Where your Destiny takes you...

Family

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:06:33 GMT

Title: Family
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: 12
Word Count: 614
Pairing: Danny/Dougie
Summary: When Danny met Dougie…
A/N: For the 30 Minute prompt Challenge/First Time at mcslashfiction ♥
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Family

The first time Danny saw Dougie it was the day of auditions. He was walking back to their little audition room with a cup of coffee from Tom. He’d come to realise over the last few weeks spent with the blonde that he loved his coffee. He loved it a lot and he would absolutely die without at least ten cups a day.

Danny looked over at the crowd that had gathered to audition. They had seen about half the amount of people so far and had only come away with their drummer.

Danny noticed a skinny boy pressed up against the wall at the back, clutching his bass in hand. He had a cap on and Danny could barely see his face because of it. He sent a smile towards the other male, not sure if he caught it at all.

It was another few hours later before Danny had the chance to see him again. He beamed when he saw him enter the room.

“Hi, I’m Dougie,” he said timidly. “I’m fifteen and I’m from Essex.”

“Danny and Tom,” Tom said professionally.

Danny waved at him. “What are you going to play for us?” he asked.

“A Blink 182 song,” Dougie replied. “All the Small Things.”

Tom nodded. “Alright, go ahead.”

Danny watched as Dougie looked down at his bass as he played, fingers gliding across the strings. Danny couldn’t stop smiling as he listened to the tiny blonde boy play.

Danny caught Tom’s eye and smiled at him. “This guy is great.”

“He’s a kid, Dan,” Tom said.

“So, he’s only a year younger than me!” Danny replied. “He’s awesome, Tom. The best we’ve seen so far today.”

Tom sighed in a way that Danny knew he was right.

Danny grinned. “How’d you like to be in the band?”

Dougie shot them a timid, crinkly eyed smile. “Really?” he asked.

Tom nodded. “Welcome to McFly.”

*****

Harry and Dougie moved into the hotel with them and they shuffled around their living arrangements. Danny moved in to a room with Dougie and Tom and Harry moved into a new room, one that was fully functional, thankfully.

Danny came into their room one evening a few weeks later and he saw Dougie sitting curled against the wall on his bed.

“Dougs?”

Dougie didn’t respond.

“Dougie, what’s wrong?” Danny asked, moving to sit on the bed next to the blonde. He reached out and gently touched the other boy’s knee.

“He left,” Dougie whispered.

“Who left?”

“My Dad,” Dougie said softly. “He left and no one knows where he is.”

“Shit, Dougs,” Danny said, shifting closer. He wrapped his arms around Dougie’s thin frame and let the other boy curl into him.

Dougie sobbed for a few long moments before sitting up, wiping his eyes. “I can’t believe he did it, Dan.”

“I don’t know, Dougs,” Danny said softly. “What did your mum say?”

“She said she came home with Jaz and he just wasn’t there,” Dougie said softly. “She waited three days before calling the police. He didn’t disappear unwillingly. He wanted this. He walked out on us…”

Danny didn’t know what to say. He hugged Dougie closer, trying to show him that he cared.

“C-can you stay with me tonight?” Dougie asked after a while.

“’Course,” Danny said.

They shifted and got under the covers together. Danny pulled Dougie to him, hugging him tightly. He bit his lip as Dougie fell asleep against his chest, trying to give him as much comfort as possible.

Danny gently stroked Dougie’s hair out of his eyes and gently kissed the back of Dougie’s tan hand, lacing their fingers together.

They were his family now.

*****

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Chocolate

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:24:21 GMT

Title: Chocolate
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Smut, genderswap
Word Count: 1,502
Pairing: Danny/Tom
Summary: Lying in bed eating m&ms. Nipples are hard. Can't tell if I'm just cold or if the chocolate is turning me on...
A/N: Dedicated to: miss_pipedream for the idea ♥
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Chocolate

Tomato Fletcher (affectionately nicknamed Tom) wasn’t your average type of girl. She was conservative, she liked her privacy and she didn’t believe in flaunting anything. She liked to keep to herself and especially didn’t like people ogling in on her private life. It wasn’t that she wanted to hide from everything, it was she just didn’t believe in sharing her private life so openly like some people did.

She had her reasons to keep to herself and her main reason was that she was a lesbian. Her girlfriend was the complete opposite to her. She was an introvert while Danny was an extrovert. They argued sometimes over the silliest of things but they knew they were more compatible than what everyone else saw. Plus, the sex was always hot.

As Tom walked down the aisle at her local supermarket, she thought about her girlfriend and how she hadn’t seen her in a while. Danny was a musician and she often travelled throughout the country. Tom didn’t mind being left home every now and then, she liked it as it kept her grounded. More often than not, Danny would take her on tour with the band, just so they didn’t have to be apart.

Tom stopped in the sweet aisle, looking at the vast range of confectionary. She’d been craving chocolate all week and as she stood in front of the row of M & Ms, she couldn’t help but reach out for an ordinary bag. She stared at them for a moment and put them into her basket before walking on.

Most of the time, she only got chocolate as a treat for her and Danny when Danny came home from tours or when she’d been working extra hard but today, Tom just wanted to eat the chocolate her and her girlfriend loved so much.

As she reached the check out, Tom picked up the newest copy of Cosmopolitan and put that on the counter with the rest of her shopping. She knew it was a trashy magazine but sometimes they had really good articles in there and even better sex tips. Not that she and Danny ever needed it but it never hurt anyone to read.

Once she’d paid for her items, Tom started the short walk back to her and Danny’s apartment. Danny was due home in a few days, so Tom wanted to make sure they had enough groceries in the house in case Danny just wanted to stay home.

Tom unlocked the door to the apartment and wandered into the kitchen to put the groceries away. She shivered slightly at how cold the kitchen was. She’d have to put the heater on later to warm the place up a little.

Without thinking, Tom took the bag of M & Ms upstairs and put them on her bedside table. She put her phone next to them and made her way into the bathroom. It wasn’t late enough to have dinner yet but Tom had been working hard in the garden all morning and she desperately needed a shower but she knew the shops would have been shut if she’d had a shower before going to the supermarket.

Undressing, Tom turned on the shower and stepped in, sighing as the hot water touched her skin. She washed her short blonde hair first, lathering up the conditioner to sit in her hair while she washed the rest of her body. After shaving her legs and underarms, Tom rinsed the conditioner from her hair.

She dried herself off and wrapped her robe around her body before moving back into the bedroom. She noticed the pack of M & Ms on her beside table and she sat on the edge of the bed, staring at them for a few moments. Giving into temptation, she opened the packet and took one, eating it slowly. She smiled to herself as she cracked the hard shell and the chocolate hit her tongue.

Unable to stop herself, Tom poured a couple more into her hand and lay back on the bed. Eating M & Ms always made her think of Danny and how much fun they’d had with a bag before.

Biting her lip, Tom picked up her phone and sent Danny a text. Lying in bed eating m&ms. Nipples are hard. Can't tell if I'm just cold or if the chocolate is turning me on…

She felt herself flush as she sent the text and she ate some more of the delicious chocolate while she waited for Danny to text her back. The buzz of her phone on the bed next to her made her a little excited and she opened the message. Baby, I can’t wait 2 be back home again. I’ve missed u so fucking much.

Tom smiled and sent a text back, saying that she missed Danny too and put her phone back on the bedside table. She popped a few more M & Ms into her mouth and sighed softly.

She bit her lip as she untied her robe, letting it fall open. She hadn’t been lying when she sent to Danny that her nipples were hard. Though, she was a lot more turned on now than when she had been a few moments ago. She missed Danny’s touch and the way Danny would kiss her. She missed her girlfriend a lot especially at night time when there was no one to cuddle into.

Tom looked down at her body, not really seeing what Danny saw in her but not really thinking about it. She parted her legs and let her cold fingers touch herself. It definitely wasn’t anything like when Danny touched her but she was turned on and she knew she would be until Danny came home.

She gently slipped a finger inside of herself, letting the heat envelope the digit, trying to bring forth memories of her and Danny having sex. She sighed softly, head tilting backwards as she slowly pleasured herself.

Tom was so deep in her memories that she didn’t notice the bedroom door opening nor the figure standing there until the person spoke.

“God, Tom, that’s fucking hot!”

Tom’s eyes shot open and she flushed, covering herself straight away. “Danny!” she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her middle.

Danny immediately stripped off her clothing and climbed onto the bed. “Are you going to let me finish that or do you want to do it yourself?” she asked cheekily.

“Dan!” Tom hissed, cheeks still bright pink.

“Don’t I get a kiss hello?”

Tom sighed and gently reached over to cup Danny’s cheek softly as she kissed her girlfriend. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered.

“I can tell,” Danny teased, kissing her hotly.

Tom allowed Danny to push her back into the bed, kissing her passionately, seven weeks of not being able to touch her girlfriend rushing to the front of her mind.

Danny gently pulled open her robe and Tom felt the cool air touch her skin once more. Danny pulled back after a moment and reached for the bag of M & Ms. She tipped some out onto Tom’s chest and stomach before putting the bag back down.

“Can’t let you have all of the fun, can I?” Danny said with a dirty grin as she dipped her head to take the chocolate into her mouth.

Tom moaned softly, one hand going to the back of Danny’s head, fingers threading into her girlfriend’s curly hair. Danny sucked on each spot the M & Ms had landed and Tom knew she’d be covered in little marks when they stopped.

Danny slowly ate each M & M one by one and Tom knew she was in heaven. No one could make her feel like Danny could. She wasn’t surprised when Danny’s fingers gently started to stroke her and she let out a longing groan when one of Danny’s fingers finally entered her. She’d missed Danny far too much.

Danny kissed her way back up Tom’s chest, sucking lightly on both nipples in turn, causing Tom to shudder slightly. Their lips met again and Tom kissed Danny hotly, not wanting to let her go. Danny’s fingers gently moved inside of her, her thumb moving to stroke her clit and Tom gripped tightly onto Danny.

“Fuck,” Tom whispered against Danny’s pink lips.

Danny smiled and kissed a trail down her neck, sucking on the pulse point lightly. Tom panted heavily, chest heaving as Danny brought her to orgasm. She let out a soft cry as she came, clinging tightly onto Danny.

After a few moments, Danny moved to her lips again and Tom kissed back lazily, completely sated. Danny smiled down at her, leaving butterfly soft kisses over her cheeks and lips.

“Welcome home,” Tom said softly as she looked up at Danny, noticing her lover’s lips had a faint blue hue to them from the M & Ms.

*****

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Rescue

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:33:37 GMT

Title: Rescue
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: PG-15
Genre: Crack!Fic, romance (hints of).
Word Count: 3,503
Pairing: Dougie/Harry
Beta: the_first_chibi ♥
Summary: Rescue; To set free, as from danger or imprisonment; save…
A/N: Dedicated to: oh_mumble for choosing Rescue as their prompt.
A/N2: My two prompt tables are Here. They’re all taken but feel free to check out which ones I have already written by following the links!
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Rescue

Once upon a time, in a far away land lived a young boy. He was in the highest room of the tallest tower in solitary confinement of his chambers. He was no ordinary boy, however, he was a prince. Not only was he a prince but he was also a wizard. He was the most powerful wizard in the entire history… His name was Merlin.

Wait.

No. That’s not right.

Wrong story.

Once upon a time lived a lonely young boy in a lovely and big house. His father had died when he was born and his mother re-married, only to die a short while later. Technically, he was an orphan but his step father had kept him sheltered out of the kindness of his own heart – at least, that’s what Dougie used to think. He knew different now he was seventeen.

He’d been kept prisoner in his own home, treated like a slave and forced to do menial tasks fit for a servant. He had to make sure the house was kept clean and tidy day in and day out, he was to milk the cow at five in the morning every day to make sure his step father and his two step brothers had fresh milk for breakfast.

He would collect the eggs from the chickens they kept out the back yard to make breakfast with as his step father had a fondness for poached eggs. If he was lucky, he was allowed to have whatever leftovers there were.

He didn’t work alone, however. His father had been a wealthy man and had left a lot of money to his wife, who, in turn left it to Dougie’s now step father, much to his chagrin. Matt was always buying Dougie’s step brothers new things. They would always flaunt it around Dougie, making sure he was jealous of what they had.

Dougie had quickly learned to not get jealous as it would only fuel James and Charlie’s taunting. Whenever they would get something new, he would make sure to keep his head down and stay out of their way until they got bored or until he had to make dinner.

Every day was the same. Dougie would wake early, milk the cow, collect the eggs from the chickens, go inside, and make breakfast. He’d spend the remainder of the morning cleaning the first floor of the house, constantly tidying up after his family and be done in time to make lunch.

His afternoons were spent cleaning the second floor of the house and if he had time, he’d get to spend an hour or so reading his favourite books. His step father didn’t know he did this, though and Dougie had to be discreet or he would be severely punished for it. Matt didn’t want him being smarter than James or Charlie. It wasn’t hard though, they were kind of dumb.

Charlie was very self-centred. He had a tendency to stare at himself a lot in the mirror. Dougie thought he was less than beautiful. His eyebrows were so thick it was like they almost took up an entire seat to themselves at the dinner table. James, however, was a bit of an air-head. He liked to sing songs at the most inappropriate of times and would often have a dreamy look on his face whenever he thought no one was watching.

After dinner, Dougie would have to draw baths for his step brothers and when they were all finally ready for bed, he would get a chance to relax himself. It was never very long, though. He would end up in bed around midnight most nights and have to get up at half past four in the morning to make sure things were ready for breakfast at seven.

Dougie didn’t know any better though, he thought all families had one sibling that did all of the work. Little did he know he was very, very wrong.

One morning, the post arrived and Dougie smiled at the mail man as he gratefully accepted the small bundle of envelopes. He skimmed through them, coming to one that was addressed to the entire ‘Poynter household.’ Dougie looked eagerly at the envelope, it looked rather important. He hoped whatever it was included him as well. He had wanted to get out of the house for a bit and stretch his legs, so to speak.

He eagerly went looking for his step father who was sitting out the back under the shade of a large tree, sipping a glass of lemonade. After he’d handed over the post, Dougie hung around to see what it was.

“Dougie, fetch your step brothers for me,” Matt barked at him, taking another sip of his lemonade.

Dougie nodded and scurried inside the house to find his step brothers. As he assumed, Charlie was standing in front of his full length mirror, admiring his reflection. He was posing in ways that made Dougie giggle but he kept it to himself.

“Step father would like to see you in the garden,” he said, interrupting Charlie’s staring contest with himself.

Charlie grunted in his direction and Dougie left the room to find James, knowing that he’d likely be in the garden painting or staring out the window. He relayed the message to the blonde and hurried back down stairs to the garden.

Moments later, he and his step brothers were standing in the garden, waiting for Matt to tell them the news.

“Charlie, James,” Matt started fondly. “We’ve been invited to the Prince’s ball!”

Charlie’s chest immediately puffed out and James smiled dreamily.

Dougie smiled eagerly at Matt, waiting to hear that he was included too.

“Yes, yes, this is excellent news,” Matt mused, looking over the invitation in his hands. “This is our chance to get you married to the Prince, Charlie!”

Dougie blinked. Charlie? he thought. Charlie wasn’t even gay! What was Matt thinking?

“Step father,” Dougie began shyly. “Am I invited?”

Matt looked at him for a moment before bursting out laughing, soon followed by Charlie and James.

“You?” Matt scoffed. “No, dear boy, you’re not invited.”

“But –” he started only to be cut off immediately by Matt’s glare.

“This invitation doesn’t include servants,” he said icily. “Now, a refill, please.”

Dougie felt his heart sinking ever so slightly in his chest as he took the empty glass from his step father’s hand and moved inside the house again. He knew he shouldn’t be so disheartened about not going to the ball but he was so eager to get out of the house. The only times he really was allowed out into the world would be whenever Matt ran out of something and desperately needed something from the market right there and then.

Heaving a sigh, Dougie took the fresh glass of lemonade back to his step father and proceeded to do the rest of his daily chores.

Dougie had just finished serving dinner when Matt called him over. He swallowed thickly, hoping nothing was wrong with his step father’s meal.

“I’ve thought about you coming to the ball,” he started not bothering to look at Dougie. “If you complete all of your chores, you may go.”

Dougie couldn’t help the wide grin that spread across his face.

“But father!” Charlie exclaimed. “You can’t let him come! He’ll ruin everything!”

“I said if he finishes his chores,” Matt replied, a small smirk playing on his lips.

Dougie didn’t even care that Matt was taunting him, he was too elated about the idea of going to the ball. He’d always wanted to see what it was like at the Prince’s castle. He’d often heard about how perfect it was and he wanted to see what the expansive gardens were like. Surely they were better than the ones here.

That night, Dougie was trying to find something to wear for the ball the next night. He rummaged through an old trunk his father had left up in the attic, and coincidently Dougie’s bedroom.

He finally found what he was looking for – his father’s tuxedo, the one he wore when he married Dougie’s mother. He beamed and immediately tried it on. It was a little big on him as he was quite small but he could alter it before tomorrow and have a perfect outfit for the ball!

Matt’s voice calling him disturbed his train of thought and Dougie sighed, taking off the tuxedo, carefully putting it back in the trunk. He ran down the stairs and was given a whole new list of chores to do. With his mind on the tuxedo upstairs, Dougie set about doing his chores.

It was nearly two in the morning when Dougie was finally finished. He had to complete all of his regular chores as well as help his step brothers prepare for the ball. They needed some alterations in their outfits and Dougie was the only one in the house that knew how to work a needle and thread.

Yawning, Dougie fell onto his bed. He gave the trunk a longing look and decided he would have to alter his tuxedo in the morning.

Unfortunately, Dougie slept in. It was six am by the time he woke up to the sound of his step father bellowing. He felt panic rising in his chest as he quickly dashed down the stairs to collect the eggs from the chickens.

His step father was not happy when breakfast was late. He kept giving Dougie unimpressed looks and Dougie mumbled his apologies, knowing it wouldn’t do any good anyway.

Charlie complained that his eggs were too runny and that there wasn’t enough milk in his cup of tea. Matt looked at him with such a look of disdain that Dougie felt his shoulders slump. He moved into the kitchen, out of their way and to wash the dishes.

The day went much too fast for Dougie’s liking, he didn’t get any spare time to himself to alter his tuxedo. He had to help bathe his step brothers, do their hair and polish their shoes several times until they were to Matt’s liking.

It was seven in the evening before Dougie knew it and he had half an hour to get ready himself.

With a heavy heart, Dougie headed up the stairs and pulled out his father’s tuxedo. He tried it on again, hoping to get by with a couple of safety pins in the hems of the trouser legs. The rest would just have to be big on him, he decided.

As he changed into the tuxedo, he noticed that there was something severely different with the entire thing. There was a large rip right across the back of the jacket and there were several holes in the legs of the trousers and his shirt was missing several buttons.

Aghast, Dougie ran down the stairs in the torn outfit, tears prickling his eyes. He stopped as soon as he spotted his step father, who just looked at him like he was lower than dirt.

“What on Earth are you wearing?” Matt asked, turning his nose up at Dougie’s clothes.

“This was in perfect condition yesterday!” he all but sobbed.

“Clearly not,” Matt replied.

Charlie snorted softly and Dougie felt the tears spill from his eyes.

“This was my father’s tuxedo!” Dougie cried.

“No use crying over spilt milk, Dougie,” Matt said. “Our carriage is here, try not to get to bed late tonight, I want my breakfast on time tomorrow.”

With that, his step father and step brothers left the house. Their laughter filled the night air and Dougie burst into a fresh round of tears. There was no way he’d get to the ball now! He had no tuxedo and no way of getting there.

He ran out into the garden, collapsing on the stone bench near his favourite fruit tree, sobbing loudly.

There was a flash of light and Dougie looked up through tear stained eyes. He sniffled as he took in the figure before him.

“Hello?” he asked timidly.

“Wow, what a landing!” came a voice from inside the light.

Dougie curled into himself slightly, not sure what was going on. “W-who are you?” he asked a little shakily.

The blonde male in front of him smiled widely, causing a dimple to appear in his left cheek. “Who am I? Jeez, do you kids get told anything these days? I’m Tom, your fairy Godmother!”

Dougie sat, mouth agape. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t understand…”

“I. Am. Your. Fairy. Godmother.”

“But you’re a male, aren’t you?” Dougie asked shyly.

“Point,” the blonde male in front of him said. “I guess I’m your fairy Godfather then,” he amended. “Though I do like being a Godmother more…”

Dougie blinked. “I don’t understand why you’re here,” he said.

“I’m here so you can get to the ball!” Tom exclaimed and he pulled a wand with an oddly shaped star on the end of it. “Right, let’s get this party started!”

With a flourish of his sparkly wand, Dougie’s fairy Godmother, uh, father, made a carriage appear out of thin air as well as a horse to tow it. Dougie couldn’t help but smile at the magic being performed in front of him.

After a few more swishes of his wand, Tom smiled, putting his hands on his hips to happily observe his handiwork.

“All done!” he said happily. “Right, now, off you go!”

“But, fairy Godmother, I don’t have anything to wear to the ball… My step brothers ruined my father’s tuxedo,” Dougie said standing properly for the first time since coming out into the garden.

“Oh dear!”

Out came the wand again and Dougie felt his skin tingling at the sensation of the magic being worked around him.

He looked down at his new outfit, complete with gorgeous glass slippers.

“Sorry, it’s the only thing I had left,” Tom apologised. “At least they’re flats!”

Dougie smiled happily. “I love them!” he replied twirling happily. He approached the carriage and looked in it’s side view mirror. “I’m blonde!”

Tom smiled. “I thought it’d be a nice change from the broody look you were supporting.”

Dougie stepped back and hugged his fairy Godmother tightly. “Thank you!”

Tom’s cheeks went a little pink. “Be sure to leave before midnight though, as the spell wears off at twelve on the dot.”

Dougie nodded and got into the carriage. “Thank you again, fairy Godmother!” he called as the horse trotted off towards the Prince’s castle.

A while later, Dougie pulled up at the castle and he got out of his carriage. He gently stroked the horse’s mane and headed up the grand stairs to enter the ballroom.

He couldn’t see passed some people since he was shorter than most but he heard the happy chatter of so many people hoping to become the Prince’s husband or wife.

Dougie moved to the refreshment table and picked himself up a drink. He nodded his head along with the music and kept an eye out for his step family, hoping they didn’t see him and send him back home.

“Father, I haven’t found anyone suitable, please let me be!”

Dougie looked up just in time to be almost bowled over by a really handsome looking male.

“Sorry!” he immediately sprouted.

“It’s quite alright,” the soft voice replied.

Dougie looked up into the bluest eyes he had ever seen. He felt his cheeks heat up when he realised the other male hadn’t let go of him yet.

“I don’t believe we’ve met?”

Dougie shook his head. “No, we haven’t. I’m Dougie.”

“Nice to meet you, Dougie,” the other male said. “I’m Prince –”

“Charming,” Dougie breathed.

The male chuckled. “Not quite,” he said with a smile. “It’s Harry, actually.”

“Sorry, your highness,” Dougie said, bowing his head.

“Would you care for a dance?”

Dougie looked up, eyes widening. “I… uh… sure.”

“Fantastic!”

With that, Prince Harry took Dougie’s hand in his own and led him into the centre of the dance floor before pulling him into his arms as closely as possible to dance.

Dougie could feel the eyes of everyone in the entire ballroom on them and he felt his cheeks heat up once more.

“Why don’t I know you?” Prince Harry asked.

“I, uh, I don’t get out much,” Dougie replied.

They danced and danced, ignoring the whispers of everyone around them. It wasn’t until Dougie heard the first chimes of the grandfather clock did he realise the time.

“Oh no!” he exclaimed, pulling out of Prince Harry’s embrace.

“Where are you going?” Prince Harry exclaimed as Dougie rushed off.

The tittering of the crowd grew louder as Dougie headed for the exit. He had to get out of there and fast. There was no way Prince Harry could see him in his ragged clothes!

In his haste, one of the glass slippers fell off Dougie’s foot, staying put on the stairs which he rushed down. He kept running, knowing it was no use getting into the carriage, it would only disappear beneath him before he would have time to get home.

It took him a short while to get home. Luck seemed to be on his side for once, none of his step family seemed to be home yet, something he was grateful for. He quickly headed up to his attic bedroom and stripped of his now again rags.

The only thing that didn’t seem to have changed back was the other glass slipped on his foot. He took it off and carefully placed it his bedside drawers, hoping no one would find it.

That night, Dougie dreamed that Prince Harry came and found him and rescued him from being a servant to his horrid step family.

Morning came all too soon for Dougie’s liking and he was quite surprised to see his step father awake already. He checked the time, seeing it was only just gone four thirty. He wondered why Matt was awake but didn’t want to ask so he started on his chores straight away.

Once he had collected the eggs, all seven of them carefully lain in the basket, he headed back inside.

Matt gave him a suspicious look as he walked passed and into the kitchen. Surely he couldn’t know it was him at the ball, could he?

Just as Dougie had served breakfast, there was a knock on the door. Dougie was surprised to see Danny, Prince Harry’s best friend and the Grand Duke at the door.

“It is by request of Prince Harry that he find the owner of this glass slipper,” Danny the Grand Duke started. “All occupants of this home are to try it on to see if they are the chosen one.”

Dougie felt his heart start to beat faster in his chest as he stood listening to the Grand Duke. He opened his mouth to say that it was he who owned the slipper when his step family burst into the hall behind him.

“Do come in, sir,” Matt said making a wild gesture for the Grand Duke to enter.

The Grand Duke followed by Prince Harry stepped into the hall and Dougie could hear Charlie and James tittering from in the living room.

The Grand Duke knelt before both of Dougie’s step brothers and tried the slipper on their feet. The slipper just about fell of James’ foot when he tried it on and Charlie could barely get his foot into it.

Dougie felt the Grand Duke look expectantly at him. “Take a seat, young man,” he said gesturing to the now vacated seat.

The next moment happened very fast, Dougie took off his tatty old work shoes and looked up just as Matt bumped into the Grand Duke. The glass slipper fell from the cushion it had been sitting on and shattered all over the ground.

“No!” Prince Harry cried.

Matt gave Dougie a very smug look and proceeded to fawn over Prince Harry who batted him off with a hand.

“Perhaps this will help?” Dougie said softly, pulling the other glass slipper from his pocket.

Prince Harry’s eyes widened dramatically and Danny the Grand Duke smiled, taking the glass slipper from Dougie and slipping it easily onto his foot.

“A perfect fit, sire,” he said.

Dougie smiled as well, admiring the shoe on his foot.

“Dougie?” Harry whispered breathily.

Dougie stood and nodded. “It’s me, Prince Harry,” he replied.

The next moment, Dougie felt himself being swept up in Prince Harry’s arms in a tight embrace.

“I am so glad I found you!” Prince Harry exclaimed happily.

Dougie smiled at him. “Thank you for looking,” he whispered.

Prince Harry’s lips met his in a loving kiss and Dougie knew that his step family were watching on with rage, not able to do a thing about it.

“Come, Dougie,” Harry said. “We have much to organise, we’re getting married in three days!”

With that, Dougie left the house and his step family behind, glad his prince had finally rescued him.

*****

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Best Laid Plans

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:14:47 GMT

Title: Best Laid Plans
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: PG-15
Genre: Romance
Word Count: 978
Pairing: Danny/Ant
Summary: Danny didn’t plan to fall in love but it happened anyway…
A/N: This has been sitting on my hard drive for a while since people claimed to have pictures of Danny and Ant kissing – which I still have not seen. It’s about time I posted it. And frankly, it needed to be written.
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination.

Best Laid Plans

It wasn’t planned.

Some of the best things aren’t planned but this certainly wasn’t planned at all. Danny Jones had always thought of himself as a straight man. All of the ‘I want to open a fit girl’s legs’ comments at Christmas time still held true… Somewhere in the back of his mind they probably did. He probably wouldn’t have ever even entertained the idea of calling himself gay. He still wouldn’t ever call himself gay. Even though the evidence would quite point out the opposite.

Danny had always believed there would never be a time where he would feel comfortable with a guy in any way he’d ever been with a girl before but he was rapidly being proved wrong.

The notion that he could be like this with a guy was quite new to Danny and he wasn’t sure exactly what he was supposed to do. All he knew that the warm, hard body pressed up against his side felt more comfortable than anything he’d ever felt before. Especially since they were awkwardly squashed together on the couch.

The gentle thrum of the other male’s heart against his side was somewhat comforting to Danny’s sleepy mind and he felt himself smiling at it.

When he really thought about it, he should have seen the signs a long time ago. Everyone in the band was paired up except him. Ever since the Laura incident, Danny had been single and he had been quite content to stay that way. They say you find love in the strangest of places.

Danny wasn’t sure exactly what this was, though. As he looked down at the brunette pressed against him he wondered exactly what his feelings were. He knew he and Ant had always been close, their friendship was sort of ‘on and off’ at the best of times. They’d known each other for a long time but as Danny looked back, he always noticed the brunette was there whenever he really needed him.

He was there when Danny broke up with Olivia, he was there through the Laura situation and he was there afterwards, helping Danny pick up the pieces of his messed up life.

Now, he was there in a way that Danny never even imagined.

He should have caught on sooner but Danny wasn’t the smartest of people when it came to the obvious. He had thought of Ant as a close friend but he was certain now that there was no way he was just a close friend.

As always, it happened in a moment of drunkenness. It was always a moment of drunkenness with Danny, it’s where he got his courage from. He knew he had a slight problem but Ant didn’t make a show out of it like his previous girlfriend’s had. Ant helped him to control the amount he drank and he seemed better for it.

Danny had been alone, as he always seemed to be lately and he called up his friends to see what they were doing. Tom had plans with Giovanna and his secret project. Dougie had been busy giving Frankie flowers on stage and wasn’t able to come over and keep him company and Harry was spending a rare night with Izzy, something Danny knew he scarcely got these days so he wasn’t too bothered.

Ant really should have been his first choice in someone to call to have a good night with but he had just seen the other male that morning and didn’t want to impose. Ant had told him not to worry about that as he had no plans and soon after Ant got to Danny’s house, they were ordering pizzas and drinking beers while watching a footy match on the television and yelling at the screen.

It had been a good night, something Danny wouldn’t have expected less from. They wound up on the couch, each nursing a beer and babbling about nothing in particular when Danny had noticed how pink and inviting Ant’s lips looked. His mind didn’t even process what was happening until moments later when the pair were kissing.

There was no sudden pulling back, gasps of horror or embarrassment, it was only a realisation that he could have been doing this for so much longer if he’d ever given himself the chance.

His beer was taken from his hand and placed on the coffee table and Ant’s hot mouth was on his again, kissing him roughly. Danny remembered thinking it was so unlike kissing a girl. And in that instant, he knew what he had been missing for so long.

His hand fisted into Ant’s short brown hair and he let out a muffled moan as they fell back into the couch, squashing each other in the process. It took a moment to get comfortable but Danny didn’t mind the awkwardness. There was no ‘ouch, Danny, that hurt!’ coming from Ant when he held him a little too tightly. There was no high pitched girly squeal when Danny pressed closer to Ant and there was no stopping half way through to talk about something that could have waited until later. It was passionate and rough and everything Danny had never imagined before.

Danny looked down as Ant shuffled against him and he watched as the brown eyes came into view. He felt relieved when Ant smiled and curled back into him, closing his eyes again, one hand coming to rest on Danny’s chest, fisting into his shirt slightly. Danny didn’t even mind that his leg was going slightly numb from the pressure of another body lying on it.

He never would have thought about being with a guy before but he realised it kind of made sense when he really thought about it.

It wasn’t planned but it certainly wasn’t something that Danny was going to change anytime soon.

*****

Comments are ♥

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 23:14:21 GMT

Title: Next
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: PG-15
Genre: AU
Word Count: 5,310
Pairing: Tom/Harry
Summary: In a world where Harry has been lied to for so long, it takes a blind man to make him see the truth…
A/N: Dedicated to: hidden_angel_07 for choosing Next as her prompt.
A/N2: My two prompt tables are Here. They’re all taken but feel free to check out which ones I have already written by following the links!
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Next

As Harry Judd walked into the restaurant, he could hear the pleasant sound of someone playing the piano. He always had a soft spot for the piano, finding it a graceful instrument that always tugged at the right emotions within him. He smiled as he was approached by a young woman asking him if he had a reservation. She kindly flagged down a waiter who showed Harry to his table.

“Nice of you to finally show up, Judd.”

Harry sat down, looking across the table at his boss. “Sorry I had a little car trouble,” he responded coolly.

The blond smirked. “Sure you did,” he said picking up his menu. “Who was he this time?”

“Dougie!” Harry exclaimed a little louder than he had anticipated. “Sorry, sir but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Dougie smirked again and picked up his menu. “What shall we have tonight?” he mused, looking over the contents.

Harry picked up his own menu and scanned it, eager to find something that would suit his tastes. He had never been to this restaurant before and Dougie had insisted on it. If Harry was going to receive this promotion, he was going to do everything and anything to keep his boss happy.

“Mmm, I think I’ll have the chicken stuffed with avocado and beans,” Dougie said setting his menu down. “It sounds delicious.”

Harry scanned his menu once more. “I think I’ll be going with the steak and mushrooms tonight.”

Dougie nodded. “Good choice,” he said and he flagged down their waiter.

As Dougie placed his order, he requested a bottle of red wine for the table and a pitcher of water. The waiter scribbled down their order and scurried off to the kitchens.

“So, Mister Judd,” Dougie started, folding his hands across the table. “I’d love to hear your thoughts on the pianist playing here tonight.”

Harry swallowed thickly, thinking Dougie had been about to ask him about his proposal. He listened carefully for a few moments and nodded slowly. “I think it’s wonderful,” he started. “Whoever is playing certainly has talent.”

Dougie smiled and held out his glass as the waiter came back with their red wine. “I was thinking of hiring him for the opening of the show next month, the one you’re going to be curator for.”

Curator. “Does that mean…?” Harry asked, looking expectantly over at Dougie.

“It does,” Dougie started. “Congratulations, Judd, you’ve got the position.”

Harry beamed. “Thank you!” he said. “But wait, you haven’t even heard my proposal yet…”

“I don’t need to,” Dougie replied. “I’ve been passed your office a lot this last week and I’ve heard you practicing your proposal.”

Harry felt his cheeks heating up a little. “You have?”

Dougie nodded. “Peters never stood a chance,” he added. “I heard from Daphne that he was just going to wing it, he hadn’t prepared at all. He had the audacity to believe that the position should just go to him because of who his father is,” he snorted. “Not while I’m in charge.”

Harry smiled softly as he took a sip of his wine. “Thank you, sir, I won’t let you down.”

“It is going to be a very trying month for you, Harry,” Dougie said after a few moments. “There is so much more that goes into preparing a show that you’ll need to learn in a short time.”

“I assure you sir, you won’t be disappointed,” Harry promised.

“I know I won’t,” Dougie smiled. “I wouldn’t have promoted you if I didn’t believe you could do it.”

Harry couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. “Thank you so much for this,” he repeated. “I can’t express how honoured I am.”

“You don’t have to,” Dougie said waving a hand. “What I want you to do now is approach Mister Fletcher over there playing the piano and ask if he would be so gracious to play at the opening for us. No cost will be spared, mind.”

Harry nodded. “Certainly,” he replied.

“You can do that after our meal, he finishes at ten,” Dougie said picking up his wine glass and raising it. “A toast, to your success, Harry.”

Harry copied Dougie’s actions, raising his own glass. “Thank you.”

Dougie nodded, lightly touching their glasses together in toast. Harry took a long sip, feeling quite giddy inside. He couldn’t believe he had got the promotion. He had been working so hard towards this for over a year and he felt so relieved now that all of his hard work had paid off.

Their meals came and Harry noticed that the food was exquisite. Dougie certainly had taste when it came to dining at restaurants, that was for sure. It didn’t surprise Harry, though. Dougie was always in the know about what restaurants were on the rise and what artists would give him a fantastic exhibition.

Harry had been so grateful to work with him for the last five years. It had been everything he had ever wanted to do. He, hopefully with Dougie’s help, would have his own gallery soon enough. He wasn’t much of an artist but his roommate during university had been and Harry had been putting pieces of his work in shows for years and they had done spectacularly well.

Though Dougie was two years younger than Harry, he was the most sought after curator and gallery owner in Essex. Everyone in the art world wanted their work in his exhibitions, wanted to be in his shows and only the best of the best were granted spots. Harry knew how tough it was to be Dougie and by getting promoted, Dougie was left to do the hard tasks and Harry was left to run things, something he had wanted to do since he started working for Dougie.

As their meal came to an end, Dougie signed the bill, and the waiter left them alone again.

“I’ll expect Mister Fletcher to stop by the office on Monday to sign a contract,” Dougie said, standing. “I trust you won’t have any troubles convincing him to perform for us.”

“No, sir, definitely not,” Harry replied, standing also. He held out his hand and shook Dougie’s professionally. “Thank you again for this, Mister Poynter.”

“No need to be so formal, Harry,” Dougie said with a slight smile. “Anyway, I must be off, Danny will be back soon and I want to be home when he gets there.”

Harry nodded. “Send him my well wishes for the match against Portugal next week.”

“Will do,” Dougie said with a nod before saying his parting good bye and leaving the restaurant.

Harry smiled to himself again and headed for the restrooms. He decided that it was definitely the best day of his life. He had gained almost everything he had ever wanted in the span of a few hours.

As he washed his hands, he looked at his reflection. He could see faint lines near his eyes, proof that he was indeed getting older. He had come so far in the few short years working with Dougie. Each night of hard work, all of the dedication had finally paid off and he couldn’t be happier if he tried.

He almost forgot about asking the pianist if he would perform at their exhibition opening until he heard the old grandfather clock in the main room chime ten. He approached the piano and waited for the pianist to notice him. He frowned as a few long moments went by without so much of a hint of recognition from the other male. It was almost as if…

“Come, Marvin,” came a soft voice from the man standing with his back to him.

Harry looked around, wondering who Marvin was and he noticed a golden Labrador stand up and follow the order.

“Excuse me,” Harry said in a rush.

The blonde head of the male turned towards him. Harry noticed he wore dark sunglasses. Surely he didn’t need them inside? he thought.

“Yes?”

“Are you Mister Fletcher?” Harry asked.

“I am.”

“Hi, I’m Harry Judd,” he held out his hand for the blonde to shake, a little confused when it wasn’t shaken straight away. “I work for Dougie Poynter over at DP Art Galleries.”

The blonde stayed silent and Harry flicked his eyes down at the dog, and he felt things fall into place in his mind.

“Mister Poynter was wondering if you would be so kind as to perform at our new exhibit opening in a month’s time?” Harry continued. “Cost is no object,” he added. “We would love to have you there.”

Tom shifted on the spot. “No, I don’t think so,” he replied before turning away from Harry. “Exit, Marvin.”

Harry blinked rapidly as he tried to process what the other male had said. He quickly followed the other male from the restaurant, catching up with him quickly. “Excuse me.”

Both the male and the dog stopped in their tracks and Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

“May I ask why not?”

“Mister Judd, do you know what your boss does behind the scenes?”

“He runs an art gallery. Several, actually, all across the state,” Harry replied. “I don’t think he has time for a ‘behind the scenes.’”

The blonde chuckled. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m blind, I’m not stupid,” he said. “Mister Dougie Poynter is an activist against people with disabilities gaining rightful work. He thinks we should all be living on government handouts. We’re nothing more than a waste of space to him.”

“I think you have the wrong person, Mister Fletcher!” Harry said passionately. “I’ve been working for Dougie for five years now and I have never heard of such nonsense.”

“You obviously don’t do your work very well, or you would have seen the signs. Even I’ve seen them.”

Harry swallowed thickly. “I don’t believe you,” he said softly.

“I suggest you get educated then, Harry, and find out who you’re really working for.” With that, the blonde commanded his dog to walk them home and left Harry standing dumbfounded outside of the restaurant.

He shook his head after a few moments and asked the valet service to bring his car around. As he drove along the way, he thought about what had happened. He resolved to see if Mister Fletcher was right by looking online when he got home.

A short while later, Harry had a mug of hot chocolate in hand as he sat as his computer, googling his boss. He found nothing straight away but as he scrolled through link after link, he was lead to a very interesting site and he clicked on it, a lump in his throat.

He read the page thoroughly and was slightly disgusted to find that Dougie was everything Mister Fletcher had said. There was even an article with the blonde himself. Tom Fletcher openly spoke against Dougie several times in public forums, something Harry was sure Dougie would have known. Then why, Harry wondered, did he want Tom to perform at their exhibit next month?

Taking a sip of his drink, Harry decided it was probably to make amends. Dougie was a reasonable person. He’d been working for him for five years and he knew Dougie was a good man, he wasn’t everything Tom had said he was. Was he?

That night, Harry went to bed with a headache, not knowing who or what to believe. He reasoned with himself that he would ask Dougie if any of it was true on Monday morning. In the meantime, he would try and locate Tom Fletcher and ask him again if he would play at the show. Dougie wouldn’t be happy if he didn’t get his way, Harry knew that from experience.

~*~

Monday morning found Harry pacing in his office. He had researched all weekend and had found answers he really didn’t like. All of the evidence pointed towards Tom being right and if he was right, then Dougie was really a bad person.

Picking up his coffee and the one he had brought in for Dougie as well, he headed to his boss’ office. He knocked softly on the door and heard Dougie’s voice telling him to enter. Harry stepped into the large office and set Dougie’s coffee on the desk in front of him and he waited while he finished up on the phone.

Once he had hung up from the call, Dougie smiled widely at him. “You’re bringing me good news, I hope,” he said picking up his coffee and taking a sip, letting out a satisfied sigh.

Swallowing thickly, Harry shook his head. “Unfortunately, I’m not.”

Dougie looked up at him, one eyebrow raised. “You’re not? I hope you have a reason to be bringing me bad news, Judd. I don’t want to regret my decision in making you the curator for this exhibition.”

“You’re not, I assure you,” Harry said quickly. “I spoke to Tom Fletcher after you left on Friday evening and he’s refusing to play at the opening.”

It seemed as though Dougie was immune to what he was saying, drinking his coffee and tapping away on his keyboard, eyes fixed on the computer screen in front of him. Harry wiped the sweaty palm of his free hand on his trousers nervously.

“What would you like me to do, sir?” Harry asked after a few minutes of silence.

“I want you to make sure Tom Fletcher is playing on the opening night of the exhibition is what I want,” Dougie said, still not looking at him. “I don’t care what it takes or how much it costs. It is your job to make sure he plays for us, Judd. Don’t disappoint me.”

Harry bit back the sigh he wanted to let out and he left the office, a heavy feeling in his chest. He knew that tone of voice Dougie had with him just then. It was his ‘do as I tell you or you’re fired and will never work again in this industry’ tone.

Harry closed the door to his office and put his head in his hands. He stayed like that for a few moments, unsure of what to do. There was a soft knock at the door and he sat up sharply.

“Come in,” he called.

The door opened and Daphne, the receptionist, poked her head into his office.

“Hi, Daph,” Harry said rubbing his eyes.

“There is a Tom Fletcher at the front desk for you,” she started slowly. “He doesn’t want to stay long but he says he needs to talk to you and that it’s urgent.”

Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. “Send him in,” he said hurriedly. “And I want no interruptions when he’s in here, understood?”

Daphne nodded, her white blonde pony tail bobbing and she left quickly.

Harry stood and straightened his outfit even though he knew it was in vain, Tom couldn’t see what he was wearing anyway.

Moments later, the door reopened and Tom Fletcher appeared with his guide dog, Marvin, Daphne holding the door open for them both. Harry nodded at her and she left. Harry came around the desk and placed his hand gently on Tom’s shoulder to let him know he was there.

“Take a seat, if you wish,” Harry said kindly.

“No, thank you, I’ll stand,” Tom said clasping his hands together over the dog lead.

“Have you come to reconsider?” Harry asked hopefully.

Tom shook his head. “No, I haven’t,” he replied. He then pulled out a manila envelope from the bag he was carrying and brushed his fingers across it. “This,” he said holding it out for Harry to take. “Is a compilation of documents proving my case against your boss. In here, you’ll find everything you need to know in regards to what we discussed the other night.”

Harry quickly opened the folder and scanned the contents. He felt his fingers brush across the Braille on the front and he ignored it, focusing on the documents inside. He dejectedly came to the conclusion that Tom was indeed right. All of this evidence compiled with what he had researched on Friday night after their chat proved that Dougie was really everything Tom had said.

“I don’t know what you want me to do with this information, Tom,” Harry said. “Sorry, Mister Fletcher,” he amended quickly.

“Tom is fine.”

Harry closed over the folder. “I take it you want me to do something in regards to this then?”

“It is your decision to do whatever you wish with the information, Harry,” Tom replied. “I only came to enlighten you on the subject since you seemed dubious when I was talking to you on Friday.”

“I researched when I got home,” Harry admitted. “I came across several articles where you and Dougie had spoken out against each other in public.”

Tom nodded. “Yes, those were quite some time ago, I bet he doesn’t even remember me.”

“What I find strange,” Harry started. “Is that he wants you to play at our opening. You, of all people.”

Tom gave him a soft smile. “Either Dougie knows exactly who I am or he really is in the dark about it, so to speak. I highly doubt the latter though. I’ve never met a man more resourceful than Dougie Poynter. Even if he is barely twenty eight years old.”

Harry blinked. He knew Tom was right, everything he was saying was right and he felt so stuck where he was. He didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what to say. Should he tell Dougie what he knew and risk getting fired or did he tell Dougie Tom was there in the building right now and potentially watch Tom incur the wrath he knew Dougie was so capable of giving?

Going with his gut instinct, Harry knew what he had to do. “I’ll tell Dougie you still refuse to play at the opening and I’ll do my best to find someone else,” he said aloud, even though he knew Tom didn’t need to know.

“Do what you think is best, Harry,” Tom said. “I’ll leave you to it. Come, Marvin.”

Harry held open the door for Tom to exit and he led him to the reception desk.

Once Tom had left the building, Harry heaved a massive sigh. He really was in quite a pickle.

~*~

To say Dougie wasn’t pleased was an understatement. When Harry had told him that Tom was still refusing to play at their exhibition opening, Dougie had thrown a right tantrum. Harry had never witnessed such an outburst before and he was at a loss of what to do. It was only per chance that Danny, Dougie’s lover, had walked in at that exact moment that he calmed down.

Harry had left his boss’ office and the building to escape.

Two weeks later, he was still nowhere near close to finding someone to play at the opening that suited Dougie’s tastes. Even Danny had tried to help find someone but it had been a lost cause.

Harry had his head down as he entered the Starbucks coffee house to order himself his favourite pick me up drink and a blueberry muffin. He reached the counter and he placed his order, smiling at the girl who was serving him.

He felt something brush his arm and he looked up, right at Tom Fletcher.

“Mister Fletcher!” he said automatically.

“I’ve told you it’s okay to call me Tom, Harry.”

“How’d you know it was me?” Harry asked curiously.

“Your aftershave,” Tom replied before placing his order.

Harry was glad that the other male couldn’t see his blush. He graciously accepted his order and decided to wait for Tom as well.

“Do you mind if I join you?” Harry asked.

“Be my guest,” Tom said and they moved to sit at a table. “I thought you would have been at work still?”

“I’ve escaped the office for a little while,” Harry confessed. “It’s been a little hectic lately.”

Tom chuckled. “I can imagine,” he replied. “It’s been a while since I’ve been to any shows but I can still recall what the work behind them was like.”

“You’ve organised exhibitions before?” Harry queried.

Tom nodded. “When I was twenty years old, before I was blind, I helped my father run some of his shows. I was a budding artist; I was going to make it big. What a fool I was.”

“You weren’t a fool,” Harry said softly. “You were young, you had a dream. I remember what that was like.”

Tom smiled sadly and took a sip of his drink. “Dougie was an intern at my father’s gallery. He was there for two years. We knew each other well.”

“You knew Dougie?” Harry spluttered and quickly had to mop up his mess with a napkin.

“I did indeed,” Tom replied. “I also caught him trying to come onto my father one afternoon. He was determined to sleep his way to the top.”

Harry stared at Tom, mouth agape. “You can’t be serious?”

“I’m very serious,” Tom replied. “Though nothing could be done. Shortly after that, I had an unfortunate accident and I lost my eyesight.”

Harry wanted to ask how it happened, it was on the tip of his tongue but his manners prevented him from outright asking Tom what had happened.

“With the trauma of my accident, neither myself nor my father were in a condition to pursue a case against Dougie and he got away with it,” Tom continued. “I’ll never forget walking in on them though. The shock on my father’s face when Dougie tried shoving his hand down the front of my father’s trousers…”

Harry blanched. “I never knew…” he trailed off.

“Of course you didn’t,” Tom said. “No one knew. Except Dougie, my father and I.”

“This isn’t the Dougie I know,” Harry said in a quiet voice. “That’s not the Dougie I’ve worked with for the last five years…”

Tom let out a soft sigh. “I’m sorry, Harry,” he said sincerely. “You shouldn’t have had to find out all of this. Least of all from me, someone you barely know.”

Harry shook his head before stopping, realising Tom couldn’t see anyway. “It’s okay,” he replied. “I guess it is better to find out now than later on when he tries something on someone I might know.”

Tom bit his lip and Harry found himself staring at it. “Tell you what,” he started slowly. “If you haven’t found anyone by next week, I’ll play at the opening.”

“You will?” Harry exclaimed slightly louder than he intended.

Tom nodded. “I will,” he replied with a slight smile. “If you do me one thing.”

“Sure, anything!” Harry said, smiling back.

“I don’t want to deal with Dougie at all, I want you to handle all correspondence between us,” Tom started. “And, I want five thousand a night.”

“Five tho–” Harry cut himself off and then smiled. “Sure. I’ll let Dougie know the terms and conditions.”

Tom smiled and took another sip of his drink. “I like you Harry, you’re a good person.”

“I try,” Harry said, a slight flush creeping up on his cheeks.

~*~

The next week went by and Harry still hadn’t found anyone to play. It was to Dougie’s enjoyment that Harry told him the following Monday morning that Tom had reconsidered and would be playing at the opening show and all of the other shows for the week for them. Harry had taken slight joy in telling his boss Tom’s conditions and he made a note of the shade of red Dougie’s face went so he could tell Tom later.

Harry got in contact with Tom as soon as he could to tell him the news and that Dougie was going to pay him exactly what he wanted per night. He found himself looking forward to seeing the blonde haired male again and it significantly brightened his mood for the rest of the week.

Opening night rolled around and Harry had arranged to drive Tom to the gallery himself to ensure he didn’t come into contact with Dougie if he didn’t have to.

