30. Dani
Dani
Unsurprisingly, Sam’s arrest was a massive win for the FBI and federal prosecutors. He haggled a deal in exchange for information, which finally brought Tate down. He was arrested, stripped of his City Council seat, and is facing a mountain of federal charges.
Sam’s commanding officer isn’t getting off easy either. Messing with Sam’s orders so he could stick around and do Tate’s dirty work finally caught up with him, and the military isn’t taking it lightly.
And Sam himself? Despite the deal, he’s going away for a long, long time. All three of them are finally paying the price.
I swear, I could feel a weight lift from my chest the moment I heard the news. The military and federal prosecutors are arguing over who gets to punish Sam first—and honestly, I don’t blame them.
But the video… that fight still feels like a punch in the gut. Since it was never distributed, it technically doesn’t count as revenge porn. It’s just invasion of privacy, which sounds so weak when I think about everything Sam put us through.
And because it was recorded in Pennsylvania, only that state can bring charges. By law, Sam can only be prosecuted within three years of the victim discovering it. Gavin knew about it ten years ago, which turns the whole thing into a gray, frustrating mess.
I argued that I didn’t know—but they warned me he’d exploit that loophole in court. On top of it all, they may not even bother, since he’s already going to prison for a long time.
The law is supposed to protect people, right? Not let a manipulative, dangerous creep skate through because of technicalities. It’s not fair.
It took me a few days to process that news.
I could barely sleep. I’d lie awake, running through the same scenario.
Sam may be going to prison, but he’s still technically walking away for what he did to me.
To Gavin and me, and that just doesn’t sit right in my gut.
So much so that it’s got me thinking about my next move.
The thought of telling Gavin about the idea swirling around in my head twists my stomach into knots.
“You sure you’re not going back too soon?” Gavin’s hand finds my upper thigh, a gentle squeeze pulling me out of my spiral. The warmth of him, the solid reassurance in his touch, it’s like a lifeline, grounding me in a world that’s felt unsteady for way too long.
We’ve both been off work for the last ten days. Fortunately, Mr. White was understanding. After seeing the chaos outside the station the day Sam was arrested, he practically insisted we take a well-earned break. Too bad my time off mostly meant constant interviews with attorneys and investigators.
Honestly, I didn’t want to go anywhere anyway. I just needed time to emotionally process everything from the last few months—hell, the last ten years. Gavin was with me through every moment. I know I wouldn’t have made it through any of it without him.
I glance up at him and smile. “Of course. It’s time. Besides, Alexa says the rumors about us are spreading like wildfire at work, despite her best efforts to contain them.”
“Who knew a bunch of professional journalists could be such gossips?” he teases.
I shoot him a sideways glance.
“Let’s talk about something I know will get you excited.” He chuckles. “What fun story does Alexa have ready for you today?”
Shaking my head, I say, “Wow. Am I that predictable?”
He holds up his hand, thumb and index finger barely an inch apart. Smug bastard.
“Well, after the big exclusive Agent Russo gave her, Mr. White has her officially on Tate watch. With all the preliminary hearings starting up, she’s going to be focused on nothing else for a while.”
As promised, Agent Russo gave Alexa an exclusive before anyone else about the investigation into Tate.
KSSD was the only station with the full story on how Sam and Wilson tied together with everything.
Ratings shot through the roof and have stayed there ever since.
Normally, I would be jumping for joy at that news.
But ever since everything came out, something feels… missing.
Alexa insists I’m just processing it all, that my spark will come back. She’s probably right. But it’s also why I recently started seeing a therapist.
I feel numb—Sam, work, life. I’m finally admitting I need help. Honestly? I’ve probably needed it for a long time. I just didn’t realize it until now.
Thanks, Sam.
Gavin and I park and walk hand in hand to the entrance of the station. This will never not feel right. I wish I could leave our hands together all day, but I know once we cross that threshold, we have to become professional Dani and Gavin.
He opens the door for us, and I sneak a quick kiss on his cheek before skipping ahead, making sure to put plenty of distance between us. He follows me to the internal door that leads into the newsroom, and I stop just short of it.
“You good?” Gavin asks.
I manage a deep breath, and nod. “Let’s do it.”
We make our way inside and are greeted by the sound of noisemakers and rounds of applause. Someone even blows a party horn somewhere, and for some reason, it makes me laugh. What feels like a real laugh for the first time in a long time.
People step forward, welcoming us back, and clapping us on the shoulders. Alexa lunges at me, wrapping me in one of her signature too-tight hugs. I squeeze her back, and that’s when I see who’s behind her.
“Emmett!” I gasp. “What are you doing here? We took you to the airport yesterday.”
He was supposed to fly home yesterday.
Emmett steps up to Alexa and me and wraps his arms around us.
“I decided not to go. Extending my trip a little longer.” He pulls away and steps next to his brother, wrapping his arm around his shoulders.
“Besides, I can run my business from anywhere. Might as well start getting used to it if I’m going to move here. ”
Gavin snaps his head towards his brother. “Wait, what?”
“You’re moving here?” I practically yell.
“Shhh, Dani. Don’t get too excited. We don’t want to give Gavin here the wrong idea about us.” He winks.
I look back at Alexa. “Did you know about this?”
“He may have told me last night. But I was sworn to secrecy.” She mimics locking her lips.
