((It's Jesse's 33rd birthday today, October 5th! I know he won't ever read this but I just want to say Happy Birthday, Jesse! I love you and you absolutely inspire me! Lately I haven't been very bright and I haven't been able to reach my goal as an actress but I just want to say you push me to always try my hardest and so far it's paid off! Thank you so much, Jesse, you truly are a hero for what you do and I love every movie you're in!))
The light blinds him even with his eyelids guarding his vision. Daniel groans as the sun seeps through his window, hitting him square in the face once someone had pulled back the curtains. Danny finds himself burrowing deeper into the thick bedsheets as someone crawls into bed with him.
"Happy Birthday, Atlas!" Lula's cheery voice sets him off guard, and he groans in response, "Oh, come on, get up! Or I'll start jumping!"
Her threats seemed playful and so he remained quiet, not yet wanting to get up, especially to a woman who seems way too hyper this early in the morning.
When he doesn't stir, Lula grabs one side of him and pushes him off the bed, Danny letting out an undignified yelp as he lands roughly on his side.
"What the hell, Lu?!"
"Ah, Danny! You're awake!" She says innocently, "Get up and get dressed! We have a big day ahead of us!"
Before he could protest, Lula was skipping out of the door, humming a small tune she had just made up. Daniel rubs his eyes before looking around, sighing as he stood up, getting dressed as he walked around his room. Turning 33 wasn't exactly special, but all the same Danny's fellow Horsemen insisted on making it a big deal.
Once he got dressed, the showman left his room to go find everyone else, and catches sight of them all in the kitchen.
Lula was instructing Merritt as to how he should decorate the cake she had just finished baking, the mentalist muttering curses as he struggled with the cooking ware.
Dylan watches in amusement while he flips the pancakes and stirs up the sizzling bacon for breakfast. No one had protested when Dylan offered to cook for the morning, since he was one of the best cooks!
Jack and Logan sat at the dining table, going through coupons and places to go for the day while gingerly sipping coffee. Logan looks up to see Danny, and smiles warmly while pushing an extra mug of hot coffee in his direction.
"Happy Birthday, Danny!"
Merritt looks up and grins, "Happy Birthday, Buffy."
Danny scoffs while walking across the room to gratefully take the cup of coffee Logan had made for him, sitting down next to Jack while the younger man reaches over and gives him a side hug with a bright smile as usual.
"Happy Birthday, Danny!"
Danny mumbled a thank you before he started drinking his coffee. Soon, a plate of food is set in front of him and he looks up to see Dylan grinning slightly, ruffling up Danny's cut short hair as he walks of, "Happy Birthday."
"Okay, I get it, guys. Enough already," Danny rolled his eyes.
"So, where do you want to go today?" Logan asks while leaning forward, "It's your day! Seriously, pick a place!"
"How about the moon," he spoke glumly.
"Ha ha," she says sarcastically back.
"Come on, Danny," Jack grins, "You're only 33 once."
"Exactly!" Lula chimed in while licking her chocolate covered fingers.
"Maybe we should search up nursing homes," Merritt suggested, "You're getting old and expensive."
Logan tossed a magazine at him while laughing, Danny just rolls his eyes, "Seriously? You're like, a hundred years older than me."
"But you like older men," Merritt winks at the back of Danny's head, the younger deciding to ignore the comment.
"Well," Logan stood up and walks into the kitchen area to put her cup in the sink, "If you don't have any ideas, Dan, the sun's warm and the fall breeze is amazing. Maybe we should all go for a walk, get some pumpkin spice lattes and enjoy the colors."
"That is the most stereotypical, white trash girly thing you've ever said," Lula grins wickedly just as Logan flips her off.
Danny shrugs, "Whatever. You guys will just drag me around anyway."
"Damn straight."
~~~~~~~~~
And that's what they did. They all tuck themselves into their warmest coats and walk around the neighborhoods, arms linked together and pointing out some pretty sights, smiling and having a good time.
By lunch time, they all huddle into a café and order some coffee and food. As they sit around, Dylan gets a text from an unknown number and slowly, his smile grew. He looks up to see his Horsemen, smiling and laughing at Jack whose trying to swipe a keychain off another customer's belt buckle for Danny. The showman didn't exactly care, but it was entertaining to watch Jack make an idiot of himself for him.
