It had been almost six months since Tessa broke up with Ryle, and during that time, she had got the job at the interior designing firm, and graduated with all the Robertson's coming together to congratulate her – no one knowing that things were working out between her and Daniel – and she had now officially recovered from the heart break.

Daniel and she talked every once in a while, but Tessa felt the tension between them, knowing that she wanted him in the way that he wanted her, but she didn't have the courage to tell him. Not after everything she put him through. She just couldn't. 

They met over the weekend at the café, both of them just silently sitting and reading their book with their preferred order before Daniel either went off to work or dropped Tessa to her place.

Last weekend had been no different, and she didn't expect this weekend to be any different either, something which she relayed to her colleague.

"What your plans for the weekend?" She leaned against the cubicle showing off her luscious curls draped on her caramel shoulder, watching Tessa open her mouth before stopping her. "Wait, don't tell me, you're going for coffee with Daniel,"

"Who is this Daniel?" Another one groaned behind Tessa. "I mean, I've just heard his name and he sounds smoking!"

Tessa couldn't help but chuckle at them as she peered over the catalogs.

"When are you introducing us?" The first one asked again as she opened her mouth to respond, hearing someone distantly ask about her.

Looking up from her place, she was momentarily taken aback to see the suit-clad man asking about her.

"Now, I guess," Tessa stood from her place as she watched him approach, both of her friends instantly straightening and looking around before their mouths fell open when Daniel stopped before her, giving them a nod in greeting. "Hey,"

"Hi," Daniel greeted. "I was hoping I'd find you here,"

"Well, I do work here," She chuckled lightly watching Daniel stuff his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah, right," He nodded and shuffled on his feet. "Listen, I was hoping I could talk to you?"

"Yeah, sure,"

"In private," Daniel added in retrospect to seeing her friends leaning into every word he said.

"Uh...sure, come on," Tessa led the way, taking him to the emergency staircase and leading him up to the roof. "So what did you want to talk about?" She inquired and leaned against the railing.

"Well..." He heaved a sigh and scratched at the back of his head. "I know I'm probably really pathetic to have stuck to this for so long, and you probably don't even feel that way about me, but...I thought I'd give it one last try before giving up,"

"What?"

"Go out with me," He breathed out, looking at her expectantly as Tessa's mouth fell open and her words died away. "I mean...give me a chance," Daniel corrected himself, shaking his head.

"I mean...go out on a trial date with me," Daniel fumbled over his words. "Just...just one trial date with me and if you like it then we go out on another proper date, and if you don't, I'll stop. I promise you, I'll stop,"

"You'll..." Tessa swallowed, trying to get the words out. "You'll stop what, exactly?"

"I'll stop perusing you, I promise," He spoke quietly, a sudden sadness overcoming his face as he looked away. "Mom likes a girl for me...and I thought that I'll try...one last time before I have a look at her,"

"Your mom found a girl for...?"

"Marriage,"

"Oh,"

"Yeah, so I just wanted to try one last time before I say yes..." Daniel rubbed a hand over his nape. "You can say no..."

"A...A trial date?" Tessa confirmed, feeling her cheeks heat up at the prospect, but her excitement grew regardless. "If I like it, we go out on an actual date, and if I don't you'll stop pursuing me,"

"Yes,"

"Well...when?"

"How does Saturday sound?" Daniel looked up at her with a shy smile. "Does it work for you?"

"Yeah, it does," She couldn't help the smile on her face. "Saturday works,"

"Great, I'll see you then," He nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets before giving her a smile and leaving.

Tessa could hardly wait for Saturday to roll around, wondering what he had in store for her before her excitement developed into confusion when she got a message telling her to wear comfortable clothes the night before. Not only that, but all her friends were constantly giving her pointers on the date and she repeatedly told them it's a simple trial date, but the funniest was when Jeremy showed up on her doorstep on Saturday and told her to get dressed.

"It's casual, Jer," She tried telling him but he wasn't having any of it and instead forced her into a navy blue skater dress with a string of pink pearls and matching earrings. "Jeremy-"

"-Schh!"

"Okay!"

She stared at herself in the navy blue skater dress and pearls, wanting to tell Jeremy that it was far too much, but the boy would hear nothing of it. Which is why, now she stood in front of Daniel's door - dressed to impressed - with him in sweatpants and a T-shirt, the smell of popcorn wafting out from behind him.

"Oh," His mouth created a perfect O at the sight of her.

"I got your message but Jeremy wouldn't listen," She flushed in embarrassment and struggled to get the necklace off her along with the earrings and pulling open her hair as she stepped inside, surprised to see his lounge.

"A blanket fort," She breathed out in disbelief.

"A Disney movie marathon," Daniel revealed from behind her.

"A-" Tessa whirled on him incredulously. "A movie marathon?" Her face lit up like Christmas lights, a delighted squeal escaping her as she jumped up in her excitement.

"I'll get you something else to wear," He smiled at her enthusiasm.

"Yes!" She exclaimed in delight and bounded after him as he went to get her a change of clothes, giving her one of his old t-shirts as she went and changed.

