5.5--Brokendate

It's been three weeks since Henri left for Bridgeport.  Harlan and Daf rarely hear from her, except when she calls to make sure that bills are paid and the house is still standing.  Her last phone call revealed that it is likely she'll be coming home the following week.

Dafne has had plenty of time to reevaluate the relationship that she had with Henri and prepare for the new one that is awaiting her once she returns from her business trip - she's also had plenty of time to realize that the man sitting next to her at this very moment is attractive, and caring, and intelligent, and ... quite possibly someone that she'd be interested in, if she didn't feel guilty for having these thoughts so soon after a break-up.

If only she knew that Harlan can sympathize.  He's been feeling the same for far longer.

Harlan swoops in and leads his team to victory while Dafne is distracted.  He laughs when she dramatically throws her controller on the couch in mock distaste.  "Is this what winning feels like? I might do this more often."

"Don't count on it." Dafne pouts. "I wasn't paying attention."

"It looked more like you were lost in thought. Are you okay?"

Dafne blushes slightly, feeling like she's been caught. "Don't you have a meeting with Shalonda?" She blurts, changing the subject.

Harlan looks at her skeptically for a moment before glancing at the clock. "Yeah, I'd better go."

Harlan meets up with the recently returned Shalonda at the park - because apparently being cooped up in a small room for the last three weeks analyzing samples and attending endless meetings has made her temporarily claustrophobic.

She's also incredibly pregnant, much to Harlan's surprise.

"Looks like you had fun in Bridgeport."  Harlan says, glancing at her protruding belly.

Shalonda smiles briefly, before shaking her head.  "A former colleague and I... it was an accident, but a happy one.  That's not why I asked to meet up with you though."

Harlan listens patiently as Shalonda rants about the mismanagement at the Conference in Bridgeport and how everyone is scrambling to make sense of what little evidence they have.

"We're stretched thin; - " she concludes with a frown, " - the Conference did nothing but to showcase that to the public."

"So what now?"

"They have a new plan." She says warily.  "Each city is to assemble a small team of experts to analyze any new evidence, if we get any.  Redwood and Bridgeport are going to be the hubs for Forensics."

Harlan quirks a brow in confusion.  "Redwood?"

"I've been chosen to lead the Forensics branch of the investigation.  Apparently, I'm the best they have and since I refuse to relocate, well... their hands were tied."

"You would make a good addition to my team."  She continues.  "This is will be your chance to take a look at those samples that I've been promising and you would have steady pay..."

The last admission isn't necessary.  Harlan's been waiting for this since he arrived, but the money is a definite plus as far as he's concerned. "Count me in."

Shalonda nods with a satisfied smile.  "Good.  I'll expect you at the Facility early tomorrow morning."

Harlan returns later that night to find Dafne sitting outside in their front yard.  As soon as she sees him, she scoots over  and pats the grass next to her.

"What are you doing out here?" Harlan asks.

Dafne shrugs.  "It's a nice night out and I wanted to look at the stars."  Harlan looks at her skeptically, earning a laugh.  "Fine.  It was a boring day without you at the house, so I've been sitting outside waiting for you to come home."

"So you missed me."  The statement was meant to be a joke, but the way Dafne immediately turns her head toward the night sky to mask her blushing tells Harlan that he's on to something.

Harlan isn't usually the bold type.  In fact, both of his previous relationships were started by his ex-girlfriends; but with Dafne, it's different.  He's different.  And she brings something out in him that he never thought he possessed, confidence.

So he reaches for her hand, hoping that the attention will be reciprocated...

... and it is.  There's no words as they both scoot together, wrapping their arms around each other as they gaze at the night sky.  There's also no words when they both start to realize what they're getting themselves in to.

"Henri returns in a couple of days." Dafne says, breaking the silence.  She doesn't need to say anymore for Harlan to understand; she's worried what Henri will think when or if they tell her about... whatever it is they are now.

It would be a lie if Harlan said he wasn't worried either.  Maybe scared is a better word.  He's seen Henri's wrath and would much rather not be the cause of it.  And there's also the matter of their friendship...

Harlan doesn't answer immediately, instead extricating himself reluctantly from Dafne's grasp and standing up.  He offers his hand to help her up from the ground, seeing the disappointment etched across her face as he does so.  "Maybe... maybe we should slow down.  I mean, it's not just Henri... it's... I don't want to fuck this up and if my past relationships are any indication - "

Before Harlan can finish his sentence, Dafne's lips are on his.  She pulls back after a few seconds, grabbing his hands in hers. "I don't want to take things slowly with you Harlan, but I don't want to pressure you either.  If this is too fast..." Dafne smiles reassuringly, leaving the rest of the sentence unsaid. "... I just want you to know that I care about you and for the first time in a long time, I feel happy."

It's Harlan's turn to surprise Dafne.  If she's willing to move things forward, then so is he.

They barely make it to his room before both are completely disrobed* and in each other's arms.  Their first time is hurried, passionate... and nowhere near the bed.  When Harlan pins Dafne to the wall, there's no turning back for either of them.  And when he finally enters her, their lack of a bed is completely forgotten.

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Title is a song by Com Truise.

Sorry this chapter ends so abruptly.  The next portions of the story don't transition well from here, so I leave you with nekkid Harlan/Dafne.

*I used the word disrobe guys.  I feel classy.

Harlan's everyday outfit randomly changed.  I had this weird glitch where the game was assigning two everyday outfits in the panel and switching between them intermittently (even though only one showed in CAS) - I managed to fix it by resetting the town a couple of times, so hopefully that stays fixed.  We shall see.

The "father" of Shalonda's baby is actually a female that I made a long time ago and whose genetics I really wanted to experiment with.  Since Shalonda isn't fond of staying in relationships for more than a few sim-days and never gets pregnant, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Me trying to write smut.