Soooo, hey guys, guess what? This one-shot is now a three-shot, meaning we'll have one more chapter after this one - in about one to two weeks. As you can see I was unable to leave this idea alone - actually it didn't leave ME alone, but since I was studying for this big exam, I couldn't write. Anyway, here it is, I hope you all like it.

Chapter 2

Belfast is home – is comfortable and familiar and even in its darkest parts is adequate, easy in a way only a native would understand when met with the gruesome reality of the world. Danielle Ferrington always held her hometown close to her heart, hence never moving out – doesn't mean she never thought about leaving, she did, just never had enough reason to do so, (until a certain blonde entered her life, that is, but she would rather not go down this road again, except she always goes).

She loves her hometown, really, and what she loves, even more, is that her career choice allows her to protect it and its citizens, a notion that helps her sleep after a long shift – although tiring they always end up leaving her more wired than anything, actually. During the Paul Spector case, though, there weren't many things that could help her rest and as much as she loathes to admit she was afraid – of him, of what he could do to her (even if she knew she wasn't exactly his type, but, hey, you never know what goes inside a psychopath's mind), afraid he might end hurting someone she cared about – scared of the liking he took to her superior (and even more scared of what it meant to be so worried about her).

Thanks to too much coffee and a natural stubbornness, her mother had always complained about, but secretly loved, she not only survived but also closed that case with flying colors earning a well-deserved promotion – one that even if she knew she was more than ready to get, she was also pretty sure it shouldn't have come from such gruesome circumstances.

However, the past is in the past, and after some adaptation – and counseling – she was able to move on and now enjoys her new position in the force as a Detective Sergeant and needless to say she loves it, because if there's one thing Danielle Ferrington loves more than anything in the world is her job – which is probably why none of her relationships last, eventually they get tired of coming second to her work – they tire of having a date interrupted or a two months old reservation blown off at the last minute, but mostly, and that's only an assumption, she thinks they get tired of wondering if she'll ever make it back home (and she'll never forget the night Bonnie, her girlfriend of eighteen months then, asked her if she even cared whether she got out alive or not, Danni's only answer was "to protect and serve, that's my duty". Bonnie made sure she slammed the door on her way out and that was the end of it).

Bonnie was the first of many harsh breakups after she joined the force, still she tried to make it work, she wanted to, wanting and trying, though, was never enough, and she wonders if perhaps she should've tried harder, wanted more but then again, if it wasn't meant to be, there was not a single thing she could do to change that.

So, she went on with her life, after every failed relationship her resolve at finding someone to spend the rest of her life with – and yes, she knows that when it comes to love she can turn into a very naïve teenage girl who watches way too much romantic comedy – was redirected to her work and for a while relationships and all its shenanigans were pushed to the back of her mind, dormant until the Spector case happened – until she came into Danni's life.

Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson, the only woman who was able to make Danni question almost everything she already knew about herself, the one person who she ended up caring more about than her beloved profession.

Stella is the kind of woman who owns the place the second she steps in it, she oozes confidence, beauty, power. The woman is everything Danni admires, everything she wishes she knew how to be, she's become her personal hero and along the way she became much more than her superior, her mentor.

Having feelings for the blonde was less than ideal, the woman doesn't do relationships, and from what it looks like she doesn't consider Danni for a sweet night, either – and it's not because she's a woman, she heard about the detective and professor Reed's impromptu kiss, the wave of jealousy that hit her was not something pretty. The older woman is the first to ever make Danni envy every single person who spends more than five seconds with her.

The ever-growing feelings were the reason why she asked Stella permission to go back to the streets, to this day she wonders whether or not she should be proud of herself for keep breathing while the other woman changed in front of her or if she was a complete fool for not having taken a chance – she decides both feelings are very adequate, just like the day she came out to her superior, she still doesn't know if it was extremely brave or completely foolish, probably both.

Being away didn't lessen her feelings, if anything increased them, making it hard to focus on anything else that wasn't the blonde, she lost the count of how many times she caught herself daydreaming about the superintendent – she wants Stella and not just physically, sexually, of course as every attraction goes she wants that part too, but most of all she wants to be the person who Stella could open up with, she wants to know her inside out, she wants to be the woman's safe haven, the arms that hold and comforts her at night, and in the morning she wants to be the one who tightens her embrace on the petite blonde as she peppers her face with kisses to wake her up, she wants to see her smile – her real smile – see her face light up with happiness, she wants to be the reason for such joy.

