My Hero

by paulmcuk

Dan becomes Natalie's hero and in the aftermath they learn a lot of things about each other. Maybe more than they wanted to know. Then again, maybe not.

Natalie was late leaving work. The only person still there when she left, apart from the security guards, was Dan who didn't seem to want to go home these days (another failed relationship - although Natalie was the only person who knew).

She was tired and hungry and she wanted to get home so she decided to cut through the alley - it would save her a good ten minutes. She was only a little way in when she heard footsteps behind her. She cursed her decision and loosened her grip on her bag - if that was all he wanted she thought, he could have it. Her heartbeat increased and she quickened her pace but the following footsteps also quickened. Panic broke through and she began to run - but not fast enough.

She was still only two thirds of the way through the alley when a hand grabbed her by the hair and in the same movement swung her round so that she collided with the alley wall. Then he was on her. One frighteningly large and strong hand clasping her throat he forced her to the ground. She tried to speak, to tell him he could have her money and credit cards - even though she knew that was not what he wanted - but the tightness around her throat prevented any sound from coming out. He pinned her to the ground and began to tear at her clothes. Natalie lashed out as hard as she could but the man was strong and the blows had little effect.

In desperation she attacked his face, digging a finger into the mans eye. This had an effect. The man growled in pain and put his hands to his face. Natalie tried to rise but he was sat on her body and he was twice her size. Summoning every ounce of strength she shoved him and managed to dislodge him enough to scramble out from under him. Her success was short-lived. Before she had even got to her feet he was on her again, his full weight pinning her helplessly face-down to the floor.

If Natalie had thought her terror could not be increased she was wrong. She felt the cold barrel of a gun pressed hard against her head. "You're gonna pay for that bitch" he said.

He roughly turned her over onto her back and gripped her throat again with one hand while he pointed the gun at her with the other. "Now you just lie there and be nice" he said "and maybe I won't shoot you. In fact" he added with a sneer, "you might even enjoy it." Natalie closed her eyes to await her fate as the man put his gun away and used his free hand to continue his attack on her clothing.

"Hey!"

Natalie's assailant turned to see a figure at the far end of the alleyway. The figure began to run towards them. As figure got closer Natalie could see who it was - it was Dan. She tried to call his name, to warn him - her fear for herself replaced by concern for him, but the man's grip on her throat prevented her from doing to.

Still holding her round her neck with one arm, her attacker hauled her to a sitting position, got behind her and pointed his gun at Dan who halted when he saw it.

"Hey Billy" said the man, "don't be a hero."

"Leave her alone" said Dan eyeing the gun warily.

"I'll do what I damn well please with her. So why don't you do the smart thing and just pretend you didn't see anything. This is none of you business."

"I'm afraid it is my business."

"If you try to stop me you're a dead man. Don't think I won't use this."

"Well you're going to have to because I'm not leaving."

"You stupid fucker. I'll kill you." The man was getting more and more agitated.

"I won't let you hurt her" said Dan evenly.

"You got ten seconds to get out of here man."

"Why don't YOU get out of here" said Dan as calmly as he could. "You've got the gun so I'm sure not going to follow you. Whereas if you shoot me you'll have the cops here in minutes."

The man stared at him and tensed his gun arm. For a moment Dan thought he was going to shoot. Then the man hurled Natalie to the floor and sprinted out of the alleyway.

Dan raced over to where Natalie lay. "Are you alright Natalie" he asked as he knelt down beside her and helped he to sit. Natalie said nothing, she just looked at him and collapsed sobbing into his arms. "It's ok" he said. "It's all over." They stayed there like that for a few minutes, Dan holding Natalie close and murmuring soothing words. Eventually he gently prised her away and looked at her face. "Are you ok?" he asked again.

"I'm ok" she said sniffing.

"You're bleeding" he observed.

"I don't think it's much."

"Can you walk?"

"I can walk."

"Did he....?" he was almost afraid to ask.

She shook her head. "No, you got here in time."

"We should go to the police" he said but she shook her head again.

"No police. Not yet. Just take me home Dan."

"Ok." He helped her to her feet and noticed for the first time her ripped clothes. Quickly he removed his jacked. "Here" he said as he placed it around her shoulders. Then he led her out of the alley in search of a taxi.

They were silent in the taxi. Natalie clung on to Dan and tried to stop herself shaking. It was only the over-riding need to comfort Natalie that enabled Dan to keep his own nerves in check. The taxi driver also said nothing. He had noticed Natalie's dishevelled and blood-stained state but passed no comment. In his twenty years driving taxi's in New York he had just about seen it all.

