Light

By:  Elizabeth Dunn

Disclaimer:  Only the story idea is mine, nothing else.  This is a non-profit endeavor with no funds being given or received.

Author's note: This hasn't been betaed, so fair warning.  All mistakes are entirely my own.  If the idea of two men in a loving relationship bothers you, then why are you reading a slash story in the first place?   This is the final segment of my series consisting of 'Sketches,' 'Points of Perspective,' 'Color Wheel,' and 'Abstract.' Sorry, no sex this time, I just couldn't get into that mood.  Don't hurt me!  Feedback is always appreciated, just no flames, please.  Now, on with the story!

**********

Casey sat at his desk, trying to write a script but failing miserably.  The reason was clear-Dan was missing.  For the first time since their relationship started they weren't together.  It wasn't even something normal and job-related.  Nobody knew where he was.  There had been a note on Dana's desk requesting some vacation time, but no Dan.  Everyone was reacting differently to this odd occurrence.  Dana was in a snit because one of her anchors had just basically dropped off the face of the earth, Natalie and Jeremy were calm and cool, sure that nothing bad was happening, and the rest of the crew was constantly cringing, knowing that Dana took no prisoners when she was angry. 

Casey, on the other hand, was alternating between being worried sick and blaming himself for Dan's apparent desire to not be around anyone.  He was scared that something had happened to his best friend, and also scared that he had caused whatever was going on.  He loved Dan, so much that it hurt, and it hurt more now, knowing that something was going on and he couldn't even be there for him.  Casey shook himself, trying to drag his mind back to the script at hand.  In the middle of a paragraph on the disappointment the Jets were turning out to be this season, his phone rang.  Absently, he reached over and answered it, his mind still on football.  "Casey McCall."

"Case?"

Casey sat up straight, eyes wide in shock.  "Danny?"

"Yeah, it's me.  How are things at the office?"

"*Where* are you?"

"Are things calm, or sane at least?  Can you leave?"

"Leave for where exactly?"

"To come be with me." 

"And where would that be?"

"Casey.  Can you get away?"

"Danny, answer me first.  Where are you, are you all right, and give me one good reason why I shouldn't hang up on you right now and never speak to you again."

"I'm fine, I can't tell you where I am because I'm not there yet, and you shouldn't hang up on me because you love me and I love you."

"Fine, we'll play it your way."

"We've always been playing it my way, Case.  I'm glad you've finally realized it."  Casey could almost hear the grin he was sure Dan was sporting right then.  "Now, can you get away?"

"Apparently you're not all right or you wouldn't be asking that."

Dan gave a small laugh.  "Rough there, huh?"

"You have no idea."

"I'm sure I do."

"I know."  Casey sighed.  "There's no way I can skip out now.  Dana would have my head.  But after the show, I'll go to you.  Is that all right?"

"Perfect.  Just take off a few days before you leave."

"Am I going to need them?"

"Trust me, Case.  Once I get you alone with me, here, I'm not planning on letting you go anytime soon."

"I like the sound of that.  Wait, I though you weren't there yet, wherever there is."

"The bus just arrived."

"Bus?"

"Didn't want to drive.  You will drive, however."

"Danny.  Drive where?"

"Oh, I haven't told you yet?"

"No.  Tell me now before I really do decide to never talk to you again."

"Niagara Falls."

"Niagara Falls?" 

"That would be the place."

"What possessed you to go there?"

"I've never seen them before."

"What, you just had a burning desire to go?  Without telling me, or anyone else, might I add?"

"Case, I have to go.  I'll explain everything when you get here."  Dan gave the name of the hotel where he was staying.  "Case," he said, just as he was about to hang up.

"Yeah?"

"Good show."

"Thank you, Danny.  Would be even better with you."

"You'll do fine.  I'll see you soon."

Casey stared at the phone, then resolutely got up from his desk to go seek Dana.  How she was going to react to this news he refused to speculate on.  Just do it and get it over with.  Then go to Dan, find out what was going on, then beat the crap out of him.  With that last thought to bolster him, Casey left the security of his office with a smile on his face.

**********

An eight-hour drive later, an exhausted Casey pulled up at the hotel where Dan was staying, glaring at the sight of his friend, who seemed very awake.  Dan walked over to Casey and gave him a hug.  "Did you have a hard time getting away?" he asked while taking Casey's bag and guiding him to his room.

"Getting away was the easy part," Casey said, yawning the whole time.  "Telling Dana I was taking time off was the hard part."

"She was hard on you?"

"Danny, you wouldn't believe it."  Casey collapsed on the bed and looked at Dan wearily.  "Listen, I'll tell you the whole story later, and I will get your story later, but I've been up for almost twenty-four hours, driving for eight of them, and I really need to sleep."  He kicked off his shoes and laid down, barely noticing the kiss Dan placed on his forehead.  He was asleep already.

**********

Casey awoke to the feel of Dan's hands caressing his hair.  Rolling over, he smiled sleepily at him.  "Hey."

"Sleep well?"

"Perfect."  Dan leaned forward and kissed him.  Casey let himself be lost in the sensation for a few minutes, then pulled back; completely ignoring Dan's disappointed moan.  "Hold on," Casey said, as Dan tried to kiss him again.  "*You* still have some explaining to do."

Dan sighed and leaned back against the headboard.  "I suppose I do."

Casey waited for a few minutes.  When it appeared that Dan wasn't going to be volunteering any information soon, he spoke up.  "Dan, today would be nice."

"I know, Case, it's just hard to explain."

"Try starting on why you felt compelled to come here in the middle of the night for the first place."

"Well, you know how we had agreed to spend a few nights apart?"  Casey nodded, they had been spending every night together at one of their places, but, of course, that arrangement hadn't resulted in much sleep for either of them.  Finally, after being told by most of the production staff, and all of makeup that they looked like shit they had decided that some time apart, and sleep, would be a good idea.  "I couldn't sleep."

