A few months later…

Sarah was wandering down an aisle in the supermarket looking for tomato puree, so that she could make Daniel his favorite Italian meal. She stopped when she found it and picked up a couple of tubes. She turned and made her way back to find Daniel, who had the rest of the shopping in the trolley. She found him in the dairy aisle and made her way towards him. She saw that he was on the phone, so said nothing and put the tomato puree in the trolley. She saw fresh pasta and grabbed a couple of packets.

She stood and listened to Daniel’s side of the conversation. It sounded like good news, as Daniel was smiling and sounding very positive. He hung up and grabbed Sarah in his arms and kissed her fully on the lips. He put her down again and laughed at Sarah’s bewildered look on her face.

“Daniel what’s happened?” Sarah asked looking at him, as if to say what the fuck.

Daniel laughed again. “I’ll tell you when we get home. But right now, we are going to leave this and go to the liquor store. We have something to celebrate,” he said, grabbing Sarah’s hand and making his way to the door.

They got in the car and Sarah turned in her seat and looked at Daniel.

“Are you gonna tell me what the fuck is going on?” she demanded jokingly.

“I got Collar!!” Daniel shouted in excitement.

“Oh my god!! Really?! That’s great news Daniel!” Sarah squealed.

If she could have Sarah would have flung her arms round Daniel and hugged him tightly. Daniel turned on the engine and made his way back to their apartment. There was a liquor store just down the street for them, so they parked the car and made their way to the store and bought a bottle of champagne. The store owner gave Daniel and Sarah a very funny look and once they had left the store they both burst out laughing. They got back to the apartment and Daniel went and got them two glasses. While Daniel was doing this Sarah popped the bottle of champagne open.

Later…

Daniel and Sarah were cuddled up on the sofa together sipping on the champagne they had bought earlier. Sarah sighed and snuggled into Daniel’s chest. Daniel put his glass down and kissed the top of Sarah’s head. He couldn’t believe that he had got Bond. It was something he had put to the back of his mind as he had never thought that he would ever get it.

“What you thinking about?” Sarah asked removing her head from Daniel’s chest.

Daniel looked down at Sarah and kissed her nose before replying.

“I just can’t believe that Sandra has given me the part. I never gave it much thought really. I really thought she was joking when she said, ‘Over to you kiddo’. Did I tell you that the press conference is next month?”

“Really? What about filming?” Sarah asked.

“I have nearly finished my part in the film anyway, so it won’t really affect it. I still just can’t get my head round it,” Daniel said in disbelief.

Sarah wrapped her arms round his neck and kissed him fully on the lips.

“I love you,” she murmured into his neck and kissed it again.

“I love you too,” Daniel replied and wrapped his arms even tighter round Sarah.

A month later…

It was the day before the press conference and Daniel and Sarah had just landed back in London from America. They were walking through the airport heading to the exit, both looking tired and fed up. They were almost at the door when a pap came out of nowhere and took loads of snaps of them not looking their best. Daniel cursed under his breath and held onto Sarah’s hand even tighter than before. Sarah knew Daniel was nervous about tomorrow and that he was very easily irritated, as she had come to experience. The row that they'd had a few days before was something that Sarah would never forget. They had both said some really horrible thing’s to each other and things still weren’t completely back to normal with them.

Daniel unlocked his black, Range Rover Sport, HSE, and piled their bags into the boot. Sarah got into the car and plugged in Daniel’s iPod and found his Die Toten Hosen playlist and pressed play. Daniel and Sarah said nothing to one another the whole way home, the only sound was coming from the stereo. Sarah kept looking at Daniel hoping to catch his eye and induce a conversation with him, but every time she looked at him he never looked at her.

They were almost home when Daniel turned the stereo off and pulled up at the side of the road, before looking at Sarah. He looked so tired and even a little bit sad. Sarah could feel her heart break seeing him like this.

