"Hey Matt, how are you feeling?" was the first thing I said to him on entering the ward the next evening. "Good" he smiled and shifted in his bed. "So what do you want to know?" he asked, a tense expression on his face. I knew it was hard for him to narrate everything that had led to the series of events. "Don't worry, I already know" I told.
"How?" he asked, confused. "That blonde tall guy, said his name was Kevin, he told me" I said. "So you met him" Matt smiled, relieved that he didn't have to explain it after all. "Yes, he said he was Dan at first" I frowned, remembering how we met. "Good" Matt continued smiling.
"Good? Impersonating someone is not good" I said, worried that Matt had lost it. "He's just doing his job by being a good officer" he told. "And what is this job of his?" I asked plainly.
"Protecting my brother" he said like it was the most obvious fact on earth. "Why does Dan need protection now?" I asked, saddened by how they had lost their right to live a normal life. "We recently got news that from among those traitors, one is still on the loose" he informed, making me believe that everything that Kevin had told me was real.
"You see, Kevin told me how you have got people who can probably take your life, but surely there's a reason I am not aware of" I said, sitting on the visitor's chair in the room.
"The army has secrets, which is why a branch of it is called the secret service. Those working there aren't supposed to disclose anything at every cost" he started telling. "Yeah I have read books on that" I told him.
"So when a group of those people give in the information to another party, they ought to be punished" he stated strongly. "So that's what happened?" I asked in surprise. "Yes, and they did it for money!" his forehead crinkled with an angry frown.
"It's one of them who shot me, our enmity traces back to my dad's time. All of it has to stop" he sighed, gaining control on his emotions once again. "Does Dan know that your lives are once again in danger?" I asked Matt. I didn't want to hear no for an answer. This was getting more serious than I thought.
"He doesn't even know that I'm in the hospital, and I want it to be that way. He can't be put under threat for all that I have done" he smiled sadly. "Matt! This is not about who did what, it's the matter of safety" I said disapprovingly.
"He's far from them Serena" he pointed out. "Where?" I asked him when Kevin barged in with no hint of a knock.
"Matthew, Dan's been spotted here" he broke the news which sounded like a contradicting challenge to what Matt was just telling me. "Here as in?" he asked.
"Here as in London" Kevin replied.
x-x
"Daniel must be really close to you" Kevin said as we walked down the hallways of Highmore Medical University the next day. The university was part of the hospital and I was studying there and was going to continue for a year more until I got my surgical degree. It was work and studies together for now and on some days the pressure swept me off my feet.
The good part was that I didn't have to spend another year to show my work experience.
"Yes we were really good friends" I told him as we went out. "Were?" he questioned like he didn't know about anything that happened. "Not seeing someone for years does drift you away from that person" I explained.
"I have noticed that Daniel only lets people close to him call him Dan, no one else. Everyone calls him Danny" he said and I realised the truth in it after a long time. How come that thought never crossed my mind. "Yeah, I was indeed the only person in school who called him that" I recollected.
"You know, I can make you meet him" he offered and it was like a spell being cast on me, an offer I couldn't decline. Finally someone understood what I wanted them to say. "You can?" I asked.
"Yes because I know where he is, just that he won't know that you will be meeting him" he said. "Sounds good enough" I smiled. "Tomorrow 6 in the evening's okay?" he asked, fixing the plan. "Yes" I answered anxiously.
x-x
Next day morning I sat with my biology professor but he seemed distressed about something. "Serena, can I ask you something" he finally asked. "Sure, what is it professor?" I questioned politely.
"The physics sir had called upon the director of physics department to enlighten the students on some educational topics day after tomorrow" he spoke without a pause and huffed looking up at the ceiling and then at his locked fingers.
"Isn't that a good thing then?" I asked. "Yes, but now that director has said that she won't be able to come" he told. "Oh, so there won't be any interaction session with the students?"
"That is the problem" he pointed out. "We have already called some international guests to accompany us for the program, now what do we tell them?" he asked me in hopes of receiving some good ideas from me but I didn't have any.
