Long Time, No See

IIII: I "Rekindling"

Shorter chapter...

Denise

The iconic sound of the gavel starts off my favorite show in the world as my two beloved detectives come on screen surveying a crime scene before them.

Encompassed within a light blanket, with a plate holding some day-old pepperoni pizza, I sit languidly on my couch binge-watching episodes of 'Law and Order: SVU'.

AKA the best show in the world.

Just as the episode starts to get interesting, I hear a slight, inconsistent knocking on my front door, behind me. I groan having to tear my eyes away from the screen to look for the remote and pause the episode to go answer the door. 

"I'm coming, just wait sheesh!" I call when the knocking becomes more incessant. 

With no concern for my appearance or who might be on the other side, I fling the door open coming face-to-fist with the intruder's raised knuckle. My head flies backward from it just as the person drops their hand letting me see his face.

Which as soon as I do, I go to close the door.

Clad in a blue suit with white, skinny pinstripes and a box underneath his armpit; Denver Hendricks stands at my front door.

The swing of the door is interrupted by Denver thrusting his left foot forward to catch the motion of the door effectively taking the brunt of the force in which I used to slam the door.

Using his right hand to grab and steady the door, he stomps inside determinedly, foregoing my disapproval and marching into the living room of my apartment with a slight limp that briefly makes my lips curl upwards sadistically.

I follow after him having slammed my door and meet him looking around the room before his eyes find mine... And then the rest of my body. It's then I remember the old, white and extremely tight tank top I'm wearing alongside my drawstring short, black shorts and white trainer socks. My cheeks heat up - although this can't be seen thanks to my skin color- and backtrack quickly looking for my long, black cardigan that I have hanging by the front door.

When I've put it on and walk back into the living room Denver's head flies back to me and he smirks seeing what I've put back on, trying in his defense to hide his amusement.

However, I'm not impressed.

"What... Are you doing in my apartment?" I question calmly, yet the misleading tone of my voice hides the wrath I feel bubbling in my system at this gross invasion of my privacy.

His smile drops at my words and instead of answering he instead steps near the half wall disconnecting the living room from the kitchen and places the cardboard box from underneath his armpit on to the surface of it.

When he's put it down safely he turns to me again recapturing my attention, that had been diverted to the package he'd just left in my apartment. 

"I hope you don't mind, I know you said you didn't want my help but I got it for you." He says gesturing towards the box using his left hand with a quick wave in its direction.

I close my eyes and take in some deep breaths for a couple of seconds, to just calm down and look at the situation that I'm in again.

Despite everything that I said to him yesterday he is STILL SOMEHOW not getting the message that I don't want to see him!

And how does he know which apartment is mine? Or where I live?!

"Are you stalking me!?" I blurt out after that thought crosses my mind. 

His head shakes wildly whilst his hazel eyes widen with shock.

"No! I already knew you lived here from our conversation in the club," he affirmed although how he knew which apartment was mine still stands to question. 

"And what? You went around knocking on all doors until you found my apartment?" I ask skeptically, disbelieving in the idea that he just stumbled on my apartment door number twenty-five of ninety-nine...On the twelfth floor... Located in the eastern wing, all in one go.

"No, I will admit I posed as an old friend to your doorman and he had no problem directing me to your room. It was all a bit too easy if you ask me, you might want to talk to him about that." He says shrugging his shoulders and leaning against the half wall.

I shake my head disapprovingly, but I know that I won't talk to sweet, old Jerry, he's so trusting despite being a doorman. 

"What are you doin' here Denver?" I stress, my every word grating through my tightly clenched teeth whilst I glare holes into his head.

He moves from the half wall to my small couch, quickly getting comfortable on it. 

"We need to talk." That's all he says, refusing to turn in my direction.

I walk around to face him and he pats the couch place next to him with a bright smile on his face, but I return his gesture with a stoic face and a finger pointed towards the door that he came through telling him to leave.

When he notices this he sighs and pinches the junction between his eyebrows before throwing his hand in the direction of the box he placed behind him over his shoulder.

"Please just let me talk to you, I came here to do two things, give you the laptop and talk to you." He looks dead at me after saying that focusing his eyes on nothing else when he continues. 

"I'm not leaving without talking to you."

My mind is reeling with this confession.

Firstly, did this fool just say he bought me a laptop?

Secondly, what does he mean he's not leaving, if I want you out- you're OUT.

But I decided to just deal with this and let him speak his peace. Entertaining his demands I sit on the same couch but make a show of sitting very far from him and trying very hard to put as much space between us as possible.

He sees this and shakes his head slightly amused but I notice the sadness behind his expression at my actions. Then his focus is on me again and he clasps his hands in front of him.

"Well, firstly, thank you for listening to me today. I wanted to also apologize for my actions yesterday when you were obviously very upset and frustrated with me. It didn't help, my trying to make light of the situation and I just want to apologize for that" he said with a sincerity that made me resent him slightly less. I nod my head once in response, implying my acceptance of his apology and he returns this with a large smile that makes me feel fuzzy for a second.

What the hell?

The smile leaves his face shortly after and he looks me dead in the eyes before starting his next sentence. "Now on to the heavier stuff".

I wave my hand, nod my head, and then tell him what he wants to hear.

"Go on."