Fly Me Away
ONE SHOT (could be a two shot depending on if you peeps wants me to continue it….anyway this one shot was inspired by a Sugarland song, called Want To, the line, 'You have a dream of a degree and a shirt that smells like me' so its just a retake on their first meeting…..kind of…..Anyway as always hope you enjoy DanH2010 x
(X)
Danny lay in his empty room in Leopards Den feeling melancholy. He was alone in his room just like he had been last night and the night before and even the night before. His wife Sarah had died two years prior so it wasn't the being alone that bothered him, he was used to that, it was the quiet. Quiet so loud it was almost deafening! He missed the small things, he missed just talking to someone long into the night about everything and nothing, he missed private jokes, he missed secret smiles and loving looks. He had family here, he had Dupe and Caroline and Nomsa and close friends in Mara but no children, he and Sarah decided to wait ... And still with those people he had never felt so alone in his life.
It was still dark outside so too early to get up, Nomsa would only fuss over him sympathetically and Caroline would come and talk to him about how they all missed Sarah and that he wasn't alone here, yet he was, he hadn't felt part of a whole for a long time. It was too early to read too, the book on his bedside cabinet almost beckoning him in, so because he couldn't get up or read he did what he always did at this time of night when sleep was elusive, he walked over to his wardrobe and picked up a small photo album, this was his private album, there were pictures of his mum, childhood friends, and of course his beloved Sarah. As he removed it from the top shelf it slipped from his grasp and hit the floor with a thud. He leant down to pick it up and moonlight illuminated the album….and something else. It was a slither of gold. He opened the album and in the back he found a necklace and a folded picture. This one was jammed behind the ones at the back, forgotten until the chain loosened a memory. Danny settled on his bed to look at the picture, it was crumpled and it tore a little as he pulled it out. As he stared at the image the memories it brought up were mostly happy, it reminded him of the euphoria of newly found love….then it reminded him of the crippling agony of loss…..he decided to ignore that and remember the happier times.
This specific picture had been taken when he was twenty three on holiday in Tenerife, it had started off as a lads holiday for the first week and he stayed on a second week to just relax and get away from it all, uni had been overly stressful that year if he remembered correctly. He'd been a little full of himself for the first few days of the holiday sure he could pull anyone he wanted and he'd met a few nice girls but it wasn't until the third night that he met this woman who had completely swept him off his feet. This was a picture of the two of them, taken on the ninth day of the holiday, they were in a bar, she sat beside him confident smiling widely. Neither of them a care in the world. Looking back, with life experience behind him she was his first real love, she made him laugh in a way no one ever had before, not even Sarah and he'd loved her deeply. She helped him forget that his mother hadn't passed long before he flew off. To put it simply she had made him happy, she made him excited to see a new day with her. And it all started because his friends just had to go on this infamous 'Party Boat' they had got a little too rowdy, trying to show off in front of some girls who weren't interested….
Danny leant back against a railing on a boat holding a bottle of some Spanish beer in his had. The boat he was on was a little way from the harbour, so close he could see the lights burning on the mainland but not close enough to be able to swim there. As the moon gleamed overhead he was trying to think of ways to get back. Everyone here was having fun, laughing and joking and right now he wasn't in the mood, it was the six month anniversary of his mothers death and he hadn't realised it until about twenty minutes ago. He'd been having fun, checking on some girls, trying to find one to dance with and it just sort hit him out of the blue. Then the thoughts began, it had been six months since he last seen his mother, six months since he last spoke to her, six months since he buried her, no support at all from his so called father…..and never again would he do any of those things again. It wasn't fair! She'd been taken away far too young, he still needed her, why….
"Excuse me you're not thinking of jumping overboard are you?" a soft Scottish accent asked.
He turned and found himself looking into the bluest eyes he'd had ever seen.
"If you are can you please wait here until I can get someone tall to help, see I would offer to dive in after you but seeing as I'm so small I don't know if I'd be much help dragging you out."