"Let's get you cleaned up" said Dan leading her unresisting into the kitchen. "Where's your first-aid kit?" Natalie indicated a cupboard and he retrieved the box and sat her down on a chair. He gently washed the blood from her faced and examined her wounds. "Just a few scratches" he said, "no need to send for Dr Kildare."

"That's a shame" said Natalie, "he was cute." Being back in her own home had made her feel more secure and her confidence was returning.

"Hey" said Dan, "Natalie's back."

"I'm on my way" she said. "But I'm not there yet."

"You'll make it" he said. "You're one of the strongest people I know."

"I'm not strong."

"You are. Inside."

"Well I might need some help on this one."

"You'll get it" he said. "Now hold still. This might sting a little." He dabbed her scratches with cotton wool soaked with anti-septic lotion. Natalie winced slightly as he applied it.

"There you go" said Dan as he finished. "All better."

"Thanks doctor" she said.

Dan theatrically patted his pockets. "Sorry" he said, "I'm afraid I'm all out of lollipops."

"What kind of doctor runs out of lollipops" scolded Natalie. "Next time I'm going to see Dr Kildare."

Dan shrugged. "I lose more patients that way."

"I fixed you some coffee" said Dan as Natalie emerged from her bedroom where she had removed her torn clothes. She was now clad in a bathrobe. "Unless you want something stronger."

"Coffee's fine" she said sitting down on the sofa. "Here's your jacket. I'm afraid it has blood on it."

"Don't worry about the jacket" said Dan. "How are you feeling now?"

Natalie shrugged. "I'm ok, mostly. Then I remember and suddenly I'm not ok again."

"Have you thought about calling the police?"

She shook her head. "Not right now. I need to get my head together first."

"Do you want me to call anybody? Jeremy?"

"No. I don't think I'm ready for that. Jeremy's not too good in a crisis. He'd get angry and over-protective and I'd end up having to calm HIM down."

"Do you want me to stay?"

"Not if you don't want to. Do you have some place to go?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I was just wondering if you wanted company or if you wanted to be alone."

"Company please."

"You got it."

Natalie watched Dan as he paced the room. "So are you going to sit down or just wear out my carpet?"

"Sorry" he said taking a seat beside her, "must be nervous energy." He picked up his coffee but found he couldn't hold it steady and quickly put it back down again. "Woah" he said. "I seem to have more nervous energy than I thought."

Natalie reached over and stroked his arm. "It's ok" she said. "It's just starting to hit you that's all."

"What is?"

"Tonight. It's not every day you find yourself staring down the barrel of a gun."

"No" said Dan. "It's usually every other tuesday."

"Using humour to cover your fear" said Natalie. "That's very theraputic."

Dan smiled weakly. "Ok. So I was scared."

"Of course you were."

"I was really scared."

"I know."

"I mean, I've never been on the wrong end of a gun before. I've never been on the right end come to that."

"You were very brave."

"Bravery had nothing to do with it." He turned to look at her. "There was no way I was going to let him hurt you. Gun or no gun."

Natalie leant forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks" she said.

"For what?"

"Saving me."

"You don't have to thank me for that."

"I do. It's not enough but until they come up with a new word it will have to do."

"It's enough that you're ok."

Natalie smiled at him. "My hero" she said.

"Stop it" he protested.

"What?"

"I'm not a hero."

"Of course you are. You're MY hero. You risked your life for me back there."

"That wasn't heroic. It was just....something I had to do."

"It looked heroic to me."

"Well it wasn't. If it hadn't been you in there I.....I don't know whether I would have done what I did."

"You would have."

"I don't know that. I might have just walked away."

"You wouldn't have walked away."

"I wish I could know that for sure."

"You don't have to. I know it for sure." She kissed him again just for the hell of it. "Now" she said, "the question is what are we going to call you?"

"Call me?"

"Sure. You need a name. Like Superman or Daredevil. Something suitably heroic."

Dan laughed. "Any suggestions?"

"I've got it" she said. "Dynamic Dan. Mild-mannered anchorman by day, nemesis of the evil-doers by night."

"Dynamic Dan?"

"Dynamic Dan."

They had finished the coffee and Dan had opened a bottle of wine he had found in her refrigerator.

"I shouldn't say this" said Dan as he handed her a glass.

"Say what?"

He opened his mouth then closed it again. "No, I really shouldn't say it."

