Danielle Hayes

"Huh?" I spun around.

"I will take you." He offered. I glanced at his grip and back to his tired get gorgeous face.

His eyes were weary and so was his face. He seemed too tired.

"That's alright, Mr. Prescott. You seem tired. You go home, I'll call Dev." I reassured him.

"Alright then. Good night Danielle!"

"Night sir!"

Stepping out into the cold streets of George Town, I shivered under the weather. The cool night breeze blew across the empty roadway. The lights were on and it was perfect to spend some time alone.

It took me back to the night when August was with me. Those memories with him were one of the most cherished memories of mine. I often find myself remembering them.

"Ah!! I am hungry Dani. Let's go, eat Something. I think I am about to die."

"Dude! Get a grip. People don't die due to hunger." I rolled my eyes. "But then again, I'm hungry too."

He pouted. His hazel eyes shone under shimmering lights of the lab we were working in. He had that boyish kinda look that made everyone swoon over him.

His dark brown hair was styled to side curls, giving him a bad boy kinda look. The tattoo on his arm didn't help it either. But man was he smart.

"I am happy that we are working on it together." He smiled, ruffling my hair. I patted away his hand. "Soon we will complete our research and the thesis. We can, and will, save many people."

"Yeah, because you can make me do your work too. But, you are right. We can save many."

"Yeah!" He shrugged. "And that's why babe, imma give you a treat. An ice cream party. How does that sound?"

"Along with a movie." I added.

"Yeah! Picked by me." He yelled excitedly.

"No!!" I walked past him. "I'm Outta here. You watch it yourself, alone. I'm going."

"What- no!" He followed me into the streets. He followed me until we both stopped looking at the same thing that caught our interest.

"Ice cream!!" We both yelled in unison. I hugged him.

Smiling, I wiped my tears off with the back of my palms.

I miss those days. I miss him.

Can somebody bring him back to me? Please!

As I started crying once more, I felt someone's presence beside me. With blurred eyes, I turned to my left. My eyes widened in shock.

What was he still doing here?

"I was waiting." Was all he said, before handing me his creamy white hand Kerchief. "For you."

Did I ask that loud?

"Yes, you did." He smiled, extending it towards me.

"For me?" I sniffled, accepting it.

We kept walking god knows where, but we did. The calm streets were so good and pleasant at the moment that I didn't even think about going home.

"Yeah! I couldn't leave my only assistant all alone here in the unknown part of DC now, Could I?" He said as we continued our walk.

"I am sure I would've been alright Mr. Prescott. But thank you." I smiled.

We continued walking until we reached a bench just beside the park. He turned to me.

"I don't know the reason behind your sadness nor will I ask you. I am sure you have your reason. But I know something that can lift up your mood." He said, smiling.

He looked handsome. He smiled, the one that reached his eyes. His stormy grey eyes sparkled, making him gorgeous.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah! Just wait here. I will be back."

He hurried away and was soon out of my sight. Sighing I sat on the bench. Just then, my phone buzzed.

Dev: Dani, are you okay? Where are you? I am worried. Please call me back after you get this message.

I immediately called her and informed her that I might get late and that I was with Mr. Prescott.

Sure, she asked many questions like a possessive girlfriend that she is but I told her to wait until I get back.

"Here." Mr. Prescott said, offering me an ice cream.

A smile automatically made a way onto my face as I saw him, with two cups of dark chocolate scoop both drizzled with chocolate syrup and one with sprinkles.

How did he know it was my favourite?

I immediately took the one with the syrup, with a childish excitement. Giggling, He assumed his seat beside me.

"How did you guess Mr. Prescott?" I asked, savouring my delicious cup of ice cream.

"It was a hunch." He shrugged.

"I guess, it was more than a hunch."

He didn't say anything further and neither did I. We savoured our ice creams in the silence that was pleasant in some way.

"My brother once said," he started, smiling to himself. "That he had a friend. The best friend he called her. He said that if his friend was feeling down or moody, her mood could be instantly lifted by a tub of dark chocolate icecream."

I laughed, trying to mask up my tears. I turned to the other side, closing my eyes.
Biting my tears back, calming myself down, I turned to face him.

"Did..." I trailed off as he looked at me, with tears that threatened to come down but for some reason, they stayed there. "He tell you her name? Did he introduce her to you?"

"Believe me when I say, we talk about everything except girls." We laughed at that. "But every now and then, he used to tell me about her. The name's Danielle."

"Huh?" I breathed out.