Harry showed Tom to the creamy white grand piano which was situated in the centre of the entrance wing.

Once Tom was seated, Harry moved across the room to get himself a drink before the majority of people started to arrive. He had spent the last four weeks preparing for this night, he needed the glass of wine to calm his nerves.

Harry did his best to keep Dougie occupied for the evening, not wanting to go near Tom and have a potential conflict on his hands. He stayed by his boss’ side for most of the evening, trying not to stray too far away.

As the night wore on, the crowd dissipated and Tom finished playing on the piano. Harry approached him as soon as he was able but still found himself too late. Dougie had got there first, though Tom couldn’t see that.

“Thank you for playing tonight, Mister Fletcher,” Dougie said and Harry gulped, knowing the conversation couldn’t go well.

Harry stopped at Tom’s side and put a hand on the blonde’s forearm, letting him know he was there since he didn’t have Marvin with him. “Tom,” he whispered. “Let’s go.”

Dougie had a strange look on his face as he glanced at them. “Tom?” he repeated. “Never!”

Harry could feel himself breaking out in a cold sweat and he wanted to get out of the building as soon as he could. He couldn’t risk Tom getting upset, especially when he knew how much the blonde male didn’t want to be there in the first place.

“Dougie,” Tom replied coolly.

“It’s been a while,” Dougie said.

“Not long enough,” Tom muttered and Harry was sure only he could hear.

“So, you’re the man I hired for five thousand a night?” Dougie asked.

“The one and only,” Tom replied icily.

Harry tightened his hand on Tom’s arm. “You said you wanted the best, sir,” he said with a nod to Dougie.

“This is true,” Dougie replied, eyes flicking over to Harry. “I suppose this is your doing?”

“Me?” Harry balked. “You wanted Tom to play.”

Dougie tutted and Harry could feel the heat rising up his neck. This was not a good sign. “Harry, Harry, Harry,” he started. “I only want the best because that is what I am. The best. If I hire someone incompetent, it makes me look bad. And we all know whatever makes me look bad gets cut loose.”

Harry didn’t like where this conversation was going.

“Consider your services in my company finished,” Dougie said pulling on leather gloves. “You can collect your belongings on Monday.”

Harry was stunned. He opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish as he watched Dougie walk away.

“Harry,” Tom said softly. “Come on, we’d better go.”

Harry nodded dumbly and took his hand off Tom’s arm so the blonde could pull out his retractable cane, opening it fully.

Harry guided them to his car and unlocked it. He opened the door for Tom and made sure the blonde got in okay.

Once he was seated in the driver’s seat, Harry let out a low sigh, hoping Tom wouldn’t have heard it.

“Are you alright?” Apparently not.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Harry lied smoothly. “Let’s get you home.”

Tom’s hand fell to rest on his arm and Harry impulsively looked at him. “I’m sorry.”

Harry gave him a sad smile. “It’s not your fault,” he whispered. “I made him look bad.”

“You did no such thing,” Tom replied. “Dougie Poynter is an evil, manipulative little slut who doesn’t care if he is in the wrong as long as no one finds out. You didn’t do anything wrong, Harry. Don’t believe a word he said.”

Harry let out a dry chuckle. “Five years, Tom… Five years.”

“I know,” Tom replied. “Five years is a long time to be lied to, by anyone let alone your boss and someone you cared about.”

Silence filled the car for a few long moments and Harry tried to regain his thought pattern. He didn’t want to think of Dougie and his lies and how Tom was right. He didn’t want to think that he’d been lied to for so long. He didn’t even know what he was going to do now.

Thoughts whirred through Harry’s mind and he felt his strength crumbling. He couldn’t cry in front of Tom. He couldn’t put all of his problems on the blind man sitting next to him.

Tom’s hand slipped down his forearm and he took Harry’s hand in his own, holding it carefully. Harry looked up at him, feeling the tears prick at his eyes.

“I’m sorry you had to find out what Dougie is really like on your big night,” Tom started. “To be honest, he doesn’t deserve your talent.”

“I’m not that talented,” Harry mumbled.

“On the contrary,” Tom said. “I may not have been able to see all of your work but I know the dedication you put into this exhibition and I do hear people talking while I play, you know. Every single person that walked by my piano tonight couldn’t stop complimenting the work you did.”

Harry felt his cheeks heat up. “They did?” he asked a little self consciously.

Tom nodded. “They did,” he replied. “And with talent like yours, I am positive my father would hire you in a heartbeat. Especially once I tell him how fantastic you are.”

“You – I… Really?” Harry stammered.

“Harry, your passion and dedication will be a fantastic asset to my father’s business,” Tom said. “I’ve already told him a lot about you. He’d been planning to fish you out as soon as the exhibit was done anyway.”

Harry didn’t know what to say. Tom’s father was the most highly regarded man in the art industry if there ever was one.

“He was there tonight,” Tom continued. “He stopped by my piano when you were getting Dougie some refreshments. He loved everything you did.”

Harry couldn’t stop the smile that formed across his face. “I… Wow. I didn’t know.”

“He’s secretive like that,” Tom grinned. “So, will you take the offer when he calls you on Monday?”

Harry nodded vigorously. “Of course I will!”

“See, Dougie was doing you a favour in firing you,” Tom commented after a short while of silence. “Now you don’t have to feel bad for quitting.”

Harry chuckled. “One door closes…”

“And two doors open,” Tom finished.

“What’s the other door then?”

Tom shifted slightly, a little closer and brought Harry’s hand up to his lips, kissing the back of it softly. “This, if you like,” he whispered.

Harry nodded and squeezed Tom’s hand gently in response before kissing the other male tenderly on the lips. He felt his eyes flutter closed and he saw stars on the backs of his eyelids. He momentarily wondered if that was what Tom saw all of the time since he was blind but the thought was cut off when Tom moved closer to him, his free hand cupping Harry’s cheek.

Their kiss was heated and it ended far too soon for Harry’s liking. He felt his breath coming in short gasps and could tell Tom was the same. He pressed one more kiss to the blonde’s lips before pulling back completely.

Tom bit his lip softly and Harry openly stared this time, eyes trained on the blonde’s kiss-swollen lips. A smile flittered across Harry’s face as he watched Tom’s pink tongue flick out and lick where he had just bitten.

Harry gently smoothed his thumb over Tom’s lower lip before kissing him once more.

“What next?” he asked.

“Whatever you want. The world is yours.”

~*~

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Hips

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 08:37:02 GMT

Title: Hips
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1 - Drabble
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Danny/Dougie (pre-slash)
Summary: Dougie becomes rapidly obsessed with Danny’s hips…
A/N: For ichnal as she asked for a quick fic =)
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Hips

There is steam filling the room, thick and hazy and Dougie is sure that Danny’s already finished in the shower but he can hear a soft humming noise which indicates he is clearly still there.

Dougie puts some toothpaste on his brush and sticks it in his mouth, moving it around to clean his teeth thoroughly.

He looks over his shoulder as he hears a noise to his left and he can see Danny bending over, drying off his legs. As Danny stands, Dougie can see droplets of water still on Danny’s back and it makes him stop brushing his teeth for a moment.

Danny slings the towel low over his hips and tucks it in so it won’t fall down and Dougie has to look away quickly and rinse out his mouth of the toothpaste he is just about swallowing.

Danny comes up to the sink next to him and bumps him slightly with his hip and Dougie refuses to blush but doesn’t quite succeed. He turns off the tap when he is done rinsing his mouth and quickly leaves the bathroom, leaving Danny and his wet body behind.

A short while later, Dougie is walking passed Danny’s room and he can see Danny pulling on a fresh pair of jeans, zipping them up. They sit perfectly on him, his hips showing at the top and Dougie swallows thickly.

He had never noticed before how gorgeous Danny’s hips were.

He stands in the hallway, blatantly staring at his best friend’s hips and wishing how he could have them within his reach, wanting to touch them, to kiss them, to caress them.

Shaking his head, Dougie looks up and realises that Danny is staring at him.

The flush covers Dougie’s entire face and his neck and his ears.

“Alright, Dougs?” Danny asks and Dougie just nods, not trusting himself to speak.

All he wants to do is reach out and take Danny’s hips in his hands and just touch them.

Danny pulls his shirt on over his head and suddenly, the gorgeous hips have disappeared from his view. He fights back a groan of disappointment and Danny smiles at him as he walks out of his room and down the stairs.

Dougie’s shoulders slump and he leans heavily against the wall behind him. He shakes his head and walks down the stairs, only to be teased once again as he sees Danny’s shirt riding up as he reaches for something on the top shelf in the kitchen. He bites his lip hard and realises that he is silly for obsessing over Danny Jones’ hips.

*****

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Dance

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:26:23 GMT

Title: Dance
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: PG-15 (for swearing)
Genre: Romance, angst.
Word Count: 9,084
Pairing: Danny/Dougie
Summary: Danny is hospitalised after a traumatic accident resulting in broken legs and a fractured pelvis. As he struggles to regain mobility of his legs, he falls in love with someone unexpected…
Beta: 1950 ♥
A/N: Dedicated to: im_my_own for choosing Dance as her prompt.
A/N2: My two prompt tables are Here. They’re all taken but feel free to check out which ones I have already written by following the links!
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Dance

The starch white sheets crinkled under his skin as he tried to move. He let out a soft groan and bit his lip, trying not to cry out in pain. It was no use, someone heard him and came bustling in moments later.

“Danny, don’t!” the nurse commanded. “You’ll hurt yourself, lad.”

Danny tried to glare at her the best he could as she helped him sit up. “I have broken legs, I’m not an invalid!” he snapped. Though he was quite dependant on everyone else at the moment, much to his dismay.

The nurse clicked her tongue and once he was upright, she left. Danny growled softly under his breath, trying to reach out for his puzzle book that was on the bedside table. After much of a struggle, he finally clasped it in his fingers and yanked it towards him.

Danny Jones hated the hospital.

He had been in an accident, having hit by a car which succeeded in breaking both of his legs and fracturing his pelvis. He knew he would be in hospital for a long time, not something he was going to enjoy in the slightest. Both of his legs had to be operated on as the damage had been severe. They were heavily bandaged at the moment but he knew the casts would come soon enough to help set his bones properly. His pelvis had suffered a severe fracture and would only heal with plenty of rest and no movement, something which Danny despised.

His stay in the hospital wasn’t a pleasant one and he was often poked and prodded at by different doctors who would show their interns around, making him a display rather than a patient trying to heal. His nurses were surprisingly tolerant with him, much to Danny’s surprise. He knew he hadn’t been the easiest patient they’d ever had but they understood his situation and his pain and they were kind. Well, most of them were.

After two months of complete bed rest, his casts came off and he was going to start physiotherapy soon. The extent of damage to the lower half of Danny’s body had caused him to temporarily lose feeling in his legs before his casts were put on, so he had to take extra care when doing everything.

He was going to start doing physiotherapy in the hospital swimming pool to get some small motions back in his legs before he started walking again. Danny was anxious about this. He hadn’t walked for three months or more, and his mind was screaming at him to not, to just stay in bed and be like that forever.

His more stubborn side told the negativity to shut up. He was an active person by nature; he wasn’t going to let two broken legs and a fractured pelvis stop him from moving again.

His first physiotherapy session was scheduled for an hour after he had had breakfast and Danny found himself getting butterflies. He was beyond nervous. The doctors had assured him this was the best course of action, he needed this if he was ever going to walk again and Danny knew they were right. One of his nurses had stayed with him all morning, just making sure he was okay and not going to be sick from the bundle of nerves in his stomach.

The door to Danny’s private room opened and a thin blonde male walked through. He had a nice smile and gorgeous blue eyes that Danny could see straight away. He pulled up a chair immediately and sat down next to Danny’s bed.

“Hi, Danny,” the blue eyed wonder said. “I’m Dougie Poynter, your physiotherapist.”

“H-hi,” Danny croaked out. He frowned at himself and took a sip of water to clear his suddenly dry throat.

Dougie smiled and shifted his clipboard on his knee. “We’re going to start hydrotherapy in the pool today, just for an hour to see how you are physically. Then, each day, for an hour or two, we’re going to up your exercises by just a little until you gain full mobility in your legs and lower half of your body.”

Danny nodded. “Will it hurt?” he asked.

Dougie grimaced. “Unfortunately, it will,” he replied. “I’m not going to lie to you, Danny, this will probably be more painful than the accident itself but it is a necessity if you want to be able to walk again.

“Not that I want to scare you,” Dougie continued. “I just want you to know the amount of work you’ll be doing. We’re going to be doing an early morning session in the pool for the next two weeks and then slowly, we’re going to introduce your body to moving without the help of water. That is going to be even harder than the pool and we’ll probably end up going for an hour and a half every day.”

Danny nodded again. “Okay,” he said softly. “I’m ready.”

Dougie grinned. “Alright, let’s get you into a wheelchair and down to the pool.”

The struggle to get Danny in the wheelchair proved even tougher than he thought. He had to use all of his upper body muscles and they strained in ways he never knew. He hadn’t used the muscles for such a long time apart from bathing and eating.

Dougie was an ever steady hand as he struggled to get into the wheelchair and once Danny was in, Dougie gently patted him on the shoulder and wheeled him out of the room.

The pool was large. It was easily larger than any pool Danny had ever seen before and the smell of chlorine hit his senses as soon as they crossed over the threshold. He smiled softly, excitement joining the nerves bundling in his stomach. If he could do this, if he could persevere, he would be walking soon enough.

Dougie wheeled him over to the wheelchair lift and gently rolled Danny to the side where he put the breaks on the wheelchair.

“I’m going to have to move you to the chair on the ramp, Danny,” Dougie started. “It’s a special one that can be lowered into the water, whereas your wheelchair can’t.”

“Alright,” Danny replied with a nod.

“I want you to hold onto my upper body as tight as you can while I move you, I don’t want you slipping and hurting yourself.”

Danny nodded again and when Dougie gripped him under the arms, he held on for dear life. He ground his teeth as Dougie moved him the three inches to the other chair and he let out a heaved breath as soon as he was stationary.

Dougie smiled at him. “Good work,” he said. “With strength like that, we’ll have you walking in no time.”

Danny smiled back, glad to hear something positive.

Dougie pulled off his shirt and stepped out of his work trousers, leaving him only in a pair of swimming trunks. He stepped next to Danny, one had on the handle of his chair, the other using the controls to gently lower them into the water.

“Now, the water is warm, about thirty three degrees Celsius, just so you don’t get a shock,” Dougie explained. “It will probably feel strange for the first few minutes, since you’ve not been in actual water for over three months, but I’m right here, okay?”

“Okay,” Danny replied, feeling the nerves bubbling again in his stomach.

Once they were lowered into the water, Dougie came to stand in front of him. He rested his hands on both of the arms of the chair and looked him in the eye.

“I want you to keep a hold of me the whole time I move you into the water, okay?” he started. “A colleague of mine will be along in a minute to help with the movements as I won’t be able to hold you the whole session. As you progress it will just be you and I but until then, we’re going to have someone else.”

“Alright,” Danny nodded.

Dougie smiled at him again and a moment later, another male, a little taller than Danny, slid into the pool.

“This is Josh, he’s another physiotherapist,” Dougie introduced them.

“Hi, Danny,” Josh said with a smile that reached his brown eyes.

“Hi,” Danny said meekly. He felt his nerves bubbling even more in anticipation. He knew he needed to do this, knew it was the only way to start walking again.

“Alright, Danny, I’m going to move you into the water now and Josh is going to be right behind you, okay?”

Danny nodded again, unable to speak just yet. He wasn’t sure what to expect and he just wanted it to be over with. Dougie slipped his arms underneath Danny’s shoulders and tugged him forwards a little. Danny felt himself slipping forwards, into the water. It felt strange, just like Dougie had said it would, and Danny shivered as the first licks of water touched his bare feet.

He couldn’t help but smile as he was soon submerged from the waist down in the warm pool. He knew he couldn’t move his legs on his own yet, but he felt so weightless; it was amazing.

He let out a small chuckle and Dougie pulled back a little to look at him, a smile on his face as well.

“You’re doing better than I thought already,” Dougie said softly.

“Thanks,” Danny replied.

“Alright, Josh is going to take your other arm and we’re going to do some gentle exercises to get the first of your muscles moving, okay?” Dougie started. “It’s going to hurt a lot, Danny.”

“I know,” Danny said with a sharp nod. “I’m ready, I want to walk again.”

Dougie shot him a smile and indicated for Josh to take Danny’s right arm. Danny couldn’t help but lay all his upper body weight on the two males, knowing he couldn’t hold it himself. He shot Dougie an apologetic look and Dougie just shook his head, smiling softly.

“Alright,” Dougie said after a few minutes of just standing in the water. “I want you to slowly, and I mean slowly, move your right leg. We’re going to do one leg at a time so your body doesn’t strain itself too much. Then we’re going to move onto your left leg and then, both, depending on your progress.”

Danny nodded again, doing exactly as Dougie instructed him. He could feel the muscles burning all through his leg and up his right side as he moved slightly. He let out a hiss of pain and grit his teeth hard.

“You’re going well, Danny,” Dougie said reassuringly. “Just a little more then we’ll have a rest before going onto your left leg.”

Danny grunted in acknowledgement and followed Dougie’s directions again. He let out a whimper and then shook his head. “That fucking hurts,” he whispered.

Dougie let out a chuckle. “I know,” he said. “But you’ve done so well,” he started. “You’re a real fighter, Danny.”

Danny smiled, eyes locking with Dougie’s blue ones and he felt pride fizzing in his chest. “Thanks,” he replied.

“Okay, we’re going to give you a ten minute break and then we’re going to start on your left leg,” Dougie informed him. “You’re doing really well.”

Danny grunted again as he was put back in the chair with the help of Josh and Dougie. He gripped onto the arms of the chair tightly, not wanting to fall. Once he was in properly, Dougie patted his forearm gently. “I’m just going to get a drink of water, I’ll be back in a moment. Would you like one too?”

“Yes, please,” Danny replied.

Dougie shot him another smile and climbed out of the pool. Danny watched him walk around the outside of the pool before coming to a stop at the water fountain. He looked around, seeing other people just swimming in the pool at the far end. He wondered if they were patients like he was, or workers, like Dougie.

Ten minutes was soon over and Danny was being slipped back into the pool. Dougie laid out clear instructions again, to which Danny followed precisely. He had to bite his lip a few time to stop from crying out in pain. He could do this, he wasn’t weak, he could do this.

Dougie was proud of his progress and told him again as he and Josh helped him back into the chair. With one hand on Danny’s shoulder, Dougie pushed the button to make the chair lift go up again.

“See you later, Doug,” Josh said as a parting message after he had helped Danny into his own wheelchair.

Dougie waved off the other male and guided Danny into the shower block. “So, how do you feel?” he asked.

“Bloody sore,” Danny responded, a smile on his face.

Dougie grinned and helped Danny back out of the chair and onto the small bench directly under a showerhead. “You will be but the pain is worth it.”

Danny nodded. “I know,” he replied. “I want to walk again. I need to.”

“And you will,” Dougie said turning on the shower. “Did you want help getting undressed?”

Danny shook his head. “I think I got it,” he said, moving his swimming trunks down as far as he could. He grunted as he realised he couldn’t get them any further. He looked up and Dougie was already there, helping him out of his clothes. “Thanks,” he whispered.

“That’s what I’m here for,” Dougie replied. He stayed nearby, washing Danny’s back where he couldn’t reach and helping him dry off when he was done.

Dougie helped him into his day clothes, which were better than the hospital gowns he had been living in for the last three months, and then helped him back into his wheelchair.

“Are you going to shower?” Danny asked. “I don’t mind waiting.”

Dougie smiled. “In that case, I think I will.”

Danny sat back while Dougie went into a smaller cubical to shower, not taking nearly as long as Danny had. Soon, Dougie was approaching him again, completely dressed in his polo work shirt and a pair of shorts, showing off skinny legs.

“Very trendy shoes,” Danny teased upon seeing Dougie and the other male laughed.

“They make us wear them,” Dougie replied. “I would choose not to but they’re required.”

Danny chuckled as Dougie wheeled him out into the general hospital. They chatted animatedly until they got to Danny’s room. Dougie opened the door and wheeled Danny in. He helped him into bed and Danny let out a sigh of relief.

“As fun as that was, it’s good to be motionless again,” Danny said.

“I bet,” Dougie replied. He perched on the edge of Danny’s bed, clipboard in hand again. “You did really well today, Danny.”

Danny looked up into clear blue eyes. “It didn’t feel like it.”

“I know it’s hard, and it seems like you didn’t do anything today but you did,” Dougie started. “By actually getting out of bed and into the pool, you did a lot more than you realise. You have a strong will, too, which helps. I am positive that you’ll be walking again in no time.”

“You think so?” Danny asked dubiously.

Dougie nodded. “I am positive.”

Danny allowed himself a small smile. “Thanks.”

Dougie stood, shooting Danny a grin of his own. “Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow then, the same time.”

Danny nodded and Dougie left him alone in the room. Danny looked down at his legs and saw their motionlessness. He frowned at them. He was determined to walk again, that was for certain.

*****

Over the next few weeks Danny made a lot of progress in the water. He could move his legs on his own without too much pain and he could move himself in and out of the chair a lot easier and he, with Dougie’s help, could touch the floor of the pool and walk a few steps. He knew it would be harder on solid ground but he was proud of his development so far.

“Okay,” Dougie said once Danny was in the pool. “It’s just you and me today.”

“Really?” Danny asked. “No Josh?”

Dougie shook his head. “Nope,” he replied. “You’ve proven just over the last week that you don’t need two of us anymore, so it’s just you and I. Hope you don’t mind?”

“No, ’course not,” Danny replied. He was glad it as just he and Dougie. Josh was beginning to get on his nerves; making stupid jokes all the time when all Danny wanted to do was concentrate on his exercises so he could get better faster.

“Alright then,” Dougie started. “Today, I want to see how far you can walk without me holding onto you, okay?”

Danny nodded, feeling good about it.

“I don’t want you to over do it and if you feel like you’re struggling, I’m going to be with you the entire way,” Dougie continued.

After another few moments, Danny started to slowly move forwards, feeling the water helping him move easier. He took a tentative step forwards, feeling Dougie next to him, his hands ready to catch him if he needed it.

The next step Danny took, he faltered and felt Dougie immediately grab him. He gripped onto the strong arms, feeling Dougie holding him steady. He felt foolish, slipping like he did but he knew it was all part of the process.

He felt Dougie coming to stand in front of him. “Are you okay?” he asked immediately.

Danny nodded. “Yeah, just lost my footing is all,” he replied softly, feeling his cheeks heat up.

Dougie gripped onto Danny’s forearms. “It’s okay, you did great,” he replied. “We can rest for a little bit, if you want?”

Danny shook his head. “No, I want to keep going, please.”

Nodding his head, Dougie gently let go of his arms and Danny took another step forward. Much to his surprise, he faltered again and Dougie’s arms wrapped around him once more.

“I think that’s enough for today,” he said softly.

Danny nodded, knowing Dougie was right. He hadn’t expected to falter twice in one session but he knew he had been over working his body a lot the last few weeks in attempts to get better.

He felt Dougie behind him, wet chest pressed against his naked back and he felt a shiver go through him. He reached for the arms on the lift’s seat to help him into it, Dougie’s hands on his hips, helping him the entire time.

“There we go,” Dougie said once Danny was in properly. “How are you feeling?”

Danny grimaced. “Sore,” he replied. “Now that I’ve stopped I can really feel the strain.”

Dougie gently patted him on the arm. “Rest up for the rest of the day. We’ll take it from the top tomorrow; I don’t want to cause you any unnecessary strain.”

“I know,” Danny said. “I thought I could do it.”

Dougie squeezed his shoulder as they moved up out of the water. “You’ll get it soon enough.”

Danny sighed softly. He knew Dougie was right but he didn’t want to wait, he wanted to be able to walk now. Even though it was pretty much impossible for him to get up and walk right now, that didn’t stop him wanting it.

They stopped in the shower block and Dougie helped Danny get undressed as usual. He smiled and turned on the shower.

“It’s my birthday today,” Danny said softly just before Dougie left the cubical.

“It is?” Dougie asked, biting his lip softly.

Danny nodded. “Yeah,” he mumbled.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Dougie asked coming to stand in front of him.

Danny shrugged. “Not really an ideal way to spend my twenty fifth birthday, is it?”

“No, I suppose not,” Dougie agreed.

Much to Danny’s surprise, he stripped and turned on the second shower. Danny tore his eyes away from the blonde’s naked body and tried not to get flustered over the sight. He concentrated on washing as much as he could without looking back over at Dougie.

“We should do something for you,” Dougie said suddenly. “You can’t spend your birthday miserable!”

Danny chanced a glance up at Dougie. “It’s no different to any other day in here,” he replied. “Thank you for the thought, though.”

Dougie pursed his lips but said no more.

After they had finished washing and were re-dressed, Dougie wheeled Danny back to his room.

“Are any family members coming to visit you, at least?” Dougie asked once Danny was in his bed.

“Mum will probably call me, she still lives in Bolton,” Danny replied. “I don’t expect anyone else.”

“Siblings, spouse, grandparents…?” Dougie prodded.

“My sister lives in Manchester, she won’t be coming to see me,” Danny replied. “I don’t have a spouse or anyone in a romantic sense and my grandparents died when I was nineteen.”

Dougie frowned a little. “Well, what about friends?”

Danny flushed awkwardly. “Uh, that’s kind of complex.”

“Complex?” Dougie repeated.

“My friends are, were, mutual friends of my exes and since he was an ass when he broke up with me, I hardly ever see anyone anymore.”

“Yeah, that is complex,” Dougie said softly. “I’m sorry,” he added giving Danny a sad look.

Danny forced out a chuckle. “Don’t worry about it, Dougs,” he said. “I’m used to being alone.”

Dougie opened his mouth to say something else but Danny cut him off.

“It’s okay; I’m going to get a dog when I get out of here. A beagle.”

Dougie smiled softly. “A dog sounds good,” he replied. “I have a chocolate Labrador. I can’t get enough of him.”

Danny grinned. “What’s his name?”

“Flea,” Dougie replied. “Unusual name, I know but it seemed to fit and he loves it.”

Danny let out a chuckle. “Only you would.”

“I know,” Dougie grinned. “You rest up, I’ll see you later, okay?”

Danny nodded. “Alright,” he replied. “See you.”

Dougie shut the door behind him and Danny let out a long sigh. He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, nervously scratching the back of his head. He looked around the room, trying to think of anything but the fact that he had grown attached to Dougie in more than just a physiotherapist/patient kind of way.

In the last month he and Dougie had been spending together, he developed a small crush on the blonde. It wasn’t helped when Dougie was in the pool with him, droplets of water glistening on his chest from the overhead lights. He always got close, close enough that Danny felt the hot breath on his neck, the hands on his waist holding just a little too tight.

Danny knew he was delusional though. Dougie wasn’t interested in him at all. For all he knew, Dougie could be in a very loving relationship with someone else. With a woman even. Though, he did give off gay vibes to Danny.

He tried not to think on it anymore and settled against his pillows for a bit of a rest.

Danny was awoken by his room door opening and a nurse smiling at him. “Your mum is on the phone, love,” she said handing the cordless phone to him.

Danny smiled his thanks at her and nodded. She left and Danny put the phone to his ear. “Hi, Mum.”

“Happy birthday, baby!” she exclaimed happily. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there today.”

“It’s okay, Mum, I understand,” Danny reassured her.

“I know, I know,” she said. “I will be there on the weekend though, to see you properly.”

Danny smiled softly, letting the soothing voice of his mum wash over him. He hadn’t realised an hour had passed until another nurse came into his room, asking if he wanted lunch yet.

Danny finished the conversation with his mum and handed the phone back to the nurse. He said he hadn’t had lunch and as he was about to tell her what he would like his room door opened again.

Dougie stood in the doorway, smiling brightly. “Hey,” he said stepping into the room.

Danny sat up a little. “Dougs, hi,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting to see you until tomorrow.”

“Couldn’t let your birthday go by without a gift,” the blonde replied producing a large bunch of flowers.

Danny grinned. “Wow, Dougie, thank you,” he said softly. He stared in awe at the array of flowers.

“I’ll pop them on the windowsill,” Dougie said moving across the room. He carefully placed them on the windowsill, turning them so they were facing Danny.

“Thank you,” Danny said staring at the flowers still.

Dougie perched himself on the edge of Danny’s bed. “I also got you a small gift,” he added.

Danny’s eyebrows raised. “Dougs,” he started but Dougie held up a hand.

“I wanted to,” Dougie insisted. “It’s not much but I hope you like it.”

Danny picked up the carefully wrapped box and tore into it. He grinned when he saw a beanie, scarf and mug for the Bolton Wanderers. “This is amazing!” he exclaimed.

“I know you like the team and I thought since it’s still cold outside you might like them,” Dougie explained.

“I love it,” Danny replied putting the scarf on. “No offence, Dougs but I’ve not been outside since my accident at New Years.”

Dougie shot him a secretive smile. “Today you are.” He slid off the bed and took Danny’s gifts, setting them on the bedside drawers to his left.

“What?” Danny spluttered, confused. “I can’t go outside!”

“Yes you can,” Dougie replied. “And you are, so come on, give me your hands.”

Danny held out his hands, shaking his head slightly. Dougie helped him into his wheelchair and put the beanie on his head and wrapped the scarf around his neck. Danny couldn’t help but grin as they wheeled out of the room and down the corridor.

He wondered where Dougie was taking him when they stopped at the lifts. He didn’t say a word though. Dougie obviously wanted it to be a surprise. Soon, they were outside and Danny looked around in awe. He hadn’t seen proper daylight since he was brought into the hospital on the day of his accident. He inhaled deeply, smelling the outside air.

“We’re here,” Dougie said pulling up to a table under the shade of a tall tree.

A row of flowers surrounded the tree and Danny smiled. He reached over and touched one gently, letting the smooth texture caress his fingers. He sat back up and Dougie produced a picnic basket. Danny looked at him and gave a chuckle.

“We’re celebrating your birthday properly, Danny, whether you like it or not,” Dougie said pulling out plates of food and setting them on the round table.

It was only a table for two but Danny didn’t mind the size, it meant he could be closer to Dougie. Dougie laid out all of the food and Danny felt his stomach rumble in anticipation. He licked his lips and Dougie smiled at him, telling him to help himself. Danny immediately picked up a sandwich, biting into it. It was definitely better than hospital food, he thought.

They talked over lunch, about Danny’s past birthdays and how he had celebrated them. Danny felt himself relaxing as they slowly made their way through all of the food Dougie had brought.

They were so caught up in their conversations that they lost track of time and it wasn’t until Dougie’s beeper went off that they realised it was nearing three in the afternoon.

“Sorry for keeping you so long,” Dougie said packing away the plates they used into the basket.

“Don’t apologise,” Danny insisted. “That was the best birthday lunch I’ve ever had.”

Dougie smiled, cheeks a little pink. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

Dougie wheeled him back up stairs to his floor. They continued to chat as they made their way down the corridor to Danny’s room. Once inside, Dougie helped Danny back into his bed and as they parted, Danny looked up, locking eyes with Dougie. Their lips were mere centimetres apart.

He flicked his tongue out to wet his lips and saw Dougie’s eyes flicker down to them. Dougie’s own lips parted slightly and Danny felt his breath hitch. Danny tilted his head upwards slightly, wanting Dougie to make the first move but wanting the blonde to know he wanted this as well.

Dougie abruptly pulled away. “Sorry,” he whispered. “H-have a good afternoon, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Danny’s head spun as the door to his room closed shut and he flopped back against the pillows. He ran through the events of the last five minutes with Dougie and he was ninety nine point nine percent sure that Dougie was about to kiss him. What stopped him? Danny’s mind screamed at him. Maybe the blonde didn’t like him and Danny was reading too much into it? Whatever the reason, Danny needed to know because they almost kissed and Danny really wanted it to happen.

He was left to his own thoughts for the rest of the day and until the next morning when Dougie came to get him for his hydrotherapy session. He was eager to see the blonde and was slightly hurt when Dougie seemed a little cold towards him. Keeping it inside, Danny concentrated on his session, pushing himself to his full limits.

When they got to the showers, Danny was exhausted but Dougie didn’t shower with him again. Danny sighed and struggled to dress himself when he heard voices just outside his cubical.

“–having lunch!” the first voice spat harshly.

Danny shook his head, eavesdropping was wrong and yet, when he heard Dougie’s voice, he couldn’t help but listen closer.

“There’s nothing going on!” Dougie responded heatedly. “He’s my patient, Josh, not anything more.”

There was silence for a few long moments and Danny heard a soft “I love you” but he couldn’t make out if it was from Dougie or not.

His ears strained to hear anymore but he heard nothing but a door closing. He turned back to pulling up his trousers, struggling all the while. The door to the cubical opened and Dougie silently moved to help him.

Dougie went to take hold of the handles on Danny’s wheelchair when Danny batted his hands away.

“I can get back to my room myself,” he said, manoeuvring the wheelchair out into the corridor. He felt Dougie walking behind him but said nothing, just keeping on going until he got to his room. He leant forwards, trying to open the door but found he couldn’t quite reach the handle.

A soft sigh came from behind him and Dougie’s slim fingers closed around the door knob, turning it and pushing the door open. Danny huffed and wheeled himself into his room. He put the breaks on as soon as he was close enough to his bed and grabbed onto the bar next to his bed to try hoist himself up. He fought to get up onto the bed but just couldn’t do it himself yet.

Dougie’s strong arms wrapped around him and carefully placed him onto his bed. He hovered close and straightened his bed sheets.

“You can go,” Danny said coldly.

Dougie shot him a hurt look and nodded slowly. “Okay,” he said professionally. “Same time tomorrow, Danny.”

Danny grumpily ignored Dougie and picked up his novel to read. He didn’t know what hurt more, the fact that Dougie had practically ignored him for his entire session or the overheard conversation between Dougie and Josh.

Of all the people, Danny never expected Dougie to be gay with Josh. The guy was a complete and utter idiot in Danny’s mind, always making crude jokes, and he just generally didn’t seem like Dougie’s type.

Dougie liked funny guys, guys that could actually make a joke and not just a crude one. He liked when Danny complimented him about absolutely anything. He liked when Danny would chat to him for two hours after their sessions ended and their lunch together had truly been the best birthday of Danny’s life.

He didn’t understand in the slightest why Dougie was with a jerk like Josh. Shaking his head, Danny put down his book, hoping to have a snooze before lunch.

*****

It carried on for weeks. Dougie was the same as he was the day after Danny’s birthday. Danny moved from the hydrotherapy to physiotherapy that involved him actually standing without the support of water.

He had beams to hold onto, one on each side and Dougie guided him through each time to get Danny moving on his own. He always ground his teeth as hard as he could, not wanting Dougie to see how much he was struggling.

Dougie was always the same. He would collect Danny from his room, take him to his physio sessions and return him, the same routine ever single day.

One day, Danny lost it. As Dougie moved to help him into his bed, Danny practically growled at him.

“I’ve fucking got it,” he snapped, hoisting himself awkwardly onto his bed. He forced his legs to obey him into lying straight and he heaved a breath when he was done. He panted softly and was surprised when Dougie pressed a cup of water into his hand. “Thanks,” he mumbled, taking a long sip.

Dougie turned to go and Danny felt his throat constrict.

“I don’t think you should be my physiotherapist anymore,” Danny blurted out. Shit! he thought. You weren’t supposed to say that!

Dougie looked up at him. “If that’s what you want,” he replied.

Danny glowered at him. “What I want is for you to tell me what the hell I did wrong!” he started. “Ever since my birthday you’ve been nothing but short and cold with me! What did I do to deserve that?”

Dougie had the grace to look ashamed. His cheeks heated up and he finally looked up at Danny. “You’re my patient, Danny,” he said softly. “We can’t have relations of any sort. You know that as well as I do.”

“So? We’ll be discreet!” Danny replied.

Dougie shook his head. “I have a boyfriend,” he added, looking down again. “Another reason why we can’t be together.”

“Josh?” Danny scoffed. “I can’t believe you’re with him of all people. You could do so much better.”

“Danny, don’t,” Dougie said sternly. “My private life is not up for discussion. I am here to do a job and you’re my patient. Either we work through this or I’ll have to see if my manager can assign you another physiotherapist, which will likely be Josh…”

Danny shook his head. “No!” he said heatedly. “I don’t want Josh, I want you, Dougie. I’ve wanted you for the longest time.”

Dougie’s eyes met his and Danny could clearly see a reflection of his own feelings in them. “We can’t,” he whispered.

“We can,” Danny insisted. “We can, Dougie, we don’t have to tell anyone, we can be discreet.”

Dougie shook his head. “I can’t do that to Josh,” he said quietly, leaning closer to Danny.

Danny brought his hand up and stroked Dougie’s cheek softly. “Then the choice is yours,” he whispered, fingers tangling in Dougie’s blonde locks.

Their eyes met again and Danny felt Dougie’s hot breath on his lips. He didn’t move an inch, waiting for Dougie to move first, to confirm this was what he wanted.

Dougie’s forefinger came up and pressed gently against Danny’s lips. “Not yet,” he whispered. “I want our first kiss to be when we don’t have anything holding us back. I don’t want to feel guilty when I kiss you, I don’t want to think of Josh. It’s gotta just be you and me, okay?”

Danny nodded, pressing a kiss to Dougie’s finger. “Okay,” he said, a small smile appearing on his lips.

Dougie brushed his thumb over Danny’s cheek and pulled away, reluctance clear on his face. “Soon,” he promised.

This time, when Dougie left, Danny felt better than he had in a long time.

*****

Danny gripped onto the poles, knowing he could walk by himself once he had let go. He shakily let go of the pole he was holding with his left hand, and let it drop to his side. He took a step forwards, still supporting himself with the other pole. He took another couple of steps and then stopped. He removed his right hand from the pole, flexing his hand slightly and he took a tentative step forwards. He beamed as he took another step forward and another. He felt his legs shaking slightly and he gripped the poles again.

Sweat drenched his back, making his shirt stick to him like a second skin and he used the poles to help move him towards his wheelchair. Dougie had already been with him for his morning session but Danny decided he could put up with the pain of using the physiotherapy room if it meant healing faster. He was determined to be out of the hospital as soon as possible.

Dougie had broken up with Josh two weeks after speaking with Danny, and Danny couldn’t have been happier. They still had yet to kiss, but Danny knew the day was going to be soon. He could feel it.

They had yet to make things with them official as well, and Danny understood Dougie’s reasoning. It would seem strange to anyone that wasn’t them if Dougie was suddenly with someone else after a four year relationship with Josh.

The weeks went on and Danny progressed each day. Some days were tougher than others, but he knew if he endured all of the pain and the emotionally draining aspects, then the outcome was definitely going to be worth it.

He couldn’t wait until he and Dougie were finally a couple, and he could hold Dougie in his arms without the fear of falling over. It was one of the main incentives behind pushing himself so hard.

Danny stood at the poles again a month later, holding them in each hand. He shook his head and let go. He took a small step and smiled when he didn’t fall over and it didn’t hurt too much. He took another and another and soon, he was face to face with Dougie at the end of the poles.

“Well, well,” Dougie said softly. “Look who’s walking by himself now. You’ll be dancing in no time!”

Danny grinned. “It’s because of you,” he breathed.

Dougie shook his head. “No, Danny, this is all you.”

Danny reached up and gently cupped Dougie’s cheek in his hand. “It’s you,” he whispered, lips closing over Dougie’s own soft ones.

Their lips moved against each other’s and Danny all but sighed when Dougie’s tongue touched his for the first time. He let out a small sigh into the blonde’s mouth, not wanting to stop the kiss.

Dougie’s hands came to rest on his hips and Danny felt comforted by the touch. He leant slightly into Dougie’s embrace, not wanting to lose the closeness between them. He felt Dougie moan against his lips and he pulled the blonde closer.

They parted after a moment, breathless with flushed cheeks. Dougie smiled up at him and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. Danny beamed at him and gently squeezed his hip from where his large hand rested.

“We’d better get you back to your room,” Dougie said after a while.

Danny nodded, knowing Dougie was right. He moved slowly to his wheelchair and sat down in it. He felt Dougie’s hand gently touch his shoulder and let him wheel him back to his room.

Once he was next to his bed, Danny stood shakily and carefully lowered himself onto his hospital bed. He shifted until he was comfortable and looked up to see Dougie watching him.

“What’s that look for?” he asked.

Dougie shook his head and smiled softly. He took a step closer to the bed. “You’ve come such a long way, Dan. I’m proud of you.”

Danny smiled. “I wasn’t lying when I said this was all your doing,” he replied. “It was seeing you every day that made me better. Well, almost better.”

Dougie moved closer and placed his hand on Danny’s shoulder. “You have an amazingly strong will, Danny Jones. I had nothing to do with it.”

Chuckling, Danny pulled Dougie closer and kissed him softly on the lips. “Thank you,” he said softly.

“Anytime,” Dougie smiled and kissed him back.

Their kiss was just as good as the first one, though probably more relaxed now that Danny wasn’t struggling to stand upright. Dougie leant slightly into Danny’s embrace, moving to hold one of his hips, his other hand at the base of Danny’s neck.

Danny lost himself in the kiss. He’d been single for far too long and Dougie was exactly the right person for him. He hadn’t felt this comfortable with someone since he left home.

They parted after a short while and Dougie smiled at him. “I’d better go,” he whispered. “I’ve got to get back to work.”

Danny nodded, biting his lip softly. “Alright,” he said. “Will you stop by later?”

“Of course,” Dougie replied. He pressed another kiss to Danny’s lips before leaving the room.

Danny kept progressing each day and as Dougie had said, he would be dancing in no time. Well, he hoped he would. He still struggled each day to get that bit further, to make his legs work. He had a goal to reach now, one that had Dougie as the prize. He was going to work as hard as he could to get it because nothing was going to keep him from that sweet blonde anymore.

Even though each day was a struggle, it slowly got easier as each day went on. He would have a session with Dougie on the morning and he would use the physiotherapy room on an afternoon when there was a small class there, just to make sure he was safe. Each day he felt his muscles burning in his legs but he told himself it was worth it.

Dougie was right when he had said the physiotherapy would hurt more than the accident that caused his injuries but Danny had a strong mind. He wasn’t going to give up and let his injuries rule his life. He needed to walk again, needed to be active again. Although it would be a long time before he could be nearly as active as he once had been, the struggle would be worth it.

Another month passed before Danny was able to walk by himself around the hospital gardens. He loved being outside and Dougie was often with him on an afternoon when he went for a wander. He enjoyed the fresh air and even though he got exhausted quickly, he loved being outside. He would often have to sit down on a nearby bench until he regained enough strength to get back inside the hospital.

Soon enough, Danny was fit enough to be released and he was happily packing his bags, making sure he had all of his clothes, his books and toiletries. He looked around the room that had been his home since his accident over six months ago. He was glad to be leaving but the room held a certain amount of significance to him.

He felt a hand on his back and he looked over his shoulder at the smiling face of his boyfriend. “Ready?” Dougie asked softly.

Danny nodded. “I’m pretty sure I’ve got everything,” he said. He picked up his walking stick which he only needed when walking long distances and soon, he wouldn’t need it at all, and headed for the exit of the room. Dougie was taking him down to the car park where his mother was waiting in her car.

“I’ll see you tonight, won’t I?” Danny asked Dougie as they got out to the car park.

Dougie nodded. “I’ll be there as soon as my shift has finished,” he replied, smiling up at him.

Danny grinned back and kissed Dougie gently on the lips. “I’ll look forward to it.”

“Go, your mum is waiting for you,” Dougie chuckled.

He gently patted Danny on the back and Danny shook his head slightly, curly hair falling into his eyes. He made his way over to his mum’s car. She got out and grabbed him in a massive hug.

“Mum, be gentle!” Danny said with a grin. “I’m still healing.”

“Oh, sorry, sweetie,” his mum replied. “I’m just so happy to see you walking.”

Danny got into the car and waved at Dougie who smiled and waved back. He was so glad to be going home but he knew he was going to miss seeing Dougie every single day.

“I still think you should come back up to Bolton while you’re still healing, Dan,” Kathy said as they turned a corner.

“You know I can’t, Mum,” Danny started. “I’ve got Dougie now, I’m not leaving him.”

“He seems like a nice boy,” Kathy commented. “As long as you’re happy...”

“I am happy with Dougie,” Danny grinned. “He’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a partner. He completes me.”

Kathy looked over at him briefly and smiled. “I’m glad you’ve found love, Danny. After Damon, I wasn’t sure you’d find someone who you loved…” she trailed off.

“Damon was a mistake,” Danny said. “Dougie isn’t. He’s the real deal and he loves me too.”

“I’m glad, you look happier since meeting him,” Kathy commented. “I’m glad.”

Danny just smiled to himself. He wasn’t lying when he said Dougie was the best thing to have happened to him. He found himself sort of being thankful for his accident as it lead him to meeting and falling for the gorgeous blonde physiotherapist.

They pulled up at Danny’s apartment and Kathy took Danny’s bag and carried it inside. Danny was glad he was only on the second floor of the apartment block and that the lifts were always working. He found his keys and unlocked his door.

“Mum!” he exclaimed. “You didn’t have to come and clean in here!”

“Oh hush,” Kathy said waving him off. “Someone had to make sure your flat stayed clean! It’s not like you could have done it yourself, love.”

Danny sighed, he knew his mum was right. He moved to his bedroom and smiled. He was definitely home. His acoustic guitar sat in the corner of his room still, gathering dust, much to his dismay. He set his back pack down on his bed and felt his mum come in behind him.

“I didn’t move anything, I just cleaned up,” she said.

“It’s okay, thank you,” Danny replied. “It’s just good to be home.”

He turned and pulled his mum into a loose embrace, inhaling her sweet perfume. Home was definitely a good place to be. He pulled back after a moment and took the bag from his mum to put a load of washing on. She soon batted his hand away once she realised what he was doing and proceeded to do his washing for him.

Now that Danny was home, he wasn’t sure what to do with himself. When he was at the hospital, he had things to do all of the time. Most of them were his exercises but they kept him occupied. Then there was Dougie, he’d see him usually twice a day, once in the morning for their sessions then he would walk with him on an afternoon around the hospital gardens.

After his washing was done, Kathy said she had to leave and Danny nodded, understanding she had to get back home and to her life.

“My offer still stands, you can come back home anytime, alright?” she said.

Danny nodded. “I will, mum, just not right now, in a few weeks, perhaps,” he replied. “Dougie might want to come up and see where I grew up.”

Kathy smiled and kissed his cheek. “Good boy,” she said softly.

Danny walked his mum out, walking stick in hand. She gave him another hug and a kiss before getting into her car and leaving. Danny waved until she was out of sight and once she was gone, he wondered what he was supposed to do until Dougie got there.

He headed back upstairs and picked up his guitar. He dusted it off and strummed it until he got it in tune. He grinned to himself as he played a couple of songs, feeling the strings cutting into his fingers. It was a good feeling, playing his guitar, it relaxed him a lot.

Danny looked up at the clock a while later and his eyes widened when he realised the time. He tried not to rush around as he knew it would only make him exhausted more quickly but he had an hour before Dougie was going to arrive and he had yet to shower.

He showered as fast and as thoroughly as he could, washing his curly hair as well. He stepped out of the shower carefully, trying not to lose his footing on the wet tiles. He would have to invest in a proper shower mat for inside the shower and one for outside so he didn’t slip and fall.

Drying off, Danny looked up into the mirror and shook his head, sending droplets of water flying everywhere. He chuckled before tying the towel around his waist. He grabbed his razor from the cabinet and his shaving crème. He lathered up the foam on his face and carefully shaved at his stubble.

When he left the bathroom, he had fifteen minutes before Dougie was due to arrive and he felt butterflies in his stomach. He got dressed slowly, not wanting to hurt himself and he slipped his feet into his dress shoes. He hoped he wasn’t overdoing it when he sprayed some of his cologne on. Biting his lip, he shook his head, Dougie wouldn’t mind the effort he was putting into everything.

It was their first proper date, apart from on his birthday but he didn’t count that as Dougie was still with Josh then. He wanted everything to be perfect. He had ordered food ahead of time and when the doorbell rang, he was relieved to see that it was the delivery boy with the Chinese he had ordered, and not Dougie.

It wasn’t long before the doorbell rang again and Danny made his way across his living room to answer it. He straightened his outfit and ran a hand through his slightly damp hair before opening the door.

Dougie smile up at him as he opened the door and Danny couldn’t help but smile back. Even though he had only seen the blonde that morning, it seemed like a lot more time had passed.

“Hi,” Danny said shutting the door behind his boyfriend.

“Hi,” Dougie echoed. “I brought wine,” he said holding the bottle out for Danny to take.

Danny smiled and gently took the bottle. He leant forwards and pressed a soft kiss to Dougie’s lips. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

“I’ve missed you too,” Dougie replied. He kissed Danny again for a few moments longer before pulling back.

“Dinner’s ready,” Danny said after a moment. “I ordered in, I hope you don’t mind?”

“Not at all,” Dougie replied following Danny into the kitchen.

Dougie sat down at the table and Danny poured them a glass of wine each before serving up their food. He sat next to Dougie and raised his glass.

“A toast,” he started. “To getting out of hospital in one piece.”

Dougie grinned. “I’ll toast to that,” he said, clinking his glass carefully against Danny’s own.

They chatted as they ate their dinner and Danny relaxed, the wine warming his insides, and Dougie warming his heart. Danny knew he had fallen hard for the blonde but he didn’t mind it at all. Dougie was something special and he was glad to have met him.

“Did you want dessert now, or after?” Danny asked as they cleared their dishes.

“How about after?” Dougie suggested. “I’m a little full from dinner.”

Danny smiled. “After it is,” he replied with a nod.

Danny took Dougie’s hand in his own and pressed a kiss to the back of it. Dougie grinned and took a step closer, locking his arms around Danny’s middle. He pressed a kiss to Danny’s chest through his shirt and Danny felt his heart speeding up at the touch.

“I’ve got something to show you,” Danny said after a while.

Dougie looked up, curiosity etched onto his face. He smiled when Danny took his hand and lead him from the kitchen into the living room.

Danny let go of Dougie momentarily while he went over to his stereo. He switched it on and put in a CD that started playing soft, flowing music. He took Dougie’s hands in his again and pulled him close. They moved around the room together slowly.

“You were right,” Danny said.

“About what?” Dougie wondered.

“You said I’d be dancing in no time,” Danny continued. He twirled Dougie on the spot before pulling him flush against him. “Because of you, I am.”

Dougie smiled up at him and cupped Danny’s neck. He pulled him in for a long kiss as they danced slowly around the room.