“Baby, I’m so sorry. I’m being an absolute bastard right now. I guess it’s just all the pressure from Bond. You have been an absolute angel and I have treated you like a piece of shit that I have stood in. I promise, after tomorrow is over I will be better and not nip you head off at every little thing,” he said and leaned over and kissed Sarah lightly on the lips.

“I understand Daniel. This hasn’t been easy for either of us. We just need to communicate with each other more and we will be fine. I love you so much, darling,” Sarah replied and put her hand on his thigh and squeezed it gently.

Daniel sighed with relief. He really had thought he had fucked up his relationship with Sarah. He drove the short distance to their home and handed Sarah the keys so that they could unpack the car and then possibly share a shower if he was lucky. He smiled to himself. Everything was going to be alright. He could feel it in his heart.

Later that afternoon…

Daniel was standing at the kitchen window drying the dishes from lunch. Sarah was upstairs unpacking their suitcases and dividing up the pile of washing that they would both have. He sighed and put away the last glass in the cupboard. He made his way out of the kitchen and up the stairs to see if Sarah needed at hand. He could hear Sarah singing along with the music that was playing in their room. It was one of their favorite songs. It was their song. Daniel crept up quietly to the door and leaned against the door frame and watched Sarah unpacking their two suitcases and the two separate piles of washing.

Sarah sang along to “Secret Smile” which she had on repeat. She looked up feeling that someone was watching her. She smiled when she saw Daniel. He looked so tired and he had such a long day ahead of him tomorrow. She went over to him and wrapped her arms around him. He did the same and kissed her on the neck. Sarah sighed at his touch and buried her face into his shoulder. They stood like this for some time, enjoying the moment, something which they hadn’t shared for a few days.

Daniel’s phone rang. He broke away from Sarah to answer it. Sarah went back to sorting out the piles of washing. She listened to the conversation, well Daniel’s side of it anyway. He seemed pissed off with the person on the other end. She knew instantly that it would be about the press conference the next day and she held her breath, as she knew that he would probably take it out on her. Daniel hung up and flopped down on the bed. Sarah went and lay down beside him and snuggled into his bicep.

“What’s happened?” she whispered into his ear, kissing it lightly.

Daniel rolled onto his side and faced Sarah. Taking a bit of her hair and twirling it with his thumb and forefinger. He sighed deeply.

“Sandra wants you and me to stay in a hotel tonight and tomorrow night because of press intrusion. She is sending a car over for us in an hour. So we have to pack again for a couple of nights. I can’t believe she has waited until the day before to tell me about this. She knew we were flying back from the States today. We could have gone straight to the hotel from the airport,” Daniel ranted.

Sarah kissed him before saying, “Never mind baby. One bag will do for us both, for all we need to take with us. I’ll get on with it now,” Sarah said and rolled of the bed and grabbed the large overnight bag that she had just unpacked.

Daniel sat up on the bed and looked at Sarah. He got off the bed and took the bag from her.

“No baby, you have already done enough by just being here with me during this and supporting me, even though I’m being a right arsehole. I’ll pack the bag. You choose what you want to take with you and I will put it in the bag” Daniel said kissing Sarah on the lips.

Sarah didn’t argue and let Daniel pack the bag. She threw a few things at him from the wardrobe and then went to the bathroom. There was something she had to do. She grabbed her mobile from the dresser and left the room. She searched for Sandra’s number and when she found it pressed call. She answered after the second ring.

“Sarah, hi. How are you?”

“Hi Sandra. I’m great, but it’s not me I’m phoning about. It’s Daniel. He is really feeling the pressure for tomorrow. I would appreciate it if you treated him with a bit more consideration. You knew we came back from the States today. Why didn’t you let us know before about staying in a hotel? It doesn’t make any sense. Don’t think that just because you treated Pierce like shit that you will be able to do the same to Daniel.

I won’t let you upset Daniel again and I swear you will regret it.”

