Work Text:
"Feta or goat cheese for your salad?" asked the chipper waitress.
"Feta is fine." Malcolm smiled.
"All righty, I'll go put in your orders." she smiled back then made her way over to the kitchen entrance.
He gave a nod in return then glanced at Dani sitting across from him. It was strange seeing her all dressed up in a black cocktail dress with full make up and side swept hair. She looked beautiful, then again, she always did to Malcolm. Although, she usually fell in the beautiful without really trying category. Tonight, however, she was in the undercover and glamorous category. Technically, they both were. They were on a fake date at the upscale restaurant Scarpotto's. A restaurant known for its delectable tiramisu, and, to the rich and immoral, as a front for selling drugs. Let's just say that if you tip well, you get one hell of a doggy bag. The team decided to set up a sting in order to find proof of the drugs and, hopefully, of the murder of the restaurant's hostess.
So, there they sat, drinking wine and enjoying some fine dining, like just another posh couple relishing a night out in the big city.
"So, is this how you typically treat a girl on date?" Dani probed. "You know, with a fancy restaurant and expensive wine."
"No." Malcolm smirked. "I don't have a typical date. To have a typical date, I'd have to actually date."
"You date." She told him knowingly.
"Well, obviously, I dated Eve." He agreed. "And there may have been one or two other casual affairs over the years, but I've never dated consistently."
"I'm guessing being the son of a serial killer put a damper on your dating life." Dani noted, only half-teasing.
"Something like that." Malcolm nodded. "What about you? What's your typical date night look like?"
She thought for a moment then said, "Probably, beer, take-out, and a movie."
"That sounds... boring." He told her. "I thought you'd do something more adventurous."
"Yeah, well, you know how exhausting the job can be." Dani explained. "After working long days, it's nice to have a chill night."
"You mean it's easier." Malcolm corrected.
"Tomato, tomahto," She retorted. "but for the record, I did go on more fun dates every once in a while. However, I can undoubtedly say that I've never been on a date like this."
"Did go? As in, you don't date anymore?" He inquired.
"Not for a while, no." Dani replied. "Work keeps me busy."
"Interesting." Malcolm muttered before taking a sip of wine.
"What?" She quirked a brow.
"You use work as an excuse for not dating," He shared his observation. "but there are plenty of cops who find the right balance and make it work. Just look at JT, he's married with a baby on the way."
"Well, I'm not JT." Dani asserted.
"No, you most certainly are not." Malcolm retorted, giving her another onceover.
She bit back a pleased smile at his response then said, "but you're right. I do use it as an excuse."
He pushed on, "Care to elaborate?"
Dani took a long swig from her glass before replying, "I told you before that I have trust issues. Part of the reason why is that the last couple of guys I've dated turned out to be jerks. One lied about who he was, one tried to control me, and another cheated on me. After the last relationship failed miserably, I decided dating just wasn't worth the trouble. In fact, it's been over a year since my last real date."
"Wow." Malcolm responded. "I'm sorry... about the jerks, I mean."
She just gave a shrug while playing with her napkin on her lap.
"So, you're just never going to date again?" He queried, trying to hide his disappointment.
"I wouldn't say that." Dani amended. "I mean, I'd consider dating again, but the guy would have to be worth it. Very worth it."
"As he should be." Malcolm nodded then lifted his glass and toasted, "To the one who's worth it."
"To the one." She reiterated, clanking her wine against his.
Before they could go on, the waitress was back with their salads. For the next hour, they ate, talked, and laughed. It was a pretty great non-date overall except for Arroyo and JT listening in from a van across the street, and of course the buying drugs thing, which was going exactly according to plan. Malcolm ate his meal then precisely half of his dessert before turning his communication device on for the guys to hear him speak the code phrase to the manager who came to check on their dining experience.
"How was your meal this evening?" The smarmy manager asked in false politeness.
"Perfectly palatable." Malcolm spoke smoothly. "but I'll need to take my dessert to go."
"Very well." He nodded and grabbed the plate of half eaten cake. "I'll take care of it personally."
Malcolm gave an appreciative nod in return and watched the man disappear into the back.
Dani took a sip of her water to cover a whisper into her own com device and said, "Manager's on the move. Stand by."
A moment later, the manager returned with a medium-sized white paper bag that had the restaurant's name on it in golden script. The top was folded over to seal its contents inside. Setting it on the table, the manager spoke, "Your dessert, sir."