Her voice sounded so serious a ghost of a smile passed across his face, he saw her visibly relax. "You're safe, no jumping. I was just admiring the way the moon reflected in the water. The waves making it look almost ethereal."
"Ethereal, wow what a majestic word."
"Majestic, wow….damn can't find a word to beat it!"
Alice chuckled. "Anyway I'm just here to ask if you have a significant other as my friend…." she looked across to see said friend kissing someone else rather heatedly. "ANNA!" she hissed then smiled at him wryly. "Sorry she has a short attention span, I'm sure you're much better looking than him, and judging by that a better kisser too, that isn't pretty!" and she shook her head quickly.
"No worries, I'll get back to my moon, I promise no jumping in." smiled warmly. "Enjoy the rest of your night."
"You too." then Alice walked back to her group of friends who were dancing. Danny continued his perusal of the sky and stars looking back at Alice only once. He spotted her immediately laughing at something her friend was saying, a red straw clasped between her lips. Her eyes were glittering with amusement and she shook her head. Had circumstances been different he'd wouldn't have hesitated in getting her name and possibly getting to know her a little better possibly buy her a drink and have a dance or two. He wasn't the type for one night stands, his mother drilling in his head that physical relationships were best kept for loving relationships and it had never really left him, the thought of sex for the sake of it left a bitter taste in his mouth, that isn't to say he wouldn't have tried to steal a stray kiss or two. But tonight he just wasn't in the mood, he just wanted to get off this boat and get to bed and forget this day happened. And with that final thought he headed for the rest room.
Almost an hour later the party had moved into a quiet room Danny had been sitting in, someone had produced a fish bowl and now everyone was pouring drinks in it, the liquid was a funny brown colour and someone was handing out straws. One of his friends was in there, David, who had little too much to drink, no actually to be clear he was absolutely smashed. There was a woman in there he had been trying to seduce all night called Carly and he began to say he could lift this bowl, liquid and all. At this moment this bowl probably lifted more that Danny and he was bragging saying he could lift it strutting all over the place.
"I can lift it" he repeated boasting. "That's easy!" he stumbled across the room to Carly. "And when I do you're mine!"
"Yeah, whatever!"
David made his way over to the bowl and Danny, feeling loyalty towards his friend who was about to do himself an injury stepped in. he walked across shaking his head, he only came in here coz it was quieter for Gods sake! "Dave c'mon mate, look at the size of that thing, it weighs more than me! I doubt you could lift that thing sober so like this? No chance!"
Dave straightened his spine. "You tryin' to call me a liar?" swaying as he stood up facing him.
Danny raised an eyebrow, this act all for the woman in the room and Danny wanted no part of it, Danny stepped aside. "Go on then mate, just remember in the morning I tried to warn you." Danny returned to his quiet corner.
David played to the crowd a little bit then he flexed his muscles and wrapped them around the bowl. He managed to lift it, his face full of smug satisfaction, but only for a second as the weight of the bowl began to push him backwards, momentum gave him speed and before he knew it he was smashing through the door of the room. David's eyes bulged as he fell, men grabbing for him but they missed. David swung, trying vainly to stay on his feet unfortunately a woman was in the path of the swing and he hit her with so much force that she fell over the side of the boat into the water below.
"Help!" a woman screamed. "Someone help my friend she was pushed overboard HELP!"
Danny ran over to the screaming woman ignoring his friend who was lain on the floor groaning took her by the arm, "Where is your friend? Point her out to me!"
She point to an area a little way from the pool, he squinted and it looked like she was struggling.
"Can she swim?"
Her friend paled and began to wail more, "I don't know! Help her!" she begged holding his arms in a vice grip.
