Benielle: It's Complicated

Thirty-Three

Text To Cecile: Thanks! We look good. Later on this week would be nice.

*Ben posts the photo on his Instagram with the caption: 'Finally met a fan my age!'*

Text To Danielle: I miss you too. I'm coming over. See you in five.

*Ben makes his way over to Danielle's and knocks on the door*

*She opens it and quietly says hello*

Ben: "Hey. Um... I'm sorry about what happened last time."

*Ben leans against the dining table as Danielle curls back up on the couch with her blanket*

Danielle: "Why is it always up and down with us, Ben?"

*Danielle sounds really sad*

*Ben shrugs*

Ben: "It's never been easy for us. We're not a normal couple. We've had a long history."

Danielle: "A couple?"

Ben: "Well, a couple of friends, a couple of coworkers, and yeah I guess a couple of lovers too."

Danielle: "You lost it on me last time."

Ben: "Hey don't pin that on me."

Danielle: "Okay then. Sorry. It's my fault like everything else."

Ben: "I didn't say that. I already said I was sorry. And I was just focusing on the baby anyway..."

Danielle: "Don't hide behind the baby as an excuse. You and I both know that's bullshit."

Ben: "Seriously? You wanna go there? Did you not think it was going to stir up mixed emotions – both of us being there together with a baby?"

Danielle: "Oh my god Ben!"

*Danielle runs her fingers through her hair*

Danielle: "I understand you have this fantasy world where we're together living happily ever after, but you can't lash out at me because of it, because this is the real fucking world."

*Ben puts on a stern face and looks down*

Danielle: "You need to start actually making some decisions."

*Ben looks up, aggravated*

Ben: "Me?! As if I'm the only one involved in any of this! WAKE UP DANIELLE! I don't see you making any productive decisions either. It takes two to tango, you know!"

*Danielle tears up*

Danielle: "Is that why you're goddamn here Ben?! To tell me I'm wrong?"

Ben: "No. I'm here because I thought I missed you. But this is not what I was missing. We're not who and what we used to be."

*Ben starts heading for the door and Danielle begins to cry*

Danielle: "Ben wait, please!"

Ben: "We can't keep doing this. We can't."

*Danielle cries harder*

Danielle: "Please Ben! Ben I want you, I'm just so damn scared to be with you because nothing ever goes right."

*Danielle tries to catch her breath through her loud sobs*

Danielle: "I know it's what you're feeling too. Please... Don't walk out that door."

*Ben looks down and then over at Danielle, and slowly walks over to the couch and sits on the opposite end*

*Danielle buries her head in her blanket and cries hard*

*Ben slowly slides down to her end of the couch and puts his arm around her*

*Without looking up, Danielle continues crying into her blanket, so Ben just strokes her hair*

*Danielle looks up, her face red and soaked*

Danielle: "Every time something happens in my life, Ben, good or bad, you're the one I want to be holding me. Even after we fight, I want you there. Your arms around me is the only thing that gives me hope that everything will be alright."

*Ben keeps his voice quiet and low*

Ben: "Well that's why I'm here with you now."

*Danielle shifts herself to cuddle against Ben's chest*

Danielle: "On bad nights, when you're not here... they get really bad. And on good nights, they drain fast because you're not there to share all the joy with."

Ben: "Going to bed with someone and waking up with them next to you every morning... Sure I wish for that but I've never actually had it. You did. I think that's why you miss it that much more."

*Danielle sobs into Ben's chest*

Danielle: "I was supposed to have had everything figured out. I wanted it to work with Tim. I never thought I'd ever end up with a failed marriage."

*Ben holds her close*

Ben: "Well, no one does. He just wasn't the right guy."

Danielle: "It should've been you. The one to sleep next to me every night and wake up next to me every morning."

Ben: "I know it's hard but we both have to try and not dwell on the past. What's important right now is right here, me holding you right here."

*Ben's phone goes off*

*He lets go of Danielle quickly and takes it out of his pocket and sees there are messages from Cecile*

Danielle: "Who is it?"

Ben: "Not sure... I'll check it out later. I'm just going to turn my phone off."

*He shuts off his phone and places it on the coffee table, then brings Danielle in again*

*There's a long silence between them and then she pulls away to look up at him*

Danielle: "I don't want you to find someone else. I want to be your only one."

*Ben gulps*

Ben: "Of course..."

*Danielle buries her head back into his chest*