"Come on say it."

"No. It's inappropriate."

"Inappropriate?"

"Bad taste."

"Even more reason for you to say it."

"No."

Natalie held her glass of wine above his head. "Tell me or I'll pour."

Dan held his hands up in mock surrender. "Ok, ok. I was just going to say that this is nice".

"What's nice?"

"This. Us, here, talking."

"We talk all the time."

"I know. But when did we last get together outside work? Just the two of us."

"It wasn't that long ago."

"When was it then?"

Natalie thought for a second. "When we went to the theatre to see 'The Woman in Black'."

"And when was that?"

"Well, let me see, it was my treat for your birthday so it would have been...oh."

"Four months ago."

"As long as that?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Wow. We used to do stuff all the time."

"I know."

"What happened?"

"One word."

"One word? Oh, Jeremy."

"It's not that I don't understand" said Dan. "Jeremy's your boyfriend and you can't be constantly spending time with other guys but once in a while would be nice."

"Why didn't you remind me?"

"You're all wrapped up in Jeremy. Besides, it's not like we had a formal arrangement. It's just a casual friends thing."

"I'll make more time for you in future."

"Well I don't want to put you out."

"Stop it."

"I mean if you can grant me the crumb of the odd half hour out of your busy schedule every month or so I'll be eternally grateful."

"I'll hit you" she warned.

"Ok" said Dan. "That's agreed. We'll make more time for each other."

"Agreed" said Natalie and they chinked glasses. "So why was that inappropriate?"

"Sorry?"

"Why was it in bad taste for you to say that us being here was nice?"

"Because of the situation that brought me here tonight. I shouldn't be happy after that."

"Oh yes" she said. "I'd almost forgotten."

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Reminding you."

"Don't be. It just goes to show that some good can come out of just about anything. Even tonight."

Dan was confused. "What good came of tonight?" he asked.

Natalie smiled at him. "I got my friend back."

"You never lost him."

"No. But I might've if I wasn't careful."

"That would never have happened."

"She said I was boring." The conversation had turned to Dan's latest failed romance.

"She said that?"

"She did say that."

"You're not boring."

"I didn't think so."

"The woman was clearly a fool."

"Thank you. That was my theory too."

"Then we agree."

"But maybe she's right."

"Don't be an idiot Dan. I've just told you you're not boring. Who are you going to trust? Me or some woman you met and broke up with in two weeks flat?"

"I trust you of course."

"Glad to hear it."

"Except you would probably lie to spare my feelings. She had no reason to lie. Why would she say I was boring if I wasn't?"

"Boring is a relative thing. Different people find different things boring. Some people find sports boring, did she like sports?"

"No, she thought sports were boring."

"Well there you are then."

"But she told me she thought sports were boring so I made a point of not talking to her about sports."

"Maybe you talked about sports by mistake."

"By mistake? How do you talk about sports by mistake?"

"I don't know."

"So why did you say it?"

"I'm thinking on my feet here. I don't have time to think through every little idea."

"You're being a great help Natalie."

"Well I could do with a little more information. If she didn't like sports, what DID she like?"

"Sex."

"Sex?"

"Yes, sex. She was addicted to it - or so she said."

"You went out with a woman who was addicted to sex?"

"Yeah."

"How exactly did this addiction manifest itself?"

"Well, we had a lot of sex."

"How much is a lot?"

"Four or five times a day."

"Is that a lot?"

Dan looked at her. "Well how many times a day do you do it?"

"I don't mean that. I mean four or five cigarettes a day would be quite a mild habit, whereas forty a day is a serious addiction. So what I'm saying is, when does a lot of sex stop being just a lot of sex and become an addiction?"

"I have no idea."

"Aren't there any statistics?"

"Not that I know of."

"I bet there are. There are statistics on everything. You can bet that someone, somewhere, knows the answer."

"Maybe, but he isn't here and you're still not helping much."

"Sorry. Ok you did it four or five times a day but how many times a day did she WANT to do it?"

"I don't know."

"More than four or five?"

"I guess so."

"Ok. So maybe her definition of boring is someone for whom four or five times a day is quite enough thank you very much."

"Could be that I suppose."

"Of course it's that. Another problem solved by Auntie Natalie."

"Plus there was all the other stuff."

"What other stuff?"

"The ropes. And the rubber. And stuff."

"You're making this up."

"I wish I were. She couldn't seem to understand that I'm not into all that."

Natalie shook her head in disbelief. "Can I ask you something Dan?"

