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It was strange being in the Capitol and not being with Timmy, but the senator had called and requested a meeting. For once, Donald had arrived early and soon he caught himself straightening his tie. Visiting the senator always felt just a bit too much like being called to the principal's office, especially when Timmy wasn't there to act as a buffer. Or rather, when Timmy wasn't there for Donald and Senator Glassman to pick on.
"Thanks for coming," the senator said as she bustled into her office. "I hope I didn't pull you away from anything important."
Donald smiled and propped himself on the edge of the senator's desk. "Well if you've staked out one seedy motel in Albany..."
“You've staked them all." The senator sat down and motioned for Donald to do the same. "I'll get to the point then, so you can get back to business. I’m engaged to be married.”
Okay that wasn't what Donald was expecting. “Congratulations." He met the senator's eyes with his own, sizing up the situation. "I’m pretty sure you didn’t invite me here for fashion advice as we both know how you feel about my sense of style.”
Senator Glassman smiled. “Tim always said you were perceptive. Are you aware of the circumstances surrounding my first marriage?”
Donald rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “That you caught your congressman husband cheating on you with his campaign treasurer. Then to add insult to injury, he tried to keep you from claiming your legal half of his estate, so you took him to court and then for good measure you ran for his office and won.”
“I thought Tim said you didn’t follow politics?”
“I just tell him that so he’ll only drag me to half your fundraisers and events.”
The senator laughed despite herself. "Why do I think there's more to that story?"
Donald met the senator's eyes with his own. He knew she hadn't made it in politics without being able to read people. “When you offered Timothy the job, I might have unofficially investigated you.”
“Making sure Tim would be working for the right person?”
Donald nodded. “I had a good feeling how his father was going to react, so yes, I wanted to make sure the move to the other side of the aisle would be worth the personal turmoil.”
“And do you think it was?”
“He’s still working for you, isn’t he?" Donald winked and then turned serious. "What do you need Senator?”
“I want you to do -- what did you call it -- an unofficial investigation of my fiancé, Daniel Platt.”
Donald stood up. Now it was all beginning to make sense. “Do you suspect him of something?”
“No I don’t. I’ve just been burned once and before I take that leap again, I want to be absolutely sure.”
Donald figured he owed her honesty. “There are no absolutes, Senator.”
“Even with you and Tim?”
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Donald shrugged, a smile curving across his face. “Okay, so maybe there are exceptions.”
The senator smiled back. “You know, this is all your fault anyway. Yours and Tim’s.”
Huh. “What?”
The senator gave one of Donald's trademark winks. “I wouldn’t have ever believed love existed until I watched the two of you together.”
Donald didn't know what to say, so he pulled his Tim Callahan card. “Timmy has that effect on people.”
The senator gave him a look not unlike the ones that Timmy's mother pulled out when she knew Donald was deflecting. “I think you probably have a little to do with it as well."
Donald could be gracious, Tim had taught him that. “Yes, well, he does love me despite my lack of fashion sense.”
The senator smiled. “Will you take the case?”
“Yes, but pro bono.”
“I can afford to pay you.”
Donald walked toward the door before turning around to face the senator. “I’m aware of that. Call it a wedding gift. If I don’t turn up anything, there’s no need for a record of any kind. And if I do turn up something, I really don’t think I could take your money for that. Timmy would never forgive me."
"You know Donald, I'm beginning to see what Tim sees in you."
Donald put his finger up to his lips like he was telling her to be quiet. "Don't let that get around, it would ruin my reputation. I'll be in touch."
The senator held out her hand for Donald to shake to seal the deal. "Thank you."
Donald covered her hand with both of his. "Don't thank me yet."
~*~*~*~*~
Donald could tell by the set of Timmy's jaw that he'd been found out as soon as he walked through the door. "Rumor has it that you were in the building today and yet didn't come to see me."
Donald kissed Timmy's cheek and stole a slice of cucumber from the salad Timmy was making. "You're jealous?"
Huffing, Timmy shook his head. "Not jealous, just wondering what other reason would bring you to the Capitol and why you didn't have time to drop by and say hi?"
"I was visiting at a request of your boss."
Timmy narrowed his eyes. "Senator Glassman?"
Donald raised an eyebrow. "Do you have another boss, I don't know about?"
Timmy hmphed and went back to chopping up carrots. "What did she want?"
Taking off his jacket, Donald slid into the seat across the island from Timmy. "It seems she's getting married."
Timmy looked up and then narrowed his eyes again. "Oh, so she accepted. How do you know this before me?"
"She wants to me to do an unofficial investigation of her fiancé."
Timmy set down the knife. "Are you sure that's a good idea Donald?"
Donald scrubbed his face with his hands. "No, I'm not sure, but I'd rather she found out any problems before she marries him. She wanted to pay me, I told her I wouldn't do it for money."