“Okay, okay. As excited as I am about all of this…” Gavin smiles. “We do need to get to work. Emmett, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
“Rude,” Emmett mock gasps, clutching his chest like he’s just been stabbed. “Thrown out like I mean nothing to you. Honestly, I’m wounded.”
“Make you a deal.” I turn to him. “Let’s all meet at Gavin’s tonight after work. Sound like a plan?”
“So now I’m good enough to be invited to things? I see how it is. Exile me by day, party with me by night.”
Alexa snorts. “You love the drama. You’d be disappointed if we didn’t give you something to complain about.”
“I don’t complain,” Emmett says, grabbing his jacket from a nearby chair. “I observe. Loudly.”
Gavin laughs, shaking his head as he nudges Emmett toward the door. “Out”. Then he tilts his head toward our desks. “And you two, go be productive.”
I mock salute. “Yes, sir.”
“Is that how you two are in bed?” Alexa winks.
I give her arm a good smack. “Zip it.”
And just like that, the energy feels lighter than before. Work awaits, but so does tonight. And for the first time in a long time, I feel like I can really breathe.
Gavin’s place feels peaceful when he, Alexa, and I get there. The lights are dim, the music low, and something warm and smelling of herbs drifts from the kitchen.
I look up at Gavin, a little confused. “Is Emmett cooking?”
We step farther into the house and I feel it immediately. This is more than just us hanging out. Emmett knew I’d need something that felt normal without pretending everything was fine.
“Just in time,” he calls from the stove. “Dinner’s ready! I made stew.”
“Should we have poison control on standby?” Alexa asks, dropping onto the couch.
“Excuse me? I’ll have you know this stew is a culinary masterpiece. Crafted with love, rage, and whatever Gavin had in the back of his fridge.”
Alexa pats the seat next to her and I sink down beside her—my body heavier than it should be.
“You don’t have to talk about it,” she whispers. “But you can. If you want to.”
I nod. I know that, but I’m not sure how to start. I’ve come to a big decision, and these are the people I know will support me most. I just can’t get the words out.
Gavin walks over with bowls in both hands, handing them to each of us.
“Thanks,” I say, offering him a warm smile.
Emmett settles into the armchair, and Gavin sits on the floor below me. We eat in silence for a few minutes, before I find the courage to speak up.
“I think I’m going to quit my job.”
The clanking of spoons is deafening.
“W-what?” Alexa stutters.
Gavin turns around to face me. “Dani, you love your job. Where did this come from?”
“I do love my job,” I breathe, “but I think I want to do something that has a chance at actually making a real impact. I thought that was news, but maybe it’s something else.”
“What do you mean?” Emmett is leaning forward in his chair, the normal humor gone from his voice.
“I think I want to go back to school and study public policy. Maybe even law. When we got told how hard it would be for Sam to face consequences for what he did to us, it filled me with so much hate, I didn’t know what to do.
So, I started reading. A lot. Did you know each state has a different law when it comes to revenge porn?
And the fact it’s not even called that if it’s not actually posted online is bullshit.
Then it’s just invasion of privacy or video voyeurism depending on where you live.
And those charges are sometimes just misdemeanors that don’t even come with prison time.
The law is broken. It needs to be fixed.
I want to help do that. We couldn’t get justice, but maybe I can help someone else. ”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, the heavy feeling I’ve been dragging around is finally gone. Fine, maybe not gone. But it’s not weighing me down with every step anymore.
A long silence fills the room after I finish talking. The kind where it makes me wonder if I’ve said the wrong thing.
Next to me, I see Alexa’s eyes are red and puffy. Emmett, for once, is struggling to find words. And Gavin, the love of my life, sits up on his knees, and takes my hands in his.
“You really mean it?” he forces out.
“Yeah, I do.” I smile at him.
“Well, shit,” Emmett blurts from his chair.
I can’t stop the laugh that slips out, and everyone else joins in. Leave it to him to break the tension.
“I always knew you were smart and would change the world,” Alexa says, wiping under her eyes. “But do you have to leave me to do it?”
I reach over and give her a huge hug. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Emmett makes a small, dramatic sound. “Stop making me feel things, D. Not cool!” He wipes a fake tear from the corner of his eye. “Seriously, though. That’s brave as hell.”
“Thanks. It… it feels good. Saying it out loud. I don’t know what happens next, but I’m excited to figure it out.”
Gavin stands up, and Alexa moves out of the way so he can sit next to me. He takes my head into his hands—his eyes meeting mine. “I am so fucking proud of you. I love you. And whatever you do next, I’m here.” He brings my lips to his. There’s no urgency, just a calm certainty that steadies me.
He presses his forehead to mine. I can feel the weight of everything we’ve been through lingering between us, but it’s not heavy anymore. It’s grounding, and I’m safe.
“I love you, too.”
Alexa clears her throat. “Okay, beautiful moment and all, but if you two start making out again, I’m moving to the balcony.”
Gavin and I just look at each other and laugh. If only she knew what went down out there, she might feel differently.
I look around at these people who have seen me broken and still stayed. They are the people who matter most to me. For so long, I’ve been stuck between rage and second-guessing, wanting to scream. But now? I’ve found it. My voice. My purpose.
I don’t know what school will look like, or how hard it’s going to be to try to change something so much bigger than me. But for the first time, I feel clearheaded. Like I’ve stopped trying to fight the past and I’m finally starting to look towards the future.
And maybe that’s what freedom feels like. Not forgetting what happened, but deciding it won’t be the end of the story.