Magical Sunset || Nicole

Nicole nodded a bit in reply before stoking the fire a bit so as to give it more life. She then sat back and looked at Danny after he spoke. "Danny, I get that you can't tell them everything and there are things you don't want to talk about, but telling your family that your ace when its all going down for you doesn't help things." she said, her tone indicating that she was speaking from experience.

"I know that." he replied seriously. It was hard for him to actually express what he was talking about. He never talked much about his work, because sometimes there was nothing to talk about.
"I did talk about things that were bothering me or getting me down, but it doesn't help if you change the topic and try to seduce me, just to make me feel better. I can't do it, when my mind's somewhere else. That's when she got upset most. I never knew what she wanted. If I didn't talk about it she said I wouldn't love her, or bottle things up and when I did talk about it she didn't want to hear it."

Danny thought about it for a moment. It sounded confusing and still like it was all his fault. Truth be told, he didn't know whose fault it was that things broke down between them and they seperated. He just didn't know and he had been beating himself up about it for a long time. "Sounds weird and absolutely silly now, saying it. Like I didn't know her at all."

Nicole watched Danny as he said that to her, clearly thrown for a loop. "Danny....I'm not doing any of that." she said to him, the confusion clear in her voice when she that to him.

"I know you don't." Danny replied, looking at her. "But Anna did, or she tried. I know she was just trying to help, but... made me think that the relationship with her was all about one thing in the end. But then again... what do I care, now? It's over."

Then he took her hand and placed a soft kiss on it, smiling a little again.
"I have my own skeletons in my closet... she's one of them I guess. But I got a chance at a better relationship." he said to her. "And I promise you... I won't blow it this time. And if I do... you can shoot me."

Nicole listened to Danny as he said that to her, then nodded a bit. "I know you won't Danny......you really want me to shoot you?, you do know of the training I received?" she asked while looking at him.

Danny looked at Nicole, raising his eyebrows for a moment and then laughed a little.
"Sure I do. At least I know you won't miss." he replied in a teasing tone. He was joking of course, but he would deserve being shot if he messed things up with Nicole.

No, it would be fatal if she would miss and just injure him. What would his life be worth if he messed this up?, his chance at happiness with the only woman who was able to pull him out of a dark place.

Nicole watched Danny as she said that, then broke into a giggle fit after he spoke to her, it was true that she wouldn't miss. Nicole was thankful that there was a range near where she lived, which she went to at least twice a week and practiced for an hour.

Danny watched Nicole for a moment, then laughed with her. He felt good today, in a happy mood and he'd do anything to keep it that way. He loved feeling like this. It felt like he got a second chance at happiness and he wouldn't blow it this time. He'd do anything to make sure that this was going to work - if it was meant to be.

Nicole laughed hard for a few moments, then composed herself. "I haven't laughed like that in a long time." she said to Danny while brushing her hair back as she said that to him. However she was glad that she did that, remembering what she was told while growing up about laughter being good for a person.

Danny looked at Nicole, glad to see her happy.
"Me, either." he replied honestly. "Feels good though... and as Charlie Chaplin said... A day without a smile is a day wasted."

Well, maybe there was some truth to it. Days without a bright side to them always got him down. It was much better to go to sleep, knowing that at least one good thing happened.

Nicole nodded in agreement when Danny said that to her. "Wise words......its like what a student of mine once said: "A cheerful heart is a good medicine." she replied, smiling a little as she said that to him.

"It probably is." Danny replied quietly.
Maybe he would've coped with some things better, if he in fact did have a cheerful heart when they happened. But maybe some things aren't meant to heal so fast, like heartbreak. And Danny sure didn't want to repeat that experience again.
"Still might not help with everything, though."

Nicole watched Danny as he said that to her. "But it can help with much." she said to him in reply, taking his hand in her's as she said that to him. She knew that it wouldn't help with everything but knew that it was a start.

He nodded a little in reply. At least it did feel a lot better if you were cheerful. Made some things easier.
"True." he replied.

But then he got up from fire, pushing all those thoughts out of his mind that were pulling him down right now. He wanted to be happy and feel good and not have some memories make him feel down and depressed. Besides, they had a day ahead of them to wander around the area for a little while. They would be leaving the next morning.

