"Hey, what are you doing here? Is everything allright?" Mary said.

Danny just looked at her sheepishly. He didn't really know what he was doing there either, it was just a thing he did all the time, show up at Mary's door. But the problem was, he was standing at Mary's door, looking into her half-closed eyes and he only then realized that they hadn't been that close for so long. They weren't two childhood friends that grew up together anymore, or two lovers that were engaged once, hell he wasn't even sure if they were friends.

"Danny you okay?" Mary asked again. Her sleep was wearing off slowly.

Danny scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry to bother you at.." he looked at his watch "three in the morning?! Wow I didn't know it was this late. I'm sorry Mare.." he saw her flinch at the use of her old nickname "Just go back to sleep. Sorry." he quickly turned and started silently cursing at himself. What the hell was he thinking, really? He must have scared her to death ringing the doorbell at this hour. Maybe Mike was right after all, he was a jerk to Mary. Just when he was about to get in his car, he heard her voice.

"Hey Danny, you wanna come in?"


He was absolutely thankful that she invited him in, it was such a Mary thing to do, help him without him having to ask. She had always been able to understand what's going on with him just by looking at him. Maybe it was just a perk that came with growing up together. It was such a shame for him to lose it. But it made him happy to know she still had it. Then it registered to him that he never really appreciated how forgiving Mary really was, he'd been a jerk to her for the last couple of months, but being the kind-hearted person she was, she didn't hold a grudge and let him in. Maybe she just always had a soft spot for him, but whatever the reason was, he was grateful for it.

Mary sensed he wasn't going to talk any time soon, decided to start. "What is it Danny?"

Danny looked at her guiltily, first he showed up unannounced and now he was keeping her in the shadow. But he couldn't jump to the point, he couldn't discuss how Delinda was driving him crazy or how Ed was pushing him to the edge about his relationship with Delinda, but no, he couldn't tell Mary all that.

"Can I get a cup of coffee please? With some sugar and…"

"And no cream. I think I know how you like your coffee Danny."

She said that without an attitude, just stating the obvious. Then she disappeared into the kitchen, her robe floating in the air behind her.

He knew if he opened up to her, she would try to help nonetheless. She wouldn't snap at him, even though last week he went off at her about something Delinda said. When it turned out that it was all Delinda's misunderstanding, he couldn't bring himself to apologize to Mary.

"Here." she returned with two cups of coffee. "Now will you tell me what's going on?"

"I…. I don't know how to start."

"It's just me Danny."

"And that's the problem! It's you!..."

"What?!"

"… It's you that always come to my mind first! Like now! I had this huge fight with Ed and you're the only one I can think of! I felt as if I couldn't talk to anyone but you, Mary. Not Delinda or Mike or anyone else, just you."

He looked at her with expectant eyes, he was waiting for her to say something, anything, after opening up to her like this, revealing this much of information. He was now starting to think it wasn't a good idea to come here.

"Well, that's good." Mary said calmly.

"What are you talking about?" Danny asked angrily. Did she enjoy watching him suffer??

"I thought I meant nothing to you Danny, and I really am pleased to hear that coming from your lips. You threw me away so easily Danny and it hurt like hell! It was like high school all over again! You found a girl and sold me out immediately! I'm not even gonna start on how humiliating it was for me to go to work everyday, where my ex-fiancé is dating a friend of mine!" she was now screaming at the top of her lungs and Danny was shocked, to say the least. How could he have missed all those things she felt? He should've known she was bottling up like this, he used to know her like his name, how couldn't he see the signs? All this time while he was playing house, she was crushing inside. Did he change that much? Did he change so much that he didn't even see Mary, his best friend, probably the most important person in his life, hurting? Or did Mary get so good at hiding her emotions?

When Danny didn't say anything, guilt took over Mary. No matter what happens between them, Mary simply couldn't bear the idea of Danny hurting. And she could see that was exactly what her words did.

"Look Danny I'm sorry…" she started softly but he interrupted her.

"Sorry? You're sorry?" His voice was shuddering, Mary wasn't sure if he was angry or showing compassion. "I am sorry Mare." she flinched again. "I'm sorry I made us come to a point where even me saying your nickname makes you flinch." Mary looked up to him and met his soulful eyes. She didn't even know he noticed that.

The silence fell upon them. Both had calmed down somehow. Knowing the other was suffering too, that they weren't the only one suffering, was slowly dawning on them.


"I missed you."

