Six months later
Dannika knew that she was deeply in love with Aaron Hotchner, and that meant she was willing to quit her job and move away from Dupar Woods. She had never left her hometown, except to go to college, but she had come back and started working as a medical examiner when she been offered the position once she graduated and she had taken it, even though she'd had several other offers from bigger cities.
At the time she graduated college, her parents had still been alive, but they had died a few years ago, even though they should've lived another 20 years. They'd had her late in their lives and so had been in their early 80s when they had both passed close together. Her mother had been late 40s when she was born, which, even in this century was quite late to give birth to a child, but that didn't mean it didn't happen frequently.
To be completely honest with herself, she'd be glad to get away from some of the people she had a history with, especially Candy who continued being an annoying pain in the rear every time they saw each other, which was much to often considering both were in different branches of law enforcement. Also, it would be good to get away from Edgar and his crush on her, as seeing him stutter whenever he was around her was embarrassing for both of them.
She had told Aaron that didn't do well being ideal but Aaron had promised her she could get another job in the same line of work in a few decades once her name had time to disappear out of any computer systems. There were ways around the system Aaron had explained and considering that they were immortal they had to figure out ways to live in this very technological society without bringing undue attention to themselves. She could also open her own business as that decision was up to her. Aaron had promised to give her the money, no strings attached, for whatever she wanted to do with her life once she was immortal and he'd also help her to invest, so she always had plenty of money of her own.
The two of them had had many conversations, and Aaron had been very forthcoming whenever she thought to ask a question and Dannika appreciated it.
Aaron had promised never to lie to her and so far he was keeping his word.
She and Aaron were meeting shortly, so she needed to get ready. She wanted to tell him her decision, but in private not public.
If it wasn't for Aaron Hotchner, she would've been content here in Dupar Woods for the rest of her life despite certain annoying people. She was sure she would've met a man evidently, fallen in love, gotten married, and they would've settled down likely in her hometown.
She doubted she would've loved that man as much as she loved Aaron though, and she could actually see that relationship eventually ending in divorce, because not many men were understanding as Aaron was or as trustworthy.
She knew very well that many men cheated on their wives, even if they'd been married for 30 or 40 years and while her parents had never cheated on each other as far as she knew, she also knew it happened far too often. It just wasn't likely that she beat the odds if she hadn't met Aaron, that is.
Aaron had been kind enough to explain that an immortal never cheated on their soulmate, never wanted to. In fact, it never even occurred to them to do so, because they were just too happy to be with the person in meant for them that cheating never entered their heads, much less got carried out.
She now knew much more about the secret world of immortals then she had, as Aaron had told her a lot of things, even without being asked, and they'd had several conversations about it.
Dannika prepared dinner for both of them before she rushed to get ready for when Aaron arrived. Yeah, she could cook, though a lot of times she didn't bother depending on how tired she was, but tonight was going to be special for a lot of reasons. Tonight she was going to tell Aaron that she was accepting his offer to turn her immortal, to marry him, have a family with him. Something she'd been wanting for years, but she had just never met the right guy. She knew for a fact that her mother had especially wanted grandchildren, but it hadn't happened while her parents were alive, which was a shame, but that was just a way it happened sometimes.
Half an hour later, there was a knock on her door and Dannika, who had just finished getting herself dressed in record time immediately rose from where she was just pulling on her shoe and opened it after she made sure it was Aaron of course.
Dannika greeted him with a kiss after she had shut her door as she didn't need to display their relationship for her neighbors to gossip about.
There was already enough gossip about them going around the workplace and also around this building, because she hardly ever dated, so she and Aaron's relationship was news. A lot of people were nosy by nature and gossip was as old as time, and it was how a lot of people learned things, even those things that were supposedly private.
Gossip was a great way to gather information though you did have to know how to pick out the wheat from the chaff, but many people had that ability.
"That was some greeting," Aaron smiled, as he took Dannika in his arms and hugged her close, putting his nose into the crick of her neck, smelling her shampoo and the soap she used.
"Come, I have dinner all prepared," Dannika said. "I had the early morning shift today so I got home soon enough to actually cook, though I don't usually bother with anything complicated."
"Well, with your job, it doesn't leave you a lot of time to fix yourself anything complicated. I'm also sure your tired by the time you get home, probably too tired to bother," Aaron suggested seeming to understand that she didn't often have the time or the energy to bother fixing herself a complicated meal.
A lot of times she just stopped by some restaurant and picked up some food before heading home. Other times she fixed something simple. She did try to eat healthy, which meant not eating out all the time, but her job wasn't exactly 9 to 5 either, which meant eating out more than she should.
She was a 36 year old woman with a birthday coming up in a few weeks so she'd officially be 37 on September 17th.
"That's it exactly," Dannika agreed. "I'm just one of those people that doesn't do well when my shift keeps switching from mornings, to afternoons, to late night, every few weeks and I often go in when they need me, even if I'm not scheduled. It always takes me at least a week to adjust to the new schedule and before I know it, it changes."
"You have to accept a lot when you have a job like yours," Aaron said knowingly. "You technically work with law enforcement and their schedules can change in an instant as well so in that way, your jobs are very similar."
