily to her couch. She sat him down and he cried like a baby into her lap, tacking sobs and ugly gasps.
He couldn't think. Had taken a taxi all the way here. Couldn't fathom driving. He felt hollow and gutted.
Hated himself for being so stupid. How could he have let this happen.
He didn't know how long Claire let him sit there for. She waited, running her fingers through his curls until he went quiet and numb again.
“Danny? Can you tell me what happened?”
“Someone had Ward followed.” He said numbly. Staring at nothing.
“Followed?”
He sat up and stood to retrieve the bag he had dropped on the way in. He pulled the envelope from the bag and handed it to Claire. She hesitated in taking it.
“Are you sure, you want me to see these?”
He nodded as he took a seat again. She looked doubtful but opened it and removed the photos. Danny looked away as she looked them over silently.
“Who sent you these?”
“I don't know. They were dropped off at my front door.”
Claire looked down at the photos again. “Where is Ward now?”
“With her I'm guessing.” He felt nauseated again.
“He'll come looking for you here.”
“He doesn't know your back. He didn't remember our goddamn anniversary or my birthday, he's in no hurry to find me.”
Danny stood and moved to the window. He bit his lip, hard, to keep his cool.
“What are you planning to do?”
“What can I do? I'm going to divorce him and walk away.”
“What?” She sounded surprised. “Just like that?”
“What the hell do you mean, just like that?” Danny turned back around, “what the hell else is there to do?”
“You could ask your husband to explain himself. You could work this out.”
“Work this out? Who's side are you on?”
“I'm on the side of reason. You love Ward, you've been married thirteen years. Do you really think all that is voided in one night?”
“It was voided the second he touched her. It was voided the day he betrayed me. It was over years ago. I was just too dumb to see it until now.”
“Danny-”
“You know what this was a mistake. I shouldn't be bothering you with this.” He grabbed his bag and headed to the door at a clipped speed.
“Danny!” She made to follow but he was already out the door, down the stairs by the time she called down the hallway.
***
It had four days since he left his home. Checked into some no tell motel off the highway and stayed there. Phone long dead, he ignored it.
He needed time. Time to think, to process. Time to grieve.
He took a swig of Jack from the bottle as he laid on his bed. Watching some infomercial, he thought about the likely hood the bottle would survive the night. It didn't look promising. So with a sigh he grabbed his wallet, decided to brave the outside world.
It was a mistake when he opened his door and ran into the one person he wasn't ready to see, maybe ever again. If only to avoid the sickening feeling crawling through him as he stared into Ward's terrified furious eyes.
“Jesus fucking Christ Danny! Where in hell have you been?!”
Danny ripped away Ward's hands from his shoulders. Took an awkward step backwards. He felt sick at the sight of him.
“How the fuck did you find me?” Danny's words came out slurred and slow.
“Why the fuck did you leave? No note no explanation! Even Joy didn't know where you were?”
“How did you find me?” He repeated.
Ward looked wild, face flushed and tired. Black bags under his eyes, and disheveled clothes. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. Danny's involuntary pang of guilt was quickly squashed as flashes of the photos ran through his head.
“You used an ATM two blocks away. Murdock had a police officer friend, he helped.”
Danny laughed. Of course he'd asked Murdock for help, who better to help an adulterer than another adulterer. He turned to go back into his room nearly able to slam the door in Ward's face, before the man forced his way in.
“What the fuck happened? Danny, baby, please.”
“Don't call me that! Don't you ever call me that!” Danny finally lost it. “You have no right! You sick fuck.”
“Danny, please just tell me.”
“When did it start?”
“When did what start?”
“Don't you dare play stupid now. How long have you been cheating on me.”
Ward froze. Face shocked beyond belief, Danny was impressed by his commitment. “What are you talking about?”
Danny scoffed at his performance and reached into his bag. He pulled the photos out and threw them onto the ground between them. Ward eyes scanned the photos eyes growing wide. He kneeled and picked up the one closest to him.
Danny saw Ward's hands shaking and took a sick pleasure in that.
“Where did you get these?”
“Get out.” Danny answered. He didn't need to hear an explanation now, he didn't need to hear anything from Ward.
“Danny you don't understand, this isnt-”
“Get out!” Danny yelled.
“No! You have this all wrong!”
“Did you sleep with that woman?”
“No. Not the way your thinking.”
“Oh, for fucks sake.” Danny turned his back and reached for the almost empty bottle. Ward reached around him and ripped the bottle from him.
“Danny listen to me. This was nothing.”
“Stop saying that!”
“It's the truth! I swear Danny please let me explain, please baby, please.” Ward reached out and took his hand and as furious as he was, Ward's touch was the greatest comfort he had ever known.
“How could you do this?” Danny said weakly as he looked into Ward's eyes. He wanted to believe him so badly it pained him to his soul.
