Color Wheel

By:  Elizabeth Dunn

Disclaimer:  I think we all know by now whom they belong to and I'm sure we all wish that we own them.  Can't mess with the fabric of the universe though.  This isn't Star Trek :)

Author's note:  Still no beta reader.  Things are getting hot and heavy now, so watch out!  This turned out longer than I had intended and I have no idea what to do now.  I do have some more ideas, though....  :)  This is a sequel to 'Sketches' and 'Points of Perspective,' so it might help if you read them first.

**********

Color Wheel

When Casey's buzzer rang, he was sure it wasn't Dan because there was no way he could get there in less than half an hour.  But sure enough, when he opened the door there was Danny, looking disgustingly awake for the ungodly hour.  Casey let him in, shaking his head.  "Jesus, Danny, what did you do?  Charter a plane to get here?"

Dan grinned at him.  "No, just broke a lot of traffic laws.  And I got lucky in traffic."

"Of course you did.  There are very few people out there at this hour for the pure enjoyment of it."  He looked at Danny, who was looking anywhere but at him.  "So, do you want to sit down?  Or would you rather hold this conversation by the door?"

"No, let's sit."  They moved into the living room and took a seat on the couch.

"So, you said you wanted to talk."

"Yeah.  Yeah I do."  He sat there staring at his hands.  Casey had to laugh.

"It might help the talking process if you, oh I don't know, said something."

"I know.  I just don't know what to say." 

"I see.  You woke me up insisting you had to talk so you could come over here and not talk.  I'm going back to bed.  Wake me up when you figure it out."

"No, wait!"  Casey looked at him expectantly.  "You love me, Casey."

"I'm not hearing anything new."

"That's because I'm just rehashing what brought us here."

"No, you're trying to work yourself up to something.  Just tell me now:  do I have to start looking for a new best friend?"

"God no!"

"Well then?"

"You love me.  We both know that.  But I love you too."  He grinned at the look of shock on Casey's face.  "Bet you weren't expecting that one."

"No...I....  Is this true?  You're not jerking me?"

"Not yet.  I can if you want."

"*Danny*!"

"Look Case, what do you want to know?"

"I want to know....  Promise me you won't laugh."

"Never."

Casey got up off the couch and started pacing.  "I want to know that you're serious.  That you're not saying this to save face or our friendship or anything like that.  I want to know that it's real for you, the same way it is for me.  That when I look in your eyes I know what is happening, that this is true, without any words being said.  I want...." He turned and looked at Dan, tears shining in his eyes.  "I want to know that this won't be another Lisa.  I can't be hurt like that again.  I won't let myself.  I refuse to let myself love someone who can-might-break my heart.  I just can't survive that a second time."  He stood by his window and leaned his forehead against the glass, staring at the city below.

Danny came over to Casey and put his hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension there.  "Casey, please believe me when I say this.  I love you.  I have for a while I think; I just never admitted it, even to myself.  I want to be here for you, with you, forever.  I would never break your heart, as long as you don't break mine."  He moved around to face Casey and took his chin in his hands.  "Never doubt anything between us," Dan whispered, before leaning over to kiss Casey.

Casey let out a small moan at the first contact and leaned into it, deepening the kiss.  His tongue ran out over Dan's mouth until it opened to let him in.  Dan let out a groan and reached to pull Casey closer.  Suddenly, Casey pulled back.  Dan looked at him with shock and hurt all over his face.  He reached to pull Casey back in, but Casey backed to the other side of the room.

"Danny, no.  This is too fast.  We're...you can't be ready yet."

"But I am.  I want this, Case.  So much I can feel it."  He smiled.  "And if you come back over here, you can feel it too."

"No.  I won't screw this up by moving too fast.  I refuse to."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying we slow down a bit.  That we try to get some sleep and go to work.  That we do a good show and then come home and talk some more."

"We can do that."

"You sure?  You're not mad at me?"

"Never, Casey.  I know this is important to you.  To tell you the truth, I'd rather ravish you where you stand, but I can tell slow is good for you right now."

