Dear Diary

Chapter 23

Leia just stayed in the crook of his arm, cuddled up against his chest, using his right pec as a pillow, the sheet pulled over them.  "God this feels good," she thought.  She heard his words, "I love you," and she melted.  Not that he had never told her that before.  It was just that there was something different about it this time.  She couldn't put her finger on exactly why it was different, but it was.  When she heard him say it, she just threw an arm over him and stayed there.  He didn't even think anything of it when she didn't say anything back.  Just the fact that she was laying on him the way she was, was enough for him to know that they were on the same page.

"Leia?"

"Mmmm, yeah babe?"

"You know I didn't say that because of what just happened, right?"

She looked up at him, "of course I know that.  I hadn't even thought that."

"Okay, good," and he kissed the top of her head.  "How's your ankle?"

"At the moment it's okay.  I guess we'll find out soon enough."  She went to get up from the pull out bed, and fell back down just about as fast as she tried to get up.  "Well, obviously not good.  Do you think you can help me get to the bathroom?"

"Of course."  Danny ripped the sheet back off himself.  After Leia had sucked him dry, they were both under the sheet, just laying there.  He also had to put himself back into his jeans.  Once he was situated, he walked around to the other side of the bed, bent down, put her left arm around his neck, and his right arm around her waist.  "I got you darlin'.  I ain't gonna let you fall."  He realized what he said, and remembered the last time he called her that.  She took his head off.  "I mean, I didn't mean darlin'.  I. . ."

Leia cut him off, "Danny, it's okay.  Darlin' is just fine by me."

"Okay, c'mon.  Let's go," and he walked her to the bathroom.  She finished up and needed his help getting up again.  When he came back in, he took a look at her ankle, and it looked a little bruised.  "Leia, let me take you to the ER, please?  I know you have sprained your ankles like a million times, but I don't like the coloring.  Can we just make sure you are okay?"

"You're not going to let it go until I say yes, are you?"  She was being a complete smartass in her tone.

"Nope.  So you might as well face facts.  You're going."  Danny got her back to the bed, and sat her down.  "I'll go get you some clothes and then I'll take you.  Everything still in the same drawers?"  

"Yes.  Danny, thank you.  You don't owe any of this to me, but thank you."

"Oh, I think I do.  And you're welcome.  I'm always going to take care of you."  With that he went upstairs to her bedroom.  "Let's see, top right, panties.  Second right, bras. Socks, top left.  T-shirts, bottom two.  Jeans, in closet."  As he headed back downstairs, he suddenly remembered what it was like living with her all those years ago, and he was amazed that he hadn't forgotten where and how she kept things.  He was smiling.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing.  You'll think I'm crazy."

"I already do."

"Just now, going through your room.  I remember when it was our room.  Not this place, but you know what I mean.  I miss that Leia.  And I know something like that is a long way off.  But, I do.  I miss us."

"I know.   I do too.  I have the whole time you've been gone."

He just stared at her, smiling, then lifted his left hand to her face, "Leia, I am so sorry.  You have no idea.  All the time we've lost, and all because I was stupid.  I can't make up the time.  I know that.  But I hope you give me the chance to make up for the hurt and pain.  You don't have to tell me now.  I know I'm asking a lot.  But this, you and me, it feels just as right now as it did when we were kids."

Leia didn't say a word.  She just stared at him.  She had so many things in her head and her heart that she wanted to say, but she just couldn't get them out.  She wondered if they were even worth saying given that she was mute at present.  She just let him talk and stare at her.  "This is why you fell in love with him in the first place," she thought.  His ability to make her feel as if no one else in the world mattered, that he was there for one reason, and that reason was her.  She wished he hadn't done what he did.  It still bothered her, and she was afraid to trust him.  But they weren't exactly getting any younger.  And then she thought, "what if he finds out the shit I was doing when he came back?  What if he finds out about Bret?  About Joseph?  About me basically slutting it around town.  Will he still want me?"  Her thoughts were suddenly broken by him.

"Babe, you ready?  Let's go get you checked out okay?"

"Yeah.  Yes, I'm ready," and off they went.

Thankfully, Leia was right.  It was just a horrible sprain.  The bruise came from hitting the edge of the step stool when she fell.  Danny was relieved her ankle was fractured or broken.  But because the sprain was so bad, they put Leia in an air cast and gave her crutches.  They also told her no stairs.  As Danny put her up in his truck, she started asking questions.  "But how am I supposed to shower and sleep?  I have stairs in my house."  

"Don't worry about that darlin'.  I got you," Danny pipped up, "I'll just have to carry you up there."

"But Danny. . . "

"No buts."

The doctor had also written her out of work for a week because she couldn't drive given it was her right ankle, and he had given her some powerful pain killers that would certainly knock her out.  She wasn't worried about that so much as she could work from home if she had to.  She was worried about being alone.

"You're not going to be alone.  I told you, I'm always going to take care of you."  He reached over with his right hand and laced it with her left, pulling the top of her hand to his lips and giving her a soft kiss.

"You don't have to do that."

"I know I don't have to.  I want to.  Is that so bad?"

She smiled.  "No.  Not at all."

When they pulled back into Leia's driveway, they were both relieved to be back.  Danny pulled her out of the truck and helped her get her bearings on her crutches.  He stayed behind her.  "Oh wait, shit.  Danny, get my keys out of my pocket."

"Well ain't this sexy," he joked as he put his hand in her right front pocket to grab her house keys.  

"Oh you, goof."  She stopped short in her speech.  And got a weird look on her face.

"Uh, Lei.  You okay?  Did I do something?"  She didn't answer.  "Leia?"

"No, you didn't.  What's that?  On the door?"

Danny got closer to the door.  There was a piece of blue paper taped to her door, and in large red marker, it read, "HE'S MINE!"  Danny pulled it off the door and through gritted teeth said only one word, "BITCH!"