Guess Who Challenge
Fic 6
Danny shaded his eyes from the sun as he looked out over the glassy blue water. The sun was just about to set and it's rays had turned the sea into a beautiful, sparkling mirror.
But he barely noticed.
"This was a mistake," he thought to himself as he sat down in the sand. He had thought that a vaction was exactly what he needed, that getting away from Springfield was the answer. God, what an idiot.
Instead, this trip to his family's private beach on the secluded coast of Maine had brought him nothing but pain.
And memories.
The beaches of New England and the beaches of Majorca could not be any more different, but everywhere he looked, he still saw Michelle.
It had been seven years since they had taken that honeymoon. Seven long years. His heart still beat faster when he thought of that time.
Michelle, standing on the beach, laughing, her hair blowing in the breeze. Michelle, emerging from the ocean, droplets of water clinging to her like diamonds. Michelle, smiling up at him tangled in the snowy white sheets of their bed...
Danny suppressed a groan.
"Don't even think about that, Santos." he told himself.
He hadn't seen her in five years but not a day, hell not an hour, went by that she didn't occupy his thoughts.
They'd actually been happy for awhile.
Danny remembered that time as he got up and began to walk down the beach.
After Michelle had uncovered his mother's plot to fake a hit on herself, he and Michelle had moved out of his house and into a brick two-story home a few blocks away from Rick. Once the moving was behind them, they had set out for Majorca.
They's stayed there for a month and what a month it was. The days all blurred together. An endless stream of talking and laughing and making love.
It had been the happiest time of his life.
For the next two years, they had tried to be a normal, All-American newlywed couple.
Danny got a job working at Spaulding and Michelle worked on finshing college and getting into med school.
It had been perfect. They had decided to wait to have children. Danny wondered now if he had known the way things were going to turn out, would he have wanted a child with Michelle?
The thought of holding a tiny symbol of the love he had for Michelle tugged at his heart and he allowed himself a brief moment to picture it.
But the image faded as he realized that a baby only would have complicated things.
Two years. That's all they'd had together before the whole thing had gone to hell.
Danny stared back out at the sea, not even bothering to shade his eyes. The pain of the glare was a welcome relief from the pain in his mind when he remembered that he had had the life he'd always wanted and then thrown it away with both hands.
It had just been one last job. Just one. His family needed him. Michelle hadn't seen it that way. Angry, hurt, and feeling betrayed, she had packed her things and left. He could still see her tear ravaged face as she packed the car. "I love you,Danny," she had said."I'll always love you. But I told you I wouldn't live like this and I won't"
He had tried to explain,tried to make her see that he wasn't back in. He was just trying to help out.
But her mind was made up. Her hands shaking, she had opened the car door, slid inside, and without a word, drove off.
That was the last time he'd seen her. He kept waiting for divorce papers, but they never came and he wasn't about to file them. Finally, about a year ago, four years after she left, he had called Rick and gotten her number.She was living in Chicago by then.
She had sounded so tired when she picked up the phone. And when she's heard his voice, the weariness seemed to increase. "I don't know why I haven't filed for divorce, Danny." she had answered."Maybe...maybe I still want to hold on to you even if I can't be with you."
"That's not fair to either of us, Michelle," he had said, his heart breaking.
"I know." There was a sob in her voice."And if you want a divorce, I'll give you one."
"No," he had said, his own voice cracking."I...I can't let you go either."
Michelle had started to cry then."Please, Danny, don't call me again."
Danny felt like someone was choking him. "I won't. I love you." Michelle had given one last sob and hung up.
Ever since that call, Danny hadn't been able to get his life back on track. A life without Michelle was a cold, lonely thing. That's why he'd taken this trip. A last ditch effort to thing everything out and clear his head.
Danny rounded a corner on the beach and stopped at the sight that greeted him. Rising out of the sand was giant castle of sparkling sand. Whoever had constructed it had obviously taken a lot of time and effort. There were turrets and gates, even a moat.
Impressed, Danny knelt down closer to the castle to inspect it. A movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned his gaze back out to the sea.
What he saw took his breath away.
A woman, rising out of the ocean, walking towards shore, shaking out a mass of long hair. Diamond like droplets of water sprayed around her.
Michelle.
He stood there, staring at her,thinking this was surely a dream or a hallucination.But a part of him hoped desperately that it was real and waited for her to see him.
When she did, she stopped so suddenly it was almost comical.Oh yeah.
This was definitely real.
He moved closer to the water's edge until they weren't even a yard apart.
"Danny."
"Michelle."
"Wh-what are you doing here?" she asked and Danny ached to reach out and touch that hesitant smile. Five years hadn't changed her at all.
"I was about to ask you the same question.This is my family's place after all."
Michelle blushed slightly and moved past him to get her towel."I know.Your sister sort of gave it to me as an early birthday present.
She knew I needed some time away and-"
"Pilar suggested you come here?"
"Uh-huh. What?"
Danny was laughing now."Pilar suggested I come here too."
Realization dawned and Michelle gave him that sexy half-smile he'd always loved."So we've been set up. Again."
"It would seem that way."
Michelle laughed and the sound seemed to seep into him, lighting up all the dark corners in his soul.
She began gathering her things: a hat, a paperback novel, and her sunscreen.
"Well, you can't blame her for trying. I guess your staying at the big house, right?"
Danny nodded."And you would be at Bill and Pilar's bungalow."
Michelle slung her back of beach stuff over her shoulder. "Yep."
They stood in awkward silence for a moment before Michelle said,"I better be on my way."
The thought of her leaving terrified him and he laid a hand on her arm to stop her. "Wait...why don't you-why don't you come to my place for dinner tonight."
He was surprised to see tears spring to her eyes and she shook her head."Danny, I can't. Just seeing you again is..."
She shook her head again, sadly this time."I just can't. And I'm heading back to Chicago tomorrow."
Danny ran a hand through his hair."No, I'll leave."
Michelle gave a shaky laugh and attmepted to wipe away her tears."No, no, this is your place."
She turned away and the sun glinted of her hair, making it look like spun gold.He wasn't letting her go. Not again.
"Michelle,"
She stopped.
Danny looked her with pleading eyes."Please, come to dinner tonight. Just this once. I won't make any promises or ask you to stay...I just want to sit across a table from you again. I want to look in your eyes and her you laugh at my jokes. I want to brush your hand when we reach for something. Give me that. Give me tonight. Please."
Michelle's gaze were on her feet, and when she finally looked up, there were fresh tears in her eyes.
"Alright, Danny," she said in a tremulous voice."I'll give you dinner tonight. But that's all."
Joy rushed through him."That's all." he promised.
"Then I'll see you at your house at around eight?"
Danny nodded, knowing he was smiling like an idiot, but he didn't care."Eight it is."
Michelle smiled at him and then reached out to touch his face.
Danny's eyes closed as he felt her feather light fingers on his cheek.
"I missed you too, Danny." she said softly and then turned to go.
After she was gone, Danny sat on the beach for awhile watching the sunset.
And thanking God for second chances.