Live Agian
Chapter Two; Together Agian
Alex ran into the house with Rick close behind, side by side with Danielle, who was in a state of shock at the manor.
"Are you *sure* you live here?" she asked quietly.
Rick shrugged,"Well when we left we did, but knowing Jonathan and his gambling habbits, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't." he joked. Even though he knew it wasn't true anymore. Since Evy died Jonathan had been very well behaved, rarely drinking or gambling.
"Who's Jonathan?" Dani asked curiously.
"Brother-in-law."
She nodded and looked around the living room, taking everything in,"How on earth did you afford all of this, Rick?"
"You go on enough digs you're bound to get lucky sometime." he said with a shrug.
Dani smiled and walked past him, still glancing around, amazed by all of this. After a little while she turned to see Rick watching her,"What?"
With a heavy sigh Rick explained,"I can't belive little Dani is all grown up... I feel old."
"Well look at you! I didn't think you were going to survive a day out of that orphanage! Let alone this well." Dani joked, a wide grin on her face,"Richard O'connell, a father? I never thought I would see the day."
"I didn't think so either the last time we saw each other. People change I guess... Obviously not you, but the way you treated your date."
"Well he was a jerk!" she deffended.
"Yep, that's the fourteen year old Dani I left back at the orphanage."
Shaking his head and grinning widely, Rick picked up her bags and took her up the stairs and into the room at the end of the hall,"Okay, here's your room. Mine is two doors down incase you need anything at night. I'll let you get settled in and I'll be in the living room when you're done." Rick informed then left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.
**********
It was about fifteen minuets later that Dani made her way down the large staircase, into the living room where Rick was sitting, holding a small framed picture, oblivious to her. "Hey, you okay?" she asked quietly, moving slightly forward.
Rick jump a bit, not having noticed she was there, quickly laying the picture face down on the coffee table infront of him like a kid caught with something he shouldn't have. "Fine. I'm fine. Guess I was just lost in my own world."
Dani looked from the picture on the table up into his eyes. Those crystal blue eyes she had always remembered as being filled with life and a love for adventuer. She couldn't help but notice there was something missing from them. That passion for living was no where to be seen. "Possitive you're okay?"
"Absoluetly." Rick assured, trying his best to smile reasuingly, but getting the feeling that he hadn't succeeded.
She nodded and finally walked over, sitting next to him on the couch. She leaned over and picked up the frame. A picture of a slender woman with fairly long brown hair, sparkling brown eyes that held the same life that Rick's used to, and a cheerful smile standing with Rick behind her, his arms around her waist, bolth grinning at the camera. "Your wife? She's beautiful." Danielle commented.
"Yeah... incredably." he agreed, hoping that she hadn't heard the sadness in his voice.
"So when do I get to meet this Miss Wonderful, huh?"
Rick looked away from her, down at his hands, fiddling with the wedding ring he still wore,"She... umm... well it's, it's just me and Alex." he stated, just barely keeping himself from choking on the words.
Dani felt bad about having mentioned it now,"Oh." she breathed, it was almost impossible to hear her,"I'm sorry, Rick. I-I-"
Glancing back up at her, he gave a bit of a shrug,"It's not your fault."
"I say! Alex told me we had a guest!" Jonathan said cheerfully, walking into the room, a large grin on his face,"But he didn't tell me she was so radiant." he added, turning on the charm, ignoring the warning glare given to him by his brother-in-law.
"Jonathan I presume." Dani gave Rick's shoulder a reasuring squeeze, then stood up and holding her hand out for Jonathan to shake,"Rick told me about you. Danielle Johnson."
He gently took her hand, shaking it softly, deciding agianst kissing it because of the look Rick was giving him,"Jonathan Carnahan. Pleasure meeting you, Miss Johnson."
"It's just Dani." she told him.
"Alright, Dani." He agreed, then turned as Alex ran down the stairs.
"Uncle Jon, come play chess with me." the boy said excidedly.
Jonathan smiled and started back up the stairs with his nephew,"Can't we just call it a draw right now...?"
As their voices fadded down the hall, Rick stood up, shaking his head. "How about a walk? Beautiful country out here." he offered, extending his hand for Dani to take.