"Danny, the whole point of being apart was so that we could sleep."

"I couldn't sleep without you.  So, I got an idea."

"Oh, one of *those* ideas."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Dan, you're famous for strange ideas that happen in the middle of the night."

"Yeah, I suppose I am.  Well, anyway, I was thinking about places I've never been, and realized that I'd never been to Niagara Falls.  I decided I needed to remedy that deficiency in my travel."

"Just tell me one thing: what time was it when you decided to just go."

"Around four in the morning."

"Thought so.  Continue, by all means."

"I will if you stop interrupting me."

"I've stopped."

"All right then.  I went to Port Authority and bought a ticket on the first Greyhound out of there, after stopping by the studio and leaving a note I was taking time off.  Somewhere in New Jersey-"

"Wait.  I thought Niagara Falls was in New York.  Well, New York and Canada.  What were you doing in New Jersey?"

"Apparently, the best route to the falls is through New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  The point is, I remembered what Niagara Falls is famous for."

"The falls?"

"No, Case, try to stay with me here.  Romance.  The falls are always being linked with proposals and honeymoons and the like.  So I thought who wants to be in a place like that alone?  So I called you.  And here we are."

"Niagara Falls."

"That would be it."

"Danny?"

"Yes?"

"What were your plans for once you got us here, alone, together?"

"Well," Dan slid across the bed to lean in close to Casey.  "I thought we could have sex a lot."

Casey smiled.  "Sounds like a plan.  But, wait, won't you want to see the falls at some point?"

"Look out the window.  There they are.  Really, I do plan to get out of the room at some point, but right now....  Has anyone ever told you how sexy you look when you look like you've just rolled out of bed?"

"Not recently."

"Well, you do.  And I love you."

Casey put his arms around Dan.  "Don't you think you should do something about that?"  Keeping one arm wrapped around Dan's neck, he ran his other hand down his chest to lightly touch Dan's very hard cock.

Dan flipped Casey over so he was on top of Casey.  "I think I will.  And I think I should start right about...here."  He bent his head and began kissing Casey's face and neck.

"Mmmm, I could get used to this," Casey sighed as he leaned into the embrace.

"This, and so much more, Case, I swear to you."   His lips found Casey's nipple.  Casey moaned and arched into Dan's mouth.  Dan pulled back, a teasing grin appearing on his face.  "But, I think you really want to see the falls, so let's get up and go."

"*Danny*."

"Yeah, Case?"

"I am up and quite ready to go."  Dan smiled.  "And, if you even think of stopping, I will have to kill you.  There won't have been quite as gory a death since that helicopter crash about five years ago."

"Anything to please," Dan whispered, and bent to his task once again.

**********

"So, this is Niagara Falls."

"You don't sound suitably impressed."

"Oh, I am impressed, believe me."

"But?"

"'But?'"

"I'm sensing a but."

"Well, Danny, I'm just wondering what it is you wanted to talk about that couldn't wait until we crossed into Canada and stood in a spot that I'm positive you pre-selected."

"Well I would've preferred the Maid of the Mist, but the line was too long."

"Danny."  Casey touched Dan's arm and waited until Dan turned from the falls to face him.  "What's up?  Talk to me."

"I just wonder sometimes."

"What?"

"Do you really forgive me for what I did?"

"What, did you do something else?"

"No, you know, the whole girl and bar thing."

"Dan, I forgave you for that a long time ago."

"Good.  Now I can say this with a clear conscience."

"Please don't say what I think might be coming."

"What would that be?"

"That you feel bad that you're about to permanently make me associate a previously romantic spot with a broken heart."

"Casey, no!  Never again do I plan to let you go."

"Dan?"

"Casey, I can't promise you forever.  We never know what may happen.  But I can promise you that you'll have my heart for as long as it beats, that it will beat only for you as long as we both shall live."

"That sounds suspiciously like a proposal."

"It's not that.  Unless many laws and public opinion change drastically in our lifetimes, it will never be that.  I love and respect you too much to risk anything that might destroy you.  It's the closest thing to marriage that we can get."

Casey looked at him, eyes shining with tears.  "And my heart is yours.  I hope you know that.  It will be yours, for now and forever."

Dan reached out and took Casey's hand in his, for once forgetting the proper distances they had agreed to maintain in public.  His eyes were moist as well.  Casey didn't even notice the tears though, too caught up in the love he saw shining there.  Suddenly, the looked changed, no less loving, but with mischief now as well.  "So, Case, if this was our 'marriage,' then don't you think we should start our honeymoon right about...now?"

"Just a minute."  Casey reached into his jacket pocket and drew out a folded piece of paper.  He unfolded it, and Dan recognized the sketch of himself, the sketch that had started it all.  Casey held it to his heart for a moment, then tossed it into the water and watched it go over the falls.  Dan was about to say something, but Casey interrupted.  "For so long, I've only had your image.  Now I have *you*, not just a piece of paper.  Call me romantic, but I want it to remain here, to keep a part of us here."

Dan sighed, then chuckled.  "I would have to chose a man who is a hopeless romantic."  He gazed out over the falls, staring into the water, until Casey's hand on his arm brought him back to the present. 

"Come on, light of my life, let's go celebrate."  Dan laughed at the lustful look on Casey's face and followed him.  For once in his life, he felt like the world was truly working for him.

*********

The End

*********

Author's note #2: I always wanted to do a story about Niagara Falls, so I figured it would be the perfect place to set this story.  After all, it *is* famous for love :) Also, that helicopter crash did really happen.  I was vacationing with my family there the day it happened and it truly was awful.  Well, thanks for reading this far.  A thousand blessings on you and your house  :)