Danny confessed. Mary looked at him with confused eyes. Sure, she missed him like crazy too, but there was something about the way he said it that made Mary's heart stir. But he wasn't supposed to say stuff like this, not after he broke her heart to million pieces and certainly not when he was with Delinda. At first, she just compared herself to Delinda for days, even weeks maybe. But after some time, when Danny didn't come up and say it was all some sick joke, she finally gave up. She gave up on them and when he got mean towards her, just because of Delinda's insecurities, she lost her faith in him too. Come to think about it, she used to consider Delinda as one of her best friends. Delinda was the one who threw a party for them, thinking they got married. She should've known Danny was off-limits, but being the acquisitive girl Delinda was, she just couldn't keep her hands to herself. But Mary wasn't going to think about those things anymore, she wasn't going to pain herself.

"What are you doing here Danny?"

Her harsh tone caught him off guard, he didn't expect her to be so… distant. Then it dawned on him that he was losing her. But he certainly couldn't have that. He wasn't going to have that.

"Did Sam say anything to you?" Mary's voice broke in. Mary was now afraid that Sam couldn't keep her mouth shut and told Danny she was moving from Vegas. Why didn't she think about this sooner? Of course he was feeling guilty and didn't want to leave on bad terms. And here she was thinking, or more like hoping, for more romantic reasons.

"Why? Should she?" Danny's eyes made a contact with her. He was trying to read her like he used to. But instead he found emptiness. He thought he saw disappointment flash through her eyes for a second, but it disappeared in an instant.

"No, of course not." Nope, she was wrong again, he wasn't here to stop her.

"Come on Mary, why did you think Sam said anything to me?"

"Why do you keep avoiding my question Danny?" she asked, ignoring his question.

"What question?"

"What are you doing here? It's not like you're dying to see me at work, so I wonder what made you come here at this hour."

He knew he deserved that, but knowing that didn't make it hurt any less. He wasn't used to getting an attitude from Mary.

"We… I mean Delinda and I got into a huge fight." he started, looking down. He couldn't dare to look into her beautiful brown eyes. "Over my favorite armchair!" Mary knew that armchair very well. It wasn't the most comfortable thing maybe, but Larry gave it to Danny so Danny loved it. And it was one of the places that they made love in his house.

"Come on Mare, I swear it's better than watching a movie." Danny said, chuckling. They just entered his house, he worked so hard to convince Mary to eat in, he wanted to surprise her.

"You can go into the living room, I'll be there in a moment." he said, biting back a grin. He had profusely decorated living room, a dinner table set for the two of them, candles and roses everywhere. She was going to love this.

"Oh my God, Danny!!" came her squeal. He was smirking behind her, happy that she liked it.

"Do you like it?"

"Like it?? More like I LOVED IT!!" she turned and jumped to his arms. She peppered him with kisses and soon they were in a heated make out session. She took charge and led him back until he fell down on that armchair.

"What about dinner?" he mumbled between her hot kisses.

"I think it can wait, don't you think?" she made out hardly.

"Yeah." he breathed out and they made love, dinner long forgotten.

Was he doing this on purpose? Did he come here to torture her, talking about his problems with Delinda and making her remember the good times they had? But she couldn't know he was thinking about the very same memoir now, could she?

"You'll make up."

"No, not this time." Danny was grateful that Mary didn't go into detail about that armchair, cause it was because of her that he couldn't get rid of it. He looked at her beautiful face and decided it was time to turn all the cards open. He took a deep breath and started. "Look Mary, I know I'm not your favorite person these days, please don't stop me, I have to let all this out and if I stop now, I'm not sure if I can find the strength to do so again." She gave him a small nod to let him continue. "I'm not telling you about Delinda just to try your patience. I meant it when I said that I missed you. Delinda is driving me crazy lately, I don't know how I did stand her all this time. She's getting on my nerves and I'm going to break up with her." he looked up, just to see Mary watching him with wide eyes. "I just can't stand her anymore, I don't even want to see her! And Ed just keeps bossing me around about how I should treat his precious daughter! I just can't take it anymore Mare, everything that happens in the casino, Mike, Sam, anything that anybody does just inflames me. Without you in my life, I just don't have energy to put up with anyone Mare, I'm like a ticking bomb." He had been wandering in the room while getting all this out of his chest. When he finished, he sat back, defeated. He turned to her, his beautiful features showing desperation. "I can't handle it without you Mary, I didn't know I needed you like this, and I'm so sorry that it took me this long to figure it out."

Mary wasn't sure if she liked where this headed. Danny was looking at her expectantly, but before she could answer, she had to be sure she understood it right.

"What are you saying Danny?"