**********
It was a clear, sunny day, and the vibrant yellows, reds, and oranges of the leaves seemed to brighten up the day even more. For quite some time while Rick and Danielle walked hand in hand down the old backroad, the only sounds that could be heard were the birds singing in the trees, and the quiet sound of their steps on the gravel.
Dani watched him for a while. He just stared at the trees as they slowly passed, then up at the blue sky for a minuet before looking back at the trees, obviously deep in thought. She sighed and gave his hand a squeeze before breaking the silence,"So where are you taking me?"
Rick looked down at her as he felt her hand tighten on his, then shrugged,"Not anywhere really... there's not a whole lot in this direction... it's just been a while since I've been out of the house."
"You? Always in the house?" Dani said in shock,"You really *have* changed."
He shrugged again,"Guess so." he almost whispered, turning his gaze to the groud as the awkward silence came over them once more. In a few minuets he cleared his throat,"Anyway, what have you been doing since you finally got free from the orphanage?"
She sighed agian,"Anything I can find to keep myself busy."
He nodded,"How was Mrs.Peterson after I left?"
"A bigger bitch then before." Dani answered quickly. Mrs.Peterson had been the head of the orphanage, and Rick and Dani had not been her favorite kids... not that she had been their favorite person in the world either.
Rick laughed,"That's *possible*?"
"Definitely. You weren't there to help me get back at her, I was a one man team." Danielle smiled,"All your girls missed you, you know. They were crying for weeks."
"Of course they were." Rick joked,"How could they not?"
Dani rolled her eyes,"Glad to see you're still modest."
"Mmhmm." he agreed with a nod,"More then ever. How did all the guys that I kept pounding to keep away from you fair?"
She giggled,"A few of them got a chance. I still never saw Josh again, since that one day you two went to go get sodas and you came back alone..."
Rick grinned evily,"I saw him everyonce in a while, but he always ran like hell to get away."
"You're horrible! I never scared any of your girlfriends away."
"Not intentionally anyway." he corrected,"They were all *scared* of you. Most of them thought you were absolutely loony."
"Hey! And do I have to remind you that I was completely innocent until a certain someone got to me and taught me all his tricks."
"You were two... you could have turned out like that on your own. You can't completely blame me!" Rick argued.
"Everyone else does."
He glared at her playfully and she gave him a light punch in the arm,"Come on." she said, letting go of him and running back towards the house,"Betcha you still can't catch me!"
**********
A few hours after dinner Alex was asleep in his room, Jonathan had gone out for the night, and Rick and Dani were settled in the living room.
Rick got a fire going then walked over to the couch and slid back under the warm blanket him and Dani were sharing. He picked up his mug of hot chocolate and settled back. They had spent the day reminiscing their childhood memories of their time at the orphanage, and were now telling about what had happened since then.
Danielle sighed and took a sip of her hot chocolate,"So did you ever go back to America?"
He shook his head,"No, I joined the legion almost right away, then almost got killed for deserting, then I lived in Cairo for about a year before moving here." he explained, trying to aviod the subject of Evelyn.
She nodded slowly,"I loved it there and all... but it just didn't feel like home. We had always promised that we'd moved there together, and without you it was just... empty really."
Rick looked at her, feeling guilty,"I'm sorry Dani. I should have atleast wrote to you... I just... got myself into alot of trouble and never really thought of anything besides me. By the time I was finally on the right path I figured there was no possible way I could ever get ahold of you."
"I know how you feel. You were all over the place, I'm just lucky I found you."
He sighed,"Well I don't think I'm going anywhere for a long time now." Rick told her, directing his gaze out of the window.
Danielle gave him a look that seemed to be pleading with him in someway. Her eyes fell on the picture frame that was still sitting on the table and she picked it up and looked over the picture again,"So how long ago did she..."
"A little over a year." he said quietly, still looking out of the window, not saying anymore on the subject.
"What was she like?"
He stared blankly over at Dani for a minuet then stood up,"I'm going to bed."
"Rick--"
"Good night." he interupted, then disapeared up the stairs.
**********
more to come....
note: sorry this took so long, I changed my mind and took this story in a much different direction then where I was going to in the first place. It shouldn't be to long until I get the rest up.