"Slow is good.  I know the pain of rushing.  Maybe if Lisa and I had waited longer before getting married, we might not have turned out the way we did.  Maybe we would've realized we shouldn't have married at all.  I'm tired of screwing up, Danny.  I won't screw this up.  Can I tell you something?"

Danny, seeing the serious expression on Casey's face, took his hand and drew him to the couch.  "Tell me," he said without letting go.

"I'm lost, Danny.  I lose myself in your eyes, your smile, and your voice.  I can't think of you without feeling so good.  I've given my heart to you, whether you know it or not.  I don't give my heart easily, Dan.  You know that.  The last time I released my hold on it a little, it got crushed.  I'm afraid. I'm afraid because Lisa only held part of my heart.  You've got it all, and damn you if you're not working your way into my soul as well.  Somehow or other, you've worked your way in here and I never want to let you go.  You have such power over me and you have no idea.  I don't like being out of control and I want to know it's safe to let go before I do.  That's why I want to take it slow.  Not because I don't trust you, but because I've learned the hard way how easy it is to fall-and how hard it is to recover. Oh, Danny," and Casey started to cry.

Dan put his arms around him, hurting for him.  He had never realized how bad Casey had been hurt by Lisa.  Of course, Casey had never let him in there before.  For the first time he realized how deep Casey's love was for him and he was suddenly glad that Casey had insisted on slowing it down.  To be the recipient of such passion....  He held Casey a little closer, rocking him.  "Shhh, Case, it's all right.  It's all right.  Just let it out." 

A few minutes later, Casey looked up, slightly embarrassed.  "I'm sorry Dan."

"Don't be.  You needed that.  Now, come on."  He started to lead Casey to the bedroom.  Casey stopped, confused.

"But, I thought...."

"Casey, we have to be to work in," Dan glanced at his watch, "four hours.  It might be good to get some sleep before then.  So, I'm going to put you to bed and then," he took a shaky breath, "try to grab some sleep myself.  On the couch."

"No," Casey whispered.  "Stay with me.  I need to hold you, to be held."

Danny smiled at him.  "I'll stay.  Never fear about that.  I'll always be here with you."  Hand in hand, the two men walked to bed.

**********

Dana looked up from the papers she was holding, growing more annoyed by the second.  "Natalie!"

She stuck her head into the conference room.  "Yes, Dana?"

"Do you have any clue where Dan and Casey are?"

"Dan and Casey?"

"Yes, Dan and Casey.  You know, the anchors?  The two people who are rather integral to the show?"

"Ohh, Dan and Casey."

"So?"

"So?"

"Where are they, Natalie?  There is a rundown meeting as of five minutes ago and yet they are not here where their paychecks say they should be."

"I don't know.  Should I find them?"

Before Dana could open her mouth, Casey shouted, "Sorry we're late!"

Dana glared at the two men running into the room.  Natalie looked at Dana's face and left, wanting to be anywhere but there.  "Just where were you two?"

Dan looked at Casey.  "We slept in."

"Slept in."

Yeah," chimed Casey.  "Slept in.  As in overslept, got more sleep, slept in."

"Both of you?"

"Well...."

"What aren't you telling me Casey?"

"Well...."

"Dan?  Would you like to try?"

"I spent the night at his apartment, Dana."

"Spent the night."

"Yes."

"At Casey's apartment."

"That would be right."

Dana looked confused.  "Casey?"

"Yes, Dana?"

"What is going on?"

"Right now?"

"Right now."

"We are supposed to be having a rundown."

Dana threw her hands up.  "That's it!  I give up.  Now, Let's get this meeting started...."

**********

Dan and Casey fled to their office as soon as the rundown was over and shut the door, hoping to be left alone for a while.  No such luck.  Dana swept in, not even bothering to knock.  She gave then an evil glare before starting in on them.  "Do you two mind explaining to me what the hell was going on in there?"  Before Casey could say anything, she held up her hand, stopping him.   "And don't give me any of that crap about a meeting or sleeping in.   I want to know what you," she swung to point at Dan, "were doing in your," back to Casey, "apartment last night."  Silence.  "Well?  I'm waiting."