He looked again at the person in the water, it looked like she was bobbing up and down, he ran to a wall pulled the life preserver down and threw it in the persons direction. This had to be the stupidest thing he ever done but no one else seemed to want to be chivalrous tonight so he climbed over the side and jumped into the water. He impacted the water and the first thing that registered was cold all around him, and it was black, he couldn't see a thing! He kicked his legs to the top and broke the surface inhaling deeply. "Hey lady!" he called cursing the fact that he didn't get her name. "Shout to me if you can here me!" saw the life preserver a little way away and wrapped an arm around it, he saw movement to his left so he swam that way finding a woman shrouded in darkness treading water, so she could swim! He went closer and pushed the life preserver towards her. "There." he said.
The woman grasped the other side of the ring panting a little, "Thanks. God it's bloody cold in here huh?"
It was when she spoke that Danny realised who this was.
"It is." he agreed looking in her direction and the moonlight illuminated her face, even more beautiful with the make up washed off from the sea water. "Who knew I'd be saving you tonight huh?"
She squinted at him and a delighted grin spread across her face, "Well I just saved you the trouble of plucking up the courage to do it yourself."
"No, I just wanted a closer look at the moon but kinda went the wrong way. My sense of direction is a little crooked." he smiled. "Actually it was all my friends fault since he knocked you in the water, then your friend wasn't sure you could swim and well what can I say knight in shining armour is my day job."
"You save damsels on a daily basis? I'm one in a line?" pretending to be offended.
"Massive line. Sorry but it's a dirty job and someone's gotta do it. And hey, you got your turn!"
"That's makes it all better!" she murmured water lapping all around them. And even though they weren't in the best of circumstances they were enjoying talking.
"Since we are sharing a rather small ring of life…."
"Life preserver." he corrected,
"Ah but ring of life sounds so much more dramatic, like when I go home and tell my family that my a man saved me what would you rather be called? A knight or….."
"Danny." he supplied.
"Knew I'd get your name." she cackled.
He looked around, "You could have just asked."
She winked, "But where's the fun in that?" readjusted her arms around the ring., "So yeah anyway as I was saying when I get home and tell all my friends about this I shall say that Danny, my knight dived into the water with a ring of life and saved me from sharks rather than a boring life preserver story."
"Did you need the kiss of life?"
"Maybe if you behave yourself you'll find out." laughing softly. They looked towards the boat and saw people milling around. "Since we are sharing this and since I know your name I suppose I should introduce myself, I'm Alice Collins." offered her hand.
Danny enclosed his own much larger hand around hers and noticed that although the water was cold her palms were warm. "I'm Danny, Danny Trevanion."
"I know." she told him softly. "Anyway Danny, Danny Trevanion, how long do you think we'll be stuck down here?"
"Could be hours, wonder what we could talk about." he told her mischievously. Knowing that within ten minutes someone would be down here to retrieve them
"I know a few things." and winked.
And just like that, it began…..
That memory ended but hot on its heels came more. As they spoke he found out that both he and Alice were only three days into their holiday and their hotels were literally across the road from the other and he was leaving a day before she did. Even after that had been saved he stayed with her in one of the quarters until they went back to the mainland. They parted as they got off the boat, her friend took Alice back to her hotel and Alice thanked him again. Danny didn't expect to see her again but it seemed fate had other plans….
The days following the boat incident Danny stayed close to the hotel, the few times he had went out people recognised him as the man who jumped in and saved this poor girl from drowning so instead of people pointing and asking questions he relaxed by the pool with his kindle. Being a third year University student you'd think he'd be sick of all the reading you were expected to do but he had a love of literature that went above that. A favourite past time of his was just sitting back with a good book and having a kindle was amazing as it was the equivalent of three thousand books in the palm of his hand, no matter how hard he tried he would never fill it, although he was gonna try! The only bad thing was he was out of snacks to nibble on and that meant going shopping. As he headed up to his room he passed the ones his travel companions were sleeping in and could hear loud snores, they were sleeping off their three day drinking binge, he had been with them and he was their designated driver, even though they didn't even have a car! They all decided that Danny was to be the one to make sure that they didn't get no more poor girls in trouble and stop them acting like fools when they were out. He just wasn't into excesses, when he drank too much he tended to get emotional and then he started reminiscing which depressed him and made him drink more and he couldn't really control what he said or did. He had great friends who knew this, understood and didn't ridicule him for it like other people might.