Chapter Two; Together Agian
Alex ran into the house with Rick close behind, side by side with Danielle, who was in a state of shock at the manor.
"Are you *sure* you live here?" she asked quietly.
Rick shrugged,"Well when we left we did, but knowing Jonathan and his gambling habbits, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't." he joked. Even though he knew it wasn't true anymore. Since Evy died Jonathan had been very well behaved, rarely drinking or gambling.
"Who's Jonathan?" Dani asked curiously.
"Brother-in-law."
She nodded and looked around the living room, taking everything in,"How on earth did you afford all of this, Rick?"
"You go on enough digs you're bound to get lucky sometime." he said with a shrug.
Dani smiled and walked past him, still glancing around, amazed by all of this. After a little while she turned to see Rick watching her,"What?"
With a heavy sigh Rick explained,"I can't belive little Dani is all grown up... I feel old."
"Well look at you! I didn't think you were going to survive a day out of that orphanage! Let alone this well." Dani joked, a wide grin on her face,"Richard O'connell, a father? I never thought I would see the day."
"I didn't think so either the last time we saw each other. People change I guess... Obviously not you, but the way you treated your date."
"Well he was a jerk!" she deffended.
"Yep, that's the fourteen year old Dani I left back at the orphanage."
Shaking his head and grinning widely, Rick picked up her bags and took her up the stairs and into the room at the end of the hall,"Okay, here's your room. Mine is two doors down incase you need anything at night. I'll let you get settled in and I'll be in the living room when you're done." Rick informed then left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.
**********
It was about fifteen minuets later that Dani made her way down the large staircase, into the living room where Rick was sitting, holding a small framed picture, oblivious to her. "Hey, you okay?" she asked quietly, moving slightly forward.
Rick jump a bit, not having noticed she was there, quickly laying the picture face down on the coffee table infront of him like a kid caught with something he shouldn't have. "Fine. I'm fine. Guess I was just lost in my own world."
Dani looked from the picture on the table up into his eyes. Those crystal blue eyes she had always remembered as being filled with life and a love for adventuer. She couldn't help but notice there was something missing from them. That passion for living was no where to be seen. "Possitive you're okay?"
"Absoluetly." Rick assured, trying his best to smile reasuingly, but getting the feeling that he hadn't succeeded.
She nodded and finally walked over, sitting next to him on the couch. She leaned over and picked up the frame. A picture of a slender woman with fairly long brown hair, sparkling brown eyes that held the same life that Rick's used to, and a cheerful smile standing with Rick behind her, his arms around her waist, bolth grinning at the camera. "Your wife? She's beautiful." Danielle commented.
"Yeah... incredably." he agreed, hoping that she hadn't heard the sadness in his voice.
"So when do I get to meet this Miss Wonderful, huh?"
Rick looked away from her, down at his hands, fiddling with the wedding ring he still wore,"She... umm... well it's, it's just me and Alex." he stated, just barely keeping himself from choking on the words.
Dani felt bad about having mentioned it now,"Oh." she breathed, it was almost impossible to hear her,"I'm sorry, Rick. I-I-"
Glancing back up at her, he gave a bit of a shrug,"It's not your fault."
"I say! Alex told me we had a guest!" Jonathan said cheerfully, walking into the room, a large grin on his face,"But he didn't tell me she was so radiant." he added, turning on the charm, ignoring the warning glare given to him by his brother-in-law.
"Jonathan I presume." Dani gave Rick's shoulder a reasuring squeeze, then stood up and holding her hand out for Jonathan to shake,"Rick told me about you. Danielle Johnson."
He gently took her hand, shaking it softly, deciding agianst kissing it because of the look Rick was giving him,"Jonathan Carnahan. Pleasure meeting you, Miss Johnson."
"It's just Dani." she told him.
"Alright, Dani." He agreed, then turned as Alex ran down the stairs.
"Uncle Jon, come play chess with me." the boy said excidedly.
Jonathan smiled and started back up the stairs with his nephew,"Can't we just call it a draw right now...?"
As their voices fadded down the hall, Rick stood up, shaking his head. "How about a walk? Beautiful country out here." he offered, extending his hand for Dani to take.