In Dougie’s arms, Danny didn’t need to worry about falling over because the blonde always had a tight hold on him. Danny knew that Dougie was always going to be there to dance with him.

“I love you,” Dougie whispered as they parted, eyes shining in the dim light.

Danny felt his heart skip a beat. “I love you too,” he replied. “I’m so glad I met you.”

“I am too,” Dougie said. He gently stroked Danny’s upper arm. “I think you’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”

Danny pressed another kiss to Dougie’s lips. “I’m glad,” he replied. “I know it’s silly but I’m sort of thankful for having that accident. If I hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here now.”

Dougie nodded. “It was fate, definitely,” he said softly.

Danny grinned and pulled Dougie tighter to him. They kissed again, losing themselves in the other’s touch, in the way their bodies swayed as one to the beat of the music in the background.

*****

Comments are ♥

Cake

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:01:25 GMT

Title: Cake
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: PG-13
Genre:
Pairing: Tom/Danny
Summary: It’s Tom’s last day of school, he’s now free to be with Danny…
A/N: Dedicated to: fatal_labyrinth for choosing Cake as their prompt .
A/N2: My two prompt tables are Here. They’re all taken but feel free to check out which ones I have already written by following the links!
This story is the sequel to First. It will help if you read that first.
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Cake

It was Tom Fletcher’s last day of high school. It was over, completely over. He breathed a sigh of relief as the school bell rang for the last time in his secondary education. He looked around and caught the eye of his best friend, Dougie Poynter. The other male smiled at him and they exited the classroom together.

“That’s it,” Dougie said. “It’s over now. Summer break, here I come!”

Tom couldn’t help but smile at Dougie’s enthusiasm. “I’m glad it’s over too.”

“I bet,” Dougie said with a wink. “Are you and Danny doing anything special to celebrate?”

Tom flushed. “I think he was going to take me out to dinner.”

Dougie beamed at him. “It must feel good to know you don’t have to watch yourself anymore?”

Tom nodded. “It does. We’re going to spend the summer together. I think we’re going to go over to Ireland for a bit too,” he replied.

Danny Jones was one of the school’s music teachers. He was also Tom’s boyfriend. The pair had fallen in love with each other and after a courageous step on Tom’s behalf, they had become a couple. It had taken a lot out of both of them to keep their relationship to themselves.

Even though they would have just been frowned upon for having a relationship while Tom was still in school, they both decided it would be much better if they waited the fifteen months until Tom had graduated before they made their relationship known. So far, the only person that knew of their secret was Dougie. He often covered for them if it was needed but being together for as long as they had, Tom and Danny knew how to be careful. The last thing Tom wanted was Danny losing his teaching position if someone found out about them.

It was harder than either of them had realised, to keep it a secret. They wanted nothing better than to just be with each other but knew it was impossible under the circumstances.

So they held out and Tom was glad. He had officially graduated from high school, he was eighteen years old and no one could do or say anything against them.

“Where’s he taking you?” Dougie asked, breaking Tom’s train of thought.

“Oh, um, I’m not sure,” Tom replied. “Though he asked me to see if you wanted to come?”

“Sure!” Dougie readily agreed. “I love food.”

“Understatement of the century, Dougs,” Tom teased and Dougie just grinned back at him.

They got to Tom’s car and Dougie put his skateboard in the backseat before sliding into the passenger’s side. Tom started the car and drove the short distance to Dougie’s house.

He still spent more time with Dougie, his mum and his little sister than he did at his own. Tom didn’t know what he would do if it weren’t for the Poynter family. Sam was so much more a mother to him than his own was and he even loved spending time with Dougie’s sister, Jazzie. He sometimes hated being an only child but spending time with Dougie’s family more than made up for it, in his mind.

They got out of Tom’s car and headed inside.

“How was the last day of school, boys?” Sam asked, smiling at them both as they entered the house.

“I’m free!” Dougie exclaimed flopping on the couch.

Sam chuckled. “How about you, Tom?” she asked.

Tom smiled at her. “It feels good,” he replied honestly. He couldn’t help that his thoughts were centred around Danny and how good it was going to be to be able to be with the curly haired brunette.

“I was thinking about taking you both out for dinner?” Sam started. “We could go to that lovely new place that opened up last month?”

Tom bit his lip and shot Dougie a look.

“Uh,” Dougie started.

“It’s okay, Dougs, go out with your family,” Tom replied.

Sam shot them a confused look. “Do you have plans, already, Tom?” she asked.

Tom nodded, a flush spreading across his cheek. “Yeah, my, uh, my boyfriend wanted to take me out.”

Sam smiled. “Why doesn’t he come along too?” she asked. “The more, the merrier!”

Tom glanced back at Dougie, panic rising in his chest. Surely Sam would know upon seeing Danny that he was their music teacher.

“Uh,” Tom started, heart thumping in his chest. “Sure, I’ll ask him.”

“Alright, well, you boys go get ready, we’ll go as soon as Jazzie gets back from gymnastics,” Sam said.

“Okay,” Dougie said to his mum.

Dougie took Tom’s elbow and lead him up the stairs. “Why did you agree?” he asked as soon as he had shut his bedroom door.

“I don’t know!” Tom replied, running his hands through his hair.

Dougie paced for a moment. “Wait, we can work this,” he mumbled. “We can say he’s your college boyfriend?”

Tom shot Dougie a dubious look. “He’s twenty six, Dougs, I don’t think he can pass for a college student.”

Dougie shrugged. “You’d better call him then.”

Tom sat down on Dougie’s desk chair and called Danny. He explained to his boyfriend that Sam wanted to take them all out to dinner and to his great surprise, Danny agreed. Tom asked if he was sure and Danny had just replied that school was over, they were allowed to be together now.

Swallowing thickly, Tom hung up his phone. “He says he’ll come.”

Dougie’s eyes reminded Tom of the cartoon ones that pop out of their heads he looked that surprised. “Really?”

Tom nodded. “Yeah, he said that we’re legally allowed to be together now, school’s over.”

Dougie perched on the edge of his bed. “For your sake I hope no one questions into your history with him…”

“Me too,” he said softly. “Me too.”

Two hours later saw Tom and the Poynter family pulling up to the restaurant. He immediately looked around to see if Danny had arrived yet and he let out a small sigh as he didn’t see his car.

They all got out of Sam’s car and Tom hung back a moment. He spotted Danny’s car and couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.

He saw Danny’s curly head of hair appear and he almost melted when he felt the blue eyes lock with his own. He gave Danny a small wave, smiling widely as Danny waved back.

Tom crossed the parking lot to get to Danny’s side. “Hi,” he said softly.

“Hi,” Danny replied. His arms automatically wound around Tom’s waist and their lips met in a soft kiss.

Tom melted against Danny’s chest, lips moving slowly against the older male’s own. He let out a soft sigh when they parted.

“I missed you today,” Tom admitted shyly.

“I missed you too,” Danny replied. “It was strange not having you come into my class on an afternoon these last few weeks.”

Tom looked up at Danny, seeing the honesty in the blue eyes. “Well, I’ve graduated now, you can see me more than on an afternoon, if you want?”

“I always want that,” Danny responded.

Tom gently squeezed Danny’s waist. “We’d better go in,” he said softly. “Sam is really looking forward to meeting my boyfriend.”

Danny smiled softly. “Don’t fret, it will be okay.”

Tom nodded, needing to believe Danny was right. He slipped his hand into Danny’s larger one and they walked into the restaurant together.

Tom easily spotted Dougie and his family sitting at a table for five. He smiled softly as he approached them, stopping close to the table. He looked up and Danny gave him a reassuring smile. They sat down and Tom saw Jazzie’s eyes almost pop out of her head.

“Uh, everyone, this is Danny, my boyfriend,” Tom said confidently. If there was one thing he was sure of in his life, it was that Danny shared his feelings completely.

“Nice to meet you, Danny,” Sam said kindly. “I’m Sam, Dougie’s mother. This is my daughter Jazzie and my son Dougie,” she added, gesturing to each of them as she said their names.

“It’s nice to meet you all too, I’ve heard so much about you,” Danny replied, his winning smile on his face.

Tom picked up his menu, his face hot and he scanned through, trying to decide on what to have.

Danny chatted animatedly with Sam and Jazzie kept staring at Danny like she wanted to either jump on him or cry, Tom couldn’t decide. He looked back down at the menu, thinking the chicken schnitzel sounded nice.

He felt Danny’s hand on his thigh and he glanced up into his lover’s eyes.

“Have you decided what you want?”

Tom nodded. “Yeah, the chicken schnitzel, you?”

“The same,” Danny replied with a soft smile. He squeezed Tom’s thigh gently and Tom couldn’t help but close his eyes for a brief moment, enjoying the touch.

A waiter came around and took their order and Danny turned to face Tom. He flushed slightly as Danny gently brushed away a stray lock of hair from his eyes.

“I have a surprise for you back at my house,” Danny started softly. “For when we’re finished here.”

Tom smiled. “A surprise?”

“Yeah, a surprise,” Danny grinned. “I’m hoping you’ll like it.”

“If it’s from you, I’ll love it,” Tom replied, love shining in his eyes.

Danny closed the gap between them and kissed Tom softly on the lips. Tom’s eyes slid closed and he let out a soft sigh. He would never grow sick of kissing Danny.

When they parted, Tom flushed and tried not to meet the gazes of anyone at the table but he couldn’t miss the look on Jazzie’s face. She looked so completely put out that Tom wondered what was wrong.

He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he pulled it out, a small frown on his face. He flipped open the phone and saw a text from Dougie. Curious, he read it, brow furrowing further when he saw the contents.

I think Jazzie fancies Danny. She keeps huffing every time Danny looks at you or touches you.

Tom closed his phone and put it back in his pocket. He glanced at Dougie, an eyebrow raised. He shook his head as Dougie nodded, his blue eyes flicking to his sister.

Tom looked back down, not wanting to look at either Dougie or Jazzie.

Soon, their meals were placed in front of them and Tom cut into his schnitzel, enjoying every bite.

Every so often, he would catch Jazzie looking at him whenever Danny would smile at him. He knew he had nothing to worry about, Danny loved him and only him. Tom ignored the looks from Dougie’s younger sister as he ate, concentrating on his delicious meal.

Danny kept talking to Dougie’s family throughout the meal and Tom couldn’t help but smile even more. He was glad Danny was getting along with Sam as she meant a lot to him.

“Did you want dessert anyone?” Sam asked as a waiter cleared away their empty plates.

“Actually, I have dessert planned for Tom and I back at my apartment,” Danny said. “Sorry to be a hassle.”

Tom looked up at Danny, wondering what he was up to.

Sam waved it off. “It’s no problem,” she smiled. “I’m sure Tom wouldn’t mind having dessert with you.”

Tom grinned. “Not at all,” he replied.

He wondered if dessert was part of the surprise Danny had for him for later on. He was quite excited and suddenly didn’t want to wait any longer. Danny squeezed his hand from under the table, silently letting him know that they would be leaving soon enough.

Danny turned to Sam and asked her a whispered question and Tom curiously wondered what they were talking about. A moment later, Danny stood and held his hand out for Tom to take. Tom did without hesitation and smiled to himself as Danny wrapped his arm around his waist. Leaning into his lover’s touch, he heard Danny say his farewells to Sam, Jazzie and then Dougie. Tom did the same before following Danny outside to the brunette’s car.

“Did you enjoy yourself tonight?” Danny asked as they travelled to his house.

Tom nodded. “I did,” he replied. “Thank you for coming tonight.”

Danny shot him a grin. “It was my pleasure, I enjoyed every moment of it. Sam is a really lovely woman.”

“From the looks of it, she thought you were ‘really lovely’ as well,” Tom smiled.

Danny chuckled. “I know how much they mean to you,” he started. “I’m glad they seem to like me.”

“I am too,” Tom replied. “It’s sad to think I love them more than my own family but Sam has always been there for me. Ever since I was young.”

Danny reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. “She seems like an amazing woman. Just from the short conversation over dinner, I could see why you like her so much.”

Tom smiled softly, squeezing Danny’s hand back. “She is awesome.”

Soon enough, Danny was pulling into the apartment building car park. Tom unbuckled his belt and looked up, seeing Danny hovering close. Their lips met in a gentle kiss and Tom felt himself relaxing into the brunette’s touch. Danny’s hand came up to cup his cheek and Tom let out a small sigh.

After a moment, they broke apart and Tom felt his cheeks heating up. He pressed another kiss to Danny’s lips before moving to get out of the car. Danny slipped his hand into Tom’s own as they walked inside the building. Once they were on Danny’s floor, Tom let Danny’s hand go so he could unlock the door.

Danny flicked on the light as they stepped in and turned to take Tom’s coat. He shrugged out of it and handed it to his lover to hang up.

“Did you want a cup of tea?” Danny asked moving to the kitchen.

Tom followed a few paces behind Danny. “No, thank you, I’m fine.”

Danny smiled and turned, taking Tom in his arms. “Then, did you want your surprise?”

Tom smiled shyly. “Okay,” he replied. He was eager to know what the brunette had for him, his curiosity almost getting the best of him.

“First, let’s have some dessert,” Danny said, stepping out of the embrace. “I had some special cakes made. Small ones so we can have one each.”

“Sounds nice, what type of cakes?” Tom wondered.

“Your favourite, chocolate,” Danny replied. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out two plates with a small chocolate cake on each of them.

“They look delicious,” Tom commented upon seeing them properly. They were about the size of two large muffins and they had an intricate swirly white icing pattern on them.

“I hope they are,” Danny said. He flicked off the kitchen light and headed for the living room. He placed the plates carefully on the coffee table and sat down on the couch.

Tom sat down next to Danny, a smile on his face. Chocolate cake was his favourite. He gratefully accepted the plate and fork Danny offered him and set it to rest on his lap. He looked up at Danny who looked like he wanted to say something.

“Yeah?” Tom prompted him.

Danny smiled. “I just hope you like your cake,” he replied.

“I’m sure I will,” Tom said putting the fork into the cake. He took a bite and just about melted at the taste. “Wow, this is really good!”

“It is, isn’t it?” Danny replied taking a bite of his own. “It’s better if you have bigger chunks.”

Tom nodded and cut a bigger piece. “Mmm, you’re right,” he said after another bite.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” Danny said putting his plate back on the coffee table and standing up.

Tom made a noise around his mouthful of cake in response, nodding his head in Danny’s direction. The brunette smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek.

“Enjoy,” Danny whispered before stepping out of the living room.

Tom cut another slice with his fork and happily chewed on it. He swallowed and thought to himself this was probably the best cake he had ever eaten in his life.

On his next piece, he bit down on something hard. Ew! A nut! he thought. He hated nuts and couldn’t fathom why there would be a large nut in his chocolate cake. He moved it around in his mouth and felt something weird scraping against his tongue. Tom frowned in confusion and spat out the object, glad Danny wasn’t in the room to see him make a mess.

Something glinted in the light and Tom picked up his napkin to brush away the cake so he could see what it was. His jaw dropped open and he gasped, heart thudding in his chest. He cleaned the object and held the ring up in front of his face.

His gaze was locked on the small object and he felt his mouth going dry.

“Oh, you found it,” Danny said, tone sounding kind of flat.

Tom looked up. “Y-you… wha…?” he stuttered.

Danny placed a bottle and two champagne glasses on the table and sat back down. He took Tom’s hands in his own. “I thought I’d be back before you got that far into the cake.”

Tom shot Danny an incredulous look. “I don’t…. Huh?”

Danny smiled, picking up one of Tom’s hands and pressed a kiss to the back of it. He gently took the ring from Tom’s grasp and pushed it onto Tom’s ring finger. “It’s a promise ring,” he said. “I wanted to surprise you with it. After months of thinking about it, I thought today would be the best day to do it…”

Tom gaped at Danny and looked at the ring on his finger. “Months?” he exclaimed. “You’ve been planning this for months?”

Danny nodded slowly. “Do you accept my promise, Tom?” he asked softly.

Tom nodded dumbly. “Of course I do,” he whispered. “Yes.”

Danny grinned and pulled Tom into his arms. He pressed a kiss to Tom’s cheek and then his lips. “Then I promise myself to you for all eternity,” he whispered. “I’m forever yours.”

Tom felt his heart beating wildly against his ribcage as he leant into Danny’s embrace. He sought out the older male’s lips and kissed him passionately.

“I love you,” Danny whispered.

“I love you too,” Tom whispered back, a large smile on his face.

After a short while, the pair parted. Tom gently stroked Danny’s cheek with his hand, still staring in awe at the brunette. Of all the things, he never expected a ring to be in his cake.

*****

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Confession

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:27:07 GMT

Title: Confession
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Danny/Tom
Genre: Fluff, pure and simple.
Summary: Tom tries to work up the courage to confess something to Danny…
A/N: Dedicated to: the_first_chibi for choosing Confession as her prompt
A/N2: My two prompt tables are Here. They’re all taken but feel free to check out which ones I have already written by following the links!
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Confession

The room was silent and Tom kept his head in his hands, hoping the world would swallow him whole. He couldn’t handle this right now, especially not now. He could feel the eyes of the entire classroom full of students on him and he knew if he looked up he would do something to make the situation even worse.

Clear blue eyes stared at him, piercing his very soul as he trembled all over. Danny looked at him, confusion clear on his face, bottom lip sucked between his teeth, gnawing on it slightly.

Tom looked around, needing an exit as fast as possible. He couldn’t believe what was happening and he hoped beyond all reason that he was dreaming, that it wasn’t real, that it was all in his mind. The looks he knew he was getting would prove otherwise.

His heart thumped in his chest and he finally looked up, seeing Danny’s expectant look.

“I… I didn’t know,” Danny whispered.

“Well, now you do,” Tom bit out.

Danny took a step closer and Tom stood abruptly, not wanting the contact with the other male.

“How could you keep this from me?” Danny pleaded. “I had a right to know!”

Tom felt tears brimming in his eyes at Danny’s tone, the hurt clearly unmasked. “I… I couldn’t do that to you, to our family. What would mum have said?”

“Jake, you’re my brother, I could have helped you!” Danny said taking another step closer.

Tom looked up at Danny, tears finally spilling over. “No you couldn’t have,” he whispered. “No one can…”

“And end scene! That was great, boys!” their director, and teacher, called.

Tom grinned, wiping his eyes. “Thanks, sir.”

Danny clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Mate, that was brilliant!” he beamed. “I didn’t know you could cry on cue like that!”

Tom flushed slightly. “I’ve been practicing,” he mumbled, a little embarrassed.

Tom and Danny were in the school play about a boy who had a terminal illness but was determined to keep it from his family and everyone else. Tom had been cast as Jake, the boy with the illness and Danny played Bobby, his twin brother.

As they left the drama room, Danny slung his arm around Tom’s shoulders. “Mum’s cooking a roast for dinner, if you want to come over?”

Tom nodded, a smile on his face. “I’d love to!” he agreed happily.

Danny beamed back at Tom. “Great!” he said.

They walked together, out of the school and towards Tom’s house as it was the closest. He stopped in to tell his mum that he was going to Danny’s for dinner and that he would probably spend the night as well.

His mother had nodded and sent them on their way, she and Mister Fletcher were going out to dinner together and his little sister, Carrie was attending a slumber party at friend’s house as well.

Tom packed a change of clothes and his toothbrush into his school back pack and soon he and Danny were walking the short distance to Danny’s house.

Tom always loved visiting Danny’s house. His mum was a lovely lady who made the best roast dinners Tom had ever had the pleasure of tasting and she let them stay up late when it was the weekend.

Danny had a large bedroom as it was only he and his mum living together now. His only sister was away at university and lived on campus and Danny’s dad left his mother a few years ago for another woman. It left a big house just for Danny and his mum to occupy and it was probably another reason Missus Jones loved having him over, another body in an otherwise empty house.

Tom never minded. He loved being with Danny – probably more than Danny realised. He had been harbouring a crush on his best friend for the best part of six months now and he had yet to confess his feelings to the gorgeous brunette.

Just over a year beforehand, Tom had come out to Danny. He had been shaking and scared, unsure of what his reaction would be. Danny, in true Danny style, had slapped him on the shoulder and told him not to worry because ‘he was into boys as well.’ It had eased Tom’s mind and made him feel somewhat better about himself.

After Tom’s ‘coming out’ speech to Danny, they had grown even closer and Tom soon realised that he felt something more than friendship for the loud Boltoner. He was much too scared to tell Danny how he felt though, fear of rejection always prominent in his mind.

He knew what Danny would do if he were in Tom’s shoes, he’d spill the beans and confess everything. Tom wasn’t like Danny though. He was shy, conservative in his feelings and emotions. He had too much to risk by telling Danny how he felt, so he kept it inside, concealed to the best of his ability.

Danny never suspected a thing, which Tom was grateful for. Danny was oblivious to a lot of things that might be somewhat obvious to someone else but Tom was glad he was like that, it made hiding his feelings easier.

After dinner, Danny took Tom into his room to play some video games. Tom was losing, as always, he never really had a knack for these things, when Danny suddenly turned to him and said he needed to say something.

Tom sat up straighter. “Yeah?” he prompted.

Danny hesitated, fiddling with the hem of his shirt – something Tom had never seen him do – and a moment later, he felt Danny’s lips on his own.

Confusion and shock clouded Tom’s mind and he pulled back.

“Wha-?”

“I’m sorry!” Danny exclaimed at the same time as Tom stumbled over his words.

Tom blinked, a frown of confusion on his face.

Danny stood. “I’m so sorry, Tom!” he repeated. “I… I…”

Tom stood as well. “What was that?” he asked.

Danny scratched the back of his neck, eyes barely meeting Tom’s. “I’ve been dyin’ to tell you for a while now,” he muttered.

“Tell me what?” Tom asked, trying to read Danny’s face.

“ThatIlikeyou,” Danny mumbled in a rush.

Tom broke the gap between them and pulled Danny into a hug, arms going around his waist. “I like you too,” he replied.

He felt Danny’s arms tentatively wrap around him and Tom couldn’t help but smile. He certainly wasn’t expecting that confession when he entered Danny’s house tonight. It certainly wasn’t unwanted though.

Danny gently pulled away from the embrace and kissed Tom again. Tom felt his heart soar and all of the cheesy romance movies he’d ever seen suddenly made sense. He felt like he was floating on air and never wanted his lips to leave Danny’s.

“Well, I’m glad that’s out in the open,” Danny said after a short while.

“Me too,” Tom smiled.

“Want to shoot some more zombies?”

Tom chuckled and nodded. Purely Danny, he thought as they sat back on Danny’s bed to finish playing their game.

*****

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Lost In You - Chapter Fifteen

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:17:59 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 15 – I Can’t Stop Digging The Way You Make Me Feel
Rating: PG-15 (this chapter)
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
A/N2: This is the final chapter of Lost In You and while we’re sad it’s over, we also apologise for the delay… Star has been through a lot in her personal life lately and I’ve been busy with work, so we hope you forgive us!
To everyone that has stayed with us through this journey, we thank you all, your comments and support have been wonderful. Thank you!
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve | Thirteen | Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen
I Can't Stop Digging The Way You Make Me Feel

"That's the last of it," Danny said setting the box in his hands down on the floor.

Tom beamed and looked around. "Home sweet home," he said.

Danny wrapped his arms around Tom's waist and they leant into each other. Danny's large hand cupped his cheek and kissed Tom softly on the lips. They had found a place together and once the loan was approved, they could move in. They had their friends helping and had it done within a day. Tom looked up at Danny, eyes shining with love. He couldn't believe they were finally together and finally had a place to call their own.

"Daddy!" Caitlin's voice rang out. "I want this room!"

Tom pulled back from the kiss. "We'd better see what room she's picked."

Danny chuckled softly as they parted, nodding. "Yeah, and hope it's not our room," he said, winking at Tom. He took the blonde's hand as they headed out to find Caitlin.

Tom chuckled softly too, pausing at the bottom of the stairs. "Where are you, sweetie?" he called.

"I'm here, Daddy!" Caitlin called back, still not appearing to give Tom and Danny a clue.

"Where is here?" Danny called now, laughing slightly. "We can't see you, Cait."

"Here!" Caitlin replied with an exasperated tone as she stuck her head out of one of the bedrooms.

Tom laughed again. "That's better! We don't have x-ray vision, sweetie. We're coming now," he said, tugging on Danny's hand and leading him up the stairs. Caitlin had disappeared back into the room she had chosen, waiting for Tom and Danny to appear in the doorway.

Danny chuckled as he and Tom walked along the landing to the room that was between their own and the bathroom. "Wow, Cait, this is a nice room," he said, smiling as they stepped inside.

Caitlin beamed up at the two men. "Can it be pink?" she asked excitedly. "Pretty please?"

"Hmm, I don't know about that," Danny said, pretending to think. "What do you think, Dad?" he added, turning to Tom.

Tom looked down at Caitlin, taking in her pout, and smiled. "I think we should be able to stretch to pink," he said.

"Really?" Caitlin asked hopefully, clasping her hands in front of her as she looked up at Tom. "Can I have a princess bed too?"

Tom chuckled. "Do you think we can afford a princess bed?" he asked, looking at Danny.

"For Princess Caitlin? I think we can, yes," Danny grinned, bending down to pick Caitlin up.

"Yay! Thank you, Danny!" Caitlin squealed, kissing Danny's cheek excitedly.

"Hey, what about me?" Tom asked, pretending to pout at his daughter.

"Thank you, Daddy!" Caitlin said quickly, grabbing for Tom too.

Tom chuckled, taking his daughter from Danny and giving her a hug. "You're very welcome, sweetheart. We might even be able to ask Mummy to help us decorate your room. How would you like it to be painted like a castle?"

"Yesyesyes!" Caitlin squealed happily, hugging Tom tightly around the neck.

Tom laughed as he held onto Caitlin. "We'll ask Mummy when we drop you off later," he said softly.

"Oh, oh please let me stay here tonight, Daddy," Caitlin pleaded, pulling back to look at Tom. "Please."

"Sweetie, you can't," Tom said. "You don't have a bed here yet. We need to go and buy one. And you don't have any clean clothes."

"Aww," Caitlin pouted.

"Hey, Cait, listen," Danny started. "We'll go shopping and get you a bed and all the furniture you need in your bedroom and we'll make it pretty for you and then you'll be able to stay. Is that okay?"

"Will it be soon, Danny?" Caitlin asked, turning to look at the brunette, who looked to Tom before answering.

"Of course it will be," Danny replied with a smile. "We'll go tomorrow."

"Yay!" Caitlin cheered, clapping her hands together excitedly.

Tom smiled and kissed Danny's cheek, slipping his arm around the brunette in a sort of group hug.

****

"Yes!"

Dougie giggled, watching as Harry pumped his fist in the air after getting a strike. "Well done, babe," he said as Harry made his way back to the seats.

"Why thank you," Harry grinned, leaning down to give Dougie a dramatic kiss.

Tom watched with a smile, turning to look at Danny. "Don't expect anything like that from me," he warned.

"What, a kiss like that?" Danny asked, raising one eyebrow at the blonde.

"No! A strike!" Tom chuckled, poking Danny in the chest. "I suck at anything vaguely athletic," he added.

"Aww," Danny laughed, pulling Tom a bit closer to him. "I'm sure you're not that bad!"

"Just you watch," Tom said with a wry smile, getting up and choosing his ball. He made his way to the line and swung his arm backwards before releasing the ball down the aisle. He winced as it ended up in the gutter after a short distance and he turned back to Danny, his head hanging.

"You've got another go!" Danny said encouragingly. "Don't worry about that one!"

"Yeah, don't worry, Tom," Dougie chipped in. "I'm just as bad. Obviously not everyone can be amazing at every sport like Harry is," he added, prodding Harry in the side with a grin.

"Oi!" Harry said, swatting at Dougie's hand. "I can't help being athletically gifted!"

Tom smiled and shook his head, turning to pick up another ball. He took a deep breath and approached the line once more, letting go of the ball. He couldn't help but grin as the ball went straight down the middle, smacking into the pins and earning him a spare.

"I told you!" Danny whooped, jumping up and scooping Tom into his arms in celebration. "I knew you could do it!"

Tom flushed and shook his head. "It was just luck," he said.

"Who cares?" Danny asked, rubbing his nose against Tom's slightly. "You got a spare!"

Tom flushed a bit more, looking into Danny's eyes.

"Hey, you two, don't forget you're not the only ones in this room!" Dougie said loudly, raising an eyebrow at the pair.

Danny flushed and shook his head, childishly sticking his tongue out at Dougie as he let go of Tom.

Tom chuckled softly and sat down again, feeling like he'd known the other three forever. He was incredibly glad that he'd met Danny.

"Seriously," Dougie started. "We're glad you two got together but don't make us pour cold water on you in public," he finished with a wink.

"Shut it, Poynter," Danny growled with a smile. "You forget that I've seen you in some states in public," he added, picking up his pint.

Dougie giggled, not embarrassed at all. He snuggled into Harry slightly, kissing the older male's jaw.

Harry smiled and gave Dougie a squeeze, pressing a kiss into his hair. "Now, now, children," he said. "I think we should have a toast. To living happily ever after."

Danny looked at Tom and Dougie before bursting out laughing. "How cheesy are you?"

Harry looked offended and was about to say something when Dougie hugged him close.

"I like cheese," Dougie said, kissing Harry's jaw again, making the older male smirk at Danny and pull Dougie a bit closer.

Danny shook his head and draped an arm around Tom, taking another sip of his beer. "When we're done here, we should go to a pub or something," he suggested.

"Why don't we just go back to your place?" Dougie asked, looking over at Danny. "We can call in at the supermarket on the way back and get some beer and stuff."

"That's a good idea," Tom said, nodding as he looked at Danny too. "We have the spare room they can stay in if they want..."

"Okay, yeah," Danny said, turning to look at Tom. "If you want. That'll be good."

Tom smiled and nodded again. "It'll be like a housewarming," he said. "In a way."

Danny gently rubbed his nose against Tom's, causing both males to smile. "It sounds like a good plan to me."

Shortly after their game had finished, ending with Harry winning by thirty seven points, all four males returned their borrowed bowling shoes and left the building.

They all piled into Tom's mini, slightly cramped but too happy to care and they drove to the nearest supermarket. Dougie childishly decided that they needed a shopping trolley and gladly wheeled it around the store. Tom shook his head at the smaller blonde's antics but was unable to keep the smile off his face. He felt Danny's large hand brush across the back of his shirt as they neared the snacks aisle and he nodded, calling for Dougie to follow him.

The trolley was soon loaded up with all sorts of unhealthy snacks and then alcohol in preparation for their evening. They paid for the items and loaded them into Tom's small trunk before driving off again to Tom and Danny's house. Tom smiled as he thought of the fact that the house was his and Danny's. It was something they owned together. It was the start of the rest of their lives together and he couldn't be happier if he tried.

Soon they were back at the house and unloading all of their goodies onto the kitchen table. Dougie helped himself to some of the snacks straight away and Tom had to reprimand him, telling him to get a bowl or a plate to eat off and not out of the box.

Harry put a movie in the DVD player and Danny grabbed the drinks, heading into the living room. Tom switched off the light and smiled to himself again, unable to stop smiling. Things couldn't have been better if he'd dreamt them.

Tom curled into the loveseat with Danny, slipping his hand into the brunette's larger one. He smiled up at Danny, locking eyes with him, seeing the love shining clearly in the blue depths. Tom pressed a gentle kiss to Danny's lips before settling in to watch the movie. Danny smiled and returned the kiss, quite content to lie there with Tom forever.

Towards the end of the movie, Tom could feel himself nodding off, his head drooping onto Danny's shoulder. He quickly sat up a bit, not wanting to fall asleep and miss the rest of the evening.

Danny chuckled softly as Tom jerked upright. "Tired?" he asked quietly.

"A little. It's been a long day," Tom said with a smile. He glanced at Danny, still able to see how handsome the brunette was even in the darkness. "I don't want this to end, though."

"The movie?" Danny asked, turning to look at Tom.

"No, the evening," Tom clarified softly. "I've enjoyed myself so much. I don't want it to end."

Danny smiled again and sat up slightly, so that he was sat next to Tom properly again. "Same here. But we can have loads more evenings like this you know," he said. "This is forever. Me and you. A couple."

Tom beamed at Danny, leaning over to give him a deep kiss. "I love you," he breathed as he pulled away.

Danny smiled softly. "I love you too."

Tom smiled to himself, turning to face the television as the last of the movie rolled on the screen. Dougie and Harry left soon after it finished and Tom and Danny were left alone.

"This isn't how I imagined it, you know," Tom said a short while later as he climbed into bed with Danny.

"It isn't?" Danny asked, tone curious.

Tom shook his head, slipping closer to the gorgeous brunette. "Nope," he smiled. "It's so much better."

Danny grinned at him and their lips met in a soft kiss. "I couldn't agree more."

Tom snuggled into his lover, half curled around him, half not. Their bodies touched in places Tom didn't even know were possible and he found it more comforting than anything else in the world. With love on his mind, Tom fell into a peaceful sleep.

*****

Tom awoke slowly, snuffling slightly in his sleep. He felt arms squeeze him gently and he couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face. Even though he and Danny had been living together for a couple of months now, it still awed him that they were here together.

Their house was as perfect as Tom thought it would be. It hadn't taken them long to get settled in and they even decorated it according to each other's tastes. Caitlin's room was her princess pink, with the help of Giovanna, much to Caitlin's excitement. To make it easier on them, Tom and Danny had taken Caitlin out shopping so she could choose her quilt cover and they let her choose a couple of pieces of furniture as well.

Her room was adequately a princesses room and she simply loved staying with them. Tom had no doubt that when she grew up a bit more that her tastes would change but right now, while she loved everything in fairy tale princesses, he and Danny were more than happy to comply with her wishes.

Tom was just glad he and Giovanna were on proper speaking terms and things weren't so bad with them anymore. Sometimes, Tom could still see the hurt flickering across his ex-wife's face but she covered it up well. They both had a mutual interest in keeping Caitlin happy and she was happy having two bedrooms, one at her home with Giovanna and the other with he and Danny. As long as his daughter was happy, Tom was happy.

The rest of the house looked like he and Danny had been living in it for years. There were pictures of them together along the mantle piece, as well as ones with Caitlin and one special one of Tom and Giovanna when he had bought Starry Nights.

Their home was something they had done together and to Tom, that made it all the more special. He was glad that he had Danny in his life and he was so utterly in love with him he was surprised it wasn't outlawed. Just waking up with Danny on a morning made Tom's heart sing in his chest. Knowing that the brunette felt the same way made everything in life worthwhile.

Tom's eyes fluttered opened and he saw Danny smiling down at him.

"Mornin'," Danny mumbled, dipping his head to kiss Tom softly on the lips.

"Morning," Tom replied. He curled tighter into Danny, eyes closing, not wanting to move just yet.

Danny chuckled from under him, pulling him closer. "C'mon, sleepy head," he started, voice husky from sleep. "Cait will be awake soon and we promised her we'd take her to the park."

Tom nodded. "Five more minutes," he replied.

"Mmm," Danny mumbled. "Five more minutes."

It was all the encouragement Tom needed, resting completely against Danny's chest, feeling the strong beat from where his head lay. He drifted back off to sleep, completely content.

There was a knock on their bedroom door and Tom heard the door creaking open. He cracked open an eye to see his daughter's blonde head poke into the room.

"Morning, Caitlin," Danny said softly.

"Morning, Danny!" Caitlin replied happily.

Danny held up the cover for Caitlin to climb into the bed and Tom yawned widely.

"Morning, princess," Tom said fondly. He leant over his lover and pressed a kiss to the top of Caitlin's head, causing her to giggle.

"Can I have breakfast?" she asked, eyes wide, a clear sign she was a morning person.

"Sure, what would you like?" Danny wondered, smiling at her.

"Pancakes!"

Tom looked up at Danny. "You're making them, right?" he asked.

Danny nodded. "I can make pancakes," he replied, pressing his lips to Tom's in a brief kiss.

Tom grinned and sat up fully. "Excellent," he said. "Alright, Cait, Danny's making pancakes for breakfast!"

Caitlin bounced on the spot, clearly excited. "Yay!"

Chuckling, Danny pulled the covers off their bodies. "Alright then, let's get down to the kitchen so I can make breakfast."

Tom smiled and got out of bed. He reached for Caitlin, giving her a hug before setting her on the floor.

Soon, they were all seated at the kitchen table, eating Danny's home made pancakes. Caitlin's contained chocolate chips and were in different shapes, much to her delight. Tom gently rubbed his foot against Danny's under the table as he ate his plate of pancakes, also made into different shapes at Caitlin's insistence.

As Tom did the dishes, Danny helped Caitlin get dressed in clothes suitable for the park. Once Tom was done, he headed back up the stairs to get changed. He heard Danny talking to Caitlin and she was telling him exactly how she wanted her hair. He couldn't help but smile as he heard Danny start singing to Caitlin. After he had dressed, Tom headed into his daughter's room to see Danny putting the last hair tie in Caitlin's hair.

"Daddy, look!" Caitlin exclaimed happily. "Danny did pigtails for me!"

"So I see," Tom smiled. "Did you say thank you?"

Caitlin turned in her seat. "Thank you, Danny," she beamed up at him.

"You're welcome, Cait," Danny said placing a kiss on the top of her neatly done hair.

"Thank you," Tom echoed, taking a step closer to his lover.

Danny wrapped his arms around Tom's waist, effectively pulling him close. "Anytime," he replied.

Tom smiled, kissing Danny softly on the lips. "C'mon, Danny, go get dressed so we can go to the park."

Danny chuckled. "I'll be ready in a few minutes," he replied.

As Danny left, Tom turned back to his daughter. "Are you ready, angel?" he asked.

Caitlin nodded. "Yes!" she exclaimed, hopping down from her chair. "Danny even helped me get dressed." She twirled on the spot and Tom smiled at her.

"You look fit for an adventure to the park!" Tom said kneeling down in front of her. He straightened her clothes from where they got wrinkled sitting down and he kissed her cheek.

"Can I have an ice cream when we get to the park?" Caitlin asked.

"We'll see," Tom said carefully. "You've just had breakfast and mummy might not like me giving you an ice cream before you go home for dinner."

Caitlin pouted. "Okay," she said reluctantly.

Tom squeezed her hand. "If you're good, we might get you one," he said softly. "You have to be good though and do exactly as you're told."

Caitlin nodded vigorously. "I will, Daddy! I promise!"

Tom smiled and gently kissed his daughter's cheek. "Shall we go see if Danny's ready?" he asked.

Caitlin smiled at him and nodded. He took her and hand knocked on the door to his and Danny's room.

"Are you ready, Danny?" Caitlin asked.

The door opened and Danny smiled brightly. "I am," he replied. "Are you ready to go to the park?"

"I am!" Caitlin repeated with a large smile of her own.

Danny took Caitlin's other hand and gently kissed Tom on the cheek. "Ready, babe?" he asked softly.

Tom nodded once. "Let's go, the park is waiting for us!" he replied. "And, we have a surprise for you as well, Cait."

"You do?" Caitlin asked excitedly. "Can I have it now?"

Tom chuckled, heading down the stairs. "You have to wait until we get to the park, sweetheart," he said. "It's something we can enjoy as a family."

Danny shot him a loving look as he said 'family'. "That's right," he continued. "So, we can't let you have it now or it won't be a surprise for later."

"Okay," Caitlin replied. "I can wait."

"That's my girl," Danny said with a smile.

Tom paused, his mind registering what Danny had said and he felt a rush of love for the brunette. He smiled to himself as Danny helped Caitlin into her car seat and strapped her in as he locked the house.

He carefully put the basket he had left near the front door into the boot of the car. He and Danny had planned to have a picnic lunch at the park as a family moment for the three of them. Tom knew that Caitlin would love having lots of little treats made by Danny for lunch and he couldn't wait to do something like this with the two people he loved more than anyone in the world.

Danny straightened up and closed the car door. He shot Tom a smile and gently squeezed his hand. "She's all ready to go."

"Good," Tom replied with a smile.

Danny closed the gap between them, giving Tom a loving kiss. They parted moments later and Tom gave Danny's hand another squeeze.

A short while later, they arrived at the park together and Caitlin was excitedly playing on all of the playground equipment she could with Danny at her side. Tom laughed happily, taking photos and joining in on the games when he could. He grinned as Danny pushed Caitlin on a swing, hearing her cries for "higher, Danny!" echoing in the morning air.

He looked around, realising they were at the same park he and Danny had taken Caitlin to all those months ago when they were secretly sneaking around. His eyes focused on a familiar spot and he felt his heart beating harder in his chest as he recalled seeing the male couple and the child playing together and how he had wished that was he and Danny with Caitlin.

As he looked back at Danny and his daughter, so happily playing, he couldn't help but smile, thinking that he had got his wish after all.

*****

Lost In You - Chapter Fourteen

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:16:45 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 14 – Do You Remember When We Fell In Love
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve | Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen
Do You Remember When We Fell In Love?

The next morning Tom awoke feeling better than he had in months. Giovanna was still curled into his side and even though it felt slightly foreign after everything that had happened, he didn't mind it. He smiled to himself and stretched, feeling like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders now that he and Gio had finally talked. He gently moved out of bed and padded across to the bathroom.

A few minutes later, he headed back to the bedroom to see Gio waking up. He gave her a soft smile and was glad to see one in return.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked quietly.

"Better than I have in a long time," Gio replied rubbing at her eyes. "How about you?"

Tom gently sat back on the bed, looking down at his wife. "The same," he said. "I feel much better now that we've talked things through."

"So do I," Gio said gently running a hand across Tom's arm. "You should go tell Danny."

Tom smiled and nodded. "I will," he said. "Do you mind if I go now?"

Gio shook her head. "No, go ahead," she replied. "Afterwards, I'd like for him to come over. To apologise as well as talk to."

"Thank you," Tom breathed. "I'll be back soon."

"Take your time," Gio smiled.

Tom kissed her on the forehead and got up again, this time to find some clothes to put on. He was leaving the house fifteen minutes later, a slice of toast hanging from his lips as he reversed out of the driveway. He grinned broadly as he parked outside of Danny's house a few minutes later, excitement coursing through his body. He hastily locked his car and half jogged up to Danny's front door. He pushed the bell eagerly and bounced on the balls of his feet as he waited for Danny to answer.

He didn't have to wait long for Danny to answer, looking sleepy, his hair a wet, sexy mess and a towel slung low over his hips, having obviously just finished his shower.

"Tom?" Danny said softly.

Tom grinned and let himself in the house, kicking the door shut with his foot as he pinned Danny against the wall. He kissed Danny hotly, arms going around the brunette's naked shoulders, getting as close as possible. He drank in Danny's moan, shivering slightly as the large hands found his waist, holding him tight.

Tom twined his fingers in Danny's damp curls, letting them wind around in a comforting manner. He moaned softly as Danny's hand crept up the back of his shirt, the pads of his fingers ghosting over his spine. He moved his free hand to the hem of his shirt, helping Danny take it off.

His shirt dropped to the floor and Tom smiled at Danny. "Hi," he said softly.

"Hi," Danny replied. "What's going on?"

"Gio's giving me the divorce," Tom said with a smile, fingers tracing patterns on Danny's chest.

"Really?"

Tom nodded. "Really," he replied.

Danny pulled him closer. "That's fantastic," he whispered.

"I know," Tom replied against Danny's lips, kissing him again.

Danny's hands tightened on Tom's waist and they slowly moved towards the staircase, fumbling in their haste to get up the first step. Tom broke away from Danny's lips, giggling. The brunette grinned at him and Tom gently took his hand, leading him up to his bedroom.

Once they were safely in Danny's room, Tom bit his lip, his hands going to the smooth chest in front of him again. "I've missed you so much."

"I know, I've missed you too," Danny replied. He pressed a chaste kiss to Tom's lips. "It feels so good to have you here with me. Without feeling guilty."

Tom nodded. "It feels amazing," he whispered.

He ducked his head, lips grazing against Danny's own. He smiled inwardly as Danny bit his bottom lip gently and he let himself get lost in the kiss. One of Danny's hands went to the zipper of his jeans and tugged it down. Tom kicked them off, leaving him in just his boxer shorts.

The towel around Danny's waist soon dropped to the floor, followed by Tom's boxer shorts. The pair looked at each other with lust filled eyes before kissing passionately. Tom's hands couldn't touch Danny's body fast enough and he groaned softly, wanting to be able to feel every inch of the blue eyed wonder he loved so much.

Danny's hand slipped around to cup Tom's bottom over his boxers and Tom mewled softly. He arched into Danny's touch, breathing out his name.

"I love you," Danny whispered into Tom's ear.

Tom smiled, feeling himself shiver at the words. "I love you too."

Danny kissed him again softly on the lips, arms wrapping tighter around his body. Tom followed Danny to the bed, stopping at the edge, unable to take his lips away from the other's. Danny's hands felt like heaven on his skin and Tom couldn't get enough. He broke the kiss to look at the brunette's face, taking in every single freckle, the sparkling blue eyes and his kiss swollen lips. Tom's heart thudded in his chest and he knew without a doubt in his mind, he was head over heels in love with him.

He could feel Danny smiling against his skin as he kissed his neck and Tom smiled too, unable to contain the groan that escaped his lips. Danny pulled back from his neck, lips brushing against Tom's once before he gently manoeuvred them onto the bed.

Tom looked up at Danny as the brunette's body hovered over his own. Tom hooked his ankle around Danny's thigh, pulling him closer. Danny grinned down at him and Tom felt his heart skip a beat. He gently lifted his head, kissing Danny softly on his pink lips, sighing contently.

Their kisses grew heated and Danny broke away to leave open mouthed kisses down Tom's chest, taking his boxers in his teeth, gently pulling them down. Tom shivered slightly as the cool air of the bedroom hit his naked skin. Danny threw his boxers to the floor, slowly moving up his body, placing kisses on his calves, his thighs, hot breath ghosting over his hardening cock. A moan escaped Tom's throat as Danny's lips briefly came into contact with his leaking erection. His mouth dropped open and he sucked in a sharp breath as Danny's tongue flattened out, licking along the underneath of his prick before pulling off completely.

Danny's kisses trailed back up Tom's chest moments later and as soon as he was within reach, Tom crashed their lips together. His fingers threaded in the curls of Danny's hair, twining around and holding him close. He didn't want to lose this moment.

A movement from Danny made Tom stop and admire him. He was truly beautiful, inside and out and Tom couldn't he happier to be with him right then. Danny's lips met his in a soft kiss and Tom let out a content sigh. Danny pulled back to reach into his bedside drawer, pulling out a small bottle of lubricant and some condoms. Tom's eyes flicked to the items as they were placed next to his head on the pillow before they flicked back up to Danny. The question of whether Tom was ready to do that was clear in Danny's azure eyes. Tom nodded in response, closing the gap between them with another kiss.

Danny responded to Tom's touches with equal passion, making the blonde want him even more. Tom gently placed the bottle of lubricant into Danny's hand and their eyes met. Danny nodded once and uncapped it, pouring a generous amount into his hand. Tom moved gently, placing one leg on either side of Danny's thighs. Danny was biting his lip slightly as he kept his eyes on the task at hand. Tom sighed when Danny's finger touched his entrance and he pulled the brunette in for another kiss.

"Are you okay?" Danny whispered once his finger was in.

Tom nodded, inhaling sharply. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied. He willed his body to get used to the intrusion and was slightly surprised when it did so. He knew that he was safe with Danny, that the brunette would never hurt him and it made things so much easier to deal with.

Danny's lips brushed lightly over his own once and then across his cheek, wriggling his finger inside Tom all the while. He looked up into bright blue eyes, shining with love and Tom felt his own well up, felt his heart swell in his chest and realised he had never felt so loved in his entire life.

The moment Danny was fully inside him, Tom let out a content sigh. He shifted slightly, wrapping his legs around the brunette's waist. He reached up to stroke Danny's cheek, pushing the fingers gently into his hair and pulling him down for a kiss. Danny thrust slowly inside him, their eyes locked the entire time. Tom groaned as Danny hit his prostate and Danny smiled, doing it again.

Tom's head dropped back to against the pillows, eyes closed and a low moan escaping his mouth. Danny's lips were on his throat, gently kissing down and across his collarbone. Tom shuddered against Danny's touch, arching into it slightly.

Tom's breath came in shaky gasps as Danny kept moving within him. Danny's lips were probably leaving a mark on his neck and he decided he didn't care. He tightened his legs around the brunette's waist and groaned loudly when Danny hit his prostate again.

Danny's free hand travelled slowly down his body and Tom's skin felt like it was burning under the touch. He turned his head and kissed Danny hotly. He almost purred when Danny's fingers curled around his erection, their eyes locking together once more.

"Love you," Danny mumbled against his lips.

"Love you too," Tom replied.

Their lips met again in a messy, heated kiss. Tom felt his orgasm pooling in his stomach and he knew he wouldn't last much longer. Danny's hand started moving faster and Tom gasped out loud. He arched his hips into Danny's and let out a soft cry as he came. He felt Danny shudder against him and felt the warmth fill him through the condom.

Danny half collapsed on top of Tom, still buried within him. Tom couldn't help the smile that was on his face. He pressed a kiss to Danny's sweaty shoulder, panting heavily still.

Danny smiled lazily as he pulled out of Tom and rolled to the side, managing not to break contact with the blonde. "That was... that was..."

"Amazing," Tom breathed, finishing Danny's sentence. He turned his head to look at the brunette and smiled as he took in every detail of Danny's flushed skin. He traced random patterns on Danny's slightly sweaty chest, playing connect the dot with his freckles.

Danny nodded. "Definitely amazing," he said softly. "I can't believe that Gio's agreed to the divorce... what changed her mind?"

"Caitlin," Tom replied quietly. "Caitlin said something about us being in love and it made Gio realise that she was being selfish."

Danny smiled softly. "Kids... they know more than we realise, don't they?" he asked.

Tom nodded. "Yeah... they do," he said with a smile. "Come on. We should get cleaned up and dressed. Gio wanted you to come back with me."

"W-why?" Danny asked, feeling a bit wary.

"I don't know," Tom admitted. "But I trust her. She was different last night. She was the same Gio I knew and fell for all those years ago."

Danny paused, considering what Tom said. "Okay," he said after a few moments. "Let's go."

Fifteen minutes later, the two were on their way back to Tom's house in separate cars. As much as they wanted to travel together, they thought it might be best if Danny took his own car, just in case Gio had flipped again and he needed to make a quick getaway.

"It'll be okay," Tom said, taking Danny's hand gently and leading him into the house. "Gio?" he called as he stepped inside.

"In the kitchen," Gio replied.

