daniel

“shit, already?” he brought his hand up, looking at the time. the day had escaped him once again, it seemed to always do that but a lot more as of late. luckily he didn’t bring anything around to be looked at in the moment. “nah,” he shook his head, not that it was much of his choice. “was looking for you though. you need some extra cash by any chance?” he questioned, he figured he’d give him the opportunity for it if he wanted it. “one of my old mans cars has been sitting around for a while and it needs the works, but i’d need to tow it here to even get that started. so if you’ve got some time and are willing to, then you can pocket the money for yourself.” it wasn’t for him, nor his father who was drunk before he even had breakfast, but whenever the siblings were back in town he needed more than one vehicle to run before they tore each other apart trying to fight for it.

Danny turned to look at Roman making his way to him, realizing he hadn’t seen him since before the shooting at the town hall. He listened, considering the offer, knowing that it’d take away some time from a few other projects he had going on but extra cash was hard to come by -- especially when you had hospital bills piling up by the day. “Yeah man, sure,” he nodded, “just tow it here at some point this week when I’m around and I’ll tell you where to leave it.” He paused, wondering for a moment whether or not to bring up a topic of conversation most people in Charming had a tough time confronting -- “How you been, man? Did you hear about what happened a few weeks ago?”

Azul forced a thankful smile onto her face as she curled into the furthest corner of the couch into the tiniest form she could manage, not even considering the blood that had covered her white dress.  Within minutes the cupcake had been annihilated into a billion tiny pieces, only 2 or 3 of which having ended up in her mouth.  After that third piece, a streak of red on her tanned skin on caught her eye, her brain zooming in on it automatically once it had.  Without thinking, she shifted the pile of cupcake crumbs she’d made in the paper towel into one hand while her other traveled to the streak, her thumb trying to rub it out like dry erase marker.   No matter how hard she tried it persisted like a permanent etch on her skin.  The thought along made her shiver, immediately standing to shake it off–and wincing as soon as she did.  

“I’m gonna go shower.”  She whispered, laying the cupcake pieces on her coffee table and placing a sweet kiss to his shoulder on her way to the bathroom.

No more than 60 seconds later scorching hot water was finding pathways over her soft skin, running rivers over the blood that took her back to a different time.  But, as time passed her visions of the past got louder and the blood seemed to be reappearing just as quickly as it was washed away, her heart rate raising as red took over.  “Fuck,” Azul whimpered as a memory stole the breath from her lungs, suddenly confused by her place on her shower floor compared to the floor of the home she’d shared with her ex husband after an episode.  

Danny watched from the kitchen as she lifted herself from the couch, her body language saying more to him than she probably realized, just the fact alone that she ate no more than a quarter of the cupcake speaking volumes. “Yeah, okay,” he said softly, as she made her way to the bathroom. He tossed out the cupcake wrapper that was left when he finished his last bite, tossing out the rest of hers too, then grabbed himself a glass of water and sat in front of the television, channel surfing his way to a documentary on oceanic creatures and ecology -- not that he was paying any attention, all he could think about was Azul, repeating the same actions over again as he waited for her to come out; scrolling Instagram for two seconds, then Facebook, then glancing over at the bathroom door, then watching the TV for a few minutes and doing that all over again.

After thirty minutes had gone by, Dan stood and quietly made his way to the bathroom door, leaning in just slightly to hear if the shower head had been turned off -- but it wasn’t, oddly enough, her showers normally lasting no more than twenty minutes. “Babe,” he called out gently from behind the door, knocking twice. “You almost done?” -- a beat, then another and another -- “Azul?? Open up, come on, you never take showers this long.” He heard nothing but his heart rate rising. Turning the knob, he opened the door slowly, almost scared about what he’d see on the other side but she was sat there, aghast and huddled in the corner of the shower, broken and terrified, Dan’s heart sinking at the sight in a way he hadn’t felt before. “Fuck,” he sighed, removing his shoes quickly before rushing over, not a care in the world that his clothes were soaked or that the water was scalding (a wince leaving him when he felt the temperature) as he stepped in and crouched in front of her, a hand reaching over to cup the side of her face. “Azul, sweetie, what’s going on? You gotta come back to me, what’s wrong?”

