What Really Happened

Chapter 78

Stefania POV

Nothing can prepare you for the pain of seeing someone you love breakdown and not being able to help or control it. It's like your heart breaks with them even though the pain isn't your own.

Danielle and I have just got back to filming for Station 19 and Barrett was right when she said that it's going to be tough. Both myself and Dani put all we can into portraying these characters, so much so that when they are fighting it feels like we are too. But when we get to see them being the happy and in love characters that everyone loves and misses, everyone's spirits lift around us. We can be happy. We can look forward to fans being happy.

I'm not saying that having a storyline that is about arguing and hurting isn't fun, because it is, it's nice to have something different and challenging to play about with but this is effecting Danielle more than I thought it would.

After I wrapped up for the day, I waiting in Danielle's trailer. Normally, if I finish before her, I would take the dogs home so she doesn't need to worry, but I had a gut feeling that she needed me today.

It had gotten dark by the time the trailer door opened and Danielle walked through. The lump in my throat grows bigger as I see the tears fall onto her cheek. No words are needed to be exchanged. I stand up and give her the biggest cuddle I possibly can.

"I needed this." Danielle's muffled and tear stricken words are just about clear enough for me to hear.

"I know bambina. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." I match the quietness of Danielle, trying to hold back my own tears so I can be there for her.

Danielle pulls away and settles on the couch, leaning her head back and huffing, "I hate this so much."

"I know." I sit next to her and place my hand on her knee.

"I hate how we have to pretend to be on completely different pages and disagree on everything."

"I know." I place my hand through her blonde hair and slowly and gently scratch at her scalp just how she likes it.

"I hate it." Dani's tears are slowly stopping now as she takes control of her breathing again.

"Me too." I wipe the last remaining tear from her cheek.

She looks at me and tilts her head ever so slightly, "how are you so calm?"

I chuckle, "outside I'm calm, inside I'm a wreck," I take a breath, "but what I remember through all of the heartache that our characters are going through, I still have you to come home to and I still have the same love for you that I did that very first day. Nothing can ruin that."

I spot the smile creeping onto her face, "you always know just what to say don't you?"

"No bambina, I just know you. And I understand how you are feeling." I sit back on the couch and wrap my arm around Dani's shoulders and pull her in for a hug.

Danielle nuzzles her head into my neck, "thank you."

There's a knock on the door as Barrett walks in with Jay just behind, "mind if we join?"

Danielle leans forward, "come and join our pit of sadness."

Both Barrett and Jay grab a cushion and sit on the floor. Jay leans forward and places a hand on Dani's other knee, "today was really shit but it's done now and tomorrow is a new day."

"Exactly," Barrett lays herself flat on the floor, "can we just go back to a few years ago when the 5 of us were joint at the hip and constantly laughing?"

I swallow down the last part of the lump in my throat, "got a time machine Doss?"

"Ah yes Stef," Barrett sits back up, "I'll just pull it out of my ass, clean it off a little and we'll be good to go."

Danielle laughed at the serious look on Barrett's face, "only if you use air freshener first."

Jay looks at me and we can't help but fall into a fit of laughter.

I stand up and take Danielle's hand into my own, "let's all go home and get some well deserved rest."

Barrett smirks, "or in other words, let me and Jay leave you two to go home so you can go at it like rabbits like normal?"

I gasp sarcastically and put my hand in front of my mouth, "us? No, never."

I hear Danielle tut next to me, "no B, that will not be happening tonight seeming as we all have to be here early tomorrow and you definitely need your beauty sleep."

"Not at all?" I completely disregard the diss made towards Barrett and frown at Danielle.

"Stef, not at all." Danielle kisses my cheek and starts grabbing her things.

Barrett stands up, "hang on a minute," now the penny has dropped, "you saying that I need beauty sleep?"

Jay cups Barrett's face into his hands, "don't listen to her, she's only jealous of your natural beauty."

We all walk to the parking lot with my hand interlocked with Danielle's and Jay's arm around Barrett's shoulders.

I'm glad I drove home because Dani can hardly keep her eyes open and both dogs are passed out on the back seats. We are both exhausted and I know that as soon as we get into bed, we will be asleep as soon as out heads hit the pillow.

--

The sun shines bright this morning and I can't help but notice it bounce off Danielle's golden hair as she skips through the lot singing a song she had made up on the car ride here.

"I see our Sunshine is back in full force," Jaina stands next to me as I sit on the steps outside my trailer as we both giggle at Dani, "how is she?"

The tone suddenly changed, "there's been some rough patches but she's getting through it. How are you?"

"I've missed this." Jaina doesn't take her eyes off the ever goofy Danielle who is still skipping and singing.

Barrett walks over to us with her shades on and arms crossed, "I'm still half asleep and she's full of energy, how is that even possible?"

Dani runs over to us, and sits on my lap, "guys, it's a beautiful day and we cannot let anything bring us down ok?"

I kiss her shoulder, "nothing will bring me down as long as I have you my love."

"Ok," Barrett hold up her hands, "too mushy for me especially this early."

Jaina chuckles, "kind of makes me want to throw up a little."

Dani looks at me and smiles, "aww babe, do you think this will make them even more jealous?" She grabs my face and kisses me with so much passion yet cheekily with a little lip bite.

All I can hear is Barrett shout "nope" and the next thing I know, it's just myself and Danielle sat on these steps with no one else around.

"No matter how much I love this and I love you," I stand both myself and Danielle up, "we do have work to do."

Danielle stands up straighter than before, "yes we do and I'm ready for it."