𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 (1)

𝟹𝟷. 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚒 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛

☆ • ☆ • ☆

the consistent knocks of someone's knuckles on daniel's front door made him get up from his spot on the couch, where he was watching brooklyn 99 after audrey had told him what a good show it was.

"i'm coming," he groaned as he slowly made his way to the door. he hadn't slept all night, he had just sat on his couch since he came back home.

"what?" he asked, his eyes filled with worry as he noticed christina's expression.

"she's awake, let's go."

sliding some slip on vans on his feet, daniel ran out after christina, who was on her way to corbyn's car.

"where's everyone else?" daniel asked.

"corbyn's sick, so i told him to sleep, and when i knocked, no one else answered the door so it's just the two of us." christina replied, speeding her way to the hospital. "and i would've waited but she's my best friend, i need to see her. and i know you need to too."

daniel nodded, staring out the window as his stomach fluttered at the thought of seeing audrey, especially after everything that had happened.

"you think she's gonna forgive me?" daniel asked quietly. "i don't even deserve her forgiveness."

christina shrugged. "no, you really don't, but i mean, it's audrey. she's too fucking nice, and even though that's a bad thing, it's what makes her herself. just go talk to her."

he stayed silent, and soon the pair reached the hospital, racing inside to see audrey.

after a conversation with the hospital staff, one of the nurses led them to the new room audrey was in since she woke up.

christina put a hand out, stopping daniel from walking inside. "can i go first? alone, please?"

daniel sighed. "yeah, that's fine."

"thank you."

☆

twenty minutes later, christina walked out, her eyes puffy and red. daniel stopped pacing back and forth and looked at her.

"were you crying?" daniel asked, alarmed. "what happened?"

"nothing," christina sniffled, shaking her head. "we just talked about some sad shit. go inside, she said she wanted to see you."

daniel stared at the door separating him and audrey, slowly walking towards them, taking a deep breath before he opened the doors.

and inside, there she was, sitting up the best she could, giving daniel a small but tired smile. "hey, daniel."

tears sparked in daniel's eyes, blinding him as he walked closer to the bed. "hey. how are you feeling?"

"like shit. but it's okay, at least i'm not dead. and nothing bad really happened to the other drivers so it's fine."

"i'm sorry." daniel said, a tear slowly making its way down his cheek. "i shouldn't have done anything i did and i was an idiot."

"i know."

"and i don't deserve your forgiveness, but can you please try? i- i really do wanna be with you."

"i don't know, daniel."

"audrey..."

"can we not talk about this right now? i think you should come back later. i'm gonna try to sleep."

"o-okay. goodnight."

audrey didn't answer, just stared at the flowers that dr. buckley had placed on the table to her right.

with one last look at her, daniel left the room.

☆

"what happened?" christina asked this time. "you were in there for like, five seconds."

"nothing," daniel snapped. "let's go home."

christina frowned. "no, talk to me, you're obviously struggling."

they walked back to the car in silence, but as soon as daniel got back inside, he whispered, "i think i lost her."

"what do you mean, daniel? she's right there," christina said, pointing inside the hospital.

"she didn't even talk to me, except for saying 'i know' after i told her i was sorry and telling me she was gonna go to sleep. i fucked up, tina, and i'm pretty sure i lost her."

christina sighed. "just give her some time, okay? i promise we'll figure something out."

they drove back to the apartments, christina trying to make some conversation but failing. daniel just sat there on his phone, not saying a word.

☆

as soon as he got back to his apartment, daniel changed into a different pair of clothes, putting his shoes on before leaving again.

he got in his car, driving to the nearest club, about fifteen minutes away.

his phone buzzed, and he looked down to look at the message.

christina☀️
where are you going?

daniel scoffed, throwing his phone in the passenger seat as he pulled up to the valet line, waiting for someone to take his car.

five minutes later, the valet showed up, and after grabbing his phone, daniel got out, tossing his keys to the man.

he walked inside, the music loud and people crowding the entire building.

walking straight to the bar, daniel ordered the strongest drink they had there, and gulped it down.

and another drink, and another drink, and another.

"what're you doing here alone, handsome?" a pretty brown haired girl asked daniel, who looked at her with narrowed eyes. "you look super lonely."

"i am."

the girl twirled some hair around her pointer finger, fluttering her lashes.

"wanna get out of here?"

daniel took a sip of his drink, watching the girl lick the rim of her margarita glass.

what am i doing?

her eyes met his once again, and he nodded, letting her pull him to the bathroom.