**********
It was a clear, sunny day, and the vibrant yellows, reds, and oranges of the leaves seemed to brighten up the day even more. For quite some time while Rick and Danielle walked hand in hand down the old backroad, the only sounds that could be heard were the birds singing in the trees, and the quiet sound of their steps on the gravel.
Dani watched him for a while. He just stared at the trees as they slowly passed, then up at the blue sky for a minuet before looking back at the trees, obviously deep in thought. She sighed and gave his hand a squeeze before breaking the silence,"So where are you taking me?"
Rick looked down at her as he felt her hand tighten on his, then shrugged,"Not anywhere really... there's not a whole lot in this direction... it's just been a while since I've been out of the house."
"You? Always in the house?" Dani said in shock,"You really *have* changed."
He shrugged again,"Guess so." he almost whispered, turning his gaze to the groud as the awkward silence came over them once more. In a few minuets he cleared his throat,"Anyway, what have you been doing since you finally got free from the orphanage?"
She sighed agian,"Anything I can find to keep myself busy."
He nodded,"How was Mrs.Peterson after I left?"
"A bigger bitch then before." Dani answered quickly. Mrs.Peterson had been the head of the orphanage, and Rick and Dani had not been her favorite kids... not that she had been their favorite person in the world either.
Rick laughed,"That's *possible*?"
"Definitely. You weren't there to help me get back at her, I was a one man team." Danielle smiled,"All your girls missed you, you know. They were crying for weeks."
"Of course they were." Rick joked,"How could they not?"
Dani rolled her eyes,"Glad to see you're still modest."
"Mmhmm." he agreed with a nod,"More then ever. How did all the guys that I kept pounding to keep away from you fair?"
She giggled,"A few of them got a chance. I still never saw Josh again, since that one day you two went to go get sodas and you came back alone..."
Rick grinned evily,"I saw him everyonce in a while, but he always ran like hell to get away."
"You're horrible! I never scared any of your girlfriends away."
"Not intentionally anyway." he corrected,"They were all *scared* of you. Most of them thought you were absolutely loony."
"Hey! And do I have to remind you that I was completely innocent until a certain someone got to me and taught me all his tricks."
"You were two... you could have turned out like that on your own. You can't completely blame me!" Rick argued.
"Everyone else does."
He glared at her playfully and she gave him a light punch in the arm,"Come on." she said, letting go of him and running back towards the house,"Betcha you still can't catch me!"
**********
A few hours after dinner Alex was asleep in his room, Jonathan had gone out for the night, and Rick and Dani were settled in the living room.
Rick got a fire going then walked over to the couch and slid back under the warm blanket him and Dani were sharing. He picked up his mug of hot chocolate and settled back. They had spent the day reminiscing their childhood memories of their time at the orphanage, and were now telling about what had happened since then.
Danielle sighed and took a sip of her hot chocolate,"So did you ever go back to America?"
He shook his head,"No, I joined the legion almost right away, then almost got killed for deserting, then I lived in Cairo for about a year before moving here." he explained, trying to aviod the subject of Evelyn.
She nodded slowly,"I loved it there and all... but it just didn't feel like home. We had always promised that we'd moved there together, and without you it was just... empty really."
Rick looked at her, feeling guilty,"I'm sorry Dani. I should have atleast wrote to you... I just... got myself into alot of trouble and never really thought of anything besides me. By the time I was finally on the right path I figured there was no possible way I could ever get ahold of you."
"I know how you feel. You were all over the place, I'm just lucky I found you."
He sighed,"Well I don't think I'm going anywhere for a long time now." Rick told her, directing his gaze out of the window.
Danielle gave him a look that seemed to be pleading with him in someway. Her eyes fell on the picture frame that was still sitting on the table and she picked it up and looked over the picture again,"So how long ago did she..."
"A little over a year." he said quietly, still looking out of the window, not saying anymore on the subject.
"What was she like?"
He stared blankly over at Dani for a minuet then stood up,"I'm going to bed."
"Rick--"
"Good night." he interupted, then disapeared up the stairs.
**********
more to come....
note: sorry this took so long, I changed my mind and took this story in a much different direction then where I was going to in the first place. It shouldn't be to long until I get the rest up.