"Can't we replace the physics director with someone else?" I asked. "We aren't able to find anyone" said. "Alright leave that, we'll figure out a solution. Let's come back to the problems you had" he changed his course of conversation and went back to teaching me.
After an hour or so it was time for another class of his. He was called out by the physics professor when my phone rang; accurate timing Kevin had.
"Hello Dr. Mayers" he greeted from the other side.
"Hello Kevin, you can call me Serena"
"Okay, about today, you can meet him at around 6:00 at Macy's, down the Thornton alley" he informed and I silently registered it all in my memory.
"Thanks a lot Kevin"
"You're welcome"
A quick look at my watch told me that were thirty minutes to 6:00 and that I had to make a move soon. Hurriedly grabbing and stuffing my books in my purse, I paced ahead to leave the room with a smile directed towards sir.
"Mayers, class tomorrow at 9 with the first years, we need you" our physics sir informed. "Okay" I agreed, rushing through the doors.
Macy's wasn't very close to where I was and the evening traffic wasn't helping at all. It all felt so unreal, that I was to meet Dan after a very long time. Somewhere I had lost hopes of this ever happening.
After taking a wrong exit and asking for directions twice, I reached the right place only to spend ten minutes more searching for a parking spot. It was 6:15 by then and I hoped he hadn't left. All my efforts would have been wasted.
In the excitement I had forgotten to remove my white doctor's coat and realised only after getting some looks from people on the streets. Standing and looking at myself in the window of a clothes store, I adjusted the way my hair fell on my face and shoulders and folded the coat.
The board of Macy's was very visible and I started searching for a relatively familiar face in the sea of faces. Time stopped when I noticed him seated on a table with a laptop placed in front of him. I wasn't mistaken, it was Dan.
He was definitely taller and looked even better in the formal suit he was wearing. I saw him wear glasses for the first time that enhanced his smart nature. Looks hadn't changed much but he was more attractive than I remembered.
Approaching the table, I felt the world silence around me. There was a ringing sensation in my ears. I did not speak, just went up and pulled out a chair opposite to him on the same table.
It was the dragging sound that made him look up. "Excuse me but.." he stopped when he saw me. There was his clear blank expression that I had expected. It would have been quite a sudden situation for him but I didn't judge. I would have reacted much worse had it been me in his place.
"Am I dreaming?" he started off with a low voice that made me smile. The voice I yearned to hear was now being played live in front of me by whom it originally belonged to. "You certainly aren't" I spoke back and sat down gently while his facial features kept displaying the same view all the while.
There was something about seeing him again that made me want to be alone and get up and dance like a lunatic in a party at the same time. "Hey" I greeted on realising that he wasn't going to say anything.
"Hey" he repeated after me. "How are you?" he continued. "All good. You?" I asked him. Everything felt so formal; we were like strangers who knew each other (which made no sense at all).
"I can't believe it's you" he said, which didn't answer my question in any way. "Yeah" I replied awkwardly and looked at the table with his glass of juice on it. It would probably have been better if I had informed him of my arrival in advance.
"Dan, so how is.." I started off. "Life?" he interrupted. "I was going to say 'everything' but guess 'life' is okay too" I smiled. "It's always something unexpected" he responded and reached for his glass. But instead of picking it up, he withdrew his hand and looked at me with a guilty look.
"Oh pardon me, what would you like to have?" he asked with a face I was quite used to. "Nothing actually, thank you"
"If not drinks, how about some cakes, or better, brownies?" he asked with a wide smile and I grinned with nostalgia. Yes, this was the Dan I knew. "Only if it's made by you."
"Sure, come over one day" he said. "You stay here?" I asked doubtfully.
"No but I come here on trips often, work related stuff"
"So what do you do?"
"I work at NASA" he said.
"Woah physics scholar!" I exclaimed. "Come on, you yourself are a doctor! Woah for you too" he chuckled. "Wait how do you know?" I asked as I didn't remember mentioning it to him.
