AN: This one was sooooo fun to write. I'm normally not big into ships, at least in terms of reading or writing. But I love Brightwell lol. The title comes from the song Begin Again by Taylor Swift. I hope you enjoy, and please leave a review!

Dani didn't like to get deep into her feelings. She didn't wear her heart on her sleeve, she never told her friends about anyone she had a crush on, and she played her cards close to her vest. Maybe she hadn't always been that way, but she had been for a long time, and she didn't see any reason to try to change that. Besides, there had to be plenty of guys and girls who liked the strong, more silent type. Above anything else, Dani was not the type to change for a relationship. The more someone got to know her, and the more she let others in, the stronger the relationship would grow. That was just simple logic.

But the more she observed Bright, the more she wanted to let him in a little more. The current case was just proving to her just how much she enjoyed being around him. It was bizarre enough that Bright would consider a book like "The Count of Monte Cristo" to be a children's novel, but then again, it was Bright, so it made a little more sense. Those little intricacies about him were endearing, and Dani loved learning them.

But then he was on a bomb and he was about to tell her something, something important, and then he wasn't and then Gil and JT were pulling her out of the room, and Dani was furious. How could they leave him? How could Gil leave his kid in there?

"What the hell are we doing?" she asked the moment they got outside. "Why they hell are we leaving him alone up there?" If something was going to happen to Bright, it should happen to them too, because they were a team, a family, and they didn't leave anyone behind.

"He says he has a plan, and I trust him," Gil assured her, holding up a hand slightly as if to placate her. "If I didn't know that he had a plan, I never would've left him, you know that," he said. He sounded almost offended that Dani could possibly think that he would put his own safety in front of Bright in any way, and she supposed that maybe he was right. Gil loved Bright like a son, everyone knew that. There was no way he would leave him alone to die. He just wouldn't. Dani, for some reason, was much more worked up about it than she should have been. Gil trusted Bright to have a plan like he said he did, so Dani should trust him too.

"He'll be fine, he always is," JT added with a shrug.

Only a moment later, the glass was shattering in front of an explosion, immediately stealing everyone's attention. By the time Dani recognized the form falling from three stories as Bright, he was already landing with a crash on the LeMans. She froze for a moment, her eyes wide, before running up to the destroyed car, Gil and JT right next to her.

Bright lifted himself up and off the roof of the car just enough to say, "I think I'm gonna miss my flight," and flop right back down, breathing heavily.

"Call a bus," Dani said. She could have done it herself, but she was still too frozen herself to do it. She could not believe that Bright had just done that. Granted, this seemed much more a last ditch effort than anything close to a suicide attempt, but still. He could've died. But, he could've died if he'd stayed, too, so Dani supposed she couldn't truly be mad at him for it.

She could hear JT calling for a bus, but Bright was waving his hand dismissively.

"I don't need a bus," he muttered. "I just need to rest a minute."

"Like hell you don't," Gil said. "You just fell three stories, kid. You're lucky to be alive right now."

With a groan, Bright pulled himself up and into a sitting position. "I knew exactly where the car was, and I knew the roof would save me," he said. "Gil, I'm so sorry. I wouldn't have done it if I thought there was any other way, I know this car meant the world to you, I'm so sorry." He looked genuinely distraught, while Gil just looked shocked.

"Kid, it's okay," he said, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Your life is so much more important to me than a damn car. Saving your life is the best thing this car has ever done." Gil laid a hand on Bright's knee, as he often did, and leaned in a little closer. "You don't have anything to be sorry about. You saved the lives of everyone in that room by hopping on that bomb like freaking Captain America. The least I can do is sacrifice my car to save your life too."

Dani felt like maybe she and JT should step away, as if they were intruding on a private moment between a father and son. Because that's what Gil and Bright were. Everyone knew it, even the people who hated Bright. It was knowing that if they tried anything, then Gil would rain hell down on them, that kept those who didn't like having Bright around from ever saying anything about it. Not only did Gil hold their paychecks, but he was fiercely protective of those he loved, and incurring his wrath was much like incurring the wrath of a bear. No one did that unless they had a death wish.

But, despite Bright's protests, an ambulance arrived on scene only a minute later.

"I'm fine, Gil, really," he claimed, although his pained grimace as he forced himself to slide off the car betrayed him. He was clearly in pain.