He entered his own room dropped his kindle of the mattress and changed into some white shorts and a t-shirt. Slid some sandals on his feet and pushed his wallet in his pocket. When he was sure he was set he departed his room, went down the elevator and left the hotel walking into warm sunshine. It didn't take him long to reach the shops people bustling about parents with kids he entered a shop and picked up a basket and began to peruse the aisles. He picked up some biscuits which had Spanish writing on trying to figure out what it said he turned and was about to drop the item in his basket when he walked right into someone.
He looked up, "Sorr…." realising that the person he bumped may not be English and began fumbling for the translation.
"I think the word you are looking for is Siento."
Again he recognised her accent and smiled "Sorry or siento of you prefer. I didn't mean to bump you."
"You didn't have to bother." she shrugged and he made a face. "Hello again."
"hello to you too, how have you been?"
"Well the chill I'd been feeling from the water seemed to be all gone now."
He nodded. "Good, it's nice seeing you in the sunlight." and wow, he added silently. She was small, his mother would have called her petit with short black hair and eyes so deep and blue you could fall in them and drown in their depths. "You want some company?" he asked.
"Yeah, my friends are still back at the hotel passed out, I swear I don't think their livers are going to survive this holiday!"
"Same here, I was just enjoying some reading before I came out."
"Oh." she said as they walked down the aisle. "What you reading?"
"I read a little bit of everything, I like quite a few oldies, Shakespeare, Dickens, Twain, TS Eliot,"
Alice made a face, "I like the newies."
"Oh, who do you read?"
"JK Rowling?" she told him laughing.
He chuckled along with her.
"Hey Harry Potter is good!" she admonished him.
"Where you up to?"
"I'm almost finished the fourth book." they browsed the rest of the aisle each picking up items not really taking notice of what, too wrapped up in their conversation.
"My old girlfriend cried when Sirius died." he told her.
"Sirius dies?!" she declared eyes wide. "When? Why? Who? Its that Lestrange woman isn't it!" Alice looked into his laughing eyes and blushed. "That was a bit full on for a book huh?"
"Not at all, when I get engrossed in a book I sometimes forget to sleep." putting his items on a conveyor belt to pay. "Do you read anything else?" he added.
"Just stuff, books I see in the supermarket but nothing smutty, my gran used to read like mills and boon and stuff like that I read a page and was like whoa! Gran! didn't see her the same since!"
"So no 50 shades then?"
"God no!" Alice laughed her items going through now. "How can someone end up rich from that book?" Her items took no time at all and as soon as they were done Danny not only carried his own shopping but also hers back to the hotel.
"I have arms, I can carry my stuff." she told him walking from the supermarket into the warm sun.
"I know but my mum taught me to carry a lady's bags when we're out together, I draw the line at handbags though, a little too masculine for that, plus it would look far better on you than me."
Alice scrutinised him, "I don't know, I think you'd look nice with a hot pink I own."
They chatted amicably until their hotels came into view. He was sort of sad to see their time coming to an end, she was so easy to be around, he could talk to her without holding back, their sense of humour so similar. "It was nice seeing you again." he told her handing her bags.
"You know Danny," Alice began. "I was about to head to the beach from here and wondered whether you'd like to come, you know in case I fall in the sea and need rescued again."
He saw a twinkle in her eye and he couldn't have said no now if his life depended on it. "So I need to be there to keep you safe?"
"Of course, why else?" she winked her smile wide and genuine. "Cross my heart."
