Their exams were finally over and to unwind, all the teens were coming together for a sleepover. That also at Daniel's place, and were currently trying to convince the police officer to allow them the liberty to stay the night.

"No, absolutely not," Daniel shook his head and moved around the kitchen with 6 teenagers at his tail.

"Please!" Their voices begged in sync. "Please! We'll do anything!"

"Why not Bruce's place? Why not Clint or Jeremy or Valarie or Nat? Why my apartment?"

"Because it's welcoming," Jeremy whined. "You don't get such a welcoming and open feeling at anyone else's place, why do you think we are always here?"

"To piss me off,"

"Please! It's just the weekend!" Natalie urged. "We'll be nice."

"Bullshit," Daniel shook his head and grabbed a few ingredients from the fridge. "You guys raid me of food. My monthly expenses increase three times every time you guys come over, and you all leave such a huge mess when you guys leave I don't even want to come home,"

"But-but-but-"

"-No, but's," He stated in finality and continued making dinner for him and Tessa, the 6 teenagers going to sit in the lounge where Tessa was reading a book.

"Didn't work, did it?" She inquired from behind the pages, all of them shaking their heads in defeat. "Losers," Tessa chuckled and closed her book, making her way over to Daniel who was frying something on the stove.

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she peeked out from behind him and looked at the food he was making.

"Smells good," She hummed.

"They're not staying over,"

"Why not?"

"Because there are so many factors which have to be considered before having a sleepover, Bambi," He sighed and shook his head. "You are giving me this notice a day before the set date, I don't have mattresses for them to sleep on, they raid my fridge of food, and I have to restock it every second day rather than every other week, and they leave such a mess, I feel like tearing my hair out. This is my home, Tessa, not a pigsty,"

"I understand that," She moved to come and stand beside him, handing him soy sauce, knowing what he needed without him having to tell her. "But what if I promise you that they can arrange the mattress and will clean up after themselves?"

"And the food?"

"They will raid it for the last time this weekend. After that, I promise you we are just come together to go out for dinner or go to the movies,"

"What guarantee do I have?"

"You have my word, and if we break the promise, I'll stop seeing them."

"Promise?" He raised an eyebrow in her direction, dishing up the food.

"I promise." She smiled at him.

"Alright," Daniel relented with a sigh. "Just this one weekend,"

"Thank you, Danny," Tessa grinned and got on her tiptoes to place a wet kiss on his cheek, Daniel scrunching his nose at the action. "I promise you won't regret this,"

"Yeah, yeah," He waved dismissively. "Dinner will be ready in 5 minutes. Get them out before that,"

Tessa met his words with a deaf ear before she walked over to her friends, grinning smugly at them before nodding, all 6 of them jumping up in their excitement before tackling her in the hug.

The next evening Daniel had been relaxing in his lounge, sipping a cup of coffee with a nice book and just enjoying the silence on his day off. Until school got over and Tessa stepped inside, dragging a cacophony of sounds with her as the teenagers brought in camping bags and noise, the police officer pinching the bridge of his nose and inhaling deeply.

"Hi," Tessa came over behind him and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Did they have to come from school?" He groaned and stood up from his place, taking note how 4 of them had sleeping bags tucked under their arms with heavy backpacks slung over their shoulder, making a face before sighing. "I have some ground rules for you all," He spoke over their excited chatter and gained their undivided attention.

"First of all, girls and boys separate, no negotiating on that," He stated firmly. "The girls will sleep inside with Tessa, and the boys will be out here."

"Yes, sir," They all murmured in understanding.

"My room is off limits to all of you, so don't even try, and if I hear loud noises after 10, and if the neighbors come to complain, I will throw you guys out on the street and not even think twice about it,"

"Are we understood?"

"Yes,"

Daniel let the teenagers enjoy themselves, playing games and talking excitedly, all of them steering clear from him–all of them, beside Tessa.

"Hey," She got up from her place in the circle and made her way over to him in the kitchen where he was making himself a sandwich and wrapped her arm around his waist. "What are we having for dinner?"

