A/N - this is an AU story where the Red Flu never happened and the Nathan James returned to Norfolk as expected after the cruise to the Arctic.
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Timetables
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Beep, beep, beep, beep...
With a sigh, Kara wedged an arm between herself and Danny, reluctantly freeing her lips enough to roll over and retriever her cell phone, which was providing a very loud reminder that their weekend together was over, from the nightstand. "Danny, I have to get ready."
"Just a few more minutes," he begged. "The sun's not even up."
The adorable pout that clouded his face made her giggle. "This is the only train that will make it to Norfolk early enough for me to make it to work. If I miss it, Captain Chandler is going to have both of our heads."
Captain Chandler's casual acceptance of Danny and Kara's relationship, one that came to light almost immediately after the Nathan James returned from the Arctic, leaving little doubt as to whether the frat rules were broken, had been a pleasant surprise. But neither Danny nor Kara wanted to push their luck. Rolling backwards on his king-size bed, one adorned with a surprisingly comfortable duvet, Danny picked up his own phone to check the time. "We don't have to leave for another forty-five minutes. Plenty of time."
Kara gazed at him skeptically. "It's a solid 20 minutes to the train station and then..."
Danny cut her off with a kiss. "Fifteen more minutes. I promise that I'll get you there. Trust me."
And then he smiled that smile. The one that always turned her into a puddle of goo. With a sigh, Kara wrapped her arms around his neck, pausing only long enough to whisper. "You better not be wrong about this."
An hour later, Kara was ready to strangle her fiancé. Fifteen minutes had turned into twenty, and then to thirty when Kara couldn't find her bobby-pins, followed by another delay when Danny realized that the jeep was on empty and he needed gas. But even with that, they should have made it to the train station with time to spare. Time to spare, that was, until they reached the railroad crossing only to find the rails down as boxcar after boxcar lumbered by, despite Danny's insistence that freight trains never ran on the passenger tracks.
Never, apparently, except today.
As they sat on the wrong side of the tracks watching the minutes tick by, no means of getting to the station only yards away, Kara felt her stomach turning to ice. The next train was a local, taking ninety extra minutes to reach Norfolk, at which point she would be beyond late. And to call in sick on a Monday when everyone knew that she spent the weekend in Virginia Beach visiting Danny would go over about as well as an announcement that she had dyed her hair purple.
"I told you that we would make it, and we will," Danny said softly, reaching out to cover the hands that Kara held clenched in her lap. "Worst case, I'll drive you back to Norfolk myself."
"Then you'll be late," Kara pointed out.
"Frankie will cover for me." Danny shrugged before adding, under his breath, "It wouldn't be the first time."
Kara shook her head in mock disapproval. Danny did like to push his luck - as this morning illustrated.
As the railroad crossing sign finally lifted, Danny hit the gas. "Six minutes to go. We got this."
He spun the Jeep into the parking lot, screeching to a halt in the first available spot. Grabbing her duffel from the backseat, Danny tossed it over his shoulder and headed towards the ticket machines, Kara scrambling to keep up. Reaching the machines, any hope Kara had of making the train was dashed. Of the three machines, one was out of order, one was being used by a woman who was paying for her fare with nickels, and the third had a line of at least ten people.
"Bushay!" Danny shouted. A wiry young man with short cropped hair dressed in civvies turned from his position at the ticket machine.
The man, along with the next four people in line, straightened. "Commander Green, sir!"
"What train are you getting on, Bushay?" Danny demanded.
"The 7:25 to New York, sir. Bachelor party for Willis."
Kara assumed that Willis was one of the young men in line. Apparently having no problem taking advantage of his position, Danny bypassed the entire line. "Lieutenant Foster needs to be on the seven o'clock to Norfolk. Here's my card. Get her ticket, would you?"
Bushay glanced at the station clock, eyes widening as he saw the time switch to 6:58. "Yes, of course, sir."
"Which platform?" Danny asked as he snagged the ticket from the young man.
"Platform three, sir. You better hurry." Bushay glanced at Kara. "Do you need me to carry your bags, ma'am?"
"I've got it, sailor," Danny replied, grabbing Kara by the hand and jogging towards the platform in question. Kara sucked in a deep breath as she realized that not only was the train there, but most people had already boarded. "We're not going to make it!"
Danny stopped abruptly, pulling Kara to a surprised half. "I promised you that I would get you there and I will."
Without another word, Danny picked her up, firefighter style and began running.
"Are you crazy?" Kara shrieked.
"My legs are longer," Danny replied, breathing heavily. She couldn't dispute that, he was making double the progress that she would have made on her own, but she was also being lugged down a train platform like a sack of potatoes! Torn between laughter and fury, Kara finally decided on the former. After all, there were now about two dozen young sailors and Marines watching and Danny was the one who would have to face them all in the cafeteria at lunch.
Sliding to a stop before the train, Danny carefully lifted Kara from his shoulder and set her on the second stair. Tossing her bag down behind her, he leaned in, giving her a lingering kiss. Stepping back, he smirked. "Fifteen seconds to spare."
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A/N 2 - I read an interesting discussion recently on another forum about how FanFiction romanticizes situations and gives us unrealistic expectations for real life. So in light of that, I thought I would give you the real life experience that inspired this fiction because it is, IMO, just as awesome a story.
Picture me, another FanFiction writer on this page (let's call her Miss Liverpool), a five-year-old, and a not quite one-year-old sitting in a small café eating tiramisu and drinking iced tea. We realize that it's three o'clock and Miss Liverpool needs to be on the 3:30 train. Time to go.
3:00 - we put Miss Liverpool's bags in the stroller and baby on my back.
Five-year-old: I need to pee.
3:05 - we *again* put baby up and prepare to leave.
Me: How do we get to the train station again?
Miss Liverpool: let me ask.
3:10 - we *actually* leave.
Me: is this a four way stop or not? These directions are very unclear.
3:20 - we are at the train station! But on the *wrong* side of the track.
Me: [something I can't write in the section without turning it into an M rating.]
Miss Liverpool: I see an underground passage!
Five-year-old: yeah, a cave!
3:25 - we scurry through the underground passage and find the automatic ticket machines.
Miss Liverpool: no! No, don't cancel! Bloody machine.
Me: Why does this always happen when you are in a rush?
3:28 - we have a ticket! But we're on platform one and need to be on platform three.
Miss Liverpool: run!
Me: Don't leave without your bag!
Five-year-old: let's catch the train!
Infant: na-na-na-na-na.
3:29 - Miss Liverpool, who exercises and therefore is in shape, runs gracefully. I do not run gracefully. Five-year-old skips.
3:29:30 - success! Miss Liverpool makes the train! Her bag makes the train! We even have time for a goodbye hug.
3:30 - train pulls away.
Five-year-old: I miss my friend.
Me: me too.
Conclusion: yes, the fictional version is more polished. But the real life story is an unforgettable ending to a wonderful visit with a good friend.