Hi Everyone, thank you for continuing to read. I figured it was time for Danny and Kara to actually feature together as it's been a while. So enjoy.
Kara stood outside the hotel room, she smoothed the skirt of her dress with her hand and swallowed, nervously. So this was it, the first real date. Everything was out of order, most people didn't get pregnant before they went on their first date. She pulled at the dress again. It was soft cotton that fell beautifully over her small bump, flattering her figure. She didn't think that Danny had seen her in a dress before, she'd found a pair of small heels in the back of her locker. They were that perfect shoe that went with everything. She held her overnight bag by her side, this had to go well, otherwise she'd be crashing on the couch that was in Alisha's room. Alisha had already told her not to be so daft and that it would be fine with Danny but Kara still felt nervous, things were changing, the world was becoming more than just being onboard the Nathan James. What if they didn't actually like each other once normal life resumed, what if the only thing that held them together as a couple of was the adventure of living day to day on the Nathan James. Finally, she took in a calming breath and once she'd let it out she knocked, a resonating knock that sounded much more confident than Kara felt.
Danny looked up at the sound of a hand striking the door. In fact his head snapped up, as if the knock was a pistol shot. He'd been nervously pacing, Kara was late, she said she'd be here around 1800, it was now 1815. OK so the time hadn't been set, he knew she'd been working today and that she would probably be late but he'd spent the last fifteen minutes imaging every possible scenario for why she might be late. He'd been ready for a while, in fact he'd really made the effort. Somewhere at the back of his locker was a smart shirt, smart trousers and even a jacket. He'd already been down to the bar for a quick, nerve settling drink with Wolfe and Burke, he figured if he struck out with Kara then he had a shot with Wolfe judging by the wolf whistle he'd omitted when he'd entered the bar. Though by the time he'd left Wolfe was deep in conversation with Val and Burke was chatting to a local woman. He'd had a beer and the boys had sent him off back to his room with a shot of bourbon and there he found himself, waiting, just waiting. He unpacked his bags for the week, he laid out the picnic that Bacon had made for him. He'd arranged it all, a nice candle light meal, though the lack of hotel room service had meant it was more a picnic than hot dinner. He'd set up his ipod, it played softy in the background and that's when he found himself sat, looking at his watch every 2 minutes. Then came the knock and he breathed out a sigh of relief, she had actually come but that disappeared quickly as he suddenly realised, this was their proper first date.
Kara couldn't work out why she was so nervous, it was just Danny, Danny who had seen her looking like absolute crap, who had seen her when there was no water to have a shower, when she was dying. Danny, the father of her baby, it would be ok. The door swung open and there stood Danny, he smiled at her and she smiled awkwardly back. They just stood there for a moment, looking at each other. Kara wasn't sure if she should go in, so she just waited and it was like eventually Danny came back to life.
"Wow, you look….. beautiful." He said, giving her a little smile that made her feel better.
"You look very smart yourself," she said. Again there was silence and Kara continued to stand at the door.
"Here, let me take you bag. I'm sorry, come on in, I've left you standing in the doorway." He took the bag off her shoulder and held the door open, ushering her in.
In truth, the doorway exchange had lasted no more than thirty seconds but to Kara it had seemed much longer. Kara stepped in, it was meant to be a great night but was getting off to luke-warm start.
"Wow, the room's lovely." She looked round, taking it in, it was a big room, more like a suite and she wondered if this had been intentional on Andrea's part. A small living area and an en-suite bathroom, as well as a giant double bed. There was music playing softy and candles lit on a table, where there was an amazing looking spread of food waiting. Danny wandered across to the bed and dropped her bag down at the side closest to the window.
"Oh," Kara felt awkward asking but found herself continuing, "Can I sleep on the other side?"
Dann bit his lip, "Um, I normally sleep on this side." He said, "is there a reason you want this side?" he asked her.
Kara chewed the inside of her cheek, "It's just closer to the bathroom…." She looked at him and he just stared at her, "I usually have to get up in the night to use the bathroom." She fully explained.
Danny nodded, "OK, I get that." He made no move to pick up her bag. "But I would prefer to sleep on this side." He offered no explanation.
His is what Kara had dreaded, what if this was what living with Danny was going to be like? She knew he was stubborn but what if the rest of their life came down to impasse moments about which side of the bed they slept on. Kara couldn't have this, she didn't think she could live like this. Her imagination was going into overdrive right now, picturing them in five years time with differing views on how to raise their child, where they lived, how they did their life.
Danny knew she thought he was being a dick but he couldn't give up that side of the bed, he saw her face trying to control her emotions. He wasn't sure how they had ended up like this. It was meant to be their first date, it should be fun, they should be like teenagers but instead they were stood looking at each other in silence. He saw Kara breathe out deeply and then she sank down onto the edge of the bed, he saw one tear slide down her face. He'd made her cry and he felt mortified. He rushed over and sank down next to her on the bed, he pulled her into his arms. He felt her sob.
"What if we're just forcing something that isn't meant to be?" she managed to say.
"Shhhhhh," he comforted her, "It is mean to be. We are meant to be together."
"You won't even change the side of the bed you sleep on." She said in a tiny voice, it sounded hopeless and Danny shut his eyes, berating himself for being such a fool.
"I want to sleep on that side because it's closest to the door." He said gently. He felt her stiffen and her eyes flashed.
"What, so you can get out first in a fire?" she bit at him.
He firmly grabbed her shoulders and turned her to look at him.
"I want to sleep nearest the door so that there something between you and my baby and anyone that might coming through it. This isn't a safe world and I'm going to be damned if I don't put myself between you and every weirdo out there. That's why I want to sleep on that side." He told her earnestly, his eyes flashing back at her.
Kara let out a silent "oh" of realisation and then at in silence. Why had she jumped to conclusions? It was Danny, of course he would have a good reason for needing to be on that side of the bed.
Danny feel annoyed at himself for not being more forthcoming but no one wants to discuss oddballs and psychopaths on their first date, he thought he could get away with not having to explain why.
"Kara, there have been so many time, so many things beyond my control, where UI've almost lost you. How about Baltimore, or the times the ship has been attacked, even the virus. I like control and you push my buttons sometimes because you insist on being you and I have to let you be you and it's not always easy."
They both sat in silence for a bit and the moments ticked by. Danny was aware of the music that was playing, he'd made a playlist especially for tonight, he'd put on songs he thought Kara would like. His ears pricked up at the sound of a song he knew she loved and he couldn't sit there anymore, he did like control and this was not going the way he wanted it to. It was time for a do over, he stood up abruptly and held out his hand.
"Dance with me," he told her and Kara looked up startled.
"What?" she asked.
"For the longest time now, I have wanted to dance with you, in candle light, under the stars, in the rain. I'm having a do over on this 'date' and I'm crossing one of those off my list, so dance with me."
Kara listened to the song playing, it was Lady Antebellum's "I'll Run to You."
"I love this song," she told him.
"I know you do, so dance with me."
She took his hand and he pulled her into a position to dance with her. He surprised her when he sang along to the chorus ad spun her round. As the song ended he pulled her close,
"You can have the side of the bed you want, I'll protect you wherever I am." He whispered softly in her ear and she rested her head against his chest as they started to slow dance to the next song.
