Dark Division - Dani Ch. 04

"Vince, have you forgotten that I like chicks? Come on. I think you're dick is pretty awesome as dicks go, but I like another set of equipment."

"Well, I guess if you ever wanted to experiment or whatever you could let me know. Even if it's just for the sake of having some fun, I wouldn't mind so much."

"Thanks for the offer, but other than staying warm last night, I'm doing okay. Hey look there's the GTO."

Nick pulled up first, followed soon by Stan. The large trunk was swiftly loaded into the GTO, so the guys could take it back to the bunker to be opened and go from there. It was a quick goodbye for them all, but this time Nick and Stan had already agreed to keep in touch. The two had truly bonded and both hoped that it wouldn't be the last time they got to work together.

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After the lake case, Dani and Stan went back to handling cases throughout the territory as Oz indicated. What had changed was how Dani felt. After their time in the cabin, she felt connected to Vince in some way. It wasn't in a romantic way, but she felt like Vince was someone that understood her on some level. That was only backed up as she talked to Stan about the time he spent with Nick. It was just a pity they all four couldn't work together longer.

That feeling of understanding is what made her send the first text message only a few weeks after they parted.

-Hey Vince, how are you? Any news on the trunk?

-Dani? I'm good.

Vince was caught off guard, but forced himself to respond. He had never figured Dani would reach out to him, but at the same time just seeing that she had sent a message made him smile. Then, he realized she had asked about the trunk and tried to remind himself that she was all business and probably was just curious about it's contents.

-The trunk had an old tablet in it. We're working on deciphering it. I'll let you know when we figure it out. How are you doing?

He sent the last part, and immediately regretted it. He wasn't sure if it was too much. Maybe it was him trying to be too friendly when she was just checking on work. When his phone pinged again, he looked down at her message with a sigh of relief.

-I'm good. Stan and I are just chilling at a safe house in Montana waiting to see what the next case will be. We just finished a small town witch case...boring...

Vince smiled at the words. He could almost hear her saying them. And, it made him smile. In the next instant, a picture of a barely furnished bedroom with a small twin bed came through.

-This is worse than a motel bed. The CIA really needs to upgrade some of these safe houses. I mean come on. Get a memory foam or something. Maybe a picture or two on the wall? How's the bunker?

This was new, and it had Vince completely enraptured. He wanted nothing more than to have this woman in his life and if this was the way it would happen, then he was more than happy to go with it.

-Because we worked that case with you last year, I got a budget allocation to upgrade the beds here. I made sure to buy memory foam for everyone. So, I get to sleep here.

Vince took a quick picture of himself laid out on the bed smiling and sent it to her. He looked at it just after and couldn't help but hate the jackass level smile that was spread on his face. I mean how could he not come up with a better pose than hey I'm an asshole on a bed?

-I'm so jealous. Anyways, I gotta try to get some sleep. Chat later?

How was he supposed to respond to that? He wanted to send a yes, please keep in touch. Followed of course by saying that he really cared what happened to her, and that she should stay safe. Maybe he should even tell her to come by and visit sometime. All of that was crazy though, right? Vince contemplated for a second, and then just typed the first mundane thing he could think of.

-Sure, message me whenever.

No response came from her, but still he thought maybe it was the start of something. Dani made him feel connected again. Nick and he were best friends and he had some other buddies that he messaged once in a while, but Dani lit a fire in him. There was just something about the woman that made him feel, truly feel again and he never wanted to lose that.

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-So, here we are at another hotel. Looks like a minor haunted object case this time. What I wouldn't give for some werewolves or vampires.

It was three more days before Dani messaged again. This time it was with a picture of a giant neon sign that read 'Starlite Inn.' The place was a hole in the wall, but it appeared to be where the CIA was putting them up. Vince had checked his phone obsessively for the past three days, so seeing her message was a godsend. He smiled instantly.

"What's got you so happy?" Nick walked into the library sitting down a plate full of food for dinner in front of Vince.

"Nothing, why?" Vince immediately let his smile fall as he put his phone to the side.

"Nothing? Come on, who messaged you?"

"It's just Dani, and it's nothing." Vince decided he could wait to respond. After all, he didn't want to add fuel to whatever Nick was thinking about and he didn't want to respond too quickly.

"Ah, so you're messaging with Dani. Is everything okay with them?"

"Yea, she was just telling me about the case they were assigned to and the latest crappy hotel." Vince decided to open up a little to his partner. What was he hiding for anyways, he and Dani were just talking.

"Oh, cool. I'm glad you guys are chatting. You have a lot in common." Nick smiled a little. It was clear that it meant a lot to Vince to get a message from Dani, and he could think of nothing better than seeing Vince smile once in a while.

"We're just friends Nick before you say anything."

"Hey man, don't get defensive on me. I'm just happy you have a friend that likes the same stuff as you. Then, I don't have to hear about cars constantly, you can talk to her." He laughed a little before starting to eat. Vince nodded.

After dinner, he contemplated what to say to Dani. He had to keep it friendly, and not be awkward. He promised her they wouldn't be awkward.

-Hey you're lucky. I would love to be out there dealing with a case instead of reading and cataloguing every day. And if I have to answer another rookie question about a demon one more time. I swear the Division gets more lax with training as time goes by.

-I know. Stan knows more than half the idiots we've come across. And, I'm just teaching him what I know. I don't think some of these guys should be out taking cases.

-So what's up with your car?

He figured the least he could do is show some interest in her world. Cars were one thing he had in common with her.

-They told me they are still working on my Mustang, so I figure it's dead. It's been a year. I'm just going to lodge the loss with the Division and request reimbursement. I miss that car, though. What do you think I should get next?

-Don't know. You want a muscle car? A classic? A Bronco?

-As if. I mean they stopped making good cars in the 70s. I'll have to look around, but if you see anything awesome let me know.

Vince was beaming as he sat there at the table. Nick was buried in his research as he went back and forth with Dani discussing what her next car should be. Even over text, he could sense her sarcasm and sense of humor. Dani was a woman after his own heart.

What he didn't see was how Nick watched him out of the corner of his eye. He could see Vince finally relax and seem happy. It was the first time in a long time that he saw this side of him, and he only hoped it would continue.

Throughout the next few months, the conversations continued. At first, it was irregular with some messages coming from Dani about cases or about a motel. They would occasionally go back and forth, especially about music or cars. Their commonalities became more and more apparent with each conversation.

It was probably the second month after they started talking that the conversations became more and more. Now, Vince even felt comfortable initiating the chats. When it started to be at least one short conversation every other day, he started to look forward to it. Then, he started to need it. He needed to hear from Dani, know she was okay. More than that, he wanted to know what was going on in her life.

By month three of messaging with his newest best friend, Vince and Dani were dropping each other messages throughout the day. It was no longer who started a conversation or how often they updated each other. Now, they were just constantly chatting. Vince didn't even care anymore if Nick saw him messaging, hell he didn't notice. And, honestly, he had stopped thinking of Dani as a bed partner. Now, he cared about her, lover or not. Dani was his friend and he felt bonded with the beautiful woman on the other end of all those messages.

That bond was one he hoped would never break. Although, he still had his times of jerking off thinking about her, their conversations never went there. It wasn't sexual for Vince any longer. It caught him by surprise considering he had never been friends with a woman he didn't sleep with. Now, though, Dani wasn't the exception, but a measure which he knew he would use for any woman in the future.