"Well I'd love to….keep you safe that is. Just let me drop these into my room and I'll meet you in here in ten?"
She nodded and they parted. Danny made it to his room in record time, grabbed a towel and his sunglasses and made his way back down. To be honest he was half expecting her not to be there. He was surprised to see her there, a towel slung across her shoulder and shades rested on top of her head, black hair clipped up. It was what she was wearing that almost made his eyes pop from his head, she had changed from her shorts and t-shirt to a bikini top under a sheer t-shirt and a sarong skirt which no doubt covered her bikini bottoms. Oh God she was trying to kill him! She smiled brilliantly when she saw him and hopped down from the wall she had been sat on. He met her halfway and they turned in the direction of the beach.
"So Alice." he began walking alongside her, matching his long stride to her shorter one. "What do you do for a living?"
"Poor student." she groaned playfully.
"Me too, I'm in third year and already wishing I was finished."
"I'm a third year too, what do you study?"
"I'm training to be a vet." maybe his dad was right, maybe he should have stayed in med school, this girl would never go for a vet….
"This is totally freaky! I'm a third year vet student too! Where do you study?"
He could hardly hide his delight! They had so much in common! "I'm at Bristol University."
"I'm in Manchester, top of my class too!" she gloated.
"You're that good?"
She raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "I wish! It's not as hard as I thought though. I'm not a complete disaster!"
They reached the beach found a nice spot to settle and sat down. Danny watched her as she put her towel down. He liked this girl, really liked her, what would she say if he asked her out…..maybe she had a boyfriend….
She lay down on her towel and wriggled a little getting comfortable. "Alice do you have a boyfriend at home?"
She opened one eye and peered at him. "Why?" rolled onto her side and rested her head on her elbow. "You planning on asking me out?"
His cheeks reddened and he coughed suddenly.
"C'mon tough guy, you saved me from dying in a deep dark sea, this can't scare you." and continued looking at him.
Her confidence was slightly intimidating, but it was also a turn on. "I thought it might be best to ask you now, just in case he is the jealous type." picking up handfuls of sand letting it sift through his fingers.
She was a silent for a moment, almost considering. "No, I'm not seeing anyone, I'm footloose and fancy free."
"Ok." he nodded. "Me too." and they left it at that
Alice lay back on her towel.
"Aren't you going in the sea?" he asked softly.
She frowned "No, why?"
"I thought I was here for that reason, did you get me here under false pretences?"
She rose onto her elbow once again. "Maybe that was just a clever ploy to get you here." grinned wickedly. "Maybe it wasn't my friend Anna who was interested in you a few nights ago." lifted her glasses so he could see her properly. "Maybe I'm the sucker for green eyes." she was quiet a second. "This is all hypothetical of course, unless you feel the same?"
He shook his head, "No, I don't."
Alice eyes widened and she blushed crimson, "Oh I'm…." and before she could splutter her apologies he cut her off.
"I'm a sucker for blue eyes." he corrected and smiled at her smugly.
Alice narrowed her eyes. "I will get you back for that, you're evil!"
Danny said nothing, just lay beside her on his towel, neither spoke enjoying the suns rays warming them. After half an hour Danny sat up stretching and saw a discarded bucket close to where he sat. he looked at Alice, smiled then got up and retrieved the bucket.
"Be a sec." he told her.
She waved him off.
Danny now was running down to the sea to full his bucket and play a little trick and returned to their towels. Balancing his full bucket he planned on dousing Alice, he threw but Alice rolled reached under towel and pulled out a water pistol, her glasses fell to the floor. His water exhausted he looked at her wryly. "You can't think I didn't know what you were doing." she told him head raised high at the gauntlet he'd thrown down at trying to douse her.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." looked at the bucket in his hand ad threw it away. "But the kid who threw that water, what a little swine!"
She grinned shaking her head. "I could let you off seeing as you don't me very well yet and couldn't possibly have known the war you were about to create…."
