Aberrant: Dead Rising - Danny

[Dan Hawkins]

“Come on in Danny, the water’s great!” Alicia Davidson beckoned to the Marine Captain standing on the beach. They'd all finally gotten to spend the day together, and were looking to make the most of it. Her husband and his best friend, Lieutenant Marcus Davidson was sneaking up on her from further out in the surf. From behind he felt the shift in the sands and knew a second ahead that his own girlfriend Lisa Hayes was creeping up on him. The two moved in a semblance of coordination, Lisa jumping onto his back, and Marcus grabbing his wife and pulling her into the surf. Alicia yelped and Dan caught Lisa’s legs and gave a wicked smile. He dashed into the water and dunked both himself and Lisa as the other couple surfaced.

The Four adults played in the water like kids. The other three couples watched in mild awe. Daniel Hawkins was the most straight-laced uptight marine in the corps. To see him jumping and splashing about like a youngster was just too funny.

Of course when they all came back to dry land for the barbeque, The laughter subsided, but the smirking didn’t until Dan sighed. “Just let it out guys. I don’t want anyone to die from not laughing.” The crowd erupted into riotous laughter, and even he chuckled at the absurdity.

Lisa looked to him and smiled. “So why is it that Alicia get’s to call you Danny and the rest of us have to make do with Dan, or Daniel?”

He smiled. “You left out “Captain” “Asshole” and “Old Man.” Lisa Laughed. “Surely nobody says those about you….”

Marcus chuckled. “Not in front of him or me; unless they’re drunk or in the mood for a brawl.”

“Back to my question..” she purred as she reached an arm around his shoulder.

“Alicia get’s to call my me Danny because she’s the only one here who knew me before I joined the Corps. We grew up together in Norfolk. Same schools, same teacher’s most of the time. I was the dumb jock, she’s the beautiful valedictorian.”

“You were far from the dumb Jock.” She smiled. “Though I’ll say I didn’t think so at first.”

It went on and was easily explained. They met through a tutoring service offered by the school, and she helped him through his harder subjects. He took her to several school dances, not due to any romantic intent, but because he knew they were fun and wanted her to have more than her schoolwork to remember highschool by. Through the two years they knew each other at school they became great friends, culminating in her giving him the pet Name “Danny.” He'd grudgingly accepted it as she would call him nothing else but Danny, and he told her he only allowed it to show she was special.

Later he joined the Corps and she went to college. One day she came to visit and met Marcus. The two hit it off and after a whirlwind two month romance they were married. At the time Marcus was a junior Lieutenant. Dan had served as his best man and there was no bad blood between the two.

“So you’ve all know each other all this time. Fair enough I guess.“

The evening went on and even as he sat there with Lisa Dan smiled. He did his best not to think about what could have been, but every now and then he found himself fantasizing about Alicia. When he had his chance he let her go, not being man enough to swallow his pride and admit he actually wanted her. Now she was married to one of his best friends.

He did feel guilty, but he also knew he’d never do anything, never act on those darker forbidden impulses. She was married, and he knew she’d never respect him if he betrayed their trust like that. So he kept it to himself, locking it away, along with his feelings for her, there since the first dance, never waning.