"Danny?" Mindy spotted him across the crowd in the Arrivals area, leaning against a wall, hands in his pockets. She was so tired that for a moment she though she was mistaken, but his eyes lit up in that familiar, heart-rending way when she came into view and hard knot formed in her chest.

She approached him curiously. "Danny, what are you doing here? How did you know when my flight got in?"

"Rishi sent me a text." He smiled shyly.

"When? I was with him all morning."

"Last night."

"Stupid Rishi!"

Danny waved at her to settle down. "Hey, go easy on him. He's a good kid."

"He is a good kid. He can't mind his own business, but he's a good kid." She paused. "He's gonna be a great doctor. I think I owe you a thank you for that."

"Yeah, I found your orchid. Thank you. You know I'll probably just kill it, right?"

A small smile formed on her lips. "I know. I just.. I didn't know how to say thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. That's what friends are for. I'm glad he's going back."

Her heart sank. "Me too."

"Where's your bag?" He gestured toward her hand.

"What do you mean? This is my bag." She lifted her arm so he could see her yellow leather travel bag.

"That's all you took with you?"

"Yes," she said indignantly. "I can pack light if I need to."

"The ONE TIME I don't travel with you and all you take is this tiny bag?"

"Well if it makes you feel useful I'll pack a bigger bag next time and you can deal with it."

Danny's eyes flickered, and she saw his chest heave like he was swallowing a sigh. "So, you need a ride?"

"Danny, you didn't have to do this." A little hope flared back to life in her.

"Sure I did. Like I said, that's what friends are for." He took her bag and turned to go. "Let's go."

. . . .

The ride back to her place was quiet. He tuned the radio to NPR and she pretended to doze. She'd been ready for this talk yesterday before she knew about Christina, but now she couldn't even form the words she needed to say. Not after he'd so clearly said 'friend' to her. Twice. So like a coward, Mindy feigned sleep.

She was concentrating so hard on trying to breathe evenly that she didn't notice the program change and when the first strains of Blue in Green filled the car she felt the sorrow and anger and disappointment she'd been holding back overtake her. As she sank deep into a deep pit of misery, she felt his hand hover over hers, warmth radiating from his palm, but never actually closing over hers. When he pulled it away she shivered involuntarily and hoped he didn't see as a tear rolled down her cheek.

He pulled up and parked near her place and got out to grab her bag from the trunk, thankfully giving her a moment to wipe her eyes in private and compose herself. He opened her door and held his hand out to help her out of the car. She took it and he pulled her up. "Thank you. You really didn't have to."

"I don't mind doing this kind of thing." He shrugged.

"Um...have you eaten? I could make you some dinner?"

"Please don't. Do not under any circumstances try to cook for me." Mindy felt her face fall and she couldn't even hide it. Danny put his hand on her shoulder. "But we could order pizza."

She smiled. "Deal."

. . . .

She woke up on her sofa with a chenille throw draped over her and before she opened her eyes she knew he was gone.

He'd barely objected when she put The Lake House on. They settled back into their old routine with ease. She'd told him all the news about Rishi and how the whole family had watched a documentary together just like when she was a kid. He 'd told her about all the time he'd spent at the hospital lately. He'd delivered his third set of twins for the month, which was definitely a practice record.

Neither of them had said a word about their last conversation. Neither of them moved to touch each other and his hand on her shoulder was the last physical contact they'd had. As the movie progressed she drew her legs up and formed a tight little ball on the sofa when she found herself thinking too hard about letters she'd written, a long time ago. She must have fallen asleep before the film ended.

She threw the blanket off and stretched. Picking up the pizza box and a couple of glasses, she made her way to the kitchen and started running water in the sink to wash up a bit. Steam rose around her and the scent of lemon dishwashing liquid triggered a memory.

It either is lemon or it isn't.

I don't know all the fancy fruits. It might be something else. Mango? I don't know.

Tears formed and fell, and she didn't even have the heart to wipe them away. She turned off the water and leaned over the sink, but as she plunged her hands into the soapy water she heard her door lock flip behind her. She spun and grabbed a knife from the knife rack, prepared to scream the building down when Danny's head popped around the door. He saw the knife first and chuckled at her. "We playing Clue again, Professor Plum?"

"Damnit, Danny! You scared me. Again! And this wouldn't have healed like the bruise from last time." Waving the knife at him she panted as adrenaline burned through her veins.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I just went to get you a bearclaw." He held up a white box like it would explain why he was sneaking in and out of her apartment again. He looked more closely at her. "Have you been crying?"

"Yes I've been crying! I thought you left."

"I didn't leave." He moved closer. "We haven't even had our fight yet."

"You came back here to start a fight? What is wrong with you?" Her adrenaline was coming down to be replaced by anger and embarrassment.

"No, I came back here to finish a fight. I walked out on you the last time we fought, and we have got to finish it." He was only on the other side of the kitchen island now and the closer he got the more humiliation she felt.

"Danny, I don't want..." she started.

"Please, Min." He was right in front of her now, his hands on her arms. "I was with Christina when you left the orchid, and she told me that being with me is hard because I give all or nothing. I told you once that I would never want someone to come between us and I failed you. I was that someone. I ran from you, and I ran from our fight. Leaving isn't the end of a fight, figuring out how you got there and finding a better way to do things next time is the end of the fight. We can move past this. I don't care what it takes, I need you in my life."

"Danny, I can't be your friend. Not after the wedding." Mindy felt him let go of her arms. "Christina was right. You're lucky to have her."

"Wait, what?" His whole face crumpled with confusion.

"I am happy that you've found a way to be with her again, but I can't stand by and watch it. I love you, and I wish I'd shown you more and told you sooner, but I didn't and I can't go back to nothing. I told you it hurt to love you, but I was wrong. It hurts to lose you."

"You think I'm with Christina?"

"You're not?" Her heart rose and she felt sick.

"No. I love you."

"I told you it was a mistake," she whispered. "You left."

He took her face in his hands, brushing his thumb along her cheekbone. "And I told you it wasn't." He kissed her softly, the way she kissed him with sugar on her lips that night when the whole world changed. "And I'll never walk away from you again."

"Dan?" She could barely breathe.

He smiled down at her. "Yeah?"

"Do you really think there is a chance for a happy ending here?" They'd made so many stupid mistakes and she was terrified he was right about broken people.

"Mindy, there's a chance for us to make whatever we want. We're not perfect, and I don't need a happy ending. I just need you."

Mindy slipped her arms around Danny and pulled him closer. "Right answer."

Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind. The End. -William Goldman, The Princess Bride

Notes: And that's all she wrote. This was a huge undertaking, way more than I'd have ever imagined I'd try to write into one story. This last chapter was hard to tackle because we're so close to the return of the show and I've just seen FMYI so all I can think about is how nothing I can ever write will come close to the fantastic storylines we have ahead of us now. It's so exciting. Anyway, hope you guys had fun with it, I did.

Music: XO, Beyonce and Bright Lights, 30 Seconds to Mars

The other thing eating up my time (beyond work and life) has been The M Project. We've made our goal of 14 fics before the return of the show, but we'd love more from you talented and creative writers so please feel free to join us or send me a message if you would like more info!