"It's okay," Tom whispered reassuringly as he lead Danny through the house and to the kitchen by the hand. As he stepped through the door to the kitchen, he found Gio in front of the washing machine, sorting clothes into loads. "I'm back," he announced needlessly.

Gio looked up at the two males standing in front of her and smiled. "Hi Danny," she said, standing up and dusting herself off. She stepped closer, holding her hand out to the brunette.

Danny glanced at Tom worriedly, before reaching out and grasping Gio's hand and shaking it briefly.

"I owe you an apology," Gio said sincerely. "I... shouldn't have behaved the way that I did. I was... scared."

"Scared of what?" Danny couldn't help asking.

"Of losing my family," Gio replied. "I tried to stop this from happening. But I was too late."

"I didn't ask for this to happen," Danny said softly. "I didn't..."

"It's okay," Gio interrupted. "I can see how perfect you are for each other. I lost Tom the day he met you. It was just that none of us realised it. Then when I did realise... well."

Danny nodded. "Yeah..."

"And I have a confession to make," Gio added, making Tom frown. His wife hadn't mentioned anything about a confession to him this morning.

"Gio, wha-" he began, before being cut off by Gio.

"Do you remember Rob?" Gio asked, looking at Danny.

"Rob? N- yes," Danny replied, frowning. "But... how do you know about him?"

"Rob?" Tom echoed, looking at Danny, feeling worried. "Who's Rob?"

"I... I asked him to try it on with you," Gio confessed softly.

"What?!" Tom yelped, looking at Gio accusingly.

"I wanted to test his loyalty to you, Tom!" Gio exclaimed, trying to calm the blonde down. "And he passed! He passed with flying colours."

"He did?" Tom said, looking to Danny.

"I turned him down. I told him I had a boyfriend and that I was in love with him," Danny said softly. "It was when I was out with Dougie and Harry the other night. We came home after I told him I wasn't interested."

Tom softened slightly as he heard Danny speak and he smiled lovingly at the brunette.

"I knew then that I couldn't keep you two apart any longer," Gio continued. "I couldn't stand in the way of true love."

Danny smiled at Gio and then leant forward to give her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Thank you," he said softly. "It means so much to us. And you won't lose your family. I'll make sure of it."

Gio beamed at Danny happily and gave him a tight hug. "Just make sure to make him happy," she whispered into his ear.

"I will," Danny whispered back as he returned the hug. "I promise."

Gio pulled back and nodded, giving Danny another smile. "Good. Um... would you two like to pick Caitlin up from school? Tell her the good news?" she asked, looking between the two males.

Tom smiled brightly. "You'll let us?" he asked.

Gio nodded. "She needs to get used to the new arrangements," she said. "Plus... she misses Danny."

Tom swooped down and gave his wife a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Gio giggled and pushed Tom away. "Alright, alright," she said. "Enough soppy stuff."

Tom flushed and stepped back towards Danny, grinning as he took the brunette's hand, letting their fingers tangle together as Danny returned the smile. He knew things would be alright now.

*****

The school bell sounded and Danny lifted his sunglasses off his face and tucked them into his pocket. Tom had pointed out Caitlin's classroom and they stood, waiting for her. They watched as the small bodies filtered out of the classrooms and Danny grinned as he spotted Caitlin's blonde head of hair. She hadn't noticed him yet and he couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she did. Tom glanced his way, love shining in his eyes and Danny reached over, squeezing his hand gently.

"Danny!" Caitlin's squeal carried across the distance and Danny beamed over at her.

She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her and Danny bent down, letting her jump into his arms. He picked her up, kissing her cheek noisily as she squealed his name over and over again.

"Hey Princess, how are you?" Tom asked taking her back pack and her artwork that was in her hand.

"Danny! You've come to get me from school!" Caitlin exclaimed, ignoring her father's question.

"Your dad and I have, yes," Danny replied. "But your dad asked you a question, sweetie."

Caitlin didn't let go of Danny as she turned her head to look at her father. "Hi, Daddy!" she said happily. "I'm great!"

Tom chuckled, swinging her backpack onto his shoulder. "That's good, angel."

"I've missed you, Danny!"

"I've missed you too, Cait," Danny said fondly. He kissed her cheek again and Caitlin grinned widely at him.

"Does this mean you and Daddy are in love again?" Caitlin asked seriously. "Is Mummy letting you see Daddy again?"

Danny looked quizzically at Tom, not sure on how to answer the little girl.

"Daddy and Danny are still in love, sweetie," Tom started. "And Mummy is letting Danny see us again, yes."

Caitlin smiled. "Good," she said kissing Danny's cheek. "I missed you too much."

Danny brushed Caitlin's blonde hair out of her eyes. "I missed you too, a lot," he replied.

He had missed her every single day. Strange as it seemed, he had fallen in love with the little girl the moment he had met her. He knew she was the biggest thing in Tom's life and he would need to get along with her but he never expected to love her like he did. She felt like his own daughter and was absolutely taken by her.

Danny caught Tom watching he and Caitlin with a smile. He felt his heart swell as Caitlin snuggled into him and saw the look of adoration on Tom's face.

"Daddy?" Caitlin piped up.

"Yes, princess?" Tom replied, suddenly paying attention properly.

"Is Danny coming to live with us?" Caitlin asked innocently, her eyes hopeful as she rested her head on Danny's shoulder.

Tom eyed Danny, not quite sure what to say. They hadn't thought about this yet. "Um... I don't think so sweetie. It wouldn't be very nice for Mummy to have Danny live with us..." he said, trying to think of a solution. It dawned on Danny that it would be very awkward if Tom continued to live with Gio after the separation.

"Why?" Caitlin asked, her face falling slightly as she looked back at Danny.

"Well, um..." Danny trailed off, looking at Tom. He wasn't sure that this was his place to explain to Caitlin.

"Sometimes, sweetie, Mummies and Daddies aren't in love with each other anymore," Tom said carefully. "And they fall in love with other people."

"Do you not love Mummy anymore?" Caitlin asked, her eyes still wide and her hand gripping onto the back of Danny's neck, her small fingers curling into his hair.

"Yes, I do sweetie, honestly," Tom replied quickly. "But I'm not in love with her anymore. I'm in love with Danny... do you understand?" he asked gently, obviously not wanting to confuse his daughter.

Caitlin nodded uncertainly. "Does... does that mean you're going to kiss Danny and not Mummy?" she asked after a moment.

Tom chuckled softly and nodded. "Yes... is that okay?"

Caitlin considered what Tom said and then nodded, grinning. "Yes!"

"Okay. Well, I won't be able to live with Mummy anymore either but I'll still see you every day," Tom continued.

"Where will you live?" Caitlin asked, looking surprised and worried at the same time.

"I... don't know yet," Tom replied slowly.

"How about if Daddy moves in with me for a little while?" Danny asked, looking at Tom as he spoke.

The look on Tom's face was one of slight surprise. Danny knew they hadn't discussed it at all but he didn't want to live without the blonde any longer.

"Can I still visit?" Caitlin asked, also looking at Danny but not with surprise.

Danny nodded. "Of course," he said. "There's even a spare room for you to stay over in if you wanted," he finished with a smile.

Caitlin beamed at Danny before turning to Tom. "Are you going to live with Danny, Daddy?"

Tom looked at Caitlin seriously. "I think... that me and Danny need to talk about it - with Mummy - but... I'd like to," he said slowly. "Very much so," he added, looking at Danny and giving him a smile.

Danny returned the smiled and nodded, letting Tom know that he understood his reasons.

"Can we talk to Mummy when we get home?" Caitlin asked, looking at Tom hopefully.

"I think that'll be a good idea, yes," Tom said, nodding. "Are we ready to go now?"

Caitlin nodded so vigorously that Danny couldn't help but chuckle. "I think that's a yes," he said. "Let's go and find the car."

Fifteen minutes later, Tom and Danny were sat side by side on one of the couches in the house that Tom and Gio owned. Gio was sitting opposite them in the armchair, a cup of coffee in her hand while Caitlin was busy playing with her toys in a corner.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Gio asked, sipping at her coffee.

"Well... living arrangements for one thing," Tom said, glancing across at Danny.

Gio nodded. "That's understandable," she said. "The question of how this is going to work has crossed my mind. I... don't think it would be practical for you to continue living here as though nothing has changed."

Tom shook his head. "No, I don't either," he said. "But obviously, I can't just find a new place with a snap of my fingers. So... Danny suggested that I move in with him for a while."

"Just a while?" Gio questioned. "Aren't you two in this for the long haul? I mean... don't you want to live together forever?"

Tom nodded quickly. "Of course! I just... We haven't spoken about this yet," he said, turning to look at Danny. "I'd like us to get a place of our own. I know you have your apartment, but... it's yours. I'd like us to look into getting a place together, that we both have a say in."

Danny smiled and nodded. "I understand that," he said. "And I think you're absolutely right. I want you to feel comfortable and if that means us buying a house together, then... let's do it. My place probably won't be big enough for us both anyway, not to mention if Caitlin comes to stay overnight."

Tom smiled and nodded, turning back to Gio. "That was another thing. Living arrangements for Caitlin. I don't want us to fall out over this. I need to see Caitlin regularly and I'd like to be able to have her stay with us for some of the holidays and things."

Gio considered what Tom said before nodding. "Agreed. I don't want to keep you from seeing her, Tom. I know that she needs to see you, and that you need to see her. I can't keep my daughter from seeing her father... I've learnt that now."

"I'm glad," Tom said softly, squeezing Danny's hand slightly.

"I'll be happy for Caitlin to come and stay with you and Danny whenever she likes," Gio continued. "I'd like her to stay here during the week, just so that her school routine isn't disrupted too much but if she really wanted to stay with you then... I wouldn't force her to come back here. I just want her to be happy."

Tom smiled and nodded. "I do too, and that arrangement would be more than fine with me. We can always split the six weeks holidays too, and she can spend half with us and half with you, though we can sort that out closer to the time."

Gio nodded, sipping her coffee again. "Of course. Have you discussed this with her?"

Danny shook his head. "No. We wanted to talk to you first. She's your daughter. It's only fair."

"Well, I appreciate that you did," Gio replied, smiling. "I don't want this to turn into a custody war."

"It won't," Tom said, reassuring Gio. Then he turned to look over his shoulder at Caitlin. "Caitlin?"

"Yes, Daddy?" Caitlin replied, looking up at Tom.

"Can you come over here for a moment so we can talk to you?" Tom asked.

Caitlin nodded and got to her feet, coming to lean on Danny's knees.

Danny smiled and ruffled her hair slightly.

"Daddy's going to be moving out, Princess," Gio began, watching for Caitlin's reaction.

"Are you going to live with Danny?" Caitlin asked immediately, looking up at Tom.

"Well, yes. I'm going to move into Danny's apartment at first but then we'll be getting a house of our own," Tom replied, smiling at how unfazed Caitlin was.

"Where will I live?" Caitlin asked, her expression serious.

"You're going to stay here with me," Gio chipped in. "But you can see Daddy and Danny whenever you like, and if it's alright with them, you can stay over whenever you want to."

"Really?" Caitlin asked, looking hopeful this time as she turned back to Tom and Danny.

Danny nodded. "Really. We're going to have a special room that will be just for you," he said. "And you know what... when we find a new house, you can even pick your own room and decide how you want it decorating," he added in a loud whisper.

"Can it be pink with princesses and ponies?" Caitlin asked excitedly, her eyes shining.

Tom and Gio laughed, looking at each other.

"If that's how you want it to be," Danny chuckled, nodding. "But we need to find a house first."

Caitlin climbed up onto Danny's knee, giving him a hug before clambering onto Tom's knee to do the same. Then she climbed down and ran across the room to climb up beside Gio and give her a hug too. "I like it when you're nice, Mummy," she whispered, giving Gio a kiss on the cheek.

Gio flushed and hugged Caitlin tightly.

Tom smiled and took Danny's hand, squeezing it gently. "Well... I guess I'd better start packing..."

"Can I help, Daddy?" Caitlin exclaimed, looking excited at the thought.

Tom chuckled. "If you like, sweetie," he said. "Come on. Let's go," he added, standing up and holding out his free hand to Caitlin, smiling as she jumped down from Gio's lap and took it.

Gio smiled and stood up, holding her hand out to Danny. "Come on, Danny. We'll all help," she said.

Danny grinned and took the offered hand, allowing Gio to pull him to his feet.

Lost In You - Chapter Thirteen

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:15:04 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 13 – I’m Gonna Be Okay
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven | Twelve

Chapter Thirteen
I'm Gonna Be Okay

"What can I do if she won't sign the divorce papers?"

Tom was in the back room of Starry Nights on the phone to his lawyer, Adam. He needed to know if there was anything he could do to ensure that Gio wouldn't keep him from seeing Caitlin if they did split up without actually getting divorced.

"Unfortunately, there's no way of getting a divorce without Gio's signature on the papers too," Adam said apologetically. "She needs to sign that form before we can do anything."

Tom sighed. "That's what I was afraid of," he said. "What if she just ups and leaves, taking Caitlin with her? What can I do then?"

"Well... basically you'd have to track her down and then you could fight for custody," Adam said. "That is likely to be a much harder process than getting a divorce as she sounds like a very stubborn person."

"She is," Tom said, sighing again. "I just... I can't be in this marriage anymore. Not when she's acting this way, and I don't feel the same. It's completely out of character for her."

"I expect she's just scared of losing you and Caitlin, Tom," Adam said. "A lot of marriages end this way and I've heard many stories of husbands and wives acting irrationally. It's just a result of how they're feeling."

"She's not going to lose either of us. I would never stop her from seeing Caitlin, and I'm prepared to forgive her for acting this way. I know it's not in her nature," Tom said. "She had no problem with Danny until... well, until she found out about us... Sorry, I shouldn't be bothering you with this," he said, realising that he didn't need to be telling Adam all of this.

"It's alright. I am here to listen, afterall," Adam said, a smile in his voice. "If she was okay with Danny before this all started, maybe there's some way to get through to her. Sit down and talk to her, calmly. Don't get annoyed with her and try not to let her get annoyed with you. Have you done that since she first confronted you?"

"No... no, I haven't," Tom said, realising that perhaps Adam was right and that maybe he and Gio should talk. "Thank you Adam. Again, I'm sorry for bothering you with something that isn't part of your job."

"Don't worry about it. Let me know if you manage to get her to sign the divorce papers. I'm ready and waiting to proceed with the case," Adam replied.

"I will. Thank you. Good bye," Tom said, hanging up the phone. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed before making a vow that he would talk to Gio tonight when he got home.

Tom headed back out into the main shop, nodding at Emily once to let her know things were okay. She smiled at him and turned back to her task. Once he had checked on all of his staff members, Tom set about doing a stock order, trying to get his mind off everything in his personal life. It was proving harder than he had imagined as all he could see in his mind's eye was Caitlin's sad face and all he could hear was her voice repeating "I don't like Mummy anymore," in his head.

After a few hours of solid work, Tom realised it was getting late and stood to close the store. He yawned tiredly and told Emily it was okay to go home. Emily smiled at him and left him alone in the shop. Tom locked the doors and switched off the main lights, heading into the kitchen to gather his belongings. He checked around and made sure everything was in place before locking the building behind him.

It wasn't long before Tom got home and he was shrugging off his jacket. He could hear Caitlin in the living room, talking with someone and a small frown formed on his brow but he quickly shook it off. Kicking off his shoes, Tom padded into the living room to see what the noise was.

He wasn't surprised to see Giovanna's mother in the living room with Caitlin, they were laughing and playing a game of snap. Tom approached them and gave Caitlin a kiss on the top of her head.

"Hi, princess," he said softly.

"Hi, Daddy!" Caitlin exclaimed happily. "Granny and I are playing snap and I'm winning!"

"That's great!" Tom replied with a smile. "Do you know where Mummy is?"

"In the kitchen," Caitlin said, poking her tongue out in concentration as she kept playing snap against her grandmother.

Tom left the pair, heading to the kitchen to find Gio. He found her putting some things into reusable bags and he softly cleared his throat. "Gio..."

Gio looked up. "Hi," she said.

"C-can we talk?" he asked.

"Not right now," she replied, turning her back on him and finishing what she was doing.

Tom closed his eyes briefly and told himself not to get angry. "When your mum has gone, can we talk, please?"

"I'm going away for a few days."

Tom's head snapped up. "What?"

"Yeah, Mum is looking after Caitlin and I'm going to spend the weekend with a girlfriend from college," Gio replied. "It's all rather sudden so I said yes. Mum offered to look after Cait so that wasn't a worry."

"Why can't I look after Cait?" Tom asked, his voice slightly offended.

"I thought it would give you a break too," Gio said. "When I get back we can talk. I mean really talk. I'll stop yelling at you and we can really talk. Just you and me."

Tom didn't know how to take Gio's attitude. It was almost like she was her old self, before she found out about Danny and him. He didn't want to say anything in case she was just playing with him and was going to yell at him again. He just nodded, not trusting himself to say anything and he headed back into the living room.

He sat on the floor next to Caitlin, wanting to spend as much time with her as possible before she spent the weekend with her grandmother.

****

Danny looked out of his window at the sound of a car horn beeping. He grinned as he spotted Dougie waving at him from the window of a taxi that was parked in front of his apartment building. He quickly withdrew his head from the window and made sure the curtains were fully closed. He checked around his apartment to make sure everything was turned off before he left. Dougie had convinced him to go out with him and Harry to a club and he'd been looking forward to it all day, despite knowing that Tom being there would have made it even better.

Danny shut his door behind him and ran down the stairs and out to the taxi, climbing in beside Dougie and Harry. "Hey guys," he said.

"Finally! You took your time!" Dougie exclaimed, hiding a grin.

"Shut up! I had to lock up properly!" Danny said, swatting at Dougie's head.

Harry chuckled. "Hi, Danny," he said. "I hope you're ready for this."

"Hi, Harry," Danny smiled. "Oh, I'm more than ready. I think I just need something to take my mind off what's going on, you know? I hate not being able to see him."

Harry nodded. "I can imagine. I'm sure it'll all be over soon," he said. "Adam's fairly confident that he can win it for Tom if it goes to court."

Danny nodded too. "I know. I just hope it does go to court. It'd be better if it didn't, but the way Gio's been behaving... it's looking likely that it will."

"Well, let's not talk about it anymore tonight," Dougie said, patting Danny's shoulder sympathetically. "Tonight is supposed to take your mind off it!"

Danny chuckled and nodded. "Okay, okay. No more talk of it."

Harry grinned as the taxi drove on. Within fifteen minutes, they'd reached the club and he pulled out some money to pay the driver as Dougie and Danny tumbled out of the door. Harry joined them a second later as they entered the club.

Danny stood for a moment, letting the music and the noise of the crowd wash over him. Then he turned to Dougie and Harry. "Bar?" he asked.

Dougie nodded. "Definitely," he said, making his way over to the bar to order them some drinks.

Danny downed his first beer within moments and was ordering another one shortly after.

"Whoa, slow down there, sweetie," Dougie said placing a hand on Danny's shoulder. "Come dance with me."

Danny shook his head. "Dance with Harry."

"You know Harry doesn't dance," Dougie said taking Danny's glass from his hand and placing it on the bar. Danny sighed as Dougie's petite hand slipped into his own and he was lead onto the dance floor.

As soon as they were in the middle, Dougie pressed flush against him. "Loosen up a little, you're tense."

Danny nodded, trying to take his mind off everything. He let Dougie's hands wander his body, letting it calm him. The small blonde had always had a way to make him relax even in the tensest of situations. It was one of the reasons he had loved him when they were younger. He just loved him for different reasons now.

They had a round of shots every half hour between dances and Danny could feel himself getting slowly drunker. Dougie was right, this is what he needed to try and forget about everything.

Danny almost jumped out of his skin when he felt Harry come up behind him, gently taking Dougie from him. "I feel like a dance now," he said.

Dougie grinned and jumped into Harry's arms, legs wrapping around Harry's waist and they kissed hotly. Danny smiled, walking back to the bar to get another drink. He sat on a stool, watching Dougie and Harry dancing together. Even after all of these years of being with Dougie, Harry still didn't know how to dance and it amused Danny to no end. He smiled as he watched the pair, Dougie's arms were around Harry's neck, holding him close. Their chests were flush against each other and Dougie was saying something dirty by the grin on Harry's face.

Turning away, Danny ordered another drink and took it over to a free table. He sat down and sipped at his beer, trying not to think of Tom and what his blonde lover could be doing right then. His heart ached so much and he just wanted to make sure that he was alright but he knew that he could have no contact with him if he ever wanted to see him again. He just hoped that Giovanna came to her senses and saw that being this way wasn't what anyone wanted. Danny had never meant to hurt her. He was in love with Tom and he knew he had never felt like this before - with anyone. That had to mean something.

He had just downed the rest of his drink when Dougie deposited himself in his lap. Danny's hands immediately went to the blonde's back, steadying him.

"I think we should have a threesome," he said drunkenly.

"What? Dougs, no," Danny replied, pushing him off his lap.

Dougie pressed against his side, chin on his shoulder. "Why not?" he murmured.

"Because you're in a monogamous relationship and so am I."

"Harry wants to as well," Dougie replied.

"Harry wants to what?" the said male asked as he placed another round of shots and three beers on the table before taking a seat across from them.

"Have sex with Danny."

"Dougs!"

"You're drunk, mate," Danny said picking up his shot and drinking it before putting the empty glass down. "I'm not having sex with you and Harry. Not separately and not together. End of story."

"Party pooper," Dougie mumbled. "You'll still have sex with me, won't you, Harry?"

"You know I will, Dougie," Harry replied pulling the blonde into his arms.

"I'm gonna go over there," Danny muttered as Dougie started kissing Harry hotly.

He stood and made his way over to the other side of the room, beer in hand, watching the mass of dancing bodies. He gave a soft sigh as he watched Dougie and Harry.

Danny gasped as a soft pair of lips pressed themselves against his neck. "Tom?" he asked foolishly, turning to locate the owner of the lips.

"No, sorry," replied the male in question. It was a guy Danny had seen a couple of times in his cafe. As Danny blinked, taking in the blond hair and blue eyes, the guy smiled. "Did I scare you? I didn't mean to. I was just wondering why a hot guy such as yourself was over here all on your own?"

"Um..." Danny started, mind reeling as he stepped away from the stranger slightly. Was this guy hitting on him? "I'm with my friends but it wasn't much fun playing gooseberry," he added, gesturing to the table, where Dougie was still doing a good job of eating Harry alive.

"Well, how about you come and have a dance with me? I'm Rob, by the way," the guy said.

Danny regarded Rob for a few moments before shaking his head. "No, thanks," he said. "I don't feel like dancing."

"Come on... it'll take your mind off your friends," Rob said, trying to coax Danny into dancing.

"Well... alright then," Danny said. "Just one dance though. I don't want them leaving me here and going home."

Rob grinned and took Danny's hand. "You might change your mind after one dance though."

"I doubt it," Danny muttered, allowing Rob to lead him onto the dance floor.

Rob turned back towards Danny as they began to dance, grinning. The song was quite a fast one, and Danny allowed himself to get sucked into the pace, relaxing a bit more as they danced. After a few minutes, Rob's hands made their way to Danny's waist, where the brunette promptly removed them.

"What're you doing?" Danny asked as he stopped dancing to look at Rob.

"Dancing," Rob replied, his hands going for Danny's waist again.

"No. Look, sorry mate but I have a boyfriend," Danny said, stepping out of Rob's reach. "He might not be here right now but I love him a lot. I'm not interested in anyone else, sorry if I gave you that impression."

"Are you sure I can't tempt you?" Rob asked, looking right into Danny's eyes.

Danny shook his head again. "No. I love Tom," he said firmly. "I'm going to go now," he added, turning and walking back to the table that Dougie and Harry were still sitting at. Rob gave a shrug and turned away, looking for someone else to dance with.

Dougie looked at Danny curiously as the brunette sat down. "What happened there?"

"That guy was hitting on me," Danny said, sighing. "I turned him down, obviously, but god I wish Tom was here."

"You'll be able to bring him here soon," Harry said, patting Danny's shoulder sympathetically. "What do you two say we get out of here now, go and get a pizza and go back to our place?" he added, looking at Dougie, who nodded. "Danny?"

Danny nodded too. "Yeah... sounds good to me," he said. "I don't feel like dancing anymore."

*****

Tom put his keys on the hook near the door and sighed. He shrugged off his coat, hanging it in the closet by the door and toed off his shoes. As he walked through the hallway, he stretched his aching muscles, crossing his arms across his chest to try and relieve the tension. He padded through the living room, finding it empty. He should have expected it, really.

He headed up the stairs and took a shower. He wasn't particularly hungry so he didn't bother making dinner for himself. Once he had finished in the shower, he threw on his pyjamas, not caring that it was so early in the evening. He slipped his feet into his slippers Caitlin had bought him for his birthday last year and wandered back down the stairs.

He flicked the kettle on straight away to make himself a hot chocolate to have with his new novel of choice. The front door sounded but Tom didn't hear Caitlin's chatter so he stayed in the kitchen. He poured the hot liquid into his mug, stirring all the while.

"I'll have one too, if you don't mind?"

Tom put the kettle down and looked at Gio, nodding. "Sure," he replied.

He pulled out her mug and added the chocolate powder to it before pouring in the water. Gio thanked him softly and gently ran her hand down Tom's back. He stiffened at the touch, expecting something more from her and was surprised when it never happened.

"How was your day?" Gio asked sitting down at the kitchen table once she had pulled out a packet of chocolate coated biscuits.

"Uh, I... it was good," Tom stumbled. "Y-yours?"

"It was fun. We had a lot to catch up on," Gio said, still smiling. "I was hoping we could still have that talk?"

Tom looked at her, their gazes meeting. "Yeah, sure," he replied softly.

Giovanna took her mug and left the kitchen, leaving Tom to follow her to the living room. Tom perched on the edge of the couch at the opposite end to his wife. He had no idea how this conversation was going to go if their previous ones were anything to go from.

He sipped on his hot chocolate, waiting for Gio to start the conversation. She shifted in her spot and turned to look at him. Tom felt himself begin to shake and he gripped his mug tighter, not wanting to get angry or cry anymore.

"I don't know where to start," Gio confessed. She ran a hand through her straightened hair and let out a nervous chuckle.

"Start from the start?" Tom whispered.

She heaved a sigh and looked up at him again. "I guess I should start with I'm sorry."

Tom was taken aback, those two words being the last words he expected to hear from her. "Y-you're sorry?"

Gio nodded. "I have been an utter cow," she started. "I blame it on not wanting to lose my family but I have been really horrible to you, Tom. To Caitlin as well.

"Something Caitlin said the other night made me stop and think just how awful I was being," she continued. "Keeping you in a loveless marriage? That is just insane. I was hurt. I was so hurt. You slept with a man, you cheated on me and yet I still love you. I never wanted any of this to happen."

Tom kept silent, taking her words in.

"I guess I expected more from you," she said. "I would have hoped you could have talked to me first before having sex with Danny -"

"I-"

"No, wait," Giovanna interrupted him. "I need to say this."

Tom nodded, letting her continue.

"I never knew you were with a male before me," Gio said. "Dougie came around here when you were at work one day and he yelled at me. I slapped him and told him to get out but he told me that you had been with a guy before me. How come you never told me that?"

Tom opened his mouth to speak. "I... I didn't know how you would take it," he whispered. "I was very much in love with Jamie but he left me."

"Was I a rebound relationship to you?"

"What? No! God, no. Gio, you were never that. I loved you so much," Tom said turning to face her fully. "I still love you, I'm just not in love with you anymore," he added in a whisper.

Gio gave a slight, worn out smile. "I know. Caitlin has told me just how much you and Danny are in love."

"She has?" Tom asked swallowing thickly.

"Yeah, a few times," Gio replied. "She really loves him, doesn't she?"

Tom nodded. "He loves her too," he whispered. "He thinks the world of Cait."

Gio took a sip of her drink, staring into the liquid before talking again. "I'm going to give you the divorce."

Tom's heart thudded against his ribcage. "R-really?" he asked, not daring to believe it just yet.

Gio nodded. "Yeah," she replied. "I can't keep you, Tom. No matter how much I want to, I can't keep you here, now when your heart is so clearly somewhere else. Now I look back on it, I was blind to think your and Danny's relationship was anything less than friends. The way he looks at you is the way you used to look at me..."

Tom gently shuffled up the couch, covering Gio's hand with his own. She looked up at him through watery eyes.

"I don't want to lose you," she whispered fearfully.

"You won't, Gi, you won't," he said softly, squeezing her hand. "I'm always going to be here. You are a massive part of my life and I wouldn't ever want that to stop."

Gio leant slightly into him. "Thank you."

Tom pressed a kiss to the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair slightly. They stayed like that for a while before both of their drinks went cold. They both stood, moving to the kitchen to tip out the contents of their mugs.

Gio turned and wrapped her arms around Tom's middle. "I love you," she mumbled against his chest.

"I love you too," Tom replied, squeezing her to him.

After a few long moments, they parted and headed up to the bedroom. Gio changed into her pyjamas and asked Tom to stay with her the night. Tom nodded and they both climbed into bed. The sheets felt foreign against his skin and Tom couldn't help but feel out of place even though this was the same bed they had shared since the moment they moved in together.

Gio snuggled into his side, fingers tracing light patterns on his chest. "I really am sorry."

"I know," Tom replied. "I am too."

You Caught Me By Surprise

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 03:15:11 GMT

Title: You Caught Me By Surprise
Part: 1/1
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: Hermione/Luna
Summary: The Snufflebugs brought them together…
Word Count: 1,168
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination.
A/N: Written for the 2008 fem_exhchange.
A/N 2: Written in 2nd person POV.

You Caught Me By Surprise

The Universe often threw things at people to make them stronger, you knew that. You knew that everyone had a purpose and that every once in a while, situations arose that couldn’t be avoided. When Luna Lovegood showed up on your doorstep, completely sodden from the rain, you knew this was one of those situations.

She proclaimed that the Snufflebugs had danced in front of her and then she got caught in the rain. You didn’t comment about the Snufflebugs, having grown accustomed to Luna’s traits by now.

You said to Luna that she could shower and change if she liked. The blonde nodded gratefully and headed down the hall to the bathroom. As the door clicked shut, you let a small sigh escape your lips. Heading to the kitchen, you switched on the kettle, still liking to keep some things Muggle.

Flicking your wand, you filled two mugs with hot chocolate, popping the little pink and yellow marshmallows on top. You smiled and took them into the living room, setting them on the coffee table.

The shower in the bathroom stops and you make your way to your bedroom to transfigure Luna some clothes to wear. She timidly walks into your room, bathrobe wrapped around her body, a towel twisted artistically on top of her head, keeping her hair out of the way.

You smile softly at her and indicate to the clothes she can use. She thanks you with a smile of her own and you close the door softly behind you, not before telling her that you’ve made hot chocolates for the both of you.

You’re sitting down, sipping at your hot chocolate, feet propped up on a poufy, book in your hand when Luna finally joins you. Her hair is still damp and she copies your stance, placing her own feet on the poufy in front of her.

You both reach for the second mug and you pull away, letting Luna pick it up herself. For a moment, you’re both silent before Luna asks if the Snufflebugs paid you a visit. Shaking your head, you tell her that you honestly haven’t seen any and she finds it peculiar.

Quirking an eyebrow, you ask why.

“Because the dance of the Snufflebug leads to unexpected circumstances,” Luna replies.

“Unexpected circumstances?” you repeat.

Luna nods, blonde hair falling across her shoulder. She pushes it back and turns to you. She stares at you quite intently and you can’t help but flush under her scrutinising gaze. She probably doesn’t even realise she’s making you flush but there is a loud clap of thunder and the electricity goes out and you’re plunged into complete darkness.

“It’s alright,” you say, standing. “Lumos. I have candles in the kitchen.”

Luna stands too, following you into the kitchen. You crouch down and reach into the cupboard, pulling out three taper candles. You place one in a holder and leave it in the kitchen, taking the other two into the living room, setting them on the coffee table.

“Well, that was unexpected,” Luna says, picking her mug back up.

“Yes, it was,” you muse.

You find yourself wondering just how unexpected it really was. Luna is talking again and you turn your attention back to her and the story she is telling you. It’s relaxing, listening to her speak, her soft voice floats over you and makes everything comfortable. You don’t even realise how comfortable you both are until your hot chocolates are finished and you’re getting up to make more.

You pull out some biscuits to have as well and Luna smiles as she sees that they’re her favourites. She thanks you and takes one of them, dipping it into her hot chocolate and sucking the melted chocolate from the biscuit. You smile and copy her actions after she insists you do it too.

Chuckling, you both polish off the last of the pack, getting chocolate all over your fingers but for once, not really caring about the mess. Just laughing with someone as carefree as Luna made the little things not seem as important.

After half an hour, the electricity comes back on and you’re pulling out a blanket, wrapping it around you both as you sit together on the couch to watch a movie. You’re not sure what the movie is; only that Luna tells you it is a good one.

You don’t notice that you’re slipping closer and closer to Luna until your hand touches hers. She is unfazed as she links your fingers together, placing them in her lap. You’re quite glad that the flush covering your cheeks isn’t visible in the darkened room.

Somehow, you feel quite comfortable with Luna, her hand holding yours, fitting against it so perfectly. Her fingers are long and dainty, very lady like. Your fingers are calloused from working so hard but hers are soft, like she soaks them nightly in some sort of crème.

You find yourself staring at Luna for more than five minutes but if she notices, she doesn’t say. You flush again and turn back to the television, not quite understanding the movie since you’ve missed a large chunk but determined to keep watching anyway.

The movie finishes and Luna asks if you’d like to watch another one. You nod, letting the younger woman fiddle with the DVD player, choosing a movie and setting it all up. She sits back down, hand slipping into your own once more. This time, you don’t flush, instead you look up at Luna and she gives you a small, sweet smile.

You curl up together, watching the second movie, holding hands under the blanket and it is not uncomfortable to you in the slightest. It never occurred to you before that Luna would be as soft as she is. You expected her to have skin of someone who had been working hard in a garden, dirt under her nails and scratch makes where she had touched something that anyone else never would have. She’s anything but that, you muse, thumb stroking the back of her hand gently.

At some point during the movie, Luna shifts in her spot and has turned to face you. You’re smiling slightly, hands still joined and Luna smiles back. She’s leaning closer and the kiss doesn’t surprise you. Your lips join softly, kissing tentatively.

Luna’s free hand comes up to cup your neck and you find yourself leaning into her touch. You’re not sure who does it first but her tongue is slipping against your own, massaging it softly and a small sigh escapes your lips quite unlike the one from earlier in the night when Luna first arrived.

You part and both of you are a little flushed.

“This is… unexpected,” you whisper.

Luna smiles and nods knowingly. “It’s the Snufflebugs,” she replies.

You chuckle and curl into her side, holding her hand still. You don’t care if the Snufflebugs brought you this unexpected circumstance, you’re just quite glad it did.

*****

Comments are ♥

Take My Hand

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:25:13 GMT

Title: Take My Hand
Characters/Pairings: Claire/Elle
Rating: R
Wordcount: 1,208
Spoilers: Season 3 onwards
Warnings: Small amount of blood play
Disclaimer: Heroes belongs to Tim Kring, NBC et al
A/N: Written for superkappa for the 2009 Spring exchange at heroes_exchange with the prompt of: What if Elle hadn't gone inside of Pinehearst but stayed with Claire?
Summary: After Peter had fallen from the top floor of the Pinehearst building, Claire had began to trust Elle that little bit more.

Take My Hand

After Peter had fallen from the top floor of the Pinehearst building, Claire had began to trust Elle that little bit more. She knew she shouldn’t have but when the older blonde had grasped Peter’s other bloodied up arm and helped him into the car, she felt her resolve soften. She knew the blonde needed help like she did but she also knew that they could no longer trust anyone that worked at Pinehearst. Not after what Peter had told them.

They would have to find another way to fix Elle’s overloading problem. Claire knew she couldn’t keep letting Elle dump all of her electricity into her every time it got too much. She knew it wasn’t good for Elle and even though she could heal from any and every single wound, she knew it wasn’t good for her either. She couldn’t afford to trust the Company agent. It was in her best interest not to.

It took just over a week before Elle snapped and shorted the entire city of its power supply but she overcame her problem and she no longer had to worry about not being able to control her ability anymore.

The cause of Elle’s final overload had been a particularly intense argument between herself and Claire. They had been talking about the best way to get Elle through her outbursts and Claire had decided it might help if Elle had offloaded some of her personal baggage.

Elle had snapped at Claire, saying she didn’t need the perfect cheerleader to help her with anything. They scoffed at each other and soon, Elle got so annoyed that she overloaded again and the entire city lost power with her outburst.

The upside was that it had done it for good. She didn’t overload anymore and she wasn’t in agony. She had full control of her powers back and it made for an even less snarky Elle, which Claire was grateful for.

A bond began to form between the two women and as much as they didn’t like it, they couldn’t stop it from happening. They became the unstoppable agents. Together, they cleaned up Elle’s original mess, making it their goal to get all the escapees from Level 5 back.

Neither woman wanted to admit they worked well as a team but they knew they had a good thing and couldn’t break it for the sake of petty arguments. Though they still had them they were far and few between. More often than not, it was just a passing comment that turned into a term of affection. There was no longer malice behind Elle’s ‘pom-pom’ or ‘cheerleader’ nicknames. There was acknowledgement that they had been fighting together for the last nine months and they were okay with that.

They moved in together after six months of battling. It was an unspoken agreement they had. They worked better together and if they were together more often than not then they were unbeatable.

There were many unspoken agreements between them. Neither talked about Elle’s father and his untimely death and neither talked about the fact that they, against all odds, worked together now.

Elle was still a little crazed at times but she used that to fuel her for the battles they faced every week. Going up against the people they had required for them to be relentless and emotionless. They couldn’t get caught up in their moods or their problems. The battlefield was no place for that.

So they took out their frustrations on playing video games. It had been Lyle that had suggested Claire use something to take her mind off her ‘job’ and it had worked well for both females. They’d spend hours upon hours on an evening playing video games of all sorts. It did wonders for their built up aggravation and even gave them a small piece of mind that there was a salvation in the madness.

Over time, the looks of annoyance they once shared became looks of amusement when one of them got killed on the video game or something equally silly. They started getting used to each other. Comfortable with each other. Comfortable enough that they started doing things they could never do at home with their families. Things like going from their bedroom to the kitchen in just their knickers and a tank top, or walking from the bathroom throughout the house in just their towel.

Neither were sure when it exactly happened but the more time they spent with each other, the more familiar they got with each other, the more their feelings changed. Once feelings of resentment and distrust had changed into feelings of pride and, if they dared to admit it, lust. Not that they would ever admit that to the other. They had a strictly professional relationship and it could not be jeopardised by a silly crush.

It had been a long day when it happened. Elle had almost been killed and this caused the blonde to go into frenzy and she electrocuted the male who held the weapon. She didn’t kill him, just stunned him enough for him to back off. Claire had intervened and they headed straight home, neither wanting to finish the day with one half of their team dead.

Elle snapped at Claire, saying she didn’t need to be babied and it resulted in Claire yelling back that she nearly lost Elle and she didn’t know if she could handle that. Both women had sat in stunned silence. Neither had ever dared to voice what they both felt.

It wasn’t certain who made the first move but their lips were touching and they sighed in unison. The kiss wasn’t hesitant; it wasn’t anything they had thought it would be. It wasn’t ‘coming home’ and it didn’t have any feelings of bitterness in it. It was like they had realised just how good they were together after all and this just proved it.

The kiss turned rough and raw just like everything about them. It wasn’t about making the other feel comfortable, it was about the pure lust that ran through each of their veins. Elle’s fingers clawed at Claire’s top in a rush to get as close as possible, the fabric ripping underneath her forcefulness.

Shredded clothes lay in a pile on the floor and Claire’s hand fisted in Elle’s tangled blonde hair as they kissed, their bodies moving together. The couch they laid upon shifted against the carpeted floor with the force of their movements. One Elle’s fingers slipped inside of Claire and the younger woman crashed their lips in a heated kiss.

Claire’s head tipped back against the arm of the chair as she felt Elle’s hot breath on her neck, teeth scraping at her skin and lips moving to suck on the junction of her neck. Throaty moans rang out in the dim room, neither sure who was the one that made them but neither cared. Nothing beyond this moment existed and when Elle bit down hard on Claire’s neck, two small droplets of blood dripping down her skin, the younger woman came with a loud groan.

Their sweaty bodies lay together on the couch, the two puncture wounds on Claire’s neck healing, leaving no mark to prove what had just happened.

*****

Loss

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:08:19 GMT

Title: Loss
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: Danny/Dougie
Word Count: 1031
Summary: We invent a great Loss to convince ourselves we have a beginning. But loss is a current: the coolness of one side of a wet finger held up, the faint hiss in your ears at midnight, water sliding over the dam at the back of your mind, memory unremembering itself.
- James Richardson
A/N: For the Prompt!Challenge at mcflyslash
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Loss

Dougie paced in front of Danny, back and forth, back and forth in front until he felt like he was getting dizzy. Danny stood and took both of Dougie’s hands in his own and squeezed gently. Dougie shot him a nervous smile and let go of his hands, resuming his pacing.

Dougie chewed on his lip thoughtfully, completely nervous, they were coming out to their other best friend today. They’d already come out to Tom the day before and he had taken it fine, he was glad they were happy together and that they had found love in each other. He said as long as it didn’t impact on the band then he was more than happy for them.

Harry would be arriving any minute and Dougie was extremely nervous about telling his best friend he was gay and in a relationship with Danny.

“It’ll be alright, Dougs,” Danny said softly.

Dougie looked up. “Yeah, yeah, I know,” he mumbled. He sat down next to Danny on the couch. “I’m just nervous.”

“I know, but it’ll be alright, this is Harry,” Danny started. “He’s known us since we were teens, nothing will change.”

Dougie nodded. “Yeah, I know,” he replied softly. He closed the gap between them and gently kissed him on the lips.

The doorbell rang and Dougie jumped up. He straightened himself and stood staring at the large wooden door for a long moment. He took a deep breath and opened the door with a smile, greeting Harry.

“Hey!” Dougie smiled, stepping aside so Harry could enter the flat.

“Thanks,” Harry said. “How are you?”

“Good, I’m good,” Dougie replied, leading Harry to the living room where Danny was waiting for them.

Dougie perched on the edge of the couch, next to Danny. He felt the older male’s large hand briefly touch his back, an act of support and encouragement. He allowed himself a small smile as Harry sat down in the single arm chair.

Harry looked up at them expectantly and Dougie swallowed thickly. Danny was right, they had nothing to worry about, this was Harry, someone they had known for years and were very close to. He wasn’t going to react badly to them coming out.

Dougie shifted again, turning to face Harry a little more than he already was. “I guess you’re wondering why we asked you to come over, huh?”

Harry nodded. “A little, yeah,” he replied.

“Uh,” Dougie started. “Danny and I want to share something with you,” he clasped his hands in his lap to stop the shaking. “We’ve wanted to tell you this for a while but we kind of never found the right time. Mostly, we were hoping you would just figure it out.”

“Figure what out?” Harry asked, a small crease forming on his brow.

“That I, that we…” Dougie trailed off, taking a breath.

“What Dougie is trying to say is,” Danny shuffled forwards and slipped one of his hands into Dougie’s. “We’re together. We wanted you to know.”

“You’re… together?” Harry repeated.

Dougie and Danny both nodded.

“Together how?” Harry asked.

“Like you and Izzy, like Tom and Gi kind of together,” Dougie replied softly.

Harry looked up sharply. “That’s disgusting,” he said standing up.

Dougie’s mouth fell open and he looked disbelievingly at Harry. “Harry, you don’t mean that.”

“Yes, I do,” Harry said. “That is unnatural and it is wrong. Men aren’t supposed to be with other men, it’s wrong.”

Dougie stood too. “But two women can be together?” he asked.

“That’s different,” Harry responded.

“Different how?” Dougie queried. “Because it turns you on?”

“It’s just different!”

“How?”

“It’s not revolting like it is with two males.”

“You think we’re revolting?” Dougie asked meekly.

Danny stood next to Dougie, and the blonde looked up at him, thankful for the hand on the small of his back, an unconscious, comforting gesture.

“Surely you don’t mean that, Haz?” Danny asked softly.

“Of course I do,” Harry said, leaving the living room.

“Harry, wait!” Dougie called out, going after him. “You can’t mean that. We’re your friends. We’ve known you since we were teenagers. Please don’t do this.”

Harry looked down his nose at him and Dougie felt his heart drop to his stomach. He locked eyes with the older male, hoping that he was just playing a horrible prank, that he was late for April fools and that he really didn’t mean that they disgusted him.

“If I had known I was joining a band with two queers, I would have never taken the job,” Harry said icily. “I don’t ever want to speak to either of you again.”

The sound of the door slamming behind Harry resounded through Dougie’s mind over and over along with his parting words. He stood, shell-shocked, staring at the front door.

He didn’t comprehend when Danny’s strong arms wrapped around his waist and his lips pressed into his neck. He felt his legs give out underneath him and the hot tears making their way down his cheeks, the echo of Harry’s voice still ringing in his ears. The look on Harry’s face was imprinted in his mind and he let out the sob he had been holding out.

Danny kept a firm hold of him, whispering in his ear that it was okay, that it would all be okay. Dougie knew different, he knew that it wouldn’t. That it was the end of their lives, their careers and six years worth of friendship down the drain.

Everything they had worked so hard for was now lost because they had came out to their best friend, the only other person’s opinion that mattered to them the most. They never envisioned Harry reacting like that at all, not once. There had been discussions on how the other two band mates would react and they had hoped that years of friendship would surpass any discomfort towards their sexuality.

Dougie sobbed again, his heart aching for the loss of his best friend, for the band – the one thing in life apart from Danny that made him sublimely happy and for the knowledge that it would never be again.

It was all gone.

Forever.

*****

Comments are ♥

If You Seek Amy

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:06:12 GMT

Title: If You Seek Amy
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 4,204
Summary: Bec grumbles over losing out on scoring a girl, Amy decides to show her how to seduce properly…
A/N: An original femmeslash piece, dedicated to inkypuff
Disclaimer: These are my characters, straight from my mind, please ask if you want to borrow them. Thank you

If You Seek Amy

“I can’t believe it,” Bec grumbles as she sulks into the living room, having just come in from a night out.

Amy looks up, peering over the top of her reading glasses, closing the book she’s holding. “What’s up?” she asks, folding her hands on her lap and looks up at her best friend.

“I can’t believe Bianca did that to me!” Bec huffs, sitting next to Amy on the couch. She explains to Amy that she had been out at a club they frequented on weekends and how she had been dancing and getting close to this girl when Bec’s friend, Bianca, had come along and practically snatched the girl away from her. Bec was more than a little upset and with good reason, it was something Bianca always did to her.

“Mel and I really had something and Bianca just comes along, as always, and takes her away,” Bec mumbles, a pout on her lips.

Sighing, Amy takes off her reading glasses and sets them next to the book on the coffee table. “Bec, I’m gonna do something I should have done a long time ago.”

With that, she slaps Bec across the face. It is light, not hard enough to even leave a mark but enough to startle her best friend.

“What was that for?” Bec asks, bringing her own hand to her cheek, rubbing the sore flesh.

“You!” Amy starts and then shakes her head. “You have all of the right equipment, you’ve just got to learn how to use it!”

Bec shoots her a quizzical look and Amy sighs.

“Every single time we go out, you find a gorgeous girl who really seems into you and then Bianca comes in and swoops them away from you. There is nothing Bianca has that you don’t,” Amy began. “You’ve just gotta learn how to use what you have to your advantage.”

“Then what?” Bec mumbles, still frowning.

“Then,” Amy smiles. “Bianca won’t stand a chance.”

Bec returns her smile, somewhat nervously. “W-what do I have to do?”

“For this, you just sit tight, watch and learn,” Amy says.

She stands, dimming the lights and switches the stereo on. Soft music flows from the speakers and she can see the frown on her best friend’s face still. She smiles to herself and moves fluidly across the room. She takes Bec’s hand away from her face and kisses the back of it, keeping eye contact the entire time.

She gently straddles her best friend, knees on either side of Bec’s thighs. Amy isn’t even fazed that she is only clad in pyjama bottoms and a singlet top; she is focusing on teaching Bec something valuable.

“First,” Amy says softly. “You gotta let her know she’s not getting away, not without a fight.”

Bec nods, swallowing. “Uh huh.”

“That she’s going to come home with you tonight and no one else,” Amy continues.

She shifts slightly on Bec’s lap, her breasts right near her friend’s face. She sees Bec visibly gulp and smiles to herself.

Amy gently runs her fingers up both of Bec’s arms, straight over her shoulders and to the back of her neck, massaging it gently. “And once that is clear, she’s not going to want to go home with anyone else, especially not Bianca.”

Amy takes her hair tie from around her wrist and she ties her hair back into a loose pony tail, blonde strands falling around her face, framing it. She makes sure that as she moves, her chest was right in Bec’s line of sight; she knows how to accentuate what she has.

Smiling again, Amy gently cups Bec’s neck. “You got to let her know you’re in charge,” she says softly. “And that this is going to be the best night of her life. One she’s going to remember in years to come.”

Bec nods, eyes locking with Amy’s own.

“It won’t take long to get her under your spell,” Amy mumbles. “Start with a smile, a gentle touch of her hand.”

Amy gently picks up Bec’s hand, caressing it softly as she smiles at the brunette. She strokes each finger in turn, lacing their fingers together once she is done.

“Then lean in close,” Amy tilts her head forwards. “Let her know your intentions so she has the chance to say no if she wants to – which she won’t but it’s always nice to give the option.”

Amy’s breath ghosts over Bec’s cheek. “She knows what’s coming next, as do you and if she hasn’t pulled away by now, let your lips touch hers. Don’t introduce your tongue, not yet, you’ve got to build up to the good stuff.”

Amy’s lips met Bec’s softly, barely touching them and then she’s pulling away. She smiles as Bec’s moves with her, trying to kiss her again. She gently strokes Bec’s cheek softly.

“Now you’ve got her,” Amy whispers. “Everything here on out is a piece of cake.”

Bec blinks up at Amy. “It is?” she asks.

Amy nods. “We’re not done yet,” she replies.

Bec’s hands move to hold her hips and she takes them and places them either side of her on the couch. “No touching,” she commands softly.

She presses her lips to Bec’s again, kissing her just like before. Bec’s lips move against hers and she can hear the sigh falling from her friend’s lips.

“Now, you can introduce your tongue,” Amy starts. “Never too much, just rub it gently along her lower lip so she gets the picture. Girls dig it, she’ll be putty in your hands the moment her tongue touches yours. Just remember, you’re in control, she’s going to love you for it.”