Tessa returned with her face washed and jewelry removed, drowning in his old t-shirt and grinning like a cashier cat before joining him in the kitchen.

"I've got some snacks ready," He told her as he emptied the popcorn into the bowl, feeling his cheeks heating up to see her in his shirt, realizing how gorgeous she was.

"Can I help?"

"It's all done," He gave her a small smile before handing her a couple of things. "You can take these things with you into the fort."

Grinning she went into the fort with the things, gasping at the cushioning and the fairy lights, delighted to see the numerous blankets and the stack of movies they were going to watch. Within minutes, Tessa sat with her back to the pillows and cuddled into the blankets, grinning like a child with her eyes wide with mirth and joy about the fact of the whole scene.

Daniel joined her under the blankets soon after he put the first movie into the DVD player: Snow White and Tessa watched him tick it off his list of Disney Movies.

They watched one movie and then another and then another, and they had Tessa laughing with joy, or crying every once in a while, and all throughout the time, Daniel watched her, smiling and chuckling at her enthusiasm before hugging her close during sad scenes, glad to see the smile on her face at the end of the movie. They burned through all their snacks to the point where they couldn't eat anymore, and more than once, the FBI agent fell asleep and was woken up by a gasp or shriek from Tessa, the man instantly on high alert before relaxing to see that the movie had caused that reaction.

He eventually dozed off once again with her head on his chest and an arm loosely draped over her, Tessa watching the movie with half-lidded eyes and willed herself to stay awake. But the warmth and comfort of Daniel and the cosines of the blankets, along with the dim lighting around them just added to her lethargy, eventually forcing her to fall asleep as well.

She awoke first, the sound of barking having woken her as she groaned and rubbed her eyes, momentarily laying her head back down before the thumping of his heart registered in her ear. Blinking her eyes, Tessa found herself on top of Daniel's chest with one of his arms lightly draped over her back and the other covering his eyes, the blanket tangled between their legs with one of Tessa's hands dangling off and the other on his chest. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to slowly get off him but instead slipped off with a shriek, Daniel waking with a sharp inhale and looking around him in confusion, not understanding for a second where he was before squinting to see Tessa lying beside him and furiously rubbing her eyes.

"Hey," He called out groggily, his voice husky with sleep and his hair all over the place.

"Hi," She sighed before stopping her incessant rubbing, watching him sit up and turn off the T.V showing the title page of 'Lady and Tramp'. "I feel asleep halfway through the movie,"

"I feel asleep three movies ago," He chuckled at her words, rubbing his neck to try and relieve the ache, watching Tessa sit up behind him and rest her chin on his shoulder, Daniel watching her from the corner of his eyes before tensing when she placed a kiss on his neck.

"I loved every second of this," She murmured to him sleepily as he couldn't help but give her a soft smile. "Although we still have many movies to go," She picked up the crumbled page that got squished beneath them during their sleep.

"We can watch them some other time," He murmured breathily, noticing how close she was pressed to his back and still felt the lingering sensation of her lips against his neck, and inhaled deeply before pulling away. "I'll make us some breakfast,"

"I'd love that," Tessa gave him a sleepy grin before spreading out on the comforter again and stretched, letting out a content moan as Daniel froze for a second and closed his eyes to compose himself.

Stepping out of the fort, Daniel was momentarily taken aback by the gloominess of the interior. Noticing the overcast sky and the drizzles on his window before getting up and making his way into the kitchen and started the coffee machine and oven. Pulling out the pre-prepared egg, cheese, and sausage sliders he had waiting to be put in.

He heard Tessa shuffle out of the fort, giggling to herself before making her way to the guest bathroom downstairs, returning to him putting the dish into the oven. She settled down on the bar counter, resting her chin on her folded arms as she looked up at Daniel with a happy smile, feeling her heart flutter in her chest as she watched him move around the kitchen, never noticing the adoration in her eyes.

After 20 minutes, both of them were enjoying the cheesy egg and sausage sliders, her with a glass of orange juice, while he relished the bitter taste of his coffee, both of them talking about the Disney movies they had watched, Tessa stopping mid-sentence to see the sudden white flash behind him, noticing the rain pouring harder outside.

A joyous grin overcame her face as she bounded off the bar stool and looked out the window, counting under her breath before hearing the thunder, laughing at herself as she waited for the second strike of lightning.

Chuckling, Daniel made his way over to her, unable to keep his eyes off her.

And as she stood there with her nose pressed to the glass, watching the thunderstorm and laughing, he knew he loved her. She was like a little girl sometimes, and it was one of his favorite things her. Each time she saw lightning, her eyes widened and she smiled, and then he wrapped his arms around her from behind, he knew that was where he was meant to be.

By her side.

Inhaling the fragrance of her shampoo, Daniel rested his chin on the top of her head and closed his eyes, relishing in the feel of her tiny body in his arms, not wanting to think about her inevitable answer.

"Daniel?" She looked away from the glass before looking up at him as he hummed in acknowledgment. "Where are you taking me next time?"