Dan and Casey looked at each other.  Apparently having come to some sort of silent consensus, Casey began to speak.  "We left work last night."

"You always do.  That's not what I want to know."

"We went out."

"Again, nothing new."

"Danny got drunk, and I took him home with me so he could sleep it off."

"That would explain it."

"Yes it would."

"Except," Dana continued, "for the small but ever so important detail that the total story is bullshit!"

"Dana...."

"Don't lie to me Dan.  Don't even try it."

"Did it ever occur to you that this is none of your business?"

"It was none of my business until you brought it into the office by being late.  Now it is my problem.  And now you're going to tell me what the truth is before I kill you."  She smiled at them.

"Think we should tell her, Casey?"

"I think she can handle it, Dan."

"You want to?"

"You tell a story so much better."

"You ready Dana?"

"Ready."

"Casey draws."

"I see.  Will this make any sense soon?"

"Soon."

"Good.  Continue."

"He draws to get back into the groove."

"The groove.  Gotcha."

"I caught him.  Naturally he was embarrassed."

"That's Casey.  Then what?"

"I grilled him on it and found out something interesting."

"Does it have any relevance to this story?"

"I believe it does."

"Well?"

"He only draws things that he has...strong positive feelings for.  He was drawing the newsroom when I caught him.  He loves his work you know."

"Yes I do."

"He left and I was curious."

"You snooped."

"Exactly.  I found some other drawings."

"Are they important?"

"Yes."

"Good.  Does this have a point?"

"Soon."

"Good."

"They were interesting.  Work, his son, me."

"You."

"Yes me."

"Then what," Dana asked, interested in spite of herself.

"Then he caught me...fulfilling my curiosity."

"Snooping.  Invading his privacy."

"Whatever.  Anyway, I asked him what it meant.  Do you want to know what he said?"

"Of course."

"He said he was in love with me."

Dana gaped at him and shot Casey, who was looking horribly embarrassed, a stunned look.  "Love?" she choked out.

"The real thing."

"So you went home with him."

"Not yet."

"Why not?"

"We had just talked about it, kind of.  I had to think about it so we went to our separate homes."

"Then how did you end up at his place?"

"I thought about it and had to tell him."

"In the middle of the night?"

"Yes.  I went over, we talked, Casey cried, we kissed, and then we went to bed."

"I'm going to hate myself for asking this but...?"

"We slept, Dana.  Just slept.  We decided not to rush it."

"Ok.  So you slept in and came in late in time for me to yell at you and hear this convoluted story.  Is that right?"

"I think that sums up all the salient points.  What do you think, Case?"

"Got them all."

Dana looked at them.  "I have to think about this," she said to the room at large, then left in a daze.

Casey looked at Dan and smiled.  "I think that went rather well."

"So do I."

"Now, about this script...."

They got to work, silently agreeing to hold off discussion for after the script was finished.

**********

"Live in sixty."

"Good show guys," came Dana's voice from the control room.

"Casey?"

He didn't look up from his papers.  "Yeah, Dan."

"Come home with me tonight?"

Casey looked at his partner.  "Yeah, sure, of course."

"Just to talk, Case.  Nothing else has to happen."

"Thirty seconds."

"Ok.  Fine.  Sounds fine."

"Guys?"

Dan sighed.  "Yes, Natalie?"

"What aren't you sharing?"

They were saved from answering by the A.D.  "And in five, four, three, two-."

Dan slid smoothly into the teaser.  "Good evening.  I'm Dan Rydell alongside Casey McCall.  Those stories plus the Series rush-who goes and who stays."

"And a man and his dream.  What are Bill Parcels' Super Bowl plans for the Jets this season?  You're watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick around."

"And back in two."

"Okay, guys, spill it."

Casey looked up at the control room.  "Natalie, there's nothing to share.  What makes you think there's anything to share?"

"I'm not stupid, Casey."

"Nobody ever said you were."

"I can read the signs."

"Signs?"

