1. Hit or Miss

Chapter Eighty-Three

I made it through a few states before letting Dan drive. It was about a mile outside of Iowa when we switched. It was definitely dark and since I had been driving so long I hadn't noticed my eyes getting tired until Dan was the one whom offered.

I was now propped up under his arm as he quietly just put it in cruise control. I had warned him sometimes it's not gonna happen with my old-timer truck, but it seemed to like Danny just fine. I had my hand on his chest and just watched the lights go by. Occasionally I would look up at him and wonder what he would be thinking of. His face had a peaceful, calm, expression as his eyes would light up each passing street lamp. I sighed after a moment realizing I was just as comfortable and Dan must have heard me.

He didn't say he had, but he showed it. Dan's hand tilted up and fingers aimlessly combed my hair. I then dragged out a yawn and was almost annoyed I was tired. I had really wanted to stay up and keep him company, but the way he was trying to just let me sleep seemed he didn't mind this. I looked up at him blinking longer than usual and his glance caught it. I felt a small rumble from him snickering at my fight like a child.

"I see what you're trying to do, and you know it's unavoidable. Just sleep, I'm okay!" Dan smiled down at me for a second. I scowled up at him and shook my head. Another yawn betrayed me before I had a chance to even respond.

"I wanna stay awake with you! I'm always dead by this point! We never get to have like real late-night conversations cause I'm always comatose to a point you can probably throw me into bed by now!" I whined without caring how I sounded at him. Dan smiled like he had been amused at my small tantrum.

"Okay, so you're mad cause you're able to sleep at night?" Dan giggled knowing he was making a point to have me see, I sounded dumb.

"Maybe!" I snapped back with a laugh. Dan shook his head and glanced back down as he switched lanes.

"Must be nice, you do know I only sleep at night with you, right?" Dan shrugged and I thought about it again. Three months we had been apart. It struck me.

"Wait if that's the case then, like, so you haven't slept well since then? No wonder why you've been so lazy!" I laughed getting it. Dan snickered and still shook his head.

"If you'd like to call it lazy, sure! Honestly with you back around and things finally okay, that's me more relaxed, not lazy so much. Yes though, uh, with how much work I had and such with tracking, shooting, recording, all that fun shit, I did not sleep. I'm shocked I haven't been just drooling in a coma as you drove longer. Seriously." Dan's expressing turned a little more serious. I hadn't noticed that we indeed were in our first late-night conversation I requested to have.

I sat up a little more so I was resting on his shoulder and not so much into his side. Dan stopped stroking my hair until I settled again.

"How many days?" I asked knowing he needed no further explanation of what I was getting at. Dan sighed and glanced to me.

"Well um, I would do two, sleep one, two, and sleep one, ya know just pure unhealthy hours!" Danny's face fell deeper into a hurt look. He knew it wasn't just him upset with how he managed himself. I watched him glance back again to me and wait for the yelling I was sure. I instead took a different route. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my forehead into his temple. I breathed him in just stroking his hair as well. Dan sniffled a little and I hushed him softly.

"Shh, baby, I'm here. No more restless nights, no more nightmares, I'm right here. We can both sleep sound." I softly kissed from his temple down to his neck. I stopped there and snuggled into the crook of it. Dan rested his head on mine as I stroked his hair still. "It's gonna be okay, Danny, I got you baby." I whispered softly.