Mirror Man

A Family To Love Him!

Danny cried.

Danny cried like he'd never cried before, even when his exes cheated, when he was hurt over and over and over, when he lost everything the day he walked away from Dylan Cross, he never cried like that.

The only thing close was when dealing with Marks accident and the revelations and emotions that had come with it, that was painful, but this?, this was excruciating.

What could've been, what he could've had, the love, care and respect he missed out on and had craved so desperately all his life, the reason he'd gone into so many rubbish relationships, just chasing the feeling of being appreciated, loved and respected.

Years of frustration poured out, tension leaking from every part of him.

Through the torrent came a soft knock on the door, "Danny?, Danny are you okay?" the door opened and Rachels face dropped, "oh love, oh Danny come here".

Rachel walked across, sat down and drew Danny in to the most loving embrace he'd ever experienced, aside from the cuddles he'd shared with her son the previous couple of days, a hug so full of love and care that it made Danny cry even harder, if that were possible.

Rachel said nothing as he soaked her top with his tears, clawing at her back, trying to pull her in closer and closer, wanting to be a part of this wonderful motherly woman that he'd grown to love over the past week.

28 years of emotions and frustrations and holding things in, keeping up appearances, trying to show the world he didn't care, poured out, and kept on pouring.

"Danny?, Rachel?" Johns voice carried up the stairs as John, obviously wondering why downstairs was empty, came up to look for his wife and his guest.

"What's happened?, Rachel?, Danny?", face dropping as he walked in the room, sitting himself the other side of Danny, Rachel released him from her hold as John then swept him into a tight hug of his own, Danny just kept on crying.

Holding up the adoption papers and the letter, Rachel sent a knowing look to her husband, who simply nodded, reading the letter from Dannys birth mother over the younger mans shoulder, the older mans eyes signalled that he now understood the situation, his own eyes projecting the pain that he was feeling from the blonde, through Dannys vice like grip on his back.

Who knows how long they stayed like that, eventually though the tears ebbed away, the shaking calmed and the flood of hurt slowly trickled into a soft meandering stream.

By the time John managed to release Dannys hold on him, Danny was again asleep, his red swollen face and damp hair the only trace of his massive meltdown, the man now lying peacefully, covered by the soft duvet once again shook and shivered with residual aftershocks, as his body readjusted to its normal state.

"Bloody hell" John pulled his dark brows together between his thumb and forefinger, "I don't think I've ever seen anyone cry like that before, I wonder what bought that on?", he sighed heavily as he sipped on his hot coffee, he and Rachel having tucked Danny back into bed and left the door open in case he needed them, had gone back downstairs and flopped down at the kitchen table.

Strong hot coffee was needed as they both nursed the twinge of the nail marks Danny had pressed into their backs with a grip so tight they were surprised he hadn't broken the skin.

"Jeeez, that was tough" Rachel sighed heavily, "that poor man, he must've just held all that in, that letter must've just........released it all in one go", at that moment Rachels phone rang.

"Hey mum" Marks cheery voice came down the line, "I tried to call Danny but he's not answering, is everything okay?".

"Oh hi honey, yes he's just gone back to bed for a while, we took his phone out of the room, he......had a bit of a breakdown, but don't worry he's absolutely fine", Rachel smiled at the sound of Mark breathing out heavily with a sniffle, he really did care about Danny, she could hear it in his voice, the love he already felt for the blonde was clear for anyone to see.