| Daren: |
::sighes thinking about last nights swim and looks to his leather trench, still wet; muttering:: when I get my new coat I'll have to modify it to do some of
the things this one did. |
| Shannon: |
::steps out of the car, jeans and sweater, black pumps, black bag, tosses cigarette; goes up to the door, finds Daren's name and rings the bell:: |
| Daren: |
::hears the bell and walks to the door wishing the thing he replied with wasn't broken; opens it and heads downstairs:: |
| Shannon: |
::rings the bell again:: |
| Daren: |
::looks out the glass door to see who's buzzing him and stops:: |
| Shannon: |
You might as well let me in or I'll be ringing your bell all
night... |
| Daren: |
::sighes, of course he'd let her in, walks to the door and opens
it up:: Good eve' chere. |
| Shannon: |
::deep inhale, exhale:: Hi... Thought I'd take a chance... |
| Daren: |
Well, please, come in.... |
| Shannon: |
::smiles:: thanks... ::walks in:: |
| Daren: |
::holds the door open wide, deep inhale; exhales after she walks past:: |
| Shannon: |
I... um.... I thought... I didn't want to call... I had hoped
you'd be in... |
| Daren: |
::nods:: Well then chere.... shall we... go upstairs? |
| Shannon: |
::smiles:: Ok... |
| Daren: |
::can't help but melt inwardly at the smile and takes her hand
leading her upstairs:: |
| Shannon: |
::thrilled he took her hand but feels like she's walking the last mile:: |
| Daren: |
::sighes that he couldn't put his arm around her like normal; opens the door and motions for her to enter, hopes shes surprised that he cleaned:: |
| Shannon: |
::looking around... place is immaculate... could use a little
dusting... but very well kept |
| Daren: |
::walks inside and closes the door quietly behind him:: |
| Shannon: |
otherwise:: Are you sure you're living alone...? the place looks
great... |
| Daren: |
::nods:: Since Stef left a few weeks ago... I.. felt like I needed to change something last night after I got home. |
| Shannon: |
Thought maybe you had a little cleaning elf hiding around here... steels herself, turns around to face him:: |
| Daren: |
::sighes and can't contain it any longer, throws his arms around
her:: Shannon I... I... ::hugs her tight:: |
| Shannon: |
::her arms fly around his neck:: Oh Daren, I'm so stupid
sometimes... |
| Daren: |
::sniffles with head on her shoulder:: |
| Shannon: |
::her seemingly perpetual tears start welling up again:: |
| Daren: |
::feels his own tears coming to the surface:: I think maybe we
both are sometimes chere... |
| Shannon: |
::half laugh, half sob:: I think you're right... ::pulling back to wipe her tears and nose; pulling tissues out of bag and doing so:: I also think we need to talk... |
| Daren: |
::smiles:: Shannon, I could think of anything butyou last night
after, after... |
| Shannon: |
After what, love...? |
| Daren: |
::sniffles letting the tears run down:: |
| Shannon: |
::hands him a kleenex:: |
| Daren: |
Well, actually before I even left the R&R's...; Driving, running cleaning, even I dare say sleeping, my mind was
on you. |
| Shannon: |
::smiles thru new tears, shakes her head:: Darling, I've been the
same way... |
| Daren: |
The only time I didn't think of you was when I was thinking of how
much I love you. I can't fight anymore Shannon, I just couldn't take another one. |
| Shannon: |
Oh Darlin... I wholeheartedly agree with you there... |
| Daren: |
::smiles, his hair framing his face unrestrained falling down so
the ends just touch his shoulders; walks to the couch needing to sit down, hopes she'll follow:: |
| Shannon: |
I am so sick of fighting with you Daren... Its not what I want at
all... |
| Daren: |
I never do, never want to fight.... ::sits on the couch and extends a hand to her:: |
| Shannon: |
::goes to the couch and kneels on the cushion, next to him:: |
| Daren: |
::puts arm around her:: |
| Shannon: |
I mean I know we're going to disagree... and we're the kind of
people who believe whatever |
| Daren: |
::leans into her:: |
| Shannon: |
it is that they believe in and we're both pigheaded and
stubborn... so we're going to argue... but this kind of stuff... I just can't
deal with it at all... I love you too much... I hate how it makes me feel... and I hate seeing what it does to you. |
| Daren: |
I agree, all I want is you... and your love. |
| Shannon: |
And for what its worth... you have me... body and soul... |
| Daren: |
::smiles:: And not to be considered number two, by your actions and words. ::puts his other arm around her:: |
| Shannon: |
But Daren... we... and I emphasize the we... have got to learn to
trust each other... Oh my love... you'll never be number 2... |
| Daren: |
::gently pulls her to his lap:: I know, and god do I want to. |
| Shannon: |
Me too Daren... but its a new concept for me... I never had the
problem with Tony... But we had known each other for years... |
| Daren: |
Trust you and love you forever, please don't let another night
like last night happen again. |
| Shannon: |
::bows head; ok girl, here we go:: Daren, about last night... |
| Daren: |
::smiles:: You told me one night Stef's no longer here, but I'm
