They were simple questions.

"Was any of it real?"

"When I proposed were you there? In that moment?"

The responses were concise and guarded, but everything was that way for Emliy Thorne. Every time her feelings got involved it ended in pain. Now her father was back and she had to ask herself what was real anymore. The man she knew as her father was a stranger who for his own reasons had abandoned her. A man who had stayed close to her arch-enemy. The woman who had killed the man she loved who knew the real her. Would the betrayals never cease? It was with that thought that she found herself back at the beach house that started it all.

On that front, Daniel Grayson, the man who was once such a sincerely good man had become something other. In siding with his family he had put on a new persona. The one he inherited from his father like an ill-fitting suit. Sure from some angles he seemed good as cut-throat, but it was not his forte. It was not HIM. After losing it all and himself in the process he was trying to find a way back. Vestiges of the Grayson family pulling at him and causing him to stumble and make questionable calls along the way. Choices that were ultimately tearing away at the people who loved him. To know. To know someone truly loved him made something inside of him break. He thought he couldn't trust anyone when all his ex's had been liars in one form or another. Betrayals of the heart had ceased but then he ruined that too. All for a client that turned out to be a violent psychopath.

It was in this frame of mind that they saw eachother again. Two strong people broken by their own choices and environments. She was sitting down and allowing herself a moment of indulgent weakness she told her herself. Just a moment and no more… But in that moment is when Daniel happened by and saw her. Sitting alone, hunched, and looking genuinely defeated. This was real he thought. This is the most real we have ever been with eachother in a long time. As he approached her, steps silent in the sand her tears continued to fall. Once she heard the footsteps she immediately rushed to put back on her facade, but he had already seen.

"What are you doing here?"

"Never went to see my mother but only got as far as this beach. What about you? Are you crying?"

"No." she answered realizing the lie was obvious but_ old habits.

"You do realize I know you enough to know that real tears do not come to you easily. Although if you're mulling round here then I'm guessing your dad knows who you really are?"

She only nods in response. Typical Emily is all Daniel thinks but knowing what a snake his mom has always been and the way she always tried to protect him even when he had no idea the true nature of Victoria Grayson.

"I'm also guessing my mom got to him then?"

"Well you know how convincing and manipulative she can be and I'm just so tired. I give up."

"Wow, I can't believe it. So that's it? All the lies and manipulations and that's it? You're going to roll over and give her what she wants?"

He was shocked. Sincerely. He had never seen her truly vulnerable like she was right now. Even with her trying to keep her walls up her facade was just too damaged right now and he could see right through it. He also understood knew the emotional damage his mother could do. Knew all too well and knew how Emily in her way had tried to protect him. He didn't realize it until recently. He sat down next to her then.

"It's not that simple. He didn't fight for me so why should I fight for someone who doesn't care after all." He looked at her broken form and with all the intensity he could muster in his own state he told her, "Don't give Victoria the satisfaction. Fight her. Don't give in." He looked down then. "Also, I never realized why you kept trying to distance me from my mother. From my family. I thought it was only about revenge but I realize now you were just trying to protect me. I understand that now."

"Yeah well. Understandable. For what its worth to you, just know you were the best Grayson. Someone as good as you didn't deserve what you got, but sadly you were in the crossfire. However, I promise not to do that again."

He was stunned. He doubted she would ever be this up front with him again so he stayed quiet and realized he also felt sad. Sad that he had disappointed her but defensive by her role in how he turned out anyway. To be fair, he had shot her though. "When did things get so convoluted?" he asked out loud involuntarily.

Emily turned to him and only said, "The day your parents ruined my life." She was bitter, sure, but now she was just tired.

"Revenge is exhausting, I don't know how you've done it all these years. I'm sorry for all they did to you to rob you of your family and I'm sorry for what I did to you too. I was also bitter and hurt and confused."

Now didn't seem like a time for declarations but she turned to him then and instead of saying anything she put her head on his shoulder and said, "I'm tired." They leaned back in the seat together and he put his arm around her tentatively, realizing they were both a piece of work and both ultimately collateral damage in the life of the Senior Graysons. "Well how about for the next 5 minutes you just turn it off for a minute and relax?"

"I can't. If I do, then I realize I don't have anything else left. In that sense I think I understand why your mom manipulates people into staying with her so she's never alone. I'm alone but I stay busy quest to quest in order to not think about it."

"I hadn't realized it but you're right. She is just afraid of being alone. But no Emily, you have Nolan and Jack, and if you promise not to use me, well then you have me too. I just don't want to be involved with the Graysons in any way more than necessary."

"Ha."

"I'm serious, I've been trying to get it right and I got it wrong again, going straight is hard when you left the dark side in but I'm working on it and I can actually empathize with you now." He kissed her chastely on the temple and a few more tears escaped Emily's face and she thought ok, maybe I can just relax for now, with this ghost of who Daniel was sitting next to her comfortingly.

First fic and only first chapter. Daniel / Emily are my endgame but there's still a little ways to go before it becomes reality. Let me know if you want to come along on my journey.