“This woman drugged me. It was years ago.”
“What?”
“It was on that trip to Los Angeles I took four years ago do you remember?”
Danny nodded.
“Jeri and I were both drugged that night. These women drugged us at a bar, balckmailed us. They wanted money, twenty thousand a month, for forever.”
“Why didn't you-” Danny couldn't believe what he was hearing, this didn't make any sense.
“We did call the police. I have the police reports, medical reports, so does Jeri. We never paid, and we were never contacted again. The police never even learned the women's names.”
“Why didn't you tell me this?”
“I don't know. I was…”
Danny saw it then, the fear he had only seen in Ward's eyes twice before. When his mother died and when he thought he'd lost Joy too.
“Oh my God.” Danny felt sick again.
His husband had been assaulted and blackmailed and Danny had never known. Never seen the signs never seen anything. He'd let Ward suffer alone for years.
“I'm so sorry baby, please, I should have told you. God I'm so sorry.”
Danny ran into Ward's arms. “I'm so sorry Ward! I'm so so sorry!” He felt Ward's shuddering breath, squeezing Danny tightly.
“Can you forgive me?” Ward whispered brokenly.
Danny couldn't believe it. How did Ward still think he was responsible for any of this. If anything Danny was the bastard here, leaving Ward when the man had needed him most without a word.
“Ward, can you forgive me?” Danny looked into Ward's bloodshot tired eyes. “I should have trusted you. God I don't know how this happened, but I'm the one responsible. I shouldn't have left, not like that. I'm so stupid.”
“Whoever did this, did this to both of us.” Ward took Danny's face in his hands, “Can I kiss you baby, please?”
Danny leaned in without hesitation. He hadn't kissed Ward in weeks and hated that. He would kiss Ward everyday for the rest of his life if he was given the chance.
“Come home, Danny,” Ward whispered. Danny nodded and Ward sagged with relief, kissing him again like he was dying for it.
***
“I’m sorry about your birthday, about our anniversary.”
Danny sat across the bed from Ward photos spread between them. Ward had his own set of photos. Same woman, different angles. Police reports and his medical discharge forms, and even a copy of the original black mail letter.
“I don't care about that.”
“I do,” Ward continued, “I've been so… I should have gotten help, real help, after the assault. It just… I let it poison me. It almost cost me you, even before this.”
“But it didn't. I know the truth now, we can move forward and you can get the help you need. Maybe we could get it together.”
Ward looked at him softly, and Danny couldn't believe he had almost never seen that look again.
“Yes. We will.”
Danny looked down and spotted a photo with a particularly clear shot of the woman who had attacked his husband. With a shocking clarity he realized he knew her. He had seen her before.
He hid his reaction and schooled his features before Ward could notice. His heart raced. His mind racing as he fit the pieces together in his head.
His spine chilled as he realized the truth. A truth Ward hadn't seen in going on four years. Danny knew who had done this.
***
Danny walked out of the elevator on Joy's floor and headed straight for her office. Letting himself in and stepping right up to her desk. She looked surprised and happy to see him.
“Danny hey, how are you? We've been so worried. Ward was out of his mind. I'm sorry Rebecca didn't show up today, you want a coffee?
“Rebecca won't be back.”
Joy paused. “What?”
“She won't be back. Ever.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I'm talking about. How could you do this Joy. To Ward, to me.”
She sat back down, carefully placing her hands in front of her. “I don't know what you mean.”
“Then let me make it clear. You ever make a move against Ward again, against my marriage, against me, I'll end you myself.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Yes I am. He'll never know what you did, count that as a blessing.”
“Why not just tell him?”
“Because he'll forgive you. Like he forgave Harold, and neither of you ever deserve that. You deserve to die alone just like your father.”
“You took half the company my father built. You broke up my family.”
“You don't know the meaning of the word. Stay good, Joy. I'll be watching from now on.”
When Danny turned to leave he heard her let out a breath. Good she should be afraid now.
***
Claire sat outside Rand, waiting for him.
“Thanks for coming with me.” He said as she looped their arms together and they began down the street.
“Of course. You ever gonna tell me why I had to lookout for cops as you walked into the building you own?” She asked.
“And spoil the suave mystery I got going on now? Not a chance. Now tell me about this new friend of yours. You said she's a karate teacher?”
“Kung Fu,” she corrected, small smile peeking out at the edges.
“Mmm, sexy, maybe she could gimme lessons sometime?”
“Please, I shudder to think. Danny Rand was not built for Kung Fu.”
“Hey you never know. I'm pretty tough.”
“Sure you are. Now let's go pick up your husband for lunch and make Nelson super uncomfortable by staring him down as we wait.”
Danny laughed and agreed readily. “As you wish Miss Temple.”