You'll Never Be Alone [mpreg|sequel]

i

Dan stares into his cup, coffee going stale and cold the longer he stares at it without the actual intention of drinking it.  He can't even will his eyes to look up, to see the woman he's been half in love with for nearly two years.  The woman who is moving across the world to better herself, to get away from the craziness that's become their life.

And he gets it, he does.

But if anything, he hadn't expected her to be the one leaving.

"You'll take care of him, right?"

At this he finally peers up and takes in her features, the awful regret in her eyes as she says this.

"Of course," he says without hesitation.

He's not surprised at her request.  It's no secret she still loves Eddie.  Maybe not as intensely as before, but even he can still see it.  He's not jealous.  Eddie is one of the most selfless man he's ever met.  Had Eddie not been taken, he might have even considered them.

What they have now, though, a friendship created by their shared love for Anne is better than what he could have hoped for.  Eddie is like a brother to him and he wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.

So yes, he will watch over Eddie, Venom, the kids, Abel, everyone.

Because fuck, he's not the one going anywhere.

"I love you," she whispers one last time as she gets up and presses a kiss to his stubbled cheek.

He wishes he could say it back.  Say those three little words he's said in the past before.

He finds that he can't.

The last words she whispers are a soft, "I'm sorry," before she pays the tab and leaves.

He's not sure if that hurts his pride more or his heart.  The fact that she knows how torn he feels.  He won't stop her, though.  That's not him.

What's sad is that they both knew this would have happened sooner or later.

They both knew that they were no longer in love.

Not like that.

Not anymore.

And with her gone he feels like he can breathe a little bit easier.

Yet he feels numb.

Eventually he gathers the courage to get up and leave.  Cup of coffee untouched since Anne told him she was leaving.

With a sigh he leaves the cafe.  He doesn't know where he's going.  All he's aware of is the painful ache in his chest.  He briefly wonders if it's a heart attack.  No, this is much worse.  This is heartbreak.

He has to stop.

His heart beating a little to fast and not at all.  His breaths come in short pants of panic.  He lost her.

Tears burn his eyes as he presses his back to the wall of a building in an alleyway.

The heels of his hands cover his eyes as he sniffs.

He never had her.

He knows that now.  He always knew that.

"I loved you," he whispers, just a little brokenly.

For a moment he let's himself be weak.

For a moment he let's a tear or two roll down his face.

For just a moment he let's the pain wash over him.

Slowly he pulls his hands away and looks in front of him.

A scream dies in the back of his throat as something wraps around his head, covering his mouth, parting his lips and sliding down his throat until he's gagging.

Dan claws at his throat, forcing two fingers down to get whatever slid down out.

But he's too late.

He feels it settle and it's not going anywhere.