Just a continuation of the first part, I'm going to write one more chapter. It's not shippy, but more on the side of realism. Please R&R, even if it's a dislike (ps, I can see how many come to this page--369 for ch.1). I'm not pro or against ships in this show, so I hope that as readers you can come to this story with open minds. Thank you to my four reviewers of the first chapter (I put more notes to you at the bottom of this chapter)

Part of my mind keeps going to the play 'Into the Woods'--"a moment is just a moment in the woods, isn't it?"

This chapter is at the end of the episode the previous chapter mentions.

Just A Thought

Elliot

Why did she leave? What must she be feeling? Taking a life isn't easy, she may not know how to cope. She may not understand why we kissed, I know that I don't understand why we kissed. Perhaps: need, desire, curiosity...all three are very dangerous emotions.
Need:
Need for closeness when feeling lonely--making one reach out to the first other person who feels the same way or will just listen. Needing to know that someone else knows what you're going through, needing not to be alone. Needing to touch another, needing to feel love.
Desire:
Desire for something that existed once--a relationship...relationships. The desire to hold a woman close and tell her that she is loved--a wife..separated. The desire to speak of things of years past, the desire to see the face of a dear friend--Olivia...they became too close...it was dangerous for them in their job. I was becoming too close again...
Curiosity:
Curiosity in wondering what may happen from an attraction, a kiss. Curiosity in seeing someone who is a different version of yourself. In wondering what it would be like to live a different life.
She says she needs to walk, she may just need time to figure things out... I should take time to figure things out...

Dani

Why did I leave him? What must he have thought? I cannot answer the latter, but the first... Too many emotions were flooding my mind, too many thoughts, and images.
Emotions:
Adrenaline, causing my heart to race like a hummingbird's wings. The car driving towards me, shooting and killing to save my life. Running--chasing the girl and her 'daddy' I believe she called him.
Confusion, making me wonder where to go with my life, my career. This job is too intense for me; I become too emotionally involved. I become emotionally involved with my partner... We never got a chance to talk about our kiss--our minds had gone back to focusing on our job.
Need: to have someone to share my life with, anyone to talk to about my pains. I miss him--my husband. I need someone to fill the void left by his death. I need someone to talk to, someone to hold at the end of the day.
Thoughts:
Of death--my husband's and this man's. Of life and lives--so many in this city, this country, this world. Of loves and passions both pure and base--the kinds faced in this job and outside of this job. Of hate--my hate of crime and the hate that causes crime.
Images:
The man in the car, with blood dripping down his chest--from the bullets that had come from my gun. Kissing Elliot a few hours earlier. The girl nearly falling to her death. And darker thoughts... of seeing the car hitting me...or the girl falling and dying... or Elliot and I...
I needed to get away, to sort things out in my mind. I couldn't let Elliot drive me home. I couldn't let him close. I couldn't be alone with him. So I walked into the crisp night air...and hours later arrived home.

So, there is only one chapter left (Dani leaving). If you think this kinda makes a big deal out of everything, the next chapter explains a little more.

Thank you to my reviewers-- you were all smart enough to realize that a kiss can just be a kiss (and coming from some EO story writers, that's cool!):

GirlSummer OhSix Roxx- I actually commented back to you, but thank you again for your review, and for telling me how to spell Dani : ) yep, a kiss can be not a big thing (yeah, this fic kinda makes it that way, but the next chapter explains that)

tamasit1- thanks!

csifreak04- I was considering adding more chapters before you suggested it, I just take awhile to get around to things.

intheclosetromantic- I liked your story, it's in my favs I believe. There were (and still are...) fans that overreacted to the whole thing. People in law enforcement develop very fast and deep emotional attachments to each other... that's kinda the point the show had with Dani and Elliot, and why Olivia left. That's also the point the story brings out.