“Sure. Look, I’m sorry Sarah I never meant to cause any stress between you two. It’s the last thing I would want to do. I never thought. I’ll talk to you when you get here though. I really am sorry Sarah. Please believe me,” Sandra replied before Sarah hung up on her.

Sarah cursed under her breath before going back in the bedroom where Daniel was just finishing packing their overnight bag. He looked up and smiled at Sarah, before zipping the bag shut. He threw it onto the bed and sighed. Sarah went over to him and wrapped her arms round his waist.

“Who were you on the phone to?” Daniel asked, putting his arms round Sarah and kissing the top of her head.

“No one important darling. When did you say the car was going to arrive?” Sarah said kissing Daniel on the lips.

At the hotel…

Daniel threw the room card onto the table at the door and glanced around the room that they had been given for the next two days. It was the second best suite in the hotel. This of course was being paid for by the production company. Daniel let out a low whistle as he went further into the room. He turned and looked at Sarah who looked like she had died and gone to heaven. He dumped their overnight bag onto the bed and hung up his suit for the next day up in the wardrobe.

“Well this is rather posh, isn’t it baby?” Daniel said laughing.

Sarah nodded, before going to have a look at the bathroom. It was huge! There was a bathtub and a shower cubicle. She went to have a further look at the tub and saw that it was a Jacuzzi jet one.

“Come and have a drink Sarah. We have a mini-bar to empty!! Oh champagne!” Daniel said sounding like an over excited schoolgirl.

Sarah came out of the bathroom and kicked off her shoes, before approaching Daniel who was holding out a glass of champagne to her.

“Thanks Daniel. This place is really nice. Wonder what we did to deserve this kind of treatment,” Sarah said taking a sip of champagne.

Daniel looked at Sarah, before pushing a piece of paper towards her.

“I think this might be why,” Daniel said.

Sarah put down her glass and picked up the piece of paper. It was a quickly scribbled note from Sandra:

Tell Sarah that I’m sorry about earlier. She was right. Hope the room is up to scratch. Sandy x 
Sarah looked up from the note at Daniel. She could tell he was fuming. She cursed under her breath for not telling Daniel earlier about the phone call to Sandra.

“Well, what they fuck is she on about Sarah? What did you say to her? Was that who you were on the phone to before we left the house?” Daniel spat.

“I called her. About the short notice she gave you about staying in a hotel for the next two nights. I told her that you were under enough pressure without her adding to it by giving us short notice. I also said that she couldn’t treat you like shit because if she did, she would have me to answer to. I should have told you, Daniel I know, but I was so pissed off at the way she had treated you that I had to do something. I had no idea that she would go and do something like this. I wish you would stop smoking Dan. It’s not good for you,” Sarah said throwing the packet of fags in the bin.

“You stupid bitch! How dare you think you can tell me what to do. If I want to have a fucking fag I will. You should have fucking told me. I don’t need you to fight my battles. I am perfectly capable of fighting them myself. I…” Daniel was cut off by Sarah.

“I was only trying to be supportive of you! You ungrateful bastard! If you’re so capable to fight your own battles why didn’t you say anything to Sandy when she call, eh? You are just a fucking coward Daniel. You just act like some macho fucking man who is invincible, well let me tell you something your not! I can’t believe you sometimes Daniel. You utter bastard!” Sarah shouted before storming out of the suite, slamming the door shut behind her.

Sarah let the tears flow now that she wasn’t in the same room as Daniel. She couldn’t believe that they had argued over a bloody hotel room. She made her way blindly to the lift and pressed the down button repeatedly.

“Come on you bastard!” she muttered, giving the door of the lift a kick.

A room door opened and shut. Sarah looked up and saw Daniel walking towards her. She could see that his eyes were full of sorrow, over their argument, but she wasn’t quite ready to forgive him for what had just happened.

“Sarah, baby. I’m so sorry. Please come back to the room. We can sit down and talk properly. Please,” Daniel said, taking hold of Sarah’s arm.

Sarah pulled her arm out of reach.