He just paused for a moment. He didn't come here planning all this to happen, he never imagined things would turn out this way, but he couldn't back out now. This was the highlight of the night. He knew there was no turning back after he said that, but he really didn't care. He was sure of himself and he wanted her to know that.

"I love you Mary."

She let out a little gasp. After a few moments of silence, Danny spoke up.

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

"I don't believe you." she spoke coldly. Her eyes were glistening with tears.

"What?!"

"You heard me. You don't really expect me to jump in your arms now, do you? After all that stuff you put me through, how dare you come here and say something as special as that?!" she was up and screaming right now. Tears were falling but she didn't seem to care. Danny got up too.

"But it's the truth Mare!"

"Don't call me that!"

"Do I have a reason to lie to you?!"

"How can I know you just didn't say those words to Delinda this morning, ha?! You're not my Danny anymore, and you haven't been him for a long time! So excuse me for being so guarded!!"

"I LOVE YOU MARY!! What can I do to make you understand?! Delinda never meant anything to me, okay, I just couldn't watch you go around with other guys, I mean, you got over me with no difficulty obviously!!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Mary asked confused.

"You gave me the ring back, remember?! Then you moved on with that Jake guy…"

"Danny – "

"… and I had to watch you do all that! So much for loving me, right?! You moved on so easily that I felt I had to do the same! I wasn't going to be the one that left behind that everyone pitied. And one day Delinda said you were dating Luis and I lost it! I started kissing her and that's how it all got out of hand. But I swear to you Mary, I didn't love a woman besides you."

Mary was crying silently now. Danny's words had strucked her, it was sure, but there still were a few questions on her mind. "But why were you avoiding me Danny? It never had been the same after we broke our engagement."

"You gave me the ring back Mary. What was I supposed to do? All I wanted was to cherish you, make you happy and let the whole world know it, but you ended that for me. My whole world came crushing down, you know that? And then I thought you just needed time but then Jake happened…"

"I wanted you to fight for me you know."

"What?"

"When I gave you the ring, I thought you just wanted to marry me because of the war. You weren't in a healthy mental position, and I thought if you really wanted to marry me, you would come after me. But you didn't -"

"How was I supposed to know that Mary?"

"You just did. You were my knight in shining armor Danny, you were everything I ever dreamed of. I adored you so much that I couldn't think of myself without you."

"Mary…"

"And I thought, I hoped, that that secret admirer was you. But instead of admitting that you did all those things for me, you just wished me luck. What was I to do then? I understood I was right all along, you wanted to marry me out of obligation."

"Now you're being ridiculous!"

"Then explain to me what you meant Danny really, cause I'm dying to know!"

"You made it clear that you didn't want me as a lover Mary, and I couldn't bear not being in your life, so I held onto the second best thing: I got back to being your best friend, even though it killed me to see you so excited about another guy –"

"I thought that another guy was you! Did you really think I would do that to you?!"

They fell silent for the umpteenth time for that night.

"I love you Mary. No let me tell you this" he got out quickly before she could protest "it's obvious that there had been a lot of misunderstandings. But can't we try again? Please?" he pleaded. And it broke Mary's heart to see him this hopeless. She still couldn't get it around her head that all this time they had loved each other but couldn't get together. It was like they just popped out of a crappy romantic movie.

"I… I really don't know what to say Danny. You and Delinda…"

"Forget about her. It's just about us. If you want we can leave tomorrow, go somewhere where no one will know us, buy that house you want and everything. I want that everything with you."

It was rare Danny opened up like this. He looked so vulnerable that Mary knew exactly what being without her did to him. And she could see he was being sincere, and she could feel in her heart he loved her, she was in love with him too, so why couldn't they she thought for a second.

"Ed will kill you, you know."

"I really don't care. Just tell me you love me too and we'll disappear without a trace. Baby just tell me you feel the same." he was pleading and Mary's fears and doubts were dissolving.

They were standing and Danny was closing the gap between them quickly, he could feel Mary giving in, he could feel happiness at his fingertips.

"You know I love you too." she whispered and he just crashed his lips to hers. She let herself enjoy this long waited kiss and they pulled apart when air became an issue. He was holding her close to him like if he loosened his grip a little she would disappear. He poked his nose into her lovely hair and smelled her intoxicating scent.

"Danny we can't do this." Mary' shaky voice came.

"What?..." he asked softly. He still wasn't letting her go. "What are you talking about?"

"There is Delinda and…"

"I told you not to worry about her, I'm going to break up with her first thing in the morning."

"… and I'm leaving in 4 hours."