     Luck was clearly not on Jasmine’s side for before she could even drive more than a few miles to work, her tire (the replacement, actually) busted while on the road. She managed to remain calm before she completely ran herself off the road and gained control of the car but, obviously she couldn’t get all the way to work in such a state and conveniently, the auto shop was before her workplace. Pulling in, she noticed the emptiness of the place, figuring it was closed until she spotted an individual on his way out. She parked her car and jumped out, releasing a silent swear as she was told exactly what she concluded. 

“I just need a tire, I’ve already used my spare, which is absolutely fucked, and I gotta to get to work.” she said. “Can you help me? I promise to pay you for your time, the tire and then some.”

Danny could hear the urgency in her voice and as much as he desperately wanted to go home, eat his takeout, watch shitty television and start the following two days off right, he felt he couldn’t just leave her there, in need of help on her way to work, regardless if the shop had been closed. 

Sighing, he nodded, “Yeah, sure. I can’t let you in once the shop’s been closed but yeah, I can help,” his eyes trailed to the car behind her, unsure if it was a Ford or a Toyota, “what’s the model, year and all that? I’ll see if I can find a tire in the garage for you.” He reached into his back pocket, finding his keys, “It’s gonna cost anywhere between fifty to a hundred, just so you know.”

Azul’s eyes softened on him, her heart nearly stopping at the nickname that had been all but forgotten since his accident, and again when he called himself her man.   That was something she’d never had, and she’d been married for 10 solid years before she came to Charming.  “you haven’t called me that since before…” A soft whisper fell from her lips, as she leaned over, giving a quick kiss to his shoulder before letting her forehead rest lightly against it.  It was easier for her to focus on that than accepting what he was saying.  She prided herself on being strong, being no nonsense, and able to handle herself.  She had handled herself, but what the fuck  were all the feelings that flooded her afterward about?  So she deflected.  “My man, huh?”  She gave a small smile into his shoulder, forcing a playful tone to her words.

The overwhelmed part of Azul nearly cried when he swept up, pictures flashing in her mind of herself limping away from the crime scene she’d created 3 years ago–all alone.  Going through the D & C not 24 hours later, alone again.  But here she was, with nothing clinically wrong with her and her man by her side as if she deserved it.  “The neighbor was over helping me with birthday cupcakes not too long ago so I should have some.” She shot him a soft smile as she dug her keys from her crossbody (the only reason she hadn’t lost it) and unlocked the door, cringing at how normal everything looked inside.  

“Cupcakes sound good,” he smiled down at her, leaning over to place a kiss against the side of her head as she unlocked the door. Stepping inside, he made his way in after her, the sight of her bloody, still seared into his mind but glad that she was home and just moments away from a shower. He walked into her kitchen (her home feeling more like his with every day spent here) and found the cupcakes sitting in a plastic cake container. He removed a chocolate one and a vanilla one, tearing two pieces of paper towels before returning to her and handing her the vanilla.

Harper had a long day at work and it was about to get longer. She was trying to let go of the stress of the sous chef setting a grease fire, that she was lucky to get out quick. Then a waitress poured an entire bowl of soup on a table, thankfully missing the patrons. It was just one of those days were everything went wrong, so as she turned the corner and heard the noise, it only got worse. The right front tire on her car went pop and she felt the car pull to the right. “Fuck Fuck Fuck!” She exclaimed as she pulled over to the side. She knew she didn’t have the jack in her car to change the tire. She tried to call Edward, but he was working and she figured he was busy if he didn’t answer. She looked around and realized that she was only a block from Charming Auto. She parked her car and walked the block and went in. “Oh. Damn. My car got a flat up the street and I don’t have a jack to change the tire.” She told him with a small pout.

