Title: Very Pretty

Author: AnitaB

Author's notes: Set after the movie 'Unleashed' now Danny and his new family are moving on with life. Danny starts to notice just how very pretty Vickie is. Two sheltered people are starting to find out that there's more than music and food to life. Danny/Vickie romance ahead. Will be M if she has anything to say about it.

I own nothing and nothing I do own would be worth the lawyer's fees of suing me. No money is made and no infringement is intended.

Very Pretty

By Anitab

Chapter one: Movies and ideas.

They never watched horror movies anymore. Not that Danny missed them at all. Victoria had never picked a scary movie to go to together after... it happened. After she and Sam had saved him from becoming like his uncle Bart.

So there they were, sharing a big tub of popcorn in a darkened theater. Watching a new romance movie. Their hands touched from time to time as they reached for the popcorn. It felt ... nice to have her hand touching his. Danny dropped his eyes from the screen, looking at her carefully. She looked ... nice. Hair loose and barely touching her shoulders. Eyes happy and locked to the screen, shining just a little. Fingers, long and gentle, scooping up a handful of popcorn to lift to her lips. The same fingers that had so gently taken off his collar a long time ago. The same fingers that had taught him to play his pretty piano. The same lips that had told him he was all new and had touched, ever so carefully, the skin of his neck. So soft and so ... nice.

Danny forced his eyes off her face and back to the movie. He didn't want Victoria to catch him staring at her. The people on the screen were smiling, hugging. And then they did something that captured his mind. The man touched the woman's face, leaned down and touched her with his lips. Not her cheek, or her forehead or her neck. He touched her lips. On their own, Danny's eyes left the screen and headed back to Victoria's face. Lips to lips... Her lips had felt nice on his cheek so many times, even nicer on his neck that once. How would they feel on his lips? Would she taste sweet?

Ripe means sweet. Sweet means good. Would Victoria be sweet like ice-cream? But not cold first. When she kissed him goodnight, on the cheek, it was always warm, nice.

Suddenly Victoria giggled at something in the movie, and the sound startled him. It sounded ... nice, like music on the piano. Like the notes after he and Sam had made the piano sing right. Pretty. Like she looked when she smiled.

Would Victoria smile like the woman on the screen was after he'd touched her lips with his? Would she make that pretty, happy giggling noise again?

Could he kiss Victoria like that?

Before he knew it, the movie was over and she was leading him out of the theater with an arm through his. Like she usually walked with Sam. It felt nice.

"So what did you think of your first romance movie, Danny?" She looked at him, smiling and Danny thought again about kissing. Lips to lips. Victoria's lips.

"It was ... nice."

"Good, I'm glad you liked it." She leaned close and Danny felt for just a second the quick soft brush of lips on skin. Lips to cheek. "It's always more fun to go to movies with somebody, so we can go see more together."

Fingers meeting around popcorn. Hearing her pretty giggles in the dark. "That sounds nice."

000

Victoria still practiced piano at the music school downtown. 'Better acoustics' Sam said, then muttered something almost too quiet to hear about safe corn and bad streets. 'Walk her home, would you, Danny?'

So Danny showed up outside the school every afternoon, usually with a vanilla ice-cream cone in each hand. First it's cold and then it's sweet. Today they were strawberry. The color was prettier than the white. Pink like her lips.

Victoria looked for him at the door and smiled when she saw him. Pretty. "Made with real strawberries," He held hers out for her, liking her smile. Bright with her hardware gone.

"Oh, Danny you shouldn't have." His hand started to droop before hers caught it and took a cone. "But thank you." Lips to cheek. Warm but still sweet. Danny leaned in, helping her lips stay on his cheek just a little longer. Then he smiled.

"You're welcome." Now it was his lips touching her cheek and it was soft and smooth and warm. And nice. Smiling, Danny dipped his head and cooled his lips on his ice-cream. It was sweet, but not as nice as the kiss. He liked kissing Vicki. Lips to cheek. Taking another lick of his ice-cream, Danny held his arm out to Victoria, liking when her hand curved around his wrist. Nice, warm.

"So, how are the pianos, Danny?"

"Singing pretty." But not as pretty as her. An idea struck his mind and he simply couldn't shake it. Danny wanted to see her at one of his pianos, now, today. Grinning helplessly, he grabbed her hand, twining his fingers through hers. "Come with me."

"Danny, but I thought we were going home."

"Not yet, something to do first. Please, for me."

Victoria looked at him for a moment, a vague sort of question in her eyes. Then she smiled. So pretty. "Okay, Danny, but we can't be out too late."

"Nope, home before dinner." With her fingers tightening around his, he led the way to the new antiques house, where he worked. At the door, Vickie tried to pull back, but he couldn't let her out of his hands.

"Should we be here, Danny?" Her fingers still tightened around his, not trying to escape. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

"It's okay. Let me come, play the pianos." Opening the door, Danny touched one hand to her back, low, and guided her inside. "She likes my spaghetti."

Vickie laughed, and the sound was pretty. Sweet. "Everyone likes your spaghetti, Danny." She leaned against his shoulder "You're a great cook. I love your vegetable lasagna."

He loved watching her eat his lasagna. "For dinner tonight, for you." Turning into the piano room, Danny tried to pick a lady for Vickie. He tried not to think about kissing. About kissing Victoria's lips and seeing if they were sweet like ice-cream. But not cold. Think about music. About watching his Vickie make pretty music for him. On one of his ladies. But which?

Anabelle. Danny put his hand on Victoria's back and walked her over to the 1950's baby grand. He loved this piano. Smelled like Sam, old and wise. Sounded like Heaven. "What are we here for?"

Anabelle was perfect. "Play for me."

Vickie smiled, a soft face that made him think of her skin. She sat down on the bench and smiled up at him. Danny tried not to think about kissing. Pretty lips. Pretty hands. "What piece should I play?"

All the music Danny had ever heard in his life just left his brain. Names were gone. His eyes stayed on her face. Such pretty eyes. "Anything."

"Anything, huh?" Vickie bit her lower lip then smiled at him. Such pretty lips. Pink like strawberry ice-cream. "Anything is pretty wide open, isn't it?" She turned fingers on the keys. Pretty hands, warm and soft, when she touched him. Gentle when Vickie took off his collar. Pretty when she played. "Well then, now 'bout this, Danny?"

Pretty fingers moved. Annabelle sang so pretty under Vickie's fingers. Vickie's music. Her touch. "Beautiful,"

Her eyes turned to him. Pretty smile on pretty lips. Blue eyes on his face. Smiling. "Thanks, Danny." Pretty lips saying his name. So very pretty.

He moved forward. Lips against just the corner of hers. Mostly cheek. Soft, smooth, warm. Vickie. Sweet. The music stopped and Danny pulled back. Cold lips and eyes on her face. He watched one pretty hand lift to her cheek. Her lips opened, eyes on his face. Danny didn't know what she was going to say.

"Time to go. We're late for dinner." Danny stood, arm out to her. "Sam will worry."

000