"Yes, Dan, signs.  You've both been quiet today, Dana's been upset-"

"I have not"

"And," continued Natalie without losing a beat, "the two of you were just making plans to 'just talk.'  Share. Now."

"Natalie, if we could share we would."

"Not buying it Casey.  I have one word for the both of you:  pants."

"Look, can we cut a deal?"

"I'm listening."

"Let us talk. You're right, there is something, but we need to work it out first.  Let us talk and we'll share tomorrow."

"First thing?"

"Very first thing."

"Dan?"

"I agree.  First thing."

"All right.  Just remember:  no sharing, no pants."

"Fine.  Just let us do the show."

"Fine."

Right on cue, "And...we're back."

They did the show.

**********

Dan walked into his apartment and threw down his keys, looking royally pissed off.  "I can't believe it, I just can't believe it."

"Casey hung up his jacket and looked at Dan.  "What exactly can't you believe?"

"Natalie!"

"Dan, we were talking about something fairly personal basically in front of her.  You thought she wouldn't pick something up?"

"But she wants us to share!"

"We told Dana the whole story to date."

"That was different."

"No it wasn't.  Dana is just a little more cautious.  The point is we now have to share."  He looked at Dan's disgusted face.  "You have something against sharing?"

"Hell yes!"

Casey sighed and grabbed his coat again.  "Well, that tells me everything I need to know.  Good night, Dan."

Dan grabbed his arm.  "Case, don't go.  I didn't mean it that way."

"Explain."

"I just wanted this to be just us for a while."

"We have no choice now, Danny."

"I know.  And now I think it's not such a bad thing."

"I'm glad.  Now, you said we need to talk?"

"Yeah.  Yeah, we do."  Dan walked over to Casey and pulled him in for a kiss.  They kissed for several minutes before Casey finally pulled away.  He smiled lazily at Dan.

"Some talk."

"I'm sorry.  I had to do that.  I had to taste you again."

"Do you hear me complaining?"

"Are you?"

A low chuckle.  "No, not at all.  God, you're good at that."

"I know.  Now we really do need to talk."

"All right."  Casey walked over to the sofa and sprawled out on it.  "Talk."

"Case...."

"Problem, Danny?"

"Could you sit up?"

"Why?"  Casey's grin was evil.

"I can't think with you laying there like that!  At least, not about conversation."  Dan went over to the sofa, fully intent on pulling Casey into an upright position.  Casey took Dan's hand and pulled him down on top of him.

"Dan?"

"Casey?"

"I don't want to talk anymore."

"Neither do I."

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to make love to you."

"You sure?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Well, you said 'make love.'  That implies a deeper involvement than...."

"Sex?"

"Well, yeah."

"Case, that's because it won't be just sex.  I love you and I want this to show that.  To mean something."

"Okay."  They lay there for a moment.  Finally, Casey broke the silence. 

"Well?"

"I guess we should start."

"Yeah."  Casey kissed Dan, hard and fast.

"Mmmm.  Think you can do that again?"

"Sure."  Casey kissed him again, lingering over his lips, allowing his tongue to caress Dan's mouth.  Dan opened his mouth and caressed Casey's tongue with his own.  Casey moaned and pressed closer, running his hands over Dan's shirt and toying with the buttons.  Dan broke the kiss and grabbed Casey's hands.

"Case?"

"Hmmm?"

"I think now would be a good time to go to bed."

"We could do it right here," Casey protested, not wanting to lose the full-body contact with Dan.  God, but he felt so good....

"No.  I want this to be special, Case."  He smiled.  "I don't have candles or flowers, but I can at least make the location more romantic."

Casey chuckled and got up.  "Jeez, I don't rate flowers?  Some date you are."

"Case?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."  Dan kissed him again.

Somehow they made it to the bedroom, though neither of the men remembered just how they did it.  One minute they were kissing on the couch, the next, they were on Dan's bed, trying to get rid of their clothing as fast as humanly possible.  Casey groaned when he heard his shirt rip under Dan's hands.  "Danny...."

"Sorry.  Got a little excited."

