Fox was up very early the next morning, despite having slept very little, his thoughts on Dana and how she was really doing, knowing how men like Tom usually took rejection. He decided to go for a run, something he had not done in a while, thinking it would help to clear his head and create focus for the day.

The sun was just peeking through the sky when he stepped outside, stretching and warming up his muscles before he set off at a slow pace, gradually running faster.

He could hear nothing but the sound of his shoes as they created a steady beat along the pavement. Not many other people were out yet, and for that he was thankful. He liked being out before the city was awake, enjoying the quiet and lack of bodies filling the spaces.

He ran for what felt like miles. When he stopped and paced back and forth, breathing hard, his thoughts again turned to Dana and he shook his head.

She would have told him if Tom was threatening or scaring her, right? She would have said… something to him.

Right?

"Before," he said, taking a deep breath. "She would have said something before." Shaking his head again, he turned and began to run back home.

xxxxxxxxxxx

"I got you a coffee," he said when he heard the door unlock and open, his back to it as he took some prop books down from the top shelf. "You'll need to warm it up though I'm afraid. I've been here for a while."

"We must have been thinking along the same lines then because I actually got you a coffee," she said and he turned to look at her. She was holding a small brown bag over her wrist and a cup of coffee in each hand.

"Great minds, huh?" he teased, setting the books on his desk and walking towards her. "Thank you."

"And thank you," she said softly, handing him his coffee as she bit her lower lip. "I also got you a ham and cheese croissant. It might even still be warm."

"Thank you again."

"Did you already eat?" she asked, spying the paper plate by his computer.

"I did. But like I said, I've been here for a while so… a second breakfast is much appreciated."

"Okay, Pippin," she said, a smile beginning at her reference to Lord of the Rings, but then it stopped. "I'll… set this down and then start readying the studio."

"There's no rush. We've got time. Eat your breakfast. Drink your coffee," he said, watching her and trying to gauge how she was feeling.

"You already got the studio ready, didn't you?" she asked, setting down her coffee and the bag of food on her desk.

"Yeeeah. And the items I'll need for the next two sessions ready as well," he said, taking a sip of his coffee and humming at the perfect taste.

"Two? Jesus, you have been here a long time."

"One of the drawbacks of having occasional insomnia," he said, smiling before taking another sip.

"I don't really like the word insomnia. It sounds so menacing or something. I think describing sleepless nights as being a "tortured artist" sounds much better. As though sleep simply can't happen when there's beauty to be found. I just think there's something romantic in those words."

"I suppose unless you're not an artist. Or if you're Van Gogh and you end up actually torturing yourself."

"Well, yeah. The line has to be drawn somewhere and I draw mine at self mutilation," she quipped, taking off her hat and coat and rolling her eyes at him.

"It's always good to know where the line is," he said with a smile, watching her hang up her coat and run her fingers through her long hair.

She seemed more like herself today, sparring with him like she used to do. She looked like herself too, though she still wore the large black cardigan over her pleated, long sleeved, dark gray tunic dress, black leggings, and black fleece lined boots.

Twisting her hair expertly, she quickly had it up in a messy but somehow adorable bun, secured in place with a rubber band.

As she turned around, she caught him staring and they both froze. He was at a loss for words, not wanting to explain his thoughts to her, but she spoke first and he felt relieved.

"I… I can't wear my hat with my hair in a bun," she explained with a shrug. "I mean I can, it just looks and also feels funny. So…"

"Understandable," he said, clearing his throat. "Sorry for… I didn't mean to be staring… I was thinking about-"

"Your second breakfast?" she suggested as she pointed to the bag and he laughed, glad for the out she had given him.

"Yeah," he said, stepping to the bag to take out his food. "Still warm." He nodded and she nodded back.

As he stepped back from her desk and she stepped toward it, the scent of her perfume hit his nose and he quickly took in another breath.

Whimsy.

That was the name Dana had told a client weeks ago when she had asked after it, exclaiming over how delicious it smelled.

"Oh, yes," the woman had said with a nod when Dana told her the name. "I always feel that a fragrance tends to suit the wearer and yours does to a T my dear." Dana had laughed, shaking her head as her cheeks flushed.

But, as she had been walking around the studio barefoot- her new shoes hurting her feet- and wearing a flowy purple dress with her hair in loose braids, Fox had found he could not have agreed more.

In fact, he had taken a few quick pictures of her and shown her later that day, both of them laughing as she then pirouetted around the office.

She had stopped wearing it though, after Tom bought her a very expensive bottle of designer perfume. It smelled good, but it was not the scent Fox associated with her.