Did he just say what I thought he would? Did he know I was his brother's best friend?

"Danielle Stryker." He said. "And no, he didn't introduce her, hell! He didn't even show her. He promised me, more like promised himself that one day when I go to meet him in California, he would definitely introduce her, to me. He said this too, that you guys are made for each other." He laughed dryly.

I sighed. Months later, I heard my name for the first time, sounding kinda foreign to me.

"Did you ever meet her?"

"Long before I planned a visit, I lost him." He murmured.

"I am sorry Mr. Prescott." He nodded.

"Shall we leave? You look like..." I trailed off thinking for the right word that could lift up his mood.

"Like shit?"

"Like shit." I agreed.

•°•°•°•°•°• 💙

"How many stars do you see Danielle?"

"Huh? One I guess sir." I shrugged. Mr. Prescott's eyes narrowed as he pulled his chair close to his table.

Who would have put that thing there? Was someone following me?

Oh god!! What should I do?

"You are fired." He said.

"Thank you sir."

What if the one who's after me was related to this case as well?

"Hello!" He snapped his fingers right in my face. "What the heck? Where are you lost?"

I glanced sideways only to find Mr. Prescott, standing beside me. He stood, leaning on the table, crossing his arms. He gaped at it him in my full senses for the first time since I had arrived. He had his sleeves rolled up, as usual. The veins were clearly visible on his well toned exposed hands just as he crossed them.

"Nothing Mr. Prescott." I shook. "Nothing."

"Is it about the note you found on the door that day?"

"I- how? How do you know sir?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" He asked shooting his eye brow up.

"Um... No! Well, you are right. It's about the note." I sighed, massaging my temples.

"What does it say?"

"When you are a threat, you are always a target and my target happens to be you."

"I wonder why." He replied sarcastically earning a glare.

"Do I hear a Note if sarcasm in that statement?"

"A note? More like a symphony." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his statement. So, instead I huffed in annoyance. "Fine. Just appear as if you don't care about it. This person who ever it is, knows you too well or Maybe you know them too. You need to act wisely. So I would suggest you to not stress too much over it and we will try to find more. It's just that appear unfazed. Yeah?"

"Yeah!" I nodded.

"Well then. We need to get going. We have to meet Lara."

"Lara? Why?" I asked, standing up from the seat.

"That's not new anymore. We have been working together for more than a week Or two and by now I should be getting used to this." He said, tight lipped, in an annoyed tone.

"I am sorry Mr. Prescott." I pouted, tugging his arm. "Please."

"Let's just go."

•°•°•°•°• 💙

As we stepped into Lara's office that was on top of the Bennet towers, we saw people running around.

It was whirlwind. The papers, the lights, the cameras. Two chairs were set and everything was ready to get on air.

I turned to one of the beared guy to my right.

"Can we talk to Lara?"

Just then, Lara jumped infront of us with an excitement.

"You two!! Oh god!! You look fab together. Power couple. You should be on the magazine cover " she clapped her hands.

We both coughed out of instinct. Glaring at each other for a second, we broke out of the daze.

"I see you are busy, but do you mind if I ask you few questions?"

"Ofcourse not. Ask away."

Glancing at my watch, I opened my scribbling pad.

"Where were you when you heard the news?" I asked.

"Ah! Alibi time. I was live on the air, in the show coffee and chats. I just completed it when police arrived on set, with the news."

"Alright!"

She waved off her assistant before smiling at us.

"You know, Noah had a terrible fight with his dad, in the public. The police will find out."

"What was it about?" I asked, penning down everything she said.

"Don't know. Could be anything. It could also be about Leah and Oliver's divorce case too."

"What? I didn't know. Mr. Prescott did you?"

He shook his head, turning pale.

"It was super heated argument and that Leah would have gotten nothing in the divorce. They had a super clash prenup "
She whispered lowly.

Her assistant hushed her off immediately as there was lot of disturbance on the set. For one last time, I whispered.

"Did Mr. Bennet have any rivals?"

"Not sure but I just know that there's this person, Anastasia. She's the majority share holder and also owns the lounge downstairs. She would probably be there."

Yet again, her assistant added. "Twenty seconds more Lara."

"What do you think the public would want to hear about Oliver?" Lara asked me, with curiosity.

As if I knew.

"Um... He left a road map for the future." I said, still uncertain about it.

"Awesome!! Logan, you lucky dog. She's the best."

****

Hey guys!! Hope y'all liked this chapter. See ya soon. Or not :)

Love 💕

Mikaelson