-insert name here-'s Place and Everywhere Else ~ Geezerville

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi looked quite surprised when Daniel singled her out specifically. She didn't care if he was trying to avoid her and stay one step ahead of her. She quickly ran forward, looped her arm with his, and hugged it tightly.

"Daniel, you may not understand the basic stuff everyone else understands all the time, but you're getting so much better at that. And, you understand more important things. You know when I'm upset, you know when I'm happy, and you know what will cheer me up. It's like you can almost anticipate when I'm going to be upset and you cheer me up."

A smile appeared on her face as a memory entered her mind. "Remember two weeks ago when I was snowed in? You came and visited me right when I was started to go crazy with boredom."  

[FireSpark]

Daniel let Jessi hug him, but it felt awkward, as if things were beginning to revert to how they used to be. Like he was reverting. How long before he shut himself off from the rest of the world? The universe?

"Yes. I suppose I can understand fairly well how an individual is feeling in a moment, in a general sort of way. But, sentiments between two or more persons? The complex interactions going on there have apparently thrown me for a loop. And the books I have been reading recently haven't helped wither. Apparently."  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi sighed softly and looked up at the stars. She could also see her breath in the cold air. "Daniel, it was one party with one large crowd. Please don't tell me you're going to let tonight ruin all that you've accomplished!"  

[FireSpark]

Daniel quirked an eyebrow as he looked down at Jessi.

"Crowd? What does my difficulty with crowds have to do with this?"  

[Jessi_Deramis]

"You started acting this way tonight, after the party. I know how much you hate crowds, and that's the biggest one you've been in in a small area. So I connected the two. Just give yourself a little while to calm down from all of that."

She looked up at him and smiled encouragingly.  

[FireSpark]

Daniel looked down at Jessi as she looked back up to him with her smile. finally he broke eye contact and went back to scanning the surroundings.

"The crowds were not an issue. Much. At least not afterwhile. Ms Liada was doing a fine job of distracting me with Kits's artwork."

Daniel half chuckled to himself.

"I appear to be doing a lot of apologizing tonight, but I feel I should apologize again. On behalf of myself and Liada. It was not my desire to disrupt your eveing, or that of your...uh, dates."  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi was still quite confused, but when Daniel said 'date's', her eyes widened and she gasped loudly. Finally, as if on hyper speed, everything started to fall into place.

"My date's... Oh no, Daniel! He wasn't my date. I had just met him. He is quickly becoming a good friend, and he actually reminds me an awful lot of you! But we're not dating. I..."

She looked down at the ground and blushed slightly as a small smile appeared on her face. "I'm not interested in him like that. It's hard to be interested in someone else romantically when... when your heart is already interested in someone else."

She took a deep breath and looked around. She chuckled softly, nervously. "Wow. I wonder if we accidentally took the long way to my apartment because this is taking much longer thank I remember."  

[FireSpark]

Daniel was taken aback slightly by the sudden rush of speech from Jessi. It was as if she had suddenly decided to fit an entire conversation into just a few breaths. When she finished though, Daniel was still haivng a hard time looking down at her, though the reasons why were shifting rapidly. In his head, everything had suddenly become jumbled again.

"Uh, hmm, we're almost there, actually."

After a few moments of silence, Daniel decided to risk the question at teh forefront of his mind. He had suspected, then thought he was certain, only to have his understandings shattered and then put back together. He didn't see how people could handle such things. So finally he asked.

"So. You, uh, you're already interested in someone?"  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi nodded and her arms around Daniel started to shake just slightly from nerves.

"Yyes. I am. But, I've seen in the past how friendships can be ruined if two friends date and it doesn't work out. Then, not only do you lose a great relationship, but you've lost one of the best friendships you've ever had. I'd never want to do that with this person."

She was still looking up at the stars, which seemed to give her just enough courage to keep pressing on.  

[FireSpark]

Daniel glanced down briefly, but just as quickly raised his gaze again. He nodded softly.

"I see. I think I understand. Maybe."

Daniel turned a final corner and was faced with Jessi's apartment building just up the street. As they came up to the front of the building Daniel stopped and finally looked straight down at Jessi.

"Would you like me to walk you up?"  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi looked up at Daniel when he stopped and looked down at her. She smiled when he made eye contact with her finally.

"I'd like that very much... and I'm really glad you understand... Do you want to watch a movie?"  

[FireSpark]

As Daniel followed Jessi up the stairs, he tried to not let the look on his face be one of resignation.

"Actually, I shouldn't. Stay I mean. I meant what I said before leaving the party, about needing to move things into place for the trip. And with no time travel involved. I have to do it all in real time. No shortcuts."  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi nodded, though did look a little disappointed. She reminded herself that she'd see him tomorrow, though, so she cheered up a little. She smiled up at Daniel and then hugged him. She gave him a long, tight hug and rested her head on his chest.

"Thank you for walking me home, Daniel. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."  

[FireSpark]

Daniel returned the hug, though only just enough to be called a hug.

"Yeah. Me too."

The words were there, but his voice said that his mind wasn't. Waving a final goodbye to Jessi, Daniel wandered down the stairs after she closed her door. He didn't seem to be in any rush, and turth be told, shifted all the supplies that he had bought for the trip wouldn't take very long at all. Once he had made it a block from Jessi's building, Daniel leaned into the nearest doorway and vanished.  

[Jessi_Deramis]

Jessi was absolutely amazed. "Alaska, really? It doesn't even feel that cold. What a wonderful idea, Daniel!"

She turned back to him, beamed brightly, and then ran over to him. She threw her arms around his shoulders as she giggled and then kissed his cheek.

"Thank you!!"