Honestly, he really could’ve done with just heading home, taking a long shower, ordering pizza and falling asleep to shitty television. But the woman in front of him looked desperate and he knew what it was like -- being stranded in the middle of where you weren’t supposed to be without a way to get back home. Flat tires were shit. He sighed, nodding in understanding, “okay, yeah, sure. Just give me a second.” He unlocked the door to the auto shop and hesitantly made his way in again, heading to the back garage and fetching what he needed.

He walked out again soon after with the jack, locking the door behind him again. He rose an arm as if to gesture a path, hoping the way wasn’t too far of a walk. “Lead the way.”

Azul hadn’t even realized the bottom of her feet had been screaming for help until she saw the tiny little droplets of blood like little paper cuts when she had looked down like.  It was like being a child, when you could fall and not feel a thing until you laid eyes on the blood.  To see was to feel, and without the distraction of Anni to care for, or crisis to avert, she saw.  Azul had been without shoes since not long after the shots had began, maneuvering through crowds and broken dinnerware like she had been wearing a pair of Nikes the entire time, and it showed in how her nails dug into Dan’s skin as he helped her to the car despite how hard she tried to power through it on her own. It certainly was the dumbest pain she’d ever been in.  In her head, she heard her mother’s voice scolding her about being a well mannered little girl, about not running around barefoot like a heathen.  

“Fuck.” The woman groaned as they finally made it, a wince on her face before a tiny incredibly inappropriate giggle escaped her lips.  “There was a shooting and I’m complaining about the equivalent of paper cuts on my feet.”  Her head rolled against the cushion of the headrest so that she could look at her boyfriend as he took his seat.  

“Baking lessons?” Azul asked softly, a tiny smile on her face.  “It’s late, you don’t have to do that..”  She trailed off, love in her eyes despite the distance they kept.  The brunette reached out, putting an arm on his as they drove off.  “You don’t have to take care of me, you know? I shouldn’t need taken care of–I was lucky.” 

“Sure, you were lucky,” he watched the traffic light turn green and he took a right onto the main street, glancing at her again, “but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t traumatic, Blue. Everyone needs to be taken care of, no matter what they’ve gone through.” He paused, “And I’m your man, that’s my job.” Offering her a quick smile, he turned his attention to the road again, making his way through Charming at a slightly quickened pace, the thought of her small, delicate and battered feet on his mind.

When he reached her house just minutes later, he stepped out and circled his car, opening the passenger door. “Come on,” he reached towards her, an arm around her back and the other underneath her legs, caught in the crook behind her knee. He shut the car door with his leg, then carried her, to the porch, placing her down gently so she could open the door. “Cookies take like ten minutes so I don’t mind making them. Only thing we gotta worry about is whether or not you’ve got chocolate chips cause that’s the only kind I know how to make.”

Oh, Clifford. The good ol’ red mom van. The vehicle who’s loud muffler and squeaky brakes could be heard from a mile away. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Aurora to be found toting around her younger siblings in it, whether it was taking them to the park or for late night treats through a drive thru. It almost felt like a running joke how many times the Gillenkerk’s had to take the car to the shop for whatever reason. At this point, it was hardly running. In fact, it was a damn miracle it hadn’t quit on them yet. 

“Just came to leave a note saying I’m bringing mine in tomorrow to get it looked at,” she told the man, holding up the note that she had scribbled on after her shift. Thank god she was able to leave a bit early. 

Danny looked at the note in her hand, making his way forward with a small smile -- not totally forced, to be honest, he was tired and looking forward to the next two days off, but the poor girl in front of him had nothing to do with it, no reason in giving her a hard time. He took the note, “Aurora Gillenkerk,” he read out loud, trying to figure out what kind of car she had and what the issues were.

His eyes trailed to a red van a couple feet behind her, “is that it? What is it? A Dodge?” He looked at her, “What’s the problem with it? If it’s a quick oil change, I can do that now in like five minutes but if it’s something more then it’ll probably have to wait until tomorrow.”