"Sure."

"Why did you go out with her in the first place?"

"Are you kidding? She was addicted to sex."

"But you're not. Are you?"

"No. Not by her standards at least. But every guy thinks he's addicted to sex until he meets someone who is really addicted."

Deciding against opening another bottle of wine Natalie had made more coffee. When she returned from the kitchen she handed Dan his cup and continued their earlier conversation.

"It seems to me that you're choosing the wrong women."

"That's obvious. But how do I choose the right women?"

"Well, what do you want in a woman?"

"You know the usual stuff. Pretty, funny, intelligent, caring. All that stuff."

"So why did you make a beeline for Miss Nymphomania 1999?"

"Because she was..."

"Addicted to sex?"

"Yeah."

"Was she pretty, funny, intelligent, caring. All that stuff?"

"Well she was pretty."

"See? So let me ask again, why did you go out with her?"

"I don't know."

"I do."

"You do?"

"Sure. You went out with her because a woman addicted to sex is every man's dream."

"Isn't that what I said?"

"Yes but it isn't true. A woman addicted to sex is SUPPOSED to every man's dream. It's what you all joke about in locker rooms. But it's not every man's dream is it? It's not YOUR dream. But you go along with it because that's the way guys are supposed to behave."

"So what are you saying."

"I'm saying stop being one of the guys Dan. Be you. Because you're so much better than the rest."

Dan gave her a big grin. "You mean that?"

"Of course I mean it."

"Casey's right. I am lucky."

"About what?"

"About having you as a friend."

"What does he mean by that? I'm his friend too."

"You know."

"I don't."

"You do."

"Would you say I'm an honest person Dan?"

"Uh, yeah, sure but..."

"Then trust me when I say I don't know what you mean."

"You want me to explain?"

"Please."

"Well it's.... me and you."

"Thanks. That's much clearer now."

"Casey says that everyone talks about it."

"About what?"

"About how we're so close."

"So we're close. What about it?"

"They say we're closer than close. Casey says it's like we know what each other is thinking."

"People are saying this about us?"

"So Casey says."

"I hope you put him straight."

"Isn't it true?"

"Of course not. I'm dating Jeremy."

"It's not about dating it's about friendship."

"Doesn't anyone else have friends?"

"They have friends but not like us."

"Is what we have really so unusual?"

"Apparently. Casey told me he was jealous of me."

"Jealous? Why?"

"Because I have you."

"I didn't know Casey wanted me."

Dan grinned. "He says it's because I always have someone to talk to - about anything at all."

"So does he."

"He doesn't think so."

"What about Dana?"

"You are kidding."

"Ok maybe not but what about you? He talks to you."

"Sure he talks to me, but I'm a guy."

"Really? You never said."

"What I mean is that guys don't open up so much together, even best friends. I tell you all kinds of stuff that I'd never tell Casey."

"Like what?"

"Like my nymphomaniac. I'd tell him I was having sex four or five times a night but I wouldn't tell him I was hating every minute of it."

"You hated every minute of it?"

"Not EVERY minute. The point is that that's why he's jealous. he doesn't have a Natalie."

Natalie grinned. "Every man should have one."

"They should" he said smiling at her. "But not this one. This one is all mine."

They had spent the last few minutes in comfortable silence. Natalie had closed her eyes and stretched out on the sofa with her feet in Dan's lap. He was massaging them with surprising expertise.

"Mmmm, where did you learn to do that" she murmured. When she got no response she opened her eyes and looked at him. He was looking straight at her but he also seemed to be looking right through her.

"What are you thinking right now" she demanded.

"What?"

"What were you thinking just then?"

"Nothing."

"That wasn't nothing. You were almost on another planet."

"You don't want to know."

"A statement like that is guaranteed to make me want to know."

"Trust me on this one. This isn't the time."

"Come on Dan. You're just through telling me how you can tell me anything then you go and clam up."

He let go of her feet. "Ok I'll tell you." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I was thinking that I'd like to kiss you right now."

It wasn't what she had expected. "You're talking a friendly peck on the cheek type kiss right?"

He looked away from her. "That would be easier, but no, I'm not talking about a friendly peck on the cheek."

Natalie shook her head and involuntarily withdrew her feet from his lap. "Oh God Dan, you really have to learn to lie occasionally."

Dan stood up abruptly. "I'm sorry Natalie, I'm so sorry. I'll go. I'll go right now." He stood up and headed for the door without waiting to pick up his jacket.