She wants days and weeks and months and years spent beside Stella, she doesn't care if it is in London or Belfast or Iceland, she couldn't care less about the place. She wants them and nights spent loving each other instead of getting sleep, she wants raw desperate sex and she also wants slow tender lovemaking, she wants late mornings for work because they couldn't get their hands off each other and she also wants lazy weekend mornings inside the other's arms talking or simply just basking in the moment.

She wants calm and tranquility and she also wants fury and rage, she wants peaceful moments but she also wants the fights – as long as they're fighting they still are trying to make it work. She wants everything she never wanted with any of her exes, however, Stella went back to London and well, Danni can only imagine what – or whom – has been waiting for the blonde. This yearning, these feelings they may take some time to fade – or may never go away – either way, she'll find in herself to move on – she always did.

And with this thought in mind she finally decides to try and get some sleep when cell phone rings and given the late hour she lets an exasperated sign knowing it couldn't be something good, she's shocked, however at seeing that despite her assumptions it was not from precinct, instead the name flashing on her screen is the last one she ever expected seeing:

DSI Gibson

After the initial shock is over adrenaline spikes and finally answers the call, "Ma'am?" confusion is clear on her voice and she's still not sure whether this is real or not still, she stays on the line.

"Have you ever been to London, Danni?", the blonde asks.

As Danni stares at the device in her hands she wonders what the actual fuck is happening? Is Detective Superintendent Stella Gibson actually suggesting what she thinks she is? Could this be the invitation she had wanted, desired, while the blonde was in Belfast that never came? If it is, could it still work, could it still be all that she had fantasized about?

"So?" she hears Stella's impatient tone and it halts any and every thought of hers, deciding not to jump to any conclusions she answers:

"Ma'am, I believe you were the one who sent me and Anderson to London"

"Stella" the blonde corrects her "I'm not your superior anymore, PC Farrington" she can hear the other woman's smirk "and you know what I mean, but if I must, have you ever visited London, properly?"

And from the sound of it, it is indeed what Danni hoped it was and that gives her enough courage to seize the moment, even if a bit still uncertain "Can't say that I have, ma-Stella, and by the way, is DS Ferrington now" she has no idea where the need to mention her promotion came from, but she assumes it was a good choice once the woman answers her.

"Well, since I have to spell it out for you, DS Ferrington, may I ask when you would be available to come meet this beautiful place?" the redhead thinks she senses a bit of something like trepidation, for a moment, but she disregards the thought, Stella Gibson is many things, but insecure is not one of them – not to mention that the emphasis on her new title sounds every bit the flirt Stella is.

Her own insecurities are reassured by the detective's question and she replies, "Things have gone back to normal around here, and, well I do have a few vacation time left unattended"

"When can you fly in?" and even if she doesn't sound eager, her request surely is and it makes the constable's heart skip a beat.

"I believe next week, probably Friday, considering the time for paperwork" she answers fighting the involuntary upturn of her lips.

"I'll book you on the first flight, then," the older woman says with a sense of finality.

"Ma-Stella, there's no need, I can cover it" she tries arguing but to no use.

"Nonsense, I asked you." Stella reasons and adds as an afterthought," Besides, this way I know you won't be able to change your mind" as if!

"I don't think I could even if I wanted to" she really couldn't even if she is beginning to dread this encounter as much as she is anticipating.

"Good. Goodnight, Danni, and congratulations" she can make the satisfaction in the DSI's voice and knows that the woman is aware of how she has Danni wrapped around her little finger – she finds she doesn't really care; it is true, after all. She can also hear the sincerity in Stella's voice when the woman congratulates her and she can't stop the smile from forming on her lips.

"Thank you. Goodnight, Stella" she says before hanging up, comfortable enough, already, at calling her by her name. Too many things are going through her mind, too many feelings and she's not sure what to make of it.

Sleep does not come easily and when it does come it is filled with images of the two of them and what she hopes it will be. What was supposed to be a resting sleep turns out to be quite frustrating, her subconscious conjuring image after image of a naked Stella – underneath her, on top of her, eyes closed in ecstasy as Danni's name tumbles out of her lips, the blonde's smirk as the younger woman begs her for her touch - the dreams causing her to jolt awake, wet and in desperate need for release.

She is already close when her fingers find her clit, her mind creating even more different scenarios with a very naked and desperate Stella while she finishes herself, the petite woman's name rolling off her lips as she comes.

As she lies in her bed, all she can think about is Stella and how it's going to be one hell of a week until she finally sets foot in London.

Thanks for reading. Leave a comment if you enjoyed, it brightens my life!

Xxxxx

Dark Wings.