Adopted By The Script (Completed)

Chapter 11 - 2 Lanterns

Danny's P.O.V

A week later

"DAN! For Gods sake Dan open up!" With a stretch and a groan I pulled myself up from my bed, "DANNY!" Another shout called from outside, rubbing my eyes I stumbled towards the window and pushed it open.
"What!" I shouted, squinting in the day light.
"Dan it's 5 in the afternoon!" Mark called from my front garden.
"So! I was asleep!" I moaned
"Dan! Listen you seriously need to get you life together man! This is the third day this week that you've slept all day!" Glen ranted
"So what!" I rolled my eyes and began to shut the window
"Wait Danny! Listen, we totally understand how hard it must be for you right now but just because Iris has gone doesn't mean you can't still do things! You just need something to distract you that's all! Please just let us in and we can help you!" Mark explained. Slowly I shut the window, pulled on my slippers and padded down stairs.
"Come on it then." I sighed opening the front door and letting Mark and Glen in. "I'll put the kettle on."
Mark and Glen sat at the kitchen table in silence as I made a brew. Once the kettle had boiled and the tea bag was in the cups, I handed Mark and Glen they're cups. Yet another silence followed.
"Dan, we're sorry." Glen muttered
"No, no you guys are right, I can't mope around forever!" I sighed sipping my tea.
"We're glad you see it that way." Mark smiled and after 5 minutes said, "Right I need the loo." Placing his mug on the coffee table and leaving the room.
Glen and I sat in silence until Mark came running back into the room, "Danny! What's this?" He grinned holding out a slip of paper, "Oohh, a girls number!"
"Yeah well," I blushed snatching it back.
"Is that that girl from Starbucks? Dan have you called her yet?" Glen asked added more sugar to his drink.
"Um... Yeah..." I nodded awkwardly.
"Good for you man! When are you going out then?" Mark winked.
"Er... Today..."
"What!" Mark and Glen looked at each other. "When?"
"6..." I coughed looking down at the carpet.
"Wait Dan that's in half an hour!" Glen pointed out
"Oh yeah..."
"Well why aren't you.... Hang on a minute! Dan! You were going to stand her up weren't you! Cause if we hadn't of woken you up you'd of slept past it!" Mark huffed.
"Well..." I stammered
"Dan!" Glen wrinkled his forehead
"Look I'm sorry! I'm just not up to it at the moment!" I confessed
"Right okay no! You're going on that date! Now get your lazy arse of the sofa and go get dressed!" Mark smiled cheekily pulling me up from the sofa.
"Noooo... Mark get off!" I laughed as he pushed me up the stairs.
"You're going Dan it's for your own good!" Glen smiled blocking the bottom of the stairs so I couldn't go back down. Knowing I was never going to win this battle I slumped up the stairs.

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"And then she fell right over," Emma giggled at the end of her story but she suddenly stopped, "Ok, what's wrong?"
"What?" I fiddled with the breadsticks on the table.
"Come on Dan! You've hardly spoken all evening and it's clear your not even on the planet at the moment." Emma reached for my hand, "What's going on?" I told her everything. Everything from finding Iris to court last week. Why I told her - I'm not to sure.
"Woah. Ok. Um." Emma breathed out heavily.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have told you, it's a lot to take in." I sighed picking at my spaghetti.
"No it's fine," Emma shot me a flash of her pearly white teeth and her eyes sparkled with excitement, "Hey you know what might cheer you up?"
"What?" I grinned
"Well, this food may be fancy but boy is it disgusting, so I've got a much better place in mind." She winked and before I could ask what, Emma dumped a £20 note of the table, grabbed my arm and hurried out of the restaurant. Next thing I knew I was standing out side a tiny pizza place just around the corner.
"Papa Joe's?" I laughed reading the sign above the door.
"What?" Emma giggled, "The best pizza in all the land." She grinned putting on a awful Italian accent and hand gesturing all over the place.
"Fine, but if I get food poisoning." I joked as we entered the cafe.
"Emma!" A rather large hairy man with tomato sauce around his face and apron called from behind the counter.
"Hey Uncle Joe," Emma smiled flicking her fringe from her face and hugging the hairy Italian. "Danny this is Joe my Uncle and Joe this is Danny." I nodded and shook Joe's huge hand.
"Uncle?" I questioned nervously
"Don't worry, Joe's just a really close family friend." Emma laughed as relief crossed my face.
"Anyway, what can I get you kids?" Joe smiled showing a set of fillings rather than teeth.
"2 pepperonis and 2 cokes to go." Emma nodded as Joe rushed off to the kitchens. "Right, I just need to get a few things I'll be back in two seconds." Emma kissed my cheek quickly and scurried out of the pizzeria.

15 minutes later

Joe handed me the pizza boxes and cokes as I passed him the money.
"No, no, for family it's free." He smiled patting my arm. I smiled at him just as Emma ran through the door. "Thanks Joe!" She waved goodbye and hurried me out. "This way Danny." She winked again and guided me down the street. "Okay eyes closed now." She smiled reaching up and trying to cover my eyes but she wasn't quite tall enough to reach.
"Okay! I got it!" I laughed holding my arms out in front of me and being directed my Emma.
"Tadar!" She shouted as we stopped and I opened my eyes.
"Wow..." I gasped to find a picnic blanket laid out on the grass and covered with little tea lights (as it was dark now). A glass of red wine and two glasses sat on the blanket and another fleece type blanket was folded up obviously in case we get cold.
"Do you like it?" She sighed deeply.
"I love it, thank you." I gasped
"I'm starving! Pizza?" Emma said sitting down on the blanket.
"The best in all the land." I laughed following her. We stayed in the park for at least two hours laughing and chatting, eating and drinking. Once the food was finished we curled up together underneath the blanket and gazed up at the stars.
"Do you feel better?" Emma asked breaking the peaceful silence.
"More than better." I breathed heavily gazing into her deep sapphire eyes which shone in the moon light. Slowly I lifted her chin and gently kissed her soft lips.
"I have one more surprise for you." She grinned and pulled a carrier bag out from her hand bag. "Look." I took the bag and carefully unwrapped two packages. "What are they?"
"Lanterns." She replied, "You light them and then they take off into the sky."
"Here I've got my lighter," I smiled and pulled it out from my back pocket as Emma handed me a lantern. Carefully I lit them both. "On three." I said.
"1...2...3." We counted together, letting the lanterns go. It was a clear night and the glowing orange and red light could be spotting until it was far into the heavens.