The car shop was finally empty. Not that it had been a busy day, generally, but the new mechanic that the management hired, who Danny had responsibility of training, was all but useful. He didn’t even know the difference between simple things, such as when Danny asked him for the pliers, he went and handed him the wrench, and handed it like the dude knew what he was doing. And his oil changes were shit, allowing the oil to drip near the engine, instead of steadily pouring it where it needed to go -- and that was after Danny had to double-check to see if it was the right oil to begin with. He was glad it was over, sighing heavily as he made his way out, a grease-stained cigarette in between his lips as the setting sun greeted him, eyes landing on someone approaching; “shop’s closed. You here to have your car looked at?”

“Oh my God…Dan you tried to find me?” Azul asked softly, a puzzled look on her face as she took the phone from him.  She couldn’t even imagine what could have possibly been going through his mind that allowed him to run toward the sound of such chaos just to find her.  She had never experienced someone giving that much of a shit.  “Dan anyone could have been in there…even for me, you shouldn’t have gone in there like that.”  Sincerity reached her eyes as she finally looked as if she were present, hearing him in totality.  

“No…no, I was here with Lev’s sister until…until he could be here.”  She whispered, using his body to support her own.  The thought of Lev hunting down the fuckers who had rained hell onto their town was pleasing to say the least, which she was none too excited to let Dan hear.  He didn’t need to know how comfortable she was with violence.  “We can go…I don’t have shoes.”  She added, slightly louder, her eyes wandering off to her cement and broken glass bloodied feet as she tried to consider his questions.  “I don’t know…I don’t know.”  

Dan could see that her mind had slowly been coming back to the present -- it was still back there, floating amidst all that happened, all that she’d seen, but slowly, she had been coming back to him. He didn’t even care about what he’d run into when he went to find her. He hadn’t thought about it, his mind only on the one thing that mattered most in that moment -- finding her.

He glanced down at her feet, a pained expression on his face, “shit,” he looked at her again as he pulled out his car keys from his jeans, “just sit here for a second, I’ll be right back.” He made his way out to the parking lot, finding his Nissan, then slipping in before driving up the entrance of the hospital. Walking in again, he spotted her by a vending machine, “I parked the car out front, c’mon,” he stood beside her and wrapped his arm around her frame, helping her to use his weight to walk to the car.

He opened the passenger door, aiding her in sitting before shutting it and making his way around the hood, sliding into the drivers seat. “I’m gonna make some cookies.” He said suddenly, looking over at her as he pulled out of the hospital parking lot. “I’ve been taking baking lessons and I make the best chocolate chip cookies. You have to promise to eat at least one, then you can shower and get some rest.”

1: Could you go the rest of your life without smoking a cigarette?

2: Are you single/taken/heartbroken/confused?

3: What if I told you that you were pretty?

4: Ever been told “it’s not you, it’s me”?

5: Are you interested in anyone right now?

6: What are you looking forward to in the next week?

7: Do you want to be single?

8: Did you go out or stay in last night?

9: How late did you stay up last night?

10: Can you recall the last time you realized you liked someone a lot?

11: Last three things you had to drink?

12: Have you pretended to like someone?

13: Have you ever told somebody you loved them and not actually meant it?

14: Honestly, has anyone seen you in your underwear in the past 3 months?

15: Is it hard for you to get over someone?

16: Think back five months ago, were you single?

17: What were you doing at 12:30 this afternoon?

18: Hold hands with anyone this week?

19: Could you go for the rest of your life without drinking alcohol?

20: What would you name your future daughter?

21: Do you miss anyone?

22: Have you kissed three or more people in one night?

23: Did your last kiss take place in/on a bed?

24: Are you good at hiding your feelings?

25: Have you ever cried from being so mad?

26: Who did you last see in person?

27: Are you listening to music right now?

28: What is something you currently want right now?

29: What is the last thing you said out lot?

30: How is your heart lately?

31: Do you wear the hood on your hoodie?

32: Are you wearing socks?

33: What do people call you?

34: Will you talk to the person you like tonight?

35: Are there any stressful situations in your life?

36: Who did you last share a bed with?

37: Did you do something bad today?

38: When was the last time a member of the opposite sex hugged you?

39: Do you get stressed out easily?

40: Will you sing today?