"You have a white coat around your arm since the time you walked up over here" he pointed out. "Oh yeah" I felt dumb. "And that ID" he picked up my card that hung from the handle of my bag.
"Quite observant" I said. "Yes that's me" he smiled. "So how did you come here?" he questioned. "I work and study here"
"Oh nice! So you live close?"
"No, I came here to see you" I replied truthfully that had him taken aback.
"But how did you know?"
"Kevin told me, Kevin Field. Matt's here too" I told him.
"Wait, what? Matt's here?" he asked in surprise. "He's in the hospital but fine now" I informed him. "What happened to him?" Dan asked out of concern.
"Bullet wounds by someone who is roaming free right now" I whispered. "I have to meet him, do you know the doctor?" he asked and I gave the faintest of smile.
"Yes, Dr. Colin Halls and I performed his surgery" I stated. "You.. how many times do we owe our lives to you" he put his hands forward and grabbed mine. "It's my job Dan" I told him, trying to remove my concentration from his touch. It was magically good.
"Whoever it is behind our lives, he isn't going to be spared" he commented rather loudly to get strange stares from some couples seated around us. "Dan you have to be careful too" I warned. I wanted everything between us to be the same as it was before, but we just seemed like two friends meeting after a long gap.
It was getting dark and I had to leave soon as I had classes to attend the next morning. "How's Theo and Lisa?" he asked and I frowned at the change in topic.
"They broke up, felt that things weren't working for the both of them" I sighed. "Nothing's working? You have to make it work!" he said. It was such an irony, Dan giving relationship advices to someone who used to be his girlfriend.
"Explain that to them, relationship expert" I said. Having said that, a thought appeared in my head. Sure Dan was good looking, so he could easily have a girlfriend with whom he was actually in a relationship. The possibilities were vague.
"I am not a relationship expert" he crossed his arms and leaned back on the chair. As he said that, a girl of about our age came up from nowhere wearing a shiny blue sequin dress like she had to attend a party.
"Dan!" she squealed and put her hands on his shoulders from behind. I remembered Kevin's words as she called him Dan like I did.
Dan looked back and took her hands in his, giving a smile. "Sophia, what are you doing here?" he asked, standing up, and buttoned his blazer. "Why I came to meet you" she pouted childishly.
I don't know if the party she had to attend was yet to be held or had gotten over, but she was completely drunk, using his body for support instead of her own. "Hello" she looked at me and beamed.
"Hello" I said and looked at Dan with a questioning look. "This is Sophia" he introduced while having to handle her entire weight on him. "She's my.." he went on, "Girlfriend" she completed and kissed him on his cheek followed by a loud laugh.
"How many have I told you to stay away from those shots you can't handle" he spoke while holding her still by her upper arms. "I am not drunk" she sulked. "Sure you aren't" he said, removing his coat and putting it over her.
He then looked at me and gave an embarrassed smile. I was already upset at the sight but this was something I should have expected. "So, I'll leave" I said and picked my bag. I wasn't in the mood to stay and talk.
"Serena wait" he walked to me after seating Sophia on the chair. "We should meet again, this was not a proper first meeting. I have lots to explain" he said.
"I don't think I'll have time" I lied as I didn't think I would feel like seeing him again only to hurt myself. As for his list of explanations, they could go on and on.
My phone rang before leaving and Colin's name flashed on the screen. "Pick it up" Dan said and I did. Colin wanted to see me early next morning, and after coming to know of that piece of news, I cut the call.
"So is that the Dr. Colin you told me about" he asked, giving frequent glances behind him to check if Sophia acted somewhat normal. "Oh yes" I smiled wider than before as a crazy thought struck my head. "When can I meet him?" he asked.
"Meet him? Very soon for sure, he isn't just any doctor. After all I have to introduce you to my boyfriend too."
x-x-x
A/N
Hey guys,
Yes that was it, sometimes revenge taken with words is sweet (*rubs hands with a smirk*)
If you liked the chapter, press the star to vote and comment to let me know.
Until then,
Lots of love and cheers :)
Gauri.