Oneshot Numero Dos!

So, I don't adore this chapter but my brain really wouldn't let it go. I'm also considering letting go of Trust Me, but that could just be that I'm exhausted. Good idea, or is that kind of shooting myself in the foot?

Anyway, let me know. I won't even tempt to bore you with my pathetic life problems, so go ahead and give this a read.

Inspired by...I don't honestly remember. Sorry. Nico/Dani future ish...

Autumn hadn't always been such a bittersweet time. She used to love the look of golden leaves falling and the chilly, but not yet cold weather that winter always promised. This time of year used to be a time for pulling her loved one close and taking spontaneous walks outside because they could, even if it wasn't really his thing. People would be surprised, but Nico has a soft spot for autumn; he loved the change in weather and the scents of family dinners and a nice calm time before rounding out the year with a busy month. It brought out the only slightly softer side of him. It was the side that only ever showed when work slowed and he had more time for the things that were otherwise neglected during the year. This time of year always reminded her of Nico, thus making her the most guarded during any other season…It was the season he left.

Turning the doorknob and pushing the door open, Dani gratefully took off her coat as the heat of her house hit her full force. The smell of coffee surrounded her and it let her know that she wasn't alone. She had known Lindsey would be stopping by, but she thought she had more time. As she walked into the kitchen, she found a coat slung over the back of one of her chairs. She thought it looked familiar, but dismissed the thought as she figures it was Anthony's. Grabbing a mug, she put it down to stare out into the backyard, almost screaming as she heard her name called.

"Hello Danielle, it has been some time" Nico rasped, his eyes still as intense as the day she met him. He had more gray around his temples, but the same haircut and a clean shaven face. He didn't look like he had aged much, still in shape but worn around the edges. She caught herself as she met his eyes, his intense and hers something alike to ice.

"Get the hell out Dominic. You remember where the door is" she remarked coldly as she leaned against her counter, holding her mug protectively against her chest as he decided to sit in a chair at her counter, not making a move to do as she asked.

"I can't do that. You know why I'm here"

"Really? You had no problem ten years ago, what's stopping you now?"

"I didn't come here to fight you Dani-"

"You don't get to call me that anymore. You left!"

Nico's temper was rising as she played the part of hurtful victim, and it was starting to grate on his already frazzled nerves. Only this woman could get under his skin like this, and it hurt as well as was a comfort in its own.

"I did leave, but I wasn't going to wait while you fooled around with Donnelly. I'd like to think I have more respect for myself than that"

"What the hell are you talking about? Matt and I were together-"

"Seven years ago, I know. Don't rub that little fact in, Danielle" he stressed her name just to irritate her.

"You left me Nico! One day you're here and the next I find out you were just gone. No one knew anything and here I was thinking you cared for me"

"I do! You infuriated me and pushed me every time I told you anything! You never listened and I liked that about you. Then you kissed Matt"

"He kissed me-"

"The differentiation in the way you phrase it doesn't make it any less true"

"You are such an asshole Nico. Matt had found out about us that year and threatened to tell everyone. I would have lost my job-"

"Oh, so this was a selfish move on your part and I was a casualty? Glad you cleared that up for me"

"Screw you; Matt was willing to make sure you were fired as well as me. He said that if I kissed him to prove there was nothing between us, he'd leave you alone" she finished in a small voice, seeing the fire rise in his eyes as anger took over.

"So you thought it'd be a good idea to kiss him? That was a stupid move"

"It was to save us Nico! I didn't want to lose you, but I did anyway"

"Then why lie? Why tell everyone we were never in a relationship and continue working for the Hawks?"

"I had to hold on to a piece of you! I had nothing of you left, and I wasn't going to be that pathetic woman that got left by a man I worked with"

"So, this was once again, about you"

"I broke Nico!" she yelled, her voice cracking as tears welled up in her brown eyes. Nico had always hated to see her cry, and it struck a nerve in him. He was the one making her cry this time; that was something he'd always vowed to never do. Her voice wavered as she continued.

"For weeks I questioned if I loved you enough, if you saw a future for us. I thought of if we had gotten married, had kids Nico. I went over anything you'd ever said to me, and I realized I was that stupid woman from all of those Lifetime movies" she said as tears started to make their way down her cheeks. He noticed her slip; she'd said she loved him. They'd never said it aloud, and it took all of his strength not to let the tears he felt sting his eyes show. "I fell in love Nico, and you left me. I don't know how I managed to survive that"

They stood on opposite sides of the kitchen, Dani with her hands wrapped around her stomach as her tears slowed to an occasional streak here and there. Nico held in his emotions, watching the way she watched him. This used to be one of their favorite things; they used to love to just drink the other in. It was almost a challenge to see who would break first, and as usual, Dani spoke first.

"Why are you here? How did you get in? I changed the locks" she breathed, wiping away stray tears that had fallen. He continued to look at her puffy, red eyes as he answered.

