It felt so good to know that today was officially declared as a lazy day or, as the case may be, packing their remaining things as Mary slowly woke up to the sound of the birds chirping happily. She stretched lazily and yawned, turning her head to find that Danny was still asleep, definitely dead to the world, looking so cute as he lay on his stomach, his mouth slightly ajar.
She smiled softly, everything falling into place; she didn't need a perfect man and she knew such a man couldn't exist. Danny was perfect for her despite his flaws, or the case may be, because of his flaws; these were the things that had made him the man he was now and the man she had fallen in love with. Every single inch of Danny McCoy.
It was now the beginning of September and the new Montecito was due to open for the end of October. Both Danny and Mary had received numerous calls from Ed; that he needed them there, among other things but neither of them had really listened. Danny had showed no intentions of coming back into the world of surveillance and Mary felt like she really needed a break from all this, just to concentrate on the relationship she had with Danny. It had been a little more than two months now since that fatidic night and they were in the middle of packing, having found a flat level house in a neighborhood not far away from the Strip.
From any outsider observer, it could have seemed a little rushed, but it was therefore done for convenience as Danny's apartment looked a little bit small for the two of them. Mary absolutely wanted a garden with a pool; the house had no white picket fence and they hadn't searched for one. Danny wanted a room just for him with a massive TV standing in the corner and comfortable armchairs. She hadn't complained about it. For their relationship to work, both had to make efforts. But the true reason for their moving was that it wouldn't be his or her home, it would be theirs. Something they had chosen together.
She stared at him for a few more minutes before slowly leaning in, depositing a soft kiss on the rough skin of his jaw. He frowned and stirred a little before stretching. "Mmm?" he moaned just as he opened his eyes, blinking furiously at the bright morning light.
"Hey baby, time to wake up," Mary whispered as he reached for her and she laced her fingers with his.
"Really?"
She nodded and smiled. "Really." He smiled and stretched fully extending his arms above his head as he went, barely suppressing his yawn. God, how much he loved weekends; it meant that he had nothing to do other than basically lay around until falling asleep again. Danny sat up in bed, resting his back against the headboard as Mary rested her head on his chest. "You know, we really should bring some things over to the house. Because if I recall exactly, we're due to leave this apartment next week."
Danny grinned, stroking her red hair, looking down to study her peaceful face as she kept her eyes closed. "Aw and I think you'd like just to lay naked in bed with me," he said softly, causing her to chuckle softly.
She looked up and propped herself on one elbow, grinning at him and he reached out to touch her face, still amazed by the fact that he was the cause of her beautiful smile. She leaned into her touch and closed her eyes, savoring the feeling. "Yeah, this is agreeable, too," she replied softly and it took nothing more for him to lean in and softly brush his lips against hers.
"Well, maybe I'll just take you on that," he said when they broke apart. But he quickly found her lips again and she did everything in her willpower to pull away. She left him with a quizzical look when he landed flat on his stomach. "Mary?" he called out as his eyes followed her picking up his t-shirt and putting it on. He smiled at the sight of the shirt too big for her.
"We're going, Danny or we'll never finish this," she said, pointing the boxes surrounding them in the bedroom. She then disappeared in the bathroom, leaving a sighing Danny. He reluctantly got out of bed and opened a drawer to pull out a pair of boxers and a t-shirt.
After taking a quick shower, he found Mary in the kitchen, her hair pulled up in a messy bun, wearing a white tank top and a pair of shorts. She was sipping on iced mineral water when he enfolded her in his arms, resting his chin on her tanned shoulder. He breathed in her scent, closing his eyes as Mary's hands rested on top of his. "Ready to go?" she asked, turning her head to look at him.
"Mm, ready but not willing," he answered, depositing soft kisses on the skin of her neck.
She smiled softly, one of her hand resting at the base of her neck and she kissed him on the cheek. "Come on, we'd better go now or we'll never do this."
"Can you believe this?" Mary asked as she took a look at their surroundings, falling back on the couch the couch they just managed to pass through the front door, feeling defeated. She wiped away the beads of sweat on her forehead. Danny just looked at her with a sympathetic smile and gently made her sit up before massaging her shoulders. "Aw, this is good… but we're not gonna have sex here, Danny."
"Damn," he muttered, causing her to laugh and he grinned, something he had done so much when he was making her laugh. He loved the sound of it, he loved every inch of her and he loved being there with her, even if it meant being surrounded by boxes and the air conditioner not working. "Why did I listen to you, Mare? It's way damn too hot for this."
Mary frowned and grimaced when his fingers hit a knot on her shoulders. "I thought you turned off the AC. It was working last time we were there," she answered.
"It was until now," he replied, freeing her hair and watching it fall in red waves around her shoulders and back. His fingers going through the long strands, he tilted her head to the side so he had better access to the smooth skin of her neck. Mary closed her eyes in pleasure as his lips teased her heated skin. It was so good to feel him like this and though she was utterly exhausted, she wanted it to last.