"All right.  If you want to play that way..." Casey ripped off Dan's shirt.

"You know, wardrobe is going to hate us.  These shirts do belong to them."

"Tough.  They can take it out of our pay.  Besides, have to make the sharing interesting."

"Oh, so you're doing this for Natalie's benefit."

"The shirts, yes.  This," he leaned down and captured one of Dan's nipples with his mouth and licked it gently, "is just for me."

Dan sighed and gripped Casey's head.  "Don't stop," he gasped. 

"You're the boss."

Casey renewed his assault on Dan's chest, teasing each nipple into a hard point.  He moved down Dan's stomach, stopping when he reached the waistband of his pants.  Casey caressed the hard cock, and then, with a small smile, placed his mouth over Dan's cock and began to suck him through the cloth.  Dan thrust up his hips and cried out.  "Casey!"

"Casey stopped and looked at Dan.  "Want me to stop?"

"Damn it no!"

"All right."  Casey started to suck again, but Dan's hands on his head stopped him. 

"Do you think you could remove those?"  He grinned sheepishly.  "I don't want to come in my pants, Case.  I want to come in your mouth."  Casey's eyes lit up and he quickly finished stripping Dan.  He leaned back to look at Dan, naked and wanting him, Casey McCall.  It was almost too much to believe.  Dan looked at Casey quizzically.  "Case?  There a problem?"

Casey blinked and bent over Dan again.  "No problem.  You're so beautiful, Danny.  So damn beautiful."  He ran his tongue teasingly up and down Dan's cock, and then drew it back in his mouth again.  Dan screamed quietly and began thrusting into Casey's mouth.  

"Case, man, so good...oh, don't ever stop...love you so much...Casey!"  Dan came hard and fast, crying out Casey's name over and over.  He collapsed into a boneless heap.  Casey came back up to lie beside him.

"So, was it good for you?"

Dan shot him a look and gave a weak chuckle.  "Good doesn't even come close to how I feel right now."  He looked a little more closely at his friend.  "Casey, why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That you weren't...satisfied."

"I get satisfaction in watching you."

"Romantic."

"Guilty as charged."

"Case?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to touch you.  Do you want that?"

Casey took Dan's hand in his own and placed it on his very hard cock.  He glanced at Dan, a teasing grin on his face.  "Now, what do you think?"

Dan groaned at the intimate contact and began running his fingers over Casey.  Casey threw back his head and removed his hand from Dan's to grab the sheet.  Dan's hand sped up, teasing Casey to the brink.  Just before Casey came, he took his hand away.  Casey moaned his disappointment.  "*Danny*"

Dan looked at Casey, enjoyed the beauty in front of him.  He saw Casey's hands move toward his cock, intent on finding release, but Dan stopped him.  "No way, Case.  I've got plans for this."

"Casey opened one eye and looked at his friend, desire and long-suffering playing over his face.  "More plans?" he groaned.

"Oh, but I think you'll like this one."  He leaned forward to look Casey in the eye.  "I want you inside me.  Make love to me.  I need you."

With a sudden burst of strength, Casey flipped the two of them over so Dan was now on his back with Casey on top of him.  He kissed Dan passionately, drawing away only for air.  Finally, he drew back and looked carefully at Dan.  "You sure?" he asked, not wanting to push him.

"Completely."

"Lube?"

"Yeah, I think you'll need it."

"No, is there any?"

Dan leaned over to open his bedside table and drew out a bottle of massage oil.  "Best I have."

"It'll do."  Casey poured a generous amount onto his hand and gave Dan an evil look.  "Sure you don't want a massage?"

"Dammit, no!  Take me!"

"All right."  Casey eased one finger inside of Dan and grinned when he cried out.  "Like it?"

"Love it," Dan gasped.  'Don't stop."

Casey was caught up in the erotic sensations as well.  "Won't stop.  Going to make it better."  He inserted two fingers into Dan and moved them around.  He grinned when Dan screamed and arched up into the caress when Casey hit his prostate.  He rubbed it more deliberately, enjoying the wanton thrashing of Dan's body.  He inserted a third finger and had Dan begging.