"And a lot of people deal with the time changes better than I do," Dannika said. "I've always been that way ever since I was a kid. At least I can drink coffee now and I could do that when I was young since coffee is believed to stunt your growth."
"They've never proved that not even now and we're in the 23rd century," Aaron snorted.
"It might not have been proved, but that doesn't mean a lot of people don't believe it, including my parents," Dannika shrugged. "To tell you the truth, coffee might smell good, but I probably wouldn't of liked as a kid, so it's probably just as well."
"Taste buds change as you grow. Things you like as a kid you don't necessarily like as an adult," Aaron said, and Dannika nodded.
"Exactly," Dannika agreed. "Let's eat before dinner gets cold."
"It certainly smells delicious," Aaron said who had been sniffing the smell of circulating food as soon as he had entered Dannika's apartment. "I'm looking forward to trying it, because I know you don't usually cook. We usually just go out somewhere or order food in."
"I just usually don't want to bother," Dannika said, "but it's not really fair for you to take me out and pay every time without me contributing, even if that's just by cooking a meal for both of us."
"I don't mind paying," Aaron told her. "I've had centuries to gain my wealth while you only have so much to spend on things that are unnecessary for maintaining your standard of living."
"I know you don't, but still, I want to contribute as otherwise our relationship is very unequal," Dannika told him.
"I don't mind, as soon you'll have just as much as I do, as I'll help you invest," Aaron agreed not arguing, a Dannika was very right.
"That's for later, but be sure I'll probably take you up on your offer at some point," Dannika said.
Dannika led the way to the kitchen not that it would be hard to find, as it was only a small apartment after all. When Aaron entered the kitchen, through the swinging door, he saw the small table, sat with candlelight with the food already on it
"Well, I didn't expect candlelight," Aaron said smiling kissing the side of Dannika's head.
"Just let me turn off the apartment lights after I light the candles, and then we can eat," Dannika said, as she quickly turned off the lights in the apartment.
Once the apartment was darkened the candles were the only lights to see by other than the moonlight coming in through the windows given the apartment, a very romantic atmosphere, which had been Dannika's intent in the first place.
"Let's eat shall we?" Dannika suggested, as Aaron pulled out her chair for her before sitting down on the other side of the small kitchen table.
"This is really good, Dannika," Aaron told her once he had taken a few bites. "You didn't need to go to all this trouble for me though."
"I wanted to feel like I was contributing as I told you a few minutes ago. You've taken me out so many times that this is nothing."
"Well, we won't have to eat out as much if you agree to let me turn you immortal if you can cook like this," Aaron said. "So many people, even women can't cook in this century or at least don't have time, because they have careers, that restaurants do a booming business."
"Well, mother taught me how to cook when I was growing up, as I was an only child and she wanted me to have what she felt were essential skills," Dannika said. "As you have already realized I don't often have time, the energy or the desire to cook, so this is something of a treat. Cooking this meal, let me brush off my rusty cooking skills and try out a recipe I haven't made in quite awhile."
"You might claim to be out of practice, but it's still really good, so apparently you're not too out of practice no matter what you claim," Aaron told her with a wink as he took another bite of his dinner.
"Thank you," Dannika blushed, at Aaron's sincere compliment, even as she ate her own portion.
The two sat in silence for awhile, and soon the plates were clean, and so Aaron rose and took the dishes to the dishwasher while Dannika refilled their wine glasses and took them into the living area.
Aaron joined her a minute later and both of them sat down on the couch.
Dannika took a deep breath, a sip of her wine for courage and then said, "I have something to tell you and now is as good as time is any."
"I'm all ears," Aaron told her, as he put an arm around her and sat back and prepared to listen to whatever his mate was going to say, though he secretly hoped she was about to agree to be his permanently.
He was usually pretty good at reading people, but for some reason, he couldn't read Dannika, at least not all the time, and this was one of those times. Dannika was good at masking her emotions, but he figured that came with the line of work she had gone into, as she wouldn't want to show her emotions sometimes, especially if she had to do an autopsy on a child or a teenager.
"I've come to a decision about your offer," Dannika begin and Aaron tried not to let his emotions overcome him as he eagerly anticipated what his mate was going to say next. "I've decided to take you up on it."
"You have?" Aaron asked a grin beginning to spread across his face.
"I have," Dannika confirmed, as she snuggled closer to Aaron looking like a cat curled up on the couch. Like she was snuggling close to the warmth of Aaron's body heat. "You've been very patient waiting for me to decide one way or the other and believe me, I appreciate it."
"You're quite welcome," Aaron told her kissing the top of her head hardly daring to believe that Dannika had agreed to be turned immortal, which meant that she was willing to give up her job and her life here in in Dupar Woods. Changing her life so completely was no small sacrifice on her part, and Aaron deeply appreciated it.
"I will love you for all time," Aaron told her, even as he kissed her lips instead of the top of her head.
"I know you will. I would never have agreed to change my life for you otherwise," Dannika told him. "I'll just need to figure out what to do with my eternity since I'm gonna have to give up my job as a medical examiner. Besides, people in my profession can burn out quite easily, to where they can't take seeing another dead body, and that might not have happened to me until I retired, but also might have, as no one knows what a persons threshold is until it has been reached and exceeded."
