Maddie just kept facing the window, it was easier that way. David had no clue where he was driving to, but wasn't willing to give up his mission just yet. He decided that they would talk tonight.

"Where the hell am I supposed to drive to?" He looked around for anything he might want to take her to. He looked at her for a second. He wanted.. no needed to do this right. "No more screwing up." He decided. That's when it hit him.

"You mind if we drive a little further than intended?" He asked. Maddie didn't turn and just shrugged.

"I'm sorry." She immediately said, realising how rude she was. "No I don't mind." She looked at her hands in her lap. David noticed her looking down and the placed his hand over hers.

"No hard feelings." He smiled as he squeezed her hand. "I just had an idea. Because it's a little out of the way, I thought you'd might like it." Maddie stared at his hand on hers.

"I trust you David." It wasn't the message, but the way she said it. He left his hand on hers.

"Good." Was all he could say, but he felt a spark of hope he hadn't felt in a long time.

"We're here." David said as he parked the car.

"We're here?" Maddie was surprised. "Where is here?"

"Just outside of Santa Monica." He turned to face her. "There is a nice Roadhouse there. Nothing too fancy, but I think it is perfect." He grinned.

Maddie looked at the terribly green building as she read 'Patrick's Roadhouse'. She started smiling. "So this is perfect for us?"

"Not too fancy, so not a formal date. But it's nice enough for friends hanging out." He looked at her.
"Even looking like this?" She moved her hand in front of her body.

"Let's face it Maddie, you'll always look better than I do. Too good for me." He winked. Maddie felt like he had punched her in the gut.
"I am not too good for you." Her voice a mere whisper, yet she couldn't disguise the hurt she felt. David could have kicked himself for putting his foot in his mouth.. again!

"I didn't mean it like that. But you always look fantastic, when your all dolled up or just waking up. Always flawless." Maddie opened her mouth but he stopped her. "Trust me, I know what you look like when you just wake up. Absolutely stunning." His eyes pierced through hers. "You ready to get some food?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." She knew this was a battle she wasn't going to win, she didn't care for it. She needed an uncomplicated evening with David.

David quickly made his way out of the car and sprinted to her side to open the door.

"Always the gentleman." She touched his hand as she got out. "Thank you David."

"You're welcome." He said offering his arm to her. She automatically linked her arm with his.

They walked in as David silently prayed there was still a table free for them.

Maddie looked around the restaurant, it reminded her of a mixture between a brown café and a diner. The restaurant was quite crowded, but not overcrowded. "This does actually looks fun." She smiled to herself.

"You okay?" David loved this place but was always nervous taking her to settings like this. She was used to high end restaurants. Maddie nodded.

"This actually looks like a great place." She softly squeezes his arm, comforting him.

"It's nothing fancy, but the food is good and the people are kind." He looked around to find an empty table.

"Good evening." One of the staff greeted them.

"Hi." They said in unison.

"You folks are free to take any table." The man said. Looking at Maddie, he couldn't help but be impressed. Then looked towards David. "David?" He said in surprise. "You haven't been here in quite some time. How are you?"

"Hey Gene, yeah sorry about that. Work has been crazy." He smiled.

"Who is this lovely lady? And how did you get her to have dinner with you?" He joked. Maddie chuckled.

"Oh.. Maddie this is Gene, Gene this is Maddie, my business partner. " David moved his hand between the two of them.

"Business partner? Nice to meet you Maddie." Gene extended his hand. "I would love to be in the business you are in." Gene smiled at Maddie. Maddie gave a shy smile.

"Nice to meet you too Gene." She took his hand. "How do you know David?"

"We don't have to get into that right now." David interjected. Maddie looked at him with a look of curiosity. Gene slapped his shoulder.

"Let's just say, we both have a past and we just clicked." Gene laughed. "Our paths crossed and well.. the rest is history." David gave him a look of relief. The look didn't go unnoticed to Maddie it only added to her curiosity.

"I see a table there." David pointed to an empty, Maddie followed his hand.

"How the hell did you manage to work with her?" She heard Gene whisper as she had already started walking off.

"It was just fate man." David whispered back as he watched her walk towards the table. Gene looked at David. "Kismet." They said in unison.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so smitten before." Gene noticed. "She's got you. And you've got it big time." David gave a sad look. "What? Am I wrong? Tell me I'm wrong Addison. Because I've known you for quite some time now." He laughed.
"I screwed it all up man." David looked at him. "I don't know if I can make it up to her."

"Damn." Gene put his hand on David's shoulder. "I thought there wasn't anything the Addison charm couldn't fix." David's eyes were fixated on a now seating Maddie.
"I guess I was wrong." He just said. "I'll just go to her now." As he quickly walked off.

"What was that about?" Maddie asked as she saw the sadness in David's eyes.

"Nothing." He tried to fake a smile.

"You're not fooling me Addison." Maddie grabbed the menu on the table. "David?"