Bec nods again and their lips meet once more. Amy parts her lips ever so slightly, running her tongue along Bec’s bottom lip. Bec’s mouth opens slightly, a sigh escaping her lips and Amy smiles inwardly. Amy gently kisses her deeper, slowly but surely introducing her tongue.

Bec’s hands move from their spot, coming to hold Amy’s waist and Amy removes them, not forcibly but Bec will know not to do it again.

“I said no touching,” Amy repeats.

Bec bites her lip and nods. “Okay.”

“It’s okay,” Amy sees the worry in Bec’s brown eyes and she gently strokes her cheek again. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I know,” Bec whispers. “I… I’m just not used to being seduced by my best friend.”

Amy smiles, kissing Bec’s cheek. “We can stop any time you want, you know that, right?”

Bec nods. “Yeah, I know,” she replies. “It’s okay, I need to learn this or Bianca will just keep taking all of the girls away from me.”

Amy nods. “Okay,” she places her hands on Bec’s shoulders. “Now that she’s experienced your kisses, she’s not going to want to stop. Her lips won’t want to be leaving yours.”

To prove her point, Amy leans forwards, pressing her lips against Bec’s again. They kiss softly and Amy’s pretty sure she hears a small moan coming from Bec but thinks nothing of it. Amy’s hands travel down Bec’s sides as they continue kissing.

“Now she’s utterly enthralled by your lips, all you have to do is plant the idea in her head and she’s yours,” Amy continues. “Drop her some compliments, nothing too cheesy and no crappy pick up lines. Though, one time, I did use the one from The Wog Boy on a girl. We didn’t get out of bed for two days,” she smiled, drifting off at the memory.

“Wait, you mean the they say you are what you eat and tomorrow I plan on being you one?” Bec asks, perplexed.

Amy flushes a little. “Yeah,” she said. “It worked though! She practically fucked me against the bar. It was a fantastic weekend…”

Bec chuckles and Amy can’t help but smile. “You’re a nutter,” she says.

Amy grins. “I know,” she replies. “C’mon, focus.”

Bec nods again and Amy shifts again on her lap.

“Now,” Amy pauses. “You’ve delivered your line, whatever it may be, to basically tell her you want to fuck her. Take her home and do it, go back to her place, or go into the ladies’ room and do it. Point is, she knows you want her and she wants you just as bad.

“Take her hand and lead her wherever it is you’re going,” Amy continues. “Always maintain your control. She’s not going to keep her interest for long if you flake it.”

Amy’s hands are on Bec’s waist, toying with the hem of her shirt. “Once you have here where you want her, the real fun can get started.”

Amy dips her head and kisses Bec again. The kisses aren’t as soft as before, they’re hot, full of passion and they are going to lead to one thing and one thing only. Amy’s fingers slip underneath the fabric, her semi-cold fingertips coming into contact with Bec’s warm flesh. She feels Bec’s stomach muscles involuntary move inwards as she strokes her skin and after a moment, she relaxes.

“Be slow but sure of what you want,” Amy whispers, breaking the kiss. “You need to know what you want to do before you do it so you don’t fumble. Seduction is an art and it’s going to be a flawed one if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

Bec’s hazy eyes meet her own as she nods. “Yeah,” she breathes.

Amy kisses her again, unbuckling Bec’s belt. She doesn’t break the kiss as she slides it out of the loops and drops it to the floor. Her hands immediately go back to the zipper of Bec’s jeans, hastily undoing it.

“Wait,” Bec says pulling back.

Amy looks at Bec’s flushed face and bites her lip. “Too much?” she asks.

Bec shakes her head. “No,” she says honestly. “It’s just…” she swallows and flushes. “Are you really going to fuck me?”

“This is a lesson, isn’t it?”

The flush deepens on Bec’s cheeks and she nods.

“We don’t have to, if you don’t want,” Amy says. “If it’s going to be weird?”

“No, it’s okay,” Bec replies. “Just give me a moment, I’m about to get fucked by my best friend.”

Amy smiles and presses a soft, loving kiss to Bec’s lips. “Take all of the time you need,” she says softly.

After a few short moments, Bec looks up again and nods. “I’m okay.”

Amy smiles again. “Alright,” she says. “So, you’ve got her exactly where you want her, the kisses are intense and she’s already as wet as hell for you, you’ve just got to do something about it.”

Amy’s lips meet Bec’s again, kissing softly at first, quickly turning into heated kisses. Her fingers are back at Bec’s fly, tugging it down. Bec’s breath hitches again and this time, Amy can tell it’s not out of uncertainty but one of pleasure. She pushes the fabric open enough so she can get her hand underneath it.

She pulls back from Bec’s lips, watching as her best friends’ eyes flutter open just as she presses against her clit from over her knickers. Bec’s mouth parts and she inhales sharply. Her eyes are locked with Bec’s and Amy smiles, moving her fingers again.

“Amy,” Bec whispers.

Amy just smiles, moving her hand, fingers slipping beneath the material of her knickers. Her fingers gently part Bec’s lips and strokes her clit a few times.

Bec’s head falls against the back of the couch and inhales sharply. Amy drops kisses to Bec’s newly exposed throat, fingers working her clit the entire time. She moves lower, gently inserting a finger into Bec’s entrance for a brief moment before pulling out again.

Bec moans loudly as Amy uses more force against her clit. She keeps kissing the soft neck, tongue tracing patterns across it. Amy shifts her hand slightly, adding pressure to another angle of Bec’s clit and she’s slightly startled when her best friend’s hand grabs a hold of her hip.

“Fuck,” Bec groans.

Amy grins, repeating the movement. She nudges Bec’s cheek gently with her nose and the brunette immediately captures her lips in her own. Amy sighs softly, kissing Bec back with equal fervour. Her hand moves all the while and Bec’s breath hitches again.

“Fuck,” Bec repeats.

Amy chuckles softly and just kisses Bec again. It isn’t long until Bec’s grip tightens slightly on Amy’s hip and she tenses completely. Amy moves her hand still, kissing the brunette hotly as she rides through her orgasm.

Bec is panting against her lips, shaking slightly. She opens her eyes and lifts a shaking hand to her face, brushing her hair away from her face. “Fuck.”

“Very eloquent tonight, aren’t we?” Amy teases.

“Fuck you.”

“Just did,” Amy winks and smiles to herself when Bec can’t seem to find the energy to reply.

Amy redoes the zipper up on Bec’s jeans and pulls the brunette’s shirt back down. Bec’s head is still resting against the back of the couch and Amy can’t help but smile at the post coital flush covering her best friend’s skin.

She sits and watches Bec for a moment, ignoring the feeling in her chest as she watches Bec’s breathing go back to normal. The brunette still has her eyes closed and Amy bites her lip, wondering if it would be too much to kiss her.

Suddenly, Bec’s eyes are opened and are focused on her and Amy finds herself feeling flush.

“So,” Amy says tearing her gaze away. “If you manage to do that, then Mel will be yours. Bianca won’t stand a chance next time.”

Bec chuckles. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” she says and stands up, straightening her clothes as she does and starts for the exit of the room.

Amy jumps up, acting instinctively and reaches out, placing a hand on Bec’s shoulder just as she’s left the room. Bec turns to face her, and Amy bites her lip again.

“You alright?” Bec asks, titling her head.

“Yeah… I…” Amy pauses and presses her lips to Bec’s own in a soft kiss.

She is slightly surprised when Bec kisses her back and she relaxes instantly, opening her mouth and kissing the brunette softly. Bec pulls back after a moment, cheeks completely flush and Amy can’t help but smile coyly at her.

“Well,” Bec says, clearing her throat.

“Well what?” Amy asks.

“I’m not sure, can we do that again?”

Amy chuckles. “You’re learning,” she mumbles as she leans closer, kissing Bec again. They stand there, in the hallway of their house, kissing slowly. Amy’s fingers tangle in the strands of Bec’s shoulder length hair, getting impossibly close. Bec’s hands are on her waist, slipping up the back of her shirt and caressing her skin.

Amy moans softly into the kiss and manoeuvres them down the rest of the hall and into Bec’s room, it being the closest. Amy kicks the door closed behind her and pulls back from the kiss. She smiles down at Bec and gently pushes her back onto the bed. Amy pulls off her tank top, throwing it to the floor before gently crawling on top of Bec, knees on either side of Bec’s hips.

Bec’s fingers are trailing ever so lightly down Amy’s arms and goosebumps form where she’s touched. Amy’s breath ghosts over Bec’s lips and then they’re kissing. Amy’s not sure if she initiated it or if Bec did and she finds she doesn’t care especially when Bec’s knee comes between her parted legs and presses against that spot.

Amy doesn’t even realise that Bec is moving them, that they’re sitting up until she feels Bec’s fingers hooking under her bra strap, undoing the clasp with two fingers. Amy shrugs out of the item, throwing it to the floor, her lips crashing upon Bec’s again. The kisses are heated and are they can’t seem to get enough of each other.

Amy undoes the buttons of Bec’s shirt as quickly as she can, her lips still connected to the brunette’s own. She finally is able to push the material of Bec’s shirt away, hands moving to cup Bec’s face softly. She kisses her again, moaning into Bec’s mouth as Bec’s hands go around her own back, undoing the clasp on her bra. Their naked breasts touch each others and Amy doesn’t recognise the sigh falling from her own mouth.

They part, gazing into each other’s faces for a moment and Amy smiles gently, pressing a soft kiss to Bec’s lips. She lets out a surprised squeak when Bec suddenly pushes her on her back, straddling her this time. Amy chuckles, reaching up to pull Bec down for another kiss. The kiss is softer again, less heated than before and Amy finds herself not wanting it to end.

Bec pulls away from her lips, trailing kisses across her throat, down over her collarbone and straight towards one of her nipples, immediately taking it in her mouth.

“Oh fuck,” Amy groans.

She can feel Bec smiling around her flesh and she lets out another moan.

“Fuck,” she pants. “I knew,” she swallows thickly, trying not to moan again. “I knew I should never have told you I love my nipples being sucked,” she says in a rush. “Fucking truth or dare.”

Bec just responds by moving to her other nipple, repeating her actions on that one. Amy can’t take it anymore and she pulls Bec to her, kissing her hotly.

“Fucking tease,” Amy mumbles, wrapping her legs around Bec’s middle.

Bec smiles against her lips, kissing back passionately. Amy sighs when Bec cups her bottom over her pyjamas and she pushes down onto her hand. Bec’s hand moves, her fingers tracing small patterns across her material clad skin until she’s at her inner thigh. Amy gasps as Bec’s fingers trace over her crotch and she groans loudly again.

Amy flips them back over, Bec underneath her looking slightly surprised. She smiles widely and kisses the brunette again. Amy’s hand immediately starts tugging down the zipper on Bec’s fly for the second time that night and is trying to get her best friend out of her jeans as quickly as possible. After a moment, she pulls back from the kiss, focusing her attention on taking Bec’s pants off.

Having successfully pulled her jeans off, Amy smiles and presses a kiss to Bec’s inner thigh. She’s slightly surprised when Bec’s trembling and she leaves a trail of open mouthed kisses up her soft flesh.

“I’ll take care of you,” she whispers, locking eyes with her.

Bec nods. “I… I know,” she replies.

Amy kisses Bec softly, trying to convey her feelings through the simple touch. Bec’s fingers hook in the waistband of her pyjama bottoms and tug them down. They’re down to Amy’s knees and she shifts slightly, not wanting to break the kiss but also wanting to get out of her clothes. She eventually gets out of the pants and they’re added to the floor with the rest of their clothing.

Bec’s hands are cupping her bottom over her underwear and Amy pushes back against them. Their kiss breaks and their eyes meet again, both clouded over with lust. Amy gently shifts, moving down Bec’s body, leaving kisses as she goes. She takes the elastic between her teeth, tugging it down. She stops and presses kisses to Bec’s thighs, pulling the underwear off with her fingers.

She settles between Bec’s parted legs and looks up at her before lowering her head, pressing her lips to Bec’s clit. She feels Bec arch slightly and one of Bec’s hands comes to the back of her head. Amy’s eyes are closed as she gives long, shallow licks to her lover’s clit.

Bec moans from beneath her and Amy smiles inwardly, glad that she’s enjoying it. She alternates the strokes of her tongue to add more pressure and drinks in every single one of Bec’s moans.

“Amy,” Bec pants. “Amy…”

Amy looks up, tongue still moving and Bec lets out a guttural groan.

“Want you here,” Bec mumbles. “Kissing me.”

Amy pulls away, pressing a kiss to Bec’s stomach before moving, level with her face. Bec pulls her down for a kiss and she sighs when their tongues touch. Bec’s arms wind around her shoulders, keeping her in place. Amy gently moves a hand between their bodies, intent on finishing what her tongue started.

Bec bucks down onto her hand and Amy works her hard and fast. She keeps the pressure the same when there is a shift in Bec’s breathing and she kisses her hotly. Bec starts to tremble against her and Amy increases her speed. Bec trembles, clutching onto her much like she did earlier as her orgasm washes over her.

Amy moves off her friend and lies down next to her, still close but far apart enough to give her some space if she wanted to back out. She’s slightly startled when Bec pulls her close, cuddling her to her. Their lips meet again in a lingering kiss, one of Bec’s hands coming to rest at the nape of Amy’s neck.

“That’s twice,” Bec mumbled. “No one has ever made me come twice in one night before.”

Amy smiles. “Damn, I am good.”

Bec chuckles heartily. “You are,” she replies, kissing her again. “No wonder Bianca could never get you.”

Amy grinned. “Bianca would never have a shot with me,” she says pulling back. “She’s not my type.”

Amy’s lips close over Bec’s again and gently cups her cheek. Bec’s hand is on her back, stroking the skin softly. Amy wraps her arms around Bec, holding her close as humanly possibly, kissing her all the while.

Bec’s fingers are drawing random patterns on her back and she can’t help but chuckle when she recognises the word ‘nutter’ being traced out on her skin. She shakes her head and kisses Bec’s lips once more. She shifts slightly against the brunette and Bec’s hand brushes against her knickers.

“These need to come off,” she murmurs and Amy grins.

“Do something about it then,” she replies.

Bec smiles and pushes her hand down the back of Amy’s knickers and in one smooth movement, she’s pulled them off and they’re gone from sight.

“Well, that’s a neat trick,” Amy remarks.

Bec’s laughter is gorgeous to her ears and she tilts her head, kissing the brunette again. Their kisses are unhurried and lazy, revelling in the closeness. Amy smiles as Bec traces random patterns on her arms and she shivers slightly, the touch tickling her.

Bec is pulling her on top of her, keeping their kiss going. Her hands are moving to caress Amy’s bottom and a sigh escapes the blonde’s lips. Amy pulls back, looking into Bec’s lust filled eyes. She opens her mouth to say something but closes it again, moving to kiss Bec again.

Amy gasps against Bec’s lips as the brunette’s fingers traced her clit from behind. She pushes back onto her best friend’s fingers, wanting more. She moans when Bec’s fingers are suddenly gone from her clit and she pulls back, looking down at the brunette.

They’re moving together and Bec’s eyes lock with hers, she presses a kiss to Amy’s lips and the next thing she knows, she’s straddling Bec’s chest. She grips the headboard for leverage and lets out a string of curses as Bec’s tongue touches her clit for the first time.

Bec’s hands are on her thighs, maintaining a level of control and Amy’s glad it stops her from bucking down completely. She moves her hips slightly, gripping the headboard tighter as the sensations build up.

Amy’s panting heavily as Bec’s mouth and tongue keep doing wonderful things to her and she mumbles incoherently. Bec sucks her clit into her mouth and Amy throws her head back, trying her hardest not to just grind down into Bec like she really wants to and is surprised at the level of self control she has right then.

Bec changes angles and Amy shudders, clasping into the headboard until her knuckles are white and she moans loudly as her orgasm takes over her body. She barely feels Bec’s hands on her body, pulling her to lie next to her. Amy’s trembling all over as Bec holds her close.

Amy keeps her eyes closed as she seeks out Bec’s lips with her own, kissing her gently. She gently strokes Bec’s cheek and is shifting as close as possible to the brunette.

After a while, they part and Amy smiles at Bec. She bites her lip softly and gently takes Bec’s hand in her own.

“That was amazing,” Amy says softly. “I don’t think I have ever come that hard before.”

Bec chuckles and presses another kiss to Amy’s lips. “I’m glad then,” she mumbles, moving a hand to stroke her stomach softly.

Amy grins into the kiss, enjoying Bec’s fingers on her stomach. She rests her hand on top of Bec’s own and pulls back from the brunette’s lips. She yawns slightly and snuggles closer to Bec.

“Night,” Bec mumbles. “Love you.”

Amy waits until Bec’s breathing has evened out and she’s fast asleep. “I love you too,” she whispers into the night.

*****

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Turn It Into Something Wonderful

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:32:21 GMT

Title: Turn It Into Something Wonderful
Author: Star (star55)
Part: 1/1 - drabble
Rating: R
Pairing: Danny/Dougie
Summary: It's Danny's 23rd birthday...
A/N: A small piece for Danny's birthday that I posted on my journal
Disclaimer: Not mine. I just have a vivid and healthy imagination

Turn It Into Something Wonderful

The creak of the door opening startles Danny awake and he looks around, eyes wide, wondering what's going on. He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees Dougie's squinted eyed smile in his direction. He's holding a tray in his hands and Danny sits up, curious.

"Dougs?" he asks, voice thick with sleep.

"Happy birthday," Dougie says in a soft voice as he edges closer to the bed. He places the tray over Danny's thighs, securing it over them.

He brushes Danny's hair out of his eyes and presses a chaste kiss to his lips.

Danny smiles as they part and looks down at the breakfast Dougie has made for him. His heart skips a beat in his chest and he grins broadly. "Thanks, Dougs."

Dougie comes around to sit next to Danny on the other side of the bed - his side - and he helps himself to the toast he's made.

"How does it feel being twenty three?" the blonde asks taking a sip of Danny's juice.

Danny chuckles. "No different from bein' twenty two," he replies. "I'm still me jus' gettin' older."

They finish breakfast in companionable silence brought on by years of being together. It will be five years in summer.

Dougie takes the now empty tray from Danny and places it on the floor next to his side of the bed and he snuggles into Danny's arms, their bare chests coming into contact for the first time that morning.

Danny closes his eyes and inhales deeply, the unique scent of Dougie filling his mind. He drops a kiss to the top of his head and is slightly startled when he finds Dougie's lips against his. He doesn't mind - he never minds - and he's kissing back, softly, gently because they both know that morning sex is their favourite with the lazy movements making everything that much more.

Dougie's slipping his hands down Danny's back and his lips are attached to Danny's collarbone and he can't help when a moan escapes his lips. His fingers curl in Dougie's blonde hair and his eyes flutter between open and closed, not knowing what they want to do.

Dougie's lips were on his again and Danny can taste the orange juice he drank just before. They shift on the bed and soon Danny is inside Dougie, the blonde sitting in his lap, lips fused together. Their heavy breaths fill the otherwise quiet room and Danny can feel his orgasm pooling in his stomach already. Their kisses are slow and heated, rocking together unhurriedly.

Danny's gasp rings clear in the room and they're coming in unison, still moving together, still kissing. Dougie smiles against his lips and Danny's slightly shaking from the aftermath of his orgasm. Dougie's hands are soft on his cheeks, stroking them softly, placing small kisses on his pink lips and Danny opens his eyes, staring straight into Dougie's own.

They both smile and Dougie pulls him close, holding him tightly to him, not wanting to let go just yet and Danny knows exactly how he feels.

After a while, they part and lay back down, facing each other. Dougie is tracing random patterns on his chest and Danny is feeling sleepy again.

"So," Dougie mumbles. "What's sex like at twenty three?"

Danny's laugh reverberates throughout the room and he pulls Dougie against his chest, kissing him again. "Jus' as good as when I was twenty two, probably better."

*****

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Normal For Me

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 11:43:07 GMT

Title: Normal for Me
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: Danny/Dougie
Word Count: 1914
Summary: Dougie only ever wanted to be normal but having wings kind of prevents that.
A/N: Written for the 2008 fic exchange at mcsecretsanta

He’s fourteen years old the first time he notices the itch. It doesn’t annoy him, it becomes a part of him and he doesn’t pay attention to it. His body is still growing, going through puberty, voice breaking, sprouting hair in places he never even thought to look. The itch doesn’t affect him so much that he notices it every day, so it goes ignored.

He’s fifteen when he firsts sees the muscles in his back moving in a peculiar way. They ripple under his skin even when he is standing still and he stares for a moment, wondering what it is but his thoughts are pulled away when someone calls for him and he forgets about it, shirt covering his thoughts.

One night he awoke in a cold sweat, not understanding what his nightmare was about. He felt a horrible pain through his back and he felt something sticky across his skin, looking down he sees blood spotting the sheets and he panics for a second before feeling a small cut on both of his shoulder blades, leading straight down. He wonders how he could have cut himself in his sleep. Shaking his head, he gets up out of bed, temporarily forgetting about the pain.

He’s pulling a shirt on to get ready for school as always and he hears the fabric rip. Looking at his shirt curiously in the mirror, he can’t help the gasp that escapes his lips. There, plain as day are two creamy white wings protruding from the back of his ripped shirt, barely thirty centimetres long exactly where the cuts on his shoulder blades had been. They move of their own accord and another gasp escapes his lips.

It was at age sixteen that Dougie Poynter discovered he was not normal.

~*~

Hiding the wings proved much harder than Dougie would have ever anticipated. He just wanted to be a normal teenager, go unnoticed at school and get out of there. He couldn’t be normal if he had wings.

Being normal in high school was possibly one of the most important things. He didn’t want to draw any extra attention to himself, he didn’t want attention on him at all. He just wanted to go through each day unnoticed and survive high school in one piece. If he had wings, he couldn’t do that.

It took a lot of effort and it stung like a bitch but Dougie eventually found a way to hide the wings. He bought special belts from the men’s section at the department store his mum shopped at and he strapped them down. The first week of wearing the belts had hurt so bad that every time he moved he almost cried out in pain.

He was used to wearing large hooded jackets and jumpers which disguised the lumps where the wings were quite nicely. It meant he was swimming in the article of clothing but no one looked at him twice, which is exactly what he wanted.

There were days where he strapped them too tightly and ended up with large, red welts on his chest from where the leather rubbed at his bare skin but he would grit his teeth and bear it if it meant keeping the wings a secret. He couldn’t afford to let anyone find out just how different he was. He couldn’t even tell his mum that he had sprouted wings for fear that she would reject him.

So he kept it quiet. He kept the wings hidden and he had them strapped down almost every single hour of the day. There would be a short time where he would get a reprieve from the belts and he could spread his wings to relieve them from the ache. He would spread them wide, the feathers rustling softly as he did so, and it felt like being free. Just in that moment. The moments were short lived, however and he would have to tie them back down all over again. Each time he did so hurt more and more not only physically but mentally as well.

It hurt – a lot more than he would ever admit. Keeping the wings pinned back like he did hurt his back, his shoulders and his neck. He was often tense and knew exactly why but couldn’t do anything about it unless he was alone. The times he was alone weren’t for every long so he never got to relieve the tension as much as he would like.

The wings kept getting bigger. They didn’t stay at the small size when he first saw them and Dougie was sure they would be larger than him if they kept growing. When they were growing, they were even more painful to strap down and he had to be extra careful not to touch anything for the fear of crying out in agony.

He carried on as normal as he could, not showing anyone that he was in pain pretty much all of the time. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself, he couldn’t afford it.

~*~

Dougie was seventeen years old when he bumped into one Danny Jones as he was entering the school library. He looked up at was immediately entranced by the tall brunette. He stumbled, having lost his footing and fell backwards. He cried out loud, having landed on one of his wings and he bit his lip as to not shed tears in front of the other male.

Danny was kind enough to help him gather all of his books and he shot him a concerned look, asking if he was alright to which Dougie had nodded and then scurried off into the library, completely unaware that a feather from one of his wings was poking out the bottom of his shirt.

In the following weeks, Danny kept hanging around, occasionally speaking to Dougie who wondered why he would even bother. His whole purpose was to go through high school invisibly. The brunette wouldn’t allow it though, cornering him at every given opportunity, asking him questions that Dougie didn’t even know the answer to.

It was only when Danny blurted out “You have wings!” one evening as school finished that Dougie stopped and listened to him. He had looked around, making sure they were completely alone before vehemently denying it.

“You have, I’ve seen them!” Danny protested.

Dougie’s cheeks couldn’t have been redder if he had tried as he spluttered in protest that he had no idea what Danny was talking about.

Danny took a step closer and gently ran a hand down Dougie’s back, touching his wings through the layers of clothes. The younger male froze completely, staring up at Danny through scared blue eyes.

“What do you want from me?” he uttered.

“Come with me,” Danny said simply.

Dougie shook his head, not wanting to do anything that would warrant him getting hurt.

“It’s okay,” Danny said reassuringly. “There’s something I want to show you.”

There was a look in the azure eyes that enticed Dougie to go with him. He knew it was stupid and that he would probably get hurt but he followed the brunette like a puppy. Danny led him up two flights of stairs and he pushed the door open to head out onto the roof of one of the school buildings. Dougie looked around, wondering what was so special up there.

Dougie cuddled his books to his chest, back pack hanging off one shoulder, eyes still on Danny. He kept his distance, not wanting to get any closer just in case anything happened.

“When did you get them?” Danny asked straight away.

“W-what?” Dougie stuttered.

“Your wings, when did you get them?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Dougie mumbled, clutching his books to his chest tighter.

Danny sighed heavily. “I’ve seen your wings, Dougie,” he said a little softer this time. “You don’t have to hide them from me.”

Dougie bit his lip, not saying anything. He had kept it a secret for so long, he wasn’t going to blurt it out to the first person that claimed to know he had them. He kept his eyes on Danny, not knowing what to do since he followed the brunette up here and the only way back down was the stairs which Danny was standing next to, effectively blocking his exit.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” Danny said softly and he unbuttoned his checked shirt, pulling it off, revealing soft white wings.

The books Dougie was holding slipped from his grasp, clanking to the floor in shock. He stared, open mouthed and wide eyed at the brunette. “I – you,” he uttered.

Danny’s wings spread open and he gave Dougie a small, secretive smile. “You’re not alone.”

~*~

He was eighteen years old when he realised he had fallen in love with Danny. He could be free with the brunette and Dougie found that the best feeling. He didn’t have to hide, Danny had wings as well, he wasn’t abnormal. That day on top of the school building was the start of Dougie’s life changing.

He and Danny grew close instantly, sharing secrets and staring at each other’s wings. Dougie’s were a little shorter than Danny’s but his own were stronger. Danny had developed his wings later than Dougie did but had less control over them. Neither of them could fly but it didn’t stop Danny from trying.

Dougie often had to laugh at the attempts Danny made to fly. He was quite content with not flying but once Danny had something in his mind, he was determined to see it through.

One afternoon, they had driven to a lake to be completely free and alone. Dougie sat at the water’s edge, the water lapping at his feet, only wearing board shorts, feathers of his spread out wings rustling in the gentle breeze. Danny was climbing up a tree, another attempt of his to fly. Dougie was resigned to the fact he wouldn’t fly and it didn’t bother him.

There was a loud splash as Danny fell from the tree into the water below him. Dougie chuckled, shaking his head. The brunette emerged from the water, dripping from head to toe and Dougie couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.

Danny walked over to him, wings dripping wet. He moved them, shaking them off much like a dog does when his fur is wet and he then plonked down next to Dougie.

“So close that time,” Danny said. “I could feel it.”

Dougie grinned, shaking his head. “You’ll get there,” he said squeezing Danny’s hand gently.

Danny grinned and pressed a kiss to his lips, lingering for a moment. Dougie felt his heart fluttering in his chest and his cheeks heat up. He still got nervous whenever the brunette kissed him.

They parted and Danny stroked his cheek softly. “You should try it with me.”

“I think I’ll be fine,” Dougie replied.

They both chatted until the sun went down, glad to be free like they were together. Danny’s hand was large in his own and it never failed to make Dougie feel protected, like the brunette was made especially for him. They shared so much more than people realised and that in itself made Dougie glad because no one knew him like Danny.

Danny was animatedly chatting away about something Dougie wasn’t quite sure of but he didn’t mind because being around him made everything normal.

~*~

Lost In You - Chapter Twelve

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:40:51 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 12 – Living In A Fantasy
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten | Eleven

Chapter Twelve
Living In A Fantasy

"Caitlin... time to get up sweetie," Gio said softly, pushing open Caitlin's bedroom door. She frowned as she spotted the empty bed. "Caitlin?"

Gio padded along to the bathroom to look for her daughter, wondering if perhaps she'd got up to go to the toilet already. Reaching the bathroom and looking round, Gio frowned once more, feeling panic rise in her stomach. Turning and leaving the room, she walked swiftly to the spare room to get Tom.

"Tom! Tom, wake..." Gio trailed off, finally finding Caitlin snuggled into her father's arms.

Tom looked up at Gio blearily. "What's wrong?" he mumbled his voice still thick from sleep.

Gio looked at him furiously. "Get up!" she hissed. "Get up now!"

Tom frowned but did as Gio asked, making sure not to disturb Caitlin too much. He didn't want her waking up in the middle of what was sure to be an argument, judging by the look on Gio's face. As soon as he was standing, Gio grabbed his arm and dragged him out onto the landing.

"What the hell are you playing at?!"

"What? Gio, what on earth are you going on about? I just woke up!" Tom protested.

"I thought... " Gio stopped to take a deep breath. "I went to get my daughter from her room and she wasn't there. Because she was with you. Do you have any idea what went through my mind?"

"Probably that I'd taken her and run off to Danny's," Tom snapped, feeling angry all of a sudden. "Gio, you can't stop Caitlin seeing me. I'm her father. She's not just your daughter!"

"I can stop her from leaving her room on a night," Gio replied childishly. "I don't want you poisoning her mind or anything like that."

"What?! Gio... you're insane. You're not going to stop her from seeing me," Tom sighed. "Now, doesn't she have to be up for school? She's going to be late if you don't let me go and wake her up," he added, pushing past Gio and going back into the room. He paused as he saw that Caitlin was sitting on the bed, hugging herself.

"I don't want to stop seeing you, Daddy," Caitlin said quietly, looking up Tom with wide, tearful eyes.

"Oh... don't worry sweetie," Tom said, immediately scooping Caitlin into a hug. "You won't have to. I promise. Mummy was just scared when she couldn't find you."

Tom helped Caitlin get ready for school, ignoring Gio's watchful eye. "Okay, sweetie, have a good day," he said, kissing his daughter on the forehead as she was collected by Gio's mother to take her to school.

"Goodbye, my princess," Gio said, bending down to kiss Caitlin too. "Mummy will pick you up today."

"Okay, Mummy. Goodbye, Daddy," Caitlin replied, waving to her parents as her grandmother led her down the path to the car.

Gio and Tom stood at the door, waving as they drove away. As soon as the car was out of sight, Gio rounded on Tom. "She's not to sleep in the spare room with you again," she said. "If I find her out of her room, then you'll be sorry."

"Gio, you're being unreasonable!" Tom argued. "You can't stop her from leaving her room. If she wants to lie with me, she can!"

"No, Tom. I'm not leaving her alone with you. God knows what you'll tell her!" Gio snapped.

"Oh, for God's... Gio, that's ridiculous! I'm not going to drag our daughter into this. She's innocent in this whole thing!" Tom exclaimed.

"And she's going to stay that way! You are not going to tell her anything about what you and that... that man did!" Gio yelled, her eyes flashing angrily.

"She already knows! She's going to find the whole story out sooner or later, and I want it to be from me, with the truth rather than you and some warped view of the situation!" Tom yelled back.

"No! Tom, you are not telling her anything!" Gio screamed.

"You know what, I'm late for work. I'm going. I'll be back tonight and you'd better at least be civil to me in front of our daughter. Don't make her take sides," Tom replied, going out of the door and slamming it behind him. He decided to walk to work today, to try and blow off some steam.

Unfortunately, ten minutes later when he walked into Starry Nights, his mood was no better. He slammed the door behind him as he walked into the back office, scaring Emily, who was serving someone at the counter.

Tom shrugged off his coat and slumped into a seat at the small table. He sighed heavily, putting his head in his hands. He took a few deep breaths and then there was a hand on his shoulder. A large, very familiar hand...

"Danny!"

Tom stood up and all but threw himself into Danny's arms.

Danny's arms wrapped around him tight and both males just stood, holding each other. Tom buried his face in the taller male's neck, inhaling his scent, letting it wash over him. He felt like he had to hold onto Danny tightly for the fear he would just disappear.

"What are you doing here?" he asked softly, pulling back.

"That would be my doing," Emily's voice said from behind Danny.

Tom looked over Danny's shoulder and smiled at her. The smile quickly fell when realisation hit. "But Gio she-"

"Shh," Danny said. "Gio's at work, Emily's already checked. It's just us two for at least half an hour before I have to get back to work."

Tom looked back up into Danny's blue eyes. "I've missed you so much," he whispered.

"I know, I have too," Danny whispered back, lips meeting Tom's own.

They didn't hear the door shut behind them as Emily left them alone, too caught up in each other. The kisses were urgent, slow, passionate and loving all at once. Tom's fist clutched at Danny's shirt, the other in his curly hair, the strands falling between his fingers.

Danny's fingers tugged at the hem of his shirt and Tom all but purred when they hit his skin, caressing it softly. Tom pulled back, looking into Danny's lust filled eyes.

"I love you," Tom said softly, gently cupping Danny's cheek.

"I love you too," Danny replied. "So much."

Their lips met again and Danny's hand moved to his back, still against his skin, stroking it gently. Tom wound his arms around Danny's shoulders, pressing as close as possible to the brunette. He had missed him so much. Missed feeling complete. It had been far too long since he had seen the other male and his whole body screamed with the need to touch him.

Before Tom registered what he was doing, he was pushing open Danny's plaid shirt, tugging at the undershirt with his hands as they kissed. Danny's own hands were slipping higher up his back and his thumb stroked over Tom's nipple.

Tom gave a moan as he felt Danny's thumb against his nipple and he continued tugging at the brunette's undershirt until he'd succeeded in pulling it up and over Danny's head as the brunette shrugged off his plaid shirt. Danny himself was working the buttons on Tom's shirt undone, gradually undoing them one by one until the shirt was hanging off the blonde's body.

As Danny ran his hands over the star tattoo adorning Tom's chest, to push the loose material off the blonde's shoulders, Tom realised where exactly they were standing.

"Stop!" he gasped out, pulling away from Danny with a jolt.

"What? What is it?" Danny gasped, looking at Tom with wide eyes, panting softly.

"We... we can't do this here," Tom said regretfully, looking back at Danny with sad eyes. "This... this is my business," he continued. "And... and Gio could turn up here at any moment."

Danny looked at his watch, and realised that Tom was right. He let out a soft groan. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I just... I miss you, Tom..."

"I miss you too," Tom replied, feeling his resolve crumbling. "And... and we will be together again. I just... need some more time to..."

"It's okay, Tom," Danny said softly. "I understand. I know this is hard for you. I'm just glad we had this time together." He bent down to pick his shirt up off the floor, pulling it back on over his head. Then he picked up his plaid shirt and slipped it back on, fastening it up again.

"Me too," Tom said, still feeling slightly regretful as he pulled his own shirt back on, making himself look respectable again.

"Just remember I love you," Danny whispered, stepping closer to Tom again. "Just remember that, and we can get through this."

"I know," Tom whispered, allowing his lips to close over Danny's softly. "I love you too."

Danny returned Tom's lingering kiss before pulling away completely and moving towards the door. "I'll see you again soon. I promise."

Tom smiled and nodded, watching as Danny left quickly, making sure that no-one spotted him. Sighing, he made sure nothing was out of place before pulling open the door to the back office again. Catching Emily's eye, he smiled. 'Thank you' he mouthed, his bad mood well and truly gone for the moment.

****

Instead of going back to work, Danny made a quick phone call to Skye to let her know that he had something else to take care of and would be another half an hour or so. Then, he jumped into his BMW and drove across town, pulling up outside of Dougie's studio.

Poking his head around the door frame, Danny knocked lightly, smiling at Dougie as the younger male looked up. "Hey."

"Dan, hey, come in," Dougie replied, smiling as he put down what he'd been working on. He glanced around to check that his boss wasn't going to give him a hard time before turning back to Danny. "What's up?"

"I... I just came from Starry Nights," Danny replied, unable to help the smile from appearing on his face as he remembered what he and Tom had almost got up to. He sat down on the spare seat across from Dougie.

"Really?" Dougie raised an eyebrow. "How did you manage that?"

"One of Tom's workers - Emily - came and got me this morning," Danny replied, shrugging. "She said Tom had been miserable for the last couple of weeks and that she knew Gio was working this morning. I couldn't resist. I had to see him, Dougs."

Dougie smiled and nodded. "I know. He's been a bit depressed," he said.

"What? How do you know?" Danny asked, confused.

"He came here. He needed to talk to someone, and I probably wasn't his first choice, but he couldn't go to you," Dougie replied, knowing that Danny would understand what he was getting at.

"What... what did you talk about?" Danny asked softly, feeling his heart clench at the news that Tom had gone to Dougie, despite knowing that the blonde couldn't have come to him.

"Him and Gio mostly. He told me what she's been doing," Dougie replied. "It sounds horrible. But Harry helped out."

"Harry? What did Harry do?" Danny asked, feeling even more confused now.

"He called him. Gave him the number of that lawyer he used to sleep with years ago," Dougie said lightly. "As far as I know, Tom was going to call him and get some advice about fighting for custody of Caitlin."

"Oh my god," Danny breathed. Everything had suddenly become very real to him. He was the cause of breaking someone's marriage up and he knew he should feel terrible about that, but he didn't. He couldn't deny his own feelings and Tom was one of the best things to happen to him in a long time and he definitely didn't want to give that up.

"Are you okay, Dans?" Dougie asked, giving Danny a concerned look.

Danny nodded, slightly distractedly. "Yeah, yeah... this is really happening isn't it? I mean... I'm really a homewrecker... aren't I?"

"Oh, Dan..." Dougie sighed, moving to his friend's side and slipping his arm around him. "You are but... you know it's right. You and Tom belong together."

"I know," Danny sighed, leaning his head against Dougie's side. "I just... why did he have to be married Dougs?"

Dougie chuckled softly and kissed the top of Danny's head. "Dan, you can't pick your soul mate. This would have happened whether he was married or not."

Danny groaned and nodded again. "I know, I know. I'm just glad I found him... even if it is causing all this trouble."

Dougie chuckled and kissed Danny's head once more. "It'll be over soon, I'm sure," he said soothingly.

"Yeah... well... thanks, Dougs. I should let you get back to work," Danny said, sitting up.

Dougie brushed some of Danny's hair away from his eyes. "It'll work out," he said softly.

Danny nodded, knowing Dougie was right. "I know," he whispered. "It's the waiting that is killing me."

"Be patient," Dougie said standing and offering his hand out for Danny to take. "Because it will all be over soon and you will have Tom and everything will be perfect."

Danny slipped his hand into Dougie's smaller one. "Thank you," he repeated. "You've been a godsend lately."

Dougie grinned and puffed his chest slightly. "I try," he winked.

Danny laughed and shook his head. Dougie stepped closer, pressing a soft kiss to Danny's lips before pulling back. "Alright, I'll see you later."

"Yes, go, I need to work," Dougie said making a shooing motion with his hands, making Danny laugh and leave the building.

*****

It was once in a blue moon that Tom got to pick Caitlin up from school but today was one of those days. Gio had an unavoidable work obligation and was going to be away until Saturday night and his mother-in-law was out of town with Gio's father so Tom got to pick Caitlin up from school. He grinned as he saw his little girl running across the school grounds to him.

He bent down to her level and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "Hey, princess."

"Hi Daddy!" Caitlin said. "Guess what we did today? We got to paint in art and then we made a paper chain and this afternoon, Miss Collins read us Snow White!" she said in a rush.

"Really? Wow, that sounds like fun!" Tom replied with a smile. He took Caitlin's school bag, slinging it over his shoulder. He gently took her A3 piece of paper that had her artwork on it and then held out his hand for her to take.

"Yeah, it was!" Caitlin continued. "And we did our two times tables and we had a spelling quiz and I got the best in the class!"

Tom couldn't keep the smile off his face as Caitlin told him about her day. He put her in her booster seat in the back seat of the car and strapped her in, making sure she was in securely with her jabbering away the entire time.

"How about I take you for an ice cream?" Tom asked as they pulled out of the school car park.

"Yes!" Caitlin squealed.

"Where's your manners?" Tom said looking at her through the rear-view mirror.

"Yes please!" she amended, bouncing slightly in her seat.

"That's better," Tom smiled.

He headed back towards his work, knowing that Memories would be closing very soon. He knew it was a massive risk to go there but he couldn't not see Danny and he trusted his daughter not to say anything.

He parked in his usual spot out the back of Starry Nights and they entered the shop. Tom had in mind that he would get Emily to cover for him if Gio asked anything about his whereabouts.

"Emily!" Caitlin exclaimed happily.

"Hey munchkin," Emily grinned, picking Caitlin up. "How are you?"

"Daddy's going to take me to get an ice cream!"

"Ohh wow, your Daddy is so nice!"

"He is the best," Caitlin said. "Can I pick a new book, Daddy?" she asked turning to face him.

Tom nodded. "Sure, go ahead, princess," he replied.

Emily set Caitlin back down and she scampered off to the children's section.

"I wasn't expecting you back tonight," Emily said once Caitlin had left.

"Yeah, I have an ulterior motive," Tom replied, motioning for her to follow him to a secluded area of the book store. "Memories will be closing in a few minutes and I wanted to take Caitlin there for an ice cream," he explained. "But I need-"

"Me to cover in case Gio checks up on you?" Emily finished for him.

Tom nodded. "I know I shouldn't ask you to do this but I can't keep her from him. She asks every single day if she's going to get to see him and every single day, Gio tells her no. I sit there and I watch my little girl's heart breaking because her mum tells her she can't see him."

Emily put a hand on his arm and squeezed gently. "You know I don't mind covering for you," she started softly. "Anyone with eyes can see how much of a perfect family you, Danny and Cait are. I have never seen anyone other than you love her so much and Danny definitely does. You deserve this moment, it's been almost four weeks since I snuck him in here."

Tom sighed. "I know. Four long weeks in which I have slept in the spare room, put up with Gio's name calling and her stubborn side not signing the divorce papers."

"I'm sorry, Tom," Emily said.

"Thanks," Tom sighed. "I'd better go."

They moved back into the main area of the book store just in time to see Caitlin holding two books. "I can't decide, Daddy!"

Tom chuckled. "Tell you what," he said crouching down to her level. "Since you've been such a good girl, and Daddy needs you to do something for him later, you can have both of them. How does that sound?"

"Really?" Caitlin beamed. "Yay!"

"Give the books to Emily so she can ring them up," Tom said with a smile.

Caitlin placed the books on the counter for Emily and looked eagerly up at her. Emily rang the books through and put them in a carry bag before handing it to Caitlin.

"There you go," she said.

Caitlin happily took the books and beamed up at Tom who was paying for them. Tom turned to Caitlin, putting his wallet in his back pocket.

"How about we go get that ice cream?"

Caitlin nodded. "Yes please!"

Tom chuckled and took Caitlin's free hand. "Say bye to Emily," he said.

"Bye, Emily!" Caitlin repeated waving slightly as Tom lead her from the store. "Where are we going for ice cream, Daddy?"

Tom smiled secretively. "You'll see in a minute."

Moments later, Tom was pushing open the door to Memories.

"I'm sorry, we're about to close - Tom!" Danny exclaimed.

"Danny!" Caitlin squealed letting go of Tom's hand and running over to him. She all but jumped into Danny's open arms and the brunette held her close. "I missed you, Danny!"

"I've missed you too, Cait," Danny said softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Tom?"

Tom stepped closer. "I had to," he whispered. "I couldn't not see you."

Against his better judgement, Tom kissed Danny gently on the lips even though Caitlin was right there. Both males parted, resting their foreheads against each other's briefly.

"What are you doing here?" Danny asked.

"Ice cream!" Caitlin answered. "Daddy said he would get me an ice cream. May I have one, Danny, please?"

Danny smiled at the little girl in his arms. "You sure can, princess," he replied. "You can come help me do it if you want?"

Caitlin beamed. "Yes, please!"

Tom smiled, watching as Danny went behind the counter into the back room to get the ice cream out of the freezer. A few minutes later, Caitlin and Danny reappeared with Caitlin holding her own ice cream in a cone and Danny holding a over-filled bowl.

They sat near the back of the store, Caitlin on Danny's knee the entire time, licking her ice cream happily. Tom couldn't help but smile at how content Caitlin seemed to be sitting in Danny's arms and how happy Danny looked to have her there. He gently rubbed his foot against Danny's own, smiling at him.

Danny smiled back, spooning some more ice cream into his mouth from their shared bowl. Caitlin jabbered excitedly to Danny, telling him of the thing she did at school and how much she had missed him. She said she had read all of the books Danny had given her for Christmas over six months ago and that she had watched all of the dvds at least once each, some more because she loved them a lot.

Tom listened to Caitlin and Danny conversing, heart swelling in his chest at how much Danny cared for her. He knew that Danny loved Caitlin as much as he did but seeing them together after so long made his heart ache so much for the brunette sitting in front of him. He wanted nothing more than to tell Danny to come back home with him but that was just pushing it.

It was one thing for them to sneakily stop in at Memories whilst Gio was out of town but it would be an entire different ball game if he asked Danny to stay the night. He bit his lip, watching as Danny helped Caitlin wipe her mouth after she had finished her ice cream.

"I love you, Danny," Caitlin said out of the blue, turning and giving him a massive hug.

Danny looked shocked for a moment before tightening his arms around the small girl. "I love you too, Cait."

Tom's eyes welled up at Caitlin's exclamation and he looked at the pair, feeling his love for Danny grow even more. He felt himself move before his brain had even registered and he was sitting awkwardly in the seat next to Danny, holding both his soul mate and his daughter tightly.

After a moment, Caitlin kissed Danny's cheek. "I miss you taking me to the park and reading to me even though you don't do the voices as good as Daddy does."

"I miss you too," Danny replied, voice full of emotion.

"Mummy says we're not allowed to see you," Caitlin added.

Tom's head shot up. "Which is why we need to keep today a secret, Caitlin," he said feeling horrible for asking his daughter to cover up for them. "Mummy can't know that we saw Danny today."

Caitlin looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "Okay, Daddy."

Tom breathed a sigh of relief, the last thing he needed was Gio harassing him about today.

*****

"I thought I told you not to see Danny Jones again?"

"Yes and I have kept that promise."

Gio slapped him. It was hard, loud and Gio knew Tom could feel the imprint of her hand on his cheek stinging even after she had moved it. "Don't lie to me, Thomas."

Tom glared at her, obviously biting back whatever he was wanting to .

"I'm gone for two days, two fucking days and you're running off to him like the little slut you are," Gio snapped. "And taking my daughter no less! You know what this means."

"What, you're going to do me a favour and actually divorce me?" Tom bit.

"No, we're moving."

Tom blinked at her and shook his head. "What?"

"You've left me no choice, Tom," Gio said, putting her hands on her hips. "You've proved time and time again that you can't keep away from Danny so we're moving. Far away so that you can never bump into Danny and so you can't run off with him again."

"Gio, that's insane!" Tom said. "You can't do that, we have a life here, my business is here and Caitlin is in her first year of school, we can't move!"

"You should have thought about that before you saw Danny again," Gio said tersely. "You're the only one who has made things worse, Tom."

"You can't do this!" Tom exclaimed. "Do you have any idea the impact this will have on Caitlin?"

Gio turned her back on Tom, folding the washing on the dining room table, dividing it into three piles.

"I'm not moving."

Gio laughed. "Yes, you are," she said turning to face him again. "You don't have a choice in the matter."

"Yes, I do," Tom said sternly. "And I'm not leaving, neither is Caitlin."

"You're not keeping my daughter," Gio said, eyes flashing dangerously. "I will make sure you don't even get visitation rights if you keep pushing this, Tom."

"You cannot keep my daughter from me, Gio."

"Watch me."

Gio stalked off up the stairs, carrying the pile of Caitlin's clothing. She pushed the door open to her daughter's room, smiling as she saw Caitlin working diligently on her colouring in. Gio put all of her clothes away and crouched down next to her. She pressed a kiss into Caitlin's hair.

"Mummy..."

"Yes, princess?"

Caitlin looked up, innocent brown eyes meeting her own. Gio ran a hand through her daughter's long blonde hair, pushing it over her shoulder.

"Why are you and Daddy yelling at each other so much?"

"Daddy was being silly," Gio said. "And Mummy got angry at him."

"Why are you so angry with Daddy all of the time?"

"Daddy did something very, very silly," Gio explained. "And he is being punished for it."

Caitlin frowned. "Are you punishing Daddy because he loves Danny?"

Gio's hand stilled in Caitlin's hair. "Daddy doesn't love Danny at all, sweetie. They're not even friends."

"Yes, they are," Caitlin replied, sitting up straighter, crayons forgotten.

"No, they're not."

Caitlin nodded vigorously. "They are!" she insisted. "Daddy loves Danny and so do I."

"Caitlin, you will cut that nonsense unless you want to be punished too," Gio said, feeling her blood pressure rise.

Caitlin frowned again. "You're not being very nice, Mummy."

Gio stood. "And you are being a very silly little girl," she replied. "Daddy and Danny do not love each other and Danny certainly does not love you. Now, get into your pyjamas, it's bed time."

*****

The door pushed open slightly into the spare room - Tom's room and he looked over, seeing Caitlin step cautiously in. She shut it just as quietly as she opened it and shuffled over to him.

Tom sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "Princess, are you crying?"

Caitlin nodded, cuddling her teddy close. "Mummy was mean to me," she sniffed.

Tom gathered Caitlin in his arms, holding her tightly. "Tell Daddy what happened."

Caitlin sobbed again before recounting the small conversation she had had with her mother earlier that evening. Tom's heart clenched in his chest as he realised how much pain Gio's words had caused their daughter.

"She even said that Danny doesn't love me!" Caitlin exclaimed, tears still falling. "He does love me, doesn't he, Daddy?"

Tom nodded. "Of course he does, sweetie. Danny loves you very much."

"I don't like Mummy, Daddy," Caitlin whispered.

"Don't say that, sweetie," Tom whispered back. "Mummy is just a little stressed at the moment. She didn't mean to upset you."

