Note: The stories are not connected unless otherwise stated.

First Time

The first time Daniel said he loved her was when he thought she was asleep. She had been lying beside him with her back turned to him. Her breathing had long since calmed down. He had his arm wrapped around her waist and had slowly pulled her closer against him. He whispered her name and waited a moment to see if she would reply. Then he said it, three little words that described what he'd felt for awhile now, but had been too afraid to voice it. He then lightly kissed her shoulder and began to drift off to sleep. Wilhelmina's eyes popped open the moment she heard his whisper. She tried to control her breathing and push away the sudden dread she felt, but could not. After a few minutes she began to move away from him but his grip around her waist only tightened.

It was then that Daniel knew she had heard him. At that moment all he could hear was the loud beating of his heart. "Don't," he suddenly whispered, "don't pull away." Silence surrounded them as they both held their breath waiting for what would happen next.

She could hear the desperation in his voice and knew that he was waiting, waiting to see if she would either pull away and reject him, or stay and accept his confession. This was not how things were supposed to happen; they were never supposed to end up here, but somehow they had. She knew that if she walked away now that she would lose him and be free, free but alone. Suddenly a different kind of fear began to consume her thoughts.

Slowly she began to relax in his arms as she forced aside the feeling of panic that had sprung up inside her. She turned to face him. Even in the darkness of the room she could still see the fear in his eyes; the same fear that had moments ago seized control of her body. She had come to a decision. Suddenly she closed her eyes and softly kissed his lips and hoped her kiss would say what she could not; because as much as she feared letting him in, she feared losing him even more.

THE END

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