They both jumped, startled when they heard a loud knock on the door. Danny rested his head against Mary's back, sighing in frustration. He reluctantly got up and opened the door to find Mike standing there. His friend risked a glance inside, seeing Mary lying on the couch and then noticed his friend's attire; Danny was only wearing a pair of shorts, due to the heat. "Hey, Mikey!" he smiled as he pulled his friend into a hug, patting his back.
"So, how's everything going in paradise?" he asked with a mock tone.
"Hot," Mary replied, standing up before kissing Mike on the cheek. "We were just having a break after finally getting this monster in there," she said as she pointed the couch. "Sorry for the heat in here but the AC is broken." She closed the door behind the guys and walked toward the kitchen. "You want something to drink?" she asked Mike. "I promise, the fridge's working."
"Yeah, I'd like to. Thanks." With that, she disappeared in the kitchen. Mike joined Danny on the couch and smiled knowingly. "Did I interrupt something?" he asked his buddy.
Danny shot him a glare. "Yeah, you have a very bad timing. Maybe you could come back in about two hours," he laughed and Mike chuckled. Danny looked up when he heard light footsteps and Mary coming in their direction. She handed both of them a beer and Danny kissed her when she sat next to him. "So, why are you here?" he asked Mike.
"We're all wondering when you're going back, you two," he responded. "The new owner, Monica Mancuso, would like to meet both of you."
"How is she?" Mary asked.
Mike only shrugged. "I've seen her a few times, but she seemed to be one piece of work." It was an euphemism; she had made blown up the Montecito just because she didn't like the building as it was. Each time he had seen her, she looked and acted like a very demanding woman.
"Well, I'm glad I don't work here anymore, then," she grimaced, causing Danny to chuckle before taking a sip of his drink.
"Well, Miss Connell, I'm sure Monica doesn't think the same," Mike replied, grimacing. "Everyone miss the both of you. It's not the same without you two around. But I understand your decision; you have a beautiful house, you're together and if it's what you want, well I respect that." He stood up and walked toward the door, turning when he reached it. "Would you at least come for the re-opening? The others would be happy to see you."
Danny nodded. "We will." Mike smiled and left the house, closing the door behind him. The house fell silent as Mary sat back comfortably in the couch, sighing contently. Her eyes fell upon the man she had come to love so much, more than life itself. He was gorgeous in every way possible and not only in his appearance, but the way he acted; making her see how important she was to him, just by saying 'I love you' or the way he would stare at her for what seemed like hours. He had changed considerably for the past few months, or to be more precise, he had let everything go. They had let everything go; both of them had been just to afraid to be completely in their relationship after he came back from the war. They had been engrossed in their jobs and friends and hadn't paid attention that they were going nowhere with their relationship at the time. But since Larry's death, there had been huge changes.
Mary reached for Danny and gently waved her fingers through his short dark hair and he let her rubbed the back of his head for a few minutes, his eyes closed before he opened them to look at her. Her skin was glistening with sweat and she was staring at him through heavy-lidded eyes, giving him a sleepy grin when their eyes met. And suddenly, everything fell into place for him; how every of this felt right and how he never wanted to be apart from her. He was still afraid of losing her, yes, but he was no longer afraid to be with her.
She could have sworn that her heart stopped beating when he spoke softly and gently words she had heard about a year ago. "Marry me," he merely said. If he was surprised by the fact that the words barely registered in his mind as he said them, he didn't let it show. It was a spontaneous act, something unplanned – for the time being – but he didn't regret saying it.
"What?" Mary asked, though she had perfectly understood what he said.
He tenderly stroked her cheek and asked her again, feeling more and more confident as seconds ticked by. "Mary Connell, will you marry me?"
It took her breath away and she just sat there, unable to utter a word. This time, he didn't get down on one knee, he didn't even have a ring between his fingers and they were surrounded by plenty of boxes in this too hot house in the middle of the afternoon. "Danny, I…" she finally managed to say.
"Just say yes," he cut her off, his eyes conferring all the hope he had in his heart. "I love you, you know that, don't you?" She just nodded and he framed her face with his hands. "So, just say yes," he repeated, his lips brushing ever so softly against hers.
She nodded again, though this time, she had finally found her voice and Danny had never heard such a wonderful word as she finally answered his question, almost a year after he first proposed, "yes."
Danny groaned as he took one look at his reflection in the mirror of the hall; he looked like hell, after a long rough day at the construction site. Though he had spent his lunch time with Mary, all he needed now was shower, dinner, bed. As simple as it seemed. He had made a detour to see the new Montecito standing proudly in the middle of the Strip and he saw it with different eyes; it seemed more glamorous, colder and Danny wasn't sure how he felt about it. They were supposed to go for the grand re-opening the following day but he wasn't sure he and Mary would like to go. They had their life now, without the Montecito.