"Dan wait we can talk about this" said Natalie but he kept on going.

"You don't have to go." He started to open the door.

"STOP!"

Maybe it was because he was so used to obeying her instructions through his earpiece but, to his own surprise, Dan stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to look at her and she noted the look of surprise on his face.

"It's a Jedi thing" she said.

Natalie managed to coax him to sit down again.

"I am so sorry" he said. "I can't tell you how sorry I am."

"There's nothing to be sorry for" soothed Natalie. "So you felt like kissing me. That's a nice thing where I come from."

Dan smiled but wasn't convinced. "I've embarrassed you and made you feel uncomfortable" he insisted.

"You also gave my ego a bit of a boost."

"Did I?"

"Sure. You scrub up quite nicely Mr Rydell. It doesn't do my vanity any harm to know that you might be interested in me."

Dan smiled again. "How come you always know the right thing to say?"

"Just one of my many talents."

"But I still shouldn't have said it."

"Maybe not. But you have now so there's nothing we can do about it."

"You're right. It's best if we just forget I said it."

"No it isn't."

"It isn't?"

"No. We'll talk about it."

"Natalie I'm not sure if I ....."

"We'll talk about it" she insisted.

"What's to talk about? I opened my stupid mouth when I shouldn't have."

"Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

"About wanting to kiss me. Did you mean it?"

"Natalie I don't ..." He got no further because Natalie leapt on him and began to kiss him. After a moments hesitation he began to respond - strongly. As he did so Natalie pulled away.

"I'd call that a yes" said Natalie.

Dan looked at her in a mixture of excitement and astonishment. "Natalie are you...are we...?"

"No Dan. I don't think so."

"Oh. Just checking."

"That's ok."

"You can see how a guy could get confused though right?"

"When a girl pins him down and kisses him? Yes I can see how that might be misconstrued."

"So why did you do it?"

"To see what it was like."

"And what was it like?"

She licked her lips. "Not bad, not bad at all."

"Care for another sample?"

"I don't think that would be very wise Dan. I might get to like it too much."

"That doesn't sound such a bad thing from this end of the sofa."

"That's because you haven't thought it through."

"Haven't I?"

"No. You haven't looked at all the pros and cons."

"I don't see any cons."

"You're obviously not looking. How about I give you a clue? Starts with a 'J'."

"Jeremy."

"My boyfriend. Who I love by the way."

Dan stood up again. "Jesus Natalie, how could I be so stupid? I never even gave him a thought. What kind of idiot am I?"

"Sit down Dan."

"I really think I should leave now."

"I really think you should sit down."

"No really I...."

"Do you want me to use the voice again?"

Dan smiled in spite of his agitation - and sat down. "I feel like I've really let you down Natalie. And Jeremy too now you've reminded me that he even exists."

"You haven't let anyone down. You were just a little inappropriate in expressing your feelings that's all."

"You were the one who insisted on knowing."

"I'm also the one who said you should have lied."

"I can't lie to you. I can shut my mouth or bite my tongue but I can't lie to you. And now because of it I've put our friendship in jeopardy."

"Our friendship is not in jeopardy" insisted Natalie.

"It can never be the same after this" said Dan.

"No it can't be the same. It can be stronger than ever. You were saying before how we could tell each other things that we wouldn't tell anyone else. Well we're proving that right now. I love you Dan. I love you as much as I love anybody else in the world, including Jeremy. And knowing how you feel, and knowing that you were able to tell me how you feel just makes me love you all the more."

Dan stared at her for a few moments. "What did a fool like me do to deserve a friend like you?"

"You must have been a saint in a previous life. And you're not a fool Dan."

"I am a fool. I'm a fool for forgetting you have a boyfriend that you love. I'm a fool for thinking you might feel about me the way that I feel about you."

"You're not a fool" she repeated

"Idiot then."

"You're not an idiot either. The truth is, I do have feelings for you."

"I know. You love me as a friend."

"More than a friend."

"Really?"

"Of course. How could two people be as close as we are without some of the friendship overlapping into something else?"

"And you waited till now to tell me this?"

"You were digging such a large hole for yourself I thought it would be a shame to stop you."

Dan grinned. "So you do think of me as more than a friend."

"Sometimes yes. Sometimes when you've said something especially nice I daydream about what it would be like if we were together."

"What happens in these dreams?"

"It's not about what happens. It's about how I feel. About how you make me feel."

"And how do I make you feel?"

"It's kind of hard to explain."

"Try."

"It's embarrassing."

