Unlovable

Chapter 12: ☺Happy ☺

It'd been almost a month since she left home. A month free of abuse, hurt feelings and sadness. It didn't sound like much, but a month of contentment was beginning to make Darcie feel like a whole new person.

A happy person.

Darcie walked through the streets of Oswego, dropping off job applications and looking for a pay phone to call Kim. Her friend had to be worried sick about her by now. The last thing Darcie wanted was for Kim to lose any sleep on account of her.

"Diane!" she heard behind her.

She paid the name no attention and kept walking, forgetting momentarily that Diane was who she was supposed to be now.

"Diane! Wait up!" the voice called again, but closer this time.

A hand on her shoulder made Darcie jump nearly out of her skin.

"Woah," the same voice said. "It's just me."

Darcie turned around and met Roger's eyes, a slight blush staining her cheeks at her reaction.

"I've been calling your name for the last block and a half," Roger said, slightly out of breath but still with a smile. "You must've been lost in thought."

"Something like that," she smiled back. "I was actually looking for a payphone. I have a call to make."

"Here," Roger said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Use mine."

Darcie smiled and took the phone from his hand.

"It'll only be a minute," she promised as she dialed Kim's number and waited for an answer.

"Darc? Is that you?" Kims voice answered on the third ring.

"It's me," Darcie answered softly, knowing that Roger was just a few steps away from her.

"Thank God! I've been worried sick."

"I'm fine, Kim. Really," Darcie assured her.

"I have those papers for you. All I need is an address to send them to."

Darcie quickly gave her the cabins mailing address.

"Tell me everything," Kim requested. "How's the cabin? How's the people in small town Virginia? Are you going stir crazy yet?"

Darcie laughed lightly.

"The cabin's great. It's just what I needed it to be. And the people here are very welcoming," she said as her eyes shot over to where Roger was pretending not to listen to her conversation. "I don't have a lot of time to talk, but I wanted to let you know that I'm okay."

"Is this a number where I can reach you?" Kim asked quickly.

"No. This is a friend's number. I'll call you soon."

"Take care of yourself, Darc," Kim said softly.

"You, too." She replied to her friend before ending the call and handing the phone back to Roger.

"Thank you," she said to him with a soft grin.

Roger said nothing in response and shoved his phone back in his pocket.

"So what has you out and about today?" he asked conversationally as he rocked on his feet.

Darcie held out the stack of applications she had picked up and filled out from town.

"Money," she answered with a smile.

"Mind if I tag along while you drop these off?" he asked slowly.

Darcie shrugged in response and then the two of them began to walk together.

They dropped off a few applications, stopped for ice cream and then Roger walked her to the neighborhood park where he pushed her on the swings and told her stories about his childhood.

Three hours and a million laughs later, Roger walked Darcie back to her car.

"This was fun," Darcie said as she opened the driver's side door and prepared to climb inside.

"It was," Roger agreed.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, knowing that if he didn't keep them under control he would do something stupid- Like grab and kiss the beautiful woman in front of him.

"Are we still on for tomorrow night?" he asked, referring to the dinner they agreed on almost a week before.

Darcie nodded and climbed into the car.

"Instead of take out, I'll make you dinner," she told him with a smile.

"Sounds great," Roger smiled. "Have a good night."

"You, too."

Roger gently closed the door behind her. Then, with a small wave, Darcie drove off and toward her little cabin in the mountains.

*~*~*

A month.

It had been damn near a month and Harold still hadn't heard a thing from Darcie.

He didn't want it to come down to this. He wanted to find her on his own and leave his marital problems his own dirty secret. But what was the point of having such a high profile job if you can't use the system to your advantage sometimes?

Harold walked into his Co-Captain's room with a forced frown and fake tears.

"Kincaid. What's the problem?" the man asked with concern.

"It's my wife," he replied sadly. "I think she's been kidnapped."