“It’s too late Daniel. It’s too late to be sorry. Do you even know what you want? I mean first you tell me that you’re grateful that I have been around lately and then just now you say you don’t need me to fight your battles. I have no fucking idea what to do any more to make you happy, because no matter what I do it’s never bloody right. I can’t take it any more Daniel,” Sarah said.

With that the lift door opened and Sarah entered it and pressed the button for the ground floor. She looked up and saw Daniel for the first time in a light which she never could have thought was possible, hatred. The door started to close, but Daniel stopped it with his foot. The door opened again and he came in the lift with her. Sarah tried to leave, but he blocked her way.

“No. We have to talk, Sarah. I won’t throw away what we have over a tiff. Please look at me,” Daniel pleaded.

Sarah looked at him, but instead of the love that usually lit them up, Daniel saw contempt and it scared him. He couldn’t lose her not now. He loved her too much.

“I’ve said all that I have to say to you right now Daniel. Please just get out of my way. I can’t even bear to look at you right now,” Sarah said coldly.

Daniel felt a shard of ice pierce his heart and he knew that he had lost her. He moved out of her way and let her go. He got out of the lift and went back to their suite. The bottle of champagne not even half drunk and the two glasses sat on the bar, taunting him. He swept them off the bar and watched them shatter on the marble floor before crumbling to floor. Tears pouring down his face.

That night…

Daniel lay in bed that night staring at the ceiling of the hotel suite. He couldn’t sleep. All he could think about was the argument that he'd had with Sarah and how empty the bed felt without her there. He picked up his phone again and looked at the picture of him and Sarah that he had as his wallpaper. He held down number one. Speed dial to Sarah’s mobile. He knew that she wouldn’t answer, but it was worth a go. However this time he was in luck. She answered after the seventh ring, just as Daniel was about to give up.

“What do you want Daniel? I told you that I didn’t have anything to say to you,” she said sleepily.

"I know, but I had to hear your voice. I miss you so much Sarah. What do I have to do to get you back? Where are you?” Daniel said, welling up again.

Sarah didn’t say anything. She missed him like crazy and she could tell that he was in bits over it. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I’m at home. I have nowhere else to go in London. I miss you too,” she whispered that last part.

“What did you say at the end baby?” Daniel asked, sure that he had misheard her.

“I said I miss you too. I can’t sleep. All I do when I close my eyes is repeat the argument,” Sarah repeated, louder this time.

Daniel gave a sigh of relief and smiled for the first time in hours.

“Same here. It doesn’t matter what I do. All I see is that looked of complete hatred in your eyes. I really thought I had lost you baby,” Daniel said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Hearing this from Daniel broke Sarah. She burst into fresh tears. This time of shame. She should have stayed and talked things over with Daniel, but she wasn’t thinking straight at the time.

“Hey, don’t cry baby. Everything is going to be fine. We will work through this, it’s just a glitch. Every couple goes through it. We have been very lucky. We have been together almost two years and this is the first proper bust up we have had,” Daniel said, feeling terrible that he wasn’t there to comfort her.

Sarah sniffed loudly. Daniel was right. They had come so far together and this was their first proper fight, well in terms of walking out on each other.

“Your right. I need to pull myself together. I feel so bad though. I was being utterly unfair earlier. Having a go at you about smoking and not telling you about phoning Babs. I should have told you, and then we would never have argued the way we did. I’m sorry Daniel. I don’t want to lose what we have. Never in a million years. I love you,” Sarah said, sniffing loudly again.

“Well, maybe we should get some sleep now. It’s really late. Stay at the house tonight. I will send a car for you in the morning around nine. How does that sound? Just to give us a bit more time alone, to think,” Daniel said stifling a yawn.

“That sounds like a really good idea, Daniel. I will be ready and waiting for the car. I love you,” Sarah replied and hung up.

They both pulled the duvet up around them and fell asleep. Dreaming of their reunion, the next day.