"Good, I'd say it's about your turn. Try."

She took a deep breath. "Ok. It's like when you're a kid you know? And it's Christmas eve and your stomach is all knotted up with excitement. And it's snowing outside but your all warm and snug in your house. And all the family are around and everybody is happy and smiling. And you feel so happy and warm and safe. You know what I mean?"

"I know exactly what you mean."

"Well that's how I feel when I think about you and me. Does that sound stupid?"

"Stupid? It's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. I had no idea you felt that way. But if you do why can't we do something about it?"

Natalie shook her head. "Because it's a fantasy. It's as insubstantial as my memories of childhood Christmases. You could no more live up to my feelings about you than you could fly to the moon. And you'd try so hard to be what I wanted you to be but you'd fail and end up resenting me for wanting too much. And I'd see that you are less than perfect and hate myself for thinking it."

Dan was shaking his head. "It doesn't have to be like that."

"But it would" insisted Natalie. "Maybe a few years ago we could have done it but we've come too far down the road of friendship to go back. We missed our turning, and the next one leads to someplace else, or someone else."

"Jeremy?"

"In my case. Maybe, ."

"What about me?"

"Who knows. But there will be someone."

"I pity her whoever she is" said Dan.

"Don't say that."

"It's true."

"Why?"

"Because she'll never be able to compete."

"I think it's time I went to bed" said Natalie after they had talked for a little while longer about inconsequential things. Both were satisfied that their friendship was back on track, albeit a slightly different track from the one it started out on.

Dan looked at his watch. "It is getting late" he agreed but made no effort to move.

"Dan?" asked Natalie.

"Yes?"

"Would you stay tonight?"

"Here?"

"No, out in the hall. Of course here. I don't think I want to be alone tonight."

"I was going to ask if you wanted me to, but I wasn't sure if I should."

"Why not?"

"Because of what I said earlier."

"About kissing me?"

"Yeah. And the rest. The last thing you need right now is to be worrying about whether or not I'm going to jump on you."

"Are you going to jump on me?"

"Of course not."

"Well I don't need to worry then do I?"

"I'll sleep on the couch" he said.

"That IS what I had in mind" she said with a smile.

Dan almost tripped over his tongue in an effort to explain himself. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to imply..."

"It's ok" she interrupted. "I know. You were just making sure I knew that you the score."

"Something like that."

"Then stop worrying. I know you know the score."

"I just want to make sure you feel completely safe."

"Of course I feel safe. How could I not feel safe with you? You're my hero."

Dan was still awake on his make-shift bed when the door to Natalie's room opened. He looked over. In the gloom he could just make out her figure outlined in the doorway.

"Are you awake Dan?" she said.

He sat up. "I'm awake. What's wrong?"

"I can't sleep. When I close my eyes that guy's there."

"We don't have to sleep" he said. "We can just talk."

"No. I have to sleep. If I don't beat it now it could stay with me for a long time."

"I could make you some cocoa" he suggested.

She smiled although he couldn't see it. "Very practical."

"I don't really know what else to suggest."

"I think you do, you're just too scared to suggest it."

"I....don't know what you mean."

"Ok then I'll say it. Would you sleep with me tonight Dan? I'll be able to sleep if you're there with me."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"I could sleep on the floor, beside your bed."

"Like a faithful old watchdog?"

"Woof."

She laughed. "You're not a dog Dan. You can sleep in the bed."

"You trust me?"

"Of course."

"I'm glad one of us does."

She laughed again. "I never had so much trouble getting a guy into bed before. Look if it really makes you feel uncomfortable..."

"No" said Dan. "I'm, I don't know the right word, honoured I suppose."

"Because I'm letting you sleep in my bed?"

"No. Because you have so much faith in me."

"We've all got to have faith in something Dan. And for me, right now, you're it."

"I'm glad."

"So don't let me down ok?"

"Don't worry. I still know the score."

"I know you do" she said. "Come on then Fido, the bed's getting cold."

Dan wished he was wearing something more than just his boxer shorts but Natalie didn't seem to mind. She herself was reasonably covered up, wearing a large T-shirt which came down to the middle of her thighs. They got into bed and Dan lay there shock still so as not to make inadvertent contact with her. But she was having none of it. She rolled over to him and rested her head on his chest. "Hold me Dan" she said. And he was glad to do so.

"My hero" she murmured as she drifted into a peaceful sleep. Dan, on the other hand, knew that he wouldn't get a wink of sleep that night.

THE END