Love Is Only an Illusion

When the Horsemen arrived at the airport, they made their way to a private hanger. Merritt hypnotized the pilot to take them to an airport in New York City. On the way there, the team slept, except for Danny. He was still running on adrenaline and Sutton’s words.

“That doesn’t mean, on some level, that I didn’t, you know, feel something. But, that doesn’t matter. We have a plan to stick to and us being together isn’t part of it,” Sutton had said.

Her words replayed over and over again in Danny’s head as he fiddled with a coin between his fingers. Sutton felt something for him, and he lost his chance to tell her how he really felt. When this plane landed, they would be rushing, on the run once more, then she would be gone with Jack. He would not get the chance to tell her in time.

Danny huffed, heaving himself out of his seat and to where Sutton laid. Her curls had begun to fall flat and into their natural wavy form that Danny fell hard for. Sutton shifted, a few curls falling over her slightly-parted lips. Danny smiled, pushing the loose stands behind her head. He drew his forefinger across his lower lip, remember all the times she had bit it, wondering how there was not a small bite mark permanently slated in the flesh.

“Daniel,” a voice spoke, making Danny jump out of his skin. “Shit, don’t rock the plane.”

Danny turned to see Merritt, stretching as he awoke. “W-What are you doing up?”

“I felt someone after my baby girl,” Merritt smirked and Danny rolled his eyes. “No, I just woke up on my own.” He patted the seat beside him. “Come here, Atlas.”

Reluctantly, Danny made his way over toward Merritt. He sat with a long sigh. “I don’t want a psychological session.”

“Good because you don’t have enough to pay me,” Merritt joked, hitting Danny’s back lightly. “I want to talk about Sutton.”

“T-That’s not a good idea.” Danny shook his head, looking down at his folded hands.

“I know something happened between the two of you, Daniel.” Danny flung his head up to look at Merritt. “She didn’t tell me the exact truth, though.”

Danny scoffed. “Aren’t you supposed to be a mentalist?”

“Don’t hate the talent, Daniel. She’s built up her walls in an attempt to block me out of her thoughts.” The two stared at the young mentalist who shifted once again in her sleep. “I’m surprised she’s even sleeping without Scooby. She loves that stuffed animal.”

Danny chuckled. “She looks so, so-“

“Innocent?” Merritt finished with a questioning look. Danny nodded. “That’s because she is. I’ve learned so much about Sutton over the past year, and one thing is that she doesn’t go into a situation without feelings.”

Danny swallowed, his throat growing dry. He licked his lips and tussled his hair. “I-I don’t know what to say.”

“You do,” Merritt confirmed for him. “You know she went into that night with more than just sexual frustration, and so did you.”

“H-How did you-“

“You don’t know how to hide your emotions like a mentalist does. It’s written all over your face,” Merritt smirked. “Look, I won’t tell Henley, or even Jack, that you slept together. It’s not my place, right? Just know that that night was much more than just sex for Sutton.”

Danny sighed. “Yeah, she just told me this morning.”

“And, what? You neglected to see it that night?” Merritt angerly asked. “God, you’re an idiot.”

Danny sat and thought about his colleague’s words. He bit his cheek in hopes of the pain taking over all his other emotions. In the end, he couldn’t deny it. “It was there,” he spoke. Merritt cocked his head to the side. “That night, in her eyes, I should have known. Her emotions are always in her eyes. She-She wanted that night for more than just sex. She wants to be with me, Merritt?” he questioned the mentalist.

Merritt gave him a small smile. “Like I said, she built her walls up from me to protect your secret. I can tell you, though, that I’m 95 percent sure that she still wants to be with you.”

Danny smiled to himself, but it quickly faded as he remembered what would happen today. “I lost my chance with her, though. I mean, after this plane lands, we won’t have any time to really talk. She’ll be gone with Jack until we meet them in Central Park.”

“You’ll find time after this.” Merritt shook his head. “What better way to end this crazy heist, huh?” He hit Danny on the back one last time before standing and making his way to the cockpit to check on the pilot.

Danny sat and thought once more about Sutton. How could he tell her? He wasn’t good with his feelings. Did he want to be “tied down,” so to speak?

“Wake up, kiddos!” Merritt exclaimed as he made his way back to the Horsemen. Sutton and Henley sat up quickly, their eyes wide. Jack still snored away in his seat. “Yo, Jacky!” Merritt yelled, hitting his head.

Jack’s eyes flew open. “Was that necessary?”

“You really gotta work out your snoring issue,” Merritt told him, the team erupting in laughter.

~~

After the plane landed, Merritt told the pilot to fly back to his hanger, only waking from his trance when someone spoke to him. The team caught a taxi to their apartment 30 minutes away, riding in almost complete silence. When they arrived at the apartment, Sutton quickly threw two frozen pizzas in the oven. It was already five in the morning.

“I miss homemade food,” Jack frowned as he ate his fourth piece of pizza.

Merritt burped. “Be more specific, Jack. You miss Sutton’s homemade food. Henley’s homemade food tastes like-“

“Tastes like what, Merritt?” Henley interrupted.

“L-Like rainbows and unicorns!” the mentalist stuttered.

Henley rolled her eyes. “You’re so full of shit.”

Sutton threw her napkin down on her plate. “Alright, Jack and I gotta get to the morgue. We’ll be back within an hour.”

Danny nodded. “We’ll start printing off the money here and deleting any files, just in case they somehow get ahold of your laptop.”

Sutton let out a sigh. “Jackers, let’s go.”

Jack let out a burp before following Sutton to her room to change into nursing scrubs. Within minutes, they were out the door and on their way to steal two dead bodies.