"Please, Case!  Please!"

Casey smiled.  "All right."  He withdrew the fingers and rubbed his cock, distributing any leftover oil onto it.  Dan tensed when felt the head of Casey's cock at his opening.  Casey paused and looked at him.  "Danny?  You okay?  Tell me if you want to stop, if this is too much."

"No, Case.  Keep going...want to feel so good."

"Going to make you feel good," Casey gasped as he eased into Dan.  God the man was tight!  "Make you feel so damn good...." He began thrusting, slowly at first, trying to be gentle.  But Dan had other plans.  He pushed his hips, taking Casey all the way in gasping for him to go harder, faster.  Casey obliged by speeding up, putting more power into his thrusts, moving his own hips in circular motions that had Dan letting out gasping sobs.  Casey felt the beginnings of release stirring in him and began to move faster, all teasing gone.  He reached over and grabbed Dan's cock, which had become hard again, and began pumping it.  Dan gasped and came, crying out Casey's name.  Casey soon followed, encouraged by the contracting of Dan's muscles around him.  With a gasp, he emptied himself deep into his best friend-best lover now.  He withdrew from Dan's body and moved to lie beside him. 

Dan looked at Casey sleepily.  "So incredible...I love you," he whispered, and fell asleep.  Casey rolled over to wrap himself around Dan and tried to sleep, but found he couldn't.  He lay there and just looked at Dan, admiring the sated beauty he found.  Casey thought of something and got up.  If he couldn't sleep, he had an idea of how to pass the time....

**********

Dan came back to awareness slowly.  The first realization that he had was that the bed beside him was cold and empty.  He raised his head to confirm that, and then let it fall back to the pillow.  Anguish ran through as he considered what that possibly meant.  /Shit! / he thought to himself.  /Did we move too fast?  Was it something I did or said?  Did I just screw up the most important thing that ever happened to me? /  Dan got out of bed and headed to the living room, intent on calling Casey and trying to salvage something.  As he moved down the hall, he saw that a light was on.  Cautiously, he looked into the room and suppressed a gasp at what he saw.  There was Casey, curled up on the couch, working on something. 

Silently, Dan came up behind Casey to see what he was doing.  He had to smile at what he saw.  Casey was drawing!  He leaned in for a closer look.  Apparently drawing meant more to Casey than he had let on, since instead of a pad of writing paper, he was working in an actual sketchbook.  He could tell that it was a charcoal drawing, but he couldn't tell what of.  As he moved closer, he obviously made some sound.  Casey whirled around in surprise, but relaxed when he saw it was Dan.  Casey closed the book and turned to face Dan.

"Hey."

Dan was in no mood for pleasantries.  Now that he knew that he hadn't scared Casey off, he was angry that Casey hadn't stayed with him.  "Why didn't you stay?" he asked, the anger and hurt showing clearly.

Casey looked at him in confusion.  "I'm still here."

"No.  Why didn't you stay with me?"

"Oh.  I couldn't sleep.  I didn't want to disturb you."

"Do you want to know how much it 'disturbed' me to wake up and find you gone?  God, Case, I thought you had left."

It dawned on Casey what Dan meant.  "Oh, Danny, no.  Never think that."

"I thought you decided you didn't want it.  Want me."

"Danny, Danny, I'll always want you, don't you know that?"

"I thought I did."

"Never doubt it."

"Prove it."

"How?  I'll do anything."

"Come back to bed.  Sleep beside me."

"Sure."  Casey stood up and wrapped his arms around Dan.  "He whispered,  "I love you, Danny.  I'd never hurt you on purpose."

"I know that now.  Come to bed."  They left the room, still wrapped up in each other, and went to sleep.

**********

When Dan's alarm went off, neither man wanted to acknowledge it.  Finally, Dan sat up and turned off the alarm.  He turned to Casey's still-sleeping form and began to shake him.  "Case.  Morning.  Get up.  Got to go to work."

Casey opened his eyes and looked at Dan blearily.  "Work?"