not going to tell you to forget Tony... Only that I am here, and its me you have to deal with. |
| Shannon: |
There's a slight difference there... Stef is still alive... |
| Daren: |
Yes, but neither of them is in our lives, but they've both had a
big effect on our pasts and thinking. |
| Shannon: |
What happens, Daren if Stef comes back... |
| Daren: |
It wouldn't change my love for you. |
| Shannon: |
But what about your love for her? |
| Daren: |
::brings up a hand to brush back the hair from her check:: I don't
think anything will. ::closes his eyes:: It's no longer strong enough to keep me from loving you fully... |
| Shannon: |
::takes his hand in hers, kissing the palm, laying it against her
cheek:: |
| Daren: |
::runs his thumb along her check:: I'd never consider leaving you
to go back to her. |
| Shannon: |
About Cord... |
| Daren: |
::sighes and looks down:: Yes. |
| Shannon: |
Cord is my friend... I hope he will always be my friend... I need
him to always be my friend which means that if I have my way... he will always be in my life and close at hand... But... |
| Daren: |
::sighes, as long as he never tries to keep us apart... |
| Shannon: |
::smiles:: He wouldn't... But... |
| Daren: |
But if he hypnotises you or does something else to try it I will
stake slash and burn him. |
| Shannon: |
::pales:: |
| Daren: |
And for your sake I hope he never will. ::hugs her tight:: |
| Shannon: |
He said something similar... Daren... I got a promise from Cord
that he will never harm you. |
| Shannon: |
But I want the same promise from you regarding him... |
| Daren: |
|
| Shannon: |
Daren... I want your unconditional promise... |
| Daren: |
Chere, if that happened I don't think I'd be able to uphold that
promise... |
| Shannon: |
I got it from Cord... and I want it from you... Promise me... Please, baby... |
| Daren: |
If anyone did it.. |
| Shannon: |
not anyone... Cord will never hurt me or come between us... but I
need the peace of mind... |
| Daren: |
::sighes and leans in to kiss her:: |
| Shannon: |
::accepts his kiss, and returns the kiss:: |
| Daren: |
::pulls her very close just wanting to sit there and hold her:: |
| Shannon: |
::backing off slightly:: Daren... I want the promise... |
| Daren: |
::leans in close to her ear:: And what was that I just gave? |
| Shannon: |
a promise with conditions... I want the unconditional version... |
| Daren: |
::sighes:: Then... you shall have it. |
| Shannon: |
::gratitude showing in her eyes:: Thank you, love.. you'll never
know how much that means to |
| Daren: |
And I promise, that my love will also be, unconditional, it
already is. |
| Shannon: |
me... as is mine... ::leans over and kisses him deeply:: |
| Daren: |
::acepting the kiss, returning it to the best of his abilities:: |
| Shannon: |
::sighs of happiness:: |
| Daren: |
::moving one hand up running it through her hair and pushing her
slightly more into the kiss; as if she needed encouragement to do so:: |
| Shannon: |
::breaking kiss:: |
| Daren: |
::runs both hands down her back; looks at her as she breaks it off:: |
| Shannon: |
Daren, I have something for you... |
| Daren: |
::opening his eyes:: Yes love? |
| Shannon: |
::reaches for her purse; pulls out a VCR tape:: |
| Daren: |
::watching her:: A tape? |
| Shannon: |
I made this last weekend as a Valentines Day gift for you... |
| Daren: |
::smiles:: love, you don't have anything to prove to me. |
| Shannon: |
::smiles:: I just thought... well.. I thought you might like
it... |
| Daren: |
::still smiling:: It's from you of course I'll like it. |
| Shannon: |
I hope so... uh... you do have a Vcr don't you? |
| Daren: |
::moves his hands from her back to resting lightly on her sides in
case she wants to get up and put it on:: More than one. Investigative work with video editing is occasionally necessary. |
| Shannon: |
::stands up:: goes to the tv and turns it on putting in the vcr
tape:: |
| Daren: |
But the one I use for personal stuff is that one:: points and waits patiently:: |
| Shannon: |
::comes back to the couch to sit down, a little nervous; hands Daren the remote control; smiles, a little sheepishly:: At your own risk... |
| Daren: |
::presses play and smiles as it starts:: |
| Shannon: |
::afraid to look at him as it begins:: |
| Daren: |
::puts his arm around her as he watches; smiles as her beautiful voice starts in song:: |
So often as I wait for sleep I find myself reciting
The words I've said or should have said, like scenes that need rewriting,
The smiles I never answered, doors perhaps I should have opened,
Songs forgotten in the morning...
If I had changed a single day
What went amiss or went astray
I may have never found my way to you
I relive the roles I've played, the tears I may have squandered,
The many pipers I have paid along the roads I've wandered.
Yet all the time I knew it... Love was somewhere out there waiting
Though I may regret a kiss or two
If I had changed a single day
What went amiss or went astray
I may have never found my way to you
I wouldn't change a thing that happened
On my way to you...