"Well then it'll only take a few minutes for the EMTs to check you out," Dani countered. Bright looked at her, betrayed, and she just smiled right back at him. She didn't want to take any risks with his health or safety either. Her smile slowly fell at that realization, and she turned around, no longer facing Bright or Gil, but still towards JT. "We should go run down some leads," she said to him.

He gave her a curious look, but nodded.

"We'll meet you back at the precinct," JT said, beginning to walk back to his own car, but Dani hesitated a moment. Gil was right next to Bright, his hands hovering, as if to catch him if he fell or help him the moment he needed it, as the two walked towards the ambulance, every bit the concerned dad he was. Bright was moving slowly, stiffly, clearly trying to keep his face passive to keep up the appearance of feeling perfectly fine after falling three stories.

"I'll have to take him to change," Gil said, motioning towards Bright, whose once pristine white suit was now covered in soot and shards of glass. Bright just grinned and shook his head.

Dani nodded, then finally turned and caught up with JT. They had leads to run down.

Bright was full of terrible ideas, yet Dani found herself going along with them with barely a hint of token resistance. She was supposed to be driving Bright to the airport, and yet, she was driving him to Claremont instead. Seeing Dr. Whitly was something that she was both looking forward to, and terrified of doing. She wasn't scared of him because he was a convicted serial killer, no, she was scared of what she would do when she met him. Dani had seen the terrible things that Dr. Whitly had done to so many innocent people, including his own son. Dani was scared that when she met the man, he would say one little thing designed to make Bright feel like less than a person, and she wouldn't be able to contain her own rage. It surprised her just how much she wanted to hurt the man for hurting Bright. Still, she would do her best to remain professional, and protect Bright as best she could at the same time.

Dani tried not to let it effect her when Bright was surprised that she called herself his partner. She remembered being hesitant to even call herself his friend a few months prior, but now, she wouldn't hesitate to go beyond that, all the way to partner, because Bright was her partner just as much as JT was. They were family. Dani knew that Bright's self worth was atrociously low, and he'd been craving love and acceptance from the team since the first case they worked together. She was verbally confirming what Bright had been wanting for months. He kept his reaction small, but Dani noticed it, and Dr. Whitly likely had as well. Thankfully, he didn't comment on it. That was the only thing Dani was grateful for.

Seeing the way Bright was with his father, so soon after seeing him with Gil, Dani couldn't help but feel jarred by the difference. As much as Bright tried to act strong, Dani could see the fear in his eyes, and in his posture. The way he spoke to Dr. Whitly spoke of that fear and a healthy amount of righteous anger. It was clear that although Bright was speaking with his biological father, he hadn't considered the man his dad in many years. No, that title had been claimed by Gil, and seeing Dr. Whitly, Dani only wished Gil could have been his dad sooner. There was so much manipulation and gaslighting going on. It was honestly disgusting.

Dani tried to steer the conversation back towards the case at hand. She wasn't well versed enough in either Bright or Dr. Whitly to be able to protect him during that conversation. It was a conversation that the two clearly needed to have, but Dani knew it would be best had if Gil could somehow be there for it, to keep Dr. Whitly's most abusive tendencies at bay. Dani didn't know how to do that, but Gil could. Gil could put Dr. Whitly in his place and help Bright get the answers he needed. Dani hoped that maybe one day, she could do the same.

But soon enough, they had their answers for the case, and were on their way. Bright bought her the most amazing, gorgeous dress and earrings that she never would've been able to afford on her own. Normally, she wouldn't have let him do that, but it was for a case, so she would make an exception, just this once. Dani didn't know if she'd ever owned anything so beautiful. And the way that Bright looked at her once she stepped out of the dressing room made her heart flutter much more than she was comfortable with. He looked at her like she was beautiful, and of course Dani was confident enough to know that she was, but having Bright think she was just meant something a little more, as much as she didn't want it to.

Bright looked wonderful in his tux as well, and Dani enjoyed pretending to be his date much more than she would let him know. The two of them were the picture of elegance, and people did stare. For the first time, Dani didn't mind. Of course, people stared even more once they took down the suspect and saved the day.

Dani handed Isabella off to one of the unis to process, and caught up with Bright and his mother. She was beaming at her son. It was the first time Dani had ever seen Mrs. Whitly look proud of Bright, and he seemed to bask in it, soaking it all up like he might never get it again. Dani hoped that wasn't true.

"I don't know if you two had plans," she interjected, somewhat awkwardly. "But do you want to go get a few drinks?"