"We both know why. I care about you, and I've had enough space to last a lifetime. I've watched you for years, and I couldn't bear to think you'd move on without me giving us one last try"

"Why now? Why-"

Just as Dani was about to bombard him with questions, a guilty looking Lindsey came into the kitchen to get a bottle. She looked at Dani and Nico, smiling briefly in his direction as she made to leave, but her mother caught it.

"Linds, why aren't you as surprised to see Nico as I am?" she asked accusingly as she saw Lindsey flinch and turn around. Her eyes met Nico's, him giving her a sympathetic look as she turned to her mother.

"I kind of let him in" she mumbled, looking much like a teenager than the 26 year old she actually was. Dani knew there was something she was missing, but didn't know what it was.

"Ok…"

"Well if that's it-"she turned to leave but was stopped by her mom's tone.

"This isn't the first time you've seen him, is it?" She asked softly, making Lindsey meet her eye as the hurt showed evidently on her face.

"It is"

"Don't lie Linds"

"I'm not! I haven't seen him until today. But he did write me…"

"You did what?" she yelled, now staring at Nico as Lindsey stood by in silence.

"I didn't write her per say…"

"Then what the hell was it? Was I the only one who you didn't want to see?"

"Mom, it's not like that. I came home to the dorm junior year, to find an envelope on my doorstep. I took it in my room and opened it, only to find a background check on Anthony. The only personal things on that background check was a post it that said 'Keeper, D.C.'"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You weren't the only one to lose him mom" Lindsey mentioned angrily before continuing.

"The return address was 4 Private Drive" she said, waiting as the comment went straight over her mother's head. She sighed and leaned against the wall, continuing to explain the significance.

"Remember how my secret obsession was to read the Harry Potter books?" her mother nodded, "Privet Drive was his address. Only you and Ray Jay knew about the Harry Potter thing, but Nico did too"

"When did you tell him that? I thought you didn't even like him"

"One morning I was up early and Nico was making coffee. You and Ray Jay were asleep, so I thought it was as good a time as any to try to get to know him. He asked me about life and things I liked to do or read, and that became our Sunday thing. We were always up early and just talked, but always left when either of you got up" she admitted, smiling inwardly at the joy on her mother's face.

"You made an effort?" she asked astonishingly.

"Yeah, he wasn't as bad as I'd thought. So, when I saw the address, I knew it had to be him, You and Ray don't write me letters, so there was only one other person it could have been. Plus the initials were a dead giveaway"

"Hey, I resent that" Nico interjected.

"You told me your full name the second Sunday. Don't pretend like it was a huge secret"

He smiled at Lindsey, knowing their relationship had been good, no matter how scarce the contact.

"Oh, and thanks for the card, it was really sweet" Lindsey added, getting a look from Dani to explain once again.

"Card…?"

"Yeah, after Nicky was born. He sent me a 'Congratulations, it's a Boy!' card with his cell phone number and the number of the Baby Gap near the house. Turns out, Nicky's first outfit was a gift from Grandpa Nico and the personal shopper there"

"I didn't know what else to give you guys" he admitted, noticing that Dani's stance was much more relaxed now than it was twenty minutes ago.

"It was perfect, and I did thank you for it. Anthony was amazed at how much we got, and the standing appointment to come back next Christmas. Why Christmas by the way…?" Lindsey asked, Dani wanting to know the same thing.

"Well, I know the manager of that store and quite a few others. I said I needed a favor for my family member with a new born. I arranged it that, every year until he grows out of their clothes, he has a credit to buy whatever you guys need or want. It was nothing"

"Oh my god! Do you know how much I love you right now?" Lindsey squealed, running past Dani to pull Nico into a hug. He returned it wholeheartedly Dani noted, and it made everything seem so insignificant up until that point.

"You are an amazing man Dominic Careles"

He pulled away from Lindsey long enough to see the sincerity in her eyes. His eyes shown with pride as Lindsey left them alone once again, this time face to face. He was on one side of the island counter as she was on the other, both leaning on it to meet each other over the table.

"I've missed you" he says.

"I've missed you too"

"I had to leave, you realize that now right?"

"No, that I still don't understand"

"At the time, all I thought was that you had chosen Matt over me. I couldn't bear to sit around and watch the two of you, it would have killed me"

"We've wasted so much time" Dani stated, Nico nodding his agreement. He pulled a velvet box out of his pocket and sat it in front of them, knowing she'd open it soon enough.

"I carried this around with me for a little over a month when I decided to leave" he said as she opened the box, her eyes filling with tears for a different reason this time, "Don't ever doubt that I cared for you. That I love you"

She stared down at the Tiffany engagement ring in awe. It was an emerald cut with diamonds on either side and was absolutely breathtaking. He had planned on proposing to her, had it not been for Matt.

"I'm so sorry, Nico. I never…"

She let tears fall again, but this time was able to collapse into Nico as she sobbed. He felt her hot tears through his shirt as he cradled her body, feeling her quiver at the ferocity of her tears. It made his eyes well up and his vision blur as he too let tears slip into her hair, staying quiet and being her rock like he'd always been. They were together two years and it felt like nothing had changed; they loved and hated passionately. They were passionate about everything, especially each other.