Your Eyes

Summary: NathanDaley. When they get back home, Daley hardly ever sees Nathan and immediately regrets her decision on the island to wait. How does she finally come in contact with him?

Daley walked down the hallway of the school, trying to ignore all the eyes on her. She knew she was an anomaly now, what with being gone for a whole month. She blushed underneath all the gazes upon her and continued on quickly through the hallway.

Daley looked around at her school, finally out of the crowd. She was annoyed to death about all this. All she wanted was to be left alone with her thoughts, her friends, and…

Where was Nathan, anyway? She hadn't seen him since the first day back, where they had all been in a meeting getting briefed on what had happened and what would happen. Daley hadn't really realized how little she saw Nathan during the day, since she really tried to avoid him at all costs. Daley felt sad inside knowing that she had probably missed her chance at anything happening with Nathan. He would probably keep forgetting to call, and so would she, and they would just forget about it.

It made Daley so depressed she went straight into her classroom instead of saying hi to Melissa. Melissa noticed and grabbed her arm before she was too deep into the room.

"What's wrong?" Melissa asked hurriedly.

Daley shrugged, tugging to try to get into her classroom.

"Tell me now, neither of us will be late," Melissa laughed.

"I haven't talked to Nathan in a while," Daley muttered sheepishly, looking away. Melissa nodded.

"He's been depressed too, Day. Don't worry. This weekend you guys should hang out or something," Melissa nodded. The warning bell sounded, she nodded, winked, and walked away.

Daley sighed and went into her classroom. She didn't trust those words. Nathan and she would never get together.

She'd missed her chance.

F29DWN

Throughout the day Daley had begun to realize how much effort she had taken to avoid Nathan. Taking all her usual routes to class, Daley never saw Nathan once. Daley observed her schedule, and realized that there were easier ways to two of her classes then the ones that she had been taking. Daley vowed that, the next day, she would go the faster way. Maybe Nathan would be there.

Daley reminded herself of this throughout AP American History. The teacher dragged on about the First World War, and Daley was privately glad that her tutor had gone ahead so that she could keep up with the class. When the bell rang and she had to run down to the science department for Chemistry, Daley rushed out eagerly and went the faster way.

About midway to the lab she saw him. Nathan was looking depressed and disheveled, practically sleepwalking. Daley called out his name, but it could barely be heard against the din of the hall.

Daley purposely walked in the 'lane' (they all naturally formed lanes of students in the halls) next to his. Nathan's eyes lit up when he saw Daley. Daley reached out and touched his arm as they passed.

She knew that he was just as grateful as she was.

Daley stepped inside the Chemistry lab, took out her books, and looked over at the empty seat next to her.

Her old friend Marietta sat down, looking irritated.

"You didn't go to the same way for Chem! I looked all over for you!" Marietta complained. Daley just shrugged, "I went the faster way."

Marietta rolled her eyes and took out the lab they had to do for homework.

F29DWN

It was lunch. Daley stared around the cafeteria, and sat down next to Melissa. She grinned at her.

"Hey. Nathan will actually be at lunch today, because I told him to skive off tutoring," Melissa nodded. Nathan had chosen to catch up during lunch rather than study, before school or after school.

"You sure? We all need to catch up," Daley muttered worriedly. Melissa laughed.

"He's been working his butt off. Calm down. You both need this. Look, here he comes!" Melissa laughed.

Some of Daley's friends sat down five seconds before he could. Daley nearly let out a scream as they all began chatting animatedly and ignoring the fact that Nathan was feebly asking for a seat. Daley looked up and met his eyes, and immediately lost herself in them. Chocolate. That's what they were made of. Daley found herself floating on a sea of brown, which held so much warmth that she felt like boiling over.

Nathan closed his eyes briefly to blink, and Daley flew back to reality. She blushed and looked away for five seconds, and then asked Charlotte (sitting directly across from her) if she would move.

"Why?" Charlotte laughed, "I always sit here!"

"Well…" Daley blushed, looking up briefly at Nathan. Charlotte looked up too, and then glared.