Hers was rich, reminding him of her dancing as she had laughed, but also of forests and nights under the stars. It made him think of fairies flitting through the trees, kissing the flowers to sleep, and waking the night animals from their day's slumber.

He loved her perfume and smelling it again made him smile as he took a bite of his second breakfast, hoping the one Tom bought had been chucked in the trash.

The first client arrived as he was halfway through his second breakfast. It was her first time in the studio and she was nervous. Arriving early, she had hoped to assuage her worries.

Dana took the garment bag of outfit changes from her and escorted her into the studio's dressing room, putting her at ease as Fox double checked that everything was ready.

He smiled when he heard them laughing and he stopped for a second to listen more intently. Dana's laugh was a bit quieter, but it was there and hearing it was enough for him.

The day passed by in a busy blur after that, lunch ordered and eaten when a moment allowed. By the end of the day, he was tired and feeling the effects from his lack of sleep the night before and the run that morning.

"Goodnight," Dana said softly as she buttoned her coat, taking her hair down and putting on her hat.

"Goodnight," Fox replied, smiling at her as she nodded, her own smile somewhat forced.

He sighed as he watched her walk out the door and to her car, leaving him with too many thoughts and worries running through his mind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next two days were very busy, leaving them with not much time to talk.

But he kept an eye on her.

He saw how she would seem to come back to herself, laughing and teasing him or the clients the way she used to, but then she would stop. Her smile would disappear and she would pull her large cardigan around her body, as though she wanted to disappear and hide.

He hated seeing her that way, knowing it had to be a memory of something Tom had said to her, leaving her feeling inadequate and insecure.

She was quiet at the end of the day, checking emails and adding clients to the schedule, as he edited some pictures, cutting his eyes over to her often.

Her phone beeped and she sighed as she looked at it, typing out a quick reply and setting it back onto the desk. Her chair squeaked as she stood up and came over to stand beside him.

"I need to ask you a question."

"Go for it," he said, smiling and giving her his full attention.

"Well…" She cleared her throat and pulled her cardigan around herself. "There is that wedding this weekend."

"Yeah."

"And you're driving up tomorrow afternoon."

"Yeah," he said again.

"I mean, we're going to the wedding. I'm not asking to not go. I'm…" She sighed and he smiled.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

"Is it okay if my sister comes with me?"

"Oh," he said, raising his eyebrows in surprise, having not expected that to be the question.

"I know it's a work weekend, but I…" she said hurriedly. "She won't be there at the wedding, or the hotel. Well, except tomorrow night. She has friends who live by the venue. She and I were talking and I thought, if you didn't mind, she and I would drive up together. She'd visit with them overnight Saturday and then pick me up on Sunday."

"Okay. But, why do you feel you need to ask me if she can come with you?"

"Well… because you're paying for my room," she said quietly, licking her lips.

"Dana," he said, standing up as he shook his head. "It's… it's your room."

"But you're paying for it," she said again. "It's for work. I don't want you to think I'm not taking my job seriously. Because I-"

"I would never think that of you," he cut across her, frowning slightly as he shook his head again.

"I just…" She drew in a deep breath and looked down before raising her eyes to his, biting her bottom lip as she exhaled through her nose.

"Your sister is more than welcome to join you. In fact, how about if you both join me for dinner tomorrow evening once we're all there? Unless you would rather it be just the two of you?"

"Oh. I'd like that. I'd liked for her to meet you," she said with a smile. "I've told her a lot about you. If you're sure you don't mind, that is."

"Not at all. I'll make a reservation at the hotel restaurant for say… seven thirty?"

"Yeah. That would be good."

"Great," he said, smiling at her. "And you know, why don't you take tomorrow off? We don't have any clients and I'll just be here getting things ready, along with doing some editing. No reason for both of us to be here."

"Are you sure? I can come and help you pack things up."

"No, that's okay. We'll be quite busy this weekend. Best get some rest while you can." He smiled again and she nodded slowly, still looking uncertain. "You could even leave now if you'd like to, get home a little early."

"I… okay. I'll let my sister know. About the dinner, I mean. Thank you, Fox."

"You're welcome, Dana."

She stepped back to her desk, glancing over at him over her shoulder. Gathering her things, she took a moment on her phone, smiling when she read the message she then received.

"My sister says to thank you and she looks forward to meeting you."

"Tell her the feeling is more than mutual," he said with a smile and a nod.

"I will. Thank you again," she said, biting her lip and then exhaling. "Thank you for everything."

"Yeah," he replied softly, nodding again.

"See you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," he agreed as she gave him a small smile. Putting her phone in her coat pocket, she held his gaze for a second and then left without looking back.

"Tomorrow," he whispered, letting out a deep breath.