**A Bullet In The Heart**

Chapter 15

Daniel P.O.V

"Where are you going so soon?" I asked Elna when I saw her sneaking out of bed. We were just having a lazy day in bed today, I guess I must have drifted off during the movie,

"I'm heading to the tracks, I'll be back in the morning,"

"I know you're going to the tracks, but don't you usually go later?"

"Yea I know, but I want to go earlier today,"

"It's not me right?" Ever since I told Rob that I'll be proposing today I've been paranoid. What if she rejects me? What if she tries making excuses? What if we start fighting right after the wedding and we get a divorce?

Thoughts similar to these have been going through my mind ever since yesterday. I love Elna with all my heart, and I know she feels the same about me, I want this to work out. I want her to be the person I live and spend the rest of my life with, she's perfect for me, but what happens when we fall out of love? I don't want something to happen that'll cause that,

"What? No! Of course not! I promise it's not you, I just have a lot on my mind right now," I sat up and looked at her. I know she's been thinking of a lot of things recently and I know she's worried about her family. I also know that it must be a huge effort trying to fit in again, to have a normal life again with people she's known her entire life and the people she loves after she hasn't been around them for years,

I gave her a soft smile and motioned her to come to me. She crawled onto the bed and curled into my side, "Talk to me, love. What's happening in that head of yours?" I flicked her head as I asked the question to lift the mood, I've waited for her to tell me on her own, but she hasn't opened up yet,

"I don't want to bother you with it, you have your own problems,"

I tilted her chin so that she looks at me before I pressed my lips onto hers. "Elna, I'm here. I want you to tell me. You need to talk to me for us to work, communication is key to everything. You told me that once. What's up?"

She sighed and started playing with the duvet, "It's nothing serious; I'm just finding it a bit weird that Lizzy isn't herself around me anymore. It's like I'm a stranger to everyone,"

"You have to remember, Elna, you were gone for four years. People change. Elizabeth is mad at you cause you just left and you hurt people. I forgave you the moment I saw you, but some people just take a bit longer to understand."

"I know," She frowned up at me, "but it's like she has this hatred aimed towards me. I know it's weird, but it feels like she- I don't know- like she hates me on a deeper level."

"She'll come around, I know she will. But it isn't just your sister that's bothering you, what else is on your mind?"

"Well, there is you guys not wanting me to help with my dad's gang. It feels like you guys are hiding something from me,"

"We're not hiding stuff from you-okay well yeah we are-"

"Daniel!"

"Only to keep you from snooping! I promise. It's just to protect you. They don't want you involved because they don't want you hurt again, and neither do I, I love you too much. We lost you once and that will never happen again, understand?"

"Daniel-"

"Do you understand, Elna?"

"Yea," She sighed, "But could you please tell the guy you have following us to stop then, please. It's starting to creep me out now, I'll be careful and I'll stay out of the gang's stuff, I promise,"

"Wait, what guy?"

"The guy in the black van," I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion trying to rack my brain to remember anything that Rob or Jack said about having her followed, but they didn't know she was in LA 'till yesterday,

"Elna, we didn't have someone follow you..." I started off carefully,

"What?"

"The next time you see the van, tell me, okay?"

"Will do because it's starting to remind me too much of Paul, he used to follow me around and in the end, it leads to me leaving, I don't want to leave again,"

"Then don't," I said kissing the top of her head and gave her a hug,

"I love you,"

"I love you too. Come on, you still have a few hours left before you need to go to the tracks, I want to take you somewhere,"

*****

"It's beautiful!" She exclaimed when she took the blindfold off. I convinced her to put it on to add to the surprise, I want everything to go perfect.

I texted Nathan, Rob, and Jack to set up a picnic basket with a blanket and a few pillows before we arrived and I'm almost a hundred percent sure they're still hanging around here, which adds to my nerves,

"I found it a few months ago, you should see it in Spring,"

"Well if it looks like this in Summer I can't imagine how it looked, must be amazing!"

"It is,"

I tried covering how nervous I was, but obviously, I wasn't doing a good job,

"Okay, spill, what's wrong? You've been fidgety since the car, even blindfolded I could pick it up,"

I chuckled and walked towards her, "Elna," I started and pulled her to the blanket,

"When we were in high school, I admit, I was the biggest jackass under the sun. I had the shittiest excuse for what I did to you, but every word was true. I didn't know how to tell you that I liked you, hell I was terrified. Just as terrified as I am now to do this, but if telling you how I felt in high school taught me anything, it was that it was the best decision of my life, and I will regret it forever if I don't do this,"

Rather now than never,

I got down on one knee and pulled the box from my pocket and when I looked up I saw Elna with huge eyes as realization started to fill in on the both of us,

"I've never been good with words, even though I try my best, but Elna, me not being with you would be the biggest mistake I would ever make. You make me happy. You make me feel whole and I would be stupid to let you go," I looked into her eyes making out a few tears as I opened the small box in front of me, "Elna, would you make me the happiest man and finally be my bride in white?"