When he entered the kitchen, she was standing there, preparing dinner and he got that brief flash of doing the same thing in a Malibu cottage. As brief as it came into his mind, he eventually shook his head; this wasn't about past anymore, it was about future – a future they would create together, something that would uniquely be theirs. Upon hearing him, Mary turned with a beautiful smile and Danny couldn't help but approached her quickly, brushing his lips against hers. "You look awful," she said with a shake of her head, reaching out to stroke his temple.
Danny raised an eyebrow. "Well, hi to you too," he sarcastically said although a slow and lazy grin threatened to break through. He looked around him, seeing the mess in the kitchen then sighed. "I'll be in the shower."
Mary looked up briefly and smiled at him before returning on the sauce she was stirring. "Okay."
"Okay," he echoed before stealing a kiss from her and disappearing from the kitchen. Mary looked up to where he had disappeared and sighed contently; this was what she had dreamed for years now, to lead a life as normal as possible and have Danny by her side. She still wasn't sure of what she was gonna do, but as the secretary on the construction site needed help, she was likely to work here, as Danny already asked her. Well, if she wanted to and they perfectly knew that being in the same area wouldn't mean that they would step on each other's toes constantly; he would likely be outside while she would be working inside. Aside from rides together and lunches, they wouldn't see each other much at work. It was a good thing, to know that he wanted her to be with him in every aspect of his life.
A knock on the door startled her and she turned the stove off before opening the door. Much to her surprise, Sam was standing on the other side, a tight and uncomfortable smile on her lips. "Hey," she only said.
"Sam…" Mary greeted. They looked at each other for a stunned second before reaction kicked in Mary's head. "Come in," she said, stepping aside. It had been at least two months she hadn't seen her, and knowing her, she would have wanted to talk on the phone first.
Sam wasn't particularly at ease, though she had known Mary to be a great friend, but so many things had changed since the night the Montecito had closed. Little of the gang was back, Nessa having joined his father in witness protection God only knew where, and now Mary and Danny having a life on their own… "You did nice," she stated as she looked around her, talking about Mary's arrangements in the house. Until Ed told her about it, she didn't know that Danny and Mary had moved in together and she was still surprised that Danny had finally settled down. She had been all the more surprised to hear from Ed that Danny wouldn't come back work with them.
"Thank you," Mary said, closing the door behind her. An awkward silence settled between them until the redhead finally asked, "is there something wrong?"
"Is Danny there?" Sam hurried.
Mary eyed the brunette suspiciously. "He's under the shower, why?" she asked, although she had a slight idea of what she wanted to talk about. Ed had tried, Mike and Delinda had tried, but their decisions were made and nobody could change them. When Sam didn't answer right away, Mary cut her off, "if you're here to convince us to come back, the answer is no."
"C'mon, Mary, we all missed you."
"You think it's a good enough reason?" a familiar voice asked behind Mary, causing her to turn and see Danny only wearing jogging pants and socks, standing in the doorway leading to the bedroom and bathroom.
Sam slowly smiled. "Hey."
"Hey," he just responded, unmoving. "I told the others we wouldn't come back. I'm happy where I am now. Don't you see that?" he asked as he took a step toward Mary, resting a hand between her shoulders.
Sam just took a look at them and nodded. "I see," she answered. It was true; Danny McCoy looked serious for the whole world and she could remember that day when she had seen them across the street in the Strip, just wandering, holding each other's hands. She had seen the look on Danny's face, how he was smiling and how he was staring at Mary. He had seen happy, he was happy and she believed it. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come, but Ed insisted, you know…"
"It's okay," Danny said. "We'll see you tomorrow night?"
"Tomorrow night," Sam agreed, opening the door. She stepped outside, then suddenly turned and took a firm look at the couple standing in front of her. "I wish you all the happiness in the world. You deserve it." With that, she closed the door behind her.
The two remained silent for a moment. "Oh, dinner…" Mary said, hurrying to the kitchen, Danny following a few steps behind her. Checking on what was cooking, she let out of relieved sigh. "That was close." She smiled when Danny slid his arms around her waist, resting in chin on her shoulder, depositing a kiss on the base of her neck.
"Are you happy, Mary?" he asked. "I told Sam I was, but you…"
She turned in his embrace and cupped his face with her hands, looking firmly in his eyes. "I am happy, Danny. I am happy because you're here. With me. We're together and that's all that matters. I love you."
"Yeah, me too," he said with a grin, knowing she hated when he did that.
She frowned and put on a light pout. "You too what? You're happy or you love me?" She knew she didn't even need to ask that question, but still…
He smiled tenderly, his thumb stroking the soft skin of her cheek. "I am happy and I love you, Mary Connell." He brought her left hand to his lips and then took his time to study the stunning diamond ring on her left finger, something Sam hadn't even noticed. "I'll love you for the rest of my life and beyond that."
And this time, she was sure it was for good.
The End.