"Sure," Bright responded with a smile, then looked to his mother for her response. She smiled, but it was half a cringe.

"I'm not one for bars, so I'll let the two of you have your fun," she said, exaggerating her distaste for bars with a look of disgust, but it quickly melted back into a smile. She looked between Bright and Dani, grinning at the two of them with a knowing look in her eye that Dani chose to ignore. Mrs. Whitly gave Bright another look, but turned and walked away when he blushed and looked away. He quickly recovered, and offered his arm out to Dani, the perfect gentleman he was.

"Shall we?" he asked. Dani smiled and accepted his gesture.

"I'm ready to be the best dressed pair wherever we go," she said. "But I'm sure you're used to that."

Bright snickered and rolled his eyes, but didn't deny it. Instead, he let her pick the bar, since she was the one driving, although she had a feeling she would be needing to take a cab home. They laughed and talked the whole way there, just enjoying each other's company. It was the first time they'd ever really done that.

Still keeping up his perfect gentleman act, Bright opened the door for her, and insisted that he pay for at least her first drink. Dani didn't feel like arguing with him on it. They sat at the far end of the bar, with a perfect vantage point from which to see everyone coming and going, and minimal activity behind them. They were certainly the best dressed people there, and Dani reveled in it. She'd never been the best dressed person anywhere, so she was going to enjoy it as long as she could.

Dani watched Bright retrieve their drinks from midway down the bar. She could just barely make out the words they exchanged.

"One for you," the bartender said, handing Bright his drink. "And one for your girlfriend." He handed Bright the second drink.

"Oh, we're not... Thanks," Bright replied. Dani couldn't help but smile. He quickly brought the drinks back over and sat down, still blushing.

"So, how're you feeling?" she asked him. "You did fall three stories this morning."

"Top of the world," Bright answered with that coy smile. But he soon let out a low chuckle, and told her the truth. "My back is all one big bruise, but nothing is broken, or even cracked. I'll be sore for a while, but I'll be fine," he insisted.

Dani was relieved to hear it, much more relieved that she should have been. She didn't understand a lot of what she was feeling, and if she were being honest with herself, she was scared to look into her feelings more. She didn't like being vulnerable, even with herself. But she couldn't stop thinking about the fact that there were feelings that she didn't know what to do with, especially since she didn't have any idea what Bright was feeling either.

Then there was the fact that Bright had been about to say something, when he was on the bomb, and didn't. What had he been about to say? Dani had seen all the same movies as everyone else. She knew exactly what people were meaning to say when they broke off like that. But those were movies, and this was real life. She couldn't assume how Bright felt just because people in movies did it that way. At the very least, she knew he was lying about it being something about the profile. Aside from the fact that Bright wasn't a good liar, at least not to the people he cared about, it just didn't make sense for it to be about the profile. If it was, then he wouldn't have any reason to break off like that.

"What were you going to say?" she asked again. Maybe not knowing was worse than the truth. Clearly, Bright knew exactly what she was talking about.

He sighed, and stared down at his drink. "I don't know," he finally replied with a small shrug. "I really don't," he affirmed.

"Okay," Dani replied. It was honesty, and she would accept that. "But, if you ever figure it out, could you let me know?" She gave him a small smile, hoping that her words would do enough to say that she was open to something. She didn't even know what she was open to, but she supposed they would figure that out together.

"I don't seem to be too good at figuring out my life's mysteries, so I wouldn't get your hopes up," he responded, smiling around his glass of whiskey.

Dani rolled her eyes, but didn't hold back on her own smile either. She swiveled the ice in her own glass.

"You're really something, you know that?"

"That's been said about me with various connotations over the years," he said.

Dani just grinned. "Next round is on me," she insisted.

Bright let her have that one round. He picked up all the others, insisting that he had the money to spare, and it was only fair that he repay her for helping him weasel out of his vacation for another day. Dani couldn't argue with that logic.

Maybe they drank more that night than should have, or maybe they stopped just too soon. There were a lot of what ifs between Bright and Dani, and now there was one more: what if they'd ordered one more round? Would that extra round have made their goodbye different than just speaking the words after staring at each other for longer than they should have? Would that extra round have made them take the same cab home instead of two separate ones? Or would that extra round have made one of them say something that would ruin everything?

Dani didn't know. She would never know. All she knew was that she had an incredible evening with someone she cared about a great deal. Maybe that was all that mattered.