Lonely at Dawn (Attn: Aura)

Darren woke for the second in Aurelie's apartment. For the second time it was a new day except this time the sun was already up. For the second time, he was alone in her bed. The fact that he now seemed to live with her made it all better and he couldn't help but grin at the thought.

Slowly getting up, Darren pottered around, checking out the place, and was amazed to find Aurelie hadn't lied about having a punch bag installed. He then went through to shower and unpacked the small items he owned, using up very little space indeed. After throwing on some training clothes, Darren took his key and went for a run, stopping at a bakery to grab some breakfast before returning to the apartment. Not a bad neighbourhood, he thought after several blocks.

Letting himself in, Darren spent several minutes wrapping his hands in an almost ritual-like fashion, determination etched on his face. Taking out one of his CDs (Rest Inside the Flames by 36 Crazyfists), Darren puts on the stereo system, chucks the CD in and faces the bag.

As the msuic kicked in and the dirty bass ripped throough his body, Darren began to strike the bag with combination punches, doing three minute rounds with a minute's rest in between. As each round passed, the intensity of the punches inceased as he threw some of the sickest punches ever, leaving the bag with indentations every 3 minutes that he needed to beat out by spinning the bag round.

As the seventh track kicked in, Darren stopped as he listened to the lyrics;

It took all these nights alone,
Alone we are,
Aurora, don't leave me out,
Aurora, don't leave me out.

Ignoring how alone he suddenly felt, Darren continued to strike the bag, his mind finding his focus once more.

Aura arrives just after sunset, lovely as always, entering silently and watching him beat the living hell out of his present. She turns before he sees her and goes to sit on the couch, waiting for him.

After the CD ends and the sweat is running off Darren's flesh, he head's through to the lounge and is surprised to see Aura sitting there, as perfect as ever.

"Hey," he cries, "when did you come in?" He strides over to her, planting a kiss on her lips, the loneliness vanishing in her presence.

"Just a minute ago... You like your workout room? " she asks hopefully, a smile lighting those ice blue eyes.

"Its as perfect as you," he replies, moving through to grab a towel and wiping himself down.

Coming back to her, he sits and starts to unwind his hand wraps only to find that they are a bit bloody from hitting the back with such force.

"I missed you," he purrs, "Everything ok?"

She blinks, Darren! Look at your hands mon amor! You must be careful! she breathes, the thought of her Darren being hurt just too much to bear.

She unwraps them for him, gracing him with soft slow kisses as she does so.

"Oui... Everthing is fine..." she smiles, hating leaving him every night.

"So," he says, hating to bring up the conversation again, without sounding like a jackass, overprotective boyfriend, "Where did you go?"

"My friends again... She worries about me, and is so used to me living with her, its a little weird to not go home every night and check in with her," she murmurs, knowing where this conversation is going.

Darren sighs inside, not wanting to have a repeat performance, and decides to change the subject.

"I unpacked what little I had, hope you don't mind. I didn't take up much space."

"I'm trying to make things so that I can be here full time with you within two weeks...Does that make it better? Smile mon amor..." she murmurs, finding his mouth in a soft kiss.

Oui! Magnifique.... Of course I dont mind, you could take up all the space you wanted..." she smiles.

Smiling back, Darren kisses back and locks eyes with hers.

"I'l be here, no matter how long it takes."

I am so glad for that my heart... You are sure you dont mind the short wait? she asks, rising and following him .

"Of course I don't mind," he replies, heading towards the bedroom. "Aura, I don't know what you're up to or what other things you may have in your life, but I love you, and I'll be here, waiting, when your ready to join me."

He smiles at her, kissing her fully and deeply. "Now, I've got to get ready for work, otherwise Neil will have my job," he says laughing.

"Oh damn... I forgot I'm working too." she comments, rising and digging through the closet where gorgeous clothes are hanging.


She chooses a simple black Givenchy, just low cut enough to be interested and yet still very modest and delicious. She hooks her arm in Darrens.

"I know its hard, because I want you all the time, but lets try really hard to be good in front of Neil tonight? Its not that I dont want him to know wwe are together, I just dont want him to be furious with us." she says as they take the elevator down.

"Really, will it be that bad?"

"Well... We did make out in front of customers love...And he might not take kindly to that. " she murmurs.

"Then," he says moving closer, "I should get all my kisses out the way before we get there." He places his mouth gently on her mouth while holding her tight. He even pushes the elevator button to go back up to the top floor for that little bit more precious time with her.

{FADE TO BLACK}