He nodded. "I like the sound of that."
"Or I could do this!" aimed the gun at his shorts and pressed the trigger repeatedly soaking the front of his shorts.
"HEY!" he yelped jumping back. Too bad the damage was done, the middle of his shorts a darker colour than the rest. "Now I look like I wet myself!"
"That was the point!" she chuckled.
"Ok you deserve this!" waked over, picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. And with long strides he took her towards the water.
"No Danny, no put me down!" she laughed kicking her legs. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it!" laughing harder. "HELP!" she yelled. "A man with poor bladder control is gonna throw me in the sea!" his legs splashed as he entered the water, her statements only making his victory all the sweeter. It was up to his chest when he finally dropped her in. there was a loud shrike which was abruptly cut off when she submerged. Seconds later she reappeared water spewing from her mouth, coughing loudly, water flowing down her face. Using her hands to claw her hair back and wipe the water from her eyes she glowered at him. "I hate you."
"Don't think so." he told her.
She glared and dove for him ready to push his head under the water, he easily stopped her but instead of pushing her away he pulled her closer to him. Alice suddenly wasn't fighting anymore. Her hands finding their way around him, he wiped away a trickle of water which was about to go in her eye.
"You ready to get out yet?"
She shook her head. "I'm not cold."
He looked in her eyes trying to read how she would react if he kissed her, would she be fine or would she slap him…deciding just to take the risk, and the slap if it came to it he lowered his head and kissed her slowly. He felt her sigh so softly and this caused him to end up inhaling the taste of her. His head began to spin dizziness overtaking him. He pulled back tearing his lips away from hers.
She was smiling into his eyes looking at him in a way no one else had before.
"Am I forgiven?" he asked her.
"You took advantage of me, I was deprived of oxygen in the water and disorientated…..you gonna do it again?" letting him know that she didn't mind at all.
"What drop you in the water again?"
"You dare." wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"You didn't take pity on me! Plus this feels like our first meeting huh?"
"Who knew you were so romantic!"
He nodded feigning modesty and he lowered his head to kiss her again, this time injecting less restrain and more passion, she wasn't likely to hit him this time….quite the opposite, as he kissed her he felt her pull him closer to her. She pulled away.
"Hey stop that!" she joked.
"Ok."
She paled. "Don't you known to never take me seriously?"
They twined hands and made their trek out of the water as he saw her skin going blue. "Alice where'd you get the water pistol?"
"My bag, my mum told me to always be prepared."
"So you keep a water pistol in your purse?" He asked incredulous.
"Pretty much, good thing too with men around who throw buckets of water on you for NO reason!"
"It's a good thing you like me then?"
"VERY!"
They were aware of the looks they were getting from other holiday makers.
"We look really daft." he murmured, not really caring.
"At least this way you can't tell you wet yourself!" pulling away from him and running, he gave chase ready to throw her in the water again.
A knock at his bedroom door yanked Danny from the memory.
"Danny man it's time to get up and head to the site. " a tired sounding Dupe called.
"'Mmm up!" he replied scrubbing his face tiredly. Somewhere within the slow hours of the night he fell asleep and dreamed their visit to the beach, it was so much more vivid than his memories he could almost feel her in his arms. Almost. What he really wanted to do was remain in bed and go back to dreaming of Alice. He hadn't thought of her for so long and it was sad, but a nice kind of sad. As he padded to the shower he thought on.
Before Danny and Alice knew it their little idyllic getaway had passed and they hadn't even realised it. They had spent practically all of their time together. They went to a water park playing like kids, they had dinner together going dancing, whispering in each other ear smiling for no reason other than being deliriously happy at that exact moment in time. They had evenings in clubs or by the pool in each others hotel the holiday absolutely perfect. Right now though they were sat on a lounger on his balcony he between her legs resting back on his chest as he read to her.
"You ever heard one before by Lord Byron called 'She Walks in Beauty?" he asked.