"Yeah, you know.  Work.  That place we go to Monday through Friday to host a sports news show?"

"Oh work."  Casey sat up, paused, then got up and started putting on his clothes.  "I better get going then."

"Why?"

"Well, I need clothes, for one."

"Wear some of mine."

"You know what would happen there?"

"Share without words."

"Oh.  Does that bother you?"

"No.  Does it bother you?"

"No."

"Fine.  I'll wear your clothes."

"What is it, Case?"

"Nothing.  Just, I wasn't sure you wanted it to be so obvious.  I mean, you didn't really want to share last night."

"I do now.  I'm happy, Case.  So happy I'm beyond happy.  And it's because of you.  I don't care that everyone knows it. In fact, I want them to know it."

"Glad to hear it.  I feel the same way."

"So.  Shower?"

Casey smiled.  "Showers are good."

"Oh, no.  Don't you look at me like that.  We need to go to work, remember?"

"Yeah, unfortunately.  I'll be good." 

"Well...not too good."  Laughing, they got in the shower and got ready for work.

*********

Dan walked off the elevator and groaned.  Casey, who was right behind him, saw the reason why.  Natalie was standing there, obviously waiting for their arrival.  She trailed them into their office, where she promptly closed the door and turned to face them.  She smiled sweetly and said, "Sharing time.  Spill."

Casey sat down at his desk and rubbed his temples.  "Natalie, what do you want to know?"

"I know what's going on.  I can tell just by looking at you."  She gestured at Casey's outfit, consisting of jeans and one of Dan's favorite shirts.  "I just want to hear it."

"Fine.  Dan and I are in love and we're sleeping together."

Natalie looked at him.  "Just wanted it confirmed," she stated, and left.  At the door, she stopped and said, "Oh, by the way, the noon rundown has been moved to 12:30." 

Dan glanced at Casey and smiled.  "Another normal day."

Casey smiled back, warmth and love evident in his face.  "Normal for here, anyway."

"Is this okay with you?"

"Is what okay?"

"Having people know.  Now that Natalie knows, everyone will find out very soon."

"Danny, it's perfect. What?"

"I was wondering."

"Yes?"

"What were you working on?  When you were supposed to be in bed with me."

Casey looked down, embarrassed.  "Was planning on it being a surprise," he mumbled.

"Will you show me?"

"All right.  Just remember it isn't that good."  He reached into his bag and pulled out the pad.  He flipped through it quickly until he got to the page he wanted.  Silently, he dropped it on Dan's desk, and then left the room, mumbling some excuse about having to go to editing.

Dan watched his partner go, knowing that he was just insecure about his drawing.  He picked up the pad and looked at the image there.  He gasped at the beauty.  It was another one of him, but different somehow.  He studied it closely and hit upon the exact word to describe the difference.  Intimacy.  The drawing showed a much more intimate knowledge of the subject than the previous he had seen had.  It was just a head-and-shoulders sketch, but it was perfect.  Dan admitted to himself that he probably thought it was perfect because he was in love with the artist, but it didn't matter.  He still thought it was beautiful.

"I meant to redo it differently.  Color, perhaps."  Dan jumped at the sound of Casey's voice.

"Damn, how do you come in so silently?"

"A gift, I guess."

"It's perfect, you know." 

"Not perfect."

"How can you say that?"

Casey knelt down beside Dan.  "It's not perfect, because the only thing that could be perfect is you.  I love you.  You're perfection.  This," he waved his hand at the drawing, "is only a shell."

Dan leaned forward and kissed Casey tenderly.  "And I love you."

"And now the whole office knows."

"What do you mean?"

Casey pulled away and waved his hand at the office outside the glass walls.  It seemed they had attracted a lot of attention, including Isaac, who, from the look of it, had been consulting with Dana before the 'Dan and Casey' show had started.  Dan held Casey close to him.  "Let them stare," he murmured.  "We love each other, and they'll just have to get used to more of this."

Casey beamed.  "They will, won't they?"  He pulled Dan in for another kiss, audience be dammed.  Love's such a great thing.

****End****