So in order to finally publish this I've only done one brief grammar/spelling check. Also, the site I use to edit my stories is down so please let me know if there are any errors that I need to correct!
—
She needed…
She needed things to go back to normal
Whatever normal was.
Ever since that scene in the kitchen things had been different. Even though there had been awkwardness at times, there had never been such a schism between them. He and Amy had been here for over a week and he would barely meet her eye. When he actually did there was a mask there. An apathy that made her want to grit her teeth.
~Flashback~
"Natalie!" her brother's irritated tone broke through her thoughts.
She looked at him, but her mind was still picturing Daniel, pointedly looking away from her. He'd been in this room for over twenty minutes and hadn't so much as glanced in her direction.
It hurt.
It shouldn't have but it did.
'I'm supposed to be the one ignoring him!' she thought.
Unlike him however, she simply couldn't pull her gaze away. Memories surged through her brain, enticing her back to moments of happiness and warmth.
The brush of his hand, his deep, searching gaze, they all seemed so far away. Now, as she found her eyes being drawn back to his form after dealing with her brother, she wondered if it had actually even happened or if she'd imagined it all.
'You're the one that started this,' her mind whispered but she shoved it down. She'd had to. It was the only way to protect herself.
—
He wanted…
He wanted her.
Setting his jaw, Dan stared at the kitchen counter, determined to not give in.
DON'T look up!
It wouldn't end up well if he did. One glance at her nonchalant face, a face that screamed "I don't care" and there wouldn't be a strong enough word to describe how he felt.
He hadn't known what he'd expected when he and Amy had arrived, but he hadn't been prepared for her absolute disdain.
~Flashback~
"Daniel."
He locked eyes with her, his heart beating faster in his chest. It was stupid but he'd been nervous all morning, not sure at the reception he would receive.
He'd expected forced politeness, maybe even slight trepidation but he hadn't expected the coldness which radiated off of her.
He knew it was probably a cover, her hiding behind her Lucian inclinations so he grinned at her. "Hey Nat."
She stiffened but before she could reply Ian took over, showing them in. They were almost to the staircase when he caught a glimpse of her face again, and what he saw there hit him like a blow to the head.
Disgust.
Revulsion.
It left him with a sick feeling in his stomach, and it must have shown because Amy nudged him.
"You okay?" she muttered and he nodded, unable to speak past the lump in his throat, his gaze already going to the Lucian.
'Maybe I'm overreacting, maybe she's—'
"Natalie," Ian spoke up. "Why don't you show Daniel to his room and I'll show Amy to hers."
He could only see the back of the brunette's head but she nodded slightly. She didn't utter a word until she lead him down a hallway he'd never been down.
"Why is it so far away from the other rooms?" he couldn't help ask.
"The one you normally stay in didn't get cleaned properly."
Her tone was formal, icy, and she didn't meet his eye.
Suddenly angry at her attitude, he snapped, "What's your deal?"
He watched her shoulders tighten, willing her to turn but she didn't. "What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. Why are you treating me like this?"
"Like what Daniel?"
So this is how she wanted to play. She wanted to forget what happened between them in the kitchen that day, what had transpired between them before she'd left with her brother. She wanted to forget about their tentative friendship, the times they'd slipped away from their siblings and had fun, the fleeing touches and comfort; she wanted to forget about him.
"You know what? Forget it. Forget all of it."
Her head jerked around, her eyes wide, "Wait—"
But he was tired of playing this game.
"I'm done Natalie."
He saw the way she flinched at his using of her full name but he didn't wait for her to respond, going into the room they were standing in front of and slamming the door behind him.
—
She needed…
She needed to get away.
It was almost the same scene as before. The four of them, sitting around the table, the older siblings bickering about the plan and the younger two remaining silent. Except this time, there would be no escapes to play video games, no bonding over mutual annoyance over their siblings antics.
Eight days. That's how long this torture had been going on.
It had been easy at first to avoid him, claiming sickness for the first few days after he'd told her he was done but then her brother had dragged her out of bed, scolding her about "teamwork" and "working together" and other words that sounded like Amy Cahill had taken over his body. Which she practically had.
Natalie had felt awkward at first, then it was discomfort, which turned into full-blown hurt as she realized how serious Dan had been.