"I'm not big on the poetry front so I'd have to say no. if you know it I'd like to hear it," to be honest she wasn't a fan she just liked the way he sounded when he told her quotes his voice strong or soft fluidic, almost melodic at times.
He inhaled deeply and she turned so she was facing him, his eyes were soft full of feeling and in that moment they were the only two people in the world. "She walks in beauty like the night, of cloudless climes and starry skies and all that's best of dark and bright, meet in aspect in her eyes….." he carried on reciting meaning every word and more. Not saying the poem at her but to her, for her, moving hair from her cheek to cup it as he finished. "I never really knew what that poem meant until now, until you." pounded through his brain.
"Really?" she squeaked.
Danny then realised he must have said that thought out loud. This all felt full on for less than two weeks!
"You mean that?" she asked eyes glittering.
He looked conflicted a moment then he nodded. "It was all I could think about." he admitted. "You're all I think about and its killing me that this is our last night together and after this I might not see you again."
Alice didn't say a word, she couldn't all she knew is that he had put into words exactly what she was feeling and she didn't want to walk away from him without being able to be with him in every sense of the word. She raised herself onto her knees wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.
Danny reacted immediately, hands on her hips feeling passion enflame him, it had been an unspoken agreement that their holiday romance was going to have a few kisses but nothing physical but right now neither wanted to stop, they anted the kiss to last forever Danny sat up, still locked in this never ending kiss, running his hands up and down her back and arms.
Alice broke the kiss, she stood up and smiled at him. It was so slow and sexy and Danny almost melted at the sight of it, so much was the heat it generated.
Alice took both of her hands in his, turned and saw the door closed. Her back lowered and she looked at him. "Guess I could have planned this one a little better." she hadn't wanted to let go of his hands. But she had to so turning she opened the door, took his hands in hers once again this time resolving to never let them go. She walked backward into his room taking him with her.
That night had been intense for Danny, every kiss, every touch he had wanted to last forever, all it took was the way she whispered his name for him to realise that he'd fallen for her hard and fast. It Didn't seem to matter that they had only met 10 days prior and they were in Tenerife, not at home and that the next morning he was going home. He couldn't help but wonder what might have happened had be been able to remain in touch with her, would they have grown stronger or fizzled out as holiday romances often do. It Didn't matter now, ten long years had passed, it seemed that fate, which had brought them together was working just as hard to keep them apart…..
Danny and Alice stood outside of his hotel waiting for his taxi to arrive to take him to the airport and away from her,. He had his suitcases by his side and he didn't want to leave. "I promise I'll call you as soon as your home ok?" he told her. "When the reception on my phone is better I'll text you so you have my number then we'll arrive to meet up at home, do this properly yeah?" Danny told Alice for the millionth time.
"Here pass your phone so I know the number is right!" ad she took it and recited the number nodding.
While she did that he leaned in and kissed her deeply. "I'm gonna miss you." she murmured feeling the hot sun get a little duller.
He didn't want this taxi to come, he wanted to stay here with her.
She saw his face change and began to worry. "How do I know you'll call me?" she asked impulsively.
"Um…" needing to prove to her. Looked at his wrist and saw the watch his mum had gave him last Christmas. He took it off. "Next time I see you I need this back, it was a gift from my mum, she passed away six months ago."
She nodded solemnly, "I'll take good care of it."
"I'll call, I know you don't know me very well yet but when I make a promise I keep it!" and he took his phone put his bag on the wall and his phone to put it away.
Alice meanwhile was taking off her necklace. "Here."
Danny turned while unzipping his bag and saw her handing over a necklace, "It's only fair, I have something of yours."
He took it, she half expected him to stuff it in his bag but it placed it carefully in his wallet. "can I ask you to do one thing for me while I'm gone?"
"Anything."
"Don't let no one else save you from the sea huh?" he joked smiling.
