The idea to erase Dana's memory had crossed his mind many times. The problem however was that she would lose all her memories – and then she would no longer be his Dana. He loved her as she was, but without her memories her character would change. Furthermore, the stuff wasn't that long in circulation and the long term side effects hadn't been mapped out yet. He couldn't care less about the influence it would have on Kip, but Dana... No, he didn't want to expose her to any danger.
From a distance he watched her. She was sitting on the beach, staring at the sea, as she often did since she was here. Being so deep in thoughts she looked sad, and the sight of it cut through his heart.
He wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to like it around here.
Now and then he even considered to bring her back to Charming, but he couldn't. He just couldn't. He knew himself well enough to know he would regret letting her go. Then he would start looking for her and take her away from her friends again. And then she would have to undergo the same pain.
He no longer blamed her for leaving him.
He mainly blamed himself for having been so immersed in his business that he had neglected her, that he hadn't noticed how her love for him had died. Still he believed that she had truly loved him, and that that love was still there; buried somewhere deep inside her. He just had to find a way to reach it. Hopefully their child would be a first step.
Maddox sat down next to her in the sand. Something he had never done before. The last time he had sat on the ground at all had to be in his early childhood. Dirt on his clothes had always been abominating.
He didn't say a word as he stared into the distance as well. He had seen her sit with Kip like this, without the two of them talking. For some reason their friendship had grown into something more too. Dana had been trying to hide it from him, but he had been aware of it, every time she had been with Kip. Her cheeks had been rosy, her eyes shining.
He had never hated Kip for it. He had no doubt that the man had tried to fight his feelings, but Maddox couldn't imagine there were straight guys who wouldn't fall for her after sleeping with her so many times.
After a short hesitation, his shoved his hand across hers, very lightly, so she could pull it away if she wanted. She didn't respond, but she neither seemed to get sick of his touch. He leaned a little to the right and pulled some copies out of his pocket, handing them to her. "He's fine."
Dana looked up. She unfolded the papers and looked at the pictures Lotte had taken for him. Since Kip had left the island, Dana's face had been grim and he didn't want her to keep worrying.
"I... I don't understand," she muttered. "You acted like you were going to hurt him."
"I only said I took precautions. Which I did. I told him that I would find his girlfriend if he put his friends on the right course to find us. I doubt he has any information, but it's better if he doesn't try too hard to find you. He has to forget about you. They all have to forget about you."
Dana glanced briefly at him before she aimed her eyes at the sea again. Did she believe him? There weren't many things he had lied about. But admitting that he had taken Kip's memories away? She would hate him for it. And she already hated him enough.
He listened to the breaking of the waves, which kept coming endlessly. After a while he laid a hand against her cheek so she looked up.
"I hope you can put it to rest now, Dana. I want you to smile again. You're having our baby, it should fill you with joy."
She turned her head away from him and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I feel lonely. You are always working. I miss them. Kip. Cherry. Opie. Juice. My brother."
Maddox didn't know what to answer. He could track down Cherry, but he knew Dana would never want her friend to live in captivity, no matter what she had done.
"I can work less. Spend more time with you."
That wouldn't be that hard. One of the reasons he spend so much time in the office, was because he felt awkward around her. But if she wanted his company...
"And then what?" She sighed. "You wanna play board games? Video games? You'll play basketball with me, do archery? In all those years I have not the slightest idea how you relax, apart from having fancy dinners and sex."
Maddox bowed his head. He had always found himself too good for those things, but now he realized that he didn't even know how to spend time with his girlfriend. Had she done those things with Juan Carlos? With Kip? Was that the reason she had developed feelings for them, because they'd had fun?
"Tomorrow afternoon I will take the day off. Then you can decide what we will do, okay?" He leaned towards her, laying a kiss on her temple before he scrambled on his feet.
She looked up to him and he showed her a genuine smile.
She didn't smile back, but Maddox refused to be discouraged by it.
They would work things out. Soulmates always forgave each other, no matter how hard it was. That just happened when you were made for each other – it was the only way for them to be truly happy.
Eventually, Dana would be happy too. They would both be happy.
Together, with their little one.