"Mummy is going to punish me for coming in to see you," Caitlin added. "She told me I wasn't allowed to leave my bedroom at night time unless I had to go wee."

Tom tightened his hold on her. "You're not going to be punished," he said with certainty. "Daddy won't let it."

"C-can I sleep here tonight?" Caitlin asked timidly.

"Of course you can," Tom replied with a soft smile. "Teddy can stay too."

Caitlin smiled back at him. "Thank you."

Tom kissed Caitlin's forehead. "Go to sleep, princess."

Caitlin settled under the covers, her teddy in her arms. Tom laid down next to her, watching until she fell asleep. His blood had boiled when Caitlin had told him what Gio had said. He knew she had gone too far this time. Caitlin had been brought into it when the last thing he wanted was her feeling conflicted like this. She was too young and she shouldn't have to put up with her parents fighting.

Dougie was right, their actions were affecting Caitlin more than they realised and he knew it had to stop. Gio couldn't carry on putting lies into Caitlin's mind, she was a child and she didn't understand what was going on. He knew Gio was hurting, only wanting to keep her family whole but she had caused Caitlin unnecessary heartache by the things she had said to her.

Tom kissed Caitlin's forehead again softly before closing his eyes for sleep to overcome him. Gio would more than likely be angry in the morning but he would deal with that. Caitlin wasn't going to be hurt anymore.

Tom was getting that divorce.

Lost In You - Chapter Eleven

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:38:00 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 11 - Two Sides To Every Story
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten

Chapter Eleven
Two Sides To Every Story

Tom's eyes fluttered open and it took him a minute to register that he was in the spare room of his and Giovanna's house. The reason for him being there was still present in his mind. He couldn't believe Gio still wanted a baby even though she knew he didn't love her anymore.

He was truthful when he said he loved her because she is Caitlin's mother but he wasn't in love with her anymore. The only person he was in love with now was Danny. Beautiful Danny Jones whom he couldn't see. He was trapped in his own house, fearful that he would never see his five year old daughter again.

It was the only thing keeping him in the house at that moment. He wanted nothing more than to have his Happily Ever After with Danny but he knew he would never see his princess again if he chose to leave. He'd always known Gio had a nasty side to her but he had never witnessed it and had never been on the receiving end of it until now.

He hated that things were going like this. He knew she would be upset when he told her that he wanted to be with Danny but he never imagined this. His heart ached in his chest all of the time and the small glimpses he had seen of Danny had made it better for a brief second before being shattered all over again by the presence of his wife.

He knew what he had to do. He needed to go to his lawyer and file for a divorce. Doing this would piss Giovanna off even more but Tom knew it was the only way he could legally see his daughter still. He was a good parent and he could provide everything for Caitlin.

She had a trust fund started up by his parents since before she was born and Tom had been regularly contributing to it. There would never have to be the worry that he couldn't support her financially and that he would give her all the love and care that she needed.

The only thing that might get in the way of his happiness was if Gio pulled out the gay card. She had never shown any hatred towards gays and she had welcomed Danny and Dougie into their lives with open arms.

That's when she thought Danny and Dougie were a couple, remember? Tom berated himself.

Who was he kidding? Gio knew too many people in all the right places. There was no way he was going to be able to see his daughter ever again if he divorced her.

Biting back a sob, Tom stood, straightened himself and padded across to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and washed his face before heading downstairs to face the day.

Gio and Caitlin weren't anywhere in sight and Tom let out a relieved sigh. He opened the refrigerator to find something to have for breakfast.

"Morning, Daddy!" Caitlin said cheerfully rushing over to him and hugging him around his legs.

"Morning, princess," Tom smiled, picking her up and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Just as Tom set Caitlin back on the ground, Gio came into the kitchen, staring at him icily. Tom swallowed thickly and averted his eyes.

"What's for breakfast, Daddy?" Caitlin asked looking up at him.

"Umm," Tom started, eyes flicking to Gio. "Daddy has to go out this morning so it will just be you and Mummy for breakfast."

Caitlin pouted. "Okay," she said solemnly.

Tom bent down, pressing a kiss to her cheek and walking back out of the kitchen.

"Where do you think you're going?" Gio snapped from behind him as he walked up the staircase.

"I'm going out," Tom replied, not bothering to turn around as he pushed open the door to their room.

"Like hell you are!"

Tom turned around. "I'm not going to see him," he started. "No matter how much I may want to, I'm not. So you can just back off because I need to get out for five minutes."

Tom threw some clothes on and grabbed his wallet, jogging slightly back down the stairs, ignoring Gio's voice. He got into his car and pulled out of the drive, not really sure where he was going but knowing he needed to get away from everything even if it was only for half an hour. He would stay away longer but he feared that Caitlin wouldn't be home when he got back.

Tom found himself pulled up outside of Dougie's studio and he wondered how he had managed to get there without realising. He sighed, shaking his head and got out, heading inside the small building.

He found Dougie working away at his desk, designing something and he couldn't help but smile. The younger blonde was so entranced in his work that he didn't even notice Tom approaching. He stood for a few moments, watching him before thinking he was rude staring and he cleared his throat.

Dougie looked up, pen dangling from his lips. "Tom," he said with a smile, taking the pen and tucking it behind his ear. "How are you?"

Tom shifted on the spot, looking around awkwardly. "I'm guessing you heard about Danny and me?"

Dougie nodded. "Want to sit down?" he asked.

Tom followed Dougie to the couch in the corner of the room, sitting own and facing the smaller male. "I... I needed a friend to talk to."

Dougie reached out and rubbed Tom's arm gently. "Let it out."

"Gio... she," Tom swallowed. "She's horrible, Dougie."

"Is it as bad as Danny said?"

"Worse," Tom whispered. "She still wants to have another baby and... I can't do that. I love Danny. I'm in love with him. I can't have sex with Gio ever again. I certainly can't have another baby with her."

Dougie nodded. "I'm guessing you've told her this?"

"Of course," Tom said. "Not that it helps, she won't listen to me. She thinks I've run off to be with Danny right now and I'm probably going to go home to an empty house and I'll never see my daughter again."

Without realising it, Tom burst into tears and Dougie was holding him, rubbing his back soothingly and telling him it was alright. He sobbed loudly for a few moments before Dougie pushed a box of tissues into his hand. Tom gratefully accepted the box and wiped his eyes.

"I don't know what to do," he admitted, looking up at Dougie, worry in his eyes.

"You can't continue with this, Tom," Dougie started softly. "You're a wreck."

Tom looked down at his hands, shredding a tissue to pieces.

"Look, this might be a long shot but Harry used to sleep with a guy who is a lawyer," Dougie started. "You're going to need one if you're going to separate from Gio."

"L-lawyer?" Tom stuttered.

Dougie nodded. "You can't keep doing this," he said. "You're killing yourself here. Not to mention what this could be doing to Caitlin's mental health."

Tom bit his lip. "What do you mean?"

"My parents divorced when I was a kid," Dougie said. "It plays on your mind constantly and ninety percent of the kids I've known that parents' divorced think it's their fault. Cait will be able to sense the tension between you and Gio and she'll wonder what she's done wrong to make you both feel like that."

"I love Cait, she's not to blame for this," Tom whispered.

"Which is why you need to end this with Gio now, before any real damage is done."

Tom swallowed thickly.

"I'll get this guy's number from Harry," Dougie said softly. "And I want you to give him a call. This way, you'll have custody over Cait and Gio won't be able to hold it over you that you'll never see her again. You're a good parent, Tom, you have a fair shot."

Tom nodded again. "T-thank you, Dougie."

Dougie smiled softly, pulling Tom into a tight hug. "That's what friends are for."

Tom returned the smile. "I've never had friends that cared like this before."

"Welcome to the gay community!" Dougie grinned. "We're all here for each other."

"Thanks," Tom repeated. "I'd better go, or Gio will have kicked me out again."

Tom stood with Dougie and headed for the door.

"Next time you see Danny, can you tell him I love him?"

Dougie nodded. "I will."

Tom closed his eyes briefly, hand resting on the door knob. He pushed it open and walked back out to his car, knowing he had some serious decisions to make regarding his daughter and his future.

*****

Gio looked up when she heard a knock at the front door. Dusting off her hands, she headed through the hall, opening it.

"Dougie," she said, startled.

The blonde smiled at her. "Gio, hi!" he said pushing by to get inside the house.

"What are you doing?" she asked, a frown marring her face at the sudden intrusion.

"I've come to talk to you."

Gio folded her arms across her chest. "What about?"

Dougie made his way into the living room and sat down on the single arm chair, looking up at her with his big blue eyes. "About Tom and Danny."

"There's nothing to talk about," Gio said curtly.

Dougie smiled up at her. "But there is."

Gio perched herself on the arm of the sofa, staring straight at Dougie, arms across her chest. "I've got nothing to say to you about my husband and that prick."

If Dougie was affronted by her attitude towards Danny, he certainly didn't show it.

"I know you may not like it," Dougie started. "But your husband is in love with Danny. I've known Tom for a while now and I've watched him fall in love with Danny and vice versa over the last few months."

"Tom was deluded by Danny's charms," Gio said haughtily.

Dougie shook his head. "He's in love!"

"Don't be stupid, Tom isn't gay!"

"You obviously don't know your own husband then," Dougie said heatedly. "The first person he was ever with was a male!"

Gio's eyes widened. "That's a lie. He was with a lovely girl named Jamie."

"A lovely male named Jamie," Dougie corrected. "Tom was utterly in love with him before he left him. He fell for you shortly after but since seeing Danny, Tom has been truly happy."

"Get out," Gio said.

Dougie stood. "I'm not one for breaking up marriages but your stupidity has to stop," he started. "You're standing in the way of Tom's happiness all for your own selfishness. Are you that horrible that you'll force him to stay in a loveless marriage where he won't ever touch you again?"

The slap across Dougie's face was expected.

The pair stared at each other and Gio felt her chest heaving with anger. She felt her blood boil in her veins and she wanted to scream her lungs out.

"Get out of my house," she hissed. "If I ever see you talking to Tom again, I will make sure you suffer severely for it."

Dougie looked down his nose at her. "Think about what I said."

Gio slammed the door behind Dougie so hard that it rattled in its door frame. She clenched and unclenched her fists again and again before picking up the vase by the front door and hurling it across the room in sheer anger.

*****

Tom was in the backroom of the shop, eating lunch, when the phone began to ring. Swallowing his mouthful quickly, he grabbed the receiver. "Hello, Starry Nights, Tom speaking, how may I help you?"

"Hi Tom, Dougie asked me to give you a call," a posh sounding voice came on the other end of the phone.

"He did?" Tom asked, confused.

"Yes, about a lawyer?" the voice continued.

"Sorry, who are you?" Tom asked, deciding he'd better come clean and explain that he wasn't sure who this was.

"Oh, sorry, I thought he'd told you I'd call. It's Harry," the voice said. "Dougie's boyfriend? I realise we've not spoken before, but Dougie told me your situation."

"Oh! Oh, sorry, hi Harry," Tom said, sighing with relief. "I didn't realise you'd be calling me yourself. Dougie just said he'd get me the number from you."

"Ah, yeah, sometimes he gets sidetracked," Harry said, sounding amused. "Well, sorry to confuse you. But I do have the lawyer's number. He's really good too. Not bad in bed, either," he added jokingly.

"W-what?!" Tom asked, his eyes widening.

Harry chuckled. "Relax, I'm just joking. About the bed part. He is a good lawyer. He graduated as one of the top in his class, and he's been taken on by one of the best firms in London. He'll be sympathetic to your situation too, I'm sure."

"Wow... thanks Harry. I really appreciate this," Tom said. "You didn't have to do this."

"It's okay, I wanted to," Harry replied. "Now, have you got a pen?"

Tom looked around and grabbed one quickly, making sure he had some paper too. "Yeah, I've got one," he said.

"Okay, the number is 07851646389," Harry said, reading the number out slowly. "And the guy's name is Adam. Just tell him you know me, and he'll be more than happy to help."

"Thank you Harry, just... thank you," Tom said, feeling amazed that someone he'd never met before was prepared to help him out like this.

"Don't mention it. I wanted to help you," Harry said. "I think you and Danny deserve to be happy together, from what I've heard. I just don't want to see you lose your daughter because of that."

"Thank you," Tom said again, sounding a little choked up. "If Danny and I ever manage to be together, you and Dougie will have to come over for dinner."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Harry said, a smile evident in his voice. "Good luck, Tom."

"Thanks... goodbye, Harry," Tom replied as he hung up the phone. He looked down at the name and number written in front of him, wondering if he dared ring it. Then, before he could change his mind, he picked up the phone once more and dialled the number Harry had given him, listening as it rang.

"Adam Richardson," a voice answered professionally.

"Um, hi, my name's Tom Fletcher," Tom started. "I was given your number by a friend who said you might be able to help me?"

"What's your friend's name?"

"Harry. Harry Judd," Tom answered, feeling a little bit nervous.

"Oh, Harry! Yeah, I know Harry," Adam said, and Tom could hear him smiling down the phone. "Well, what can I do for you Tom Fletcher?"

"I'm... going through some stuff with my wife and... she's threatening to stop me from ever seeing my daughter again," Tom explained.

"Okay, well for a start she can't do that if you can provide for your daughter," Adam said. "Can you provide for her?"

"Yes! God, yes. I own a bookshop and business is good. I also have a trust fund for her that was set up by my parents when she was born and I make regular payments into that," Tom said.

"Okay, that's a good start. Why don't you tell me your exact situation?" Adam said.

Tom took a deep breath before he started to speak. "Well, I've been married for six years, to a woman I met in university. Our daughter is five years old. But lately, there's been something missing from my marriage, something I only noticed when I met Danny."

"Wait a moment, this... Danny. Danny is a man, am I right?" Adam interrupted.

"Yes. He's the grandson of the owner of a cafe near my bookshop that I frequent. Anyway, we became friends and then... more than friends. Before I met my wife, I was in a relationship with a guy who broke my heart and moved to Canada. Ever since then, I've been with my wife but when I'm with Danny... everything feels like it's fallen into place. He's great, and he's fantastic with my daughter," Tom continued. "But this is why my wife is threatening to stop my contact with my daughter. She wants another baby and she is not pleased that I don't feel the same way. She's banned me from even going into the cafe where Danny works. It's driving me insane and I believe that fighting for custody is the only thing that will stop her from taking my daughter away for good," he finished with a sigh.

"Well. This is certainly a complicated case in some respects," Adam said thoughtfully. "But, it should be fairly straightforward if it goes to court. As long as your daughter's well-being is not being compromised by you being in a relationship with another man, and you can provide for her, then I see no reason why you should be denied at least joint custody."

"That's all I want," Tom said. "I don't want to stop Gio from seeing her but I don't want to be banned from seeing her myself. I don't think that would be good for her."

"I completely agree," Adam said. "Well, Mr. Fletcher, what I would like to suggest is that you come to my office some time this week and we can go over the case and prepare any paperwork that will be needed. Then you will be prepared for any eventuality."

Tom nodded, though Adam couldn't see him. "Thank you. That sounds fine to me. Should I call back for an appointment?"

"If you can hold on for one second, I'll grab my diary," Adam said. Tom could hear him rummaging around in drawers. "Ah, here we are... how does Tuesday at 3pm sound?"

"I'd prefer something a little earlier," Tom said apologetically. "My daughter comes out of school at 3pm and I can't guarantee that I will be free to come to your office. Have you got anything on a morning?"

"Wednesday at 10.30am?" Adam said.

"That sounds perfect. Thank you," Tom said gratefully. "Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it. It's my job," Adam said with a smile. "I'll see you on Wednesday."

"Yes. Thank you, goodbye," Tom said, hanging up. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, resting his head on the back of his chair. He knew things were going to get a lot more complicated from now on.

*****

Tom nervously shuffled the papers in his hands before setting them back down on the smooth surface of the dining room table. He had met up with Adam twice now to sort out divorce papers and three weeks after his initial phone call to the lawyer, Tom finally had the papers and the courage to go through with it. He knew this was what needed to be done if he was going to have any sort of normalcy and happiness in his life.

He couldn't keep lying to himself, to Caitlin. He wouldn't put her through the trauma she would undoubtedly go through if he and Gio were to stay together. He had heard the saying "staying together for the kids" so many times but he never understood what an impact it would have until he had experienced it first hand.

Dougie was right, staying together for Caitlin's sake wasn't fair on her. She would grow up confused and would blame herself, something Tom would never wish upon her. Caitlin was innocent in all of this. It was between he and Gio. They had to sort through it like adults.

The sound of the front door opening and closing had Tom's heart racing in his chest. Gio would have to go through the dining room to get to the kitchen, and couldn't avoid him. He felt his palms getting clammy as he heard her stilettos clanking on the floorboards of the hall.

She stopped in her tracks and Tom looked up, swallowing slightly. "What is this?"

"You need to read these," Tom said confidently.

Gio took a step closer and peered down at the document. "I'm not divorcing you."

"You don't have a choice," Tom replied, having expected Giovanna's answer.

Gio looked at him icily. "We're not getting a divorce, Tom, end of story."

"You can't keep me prisoner any longer!" Tom said standing as she moved into the kitchen. "It is not fair on us or on Caitlin."

Gio kept her back to him as she put away the groceries she had just bought.

"I'm unhappy, Gi, this isn't right."

"You should have thought about that before you fucked Danny."

Tom felt himself clenching his fists tightly. "I didn't fuck Danny," he said slowly.

"Fine, he fucked you, whatever," Gio said with a roll of her eyes. "We're still not getting a divorce."

Tom closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. "We're getting the divorce and you're not keeping me from seeing my daughter."

"Do you really think that Danny is going to wait around for you?" Gio turned on her heel, looking at him with fire in her eyes. "Do you really believe that he wants to be with you, a geeky book-store owner that has a wife and a daughter?"

Fury bubbled in his veins as Gio spoke and Tom would have never believed he could hate someone until this very moment. "You know nothing about Danny," he said quietly, the anger present in his voice. "You have no idea what he feels for me or what I feel for him."

"Nor do I want to get in on your queer fest," she snapped.

"I don't love you, Gio," Tom said, ignoring her comment. "Not in the way you want me to. Not anymore."

The next thing Tom knew, he was being shoved up against the wall behind him and Gio's mouth had crashed onto his in a brutal kiss and her fingers were on his throat, holding him in place. It took a moment to register what was going on before Tom shoved her off him. Tears shone in Tom's brown eyes as he looked down at the woman standing in front of him.

"Forget about the fucking divorce, Tom, it's not happening," she hissed before walking out of the room.

Tom reached up and touched his lip, pulling away the fingers to look at the blood on them. He bit back the sob that threatened to escape from him and he wiped his fingers on his trouser leg. Pushing himself off the wall, Tom headed to the spare room, closing the door softly behind him. He sat down on the bed and sobbed quietly, not wanting Gio to hear him.

He didn't go out for dinner, not being able to face Giovanna. He had heard Caitlin come in from her friends and while his heart yearned to see her, he stayed hidden away, hoping that it would all fix itself if he didn't face the world.

Later that night, Tom lay on the bed, staring up at the plain ceiling, completely lost in his thoughts. His stomach growled, letting him know that it wanted food but Tom was going to wait until Gio had gone to bed. He knew it was cowardly hiding but he didn't think he could cope seeing her right now.

He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't see or hear his room door opening until he heard the soft 'Daddy' falling from Caitlin's lips. Startled, he sat up, hastily wiping his eyes.

"What's up, princess?" Tom asked voice croaky from the crying and lack of talking he had done all afternoon.

Caitlin looked up at him, confused. "You didn't come down for dinner."

"I'm sorry," Tom said sincerely.

Caitlin handed him a plate with a messily made sandwich on it. "I did it myself."

Tom felt his heart breaking at Caitlin's soft words. "Thank you so much, sweetie," he said, picking up a slice of the peanut butter sandwich. He slowly chewed his mouthful and Caitlin crawled up on the bed next to him, looking at him curiously.

She played with the hem of her Eeyore pyjamas that Tom had bought her for her last birthday, swinging her legs slightly on the edge of the bed. She stayed silent as Tom ate his sandwich, still watching him curiously.

Tom placed the empty plate on the bedside drawers and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you, that was a lovely sandwich."

Caitlin smiled up at him before her face turned serious. She shifted onto her knees and Tom turned to face her when she placed a hand on his cheek. Soon, both of her hands were on either side of his face and she had a look on her face that Tom couldn't decipher, having never seen it before.

"Daddy, why are you so sad?" she eventually asked.

Tom looked down for a moment before deciding that she deserved to know the truth, that Gio couldn't put anymore lies in her head if she knew what he felt too.

"Daddy has a broken heart," he whispered.

"Can we fix it with a plaster?" she whispered back.

Tom let out a sad chuckle. "I wish it were that easy, kiddo."

"How can we fix it then?"

"Do you remember the drawing you did of Danny and me?"

Caitlin nodded, eyes wide, a smile on her face. "Yes! I do!" Then she paused and frowned. "Mummy ripped it up and threw it in the bin."

"That's because Daddy and Danny are in love and Mummy doesn't like it," Tom said softly. "And now Daddy can't see Danny because Mummy won't let him."

Caitlin's brow furrowed. "Why not?"

Tom shrugged. "Mummy doesn't want to lose Daddy."

"But she won't!" Caitlin said earnestly. "I know you love Mummy but I miss Danny."

"I know, princess, I miss him too," Tom replied, moving to lie down on the bed, Caitlin moving to lie with him.

He pulled the covers up over them both and pressed another kiss into Caitlin's hair.

"We'll fix your broken heart, Daddy," Caitlin said after a long while.

Tom's heart clenched at the pure determination in his daughter's voice and he felt tears leaking from his eyes as he squeezed her to him.

Lost In You - Chapter Ten

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:35:35 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 10 – The Fairytale Got Twisted And Decayed
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine

Chapter Ten
The Fairytale Got Twisted And Decayed

Tom looked up as the bell chimed over the shop door and he swore his heart skipped a beat. He found himself looking into the blue eyes of Danny - eyes he hadn't seen for a few days, though it seemed a lot longer.

"Oh my god, Dan!" Tom breathed, flying around the counter and throwing himself into Danny's arms, quite forgetting where he was. Not that he would have cared. He just needed to hold the other male.

"I... I haven't heard from you... I was worried," Danny whispered, pulling back to look at Tom properly.

"Gio... she..." Tom paused as he caught sight of Emily watching them, looking confused. He turned to look at her. "Emily, promise me something. Promise you won't breathe a word of this to Gio," he said pleadingly.

"But..." Emily began, feeling confused.

"Promise me or I'll fire you," Tom said desperately, his eyes wide.

"Okay, okay, I promise," Emily said, holding her hands up. "But are you and him..." she pointed at Danny, who nodded apologetically. "Whoa..." she added softly.

"Come through," Tom said, turning back to Danny and taking him by the hand to lead him into the back office where they could have a little more privacy.

"What's going on Tom? You've left all your stuff at my place and I can't get through to your mobile when I try to call you..." Danny said, holding onto Tom's waist as he looked at the blonde.

"Gio's blocked your number," Tom said softly, looking down for a second. "She turned up here the other night just before closing time and told me she was taking me back but there were conditions."

"What kind of conditions?" Danny asked in a hushed voice. He knew from the way Tom was talking that they couldn't have been good ones.

"I can't see you," Tom whispered, feeling tears springing to his eyes again. "If... if I want to keep Caitlin in my life... I can't see you. At all."

Danny swallowed.

"She... she took my phone. I can only take incoming calls and she... she blocked your number," Tom continued, closing his eyes to try and compose himself. "She's determined that I have no contact with you at all. That's why I haven't been in to Memories. I daren't."

"Tom... why didn't you just leave her?" Danny asked in a hushed voice. "You... you and me... we're meant to be. She can't stop us..."

"Danny, I can't... I can't leave Caitlin. I... I mean, I can't not have her in my life," Tom said, a tear making it's way down his cheek. "I want to be with you so badly but I... I need to have my daughter."

"Then... then bring her with you," Danny said desperately. "We... we can all live together... we can make it work."

Tom shook his head, his breath catching in his throat. "Y-you don't understand," he began, sounding a little choked up. "Gio... she'll have you arrested if she catches you anywhere near Cait," he continued, struggling to make his words come out properly.

"Wh-what?" Danny asked, feeling shocked that Gio would even contemplate doing such a thing. "Surely... surely she isn't serious?"

"She is, Dan. She is," Tom said, more tears beginning to fall. "I don't want that to happen to you. I love you too much... that's why I need to do things her way. Do you see?"

Danny nodded, his own words sticking in his throat. "H-how long..." he started, unable to finish his sentence.

"I... I don't know," Tom admitted, looking down.

Danny let out a strangled sob, pulling Tom towards him and hugging him tightly. Tom wrapped his own arms around Danny, not caring that his tears were falling freely now.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Tom whispered over and over again, his face pressed into the crook of Danny's neck.

"I'm going to miss you so much," Danny whispered, bringing one hand up to stroke Tom's hair. "And Caitlin. I'm going to miss her too."

"I know," Tom whispered back. "I'm going to miss you too. So much that it's hurting..."

"Don't. This is hard enough already," Danny whispered, clinging onto Tom as though his life depended on it.

Tom nodded, swallowing. He wished he could stop time so that this moment could last forever.

As it was, they stayed in their position for another ten minutes until Emily poked her head round the door to tell them that it was nearly three o'clock.

"Y-you should go," Tom whispered, pulling back so that he could look into Danny's eyes. "Gio could turn up at any moment and she'd castrate us both if she caught us like this."

Danny nodded, sniffing. He wiped his eyes, trying to make sure he didn't look like he'd been crying. "I'll miss you," he whispered once more. "Take care of yourself... give... give Caitlin my love," he added, breaking off as he began to get choked up again.

Tom nodded, his tears starting to fall again. "Look... look after yourself," he choked out. "I... I..."

Danny shook his head, unable to hear anymore. He pulled Tom towards him once more, this time searching out the blonde's lips with his own and kissing him softly, tasting the salt from both of their tears mixing on their lips.

After a few moments, Danny pulled away and quickly left the shop, tears still running down his cheeks as he made his way back to the cafe. Tom sank to the floor where he stood, his face buried in his hands as he sobbed quietly.

Emily hesitantly came into the back room. "Tom?" she started quietly. "Tom... I've closed early. You should go home..."

Tom looked up and shook his head, sniffing loudly. "I can't," he said. "Gio... she'd know... Emily, please promise you won't tell her about this... she can't find out..."

"I promise, Tom, of course I do," Emily replied, sitting down cross-legged in front of her boss. "But you can't carry on like this... anyone can see that you and Danny... that you're perfect for each other," she said softly, trying not to think of the crush she once had on the Northerner. Seeing the two men wrapped in each other's arms, she'd realised that they really loved one another.

"I love him, Emily," Tom sniffed, wiping at his eyes uselessly. "But I can't lose Caitlin... I can't."

"Oh Tom..." Emily sighed, shifting so she could put her arm around the blonde. She didn't know what to do or say to make him feel better, so she simply sat with him until he pulled himself together with a loud sniff. She watched as he got to his feet, dusting himself off.

"Sorry, Emily," Tom said, sniffing once more. "I shouldn't have dragged you into this. I know how you feel about Danny, and I shouldn't ask you to cover up for us..."

"Don't be sorry. You two are in love. I can see that," Emily said, shaking her head as she stood up too. "I had a crush on Danny, but I'd never be able to compete with you because he's crazy about you. You can see it in his eyes. I'm just sorry you can't be together."

"So am I," Tom said softly, feeling as though his heart might burst at Emily's words. "Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you're on our side... even if it is secretly."

"Don't mention it," Emily smiled. "Now come on, we should clean up and get ourselves home. You don't want Gio to suspect anything."

Tom chuckled, unable to believe how supportive Emily was being. "You're right," he said, pushing open the door to the main shop to start cleaning up.

Five minutes later, a knock on the glass door shook him from his thoughts and he looked up to find Gio standing there. As he went to unlock the door for her, he could see her eyes searching for any signs of Danny.

"He's not here," he said dully as he let his wife in. "It's just me and Emily."

"Good," Gio said. "Hi, Emily."

"Hi, Gio," Emily said softly before leaving the room.

"I feel like a coffee," Gio said. "I might go down to Memories and get one."

"Gio, don't," Tom said sternly.

"Don't what, Tom?"

"Don't go down there," Tom replied. "Let Danny be, he's not in our lives anymore, just leave him alone."

Gio narrowed her eyes at Tom about to say something in retort when her phone rang. "I'll meet you in the car. You have five minutes," she told Tom before turning on her heel and leaving the store.

Tom heaved a sigh, rubbing at his eyes with his hand. He locked the front door again and headed out the back, switching the lights off as he went.

"Night, Tom," Emily said softly.

"Night, Emily," Tom repeated. "Th-thank you for today."

Emily rubbed Tom's arm softly. "It's okay," she said. "I never realised how bad things were."

Tom let out a dry chuckle. "Trust me, it can get a lot worse."

Emily bit her lip and pulled Tom into a quick, comforting hug. They parted and Emily kissed his cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said.

Tom nodded. "Remind me to give you a pay rise."

Emily chuckled. "Oh, I will."

Tom watched her leave and he looked around, making sure everything was in place. He switched off the lights and headed out the back door. There was a note pinned to it, his name printed clearly on the front. Looking at it curiously, Tom took it from the wood and opened it.

We'll find a way.

Was all it said. Tom's heart clenched in his chest. He looked around, a part of him still hoping to catch a glimpse of Danny. He stuffed the note into his pocket and headed around to the front where Gio was impatiently waiting.

He hoped beyond all reason that Danny was right. That they could find a way. Because this, what he was going through, this was hell on earth.

*****

"Daddy, can you read me Lady and the Tramp?" Caitlin asked climbing onto the couch with Tom one evening a few weeks later.

"Not now, sweetie, maybe later, okay?" Tom replied tiredly.

"Daddy, what's wrong?" Caitlin asked closing the book and looking up at Tom with her matching brown eyes.

"Daddy's just tired," Tom replied kissing her on the nose.

"Are you not well?" she asked. "When I'm not well, I'm tired all the time."

"Daddy's a little run down," he answered with a tired smile. "C'mon, let's go read your book."

Tom stood, holding out his hand for Caitlin to take. She picked up her hardcover book and they trotted up stairs to her bedroom. Caitlin clambered onto the rocking chair they still had from when she was a baby and Tom squished in next to her.

Caitlin opened the book across their laps and Tom put his arm around her, pulling her in close. He read the entire story to her, doing the voices and letting her read out loud as well. She was an excellent reader for her age and Tom was proud of her. As they reached the end of the story, Tom felt Caitlin yawn against his arm and he smiled as he closed the book.

"Bedtime sweetie," he said softly, putting the book aside and standing up. He picked Caitlin up to carry her to her bed, luckily she'd already had her bath and was in her pyjamas.

As Tom pulled the duvet up and over Caitlin, she looked up at him with the wide, innocent eyes of a child. "Daddy? When can Danny baby-sit me again?"

Tom felt his heart clench at the mention of Danny. How was he supposed to explain to his five year old daughter that she probably wouldn't see Danny again?

"Oh, we'll have to wait and see about that," Gio's voice cut Tom off as he was about to speak. She came into the room, sitting on the edge of Caitlin's bed. "Mummy and Daddy need to have somewhere to go before we can get a baby-sitter."

Tom looked down, away from Gio as she placed her hand on top of his. He knew his heart was elsewhere, he just wondered how this had happened.

"You could go to the pictures," Caitlin said, looking solemn. "Lots of people go to the pictures. And then Danny could baby-sit me. He promised to read Beauty and The Beast with me next time he baby-sits me."

Gio set her jaw slightly. "We'll see," she said once more, giving Caitlin a non-committal answer. "Now, are you ready to blow out the light?"

Caitlin pouted at not getting the answer she wanted, but nodded. "Yes Mummy."

"Okay, goodnight my princess," Gio said softly, kissing Caitlin's forehead. She looked at Tom, gesturing for him to follow her out of the room.

"Goodnight sweetheart," Tom whispered, hoping that his daughter wouldn't see the tears in his eyes as he kissed her goodnight. He paused at the door, his hand on the light switch. "Ready? 1 - 2 - 3..." he said, flicking the switch as Caitlin pretended to blow out the light.

"Goodnight Daddy, goodnight Mummy," she called after them.

****

Dougie stood, shivering on Danny's doorstep as he hammered on the door with his fist. "Danny, let me in!"

Another five minutes passed with no reply from Danny. Dougie growled and kicked at the heavy wooden door, yelping as he stubbed his toe. "Daniel Alan David Jones, if you don't let me in right now I'm going to... I'm going to... well I don't know what I'm going to do but you won't like it!"

A few moments later, the door swung open to reveal Danny plodding back into the lounge. Dougie shook his head and stepped inside, closing the door after himself. He toed off his shoes and shrugged off his jacket, hanging it on the peg by the door.

"I'm bloody freezing, thanks to you leaving me out there on the doorstep," he grumbled lightly as he entered the lounge.

"Sorry," Danny mumbled, not looking at Dougie.

"Danny, what's going on?" Dougie replied, sitting down opposite Danny and looking at him seriously. "You haven't been yourself since you got back and whenever I mention Tom, you look like you're about to cry. Talk to me."

Danny looked up at Dougie, his eyes filled with sadness. "Gio found out about us," he whispered.

Dougie's eyes widened. "What? But... but surely that's good, right?"

Danny shook his head, feeling the tears welling up again but he forced them away. "She's banned Tom from seeing me. At all. He can't even come in to Memories. Or she'll take Caitlin away and never let him see her again."

"She can't do that," Dougie said immediately. "He has rights!"

"I don't think she cares," Danny continued. "If I go anywhere near Cait... she'll have me arrested. I dread to think on what reason."

Dougie's jaw dropped. "Oh, Dan... I thought she was quite reasonable," he said softly, moving to sit next to Danny and taking him into his arms, hugging him tightly.

"I don't think she's likely to be reasonable after finding out her husband has cheated on her with another man, Dougs," Danny said dryly, resting his head on Dougie's chest.

"Well, no," Dougie flushed. "But you know, this could be a good thing. It's giving Tom the chance to leave her for good."

"He won't though, will he? He won't leave Caitlin," Danny said sadly. "I can't compete with his daughter."

"He's probably just in shock after being found out," Dougie replied. "He can fight for custody of Cait, he's got a good chance because he's her father, he loves her and he can provide for her. He just needs to see that."

"What if he doesn't want to leave her? What if-" Danny started before being cut off by Dougie.

"Stop playing 'What if?'," Dougie said sharply. "It never helps. Dan, you need to stop moping. I know it's hard, and I know you're hurting, but things are going to be alright. They're going to turn out right."

"How do you know?" Danny muttered, looking away again.

"Because I'm clever," Dougie said. "Now come on. Get your coat and come round to my place. Harry is out getting us a Chinese, we have plenty of booze in so we're gonna have a nice night in and get completely hammered while watching chick flicks. It's just what you need."

Danny smiled, but shook his head. "Thanks Dougs, but it's okay. I just fancy a quiet night on my own."

Dougie shook his own head. "Not gonna work. I'm not taking no for an answer. I know your Gran's opening up the cafe in the morning too, so you can't even use that as an excuse. Come on, it'll do you good..."

Danny groaned, realising that he wasn't going to win the argument. "Okay, okay," he sighed, pushing himself to his feet. "But if I drink so much I throw up, you're cleaning it up!"

"Yes!" Dougie gave a small cheer as he stood up too. "I promise I'll clean your vomit up," he said with a grin.

"Thanks. I'm honoured," Danny said, rolling his eyes as he pulled his jacket on. He had a feeling that he was certainly going to forget his troubles tonight.

****

Danny grunted to himself as he cleaned one of the tables in the window of the cafe. He'd had a raging headache all day because of the previous night's events but he had to admit that Dougie had been right. He'd had a good time with him and Harry, and he'd definitely forgotten about what was on his mind.

Straightening up, he picked up the pile of dirty dishes he'd collected from the table and glanced out of the window. He froze as brown eyes met his own blue ones and he found himself looking straight at Tom, who was out with Gio and Caitlin as he usually was on a Saturday. Danny gasped out loud, staring after the blonde as he walked away from the cafe. Luckily, Caitlin hadn't noticed him in the window, or he was sure Gio would have been forced to call the police.

"Everything okay Dan?" Skye asked from behind the counter.

"Oh, um, yeah... yeah, everything's fine," Danny replied, watching Tom until he was swallowed by the crowd. "I just caught my hand on the table."

"Okay," Skye said, shrugging as she wiped down the counter before serving a customer.

Twenty minutes later, as he wiped down one of the outdoor tables, Danny was startled by a loud scream.

"Danny!"

Danny turned to see a small, blonde blur flying towards him and it took him a moment to realise that it was Caitlin. The next second, the little girl was wrapped around his legs and it took all his strength not to bend down and pick her up. He looked up and met the cold, hard stare of Gio, noticing as well the shocked look on Tom's face.

"Caitlin! Come back here!" Gio demanded.

"It's Danny, Mummy!" Caitlin said, looking over her shoulder at Gio.

"I don't care, you do not run off from us," Gio said. "Now come here."

Caitlin reluctantly unwrapped her arms from Danny's legs and walked back to Tom and Giovanna.
Gio crouched down. "It's very busy. You can't run away like that, especially not near the road."

"Sorry Mummy," Caitlin said, looking apologetic.

"Good. Now, say sorry to Danny because we can't stay," Gio said, standing up again. "We have too much to do."

"Sorry Danny, Mummy says we can't stay," Caitlin said as she turned to look at Danny once more.

Danny glanced at Gio to make sure she wasn't going to do anything before he smiled at Caitlin. "That's okay Cait," he said. "I'll see you later."

"Bye, Danny!" Caitlin beamed, taking Gio's hand again.

As the family walked past, Danny caught Tom's eye, giving him a small smile which he was glad to see the blonde returned. Until Gio noticed and elbowed him.

A few hours later, Tom had just 'blown out the light' with Caitlin and was on his way to the kitchen to get himself a drink when he heard Gio speak his name from the living room.

"What is it?" Tom asked, popping his head round the door frame.

"I want to talk to you," Gio said. "Does a wife need any other reason to speak to her husband?"

Tom stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "No. I suppose not," he replied, through gritted teeth.

"Good. Then please come in here and sit down," Gio replied, smiling sweetly.

Tom thought about telling Gio that he'd been on his way to get a drink, but he decided it wasn't worth it. He stepped into the living room and sat down on the couch opposite Gio. "So, erm, what do you want to talk about?" he asked.

"I want another baby," Gio replied, repeating what she'd said weeks ago.

"What?" Tom asked incredulously. "Are you... are you serious? You still want another baby?"

"Well of course I do!" Gio answered. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I just thought... after Danny that you wouldn't want anything more to do with me," Tom replied honestly.

"Tom, I do still love you, even if you have been a total dickhead," Gio stated. "And the best way of proving our love, is to have another child."

"You still love me?" Tom asked disbelievingly, blinking at his wife.

Gio nodded. "I do. You're Caitlin's father, I always will love you and once we've had another baby, we can forget all about Danny Jones."

Tom swallowed. "I can't do that Gio," he whispered.

"What? What do you mean you can't do it? Of course you can, you know how we made Caitlin!" Gio snapped.

"I mean, I can't forget about Danny Jones," Tom replied, his voice shaking slightly. "It's not that easy."

"How is it not that easy?" Gio asked, glaring at Tom. "You love me don't you?"

Tom looked down briefly before looking up at Gio once more. "I love you because you're Caitlin's mother... I'm not in love with you. Not anymore. That's why I can't have another baby with you," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "It wouldn't be fair on any of us."

Gio's eyes widened in shock at Tom's words, before her face hardened again. "Forget it Tom. I'm not letting you go."

"Gio, you can't force me to stay in this... this loveless marriage," Tom replied desperately.

"It will break our daughter's heart if you leave, do you want to do that to her? Not to mention the fact that if you do leave, you will never see Caitlin again," Gio said, her eyes flashing with anger again. "Neither of you will, because I'll make sure of it."

"Look... you need to think about what I've said," Tom said. "Please. Because this is going to get out of hand and I don't want that to happen. I don't want Caitlin to grow up seeing us fighting all the time."

"There's nothing to think about," Gio replied stubbornly. "We're having another baby."

Tom shook his head. "I'm going to sleep in the spare room. I think we both need some space," he said with a sigh as he stood up and left the room once more. He didn't realise that he was trembling until he was safely in the spare room. He didn't have a clue what Gio was going to do next.

Lost In You - Chapter Nine

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:34:00 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 9 – I Want It To Be Like It Was Before
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight

Chapter Nine
I Want It To Be Like It Was Before

Danny blinked open his eyes, a smile on his face. Tom was in his arms, snuggled up to his side and he looked so peaceful as he slept. Danny's heart fluttered in his chest as he thought back to the previous night and how perfect it was. He watched as Tom's chest rose and fell with every breath he took. He pressed a soft kiss into Tom's hair, smiling to himself as the blonde snuggled further into him.

After a while, Danny extracted himself from Tom's embrace to go use the bathroom. He finished up and an idea came to mind. He picked up the room's phone and ordered breakfast for them both, picking out things he knew Tom liked to eat.

He didn't have to wait too long for room service to deliver their meal and he smiled, thanking the bell boy. He wheeled the trolley into the bedroom and crawled back into bed, smiling as he looked down at Tom, who was now lying on his stomach, bare back exposed, sheets riding low on his hips. He leant over, pressing a kiss into Tom's spine, moving slowly up his back, pressing one to the base of his neck as a final kiss. Tom snuffled and rolled over, blinking his eyes up at Danny.

"Hi," Tom said softly.

"Hi," Danny replied, a large smile on his face.

Tom reached up and stroked his cheek softly, pulling him down for a quick kiss.

"I've got breakfast," Danny whispered against the blonde's lips.

Tom pulled back. "You did?" he asked with a slight smile.

Danny nodded. "Yeah, figured we could have breakfast in bed," he replied softly.

Sitting up, Tom couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. "That'd be lovely," he said.

Danny grinned back and pulled the trolley over with their breakfast on it. He served up two portions of everything for them, setting them on the complimentary trays. He poured Tom a cup of tea and one for himself as well.

Soon both males were settled against the headboard, eating breakfast in comfortable silence. Danny smiled as he felt Tom's foot brush against his own and he looked over at the blonde who was eating a slice of toast coated with strawberry jam. He grinned and rubbed his foot against Tom's playfully.

"This is nice," Tom said as they finished their breakfast. "Being here with you, being lazy for once."

Danny took Tom's hand in his own, kissing the back of it. "I like being here with you too."

"I should feel bad," Tom whispered. "That I'm here with you... but," he sighed softly, "this feels so right being here with you."

Danny smiled. "It feels right to me as well."

Tom leant closer and closed the gap between them, kissing Danny gently on the lips. Danny's mind still spun from the fact that they had sex the previous night. He had wanted to wait until Tom had broken it off with Gio but everything just felt right the night before and he wouldn't have changed it for the world. Being with Tom was everything he wanted.

After a short while, Tom pulled back. "I need to have a shower," he said in a whisper.

Danny nodded, stroking Tom's cheek softly. "Mind if I join you?"

He couldn't help but smile at the flush that spread across Tom's cheeks. It made him a little giddy to know he could make a grown man blush like Tom. Tom nodded slowly and kissed him again softly on the lips before slipping off the bed. He looked over his shoulder briefly before disappearing into the bathroom. Danny grinned, following him happily.

Tom turned the taps on in the shower and stepped in to the cubical. Danny stripped off his boxers and stepped in behind the blonde. Tom stepped aside to let him under the spray and Danny wrapped his arms around his waist gently.

Tom's arms came up around his shoulders and they kissed again. "This isn't showering," he said softly.

Danny chuckled. "I know but it is much more fun."

Tom's cheeks flushed again as their lips met, bodies being thoroughly soaked from the water overhead.

****

Giovanna bustled around the kitchen, opening cupboards to put away the dishes she'd just took out of the dishwasher. She smiled as she caught sight of Caitlin sitting at the dining room table, head bent over her colouring book. "Caitlin, would you like some juice?" she called, putting some glasses away in the cupboard.

"Yes please, Mummy," Caitlin called back, not moving from her seat.

"Okay, I'll bring you some in a minute," Gio replied, picking up a cloth from the sink.

"Thank you Mummy," Caitlin answered, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth as she concentrated on her colouring.

Gio smiled again as she wiped down the counter tops from breakfast. Tom would be back later that day and she wanted things to be clean and tidy so that he didn't have to worry after his long weekend at the workshop. Standing back, she was finally satisfied that the kitchen was clean and tidy and she put the cloth back by the sink. Walking over to the fridge, she took out a bottle of Ribena and poured a small amount into Caitlin's cup before going to the sink to fill it up with water.

"Here you go, Princess," Gio said softly, carrying the cup through to the dining room where she placed it on the table next to Caitlin.

"Thank you Mummy," Caitlin said, immediately picking the cup up with both hands and taking a sip.

Gio leant over to look at Caitlin's drawings, frowning slightly in confusion as she looked at the piece of paper. "What are you drawing sweetie?" she asked, sitting down beside her daughter. "Tell Mummy about it."

"That's Daddy," Caitlin said, pointing to one figure of a man with yellow hair that Gio assumed was meant to be blonde. "And that's Danny." Caitlin pointed to the other figure with brown, curly hair.

"Why are they holding hands, darling? Men don't hold hands," Gio said, stroking Caitlin's hair softly.

"Daddy and Danny do," Caitlin replied, picking up her green crayon again to add some grass to the picture.

"No they don't," Gio replied with a chuckle. "Don't be silly."

"Yes they do, Mummy," Caitlin replied earnestly, looking up at Gio with wide eyes. "And they kiss like you and Daddy do."

Gio paused, looking back at Caitlin. "What do you mean sweetie? Daddy doesn't kiss Danny. They're just friends."

"He does. I saw him when Danny came with us to the fair," Caitlin replied solemnly. "He doesn't know I saw, but I did. When I was on the fairy ride."

Gio felt her blood run cold in her veins as Caitlin spoke. Why would a five year old make something like this up? she thought, her hand stilling on Caitlin's head.

"What's wrong Mummy?" Caitlin piped up, looking up at Gio with still wide eyes. The little girl had no idea of the magnitude of what she'd told Gio.

"Nothing. Nothing sweetheart," Gio said softly, slightly distracted. She was staring at a picture on the opposite wall, of her and Tom on their wedding day, both smiling brightly at the camera. She shook her head slightly, as though coming to her senses. "Listen, how would you like to go and stay at Grandma's house tonight?" she asked.

Caitlin broke into a grin and nodded. "Yes please!"

"Okay, let me go and call her," Gio said, standing up. "Can you go up to your room and get some things together?"

Caitlin nodded and slipped from her chair to run upstairs, leaving her drawing on the table. Gio gave it one more glance before walking into the kitchen to pick up the phone.

A few hours later, Tom walked into the house, tired but happy after his weekend with Danny. "Gio? Caitlin?" he called. "I'm home." He toed off his shoes, hanging his jacket up in the cupboard underneath the stairs and leaving his briefcase on the stairs to take up later.

"In the dining room," Gio called back.

Frowning slightly, Tom walked through the house towards the dining room. Usually if he'd been away, Gio and Caitlin had been there to meet him at the door as he walked in, but he supposed that they must be busy. It didn't enter his mind that something was amiss.

As he entered the dining room, he was surprised to see that Gio was on her own. "Hey, where's Caitlin?" he asked softly as he crossed the room.

"At my mother's," Gio replied in a soft voice, watching as Tom approached her.

Tom bent his head to give Gio a kiss hello and he was surprised to be met with the soft skin of her cheek. "Gio?" he asked in confusion. "What's wr..." he trailed off as something on the dining room table caught his eye. It was Caitlin's drawing, clearly labelled "Daddy" and "Danny" under the two figures holding hands. Tom swallowed.

"Why don't you tell me, Tom?" Gio replied in the same soft voice. "Our daughter is drawing pictures of you holding hands with another man, what's wrong with that?"

"Gio, please. It's... it's not what it looks like," Tom started, frantically trying to think of a way to explain.

"No? Then what is it Tom? You just felt like holding his hand? Your hands were cold? What?" Gio asked, her eyes flashing angrily as her voice rose with each question.

Tom opened his mouth to reply but he found nothing came out. He closed it again, looking helplessly at his wife. "It's not like that," he eventually whispered.

"It's not you kissing Danny at the fair?" Gio snapped. "Where our daughter and god knows who else could see? God, I am such a fool!"

Tom shook his head. "Gio, no."

Gio glared at him. "Get out," she said in a low voice.

"What?"

"You heard me," Gio said. "Get out and don't you dare come back."

"Gio, wait, we can talk about this," Tom said trying to reason with her.

"Talk about what?" Gio snapped again. "I bet you were with him this weekend, weren't you? It would have been the perfect cover-up. Going away for work so you can fuck a guy on the side."

Tom flushed guiltily.

"Oh my god, you did!" Gio clenched her fists angrily. "Get out, Tom. And if you go near Cait, I will make sure you never see her again."

Tom opened and closed his mouth a few times before nodding slowly. "Alright," he said softly. "I'll go."

Tom left the house, taking his already packed bags with him. As soon as the front door shut, Giovanna let out a scream of frustration and stormed over to the phone, dialling her mother's number for the second time that evening.

*****

Tom shivered as he knocked on Danny's door. His heart was in his stomach and he felt like he was going to throw up at any given moment. He waited patiently for the brunette to answer and almost gave a sigh of relief upon seeing him.

"Tommie?" Danny said softly. "What's wrong, baby?"

"Gio knows," Tom whispered, eyes falling to look at the ground.

"Oh shit," Danny pulled him in for a tight hug.

They moved inside and Danny shut the door behind them. Tom took his coat off and Danny set it aside. He let Danny hug him again and he started to sob softly into the younger male's shirt. The brunette's arms tightened around him and Tom let it out, crying the entire time.

Eventually, they sat down in the living room and Danny held Tom close. "What happened?"

Tom took a shaky breath. "Cait... Cait drew us holding hands," he started. "And I'm guessing she saw us kissing at the fair..."

Danny squeezed Tom again, encouraging him to go on.

"Gio kicked me out," Tom continued. "I'm not allowed to see Cait at all!" He burst into a fresh round of tears, gripping Danny's shirt tightly, crinkling the material under his fingers.

Danny held him close, whispering soothing words in his ears that just seemed to wash over Tom. He knew he was playing with fire by being with Danny but he felt so in love with him, something, he realised, he hadn't felt with Gio for a while. Being with Danny made him feel alive and even though it was completely wrong how they'd gone about it, he still wouldn't change it.