"Maddie?" She automatically rolled her eyes, knowing he always did that.
"The menu."

"I can see it." As he had already grabbed himself a menu.

"David!?"

"Maddie?" Her head snapped up as she looked directly into the grinning face of David.

"It's all burgers." She looked at him.

"No it's not. I also see eggs, fries, Salad, fish tacos and.."

"I get it David." She smiled as he shrugged.

"Look.." He sits back. "I know this isn't usually the kind of joint people take you to, but the atmosphere is good, the staff is kind and the food is amazing. Even if it's not what your pallet is used to." He moved his hand through his hair. "I just want you to be comfortable."

"I am David." She had a hard time finding the words. "It's just, you're right. I am kind of acting pretentious aren't I? I don't mean to be."

"You're not being pretentious. I know you're not used to this. But I also know you're adventurous enough to try new things." He looked at his menu. "You must have had a burger before and trust me, this will be the best you'll ever eat." Maddie couldn't help but start laughing.

"You know I was a model right? We weren't eating a lot of hamburgers. We weren't eating a lot at all.. if we were eating at all." She looked at the menu. "I usually only ate chicken broth." David looked up from his menu.

"So you basically starved yourself for years." He blatantly stated. Maddie didn't look up.

"It was the worst part of being a successful model. But then again I got to travel and work with a lot of wonderful people." She finally looked up. "I don't regret any minute of it."

When the waitress came by, they quickly ordered. Maddie settled on a regular hamburger and sweet potato fries as David ordered the cheese burger and the chilli cheese fries. David ordered a coca cola and Maddie a diet coke.

They sat quietly across from each other. Both wondering who would have enough nerve to start the conversation.

"Maddie?"

"David?" She returned the favour as he laughed.

"Are we okay?" He cautiously started.
"I think we are." She knew where he was heading but wasn't willing to go that route.

"You think?" He could never understand her.

"Yes.. I don't know. Are we okay David?"

"I don't know, that is what I am trying to figure out." He slumped back. "We have to talk about it someday."

"Talk about it? Talk about Annie? Is that what you mean?" She was getting just as frustrated as him.

"Among other things." He looked at her.

"What other things?" Definitely already knowing what those things are, but she needed him to say it.

"You know what I am aiming at here Maddie. Don't underestimate my intelligence." He sounded annoyed.

"You know I'd never do that." She felt hurt. "I just.. you know.." She shook her head. "I am not sure I am ready for this conversation."

"Let's just eat first then." David looked outside. "Maybe we can take a walk after dinner?" Maddie nodded, grateful for this postponement.

After their quick dinner David insisted on paying the check. They made their way outside after Gene told David to not be a stranger for such a long time.

Next to the restaurant was a liquor store. Maddie looked at it.

"You want to grab a couple of beers?"

"Beers? You?" David smiled.

"If we are going to have the conversation we have planned, I need some liquid courage." Maddie laughed.

"I think it'll be better if we talked sober." David never thought he'd be the voice of reason in any conversation ever. "God knows where drinking takes us." He stopped for a second. "Maybe we should get some beers." He laughed.

"You're right, it's better we do this sober." She hooked her arm in his again. "Lead the way." David just started walking towards the ocean. He stops before stepping on the sand.

"This weather isn't really walking weather is it now?" He sighed.

"Not really." She pulled herself closer to him. "It's freezing and this drizzle is frizzing up my hair." He put his arm around her.

"Com'ere." He pulled her closer. "Let's go back to the car." Maddie just allowed David to pull her towards the car.

After taking their seat, Maddie turned to David. "Let's talk."

"I'm sorry I hurt you." David immediately said.

"I know." She started playing with her hand bag. "I am sorry too."

"I know." He finally turned to her. "We've made some mistakes haven't we?"

"We messed it all up." She sighed. "No I started the mess up. I messed up, I pushed you away. I was horrible towards you."

"Yeah.. maybe.. but when you were ready to tell me how you felt and you did tell and showed me you felt. I did nothing.. And then we lost our baby and what did I do? I tried to leave. And just when we got passed that.. Annie." Maddie felt like he punched her in the gut. "I'm sorry Maddie. What I wouldn't give to take it all away…" He looked her in her eyes. "But I can't. I can't take it away. Honestly I couldn't even tell you why I did what I did. I have never been the other guy. I've never deliberately messed in someone's marriage. Not after Tess. I know how much it hurts when the one you love, cheats on you."

"Is that why you hired Jamie?" Maddie wanted to be as direct as she could.

"You know about that?" He was surprised.

"Jamie spilled the beans shortly after it happened. She was so happy you gave her a chance." Maddie informed him. "When you used her, I felt like we needed to give her more detective work. Because did a quite convincing job."

"That's why you were so eager to start working with her." He chuckled.

