Now You See Me: Daniel Atlas

Chapter Fourteen: Run Run Run!

The Horsemen shoot down the fire escape. With their feet on the ground the group take off running through the streets of Mardi Gras. Just like they hoped the training Jack rigorously put everyone through to make sure they had enough stamina for the final chase was actually working and nobody felt overly exhausted. Instead Carly was actually having a blast, weaving through the streets following Daniel. Henley and Merritt ran off in one direction while Jack went in another.

Daniel held Carly's hand tightly as they weaved through the mass of people, hoping to get lost in the crowd. The two find Jack in a police uniform and go to run towards him when a police siren goes off startling everyone. Looking back, Carly sees Rhodes standing on top of a police car. Spotting the magicians, Rhodes jumps off and starts in their direction. Daniel quickly pulls Carly after him and the two run down an alley towards a high wall.

Before Carly could explain that there was no way she'd be able to get over the wall, Daniel grabs her and pushes her up where she grabs the ledge and pulls herself up and over the wall. Daniel pulls himself on top of the wall when he stops suddenly.

"Stop!" Agent Dray shouts and points her gun up at the shaggy haired pretty boy who had his hands up.

The next thing Carly hears is a gunshot and the sound of her own scream as Daniel falls of the ledge. He grabs onto her hand again, running off with her, but Carly couldn't comprehend what just happened, worried that he was hurt. Getting to the back of a building, Carly pulls Daniel aside and the two kneel behind a trash bin. Daniel just lets her pull him around but looks at her confused.

"What are you doing?" Daniel starts to ask, but is interrupted.

"Where did she hit you?" Carly asks unable to stop the tears that had started to fall down her cheeks. Her hands roamed his shoulder and chest, ready to feel either a bullet hole or blood. He grabs her wrists roughly making her look up at him with wide eyes.

"We don't have time for this!" He shouts at her and she recoils slightly from him. "Let's go!"

He pulls her up and starts to run off again. Carly follows after him, her wrists sore from how rough he grabbed her, they were also still healing from the tight cuffs she endured just days prior. As they ran, she just followed after him, but part of her almost wanted to just stop and let herself get caught at this point. After over a year together, he was still the same old Daniel. He didn't change one bit. She had to remember that with him it was all an act all the time.

Making it to the rendezvous point, Carly follows Daniel in but just stands off to the side while he collapses on the couch next to Henley, his arm draping over the back of the couch behind her. Carly's eyes dart between the two before she feels tears start to well up in her eyes again.

"Did it work?" Henley asks and looks over at Daniel who nods confidently. When she looks over at Carly, her eyes go wide at the sight of her bloodshot eyes. "What happened to you?!"

"Nothing," Carly says with a shrug. "I'm going to my room."

With that Carly goes into her room and shuts the door. Her back slides her down the door and she sits there with her knees pulled to her chest and head in her hands. If anyone were to walk past the door they'd hear her sniffling on the other side.

"I'm such an idiot," She whispers to herself.

*~*

Later that evening, after changing into something comfier and letting her hair down, Carly leaves the confides of her room to go into the kitchen. Standing in front of the sink she puts on the freezing cold water and takes a deep breath before shoving her wrists under the stream. The cold water pricked at her skin and the pressure made the bruises forming a little sore, but after a few minutes, her wrists were numb enough for her to wrap them up in gauze bandages to prevent herself from picking at the scabs.

Since she didn't eat with the others earlier, Carly searches for something easy to heat up as she was already in the kitchen. As she's searching through a cupboard, she hears someone come into the kitchen and stand behind her. Already having a feeling who it was, Carly turns around the face the shaggy haired pretty boy.

"I'm sorry," He says quickly, his eyes darting to anywhere other than her own.

"Why?" Carly asks and crosses her arms. "You were just keeping me in line, it's fine."

"It's not fine," Daniel says and takes a step towards her. She wanted to step back but couldn't since she was already up against the counter. "I yelled at you and I shouldn't have."

"I know better now," Carly says with a shrug. "It's whatever."

As she pushes off the counter to walk back to her room and away from this conversation, Daniel grabs her wrist to stop her. She goes to pull away, but he grips her wrist tighter making her wince which is when he finally let go. Taking a step away from him, she looks him in the eyes, her lip quivering slightly.

"Stop hurting me... please," Her voice was quiet but Daniel heard her. She takes a shaky breath when he doesn't say anything and continues talking. "I thought she shot you... I really did. And I get that you're an illusionist and all of this is just one big act to you... but it wasn't to me."

"Carly," Daniel interrupts before she could continue. This time she doesn't step back as he approaches her and takes the opportunity to get as close as she'd let him. "I'm sorry, I truly am. In the moment I was stressed about getting caught and you getting more hurt than you already are. It was unfair of me to shout at you the way I did. I'm sorry."

At that point Daniel had gently taken her hands in his own and then kissed both of her wrists lightly. When he looks up at her face, he just sees her staring at his chest, not daring to look up. He takes the time to admire her features.

She almost never wore her hair down, so he could see just how long it was cascading over her shoulders to stop right below her ribcage. Curtain bangs fell into her face, covering one of her blue eyes. She had taken off her makeup, showing off her slightly blemished skin, but that didn't take away from her beauty. She had dark circles from the long work days and freckles that lined her nose to the tops of her cheeks.

Daniel had looked at her for over a year, and was always able to tell that she was attractive, but right now in front of him, she was vulnerable and she was beautiful.

"I love you," Daniel whispers barely audible, but that makes her snap her head up to look at him finally. He gazes down at her softly, not daring to look away as he smiles at her. "I just want you to know that."

He lets go of her wrists and is about to take a step back, ready for the inevitable rejection, when she follows after him and wraps her arms around his torso, burying her face in his chest. He's taken aback at first, but wraps his arms around her shoulders, holding her close.

"I've waited so long to hear you say that," Carly speaks in his chest before pulling away slightly to look up at him. "I love you."

With that he tenderly grabs her face and the two stand there for a few moments before Daniel finally takes the initiative and leans in to kiss her. Their lips had only barely started to touch when Merritt walks into the kitchen and letting out a loud exclamation making them pull away from one another abruptly.

"Get a room you two," Merritt says with a wave of his hand before maneuvering around the kitchen to find something to eat for himself.

"Will do," Daniel says and grabs onto Carly's hand before pulling her out of the kitchen and towards her room. Merritt whistles at them as they run off.

Once inside the bedroom with the door shut, Daniel grabs her face again and kisses her roughly pressing her up against the door. She lets him manhandle her while she holds onto the front of his shirt, pulling him closer to herself. His hands roam down to wrap around her waist, slightly lifting her off the ground making her wrap her own arms around his neck as he starts to pepper her face with kisses.

"I love you so much," He whispers, finally taking a moment to catch his breath, pressing his forehead up against her own. "Please... please be mine."

"I was always yours to begin with," Carly says and resumes kissing him.

It was going to be a long night.