Chapter Two:

Danny drove slightly faster as he realised he was late again. Ellan would have been expecting him at least an hour ago, he just hoped she wouldn't be too mad with him, he hated upsetting her. He pulled up outside their shared house and took a deep breath before getting out of the car and checking his pocket for the small velvet box he had been nervously smoothing over all day. He sighed when he realised it was still there and locked his car before making his way up the small garden and into the house. The front door was locked, that in itself was strange because Danny knew Ellan never locked the door until Danny came home, she would always sit up and wait for him no matter how late he returned home or how angry with him she was. He raised an eyebrow and his pulse raised slightly as he delved into his other pocket and produced his keys again, this time fumbling with the lock slightly before he heard the expected click which indicated the door was now unlocked. The house was silent; no lights were turned on to brighten the rooms. It was nothing like the usual welcome he received, it wasn't normal. He cleared his throat slightly before calling out; even though it was quite obvious the house was empty.

"Ellan, Honey? … I'm home."

There was no answer; instead he was rewarded with his own voice bouncing back off and around the spacious room. He hastily untied his shoe laces and pulled off his shoes before deciding to go and check the bedrooms, praying that she had just had a tiring day and had exhausted herself to the point where sleep was overwhelming her. The upstairs mirrored the down, all lights were off and it was deadly quiet. It wasn't a nice feeling; it was unfamiliar and a bit unnerving. He walked into the master bedroom hoping to see Ellan lying peacefully on her side of the bed; his hopes were demolished when he was greeted with yet another empty room. He walked over to the bed and perched on the edge, raising his hands to behind his head he rubbed the back of his aching neck; his mind reeling with unanswered questions. His palms were clammy and his heart raced as her pictured indescribable scenarios, he had to stop this he was being stupid, of course Ellan wasn't hurt she was probably out fetching them dinner or something, he was being irrational. He got to his feet and made his way back downstairs to fetch his phone, cursing himself for not thinking of this sooner. He found the mobile on the kitchen table where it had been thrown when he'd entered the house. Danny glanced around the room, checking for any signs that Ellan was indeed simply out buying food, but the kitchen looked exactly how it usually did. Tidy to the point that each cup had its on place on the rack, and the salt and pepper shakers had to be placed at the right angle so the engraved writing was easily visible. Danny often joked with Ellan that she suffered from OCD, but she always just argued that there was nothing wrong with the place looking nice and tidy. Danny smiled to himself as he pictured her little speech, he remembered the way her eyebrow twitched when she got annoyed and the way she would tilt her head to one side when she was listening. The guys often teased him for knowing so much about her, but he called it being in love. He quickly dialled the number and waited expectantly for the shrill ringing.

"Hi, you've reached Ellan's voicemail sorry I can't answer your call right now but I'm busy or I just don't feel like talking to you. Please leave me a message and I may or may not get back to you... Beeeeeep"

Danny smiled at the comic feature of her answer phone message before frowning at the fact her phone was turned off. That was unlike Ellan, she always had her phone with her. It was really starting to worry him now; he couldn't understand where she was. He wandered back upstairs to change out of his work clothes and then decided he would go out and look for her; he knew he wouldn't be able to relax until she was home safe, lying in his arms. He discarded his now creased shirt and shivered slightly as his skin was revealed to the cool air in the bedroom. Searching for a clean top he quickly found one and then ran back down the stairs, satisfied he was ready to go; he grabbed his jacket and car keys before heading out again.

It was late now, nearing 11pm and Danny had been driving round for the last hour. He was already exhausted and running out of places to look. He decided he should just head back and see whether she had returned home yet; he ignored the sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach that suggested Ellan wouldn't be back tonight. Pulling up at the house again he hurriedly got out and locked the car before opening his front door and walking back inside; everything was as he left it, much to his own dismay. He walked back into the kitchen sat himself at the table before breaking down. Wiping his tearstained cheek he noticed something out of the corner of his eye; a piece of paper lying delicately on the tiled floor. He quickly bent down and retrieved it before opening it out and beginning to read.

Danny…

I've gone to my mums for a couple of days. I need to think about some things. I don't want you to worry about me, but I need some space. Things have been different with us lately and I haven't been able to put my finger on it, but yesterday I came home and was doing some laundry when I noticed a note in your jeans pocket. I'm not going to go into it, but it hurt Danny. It hurt so much, I thought we didn't keep secrets from each other. I was clearly wrong. So anyway don't try and ring me because I won't answer and don't bother coming to my mothers because it's not going to help. I will come home in my own free will when I feel the time is right. Meanwhile I think you need to take a look at yourself and rethink your priorities, I can't carry on like this Danny. I'm sorry.

I love you.

Ellan x

Danny broke down into fresh tears as he finished reading the note. He wanted nothing more than to rush to Ellan's mothers and explain everything, but he knew it would only make matters worse. He had to listen to what Ellan had told him. He had to do as she said if he wanted to make things right. His anger overwhelmed him as he hit out at the table with his fist, yelping in pain before bringing his hand back towards his shaking frame and cradling it. It wasn't long before he had carted himself to bed and collapsed, the tears still running freely down his face. He loved her, why couldn't she see that?