Dylan smiles warmly, 'This is gonna be a birthday no one will forget.'
~~~~~~~~~~
As the Horsemen walked home, Lula was laughing obnoxiously while clinging to Daniel's arm, who will forever deny that he was ever smiling that night.
As they round the corner to the Observatory, Merritt froze and lowered Logan down from where she rested on his back as he caught sight of something.
"Guys, who's car is that?"
All eyes dart to where Merritt was looking and sure enough, there was a dark SUV sitting outside the Eye's secret laboratory. They never take their eyes off the car for a moment, walking around it, puzzled as they walk inside.
They search for Bu Bu and Li, hoping they knew who was parked outside. Dylan only grins, staying in the back of the group to watch the curious and concerned looks of his Horsemen.
Lula turns the corner and squeals, running back to Jack, "There's a red headed hottie in our living room!"
Jack's face pales, Merritt's jaw tightens as the two of them practically rush into the other room, Lula now following them with curiosity. Logan and Danny exchange glares while looking at Dylan accusingly when they hear Lula's voice again,
"Wait-! YOU'RE Henley?! No wonder I didn't recognize you! You cut your hair!"
Logan finds herself hiding behind Daniel as they walk alongside Dylan into the living room. Sure enough, Henley Reeves was standing by the fireplace, skimming through a book left on the mantelpiece, her hair cut into a red bob. She had disregarded the book as she's lifted up into Jack's arms, letting out a surprised laugh. Lula has already loved Henley, almost like an idol and hugs her tightly, shocking the other woman, but accepts it gladly. Merritt barely could contain himself as he waits for Jack to break away from Henley then dives in to kiss every inch of her face, making her laugh more cheerfully, overjoyed to be with her Horsemen again.
"I missed you guys so much!" She exclaims happily as she goes back to hugging both Merritt and Jack, kissing both of their cheeks.
Dylan laughs and walks over, giving Henley a hug as well, "You're always welcomed here."
Logan noticeably coughs awkwardly and all heads turn to her, and she instantly avoids everyone's eyes. Henley's face soften after smiling too much, her proud red lipstick sink to smaller size as her grin fades. She sighs through her nose and takes a step forward, only to make Logan step away.
"Don't," Logan tries to force out and it turned out to be less stern and furious than she wanted it to be. Her voice cracked and she regrets it immediately, as Henley takes it as her cue to step forward again.
"I'm sorry."
"You left us," Logan only whispers in response, her head lowered, not looking up at Henley's eyes for a second.
"I know, and I'm sorry," the redhead makes it to the other woman and gently touched her shoulder, the one where the High Priestess' tattoo lay.
The female magician stiffens underneath Henley's touch, feeling her eyes water but refusing to let any tears fall. Logan tries not to say a thing as Henley moves to wrap her arms around her shoulders, squeezing slightly in reassurance, her chin rested on Logan's shoulders as she rubbed her back soothingly.
"You...left us..." Logan's voice cracks yet again and this time her eyes have been filled to the brim, tears already flowing past her control. At the close proximity of the other woman's warmth, Logan melts and breaks down, sobbing uncontrollably as she hung onto Henley for dear life.
"Shhhhh shhh. I'm sorry. I'm back." Henley whispers back, small tears forming in her eyes as well, overjoyed to see Logan's again.
When they pull away, Logan feels slightly embarrassed as everyone else had to watch that little episode. She nods to Henley and walks across the room to grab some tissues, meanwhile Henley meets eyes with Danny and quickly realizes how his looked sour. She smiles slightly and walks over to him, obviously he was a little taller in height so it was hard to avoid her gaze by looking at the ground. They stood face to face, close enough to share the same air. His blue eyes flash up to meet her brown ones and he swallows something from holding back,
"I like your hair."
She grins, "I hate yours."
A breathy laugh escapes his lips against his will, the smile never fading as he reached over for her waist. She giggles as he held her impossibly close, Henley's arms wrapping around his neck and fingernails digging through his buzz cut hair despite her previous comment. She reaches up to whisper in his ear, "Happy Birthday, Danny."