Malcolm casually handed over a rolled up wad of cash to the man via handshake as he thanked him for his service. He then stood to help Dani onto her feet and into her shawl. Making his way out the door of the restaurant with Dani in one arm and the doggy bag in the other, something bothered Malcolm.
"Are you okay?" Dani asked, noticing his perplexed expression.
"Did that seem too easy to you?" He wondered aloud.
"We had a solid plan and followed instructions. It was supposed to be easy." Dani told him. "Stop over analyzing things."
"You're right." He relented as he waited for the signal to cross the street, so they could hand off the evidence to Gil. That's when they both heard a loud click and immediately turned to look at the take out bag. After exchanging a glance with Dani, Malcolm opened the bag and retrieved the black plastic container inside. It was supposed to hold the drugs. However, peering inside, his eyes went wide as Malcolm saw a small timer with a red blinking light and thin wires surrounding it. Closing the box quickly but carefully, he yelled, "Bomb!" The pedestrians near them screamed and fled for safety, while Malcolm tried to figure out what to do. There was an alley nearby he could toss it in, but there could be somebody back there, and it would probably take too long to get it back there anyway. There seemed to be no good option and only seconds left to react.
"Malcolm! The garbage can!" Dani shouted, pointing over his shoulder.
He hurried over to the metal bin, threw it in, covered it back up with the lid and made a run for it. "GET DOWN!" He screamed, knowing it would go off any second. Jumping through the air, he tackled Dani to the ground and shielded her with his own body as a loud explosion erupted behind him, flinging garbage and debris everywhere.
Malcolm and Dani didn't move for a long moment as they stared into each other's eyes deeply and held onto each other for dear life. Her heart was racing and she was breathing heavily, but she managed to blurt out, "Malcolm, are you okay?"
"Are you okay?" He panted back. When she nodded, Malcolm finished, "Then, yeah, I'm okay."
Just then, Arroyo and JT made their way over and hoisted Malcolm up off of Dani and onto his feet. After helping Dani up next and making sure they were both okay, a million questions ensued. A little while later, after being checked out by paramedics, Gil sent the two of them home, figuring they had been through enough for one night, and he and JT could wrap things up themselves at the scene. Agreeing to leave, Malcolm hailed a cab for him and Dani. He had the cabby take them to Dani's place first, wanting to make sure she got home safe. Once they arrived at her building, he told the driver to wait while he escorted Dani inside, up three flights of stairs, and to her door.
It had been silent for the entire walk until the end when Dani turned to face him and said, "Thank you for walking me home. It was very chivalrous of you."
"You're welcome." Malcolm smiled timidly then added, "You know, tonight was fun... I mean, right up until we almost died in an explosion."
Dani's lips quirked upward as she replied, "Yeah, it was."
"Maybe..." He started then quickly cut himself off.
"Maybe what?" She probed curiously.
Taking a deep breath, Malcolm pushed forward, knowing that if he learned anything from tonight, it was that you have to make the most of the present because you never know what will happen in the future. So, he continued his thought and said, "Maybe we could do it again sometime?"
"You mean, without explosions, drug dealers, and the guys listening in on us?" Dani quipped.
"Yeah, just you and me... and maybe some beer and take out." Malcolm clarified with a knowing twinkle in his eye.
Biting her lip, she stared into that sanguine sapphire gaze of his and thought for a moment. Breaking into a smirk, she finally answered, "Yeah, I'd like that.
"Really? I-I mean, good. Me too." He fumbled. "So, I'll call you, or you can call me if you want."
"Well, we'll see each other tomorrow." Dani reminded. "We've got a case to solve remember?"
"Right, the case." Malcolm nodded. "We will take care of that first, then I'll call you."
"Sounds like a plan." She told him.
"Not a plan. A date." He corrected, finally saying the word aloud.
"Yeah, a date." Dani agreed with a grin then turned to unlock her door. Opening it a crack, she paused, turned, and called out, "Malcolm?"
He had just turned to leave, but turned right back around at her voice and replied, "Yeah?"
Crossing the distance as rapidly as she could in her stiletto heels, Dani pressed her hands against his chest and kissed him tenderly. Pulling back after a brief moment, she whispered, "Thanks for protecting me tonight."
Astonished by her actions, Malcolm didn't have time to say or do anything before she sauntered back toward her apartment. It wasn't until Dani was inside that he touched his tingling lips and mumbled, "You're welcome." Then, turning once more, he headed back down to the cab with a goofy smile on his face and a spring in his step.