"C'mon." he then said, holding out his hands to Nicole, to help her up.

To be honest, there wasn't much around to explore in the desert area of the camp ground, but the Lake Mead Marina and Hemenway Habor. was nearby. That was something he was going to show her. And he had a little surprise for Nicole.

Nicole looked up at Danny when he said that, then took his hand and stood up. "Where we going?" she asked after making sure the fire was out. She didn't know of the surprise that Danny had in store for her.

Danny took her hand and lead her away from their little camp. Usually this time of the year many people were out here camping, but for some reason it was rather quiet this weekend. Danny just smiled a little in reply.
"Wait and see." he said, sounding slightly mysterious.

It was still early in the day, so they would have lots of time to do what he had planned for today. They would need a little while to reach the Marina and the Habor, but not too long. Actually, you may be able to see it, if you walked along the shore of Lake Mead, but not from their spot.

"Okay" Nicole said gently in reply as Danny took her hand. While walking with him, Nicole thought about what it could be. Whats he got up his sleeve?.....it better not be something goofy she said to herself while walking with him. What if its a marriage proposal.....I know I feel that Danny's the one, but are we really ready for that?......don't jump ahead to the end Nicky, just go with it, your in good hands she added, smiling a little at the same time.

Danny glanced at Nicole, almost hearing her think about what he had in mind for them. He actually liked the fact that he could do something to surprise her with, something that was going to be fun. At the same time it was something he hadn't done in a while.
Good to have friends with hobbies. he thought, a small smile hidden on his face.

First thing Danny did was leading Nicole back to the car, that was nearby. He wouldn't want to walk the distance from the campground to the Marina, it would take them almost an hour. So, he would take the car and park it nearby then.
"Walking would be a little far, though." Danny said, unlocking the car and opening the passenger side for her, holding the door.

Nicole nodded a bit when Danny said that, then got in, thanking Danny at the same time. She wouldn't have mind walking, but something told her that the ride would be worth it. After sitting down, Nicole buckled up, then looked out the window, waiting for Danny to get in so he could take them over to the place in question. As she sat there, Nicole thought again about what the surprise could be.

With a smirk on his face, Danny walked around the car and got in himself. After putting the seat belt on, he started the engine and drove them back to the road they came from, but went in a different direction then, the road that would lead to Great Basin Highway. But he wouldn't go that far, because the street to the Marina came way before that.

Danny didn't say a word about where they were going though. He actually liked seeing Nicole trying to figure it out. But she would know soon enough, because once on the road to the Marina, the habor with it's boats and yachts was visible in front of them. It took only about 10 minutes to get there.

Nicole looked over to Danny as he drove, then back to the road. A few minutes later, she saw the marina and smiled a little. "Your taking me on a boat?" she asked, glancing over to him as she said that. Nicole looked back to the marina, thinking back to the fist time she went on a boat, which made her smile even more. Having grown up near the ocean, Nicole loved the water, even though she didn't go into the navy.

A smile appeared on Danny's face when Nicole figured out where they were going. From the look on her face, he could tell, that she seemed to like the idea of doing that. It had been a good idea then to lend the boat from his friend. A small, but cozy jet boat, nothing special though.
"That's my intention." Danny said casually, pulling up to the Marina, trying to find a spot to park the car that wasn't too far away.

Nicole smiled when Danny said that to her. "Ace" she replied, wondering what else Danny had in store for her this day. Nicole was clearly giddy about getting on a boat and going out onto the lake. "You ever done this before?" she asked while looking over to him, the excitement clear in her voice as she asked him that.

Danny looked at Nicole, noticing how giddy she was. If he was honest, he was just as excited about it, as Nicole was, especially since he hadn't been out in a while. He got out of the car and walked around it to help Nicole out, always the gentleman.
"Yeah, I did... but it's been a while." he said honestly.

Nicole nodded in reply when Danny said that to her. "Ace" she said again, her voice a little softer this time. "Thank you for doing this Danny." she said to him as she sat up a bit in the passenger seat. She was still wondering if Danny had something else up his sleeve, but she didn't let it show.