"Never, you're my one and only."
"This isn't a fling for me Alice, you know that right?" he meant thins, this felt deep and lasting.
"I do." and she pulled him close for another kiss, it was slow and long.
A car pulled up and Danny felt his stomach drop.
Alice eyes it, her face pained. "Don't know why I feel so bad I'll be talking to you in a few days time."
He kissed softly. "Talk soon." picked up his bags and climbed in.
The taxi departed carrying him away, his last sight of her waving sadly in the rear view mirror…..
It wasn't until he got home that he couldn't find his phone and as he sat wracking his brain on what he could have done he realised he set his bag down to put the phone in then left it on the wall when he turned to talk to Alice. He hadn't taken her address or her phone number and the only thing he knew about her was that she attended a University at Manchester. He had looked for a little while but then Uni started again and he was swamped, it wasn't that he didn't think of her, he did all the time wondering if she was learning the same place as him. He even thought he saw her sometimes on public transport. it killed him to think that she thought he didn't care enough about her to bother to call her, I mean she could have been his one and all because he forgot to pick up his phone it changed the course of his life. He let this amazing sexy clever enchanting woman get away! He had eventually moved on, met Sarah, married her but he had never been able to forget Alice fully. What could have been just running in his head continually. Even what he had with Sarah hadn't came close to what he felt when he was with Alice, and he had married her. He closed his eyes and shook his head, the memories filling him with sadness. Then it hit him, he was stupid to not think of it before! He wrapped himself in his dressing gown and collected his phone from his room, loaded up face book and searched for Alice Collins, he scrolled down the names slowly…..and saw her. Oh God! He looked at her picture stood next to her friends smiling widely. She was as beautiful as he remembered. He clicked on message and began to type.
"Hi, I know this is late but I just want to apologise for not calling you, I left my phone on the wall by the hotel. I was just thinking about you and well I didn't want you thinking I didn't care. Hope you are doing well. Danny, Danny Trevanion. PS sorry if you don't remember me, this is quite awkward, I was the man who jumped in the sea in Tenerife.
He pressed send then cursed himself wishing he had been less impatient and more eloquent. She was probably married now. He shook off the thoughts, his conscious was clear, he had messaged her and that was it, time to move on. So he dressed quickly and went into the kitchen, grabbed a bit of toast from the plate
"You're leading today Trevanion." Dupe murmured head pillowed on his arms on the table.
"On a scale of one to ten what is your hangover like today?" Danny asked chuckling.
"Scales too small, there isn't a scale big enough." Dupe groaned.
Dupe looked at him and saw sadness in his eyes, even with the laughing. "You ok man? You're usually up before me."
"I will be Dupe, don't worry." he took a few bites of bacon and gulped down coffee. "C'mon we'd better get to the site."
Dupe hauled himself up off the seat and dragged his feet down the hallway.
An hour later Danny was co-ordinating when a white jeep pulled up by his gazebo. He would greet the helpo in a moment. "Ok, I need you to head south….." he was saying. While talking he heard a door open, then slam and the crunch of footsteps approaching.
"Sorry I'm late, I've just driven a hundred miles. I'm here to help with the rabies outbreak….."
Danny heard the first word and was transported back to Tenerife. To the sun, to the sand, to…..
"I'm…." her jaw slackened as she saw him.
"You're Alice Collins." he murmured barely able to find his voice at the sight of her. It was like she strode right form his dreams in front of him. If he was dreaming and Dupe woke him up he was gonna kick his ass! He extended his hand as she returned his smile, his hand slid into hers and the electricity which had been there years ago was present only stronger than before.
"And you're Danny, Danny Trevanion, nice to meet you.
A/N nice fluffy fic could be a seond chapter (hopefully not over 7000 wordsthis time WOW!) anyway true love conquered all, Alice got to Danny in the end! hope you like it x (straight up unchecked so any mistakes ect are due to that x)