He knew Gio was mad but he hoped she would calm down. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life not seeing his daughter. She meant more to him than anything else and he would not give her up without a fight.

Something else he didn't want to do. Fight with Gio. He could count the times they had fought on one hand throughout their entire marriage and he didn't want to start now.

"So where are you staying tonight?" Danny broke the silence with his quiet question.

Tom shook his head. "I don't know," he said in a broken whisper. "I can't go home, Gio will castrate me if I do."

Danny stroked his arm. "You can stay here."

"No!" Tom exclaimed. "There's no chance of Gio taking me back if I stay here."

Danny pulled back. "Do you want to go back to her?" he asked slowly.

Tom blinked. "I... uh..."

Danny let go of Tom completely. "You do, don't you?"

"She's my wife, Danny," Tom whispered.

"And I thought I was your soul mate," Danny replied. He reached up and stroked Tom's cheek. "I love you, Tom, more than I have ever loved anything before. I don't want to be without you."

Tom blinked a couple of times. "I don't want to be without you either."

"So, this is good then, isn't it?" Danny started. "Gio knows, we can be together. For real. No hiding."

Tom bit his lip. "I might never get to see Cait again," he whispered.

"Gio can't keep Cait away from you," Danny said, hand dropping to Tom's neck. "Cait loves you far too much to not want to be with you."

"I just wanted my daughter to grow up with both parents," Tom replied.

"And she can," Danny said. "But her Daddy just happens to be in love with another man."

Tom smiled softly. "She loves you too," he looked up at Danny. "She raves about you all the time."

"I love her too," Danny replied. "Just like if she were my own daughter."

Tom's heart thudded happily in his chest as those words fell from Danny's lips. "I love you," he said. "So much."

Danny closed the gap between them, kissing Tom softly on the lips. "I love you too."

That night, Tom slept curled up against Danny's side. His sleep was a fitful one, plagued with strange dreams of running down endless corridors, Caitlin's laughter echoing around him but he could never get to her. She kept calling him but he searched and never found her.

He awoke with a jolt as he heard his phone ringing on Danny's nightstand.

"Hello?" he asked groggily.

"Daddy! Where are you?" Caitlin's cheerful voice came across the line.

"Cait," Tom breathed. "How are you, angel?"

"I'm good! I'm at Granny's house and we're having pancakes for breakfast!" Caitlin exclaimed. "Are you coming over?"

Tom sat up, rubbing at his eyes. "I don't know, sweetie. Is Mummy there?"

"Nope, it's me and Granny! Grandad is seeing Mummy now," Caitlin replied. "Don't you want pancakes for breakfast?"

"Daddy has to speak to Mummy first," Tom explained.

"Hurry up, Daddy or Granny will eat all the pancakes!" Caitlin's giggle rang clear through the line and Tom felt his heart clench painfully in his chest.

"I'll try, sweetie," Tom said. "Be a good girl. Daddy loves you."

"I love you too, Daddy!" Caitlin said happily. "Bye!"

"Bye," Tom said, hanging up the phone.

Moments later, Danny's arms were wrapping around Tom's shoulders. He pressed a kiss into Tom's neck and he turned his head to look into the blue eyes. "I miss her so much."

"I know you do," Danny whispered holding him close. "You'll get to see her again."

"I hope so," Tom whispered back. "I really hope so."

*****

The next few days were rocky. Tom didn't hear from Giovanna and though he didn't really expect to, he had hoped she would at least talk to him. Danny had been an angel, letting him stay, letting him be miserable around the house and going to and from work like there was nothing going on in his home life.

Tom was surprised when he saw Gio enter his bookstore ten minutes before he was due to close three days after she found out. He took her in, winter coat, scarf and beanie on, keeping her warm. She folded her arms across her chest.

"We need to talk." was all she said before she left the store as quickly as she had entered.

Tom asked Emily to close up and he quickly followed Gio out into the cold of the street. She looked at him and got into her car. Tom hesitated before getting in as well.

"You're coming home," she said simply.

Tom's eyes widened. "I... I am?" he asked.

"Yes," Gio started the car and drove back to their house.

Tom was confused. He didn't expect this from her at all. He expected her to kick him out of her life for good. He didn't know if he wanted a second chance, not now he knew what being with Danny felt like. There was silence the entire ride home. He didn't know if he should try and broach conversation with Gio or not so he took the second option and kept quiet.

They pulled up the driveway and Gio got out, heading straight for the front door. Tom sighed, following her silently. Gio had shrugged off her coat, beanie and scarf and was standing in the living room when Tom entered the house.

He looked around at the living room and then finally met Gio's eyes.

"I'm taking you back," she said simply.

"Y-you are?" Tom stuttered.

Gio nodded. "And there's going to be some changes made."

Tom visibly swallowed. "Like what?" he uttered, afraid to hear the answer.

"You're not allowed to see him," Gio started. "If you want to have your daughter in your life, you are not allowed to see him ever again.

"You are to have no contact with him again. I do not want to see or hear that you've been in that cafe, you're to go to work, come home and be a straight husband and father. You can go out with friends as long as either I am there or someone I know I can trust. You're not to text him, speak to him or even think about him because if you do, you'll never see Caitlin again.

"I've told Caitlin that you were away a little longer than planned but you're not to tell her different. I've destroyed her drawing and she no longer thinks men kiss like you and... you and he did. He is never allowed to see my daughter again and if he so much lays one finger on her, I'll have him arrested."

Tom felt his heart thudding in his chest the entire time Gio was talking.

"Do I make myself clear?"

Tom nodded slowly. "Yes," he replied.

"Good," with that, Gio kissed his forehead and left the room.

Tom bit his lip, feeling blood seep into his mouth. He looked up at the ceiling, taking in a deep breath, tears falling down his cheeks.

Lost In You - Chapter Eight

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:31:47 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 8 – Let's Convince Ourselves It's All Under Control
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
PS Sorry this has taken so long, life has been hectic for both of us. We hope you like this chapter as it has taken the most out of us.
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven

Chapter Eight
Let's Convince Ourselves It's All Under Control

Danny was starting to get worried. It was now New Years Eve and he hadn't heard from Tom since Boxing Day. He had sent a couple of text messages just to say hi so Gio didn't get suspicious but he was honestly going out of his mind with worry. It wasn't like Tom to not talk to him for more than two days at a time. He had called Dougie and explained his concern to which Dougie had replied to not worry so much. Tom loved him and it was plain as day - apparently.

Danny pulled out his phone for the hundredth time that day and looked at it. No missed calls. No messages. He gnawed on his bottom lip and pressed the call button. He put the up to his ear and listened to the buzz of the line ringing at Tom's end.

"Hello?" came the breathless question.

"Tom?" Danny said. "Hi, how are you?"

"Dan," Tom said softly. "I... I'm okay..."

"You don't sound okay, what's wrong?" Danny asked.

"I can't talk right now," Tom said in a rushed tone. "Can I come over to yours later?"

"You know you can, anytime," Danny replied. "I miss you."

"I'll be over around seven, after Cait's had her bath."

"Okay," Danny said, smiling slightly. "I'll see you then."

The line went dead and Danny looked at his phone sadly. His worry for Tom grew tenfold and he lay on his bed, staring at the phone in his hand. He hoped he hadn't done anything to upset the blonde and he hoped that Gio hadn't found out about them. He knew Tom wanted to tell her properly, not have her catch them kissing or something. He was building up to telling her and Danny knew and respected that. He just hoped Tom was alright.

Just after seven that evening, Danny's doorbell rang and he stood to answer it. He opened the door to reveal a harassed looking Tom who was wringing his hands together. He silently stepped to the side and closed the door behind Tom. He locked it and followed Tom into the living room.

"Tom, what's wrong?" Danny asked sitting next to the blonde.

Tom kept his head down, hands clasped tightly together. "I..."

Danny placed his hand on top of Tom's twitching ones, smiling as they automatically linked fingers. "Tommie, talk to me," he said softly.

Tom looked up at him and he looked like he was about to cry. "Things got bad, Dan," he whispered.

"Bad how?"

"Gio..." Tom swallowed and looked up at Danny. "She wants another baby."

Danny's mouth dropped open slightly. "A baby?" he repeated.

Tom nodded and took a deep breath.

"What did you say?" Danny asked softly.

"I haven't really spoken to her about it," Tom replied. "I can't, Dan... she wants another baby and I..."

Danny nodded and wrapped his arms around Tom's shoulders, holding him lovingly. He felt awful for Tom. He had a wife and a daughter and his wife wanted another child. He didn't know how he would cope if that were him.

"I don't know what to do, Dan," Tom whispered. "I can't tell her that I don't want to have another baby because I want to be with you..."

Danny gently brushed some of Tom's soft blonde hair out of his eyes. "Maybe this is the chance we've been looking for? To tell Gio about us?"

Tom shook his head. "No," he said quickly. "Oh, definitely not. She can't know like this."

"Then how are we going to tell her about us, Tom?" Danny asked, hand resting on Tom's neck.

"... I don't know..." Tom whispered. "I just want to be with you."

"I want to be with you too," Danny whispered back, a small smile on his lips. "I want to be with you so much but I don't want to keep hiding from Gio. It's not fair on her, or on us."

"I know," Tom said softly. "I just need the right time to tell her."

Danny kissed Tom softly on the lips. "I think it needs to be soon, Tom," he started. "Gio is wanting to have another child with you, she needs to know that you don't want to be with her anymore."

"But I do want to."

"What?" Danny asked, startled.

"I do want to be with her."

Danny blinked. "I thought you just said you wanted to be with me?"

Tom looked the other way. "I want to be with you but I don't want to lose Gio either," he said. "She's been a big part of my life for so long, it's going to be hard to stop being with her," he continued. "I don't want to be with her like I want to be with you. Not anymore but I don't not want her in my life."

Danny nodded. "I understand," he said. "But the longer you leave this, the harder it is going to be. For all of us."

"I know," Tom whispered. "This is so hard, Dan."

"We'll get through it, Tom, we will," Danny assured him. "You're my everything."

Tom looked up at Danny and kissed his lips softly. "I have to go away for work soon..."

Danny pulled back slightly. "Yeah?" he asked.

Tom nodded. "Gio will still have work, and Cait will have school, so I'll be all alone..." he trailed off, biting his bottom lip slightly as he looked up at Danny.

"Oh," Danny said. "Oh!" he repeated. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Tom nodded, lips closing over Danny's once more. "I'm sure," he whispered. "I want to spend the weekend with you and just you."

Danny smiled against Tom's lips. "I'd love nothing more than to spend the weekend with you too," he whispered back.

They kissed softly, reassuring each other that this was what they wanted. "I wish I could see in the New Year with you," Danny whispered.

"I know," Tom whispered back. "But Gio would be suspicious. I told her I was only coming over here for a couple of drinks and then I'd be back to see in the New Year with her... she wants to get Caitlin up so she can celebrate with us."

Danny smiled and nodded. "I understand... maybe I could come back with you?"

Tom almost melted at the hopeful look on Danny's face, but he shook his head. "Oh, Dan... there's nothing I want more than for you to come back with me, but... I don't think it would be a good idea," he said softly. "We'd have to invite Dougie too and I imagine he's with... Harry, is it?"

Danny nodded, trying not to let Tom see the disappointment on his face. He understood the blonde's dilemma. "I suppose it would be a bit hard to stop myself from kissing you at midnight," he said softly.

Tom chuckled softly and nodded again. "Yeah... we can have our midnight now, before I leave," he said. "If you want?"

Danny cheered up a bit and grinned at Tom. "That sounds good to me. Let's get some drinks then, eh?" He got up and went into the kitchen to get a couple of bottles of beer.

Tom settled back against the cushions, waiting for Danny to return. He looked around, feeling completely at home and knowing that it was going to get harder to leave each time. He smiled as Danny handed him a bottle and sat down beside him.

"Cheers," Danny said, holding his bottle out to Tom.

"Cheers," Tom replied with a smile, clinking his bottle gently against Danny's and taking a long drink. He sighed softly, leaning against Danny.

Before long, both men had polished off a couple of bottles each and the time had come for Tom to go home. He turned to Danny, biting his lip slightly. "Happy New Year," he whispered.

"Happy New Year," Danny whispered back with a smile, leaning in to kiss Tom softly. Tom kissed back, gently caressing Danny's cheek.

Danny smiled as they broke apart. "Thank you for coming over. And don't worry, we'll figure out how you can tell Gio soon."

"Thanks, Dan," Tom said with a small smile. "I know we will. I just... I hope it is soon."

Both males kissed again, holding each other close for a few long moments before parting, Tom giving Danny a sad look.

"I'll see you soon," Tom whispered, lips pressing into Danny's one last time.

Danny nodded. "Definitely."

Tom stood up, giving Danny's hand a squeeze as he headed for the door. Danny stood up to see the blonde out, waving as Tom disappeared down the garden path.

****

"Why are we outside, Daddy?" Caitlin asked, before yawning widely.

"Because we need to see in the New Year," Tom explained, looking down at his daughter who was standing beside him in fluffy pink slippers and a pink dressing gown, her hair all messy.

"But why?"

"It's supposed to bring good luck," Tom replied quietly, as the irony of his words hit him. He knew that when he finally told Gio about himself and Danny that she wouldn't think it was good luck.

"Oh," Caitlin said, shivering slightly, her hand holding tightly onto Tom's.

"Not long to go sweetie," Tom said, taking note of the shiver. "When the clock strikes midnight, we can go inside again."

"How many is midnight?" Caitlin asked, looking up at Tom tiredly.

"Twelve," Tom replied with a smile. "But we don't have to wait until all of the bells have finished. We can go in after the first one."

"Okay, Daddy," Caitlin said, standing happily by Tom's side.

A few minutes later, the town clock began to strike twelve and someone in the neighbourhood set off some fireworks.

"Happy New Year, Cait," Tom said, picking his daughter up and kissing her cheek.

"Fireworks, Daddy!" Caitlin squealed, pointing at the bright colours.

"Yeah, I can see," Tom chuckled. "Let's go back in and see Mummy."

Caitlin nodded enthusiastically, still watching as the fireworks continued to explode overhead.

Tom stepped back into the living room where Gio was standing with a glass of wine. "Happy New Year, Tom," she said with a smile, moving to kiss Tom gently.

Tom returned the kiss softly. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year!" Caitlin cheered, throwing her arms in the air, though she didn't really understand what she was cheering about.

Tom and Gio separated, laughing at their daughter's antics.

"Mummy! There's fireworks outside!" Caitlin squealed, running to the window as Tom set her down.

"I know darling, I can hear them," Gio chuckled.

"Can I watch?"

"For a little while," Gio nodded. "Then you need to go back to bed. You're up very late for a little girl."

"I know, Mummy," Caitlin replied solemnly, nodding before turning back to the window excitedly.

Tom smiled as Gio went to join Caitlin at the window. He went into the kitchen to get himself another bottle of beer before walking back into the living room and sitting down on the couch. He flicked the TV on to watch the end of Jools Holland's Hootenanny, wondering who was performing this year. A shadow fell across him and he looked up to smile at Gio as she sat down next to him. "Hey," he said softly.

"Hi," Gio smiled. "How's Danny?"

"He's great," Tom replied, unable to keep a smile off his face at the thought of the brunette. "He's having a quiet night in with Dougie."

"Ahh, that's nice," Gio smiled. "I hope you didn't interrupt them!"

"What? Oh, no, I didn't," Tom said, chuckling. "Dougie had gone out for a takeaway so Danny was on his own when I got there."

"Good," Gio smiled again. "Listen, I was thinking. There's a fair coming to town next weekend and I thought maybe you could take Caitlin?"

"On my own?" Tom asked in surprise. "Won't you be there?"

"I have to work," Gio said, looking apologetic. "Or I would have said we could have gone as a family. I think she'll enjoy it. You could ask Danny and Dougie to go with you."

Tom thought about it for a few seconds and nodded. "Okay," he said. "She's never been to a fair before. We'll take lots of pictures for you, though."

Gio smiled. "Thank you," she said. "I hate having to work on Saturdays."

"I know you do," Tom said, patting Gio's hand. "But, you know I have to go away with work for the weekend soon, so you'll get to spend all the time with Caitlin."

"In theory. I have to work that weekend too, so my mum's going to have her for a few hours while I'm at work, and then I get to spend time with my princess," Gio said, nodding.

"Am I your princess, Mummy?" Caitlin asked, yawning and rubbing her eyes as she walked over to them.

"You sure are," Gio smiled, lifting Caitlin onto her lap. "And my princess looks tired. Do you want to go back to bed sweetie?"

Caitlin nodded, yawning again.

"Okay. I'll take her up, and then I'm going to go to bed myself," Gio said, standing up, Caitlin still in her arms. "I'll see you upstairs once you're finished your drink?"

Tom nodded. "Goodnight angel," he said, standing up to give Caitlin a goodnight kiss. "I'll be up soon."

"Goodnight Daddy," Caitlin said in a sleepy voice as Gio carried her upstairs.

Tom watched until Gio was out of view and then he pulled out his mobile phone.

Fancy taking Cait to the fair with me on Saturday? Tom x

Tom waited for Danny to text back; he knew it was risky texting the brunette but he had to know before he went to sleep.

Like a date? I'd love to! ;-) Dan x

Tom rolled his eyes as he read the reply, knowing he'd have to delete these messages now.

Great. I'll tell her one day this week so she doesn't get too excited. How drunk are you? T x

Tom shook his head. He should have known Danny would have had a few drinks without him.

Not so drunk that I'll forget this in the morning, but enough to be able to tell you that you looked sexy tonight. I want you! D x

Tom found himself blushing, even though he was quite alone in the room. He glanced round before texting back, as though he expected to see Gio standing behind him, despite being able to hear her reading to Caitlin upstairs.

Soon, babe, soon. We'll have fun this weekend T x

Biting his lip, Tom wondered how soon would be.

Looking forward to it. Sleep tight sexy D x

Tom smiled, knowing that Danny had definitely had a few more drinks after he'd left.

You too. See you soon T x

Draining his bottle, Tom decided he should head upstairs. He walked through to the kitchen, deleting his messages as he went, and depositing his bottle in the recycling box. He checked that the back door was locked before turning off the lights and heading upstairs.

****

"When are we going to the fair, Daddy?" Caitlin asked, jumping up and down slightly.

"When Danny gets here, now calm down and go and get your shoes," Tom said, giving an exasperated sigh. As Caitlin ran off to get her shoes, he looked around for the camera. He'd known that Caitlin would be excited by the prospect of seeing Danny, let alone going to the fair too.

A few seconds later, he heard the doorbell ringing and Caitlin squealing. By the time Tom had reached the hall, Caitlin had managed to open the door and Danny was standing inside, the little girl in his arms. He looked up at Tom and gave him one of his famous grins.

"Hey Tom!" Danny said cheerfully. "Are my two favourite blondes ready for the fair?"

"Yaaaay!" Caitlin squealed, throwing her arms in the air excitedly.

Tom rolled his eyes and nodded, giving Danny a smile. "Yeah, come on in for a minute though. I can't find the camera and I promised Gio that we'd take plenty of pictures today since she can't go with us."

Danny stepped further into the house, still carrying Caitlin and shutting the door behind him. "Why don't you go and find your hat Cait? I'll help your daddy find the camera, then we can get going!" he said, putting the little girl down and watching as she ran off.

Danny smiled as he stepped closer to Tom. "Hi," he said softly.

Tom felt himself flushing as he looked at the brunette. "Hi," he replied with a smile. All he wanted to do was give Danny a welcoming kiss, but he didn't dare risk it with Caitlin around.

Danny, however, didn't mind taking such risks and quickly closed the gap between himself and Tom, kissing the blonde's lips swiftly. "Sorry," he said, stepping back again. "I didn't think I could wait."

Tom flushed but smiled. "It's okay," he said. "I'm glad you did it, because I don't think I could have waited either."

Danny grinned shyly at Tom. "Right. So where do you think this camera is?"

Tom groaned slightly. "I don't know... I can't remember where I last had it," he replied, scratching at his forehead. "Maybe it's in the kitchen..."

"Tell you what, you go and look in your room and upstairs, and I'll go and look in the kitchen and then the living room," Danny said. "Then one of us is bound to find it and Cait won't have as long to wait."

Tom nodded and headed upstairs to look in the bedrooms. Danny went into the kitchen and began to look on the work surfaces, wondering where Tom could have left his camera. He'd only been looking for a few minutes when he heard Tom call.

"I found it!"

"Great! Get back down here so we can get this little princess to the fair," Danny called back, grinning as Caitlin came into the kitchen wearing a princess crown. "That wasn't the hat I had in mind, Cait," he chuckled.

"Mummy said I'm her princess," Caitlin said proudly, looking up at Danny with a grin.

"I bet you are!" Danny said, smiling as he crouched down to do up the little girl's coat. "But do you have a woolly hat? It's very cold outside and I don't think your princess crown will keep your ears warm."

Caitlin nodded. "Mummy keeps it in the cupboard where she keeps hers and Daddy's coats," she replied, pointing to the cupboard underneath the stairs.

"Okay, let me just have a look for it then," Danny said, standing up and going to the cupboard. Thankfully, he spotted it as soon as he opened the door and grabbed it. "Aha! Okay Cait, can you take your princess crown off for me so I can put your hat on?"

Caitlin nodded again and took off her crown obediently. Danny pulled the pink hat down over her ears as Tom made his reappearance. "Are we going to the fair now, Daddy?" Caitlin asked immediately.

"Well. It looks like you're all ready, so I guess we are," Tom said, smiling at Danny. "Let me just get my coat," he added, handing the camera to the brunette who immediately took a picture of a smiling Caitlin. Tom smiled as he watched Caitlin posing for Danny. He pulled his jacket out of the cupboard under the stairs, and shrugged it on. "Come on then, let's go," he said.

Caitlin squealed with happiness and skipped to the door. Danny grinned at Tom, then followed the little girl.

"Are we going in Danny's car, Daddy?" Caitlin asked, looking round at the two men.

Danny looked back at Tom, waiting for an answer. He didn't mind if they took his car.

Tom nodded. "If Danny doesn't mind," he said. "It's a long walk for your little legs."

"Of course I don't mind! Come on Cait," Danny replied, opening the door. "Race you to the car!"

Caitlin took off running as fast as her legs could carry her, giggling all the way as Danny pretended he couldn't catch her. Tom shook his head, laughing quietly as he followed them out of the house and locked the door behind them.

"I won, Daddy! I won!" Caitlin shrieked, giggling again as Danny caught up to her, swinging her into the air.

"Well done sweetie!" Tom laughed, quickly crossing the lawn to reach Danny's car. "But don't tire Danny out or he won't be able to drive."

Danny caught Tom's eye, grinning as he set Caitlin down, tickling her slightly. "Here Cait, unlock the car," he said, holding out the key to the little girl. Sticking her tongue out, Caitlin pressed the button and beamed as the lights flashed, signalling that the car was unlocked.

Tom smiled and opened the back door for Caitlin to get in. His mouth dropped open slightly as he looked into the back seat. "You bought a booster seat?" he asked, turning to look at Danny in amazement.

Danny smiled and shook his head. "No," he said. "I borrowed it from Dougie's aunt because she doesn't need it for George anymore and I knew I'd need one for Cait today."

Tom smiled adoringly at Danny. "Well, thank you," he said. "Come on Cait, let's get you in," he added, turning to pick Caitlin up and put her in the car. He knew she could climb in herself, but he wanted to try and hide the blush that was covering his cheeks. Checking that Caitlin was securely fastened in, Tom shut the back door and climbed into the passenger seat beside Danny.

"All strapped in?" Danny asked, turning his head to look at Tom.

Tom nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Let's get going."

Danny smiled again, then started the engine and pulled away. He drove down the street, occasionally glancing sideways at Tom before looking back at the road.

The drive to the fairground only took a few minutes in the car and soon Danny was pulling into the car park. Caitlin was practically bouncing in her car seat as Danny found a parking space and pulled into it. "Can I get out now, Daddy?" she asked excitedly.

"In a minute sweetie," Tom replied, unbuckling his own seat belt. "Let me or Danny come and help you."

"Okay Daddy... hurry!" Caitlin demanded, craning her neck to look out of the window at all of the rides.

Tom turned to look at Caitlin, a shocked expression on his face. "What did you just say?"

Danny stayed quiet as Caitlin looked back at Tom with wide eyes, knowing that she'd done something wrong. "Hurry, Daddy... please?" she asked.

"That's better," Tom said, getting out of the car. If he hadn't known how excited Caitlin was, he'd probably have been angrier at the demand.

"Sorry, Daddy," Caitlin said immediately, waiting for Tom to get her out. Danny smiled to himself, getting out of the car and waiting for Tom to help Caitlin out.

Tom lifted Caitlin out and set her on the ground, crouching down so that he was at eye level with her. "Cait, I need you to listen to me, okay?" he asked.

Caitlin nodded solemnly.

"The fair is very busy, so you have to hold mine and Danny's hands, okay? We don't want to lose you," Tom said, straightening out Caitlin's coat.

Caitlin nodded. "Okay, Daddy," she said, slipping her hand into Tom's and holding her other hand up for Danny to take.

Danny took Caitlin's outstretched hand with a smile as Tom stood up again, closing the car door. "Ready?" he asked as Tom looked at him.

Tom nodded and grinned. "Let's go."

The three of them set off for the entrance, Caitlin walking happily between Tom and Danny. Tom looked at Danny over Caitlin's head and smiled. Pausing as they stepped through the entrance, Tom looked around at all of the rides and attractions. "What should we do first?" he asked in wonder.

"How about that over there?" Danny suggested, pointing to a ride aimed at smaller children.

"Can we, Daddy?" Caitlin asked, following Danny's pointing finger and then looking up at Tom excitedly.

"Alright," Tom nodded, beginning to walk in that direction. He caught Danny's eye as they walked and they both swung their hands, lifting Caitlin into the air, smiling as she squealed with delight.

It only took them a couple of minutes to reach the ride and Tom paid for Caitlin to have a go.

"I want Danny to come with me!" Caitlin said, turning to look up at Tom.

"He can't, sweetie, he's too big," Tom said, placing a hand on the top of her head gently.

"Tell you what, Cait, you go on this ride now and then I'll take you on that one over there," Danny said, pointing to a ride that was bigger and faster than the little roller coaster they were stood at.

Caitlin's eyes widened and she nodded, looking at Danny with excitement. "Okay Danny!" she replied, climbing into the little car.

"Make sure you hold on tight," Tom said, stepping back from the platform. Caitlin nodded, gripping the bar in front of her tightly.

Danny and Tom stood side by side as the ride started, watching as Caitlin took her hand off the bar for a second to give them a wave and a grin.

"She's been so excited to see you. She's missed you," Tom said to Danny, still watching Caitlin as the ride moved around the track.

"I've missed her too. She's a great kid Tom," Danny said with a smile, also watching Caitlin and waving to her as she passed them again.

Tom smiled. "I know," he said softly. "I think she was more excited to see you than she was to come to the fair."

Danny chuckled. "I don't know why. I'm not that great," he said, looking at Tom for a second.

"She thinks you are," Tom said. "And so do I," he added in a softer voice, without taking his eyes off Caitlin.

Danny smiled and nudged Tom lightly with his shoulder. "I think you're pretty great too," he said quietly as the ride came to a stop again. They both walked forward to collect Caitlin so that she didn't run off.

"Did you enjoy that?" Tom asked his daughter, smiling at the grin that covered her face as she nodded.

"It was fun, Daddy! It went fast!" Caitlin said, talking much faster than she normally did through excitement. "Danny, are we going on that one now?!" she asked, bouncing as she took hold of the brunette's hand.

Danny chuckled. "We sure are! Tom, are you going to come?" he replied, looking at the blonde.

Tom shook his head. "No, I'm going to take some pictures for Gio - I forgot while Cait was on that last ride," he said, feeling slightly embarrassed that Danny had distracted him.

"Ohh... yeah, I forgot too. Okay, we'll see you after the ride then," Danny said as they walked up to the roller coaster. Danny and Caitlin left Tom standing a short distance away from the platform and headed up to the guy manning the ride.

"Wait! You need money for Cait's ride!" Tom called after them, his hand going straight to his pocket.

"I got it, it's okay," Danny called back, turning to the guy and asking for two tickets. Tom felt his heart give a little flutter as he watched Caitlin half-drag Danny to a car. He lifted the camera up and snapped a couple of pictures, smiling when he managed to catch Caitlin looking his way with a big smile.

Danny helped Caitlin into the car, making sure she was safely fastened in. He waved happily at Tom, grinning as the blonde waved back with one hand, but took pictures with the other.

Tom chuckled as he heard Caitlin's squeal when the ride jerked to a start. He felt a tiny bit sorry for Danny having to sit next to a squealing Caitlin for the duration of the ride. He lifted the camera again and began snapping pictures.

A few minutes later, Tom watched as the ride slowed down again and moved to the platform so that Caitlin and Danny would be able to see him when they got off.

"Daddy!" Caitlin shrieked, running to Tom and hugging him round the legs.

"Hey angel," Tom said, patting Caitlin on the head. "Was that fun?"

Caitlin nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!"

"And did Danny enjoy it too?" Tom asked, looking at the brunette and smiling.

Danny nodded, looking slightly green. "I didn't think it was going to be that fast," he confessed.

"Danny screamed like a girl," Caitlin giggled, covering her mouth with both of her hands.

Tom laughed and patted Danny on the shoulder, his hand lingering for a moment. "Well, how about we have a look at some of the sideshows now then?" he asked. "Let Danny's stomach settle down?"

Danny nodded thankfully. "Yes please."

Caitlin looked around her. "Danny, will you win me a teddy bear?" she asked, tugging at Danny's trousers slightly.

"Of course I will!" Danny said, smiling down at Caitlin. "Well... I'll try at least."

"Yay!" Caitlin squealed, clapping her hands and hugging Danny round the legs.

Tom chuckled. "I hope you're prepared to keep playing until you win her a teddy bear," he said, looking at Danny in amusement.

Danny nodded. "I am indeed. I'll even keep playing until I win you a teddy bear," he said, adding the last bit in a whisper.

Tom flushed slightly, glancing down at Caitlin to see if she heard that, feeling relieved that she seemed to be oblivious as she looked around her at all of the sideshows and rides. "You don't have to do that," he said softly, looking back up at Danny.

Danny smiled. "I want to," he replied. "Come on, let's go and find a game to play!"

"Can I have a pink teddy bear, Danny?" Caitlin asked, grabbing Danny's hand again.

"If we can find one," Danny told her, looking around for a stall that had pink teddy bears as prizes. "Oh, look," he said, pointing out a stall that had pink and blue fluffy teddy bears hanging up. "They look nice ones."

"Can we play that one, Danny? Can we?" Caitlin asked, her eyes growing wide again.

Tom chuckled at his daughter's excitement, making Caitlin look round at him.

"Danny's going to win me a teddy bear, Daddy!"

"I know sweetie, I heard. Let's go over to that game and try and bring him luck, okay?" Tom replied, taking Caitlin's other hand as she nodded.

When they got to the stall, they realised that it was a darts game.

"Are you any good at darts?" Tom asked, looking at Danny.

"I'm not bad," Danny said. "But I haven't played in a while... what do I have to score?" he added, looking around for a sign. "Over 39... doubles and trebles count as single... okay." He pulled out some money and handed it to the stall keeper who gave him three darts in return.

"Danny!" Caitlin shouted, just as Danny was setting himself up to throw his first dart, making him jump.

"What is it, Cait?" he asked, turning round as the little girl ran up to him. Caitlin tugged at the bottom of Danny's jacket, making him crouch down to her level. "What's wrong?" he asked softly.

Caitlin placed her hands on Danny's cheeks before giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "Daddy said to try and bring you good luck so that was a lucky kiss," she said, stepping back.

Tom bit at his lip, feeling his heart flutter again at the sight of Danny and Caitlin.

Danny smiled and nodded. "Thank you," he said, standing up again. He caught Tom's eye and smiled at the blonde's lip biting. He turned back to the stall and prepared himself to throw his first dart. He grinned as the dart planted itself firmly in the segment reading 20. He quickly threw his second dart, wincing slightly as it only hit 9.

"How many is that Daddy?" Caitlin asked in a loud whisper.

"That's 29," Tom replied. "Danny needs to get 11 or more now."

Danny took a breath and threw his last dart. He held his breath as it flew through the air before breaking into a big smile as the dart landed in the segment reading 18. He beamed as the stall keeper counted up his score.

"Did Danny win, Daddy?" Caitlin asked, tugging on Tom's hand.

"He sure did, Cait!" Danny said, turning round with one of the fluffy pink bears in his hands and grinning at her.

Caitlin's face lit up and she ran forwards to Danny, a huge smile on her face. "Yay Danny!" she cheered, hugging him as tightly as she could.

"Here you go," Danny said with a smile, ignoring the clicking of the camera as Tom took another picture. He held the bear out to Caitlin, chuckling as she took it from him and hugged it.

"Cait, what do you say?" Tom reminded his daughter gently.

"Thank you, Danny!"

Danny chuckled and stood up. "It was nothing," he said modestly. "It'll only be skill if I can do it again."

"Are you trying again?" Tom asked, raising one eyebrow slightly.

"No," Danny laughed. "I don't think I should try my luck too much. We'll have a go on something else and I'll get you your bear," he said, giving Tom a wink and making the blonde flush again.

They wandered from stall to stall, Caitlin happily clutching onto her teddy bear. Both Tom and Danny had a few goes on different games, and Danny did eventually win Tom a teddy bear.

"Thank you," Tom said, laughing as Danny handed him the small green bear he'd just won on the rifle range. "I should win you something now," he added.

Danny shook his head. "You don't need to."

"I want to. You can't be the only one of us to go home without a prize," Tom said. "Only thing is... I'm horrible at all of these games..."

"Daddy!" Caitlin said loudly, tugging on Tom's hand. "Can we go on that?" she asked, pointing.

"Hook-a-Duck?" Tom asked, looking at what Caitlin was pointing to.

Caitlin nodded, looking at Tom hopefully.

"Well, alright," Tom said. "I can't be too bad at that... you can have a go too," he told Caitlin. "I'm sure Danny will help you."

"You bet," Danny smiled, leading the way to the Hook-a-Duck stall. He watched as Tom paid for two goes and then lifted Caitlin up so that she could see what she was doing.

Tom snapped a couple of pictures as Caitlin stuck her tongue out in concentration and eventually hooked a duck. He chuckled when her eyes widened as she was asked which prize she wanted, smiling when she pointed to one of the goldfish. "Can I have a fish, Daddy?" she asked, turning to Tom. He nodded.

"If you want," he said. "Does it come with a bowl?" he asked the stall holder, feeling relieved when he said yes.

"Come on Cait, let's choose your fish while Daddy has a go," Danny said, taking hold of Caitlin and walking her round the stall to look at the different fish in bags.

Tom wasted no time in hooking a duck and waited for the stall holder to come back to him after handing Caitlin her fish. "Hey, Dan," he called, looking round for the brunette.

"Hmm?" Danny asked as he and Caitlin returned to Tom's side.

"Pick your prize," Tom said with a grin.

Danny chuckled and looked at the stall, seeing only toys for kids. "You know... I think I'll take a goldfish too," he said with a smile. "I haven't got any pets at home."

Tom chuckled too. "Okay. Another fish please," he said to the stall holder, telling Danny to pick which fish he wanted.

"Daddy? Can I call my fish Goldie?" Caitlin asked, peering at her fish through the little plastic bag.

"Of course you can, angel," Tom replied with a smile. "You can call it whatever you want."

Caitlin beamed. "What are you calling your fish, Danny?" she asked, looking up at the brunette.

"Hmm. I'm not sure yet, Cait," Danny said, looking thoughtful. "I'll let you know when I've decided."

"Okay!" Caitlin said, happily watching her fish swimming around in the little bag of water.

Tom checked his watch. "What do you say to letting Cait go on a couple more rides, getting some candyfloss and then heading home?" he asked, looking at Danny.

Danny nodded. "Sounds good to me," he said, watching as Caitlin gave a yawn. "She seems like she's getting a bit tired now."

Tom nodded. "It's been a long, exciting day for her," he said. "Let's see what she wants to do."

"Hey Cait, you want to go on some more rides?" Danny asked.

"Yes please!" Caitlin replied, looking back up at Tom and Danny. "Can we go on that one?" she asked, pointing at another roller coaster.

Tom nodded. "Yeah, you can go on that one," he said.

"Will you come with me, Daddy?"

"Of course I will," Tom replied with a smile. "If Danny doesn't mind waiting with the fish and taking some pictures?"

"Don't be silly! Why would I mind?" Danny asked with a grin. "Let's go."

Tom had to chuckle at Danny as they walked across the fairground to the roller coaster that Caitlin had pointed out. "Okay, here you go," he said as they reached the ride. "Take some photos and keep hold of the fish... Cait, give Danny Goldie to hold."

Caitlin obediently held out the bag containing her fish, grinning as Danny took it from her.

"Have fun you two!" Danny said, waving as they walked away from him.

Caitlin turned and gave Danny a big smile as she and Tom walked up to the guy manning the ride. Tom paid for him and Caitlin to go on the roller coaster and they made their way to an empty car. Tom made sure Caitlin was securely in and holding onto the safety bar and then waved to Danny, grinning when he realised the brunette was taking their picture. A second later, the ride started and he and Caitlin whizzed around the track.

Danny kept taking pictures as the roller coaster moved around the track, trying to focus on Tom and Caitlin so that Gio could see how much fun they'd had. A few minutes later, the ride came to an end and Danny waited for Tom and Caitlin to join him again. He grinned as he spotted Caitlin running towards him, a big smile on her face again.

"Danny!"

"Hey... was that fun kiddo?" Danny asked, crouching down slightly to talk to Caitlin.

Caitlin nodded breathlessly. "Daddy screamed too!"

Tom gave an embarrassed grin. "Yeah... I did," he said.

Danny chuckled as he stood up again, handing Caitlin her fish. "That's okay, I think everyone on that ride screamed," he said, giving Tom a wink. "So, what next?"

"Cait, you want to go on that roller coaster again?" Tom asked, pointing to the first roller coaster Caitlin had ridden. "Or do you want to go on that one there?" he added, pointing to a fantasy roller coaster that seemed to have a lot of weird and wonderful things around the track.

"That one!" Caitlin squealed, pointing to the second roller coaster Tom had pointed to.

Tom chuckled. He'd known that Caitlin would want to go on the ride that had fairies and things surrounding it. "Come on then. This is the last one before we go home, okay?"

"Aw, but Daddy," Caitlin pouted, looking up at Tom.

"It's getting late, Caitlin," Tom said. "And if you're good, we'll get some candyfloss before we go, okay?"

Caitlin thought for a moment and then nodded. "Okay Daddy," she said, apparently won over by the thought of the fluffy pink clouds.

Danny smiled as they walked to the fantasy roller coaster. As they reached it, he realised that it was another ride made for kids. He watched as Tom paid for Caitlin and helped her into a car before coming back to stand with him.

Tom smiled and waved at Caitlin as the ride set off, weaving in and out of "trees" and other things to give the track a mystical feel. "Thank you for coming today," he said, turning to Danny.

"I wouldn't have missed it for the world," Danny replied with a smile. "I've had a great time. Oh, and guess what? I've decided what to call my fish!"

"Oh yeah?" Tom asked with a smile. "What're you calling it?"

"I'm going to call it Tom. To remind me of this day, and of you, whenever you're not around," Danny said, not caring if he sounded cheesy as he cautiously took the blonde's hand.

"Oh Dan..." Tom breathed, watching the brunette. Momentarily forgetting about Caitlin, he leant forward and pressed his lips to Danny's in a lingering kiss. He squeezed the brunette's hand before pulling away with a smile.

Danny grinned and quickly looked around, realising that no-one had seen the kiss. He gazed at Tom lovingly for a few moments, until a shriek broke his thoughts.

Both Danny and Tom turned as they recognised Caitlin's voice and smiled as she ran towards them, the big grin plastered on her face again.

"Daddy! I liked that one! There were fairies and sparkly lights and... and everything!" Caitlin said excitedly.

"Was there? That sounds great!" Tom said, smiling down at his daughter. "Doesn't it, Danny?"

"It sure does! I wish I could have gone on that ride!" Danny replied with a grin.

Caitlin grinned and tried to hug both Tom and Danny at once.

"What do you say, sweetie, are you ready for candyfloss now?" Tom asked.

Caitlin nodded happily, taking his hand once more as they walked over to the candyfloss stand where Tom bought them all a stick of the pink fluff to eat as they walked back to the car, tired and happy.

****

Tom swiped his key card to access his hotel room, letting out a sigh as he pushed open the door. He knew that today was going to be hard work but he was glad it was over. He knew this workshop was going to benefit his business he just wished it had been spread out instead of all crammed into one day. He knew he would have to go to the refresher course as well as buy the book to make sure he retained all the knowledge from the day.

He shrugged off his jacket and toed off his shoes, taking clothes off as he made his way across the hotel room, heading for the shower. He turned the tap on, adjusting it so it was the right temperature and he stepped under the spray, letting the pounding water soothe his aching muscles.

He stood under the spray for a good five minutes before beginning to wash himself, scrubbing away the feeling of a hard days work. After he had finished in the shower, Tom wrapped the bath robe around himself, towelling his hair dry and re-entering his room.

His heart stopped when he saw a figure standing near the window and he couldn't help but grin when he realised who it was.

"Hi," Tom whispered.

Danny turned around, smile gracing his face. "Hi," he replied. "How are you?"

Tom strode across the room, closing the gap between them. "Better now you're here," he said softly, arms automatically going around Danny's middle.

Danny's arms encircled his own waist and they both leant forwards, lips meeting softly at first, kissing slowly. Tom's heart fluttered in his chest as Danny's large hand cupped his neck, deepening the kiss.

"It's been too long," Danny whispered as the kiss broke.

"It has," Tom agreed with a slight nod. He looked up, entranced by Danny's azure blue eyes. "Happy Valentines Day."

"Happy Valentines Day," Danny repeated back to him.

Tom kissed Danny softly on the lips once more, just glad to be in the other male's arms without the fear of being caught. Danny's arms tightened around Tom's middle, making Tom smile.

"I'm so glad you're here," Tom whispered, keeping his gaze on Danny.

"I am too," Danny replied, kissing Tom once more. "And you look very alluring in that bathrobe."

Tom flushed immediately. "Umm," he mumbled.

Danny chuckled. "Tell you what, why don't you get dressed and we stay in and have dinner?" he started. "I'm presuming you haven't eaten yet?"

Tom shook his head. "Not since about half eleven when we had a break," he replied.

"Tom, that was almost seven hours ago!" Danny said, mouth agape. "Nevermind, I picked up a menu from downstairs on my way in. We can order in."

Tom flushed a little more. "Okay," he replied with a shy smile. "I'll just get changed."

Danny nodded and Tom looked up at him. "Oh! I might go waiting in the living room for you."

"Thanks," Tom replied, kissing Danny once more.

Once Danny had left the room, Tom got changed as fast as he could. He smiled as he walked back into the small living room, placing a hand on Danny's shoulder.

Danny grinned and pulled Tom into his lap. "Is there anything in particular you would like to eat?"

Tom shook his head. "Anything would be nice," he replied with a smile of his own.

"Sounds good," Danny said softly, lips meeting Tom's again.

Tom all but melted into the brunette's touch, glad that he was here with him. Glad that they could spend this time together even if it was morally wrong. Tom just wanted to be close to Danny and he felt like he needed this time alone with him.

"Did you want to order something for dinner now?" Danny asked pulling back, looking up at Tom who was still sitting in his lap.

"Yeah," Tom replied. "We'd better."

Danny phoned for room service and a while later there was a knock at the door. Danny gladly went to answer it and Tom moved into the small dining area. After their meal, Danny took Tom's hand and led him to the bedroom, a carton of ice cream in hand accompanied by two spoons.

Tom grinned. "What are we doing?" he asked as he slid onto the bed next to Danny.

"There's an old classic on telly, I thought we could eat ice cream and watch it?" Danny replied, handing Tom a spoon.

Tom smiled softly. "Alright," he said, accepting the spoon and shifting to get comfortable.

Danny flicked on the television with the remote control and both males settled against the pillows and each other comfortably. Tom dug his spoon into the carton of double choc mint chip ice cream as he watched the television intently.

He loved the movie Ghost and watching it with Danny made it all the more special to him. Leaning into Danny, Tom looked up at him, smiling softly.

"You're wonderful," he whispered.

Danny grinned. "You are too."

Danny's lips met his own softly and Tom kissed back. He shifted in Danny's arms, not caring that he was missing the end of the movie. Danny's hand came up to cup his neck and Tom let out a soft sigh. The hand he had on Danny's hip slipped up his back, stroking him softly through the material of his shirt.

Tom shuffled closer to Danny and he looked up into Danny's blue eyes. He bit his lip softly, trying to say what was on his mind.

"Tommie?" Danny whispered. "What is it?"

"I..." Tom trailed off. "I love you." He could have sworn his heart actually stopped in his chest the moment he had said those words.

A large smile spread across Danny's face. "I love you too," he replied. His large hands squeezed Tom's middle gently and kissed him softly on the lips.

Tom let out a sigh of relief. "I... I want to sleep with you," he whispered.

"Are you sure?" Danny asked. "This is a big step for us, I mean."

Tom nodded. "I'm sure," he replied. "I have wanted to be with you for so long... This is the perfect time, Dan. It's Valentines day, how more special can we get?"

Danny nodded. "Okay," he replied with a smile, cupping Tom's cheek gently.

Smiling, Tom kissed Danny softly on the lips again, fingers slipping up the brunette's shirt ever so slightly to touch his skin properly. Their kisses were soft and slow and everything Tom wanted it to be. He felt giddy with excitement to be doing this with Danny.

Tom's fingers went to Danny's shirt, unbuttoning it as he kissed him lovingly. He pushed the fabric away, flinging it to the floor. He smiled shyly when Danny's hands went to his own shirt, and he knew that this is what he wanted.

In between kisses, they managed to rid each other of their clothes and they were soon lying naked together. Danny was caressing his back gently, tracing patterns on his skin. Tom looked up at Danny through lust filled eyes, seeing his own feelings reflected back at him from Danny's face.

They kissed again, taking their time. They wanted to go slow, make it last. Tom didn't want this night to end. He took Danny's hand in his own, kissing his fingertips gently. Love shone in Danny's eyes as Tom looked back up into them. He gently let go of the Boltoner's hand and Danny immediately put it on his hip, stroking the skin softly.

Danny's lips closed over his own again and Tom felt his eyes flutter closed. He tangled his fingers in Danny's curly brown hair, the soft strands slipping through his fingers. Danny gently pushed him backwards against the mattress, hovering over him slightly.

Tom pulled back from the kiss, looking up at Danny. He reached a hand up to stroke Danny's cheek softly, smiling at him. Their lips met again briefly and Tom moved ever so slightly, causing their erections to brush against each others. He let out a gasp at the sensation, shivering slightly in anticipation.

They parted once more and Danny reached into the bedside drawer for lubricant and condoms. He pulled out the necessary items and Tom looked at them. It had been so long since he had been with a guy but he was glad that it was Danny. His heart swelled with love just looking at him and he knew that even though this was wrong it was something that felt right within him. He knew Dougie was right when he had said that Danny was his soul mate.

Danny's large hand came to rest on his outer thigh and Tom gently parted his legs, placing one on either side of Danny's hips. He handed over the lubricant, watching as Danny uncapped the small tube, squeezing a generous amount into his palm.

Their eyes met and Tom nodded, breathing starting to become uneven. He was thankful when Danny's soft lips covered his as he teased him, preparing him for what was to come. He couldn't help the wince that crossed his face when Danny started stretching him but Danny's lips against his own seemed to make things a little better.

A short while later, Tom was rolling a condom onto Danny's erection, kissing him all the while. He pressed the lubricant into Danny's hand, moving back to lie on the bed again. He looked up at Danny, who was biting his lip softly. Tom reached up, cupping his neck gently. Danny positioned himself and Tom couldn't help the hiss of pain as he pushed in.

He closed his eyes tightly, willing his body to relax against the intrusion. He felt Danny's lips against his own and he automatically kissed back. He knew it would hurt. It always did the first time but he had forgotten how sharp the pain could be.

Finally, his body relaxed against Danny's and he looked up at the blue eyed wonder, silently telling him that it was okay to move. Danny nodded and slowly pulled out, moving as gently as he could. Tom wrapped his legs around Danny's middle, effectively pulling him closer. The pain was all but a dull ache now as they moved together.

Tom stroked Danny's back gently, one hand slipping down to cup his buttocks, caressing it gently. His eyes flew open as Danny hit his prostate and he couldn't help the groan that escaped his lips. He pulled Danny down for a hot kiss, tightening his legs around the brunette's waist.

He panted heavily, knowing he wasn't gong to last much longer. Danny's hand closed around his erection and Tom's mouth dropped open. He felt his muscles clenching around Danny's erection as he came, panting and shaking. He felt Danny tense and a moment later he felt Danny's warmth filing him through the condom. He kissed Danny gently, across his eyelids, cheeks, nose to his lips.

They kissed lovingly and Tom finally opened his eyes. Danny pulled off him and disposed of the condom. They both lay on their sides, facing each other, chests heaving and their bodies sticky with sweat. Tom smiled shyly at the brunette, thinking about what they had just done.

Danny's lips covered his own again and Tom kissed back. "I love you," he whispered.

Tom felt his cheeks heat up. "I love you too," he whispered back.

Danny's hand caressed the skin on his back and Tom curled into the brunette. Danny pulled the blankets up over them and Tom fell asleep almost instantly, a smile on his face, completely content.

****

Lost In You - Chapter Seven

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:27:03 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 7 – Crashing Into Walls
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six

Chapter Seven

Crashing Into Walls

Tom smiled as he looked up, seeing Danny come through the door to his shop. The brunette grinned and wandered over to him. He leant against the counter, peering up at Tom.

"Hi," Tom breathed.

"Hi," Danny replied. "Did you want to go out for lunch?"

Tom nodded. "I'd love to," he said. "Can we go to the mall though? I have to pick up something."

Danny nodded. "Sure," he replied.

"Let me grab my coat."

Danny nodded, pushing off the counter, moving to browse at some books. Tom headed to the tea room to grab his coat and wallet, telling Emily he was going for lunch with Danny.

"Danny's here?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tom replied.

Emily smiled and suddenly left Tom in the tea room by himself. He shook his head and put on his coat. He slipped his wallet into the back pocket of his trousers and closed the door behind himself as he left. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Emily talking to Danny. Danny had an awkward look on his face and was scratching the back of his neck.