"Why are you here?" she snarled. Daley sighed and stood up. Melissa looked over at her anxiously.

Daley walked over to Nathan. She wouldn't take this anymore. Times had changed. Her friends all watched curiously as Daley smiled up at Nathan, took his hand in hers and laced his fingers with hers. Although all of Daley's old friends were gaping in shock and Melissa was grinning and nodding her head, Daley and Nathan only had eyes for each other. Nathan set down his bag lunch on the table, not really looking away from her. The pair walked off to a shady tree, and sat down, still holding hands.

Daley faintly heard the din of protests and questions from her old friends, and Melissa's laughter. Daley looked up at him, trying not to go overboard with the eyes. Nathan smiled at her.

"Sorry we haven't talked in… one week," Daley sighed, moving a little closer to him.

"It's no big deal. I never really realized how much we really tried to get away from each other until now. You changed your route between third and fourth just to see too?" Nathan laughed, resting his forehead against hers.

"Yeah," Daley laughed. They looked at each other, wondering what was really happening now.

"So… what happens now?" Nathan asked softly.

"I told you. I wanted to have this conversation when we're back home. Well, we're back home," Daley nodded. She felt her heartbeat quicken substantially.

"Okay," Nathan nodded as well. Daley smiled, and blushed.

"Well…" Daley looked away briefly, managing to pry her eyes away from his.

"Well, you remember what Melissa said," Nathan chuckled. Daley rolled her eyes.

"I was such a fraidy cat. I didn't want to talk about it for what, a week?" Daley laughed. Both laughed for a long time, and then Daley smiled sheepishly.

"Are you so afraid to say it yourself you just refer to it as 'what Melissa said?' Even though it's been weeks?" Daley smiled.

Nathan blushed and looked away.

"Nathan, please. If you really feel that way about me, you shouldn't be afraid to say it," Daley whispered.

Nathan looked back at her, and nodded. Daley mildly noticed that everyone was looking at them, and leaning towards them to hear what they were saying. Well, except for Melissa, who was laughing with Jackson (probably about this.)

"Daley," Nathan brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. Daley felt a shiver run up her spine. Nathan leaned in close to her ear, and whispered into it,

"I'm in love with you."

Daley smiled so widely she was sure her entire face would forever remain that way. Nathan smiled sheepishly back at her, pulling his face away from her ear. Daley felt her heart would flutter away.

"I'm in love with you too," Daley sighed happily, feeling warmth spread from her toes to the top of her head.

Nathan nodded, smiling, and then he murmured, "So. What happens now?"

"You kiss me," Daley whispered softly. Nathan nodded, and grinned a little.

"In front of everyone?" he laughed.

"Especially in front of everyone," Daley closed her eyes and smiled.

Nathan nodded, looked at her for the longest time in silence, and then leaned in. Daley would always remember the gasp that happened all around her when his lips gently met hers. She felt a strange tingling sensation the moment it happened, and everything felt warm and somewhat complete. Daley deepened the kiss automatically by wrapping her arms around him, pulling herself closer to him. Nathan let out a small noise in his throat that made things leap within Daley in excitement. He wrapped his arms around her as well, and they were so close together that Daley was surprised that no one had come to tell them off yet (PDA was discouraged at their school, although an outright rule saying 'no' had not yet been formed.) Daley kissed back when she felt he was going to pull away, and they continued kissing for a few minuets when Daley pulled back.

She found she was grinning from ear to ear. Nathan was too, and their arms were still around each other. Daley kissed him quickly again and then nestled herself into his arms, closing her eyes. Nathan didn't object, just sat there with her.

Daley briefly opened her eyes to take a peek at the rest of the world. All of the people currently in the courtyard were gaping in shock. Well, except for Melissa, Jackson, Taylor, Eric, Abby, Jory and Ian. They were clapping and whistling. And of course Lex would too, if it was his lunch period and section of the school.

Daley just smiled and rested, knowing that everything would forever be okay.

1, 577 Words: Just a little ficlet for fun. There's a substantial lack of NathanDaley cuteness in F29DWN lately. Fill it up, folks!