"I'm sure there's a way you can go to college again, take some courses to become one again or perhaps we can find a way to fake your degree. Make one that looks realistic enough that whoever hires you won't be able to tell it's fake."
"I'll have to think about it, but perhaps, I can open some kind of business, though what kind I don't know at the moment, but it can wait a few months at least. Maybe until after we get married."
"You won't be able to invite anybody you know to the wedding as my disguise is only superficial and there's no point of taking chances of someone seeing through it," Aaron said.
"That's OK, as I never really wanted a big wedding anyway," Dannika assured him. "I won't say, I didn't when I was a child, but dreams change as you grow."
"We might just have to get married down at the courthouse though not here. We'll have to go elsewhere, I'm afraid," Aaron said.
"We probably shouldn't leave town together as we don't need rumors to circulate, so we need to decide where to meet up," Dannika said. "If we leave town together without getting married first, I don't even want to think about how outrageous the rumors will be about me running off with you like I'm some naïve young girl or perhaps the rumor will be spread I was kidnapped by you when I refused your advances. You get the point I'm trying to make I'm sure."
"I do, as people love to gossip and when they have a lack of concrete information they make it up," Aaron said. "I've heard more false rumors concerning me than you would likely believe, but this has been over hundreds of years. I really don't want to be separated from you again, but it is probably wise for us to leave separately. I can leave a few weeks before you do while you also make arrangements to leave town. You can perhaps say you have a sick relative or something of that nature."
"No relatives that I know of, but nobody knows that and my parents are dead so they can't mess up whatever story I intend to spin," said Dannika.
"So you have no siblings and no aunts uncles or cousins," Aaron said.
"I am afraid not," Dannika said, "I'm basically an orphan with nobody as a dependent, and no other family. I have friends, of course, but no one's super close, as I've just never connected with anyone on a deep emotional level. I've had boyfriends in the past, but no one I'm gonna miss I promise."
"It happens that way sometimes," Aaron said. "While it's kind of sad, it makes things easier, as that means no one's likely to miss you once you're gone so long as they know you're alive. People who know you will just likely assume that you decided not to come back once you were done dealing with your relatives affairs and have decided on a fresh start wherever you had gotten to. It happens all the time."
"It does, and it's a good plan. I'm just gonna have to make up a relative that has died recently or perhaps is very sick and it is believed they will die soon," Dannika said. "Perhaps they left me some money so I didn't have to return to my job in order to make a living."
"That's good, but don't go overboard as people aren't going to believe it, if you say something like, you had a wealthy relative that left you their fortune," Aaron advised. "Keeping it simple is best."
"Nothing to elaborate," Dannika agreed appreciating Aaron's advice since he'd been around awhile. "I'll tell them that a relative of mine is sick and there's no one else to take care of them and they can't afford in-home care and insurance doesn't cover the cost."
"I wouldn't elaborate past that, as that's enough to give people an idea that you'll likely be gone for a long time. You can just quit your job after a few weeks after you use up all your sick leave and vacation time and you could simply call and tell your bosses that taking care of your sick relative is taking longer than you thought so you regretfully quit your job."
"That sounds perfect," Dannika agreed, "so that's exactly what I'll tell folks after you've been gone for a few weeks I'll follow you."
"I don't want to be separated from you for weeks, as the first time was bad enough, but in this case, it's also necessary, even if it's for a different reason," Aaron winced at the thought of being separated from his mate for weeks for a second time.
"I wish there was another way, but I know there's not," Aaron added looking unhappy at the current situation.
"Look at it this way, and that is, we'll never be separated for so long again after this," Dannika said with forced cheerfulness.
"There is that," Aaron said cheering up at that thought. "I'll leave town as soon as possible, check out of the hotel and mention to several people causally that I'm leaving town. We'll let people come to their own conclusions about what happened, as it's really not anybody's business to question either one of us, even if I know people can be nosy."
"Especially those you grow up among, as they feel more free to question you, then if you were complete stranger," Dannika said dryly.
"Soon we'll be together again, my love," Aaron told her kissing her tenderly for quite awhile before both of them finally parted needing to breathe. "Nothing will keep us apart again, this I swear."
"It will be over soon as I need to tell the apartment manager that I'm leaving and pack up what I want to take with me. As for the furniture, I don't see the point of packing it all up and renting a moving van."
"Unless there's something you really want to keep, I wouldn't worry about the furniture," Aaron said, looking around at Dannika's nicely decorated apartment.
"No, it's OK. None of it is particularly valuable," Dannika said, as she also looked around her apartment. "Some of it is from my parents old house, which I sold after they passed, I could've lived there I know, as the house was paid for, so I could have saved on rent, but there were simply too many memories for me to be comfortable living there so I just sold it.
"Good then it settled," Aaron said, as he pulled Dannika closer.
The two of them talked for a long time, making plans, before Aaron took Danika to bed and made love to her for the first time, which was fantastic.
They both drifted off to sleep quite content, though they weren't looking forward to being separated for any reason.
~~~Aaron and Dannika~~~