"Not really. When I spoke to her, she was just so eager to prove her worth. In that moment I decided she deserved a chance." She stared at him for a moment. "I don't know, call it a gut instinct. I thought she'd do really well." She shrugged "And let's face it, she's proven me right."

"Yeah I agree. Jamie has proven herself to be a real asset to the agency."

"We finally agree on something." She quickly replied, making them both laugh.

"We've agreed on more things, haven't we?" She could hear the doubt in his voice.

"Of course we have, it just seems like the last time we agreed on something.. was ages ago."

"That's because we've hardly spoken more than 10 words a day to each other, Maddie." He massaged his neck. "I've missed talking to you."

"So much has been left unsaid." Maddie sighed.

"Agnes really hopes you can make it to her New Year's Eve party." David changed the subject, confusing her. "I'm sorry Maddie." He felt the need to keep apologising to her. She felt even more confused.

"What are you sorry for?"

"Everything. I wished things between us would have gone differently." He leaned in to move a strand of her hair behind her ear. She just allowed his touch. Automatically closing her eyes, she had missed his touch more than anything. He let his index finger wander from her ear, pass her jawline and removed it after reaching her chin. He had missed touching her, he was surprised she allowed him to touch her this long. "God, it seems she is getting more gorgeous every day." He thought to himself, knowing he'd never desire anyone as much as he desired her.

"Me too." She still had her eyes closed as he saw a tear fall from her eye.

"Madide?" He started off. "Can we go back to before Annie?"

Everything within her wanted to scream yes, but her heart was too afraid to even respond.

"Maddie?" She finally looked at him. "Will we ever get back to that time?"

"I don't know." She honestly replied. This time she could see the pain in his eyes. "I'm so sorry David. I want tell you we can get back to that same place." She looked up, blinking away the tears she felt welling in her eyes. "Why is this so hard?"

"You're afraid aren't you?" He knew he was pushing her.

"I wish I could say I wasn't but I'd be lying." She put her hands in front of her face. "David I'm terrified… I am terrified we will hurt each other again. I don't want to hurt you." She still couldn't look at him. He grabbed her hands and softly pulled her hands away.

"I don't want to hurt you either. But I trust you won't hurt me. I trust you." His thumb was softly circling her hand. "Maddie? Look at me, please." Maddie slowly looked up at him, tears streaming.

"David I am so scared." He moved his hand towards her face as his thumb wiped away the tears.

"Me too Maddie."

"What if everything goes bad again?"

"What if it doesn't? Are you willing to find out, with me?" He felt like he was baring his heart and soul to her. "Because I am. I love you too much to lose you again." There.. he had said it. "But I need to know that you're also willing to give us a chance. If you say no, we can pretend this conversation never happened." Maddie gave a weak smile at his attempt to give her a way out.

"I never stopped loving you David." As long as he was confessing, she felt she could too. "That's why this thing between Annie and you hurt so much. I.. I felt.. I felt so.." This was so much harder than she thought it'd be.
"Betrayed?" He asked. She just nodded.

"I know I don't have the right to feel betrayed at all. And I don't think it would hurt as much if it was just any random woman. But this was my cousin, my best friend growing up. I feel she knew how I felt about you, she knew." She spat out the last part. "I felt betrayed by both of you. I tried to tell you how I felt when I dropped by at your place and still.." She felt frustration build up inside of her. "You chose her. You chose her over me." The tears were streaming, but all had finally been said.

"I.." He opened his mouth, for the first time realising how much he'd actually hurt her. "I didn't intend to. I mean.. I wanted it to be you and yet I was afraid that.. you know.. what if another Sam or even another Walter came by. Would you dump me for someone like that?" She knew he had every right to feel like that, she'd proven as much. She gave a big sigh.

"What if we.." He perked up in a sense of hope. "What if we wipe the slate clean? A new decade is upon us. I hear the 90s are going to be everything and so much more. Maybe the 90s could mean a new start for us." She cautiously said.

"You mean that?" He was equally cautious.

"I think we both deserve a new chance in the New Year or the new decade." She gave a small smile. "I want us to have a chance."

"There is nothing I want more either." He felt a wave of relief. "I've missed you. I've missed us. I never felt better than the short time I was with you." She smiled at him. "So?" He started.

"So?" She repeated.

"Where will we start? Where are we taking this?" He licked his lips. "What do you want? Where do you want to take this?"

"Let's just take this one day at a time. For now we both know where the both of us stand." She looked him deep in his eyes. "I love you David and that's my starting point." David lazily grabbed her hand, moved it to his lips and softly kissed her hand.

"And that's enough for now." He smiled. "I love you too Maddie Hayes. And I am just happy to know the love is still there."

"We just have to work on the trust." She smiled back at him. "So for now, it's baby steps. Will that be enough for you, for now?"

"Baby steps." David repeated. "I like that. Let's go, I'll take you home." Maddie felt thankful he didn't try anything, just yet.

He started the car, put it in drive and then grabbed her hand.

"Is this okay?" She just nodded.