41: Have you ever wanted to tell someone something but didn’t?

42: Who do you go to when you need to talk to someone?

43: Have you ever been taken to the emergency room in an ambulance?

44: What are you listening to right now?

45: What is wrong with you right now?

46: What is on your wrists right now?

47: Where did you get the shirt/sweatshirt you’re wea

48: What do you like better: hot chocolate or hot apple cider?

49: Do you make wishes at 11:11?

50: Are you a good artist?

51: Love really is a beautiful thing huh?

52: Do you miss the way things were six months ago?

53: Ever been on a golf cart?

54: Do you have trust issues?

55: Ever stayed up all night on the phone, with who?

56: Do you own something from Hot Topic?

57: Do you use chap stick?

58: Have you ever slapped someone in the face?

59: Do you have a little sister?

60: Have you ever been to New York?

61: Think of the last person who said I love you, do you think they meant it?

62: Have you hugged someone within the last week?

63: What were you doing at midnight last night?

64: Have you ever regretted kissing someone?

65: Is there one person in your life that can always make you smile?

66: Were your last three kisses from the same person?

67: Have you kissed anyone in the last five days?

68: Would you rather sleep with someone else or alone?

Azul’s head had been going a million miles a minute since the second the gunshots had started ringing in her ears.  She had found solace in every body she had been able to guide through the door, in every body she had supported in their dive for safety.  But those million thoughts had been brought to a tunnel as she took over with Annie, everything became about Annie in that moment.  In that moment she had purpose.  To care for Lev’s sister while he took care of the complete neanderthals that had decided a community meeting was a good place for target practice.  

And she did.  Even when minutes after he’d left the girl began to complain of chest pain through her nonsensical rambles, her skin glistening with sweat despite the chill that came off of it.   Even when it meant navigating through flying bullets and other fearful people while supporting Annie’s weight on their way out of the meeting room and to Azul’s car–too much was happening, people were more seriously hurt, Annie would have to wait far too long if they sat by and let paramedics address her.   

And that was how she could herself barefoot and without her phone in the middle of a hospital, still keeping Annie company while Lev handled his business.  What she didn’t know, was that in all the chaos that had broke out with the first few gunshots, the same delicate fingers that had been texting her boyfriend under the table had slipped all over the screen and called him before she dropped it.  He’d had to hear the horror. It wasn’t long before Lev appeared and she was left to wander the waiting room anxiously as she watched everyone’s nightmare unfold.  Azul hadn’t seen him, hadn’t heard Dan until his arms wrapped around her, easing every vibrating nerve in her body.  “Dan..” She breathed out, suddenly feeling as if her weight was too much for her own feet, having to resist collapsing into him.  

“I’m sorry, I was texting you…I didn’t realize I’d called you.  I don’t even know where my phone is..” Azul rambled off, her voice small and far away.  Something about being supported making the night’s events all too real for her.  Until then, it had been about protecting others–so much so that she hadn’t even realize that her own hands had been trembling, her own eyes on defense, darting around the room.  

Azul’s body fell limp as he pulled away, her head wobbling just slightly before her eyes landed on his.  “I’m okay…I’m okay.  I was lucky, people just started shooting at us out of nowhere.  We couldn’t even see them for the first minute or so…it was…a lot.”  The words felt inadequate on her tongue, almost soft between her lips, and nonexistent when they hit the air. 

“Oh, shit, yeah,” he remembered suddenly that her phone had been in his back pocket -- slightly damaged via a cracked screen and blood splattered. “I have it.” He handed it to her, the distance it took to even hand her the phone too much for him. He wanted to feel her, to physically touch her and know she was there and okay and safe. “I went to the town hall when I got the call and saw on the news what was going on, the cops hadn’t secured the area yet so I snuck in and this was by one of the tables on the floor. You must’ve dropped it when you tried texting me.”

His eyes scanned her features, the trauma of what happened clear as day on her face. “Do you have anyone here you need to see or check up on? Then we can head to your place and get you cleaned up. You hungry? Need anything to drink? Water? Coffee?”