He didn't look at her. He didn't speak to her. He didn't touch her.
She hadn't realized how many little touches they had exchanged in the past, but now, staring at his profile, she wanted more than anything to reach out, to graze his cheek, to smooth his puckered eyebrow, brush her hand against his neck…
Without warning he looked up, straight at her and her mouth went dry.
His brow raised, his face screaming "What?" but she couldn't move.
"Natalie?" Amy's voice cut through her uncertainty.
She noticed then that she was panicking, her breaths coming in rapid gasps and that all three individuals at the table were staring at her.
"I-I need some air."
—
He wanted…
He wanted to not care..
Natalie had left a few minutes ago and he was fighting the urge to go find her, to make sure she wasn't sick, to make sure she wasn't going to do something stupid.
Amy had voiced concern but Ian had waved it off, stating that his sister was simply being dramatic and probably hadn't gotten her dose of attention for the week since she'd been avoiding them.
Dan wanted to agree but he'd seen the look in her eye, the panic, so familiar … he didn't believe for an instant that it was an attention-seeking ploy.
Quickly, he got up, slipped outside the door before he could be questioned, hating that she still had this much power over him, that even when she had hurt him, crushed him, he cared about her more than himself.
It's so stupid. Sure I thought we were friends and maybe more but she's made it clear that she doesn't want anything to do with you. So why am I—
He halted at the sight of her form, huddled under some trees near the patio. He blinked once; twice.
Wasn't she worried about getting dirty?
Her gaze lifted then, her eyes weary, her face drooping. She was a haunting picture, sitting there with her dress hiked up around her thighs (he tried not to dwell too much on that), her hand absently threading through her normally-perfect hair, her entire demeanor radiating a kind of despair that was almost artistic.
She was beautiful.
He stepped closer, expected her to rise, to close up on him but she didn't budge.
"Nat?" the nickname burned on his tongue and he saw her flinch as if someone struck her.
Slowly she blinked at him as if just then realizing he was there. He saw her gulp and his eyes lingered for a second on the smooth skin of her throat before he pulled his gaze back to hers.
—
She needed…
She needed release from the pain
She couldn't breathe. Her airway felt constricted as she stared into his steady jade eyes, eyes that didn't hold judgement. Yet they burned into her as if they knew every part of her—had known every part of her—since the first breath of air she'd taken.
Swallowing, she stared, unsure of what to do. They'd never gotten to this point before. Back in Boston, they'd almost gotten here. But this …. this was different somehow.
It felt like her feelings were laid out before him; she felt naked; she felt vulnerable. She could barely breath, could barely think.
All she knew is that she needed him.
—
The wind howled, sending a gust across the lawn but neither of them reacted, their eyes still locked, their breaths bated, waiting.
Then he moved.
—
One touch.
That was all it took. His hand clutched her wrist, pulling her up yet he held on as if he was trying to keep her from fleeing, from withdrawing back into her abyss.
One word.
"Natalie".
It echoed in the air. Unlike the last time he'd said her full name, the word reflected the same longing she felt.
She looked down at the fingers clutching her wrist. The touch was gentle, brushing against her skin, soothing her pain.
And then she broke.
—
He caught her up against him, his chest clenching at the sound of her tears.
"It's okay," he murmured over and over again, unsure of what else to say.
She stilled after several minutes, her head lifting, her face determined. Then her lips touched his, and something in him broke too.
—
The wind howled even louder, two eyes peered at at them from behind the large bay window of the dining area but they were lost; lost in the moment, lost in each other, lost in the emotions that surged through them, both old and new at the same time.
He pulled back from the kiss, nestling her back against him, marveling at how she sunk into him, no longer defensive and scared.
Brushing his lips against her ear he whispered, "It's going to be okay."
—
"It's going to be okay."
The corners of her mouth lifted at those words. She knew it was true because in that moment all of the fear melted away.
She finally got what she needed.
—
He smiled and pressed his lips to her hair, not caring that it tickled his skin, not caring about anything but her.
He was finally holding what he wanted.
—
Finally, right? (Not just the Natan, but that I finally posted this! Sorry again Grace.)
Please review if you liked it but ESPECIALLY if you didn't like it because I need to know what to work on!
I hope everyone had a Happy New Year!