chasing demons. ***completed***

#8 run in

they were making their way through the aisles of the grocery store adding things into the cart. talking with Emma was easy for Dan. it was like they had always been together. he liked the feeling of it. he wondered if he would ever be able to talk about the things that happened over there. the one mission they lost the person they were trying to extract. he pushed it aside and tried to focus on the present. she recognized his panic attack and comforted him out of it. no one had ever done that before. it was easy for her and then she just went on like it never happened. it was second nature to her. he admired her for being able to just push it aside like it was nothing. he heard her phone buzz in her pocket and she smiled up at him. " it's my dad give me one second." she put the phone to her ear but Dan was impressed she didn't walk away. she stood right by him not needing to hide. " hey daddy what's up? how is Xavier?" there was mumbling on the other end he couldn't hear. " how long do you think?" the mumbling again. " ok fine. I will call him out for the week but dad, this can't happen often. he has to be in summer school." more mumbling in the other end. Emma looked up at him mouthing sorry. " yes dad I know. he can stay. yeah maybe I will come there for the fourth of July. " he watched as she paused and allowed her father to speak. " hey maybe I will bring a friend with me. maybe. ok love you dad. tell Xavier I love him and miss him. by dad." she hung up the phone with a bit of sadness. " I guess Xavier is staying the week with my dad and I won't see him until the fourth. it's kind of bitter sweet." Dan reached out placing his hand on her cheek pulling her face towards him. he leaned in and softly kissed her lips. "dan?"

" yes."

" I know you have a lot going on and things you are working through but do you think maybe you might want to go with me to my dad's ranch for the fourth?"

"I really want to say yes but I'm not sure how I would take all the explosions. I'm not sure how I'm going to react yet and I don't want everyone seeing that."

" well we come back before that starts. only Xavier stays for that. my dad has a front row seat to the towns fireworks. I can help you through the night if you want. we can make tonight's smaller fireworks a trial. I will just hold you through it."

" you would do that for me? just seriously some random guy you met yesterday? you don't even know my last name."

she shrugged thinking about it. " well I'm not offering you s*x and you have already seen me naked. so holding you all night like we did last night isn't so far fetched." she reached over placing apples into the cart.

" sterling." she smiled up at him.

" see, now I know your last name." she moved towards the back of the store where the butcher was wrapping up some meat for an older lady. she stared at the two of them laughing and joking around as they waited their turn. " hey there Charles. I need to get two of your best cut rib eye please." once they got their cuts of meat they moved towards the produce to grab potatoes.

Dan grabbed two really big ones he saw and placed them in a bag then in the cart. "is it wrong of me to want you to hold me all night long? I haven't slept all night like that in a long time. it was nice."

" not wrong at all. plus I offered. maybe we can pick up some cotton candy on the way home from the festival. it's not far from my house."

" I think cotton candy is my favorite dessert now. it's official it is no longer apple pie. it is cotton candy. hands down." they both laughed as they made their way out of the grocery store. Emma wasn't paying attention and she bumped right into Paul on the way out the door.

" Paul." he looked at her then at Dan then back at Emma.

"you with this guy now? you blow me off for some guy you just met?" Dan could hear the venom in his voice. anger and jealousy could make a man do things he wouldn't normally do or say.

" look Paul, who I spend my time with is none of your business. " she brought her fingers to the bridge of her nose putting pressure to hold off the headache he was giving her. " I tried to be nice about this but after last night gloves are off. I told you I didn't want anything more than just friends. last night you made it clear when you grabbed my arm we can't even be friends. so hopefully for the sake of peace in this town we can at least be civil."

he reached out his hand to her holding on to her wrist. "I love you Emma. I could never be just friends. and when boyfriend for the week leaves town. I will be waiting for you."

Dan stepped in he had enough. " what do you mean boyfriend of the week? we have been dating for almost a year now. I was deployed and I don't think it's your business if I spend time with my girlfriend. come on Emma. I promised you a big juicy steak and I'm getting tired of this guy." Emma pulled her hand away from Paul as his mouth opened up in shock. she could feel him glaring at her back as they walked away with Dans arm wrapped around her waste.

"I think we are about to be the gossip of the town for the next year. I can see the headlines now."

" I'm sorry I caused that back there. it just felt like he was shaming you for being with me. I don't like him. he seems dangerously close to the edge."

" he is definitely getting a little more erratic. he just doesn't seem to get the hint to back off. hey thanks for coming to my rescue back there." they loaded up and made their way back to her house. " right there that's my drive way."

" you aren't kidding you are really close to the festival." Dan was contemplating if he was going to grab some cotton candy for later. he made up his mind he was going to sneak out and bring it back as a surprise. he couldn't think of a better way to eat it than tasting it on her lips again. he was still a bit unnerved about Paul. there was something off that he couldn't quite get out of his mind. he had seen men close to the edge before. he felt Paul was dangerously close to acting out his fantasy of being with Emma. he may be the catalyst to why he does. he would make it a point to watch Paul and keep a close eye on Emma. he wanted to make sure she was safe. " hey can you finish putting this away? I will be right back I forgot something. "

" sure. but you are still cooking." she smiled as he walked out the door. her smile was beautiful. he loved seeing it. well liked. love is a very strong word. he had never been in love with anyone before but he was pretty sure it took more than just a day or two. he made his way to the cotton candy booth.

he smiled at the lady who was there earlier. " 1 bag of blue cotton candy please." she smiled at him as he handed her the money and rushed away with cotton candy in his hand. he came through the front door just as Emma came walking into the living room. he held up the treat and watched a big goofy grin cross her face. " I kind of liked the cotton candy a lot more than I thought."

"yeah? how about you go make us some dinner first and if you can cook I will definitely like to explore that cotton candy again."

" deal!" he handed it to her and made his way to the kitchen. dinner smelled amazing. Emma was watching him cook and tasting everything as it came out. " hey keep your hands out of it!" he was teasingly pushing her towards the stool in the kitchen.

" I can't help it. I'm starving and it smells so good!" he sliced off a piece of steak and put it to her mouth. " you gonna feed me?"

she loved the way his blue eyes became softer when he stared at her. " if you want me to I will." she liked his playful side. he was not just good looking but he was kind and funny and he intrigued her. something no man has done in a long time. not since the last time she had her heart ripped apart. she needed to push Rory out of her mind. she also needed to remember this was temporary for him. he still was leaving at some point to his family.