Title: Promises
Rating: PG-13 Nothing bad actually happens, but it is
kinda slashy! Be warned!
Author: AugustanaRae
Summary: The missing
scene between the bar and the next day when Rafe & Danny are on the beach
in the car.
Disclaimer: I don't
own them and am not making any money.
Author's Notes:
Sorry if you don't like them this way!
It's nothing too bad so don't worry.
* *
*
As they
sped away from the bar, he began to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here they were trying to fight each other
but they ended up banding together to escape the police. He looked in his rear view mirror to see the
chaos receding rapidly and breathed a sigh of relief.
They didn't
talk and Danny just kept on driving, not wanting to stop, afraid of what Rafe
would say when he did. He glanced over
to see the somber face gazing at the landscape. He studied his profile during flicked glances from the road and
was overcome with a heap of memories.
The pronounced brow, the long lashes, distinct nose, drawn lips... Every aspect of him that he had known since
childhood was staring at him once again.
He remembered that face twisted up with pain every time they failed one
of their silly adventures. And he also
remembered the eager look afterward as Rafe tried again, pretending he could
never be defeated. That look was not on
his face now. Danny focused on the road
again, gripping the wheel, feeling sweat collect under his palms. Finally they stopped on the beach purely for
the fact that that was the end of the line.
As he turned the key the engine died down and silence fell like a
shroud, broken only by the rhythmic waves.
Both men
stared straight ahead, contemplating the stars and gathering their
thoughts. After a long pause, Danny
began, "I'm sorry, Rafe." He
continued to look forward but could see Rafe nod slightly from the corner of
his eye.
"It
was a shock," Rafe said quietly.
Danny was relieved that at least Rafe had calmed down and was willing to
talk. It hurt him to be regarded as a
traitor by his best friend.
"We
thought you were dead..." Danny held his hands uncomfortably in his lap,
finding his tongue large and hard to swallow.
He shyly turned to look at Rafe's expression, which he couldn't quite
read.
"Yeah,
I should've just stayed dead and made it easier for everyone." Rafe still wouldn't look at him.
Emotion
welled in Danny. "I lost my best
friend." His voice was breaking.
Rafe
finally seemed to react at that and his eyes softened as he turned to look at
Danny. "I'm sorry."
"No,
no. You don't have anything to be sorry
for. You couldn't have helped what
happened any more than I could've."
Danny fidgeted with his hands, unsure what to do, wanting to touch him
and be glad Rafe was real, but afraid he would lash out and he would lose him
once more.
Rafe
grinned somewhat. "You could've
tried a little harder." Was that
his old grin coming back? Danny was
filled with slightly more hope.
"I'm
sorry! I couldn't help it. I love her," Danny said softly. And then with more hesitancy, "I love
you, too."
Rafe stared
through the windshield obviously fighting an internal battle. Danny could see his Adam's apple bob and
noticed the shadow of a beard on his face.
Rafe felt Danny's eyes on him and turned to look at him, searching.
"I
know you do. I've never stopped loving
Evelyn... or you..." Their eyes met briefly and then both looked away.
At the
angle he held his face, the moonlight hit Rafe's cheek and highlighted his
lower lip. The light gleamed softly in
his eyes and softened his features that were no longer angry but displayed weariness
and another emotion Danny couldn't identify.
He's not
mad anymore, Danny thought. He
realized it was no longer anger shining in his eyes but something else and
Danny couldn't stop his hand from reaching over to rest on the broad shoulder.
"I
missed you," he said, his low voice almost a whisper.
Rafe leaned
closer to give Danny a hug, his arms wrapping around Danny's waist. He could feel the trembling muscle and the
brush of stubble as cheek rubbed against cheek. Rafe broke the hug but they both did not let go. Their eyes met desperately, yearning to get
back what they had missed for so long.
All Danny could think about was the anguish he'd felt at his best
friends death and the joy he now had at his rebirth. Everything would be all right again.
He breathed
in deeply, smelling the alcohol and sweat on the man in his arms. His lips twitched into a small smile, the
corners of his mouth crinkling. Slowly,
the space between them lessened, leaning closer and closer, searching for the
love they feared they had lost. Their
lips touched softly and Danny smiled into the kiss. They allowed their tongues to join and they drank as if they'd
been denied water for a year.
The kiss
was broken but still they did not move away from each other. They'd been apart for so long, they couldn't
bear it anymore. Rafe pulled Danny
closer and they lay down across the seat.
The stars twinkled and Danny breathed in, having peace for the first
time in eternity.
"Promise
you won't leave me, us, again?" Danny said into Rafe's shoulder.
He could
hear Rafe smile. "I
promise." Danny tightened his arms
a little bit as if to emphasize their pledge.
The other half of his soul had returned. Everything was going to be fine.
He was safe and his chest felt as if a great weight had been lifted off
his shoulders. As he looked at the
twinkling sky he smiled, knowing he'd never be without his best friend again.
fin. Don't flame me
too bad. Just experimenting.
