Hey everyone! I'm back with a new story. This is my first DL one shot so please tell me what you think, especially you DL fans!! For the case of this story, there is no Lucy and they aren't married. While there are no specific storylines, this is probably back in season four. Anyhow, please review. I've got an idea for another but I want to know what you all think!
And I don't own anything.
-Andie
)()()()()()(
Road Signs
)()()()()()(
She wished she was a car, so she could have road signs.
No more guessing, wondering, deciding.
They would tell her where to go, how to get there, and all the steps in between. She would know.
Turn left, wrong way, slow down, one way street. They would help her. Boy did she need help.
Life would be easier; everything would be laid out for her and she wouldn't have to decide on her own. She would be done.
No more contemplating if she was doing the right thing. No more contemplating if she was making the right moves. No more contemplating if she was taking the right steps. No more contemplating if she was in over her head.
Contemplating.
It was her new hobby; not by choice of course. But they say a hobby is the thing you spend the most time doing and as of now, contemplating was all she did.
Was he worth it?
Was she happy?
Was he "the one"?
She didn't know and that was what scared her.
She often thought that it was just a phase and she would move on. As much as she wanted to, she just didn't know how.
That's how she figured that she needed direction: road signs.
The vibrating of her phone brought against her thigh brought her from her thoughts. She picked it up and glanced at the screen, a small sigh escaping her lips as she saw his face.
Danny.
The one person who's been occupying all of her thoughts, dreams, and nightmares. She contemplated whether or not she should answer it.
There she was again; contemplating; trying to decide, figure things out.
With another sigh, she slowly pushed the send button and brought the phone to her ear.
"Hello." It came slowly, sounding almost painful.
It broke him.
Inside and out. He could hear it in her voice. A mix of anger and sadness, hurt and annoyance. But most of all, he could hear that she was tired.
Tired of the drama. Tired of the confusion. Tired of him.
It broke him.
"It's me."
"I know." She almost wanted to roll her eyes. She knew it was him.
Another sigh. She wished she could hang up and be alone; sitting in the middle of Central Park.
It was quiet that evening, something she was grateful for. The low sun peaked through the high grown trees, allowing rays of sunlight to settle on various surfaces. The brush began darkening in color as the sun continued its descent. The wind blew lightly in the air, whispering to greenery all throughout the park. The leaves of trees and blades of grass answered by swaying smoothly with the wind in a rhythmical fashion. The sounds of others entered her ears but failed in any type of translation.
Danny however, came in loud and clear.
"Look Lindsay, I know you're mad at me…"
"Is that what you think Danny, that I'm mad at you?" she asked, calmly.
He paused. That was not the reaction he was expecting. He figured she'd agree and then he would move on.
"I assumed that you were mad at me, but uh, I'm guessing I'm wrong."
Despite the situation, she chuckled. "Yeah, you are. Look Danny, I gotta go…"
"Wait, Lindsay. I'm just about to leave the lab so I figured that we could grab a late dinner or something, ya know."
"I don't think so Danny," she replied softly.
Danny panicked. He knew he couldn't handle anymore. He wanted her. He needed her.
He was ready to end the game they were playing. He knew that. He knew that she was ready to ready it too.
He'll admit he was to blame for a lot of their problem. But his mother always told him to try to be part of the solution. He figured it was better late than never.
"Lindsay, I want to talk to you."
"I don't know if I'm ready Danny."
And truth be told, she had no idea why she wasn't ready. She would have thought that talking would bring an end to all the drama and that was what she wanted, right?
With yet another sigh, she looked up at the darkening sky, her eyes catching a few stars. "Danny I have to go. I'll talk to you later."
She didn't wait for a reply. She didn't want to talk. She wanted to sit. Alone.
So she sat. Alone. Watching the sky. She watched as the sun completely left the horizon, leaving the park in a blanket of darkness. She watched as the stars in the sky appeared slowly yet gracefully. She watched as the moon shone light against the trees, illuminating the green, contrasting against the darkness of the night.
She didn't know how long she sat there, but she was sure it had been a while.
"Lindsay," the voice came softly.
She didn't jump. It didn't startle her. In a way, she expected it. She figured he would come, or at least call again.
"How did you know I was here?" She kept watching the sky, never once looking in his direction.
She heard him sit down next to her. She heard the small sigh that escaped his lips as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Lucky guess," he offered.
She smirked. She knew that was code for 'I traced our phone call and figured out where you were.'
"I'm tired Danny."
Danny turned his head to look at her. She had yet to look in his direction. "Well, why don't we go home and get some rest so…"
"No Danny," she interrupted. For the first time she turned to look at him, allowing him to see the hurt in her eyes. "I'm tired of this little game were playing. I just want to be happy. I don't want any drama. Our job is hard enough without having to deal with all this."
"Linds, we can fix things, alright. Relationships aren't meant to be easy."
"So why does ours seem impossible?"
Danny paused as his eyes drifted towards his hands. He took in a breath before answering her question. "'Cause of me," he said slowly.
She watched him, eyes widened slightly. She hadn't expected that.
"I know I'm not Mr. Perfect Lindsay. But no one is. I know I've messed up, okay. I'll admit it. But you gotta give me the benefit of the doubt. You're the first person I've ever been able to see myself with for the whole long term thing. As much as that scares me, I know it's the truth and I would do anything to have that."
Lindsay took in his words; listening, understanding.
He was right. He was trying.
She knew it. She could see it.
She understood that everything was hard for him. It was hard for her too. She just needed to know that at the end of the day, would it all be worth it.
"You hearin' me Linds?"
"How do you know?" she asked, bypassing his question.
"Know what?"
"That at the end of the day, you still want to be with me? That this relationship is the one that you want to last forever?"
Danny paused, watching her as she looked back towards the sky. "I guess you could say I just follow my heart. Cliché, I know but that's the best answer I can give ya."
He looked at her as she seemed to take in her words. She slowly stood up, prompting him to do the same. She hugged her arms around her body, despite the warm August air. She looked as if she were about to say something but he could see the tears threatening to escape her eyes prevented her from doing so.
He watched her, his heart breaking on the inside.
Danny was a big fan of instinct. He always followed it and this moment was no different.
In a moment his arms were around her and she was crying into his chest.
While he hated seeing her cry, he felt that this was the kind of cry that signaled a good thing; a good change.
He was right.
Lindsay sniffled lightly, realizing that she wasn't crying in sadness, but in relief.
Danny had unknowingly answered the question she had been asking herself for weeks.
She wished she was a car, so she could have road signs.
But he just taught her that she already at one.
Her heart.
It was pointing right at Danny.