"I'm not cooking," Daniel scoffed. "We can order in,"

"Don't you guys think that those two are too close?" Valarie murmured to the surrounding group, her gaze directed towards Xavier. "I mean, the constant hugging and the kisses, and the sweet, sweet nicknames,"

"Hey, come on, they're roommates and best friends," Xavier whispered back at her. "I don't think there is anything to worry about,"

"You sure?" Bruce muttered, his gaze on Tessa and Daniel who were talking to each other with her arm around his waist and his across her lower back pulling her into his side as she laughed at something he said before taking a bite of the sandwich he held out to her. "I mean, sure, she's allowed to have a best friend, but I mean if Nat was this close with her best friends it would worry me,"

"Are you sure?" The boy squirmed and glanced towards them, swallowing to see Daniel lean down to kiss her cheek, a sudden discomfort welling inside him; but all of them straightened when she made her way back to the group and retook her place beside Xavier.

"So, where were we?"

They ended up ordering pizza; the teenagers settling around the lounge as Daniel set down the two boxes, all of them waiting to settle down so they could start the movie: The Shawshank Redemption. Tessa had been sitting beside Xavier and Natalie when Daniel grabbed a slice of pizza and settle down on the single seater. Getting up from her place between the two, she sat down on the armrest of his seat and watched the movie from there.

Natalie gave Xavier a look, who ignored it and opted to watch the scenes playing but lost focus every time he watched Daniel get Tessa another slice or poured her a drink, and 10 minutes into the movie, he had insisted that Tessa take his seat.

After the movie, everyone had begun to set up for the night and changed into their nightwear before they were sitting in the lounge on the three sleeping bags and were playing a card game when Daniel walked out of his room in a t-shirt and sweatpants.

"I'm retiring for the night," He informed Tessa, who tilted her head back to look up at him. "Make no noise,"

"Promise," She grinned at him and closed her eyes when he placed a kiss on her forehead before heading back to his room, allowing the game to resume.

Tessa did not know how long they had been playing games for, or how long they talked, but eventually, everyone head off to bed and collapsed on their pillows. Natalie and Tessa shared the bed while Valarie slept on the floor in her sleeping bag whereas the boys were all sleeping in their bags on the lounge floor with Clint on the couch and Daniel in his room.

The entire apartment was silent and dark, everyone sound asleep until Tessa awoke with a gasp. A hand clutching the front of her shirt with a lump forming in her throat and her heart falling to her feet. Jumping out of the bed, she stepped out of her room and walked across the lounge, silently pushing open Daniel's bedroom door before shuffling into his bed, her breath slightly labored and she cuddled into his back and sniffled.

Shifting in bed, he wrapped her up in his arms and held her close as she clutched onto his t-shirt, hastily wiping at her cheeks with the back of her hand and exhaled shakily.

"Everything is alright, Bambi," He spoke in a voice heavy with sleep. "You're safe here, just try to rest"

Nodding in the darkness, she sniffled before closing her eyes and moving closer to him.

The sun rose outside and Natalie was the first one to get up, staring at the empty spot beside her in confusion. Stepping out of bed, she was expecting Tessa to be in the kitchen but her eyebrows knitted in concern when she wasn't there either with all the boys asleep, and the washroom was empty too.

Panic welled in Natalie's chest at Tessa's disappearance. Calling her phone, she found it vibrating on the dressing table and rushed over to Valarie. Shaking her awake before going over to Xavier and waking him.

"What? What?" He mumbled drowsily, struggling to open his eyes.

"Tessa is missing!" She hissed, the commotion forcing the others to wake up as well–all, save for Clint.

"What?"

"Tessa! I can't find her!"

"Did you tell Daniel?" Xavier got out of the sleeping bag and stood up with his clothes rumpled.

"No, I-"

"-You're supposed to tell him!" Xavier hissed and made his way towards the bedroom.

"Xavier! He said-" Bruce protested before falling silent when he pushed open the door and froze in the doorway.

The others came rushing after him, all of them also freezing to see the scene before them.

Daniel lay sleeping on his back with an arm wrapped around Tessa who had her head rested on his chest with the other around his waist and her leg wrapped over his, both sleeping contently and oblivious to the 4 teenagers in the doorway. All of them backing away, relieved to know Tessa was safe.

"You still not worried?" Bruce muttered to Xavier as he closed the door, the other boy shooting him a dirty look as a pungent taste infiltrated his mouth and had his stomach squeeze in discomfort, realizing he felt threatened.