"They Don't Know About Us"

Song: "They Don't Know About Us" by One Direction

Pairing: Gwen/Dakota (Requested)

Notes: Sorry for the wait on this one, but exams are coming up and it's been a mad study time! I don't think there are any warnings...but hopefully it's what you wanted! (Also it is slightly AU in that the timelines are meshed but, not much). Thanks!

Dakota froze. His world stopped turning and he would've stumbled but his legs wouldn't move. He wanted to scream but his lungs weren't drawing in air. Nobody seemed to notice his struggles as they were all focused on what lay in front of them - Gwen. Her eyes were closed. Her face was pale. A seven foot spear stuck out of her chest, standing tall in the air. 

Gwen was dead, and he could do nothing. 

He hadn't protected her, he hadn't tried to help; he hadn't even noticed until someone yelled and he'd snapped out of battle mode. He was going to find who did this. He was going to kill whoever killed her, because - 

Because he loved her. 

There. He said it. Now, if only he could've done it when she was alive. 

He was almost crying before he realized that everyone had gone quiet and he slowly lifted his head up to see - Gwen? Her eyes were open. She was looking around, confused, but...alive! But she had just died. Dakota had seen it, with his own eyes, and he knew those were the only things he could really trust. 

Someone pulled the spear out of her chest and she didn't scream. That was good. If she had, Dakota's heart might've split in two. He heard the explanation - back from the Underworld, yeah, yeah - but couldn't care less. She was alive, and that was enough for him. 

He almost ran forward, but he didn't - because he knew she wouldn't let him, not in a million years. She probably would've killed him. Then he'd have to return from the Underworld. 

He wasn't even paying attention when Mars showed up - though, maybe he should've been. He was too busy staring at the back of her head and wishing he could kiss her, right there and then. 

********

"Look, Gwen," he said, shaking his head. "You died today! I can't just - I can't pretend that it might've not been the end."

"I don't think that was a proper sentence," she said quietly, her fingers laced so tightly together that they turned white. She was looking down and not at him. 

"That - it doesn't matter," he sighed. "Please, Gwen. What are we? Really?"

"I do love you," she said, and something in her tone let Dakota know she was being honest. 

"Then why can't we tell people?" 

"It's not you."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm just - I'm not ready. I'm sorry." She looked so genuinely sad that Dakota almost gave up right then and there. He wanted to wrap her in a hug and tell her that it was going to be okay but he didn't, and he wasn't sure why. Maybe he wasn't ready, either. 

"I just want to tell people," he explained. "Not to be selfish - I just, like, want to show them..."

"Something happy," she finished for him. "I mean, in these dark times and all."

"Actually, it's kinda sunny outside."

"Oh, shut up," she laughed, slowly unraveling her fingers that she'd twisted together. "You know what I mean. About everything Mars said, and all that."

"I wasn't really listening," he confessed. "I was...busy."

"You were right there!" she said, but her smile grew larger when she realized what he meant. "Oh. Oh. You were - oh, well, now I feel flattered!"

"I didn't say I was looking at you."

"You implied it. That's good enough for me."

They both laughed, and then found themselves staring at each other. Dakota carefully watched the twinkle in Gwen's eyes and wondered how that ever went away, just hours previous. "Really, though," he said softly, "We'll tell them. Eventually, right?"

"Right," she agreed. "No matter what they say."

"Right."

********

"We got the eagle back! We got the eagle back!"

The entire Fifth Cohort was chanting that over and over again, and Dakota couldn't help but join in. He pumped his fist in the air and downed his red Kool-Aid because, hey, he had carried that eagle. He was a Centurion and he'd finally proved it. Well, maybe he hadn't gotten the eagle, but still. He had done something.

"Dakota! Dakota!" 

Without warning, Gwen was running and leaping into his arms, holding him closely to her chest. "We did it," she whispered softly, and only he heard. 

"We did," he replied, and somehow, they both knew it meant so much more. 

"Now?" he asked after a few seconds. "Are you okay with that?"

"I think I always was," she answered immediately. "I guess I just needed a push."

He smiled, and he saw the soft twinkle in her eyes light up before they kissed, oblivious to anyone who was watching them. It didn't matter anymore. He had the respect. He had the friends. He had the girl. 

Why wouldn't he want everyone to know?