As he inched closer, Tom overheard some of their conversation.

"Uh, Emily, you're a sweet girl but uh," Danny paused. "I have a boyfriend."

Tom could see Emily go bright red from where he stood. She mumbled something that Tom couldn't hear and he decided to step up to them.

"Dan, you ready?" he asked.

The look on Danny's was one of pure relief. "Yeah," he replied.

Tom looked at Emily. "I'll be about an hour," he told her.

She nodded dumbly and walked off. Tom felt bad for her. He was the one that had told her to go for Danny a few months ago. Before he found out that Danny was gay. And liked him.

Danny's hand touched his briefly and Tom looked up. "We'd better go."

"Okay," Tom replied, following Danny from the store.

They got to Danny's car and the brunette let out a nervous laugh. "That was awkward."

"What happened?" Tom asked. "You looked like you were going to bite a hole in your lip you were chewing it that hard."

Danny's cheeks went a little pink as they started to drive. "She asked me out."

"Oh."

"Yeah," Danny mumbled. "I've never really been asked out by a girl before."

Tom looked at Danny, eyebrows raised. "Really?" he asked disbelievingly.

Danny nodded. "Yeah, well, I went to an all boys school, and from there, I went to college, met Dougs. I’ve always known I was into guys."

"I never knew that," Tom said softly.

Danny's hand slipped into the blonde's. "We'll get to know everything about each other," he said. "I want to know every single detail about you, Tom."

Tom gave Danny a small smile.

Danny parked in a free slot and they got out, walking into the shopping mall together. Tom said that he only needed to be a minute so they walked along until they came to the store Tom needed to go into.

"Now, don't laugh," he said. "But I need glasses. What do you think of these?" Tom put the glasses on that the receptionist handed him and he turned to Danny. "Well?"

Danny swallowed visibly. "Yeah, they're... they're good," he replied with a nod.

"Dan?" Tom asked looking at Danny.

Danny leant closer, lips near Tom's ear. "Honestly, you look fucking hot," he whispered. "I want to kiss you right here."

Tom felt the flush creeping up his neck. "These are good," he said to the receptionist. He handed her back the thick black framed glasses and she put them in a case. Tom paid his bill and gladly followed Danny out the door.

Danny lead them into the food court and they lined up in the queue to get some Chinese for lunch. Once they had ordered, they chose a two person table and took their seats.

"So, you don't think my glasses look dorky?" Tom asked as he sipped his drink.

Danny shook his head. "Far from it," he replied. "You looked quite shaggable there."

Tom flushed and looked around, making sure no one had heard Danny. "You can't say that, Dan," he whispered. "You're the one who said we're waiting for sex."

"And we are," Danny replied with a smile. "But I can't help it that you look hot in those glasses."

The flush stayed on Tom's cheek even as Danny took his hand under the table. His eyes flicked around again, making sure they were safe and he gave Danny's hand a squeeze. They locked eyes and Tom's heart fluttered in his chest.

He coughed and took his hand back away from Danny's, placing it on the table. "So, uh, what are you doing on Christmas day?"

Danny smiled. "I usually go back home to Bolton," he replied. "This year, I might stick around."

"Won't your mum miss you?" Tom asked.

"She'll understand," Danny said taking a sip of his drink. "Besides, I want to spend at least a little bit of Christmas with you."

"I want to invite you over but Gio will probably ask why aren't you and Dougie having Christmas together," Tom replied. "Because he is your boyfriend after all."

Danny chuckled. "How about Dougs and I stop by yours in the morning then we can pretend we're going off to have our own special Christmas together?"

Tom nodded. "That could work."

Danny took Tom's hand again, across the table. "As long as I get to see you, even if it is for five minutes, I don't mind. We can get together on Boxing Day for drinks, watch the footy or something together at the pub?"

"Sounds good," Tom replied with a smile.

*****

Tom awoke to an unfamiliar pressure on his legs. He cracked open an eye to see Caitlin peering down at him. She was grinning from ear to ear.

"Daddy! Wake up Daddy! It's Christmas!" Caitlin squealed, bouncing slightly.

"Sounds like someone's awake," Gio mumbled to Tom's left, sounding amused.

"Mmm..." Tom said sleepily. "Caitlin, sweetie, can you move off Daddy's legs?" he asked, trying to sit himself up in bed.

"Okay Daddy!" Caitlin squealed once more, slipping to the side to sit between Tom and Gio. "Can I open my presents now?"

"In a minute Cait," Tom said, sitting up and yawning widely. "Let Mummy and me wake up first."

"Okay!" Caitlin replied, still in the same excited tone as she continued to bounce slightly.

Tom rubbed at his eyes with his hand before looking at Caitlin again. "How do you know Santa's been?" he asked playfully.

"Because, Daddy!" Caitlin squealed. "He ate the mince pie and drank the milk!"

"Ohh, I see. Did you hear that, Mummy?" Tom asked, laughing.

"I did," Gio nodded, sitting up too. "Shall we go and see what he's left you then?"

Caitlin nodded enthusiastically, clapping her hands as she clambered off the bed. Tom chuckled and shook his head. He turned to Gio, a smile on his lips.

"Merry Christmas," he said softly, kissing her gently on the lips. "I'll get the camera."

Gio nodded and Tom slipped out of bed, pulling on his sweatpants, smiling as Caitlin went around the bed to help Gio hurry up. Gio got out of bed and pulled on her dressing gown, letting Caitlin half drag her down the stairs. Tom followed, picking up the video and digital cameras on the way out.

He turned the camera on just in time. Caitlin spotted a large present from Santa for her under the tree. She squealed happily and asked if she could open it. Tom squatted down and started filming Caitlin unwrapping her first present.

Caitlin squealed again when she saw the already assembled castle. Tom couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. Tom and Gio had spent the last few weeks building a Princess castle for Caitlin for Christmas. Tom had built the outer shell and together they made all of the furniture for the insides. Gio had painted the entire construction, making it seem like a real castle. It closed up to be a full castle and the front opened to reveal the insides.

Tom turned the camera to face Gio once Caitlin had opened the other gifts and he handed Gio the gift he had bought for her. He kept the camera on her as she carefully unwrapped the gift, pulling out a thin, long box. Gio's eyes widened dramatically and her mouth dropped open.

"Oh Tom!" she exclaimed. "A tennis bracelet?"

Tom nodded, a smile on his face. "Merry Christmas," he said.

Gio closed the gap between them, kissing him softly on the lips. "This is just..." she gushed pulling away. "Here, put it on me?"

Tom nodded and set the camera down. He unhooked the clasp and refastened it around Gio's wrist. "Perfect fit," he said.

Gio stared at the piece of jewellery. "Tom, this must have cost you a lot of money!"

Tom shook his head. "It didn't cost me much," he said. "And even if it did, it would be worth it for you."

Gio kissed him again, slipping her arms around his shoulders. "Remind me to give you another gift later on," she whispered as they parted.

"Can I see your bracelet, Mummy?" Caitlin asked.

"You sure can, sweetie," Gio replied, holding her hands out for Caitlin to sit in her lap.

"It's very pretty," Caitlin said poking the bracelet with her finger.

"Thank you," Gio smiled. "We need to give Daddy his gift," she said. "Can you find it under the tree?"

Caitlin nodded and slid out of Gio's lap to find Tom's gift. Gio reached over to Tom and took his hand in hers. Tom smiled at her and she kissed him softly again on the lips.

"Here it is!" Caitlin announced pointing to a large rectangle shape object.

Tom shuffled over to under the tree, Gio taking the video camera and pointing it at him as he unwrapped his gift. He felt like a giddy little kid when he saw what it was. Gio had bought him a large, framed picture of the first ever Star Wars movie poster signed by all of the cast. He couldn't keep the grin off his face as he kissed his wife, thanking her for the gift.

"Who's for breakfast?" Gio asked picking up the wrapping paper.

"Me!" Caitlin exclaimed happily, picking up one of her new dolls.

"Dad, how do pancakes sound for breakfast?" Gio asked him.

Tom nodded. "Pancakes sound brilliant," he agreed, standing and helping Gio clear away their mess.

Their breakfast was great and Gio put chocolate chips in the pancakes, something she only ever did on very special occasions. Caitlin gladly helped her stir the mix and Tom took photos of them, laughing as Caitlin got flour smeared on her cheek. They all sat down and enjoyed their food and Caitlin bounced in her seat as Gio said they were going to see her grandparents.

Tom laughed and they all got ready for the day. He heard the door bell ring shortly after he had dressed and he said to Gio he would answer it. He padded down stairs, straightening his button down shirt and he opened the door, revealing Danny and Dougie who were wearing matching smiles.

"Dan," he breathed.

"Tom," Danny said.

"Come in," Tom stood to the side, letting them in.

"How are you both?" he asked.

Dougie smiled. "I'm good."

Danny bit his lip slightly. "I'm good too."

Tom flicked his eyes to the stair case and he quickly kissed Danny on the lips, letting himself have that moment of closeness with the brunette.

Dougie was grinning from ear to ear when they parted and Tom flushed.

"Tom, who was at the door?" Gio asked as she descended the stairs. "Hi Danny, Dougie!"

"Merry Christmas," Danny and Dougie said in unison.

"Danny!" Caitlin squealed, letting go of Gio's hand and running over to him.

Danny grinned and immediately picked her up. "Merry Christmas, Cait," he said giving her a hug.

Caitlin hugged him tight, telling him Merry Christmas in return.

"We thought we would stop by for a minute and bring over the presents that Santa left at our place for you all," Danny said.

"More presents?" Caitlin beamed.

"Uh-huh, Santa told me to tell you that he thinks you've been an extra good girl this year and that he is very proud of you," Danny replied.

Caitlin clapped her hands happily. "Did you hear that, Mummy? Santa told Danny I've been good!"

Gio smiled back at Caitlin. "You have been a very good girl this year."

"The gifts are in Danny's car, we'll just go get them," Dougie said.

Danny put Caitlin down and followed Dougie out to the car. Tom stood watching for a moment before he turned back to his family. Caitlin was under the tree, pulling out the two gifts that were for Danny and Dougie. The two males returned moments later, Danny carrying a large box and Dougie carrying a rather awkward shaped one and something smaller as well.

Tom felt his heart flutter in his chest as Danny walked over to Caitlin and knelt down in front of her, placing the covered box on the ground. Caitlin's eyes lit up and she unwrapped the gift. Her squeal pierced the air as she saw that she had the gold edition of every single Disney book to date as well as all of the ones that had been made into films as well.

"Danny, Dougie, you didn't have to!" Gio said as she came to stand behind Caitlin.

"Santa left these gifts at our house, we just brought them over," Danny replied with a smile.

Gio smiled and shook her head. "Caitlin, thank Danny and Dougie for bringing the gifts over."

Caitlin stood, giving both Danny and Dougie a massive hug each, thanking them.

"Gio, this is for you," Dougie said handing her the smaller box.

Gio flushed a little and accepted the box, unwrapping it. She gasped as she saw the contents and Tom peered over her shoulder.

"Santa was definitely good to you this year," Tom said with a smile. In her box was a mother of pearl earring and necklace set.

"Santa spoiled me," Gio said looking pointedly at Tom and then Danny.

"You deserve it," Tom replied, kissing her cheek.

"Tom, this one is for you," Danny said softly, handing over the last box.

Tom smiled and accepted the box from Danny. It was large and a very awkward shape and he asked Caitlin to help him unwrap it and she did excitedly. Tom opened the box and sitting inside was an acoustic guitar. He gasped and stood, grabbing Danny in a tight hug.

"Thank you!" he gushed. He pulled away quickly for fear of doing something stupid like kissing Danny in front of Gio.

Danny smiled. "Now we can play together," he said.

"Santa left gifts for you too!" Caitlin piped up, holding a small wrapped box and a thin envelope in her hands.

"Thank you!" Danny said accepting the one with his name on it.

Dougie opened his first, smiling as he pulled out two tickets for the grand opening of the new art gallery.

"We thought you and Danny would like to go," Gio said.

"Thank you," Dougie said, hugging Gio tightly.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" Gio asked. "We're not going out just yet."

"Sure, I'll help," Dougie said.

"I'll help too!" Caitlin said excitedly, following Gio and Dougie into the kitchen.

Tom smiled and turned back to Danny. "I hope you like it," he said softly.

Danny unwrapped his gift and smiled as the gold watch fell into the palm of his hand.

"I knew you didn't have one," Tom started. "I thought you might like it..."

"I love it," Danny replied with a smile, turning the watch over. "What's the date for though?"

Tom looked at the inscription on the back of the watch. 17/11/2008 My Everything. "That's the date I fell in love with you," he whispered.

Danny looked quickly over at the kitchen, hearing the others being busy and kissed Tom hotly. Tom wrapped his arms around Danny, holding him close, kissing him back with equal fervour.

After a few moments, the two parted, Tom looking at Danny with love in his eyes. "I'm sorry I can't be with you for longer," he said softly.

"It's okay. I understand," Danny replied, gazing back at Tom whilst holding his hands gently. "I love the watch. And the inscription... it couldn't be more fitting."

Tom flushed slightly. "Gio doesn't know about that," he said needlessly.

Danny nodded. "I figured," he said. "It just... it means a lot to me. I wish I could be here all day with you, but..."

"Tomorrow," Tom whispered. "We can celebrate tomorrow. We can go to the pub, watch the football... I don't care what we do as long as we get to be together."

Danny smiled brightly and nodded. "It's a date," he whispered back, kissing Tom lightly on the lips.

As they parted, they could hear Dougie and Gio coming back into the living room with Caitlin and they instantly put some more distance between themselves, Tom going back to admire his new guitar. "I can't believe you got me this," he said, wonderingly.

Danny chuckled, taking a seat on the settee near Tom. "Well, you've enjoyed playing mine, so I thought you'd like your own. Then you can practice at home," he explained.

Gio smiled as she approached Tom. "I'd love to hear you play something now," she said, eyes twinkling.

Dougie sat himself down next to Danny on the sofa, taking his hand supportively and earning himself a smile from the Northerner.

"Play that song I taught you last week Tom," Danny said with a grin, urging Tom to play, shifting slightly to allow Caitlin to clamber onto his knee.

"Can you really play that, Daddy?" Caitlin asked, her eyes wide as she watched Tom fingering the strings of the guitar.

Tom nodded. "Yes I can," he said, smiling at his daughter. "Danny's been teaching me." He then looked down at the strings and began to strum, slowly at first, until he got the feel of them. Then he began to play the song that Danny had taught him. It was one that Danny had written himself and Tom had loved it instantly.

Danny watched Tom, feeling pride fill him as he heard his own song being played back to him. He glanced at Dougie, who gave him a smile in return.

Tom glanced up at Danny, beaming proudly at the Northerner. As he finished the song, Caitlin began clapping with a squeal. "Daddy, will you teach me to play?" she asked excitedly, slipping off Danny's knee and running over to Tom, placing her hands flat on the guitar.

"Well, I don't know about that," Tom said. "Maybe Danny could teach you," he added quickly as Caitlin's face began to fall. She spun round to face Danny again, her eyes wide with hope.

"Of course I can," Danny chuckled. "We'll have to get you a mini guitar though. I think that one's a bit big for you."

"Well, not just yet," Gio laughed. "There are plenty of presents for this little lady to play with already. And more on the way when we go to see Granny and Grandad."

Caitlin squealed with happiness and clapped her hands as she twirled around the living room, Tom and Gio watching her fondly. Tom occasionally caught Danny's eye, sharing the smile on the brunette's face.

"Well," Dougie began, standing up to stretch slightly. "We don't want to keep you from your plans. We'd better be off," he added, tugging at Danny's arm.

"Yeah," Danny agreed, a slight look of disappointment on his face as he looked at Tom, that he quickly replaced with a smile. "We wouldn't want to keep Cait from her presents."

Tom stood up too, nodding. "Okay, well, thank you for the presents. You really didn't need to do that," he said, smiling at Danny and Dougie happily.

"Oh, don't worry about it. We wanted to," Dougie said, taking Danny's hand and gripping it lightly. "We're just glad you all liked them."

"I love my present Danny!" Caitlin exclaimed, tugging at Danny's jeans.

Danny grinned and bent down to pick Caitlin up. "Well, I'm glad!" he said. "Maybe if I babysit again, we can watch one of them," he added.

"Yes!" Caitlin squealed, clapping her hands.

Danny chuckled as he set her back down. "Okay, well that's a plan. But we really should go now. Tom, we're going to watch the football in the pub tomorrow, if you fancy it?"

Tom looked at Gio, as though wanting confirmation from her that it'd be okay. Gio smiled and nodded, causing Tom to break out into a big grin. "Thanks, I'd love to," he said.

"Great! I'll call you in the morning," Danny said, taking Dougie's hand again for fear that he might grab hold of Tom and kiss him right in front of Gio. He was grateful when Dougie gripped his hand tightly. "See you all later, and Merry Christmas!"

"Bye Danny! Bye Dougie!" Caitlin called, running up to give Danny a hug around the legs before going back to the living room to play with her new toys.

*****

Tom walked nervously into the pub, looking around for Danny. He had been looking forward to this all morning. Looking around again, he finally spotted Danny in a corner, waving at him. Tom grinned and waved back, quickly making his way to the table.

"Hey, you made it," Danny grinned as Tom sat down. "I got you a pint already," he added, gesturing to the full glass that was sat on the table next to Danny's own.

"Thanks," Tom said, lifting the glass and taking a drink. "Where's Dougie?"

"He's not here. I only said 'we' yesterday so that Gio wouldn't suspect anything," Danny explained. "It's just us."

"That was good thinking," Tom said with a grin. "I'm glad it's just us - no offence to Dougie."

Danny chuckled. "I'm sure he wouldn't take any. He's spending the afternoon with Harry, and you don't even want to know what they'll get up to."

Tom made a face. "Thanks for the warning. So... who's playing today anyway? I have to warn you - I know next to nothing about football!"

Danny laughed. "That's okay, it means I can teach you!" he said. "Bolton - my team - are playing against Manchester United. We'll probably lose, but it'll be a good game. We have a bit of a rivalry with them."

"Okay... so we're shouting for Bolton?" Tom asked, taking another drink of his pint.

Danny nodded. "Yes. We'll probably be the only ones though, that's why I chose this table."

Tom laughed. "Another good plan. You know, Caitlin really loved her gift. You didn't have to spend that much on her," he said, feeling serious for a moment.

"Tom, I wanted to. I love Caitlin to bits," Danny said, shrugging slightly. "I enjoyed seeing her smile like that."

Tom felt himself melting. He loved that Danny was so good with Caitlin and genuinely seemed to care about her. "Thank you," he said softly. "It means a lot to me that you like her, because... if things between us go further, she's a big part of my life."

"I know, and I would never expect you to give that up," Danny said, turning serious himself. "I promise. I will always have time for Caitlin."

Tom smiled fondly at Danny. "Oh Danny..." he paused. "I want to kiss you, but..." he glanced around, hoping Danny would get his meaning.

Danny smiled and nodded. "It's okay. It probably wouldn't be a good idea right now. But...later," he said softly. "When we get out of here."

Tom smiled and nodded, taking another drink of his pint. He turned his attention to the TV screen. "Oh...are they starting?" he asked.

Danny looked to the screen and nodded. "Yeah, looks like it," he said. "Get ready to be disappointed," he added with a chuckle. "We haven't beaten them for years."

"Well...maybe today the luck will change," Tom said with a smile, picking up his pint again.

Ninety minutes later, Tom and Danny stumbled out of the pub, their arms flung around each other as they sang a song that Danny had taught Tom that afternoon as they watched the game.

"I can't believe we won!" Danny exclaimed, a smile covering his face. "We haven't won for years!"

"I told you the luck might change!" Tom replied, grinning happily. They were both more than a little tipsy, but he didn't care. All he cared about was spending the time with Danny.

Danny turned to Tom, cupping the blonde's cheeks with both hands and kissing him soundly on the lips. "You're my good luck charm!" he said. "You have to watch all the games with me now!"

Tom flushed and nodded. "Okay," he said softly. "I won't complain."

Danny grinned and grabbed Tom's hand. "Come on," he said, dragging the blonde to a small park that was out of view of the people walking by.

"What..." Tom began, confused.

"Shh," Danny said softly, pulling Tom down onto a bench. "I just... I have to kiss you Tom," he murmured. "I've wanted to all afternoon."

"Me too," Tom whispered back, leaning closer.

Danny closed the gap between them, capturing Tom's lips with his own.

Tom melted into the kiss, his arms winding themselves around Danny's shoulders and pulling the brunette closer.

Danny slid his own arms around Tom's waist as the kisses got more heated. He pulled back after a few minutes to look at Tom. "I want to do this forever..."

"I do too but I have to go home..." Tom murmured. "Gio and Cait..."

"I know," Danny sighed. "It's okay. I understand. I'll see you tomorrow though, right?"

Tom nodded. "Of course," he said softly. "Walk me home?"

Danny nodded and stood up, holding out his hand.

Tom smiled and took Danny's hand as he stood up. He didn't let go again until they reached the end of his street. "I'll see you tomorrow," he whispered. "Thank you for a great afternoon and evening."

Danny smiled. "No, thank you," he said. "I loved every minute of it."

Tom smiled and quickly leant in to kiss Danny's cheek gently. "I'll see you in the morning," he said, heading down the street to his house. He turned as he reached the door and gave Danny a wave before opening the door and going inside.

Danny smiled to himself as he continued to his own house. He knew things were getting better with Tom and he loved them all.

Tom quietly took his shoes off and headed upstairs. Gio was already in bed, although she wasn't asleep. As Tom entered the bedroom, Gio looked up from the book she was reading and smiled. "Did you and Danny have fun?" she asked.

Tom nodded, getting undressed and slipping into bed beside his wife. "Yeah," he said with a smile. "Bolton won, so we had a few drinks to celebrate. Sorry I'm late home."

"It's okay," Gio said, putting her book to one side. She wrapped her arms around Tom and gave him a soft kiss. "You deserved a good time."

Tom bit his lip slightly and smiled. "Thanks," he said. "How was Caitlin?"

"She's been wonderful. She's such a little angel," Gio smiled, resting her head on Tom's chest. "Tom?"

"Mmm?" Tom asked, suddenly feeling sleepy.

"I want another baby."

*****

Lost In You - Chapter Six

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:23:21 GMT

Title: Lost In You
Author: star55 and orpheous87
Part: Chapter 6 – Just A Little
Rating: PG-15
Pairing: FletcherJones
Genre: Romance, AU
Summary: Tom is a dedicated worker, husband and father. He is settled in his ways and knows life is good. It takes one Danny Jones to shake things up
A/N: Our first collaborative effort and it's a Flones! Out of both of our comfort zones. Hopefully you'll like it though. Feedback is ♥
Disclaimer: We don't own 'em and this has likely never happened.

One | Two | Three | Four | Five

Chapter Six
Just a Little

"What?" Danny gasped.

There was a small tap on his bedroom window and Danny looked around, trying to see whether it came from the inside or the out.

"Let me in, Dan."

There was another tap and Danny went over to the window to investigate. He peered out and blinked, his eyes adjusting to the light. Standing under the street lamp was Tom, phone in one hand, waving slightly with the other.

"I'll be right down," Danny breathed into the phone. He threw it onto his bed and raced down the stairs, almost slipping as his socks hit the polished wooden floor. He yanked the door open, revealing Tom, who was biting his lip. Danny looked at him, biting his own lip.

He stepped to the side, letting Tom in and shutting the door firmly behind him.

"Are you–?"

He was cut off by Tom's mouth upon his, kissing him hotly. Danny instantly relaxed, arms winding around Tom's shoulders, holding him close. Both males were breathing heavily, both wanting as much contact as possible. Tom's fist was in his shirt, tongue in his mouth and his body pressed up against Danny's in all the right places. He let out a small moan into Tom's mouth, keeping their lips joined.

When they parted, Danny's head was spinning, forehead pressed against Tom's own. He dropped another kiss to Tom's lips, softer this time. Tom kissed him back, meeting every single one of his kisses. Danny smiled, loosening his hold on Tom slightly until they had pulled back enough to look at each other.

Danny stared straight into Tom's eyes, trying to see any doubt in them. He pressed another smaller kiss to Tom's lips, just glad that he could do this.

Tom kissed back. "I shouldn't be here," he whispered. "Gio and Caitlin..."

Danny felt his heart hammering in his chest. Was Tom going to turn around and leave again? He bit his lip as he looked at the blonde.

"If... if we do this, Gio can't find out," Tom continued, still whispering. "Not yet. She deserves better than that. I just... I can't stand not having you in my life, Dan."

Danny nodded quickly. "Of course," he said. "I wouldn't dream of telling her. But, Tom... what does this mean? Is this going further or is this just a fling?"

"I... I don't know," Tom said softly. "I'm so confused. I want you so bad and at the same time I can't comprehend doing this to my wife..."

Danny bit his lip as he looked at Tom. "So... what?"

Tom shook his head. "I... I don't know," he repeated. "I'm sorry Danny... I shouldn't be here. I-I've got to go," he added, turning around and heading out of the door. He got a little way down the hallway before turning back to look at Danny, who was watching him sadly from the doorway. "I'll see you on Monday morning for my usual," he said, hoping that the brunette understood.

Danny nodded, his heart soaring slightly. He had a feeling that he and Tom would, at the very least, remain as friends but he was hoping for more. The look he'd seen in the blonde's eyes had given him hope. He knew that Tom had enjoyed that kiss just as much as he had, but he understood that this was hard for him - how could it not be when Tom had a wife and daughter? He continued to watch as Tom walked away, only shutting the door when the blonde was out of sight.

Sighing, Danny headed back to his bedroom, hoping that his thoughts were right. As he entered his room, his mobile phone beeped from where he'd thrown it onto his bed. Picking it up, he crawled onto his bed.

Trust me. That's not the last kiss you'll get from me. I just need time to think. Tom x

Danny smiled as he read the message. He wondered if he should reply, and then decided that it would be rude not to.

Take all the time you need. I'll wait. Dan x

*****

Tom gently closed the front door behind himself. He leant against it, bringing his fingers up to his lips. He smiled to himself, still tasting Danny on them. He let himself have a moment before he pushed himself off the door. He kicked off his shoes and hung up his coat, making his way up the stairs to his room.

He bit his lip as he pushed open the door, seeing Gio's form under the blankets. He ducked his head, guilt invading his mind as he thought of what he and Danny had been doing, behind Gio's back.

"Tom? Is that you?"

Tom looked up, seeing Gio shuffle to sit up a little.

"Yeah, it's me," he whispered back. He stepped out of his clothes, down to his boxers and he slid under the covers, next to his wife. Gio immediately curled into him.

"Mmm, you smell nice," Gio mumbled, lips pressing into his neck.

Tom swallowed, not knowing how to respond to that.

"Did you have a good time with Danny?"

More than you know, Tom thought. "Yeah, we just had a few drinks."

"Are you more relaxed now?" Gio asked sleepily.

"Yeah," Tom replied.

"Good," Gio kissed his shoulder. "I'm glad Danny is your friend. You always smile when you're around him..."

Tom bit his lip again.

"Night, Tom," Gio whispered.

"Night," Tom replied.

Gio snuggled into his arms, her breathing evening out as she fell asleep. Thoughts whirred around in Tom's head, going back and forth like a rapid game of ping pong. He knew what he was doing was wrong, completely and utterly wrong but he wanted Danny so much.

He looked at Danny and he felt... he felt whole.

He didn't know where that left him with his wife and family though.

*****

Dougie sat on a stool in front of the long counter off to Danny's right and he was making a terrible slurping sound with his drink. Danny refrained from saying anything, knowing that Dougie was doing it just to get a rise out of him. He hadn't told Dougie what he wanted to know and now he was paying the price by putting up with his noises.

Danny wiped down the counter in front of the blonde and Dougie looked innocently up at him.

"Can I have a refill?" he asked sweetly.

Danny pursed his lips and took the glass from Dougie, telling Skye to make Dougie another smoothie. Dougie rested his chin in the palm of his hand, keeping his eyes on Danny the entire time.

"Are you just going to sit and stare at me the entire time?" Danny asked as he placed the smoothie in front of him.

"If that's what it takes," Dougie said, eating the strawberry that was on top.

Danny clenched his jaw as Dougie took a long slurp of his drink. "Fine," he said. "What do you want to know?"

Dougie bounced slightly in his seat, looking like he had just got his Christmas present early. "Have you fucked him yet?"

Danny's mouth dropped open. "Dougie!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Dougie asked, blinking.

Danny looked around, making sure none of his customers had heard Dougie's question. "No, I haven't... fucked him."

"Why not?" Dougie asked putting his straw back in his drink. "It's been like a month, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, just over," Danny replied. "And we haven't slept together yet because we're waiting."

"Waiting for what?" Dougie asked.

"He has a wife, you twat!" Danny flicked Dougie with his dish towel. "We're going to wait until they've split up."

Dougie snorted.

"What was that for?"

"Dude, you won't be able to hold out."

"What makes you say that?"

Dougie crooked his finger, telling Danny to come closer. Danny leant in, feeling Dougie's hot breath on his cheek. "Because all you think about when you're near him is shagging him until he can't walk," he whispered. "Admit it, you'd like nothing more than to fuck him senseless."

Danny pulled back, frowning at Dougie. "We're not like that," he said. "We're not like you. We're going to wait until the right moment."

"You fucking girl."

"Dougie," Danny warned.

Dougie slipped off the stool, standing. "Look, I know you have it bad for Tom. Hell, why else would you be working here instead of working with all the top chefs in London?" he paused. "But you need to release some of that sexual tension, baby. You're like a bomb waiting to go off."

Danny gave a little sigh. "I know but I can wait. Tom and I want to wait."

Dougie smiled. "Well, if you need to blow off some steam then I'm sure I can help you out."

"You have a boyfriend-"

"Who will understand," Dougie cut in. "Besides. He wouldn't care."

"Thanks, Dougs," Danny chuckled. "I think I'll just get some porn like a normal guy."

Dougie grinned at him. "Well you have my number if you change your mind," he replied, leaning over the counter to kiss Danny's cheek.

"Thanks."

"Are we going out tonight?" Dougie asked.

Danny shook his head. "Can't, I'm baby-sitting."

"Baby-sitting? Who?"

"Caitlin," Danny replied.

"You're baby-sitting your boyfriend's daughter?" Dougie asked.

Danny nodded. "Yeah."

"Care to tell me why?"

"Because he asked," Danny replied. "Gio has some sort of work function to go to and Tom has to go with her. It's not really a place for kids so I'm baby-sitting."

Dougie looked at Danny, eyebrows raised. "You're a strange one, Danny."

Danny chuckled. "I like Caitlin, she's cute," he said. "She's so much like Tom that it isn't funny."

Dougie placed his hand on top of Danny's own. "You have it bad," he said. "Anyway, I have to go. I'm wanted this afternoon."

Danny shook his head, a smile on his face. "Thanks for the chat, Dougs."

"Any time, Danny boy," Dougie smiled. "Call me and we'll get together, yeah?"

Danny nodded. "Sure," he replied.

Dougie kissed him softly on the lips before leaving the café. Danny shook his head, chuckling to himself. Dougie always managed to make him laugh.

That evening, Danny sat with Caitlin in the living room of Tom's house. They each held a sheet of paper in their hands and were reading through a play together. Caitlin was performing in the Christmas play her grade at school was holding and they were going through her lines together. Caitlin had been chosen to be Mary and she was quite excited about it. Tom and Gio couldn't have been more proud if they had tried.

Danny played all the other characters so Caitlin could practice her lines. She didn't have many, which was good because no one in her class were over five years old.

"Danny, what's that word?" Caitlin asked.

Danny looked over at the word Caitlin was pointing to and he sounded it out for her.

"Na-tiv-ity?"

Danny nodded. "That's right," he replied. "You are a very good reader," he said. "Just like your daddy."

Caitlin beamed up at him. "I want to be like Daddy. I want to work in his bookstore when I get older."

"I am sure he would love a good little helper like you working in his store," Danny said.

"Can we have hot chocolate now?" Caitlin asked.

"Of course," Danny replied. "Would you like to help me make them?"

Caitlin nodded. "Yes please," she said excitedly following Danny into the kitchen.

Danny pulled out a little stool for Caitlin to stand on to help Danny make their hot chocolates and he couldn't help but smile when he saw her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth in concentration.

Caitlin walked to the fridge, milk in hand to put it away. Danny brought their mugs over to the table, watching Caitlin climb up into her seat, sitting herself properly before clasping the mug with both of her hands. Danny smiled, seeing so much of Tom in her that it was uncanny.

Danny sipped at his own drink, letting the liquid warm his insides.

"Danny, you'll come and see me in my play, won't you?" Caitlin asked looking up at him.

Danny bit his lip. "Uh, I'm not sure, Cait," he started.

"Please come," Caitlin said. "I want you to come."

Smiling, Danny nodded. "I'll be there," he promised.

"Yay!" Caitlin cheered, gripping her mug with both hands again to take another sip.

Danny smiled fondly, watching the little girl with her drink. It still amazed him how much like Tom she was, even though he thought this every time he saw her. He glanced at his watch and saw that it was nearly half past eight. "Oh, drink up Cait, it's almost bedtime," he said.

"Can't I stay up?" Caitlin asked immediately, looking up at Danny with wide eyes. "Please Danny?"

"Sorry kiddo, your mummy and daddy won't be very happy if I let you stay up and then you're cranky tomorrow," Danny said apologetically. "Come on, finish your hot chocolate and I'll come and read you a story before you go to sleep."

"Okay Danny," Caitlin said, sighing as only a child could do when they thought something was a huge injustice. She finished her drink, putting her mug down and looking up at Danny again. "I'm finished."

Danny hid his smile and nodded. "Come on then," he said, standing up and holding out his hand for her to take as she slipped off her chair. Together, they walked up the stairs and towards Caitlin's bedroom, where Danny watched as the little girl climbed into bed. She'd been in her pyjamas since Danny had gotten to the house, so there was no trauma of making her get changed. "Oh! We forgot to brush your teeth, Cait!" he exclaimed before she pulled the covers up to her chin.

"Do I have to?" Caitlin whined, pouting at Danny.

"Yup! Come on, we'll do it quick," Danny replied, picking Caitlin up to carry her to the bathroom, just in case she refused to go. He stood and watched while she brushed her teeth, leaning over the sink from the little stool she stood on.

Settling Caitlin back into bed, Danny sat on the bed and read her a story, trying to put on different voices for the different characters but having them all come out as a Bolton accent, making Caitlin giggle.

Soon enough, Caitlin had grown sleepy, rubbing at her eyes and Danny had put the book down. He and Caitlin blew out the light together and he headed back downstairs to wait for Tom and Giovanna to return.

A couple of hours later, Danny heard the front door and looked over the back of the sofa to see Tom and Gio stepping into the house. He hid the grin that appeared on his face at the sight of Tom, and turned back to the TV, switching it off before getting up to greet the couple. "Hey, did you enjoy your evening?" he asked, smiling at Gio as she entered the lounge.

"It wasn't bad. About as much fun as a work event can be!" Gio replied with a smile. "How was Caitlin? Did she behave?"

"As always. She's a perfect little angel," Danny replied, catching Tom's eye slightly as he smiled.

Gio laughed. "Not when she's being a little madam, she isn't," she said, hanging her coat up in the closet by the front door. "I'll just go and check on her," she added, starting up the stairs.

Danny watched her go before looking at Tom. "What about you?" he asked. "Did you have fun?"

Tom shrugged. "Not as much fun as I'd have had with you, I'm sure," he said, looking up and meeting Danny's eyes.

Danny stepped closer, placing one hand on the back of Tom's neck and pulling the blonde in for a lingering kiss. Tom had no hesitation in returning the kiss before he came to his senses and pulled back, shaking his head. "No... not here," he said softly, knowing Danny would understand and smiling when the brunette nodded.

"I know, I just had to have one kiss from you tonight," Danny replied in a hushed voice. He stepped away from Tom as he heard Gio's footsteps on the stairs again. "Caitlin mentioned her school play," he added, raising his voice again as Gio came into view.

"Oh, she's so excited about it!" Gio gushed as she reached Tom's side again. "And we're so proud aren't we?"

"Of course we are," Tom nodded, smiling down at his wife.

"She, erm, she asked me to come along. I said I would, but... I didn't know if it was family only or anything," Danny said, rubbing the back of his neck unconsciously.

"Don't be silly! You'd be more than welcome," Gio said, giving Danny a look. "Tell him, Tom. Caitlin really likes you, Danny, so if she's asked you to come and you're free, then you're welcome to. We'll even give you a lift."

Tom nodded. "Yeah... if you want to come, you can," he said, catching Danny's eye worriedly. He was feeling more than nervous about him, Danny and Gio being in the same room together for too long. He was worried that he'd somehow let his feelings for the curly haired Northerner be known.

Danny gave Tom a reassuring smile and nodded. "Well, I'd love to come," he said. "I love Caitlin as much as if she were my own daughter."

"Then it's all set," Gio said with a smile, clapping her hands slightly. "When we get our tickets, we'll get you one too."

"Thanks," Danny smiled. Then he glanced at his watch again. "Well, I hate to run off, but I've got a delivery coming in the morning, so I'd better get going. Tom, I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked, moving to get his coat from the closet.

Tom nodded. "As usual," he said. "I'll walk you out to your car," he added, opening the front door for Danny.

"Bye Gio. I'll see you later," Danny said, giving Gio a smile and a wave as he stepped outside.

Tom closed the door behind himself as he stepped out behind Danny. "You really want to come to her play?" he asked anxiously.

"I really do. Stop worrying, Tom," Danny replied in a hushed voice. "She's not going to find out. I meant it when I said I love Caitlin as if she were my own daughter."

Tom nodded, feeling a bit better about things. "Okay. I trust you."

Danny smiled. "Good. Now, I'd really better get going. I don't suppose I can steal a kiss from you out here, can I?" he asked cheekily.

Tom laughed and shook his head. "No, you can't. My neighbours are far too nosy," he said. "I'll see you in the morning."

Danny grinned. "Thought not," he said as he unlocked as his car. "I'll look forward to it," he added, giving Tom a wink as he climbed into the car and watching as the blonde flushed, even in the darkness. He gave a wave as he drove off, watching in his rear view mirror as Tom went back inside.

*****

Tom honked the car horn as soon as he pulled up Danny's drive way. It was the night of Caitlin's Christmas performance and she was so excited. She had been babbling about it all day and Tom was kind of glad that it was going to be over in a few hours time.

He smiled softly to himself as he saw Danny coming out of his house, putting his jacket on over the top of his checked shirt. Tom inwardly bit his lip, he loved Danny's checked shirts. The brunette didn't even know how sexy he looked in them as he just wore them for comfort but Tom loved him in them.

Danny opened the passenger door on the driver's side and slid in behind Tom. "Hi, thanks for picking me up," he said with a smile, catching Tom's eye in the rear view mirror.

"Hi, Danny!" Caitlin said excitedly.

"Hey. Wow, aren't you gorgeous?" Danny complimented her.

Caitlin beamed up at him. "Mummy says I have to get changed when I get to school, so I get to wear my pretty dress!"

"It is very pretty," Danny replied.

They were soon pulling into the school car park, ready for the evening to start. Tom and Danny were left alone as Gio went off back stage to help Caitlin get changed. Both males looked at each other, biting their lips softly.

Tom was about to suggest to Danny they go outside for a little while when one of the other parents came up to him, smiling and initiating conversation straight away. Tom could feel Danny standing close and he wanted to take that step backwards so Danny was pressed into him. He never did though, knowing it would be a stupid move in public but he could hear Danny breathing next to him and all he wanted to do was kiss him silly.

Gio came back, looking a little flush. "She's in her costume and they're coming on in a few minutes," she said. "We'd better go to our seats."

Tom nodded, putting his empty plastic cup in the bin provided, shooting Danny a look and following his wife to their seats. The lights turned off and soft music started. Tom shifted slightly, his thigh pressing against Danny's own. He kept his eyes forward, watching the stage for his daughter.

Gio had her camera out, ready to take photos of Caitlin's performance. Tom beamed when he saw Caitlin come out on stage with Joseph. His heart swelled at the sight of his daughter saying her lines with such clarity. He couldn't help but feel a rush of affection for Danny as he was the one who helped her go through her lines whenever he could.

All too soon, the play ended and the class of five year olds stood across the stage, taking a bow. Caitlin waved at them and they all waved back, clapping hard in between. Gio went to help Caitlin get changed back out of her costume into her dress and Tom smiled at Danny.

"Thank you," he said.

"What for?" Danny asked.

"For being here, for helping Cait with her lines," Tom replied, placing a hand on Danny's arm. "It really meant a lot."

"Come back to my place, tonight," Danny breathed.

Tom looked up, seeing the lust in Danny's eyes. He hesitated before nodding. "Okay."

Danny smiled at him and they both turned their attention to Caitlin who was being happily carried by Gio back to them. Tom took Caitlin from Gio, hugging her tightly.

"We are so proud of you, angel," he said.

Caitlin smiled brightly at him. "Did you see me, Daddy?"

Tom nodded. "We did," he replied. "You did so well."

Caitlin's attention focused on Danny and she asked to be held by him. Tom looked over at Danny who nodded, letting Caitlin settle in his arms. She kissed his cheek, tucking her head under his chin. Gio smiled at them, snapping a picture.

"I think it's time to get you home, little lady," Gio said as Caitlin yawned.

Caitlin pouted. "I want to stay up and have hot chocolate with Danny, please?"

"Honey, you're tired, you need to go to bed," Gio said.

"You know, I don't mind, coming over to have a hot chocolate," Danny said. "As long as you don't mind?"

Gio nodded. "Sure, that'd be great."

Danny smiled. "There you go, Cait, I'll have a hot chocolate with you before you go to bed."

Caitlin smiled back, yawning slightly.

Tom chuckled and they made their way to the car to go home. Once they got inside, Danny made his way into the kitchen to make the hot chocolates while Gio went to run Caitlin's bath. Tom left his wife and daughter in the bathroom, making a beeline for the kitchen where Danny was.

He wrapped his arms around Danny's waist, pressing a kiss into Danny's neck. "You are so good with Cait," he whispered.

Danny's hand came to rest on his own, bringing it up to his lips. "She's a great kid," he whispered back, turning in Tom's arms.

Tom's lips met Danny's own in a soft kiss. He held Danny loosely, eyes closed as he kissed the brunette lazily. He felt Danny's hands on his waist and he smiled against his lips. "So, as soon as you've had hot chocolate with Cait, did you want to go back to yours?"

Danny nodded, breathing heavily. "Yeah, we can continue this there..."

Tom nodded, pressing his lips to Danny's one last time before pulling away. He gazed up at Danny, who was biting his lip softly and he heard Gio and Caitlin's voices. He shook his head, going to the fridge to get the milk out.

Danny finished making their hot chocolates and set them on the table. Caitlin sat herself on Danny's lap, curling into him with a yawn. She sleepily drank her hot chocolate and almost fell asleep on him. Tom couldn't help but smile at the scene, finding it quite adorable to watch two of his favourite people together.

"The play was great," Danny said, one hand stroking Caitlin's back.

Gio nodded. "It was," she agreed. "I'll give you a copy of the photos on a cd, if you like?"

Danny nodded. "That'd be great, thank you."

Tom smiled. "Dan and I are gonna go out for a couple of drinks after, is that okay?" he asked his wife.

"Of course," Gio replied. "I'm going to have a nice relaxing bath and then get an early night, I think."

Tom reached across the table, taking Gio's hand in his own. "You definitely need it; you've been working so hard on Cait's costume and everything, lately."

Gio smiled softly, leaning across and kissing Tom softly on the lips. Tom's head screamed at him to not kiss her in front of Danny but he knew it would look weird if he suddenly stopped being affectionate with his wife.

Caitlin yawned widely, blinking her eyes, obviously trying to keep them open.

"C'mon, missy, it's time for bed," Gio said once she had finished her own drink.

"I want to stay up," Caitlin replied. "Daddy, please can I stay up?"

Tom looked over at his daughter. "You've had a long day, Cait," he started. "You need to go to bed and sleep."

Caitlin pouted, curling into Danny more. "Danny...?"

Danny shook his head. "Sorry, kiddo, your parents are right."

Gio stood, picking Caitlin up from Danny's lap. "You can sleep with Mummy, if you want?"

Caitlin nodded. "Yes please," she replied.

Gio kissed the top of Caitlin's head. "Say good night to Daddy and Danny."

Caitlin waved. "Night Daddy, night Danny."

Tom stood, kissing Caitlin softly on the cheek.

"Can you read me a story, Daddy?" Caitlin asked.

Tom smiled. "Of course I can," he replied. "Why don't you have your bath and Danny and I will read to Cait?" he suggested to Gio.

"That'd be great," Gio said with a smile.

Tom took Caitlin from Gio and let his wife go up the stairs first to get ready for her bath. "Alright, sweetie, time for a story then bed."

Caitlin nodded, yawning. "Can you read me Snow White, Daddy?"

"Of course, angel," Tom replied. He reached out and surreptitiously squeezed Danny's hand, shooting him a smile over the top of Caitlin's head. He let go of Danny's hand and made his way up the stairs to Caitlin's room, holding her to him to make sure she didn't fall.

Tom carefully set her on his and Gio's bed, pulling the covers around her and smiled as Danny entered the room, handing him Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from Caitlin's room. Tom seated himself next to Caitlin, holding the book out on their laps.

"Sit on the bed too, Danny," Caitlin said looking up.

Tom smiled and shifted, making enough room for Danny to squish in next to him. Danny was pressed right up against Tom, his body heat seeping through Tom's clothes. Tom swallowed thickly and concentrated on the book and reading to his daughter.

Tom made sure to do all the voices when reading to Caitlin and had to laugh when Danny tried as well.

"Does Danny do the voices when he reads to you too?" Tom asked once they had finished the story.

Caitlin nodded. "Yes, but he's not very good at it, Daddy," she said quietly.

Tom looked over at Danny who looked a little put out. He gently took Danny's hand, squeezing it softly. "I'm sure he tries his hardest though, right?"

Caitlin nodded again. "He does but I like it when Danny sings to me."

Danny smiled. "Would you like me to sing to you now?"

"Yes please," Caitlin replied.

Danny moved so he was on the other side of Caitlin and he made sure she was tucked under the blankets. He started to sing softly at first and Tom couldn't help but stare at him. Caitlin fell asleep when Danny got to the second verse and Tom kept his eyes on Danny who was finishing the song.

Gio entered the bedroom in good time as Tom was sure if she hadn't, he would have kissed Danny silly. He simply adored that the brunette was so good with his daughter.

"She asleep?" Gio asked and Tom nodded.

"Yeah, she's just drifted off," he replied. "Danny and I are going to go now, is that okay?" he asked softly.

Gio nodded. "Yeah, of course it is," she smiled at him.

Tom smiled back, placing a small kiss on Gio's lips. He turned back to Danny. "Ready?"

"When you are," Danny replied.

Tom leant over and kissed Caitlin on her forehead, giving his wife one last kiss and followed Danny out of the bedroom. They got to Danny's car and as soon as they were seated, Tom pulled Danny in for a heated kiss.

"Tom," Danny breathed. "Won't your neighbours see?"

"You have tinted windows," Tom replied against the pink lips, kissing Danny still.

"We... we'd better go," Danny said, running a hand through Tom's hair.

They kissed one more time and parted; Danny started the car and started the travel to his house. As soon as the front door had closed behind them, Tom was kissing Danny heatedly. His fingers were undoing the buttons on Danny's checked shirt and Danny's own were on his hips, holding him in the way that Tom loved.

Tom pushed open the fabric, moving to kiss Danny's neck as his hand slipped under the material of his white undershirt.

"Tom... Tom," Danny panted. "We'd better stop."

"Why?" Tom asked. "I like this..."

Danny let out a throaty chuckle. "Believe me, I like it too but we can't," he replied, tilting Tom's head up. He kissed Tom softly on the lips and Tom's eyes fluttered closed.

They parted after a few lingering kisses, foreheads resting against each others.

"You have no idea how much you drive me crazy," Tom whispered.

Danny smiled. "If it is half as much as you do to me then I have a fair idea."

Danny's lips met his own once more before pulling back completely. "There's something I wanted to do with you," he said. "Wait here, I'll be right back."

Tom nodded and moved into the living room. He smiled to himself as he saw a photo of Danny, Caitlin and himself sitting on Danny's mantle piece. It was from their day at the park, all three of them smiling happily, looking every part of a perfect family.

Tom bit his lip softly as he thought about what he was doing with Danny. What he was doing to Gio and Caitlin by being here with Danny but he couldn't give it up. He knew Danny was special to him and he couldn't let him go.

"I love that photo," Danny's voice said from behind him as he wrapped his arms around Tom's middle from behind, resting his chin on Tom's shoulder.

"Me too," Tom replied. "That was such a good day."

Danny kissed his cheek. "It was," he agreed. "I've got something to show you."

Danny let go of Tom and they both turned back around, away from the mantle piece. Danny's acoustic guitar sat leaning against the couch.

Tom looked up at him curiously.

"I'm going to teach you how to play."

"Really?" Tom asked a large grin forming on his face.

Danny nodded. "Yeah, why not?" he said, taking Tom's hand in his own. "Can't have you just playing the piano for the rest of your life. You can't really rock out on a piano."

Tom chuckled at this. "True," he replied.

A couple of weeks before their first kiss, Tom had told Danny how Jamie used to play the guitar and had been in the middle of teaching him some things when he left. Tom hadn't expected Danny to remember this let alone want to teach him how to play.

They both sat down, Danny placing the guitar in Tom's hands. Tom got the feel of the strings on the fret and nodded at Danny. Danny showed him how to play a few cords of different songs and Tom slowly got the hang of it. Anything that Jamie had told him all those years ago was definitely gone from Tom's mind and he was quite glad to have Danny as his teacher.

Tom grinned as he played through an entire verse without stuffing up.

"We'll make a pro out of you yet," Danny replied.

Tom put the guitar down, making sure it wasn't going to get broken and he took Danny's hand in his own. He pulled Danny towards him and they both fell back on the couch. Tom looked up at Danny who was hovering over him and he reached up, letting his hand rest on Danny's neck.

Their lips met in a slow kiss, both wanting to take their time. They shifted to accommodate each other, their bodies fitting together perfectly. Tom moaned softly as Danny's hand slipped up his shirt and caressed his skin. Danny smiled against his lips, keeping their kiss going.

Tom leant into Danny's touch, unable to focus on anything else except the brunette in his arms. He gently raised his hips up into Danny's, making him moan low in his throat.

"Tom?" Danny asked pulling back.

Tom bit his lip. "I want you."

*****