Coming around the island, Timmy wrapped his arms around Donald from behind and squeezed, whispering into his ear. "Sometimes I forget what a romantic you are."
Leaning his head back so Timmy could kiss him, Donald chuckled. "Hmmm, that's not usually your response when you find out I won't be getting paid."
Timmy kissed him and turned the stool around so Donald was facing him. "Yes, well, excuse me if I take issue with you risking your life for free. It's too precious for that."
Donald pulled Timmy between his legs. "And you say I'm the romantic."
"You are. You don't want to take the senator's money because if you turn up nothing, an official record could come back to bite her in the ass later both personally and professionally. And if you do turn something up, you're much too honorable to take money from someone you actually respect for causing her misery."
Even after all this time, Donald was still blown away by Timmy's faith in him. "It seems you got me all figured out, Mr. Callahan."
Timmy placed his hand on Donald's chest, splaying his fingers across his heart. "I know your heart, Donald. Even better than my own."
Donald couldn't argue with that. So instead, he covered Timmy's hand with his own and leaned in for another kiss.
~*~*~*~*~
Daniel Platt turned out to be more than just your average Joe. He was an economic professor at SUNY Albany. He was respected by his students and his colleagues. He had no outstanding debt, worked at a soup kitchen every Thanksgiving and offered his financial services for free to several area women's shelters. In fact, he was a such a stand-up guy, Donald worried he might just be too perfect. Nobody was that perfect, well except maybe Timmy.
Donald thought he was being quite stealth-like in his investigation. That was until Dr. Platt caught up with him in the hallway outside one of his lectures.
"Strachey right? Tim Callahan's partner?"
Donald nodded. "I'm surprised you remember me."
Daniel motioned for Donald to follow him to his office. "Well, I've seen your picture in Tim's office. Not to mention that Barbara often regales me with stories of some of your more colorful cases."
It took Donald a few seconds to realize that "Barbara" was the senator. "Well it's good to know someone's getting enjoyment out of my escapades."
Platt sat down at his desk and Donald followed his lead, sitting down across from him. "Barbara says you're a straight shooter," Daniel looked over at Donald and gave him a shy smile. "So to speak anyway, so I'm going to assume you aren't on campus looking into a degree in economics."
As always, Donald found the truth to be the best misdirection. "I'm working a case."
"I figured. Tim asked you to investigate me to make sure Barbara didn't get hurt again."
It wasn't a question. Donald's esteem for the other man rose because of it. "And if he did?"
"I appreciate it actually. I know what her first husband put her through. I'm glad she has people looking out for her. She adores Tim and she's quite fond of you as well."
Donald's gut was telling him that Daniel Platt really was a stand-up guy, but he owed it to the senator to find out for sure. "In that case, you'd be willing to answer a few questions for me."
Daniel met his eyes. "Shoot. I've got nothing to hide."
~*~*~*~*~
It turned out that Platt really didn't have anything to hide. His trips to the soup kitchens were a tradition started by his parents back when he was a kid. And his volunteer work at the shelters began after his sister left her abusive husband with little more than the clothes on her back. But more importantly, he seemed to genuinely love his Barbara. Donald was pretty sure he got the same stupid look on his face when he talked about Timmy.
"So you made me out to be the bad guy?"
Donald laughed at the put out look on Timmy's face. "No, I just didn't tell him that it was the senator who asked me to investigate him. I gave her my report and told her about the conversation I had with him." When he saw that Tim still wasn't mollified, he pulled Timmy against him and kissed his temple. "And I suggested that she tell him the truth."
Timmy visibly relaxed in Donald's arms. "Thank you for that. I don't mind being the fall guy. I just think honesty is important."
"I know, sweetheart. That's why I love you."
Pulling Donald over and down onto the couch, Timmy wrapped his arms around him. "I'm glad she's happy."
Donald settled against him, nuzzling behind Timmy's ear. "Me too. Maybe now she'll lay off my tie choices."
"Honey, she's getting married, not going blind."
Donald poked Timmy in the ribs. "Ha-ha. How come you never complain about them if they're so awful?"
Reaching out, Timmy stroked his fingers along Donald's jaw before pulling back to look into his eyes. "You could wear a polyester jumpsuit for all I care."
Donald shuddered at the thought. Even his fashion sense wasn't that bad.
"I know the man beneath the clothes, and there's no one finer."
Donald had to kiss him for that.
He could feel Timmy smiling against his mouth. "Besides, I know the real reason you wear cheap ties."
"Oh really?"
"Yep. You have a penchant for getting popped in the face and blood's very hard to get out of silk."
Donald had to laugh at Timmy's word choice. He liked it when Tim mimicked him. Donald waggled his eyebrows. "How about we take this upstairs and take a good hard look at what's underneath these clothes we have on?"
Once on their feet, Timmy pulled Donald behind him with a tug to his ugly tie. "See, who needs fashion sense when you have brilliant ideas like that."
Donald laughed all the way up the stairs.