"Are you sure you don't want to come over? I'll even let you pick the musical we watch." Phoebe rocked back on her heels hoping Lacey would take up the offer to spend the night at her house. Lacey was her first real friend at Green Grove since her falling out with Regina, and she felt like such a horrible person for icing her out.
"I think I'm just going to go to bed. It's been a long day. Thanks, though," Lacey smiled extending her arms to her friend – her only friend as of that night. She had tried to text Danny to apologize for breaking the script at the diner, but he never responded.
"'Kay, well you know my number. Let me know if you change your mind." Lacey nodded and watched Phoebe leave before going back inside to tell her mother she was going to bed. When she walked into the family room, she saw her mom was giggling to someone on the phone. She figured it was probably a boyfriend, so she quickly mouthed "goodnight" and headed upstairs.
Her mind kept replaying her conversation with Phoebe. The car... the woman... the scratch... She started to wonder if she ever really knew Regina. They had been best friends, and yet Lacey had no idea about the secret life Regina had outside of school.
Collapsing on her bed she reached for her phone on the nightstand. She wanted to share the new information with Danny, but before she could start a text, her phone started going off. Squinting her eyes at the caller-id she saw it was Jo. Why? Had she finally decided to let Lacey explain things?
"Jo, hi." Lacey answered but was cut off by a very panicked Jo.
"Lacey turn on the news. Now."
"What? Why? What happened?" Lacey scrambled for her TV remote. Jo didn't need to answer. As soon as she turned the channel she saw a woman holding up his picture.
"I can't believe – I mean it couldn't – " Jo started talking, but Lacey tuned her out as she listened to the woman giving Danny's description. Her stomach sank to the floor.
"Danny Desai is wanted for the murder of Regina Crane. He's on the run and we have reason to believe he's armed and dangerous. If you see him, contact the Green Grove police department immediately. Once again, do NOT approach him. He may be armed and dangerous."
"Lacey? Lacey? Lacey are you there?" She heard Jo yelling at her through the phone.
"I have to go." Lacey barely managed to get the words out before hanging up and letting the phone fall out of her hands. How could this be happening and why was it happening to her? All she knew was that her entire world was crumbling around her and there was nothing she could do about it. After trying so hard to keep herself together for the past few weeks, she finally broke down, crying until she eventually fell asleep.
It was around one in the morning when she awoke to the sound of a thump in her room. Startled, she got out of bed and walked over to her window. She didn't remember leaving it open. Just as she was about to turn around, a strong hand clamped over her mouth. She wanted to kick and scream, but then she heard his voice.
"Shhh. Lacey please... I'm not going to hurt you. Please don't scream." He whispered desperately, removing his hand when she calmed down. Before she could get over the shock, he continued speaking.
"Lacey... Lacey you have to believe me. Please... I don't know how my fingerprints were on the weapon. I swear I didn't..." He was pleading now. Not once in her life had she ever seen Danny look so genuinely scared.
"W-why did you come here?" That was all she was able to get out as she backed away from him toward her nightstand to turn on the light. Danny quickly pulled the curtains closed.
"I didn't know where else to go and I just... I just needed you to know that I didn't do it. I needed you to believe me." As he spoke, the conversation she had with Phoebe replayed one more time in her head. She knew something wasn't right.
"I believe you..." she said cautiously. She could his breathing calm and his eyes softened. He looked so innocent, childlike almost.
"You do?" Lacey nodded at him and looked at the clock realizing what time it was and how long he had been on the run.
"Where were you Danny? They've been looking for you since 9 last night." He pushed a loose strand of hair behind his ear and sighed.
"I went to the clubhouse. I needed time to think."
She looked him over for a moment, remembering what the woman on the news said.
"Why do they think you're armed and dangerous Danny? It's all over the news." She watched him as he lifted his shirt to reveal the revolver that was tucked into the waist of his pants.
"It was my dads. I had to have something in case they catch up to me." She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Are you..." she realized she was speaking too loud and hushed her voice, "Are you crazy?! You can't shoot the cops!"
"I wouldn't." he reassured her.
"Then why would you need – " The tired, broken smile on his face told her everything she needed to know. "No. No, Danny."
"I can't go to prison, Lacey... I can't. You don't understand what I went through in juvie..." His eyes darted away from her.
Now it was her turn to feel desperate. "So if you get caught, you just check out and leave everyone behind?!"
"I'm sorry – " She immediately cut him off, stepping closer until she had backed him against the wall. How could he be so calm about it? How could even think about it? Lacey was beginning to get angry.
"No. You don't get to come back into my—our lives and then just rip yourself right back out, Danny. We can get through this. No matter what happens." He kept his eyes averted and shook his head.
"If they find me, I'll never see the light of day... I'll never see you again... I'll never be the same. Prison breaks people, Lacey." She could hear his voice threatening to crack.
"Just give me the gun, Danny. We can come up with a plan to keep them from finding you. At least until we can figure out who's behind this." She saw his jaw tighten, but he didn't move.
"Please... Do you trust me?" Her question sparked something in him and his eyes flicked up gazing deep into her own. He hesitated, but didn't take his eyes off of her as he slid the gun from his waistband and handed it to her. Lacey breathed a sigh of relief and backed away, putting the gun in the drawer of her nightstand.
When she returned to where she was standing in front of him, she couldn't help but pull him in for a hug; something they both needed. As soon as she did, she felt his shoulders start to shake. She held onto him until she was sure he was calmed down.
"You can stay here tonight, but we need to get some rest so we can figure things out tomorrow." Lacey still had to tell Jo and Danny about what Phoebe told her. She didn't know how much help it would be, but it was something. They needed to do more digging. However, making sure Danny was well hidden was first priority.
"Thank you. For everything." He gave her a slight smile and rubbed his burning and tired eyes. Normally he might feel ashamed for crying in front of someone, but he didn't care anymore. She wasn't just anyone and he couldn't hold it in anymore.
She rearranged the pillows on her bed so he would have space to sleep and gestured for him to get in bed next to her.
"You sure?" He bit his lip and laid down beside her. It wasn't the appropriate time, especially given the situation he was in, but he couldn't help but remember the last time he was in her bed.
"We're just sleeping. It's fine." To be honest, she was still mad at him for even thinking of abandoning her – them in such a way, but she understood that he was scared. She was scared for him. He was being framed for a murder he didn't commit and was at risk for spending the rest of his life locked away with the worst of men.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice he was already fast asleep. Rolling onto her side she watched him until she drifted off as well.
A/N: Sorry this is so short, but I hope you guys enjoyed. I'm not sure if I'll continue this story, but I do have another chapter planned out in case I do. Reviews would be lovely. Thanks for reading!