Love Is Only an Illusion

Sutton knocked her knuckles against the door of Dylan’s bedroom the next morning. Everyone else was still sleeping on air mattresses in the large open area.

“Come in,” Dylan said as he rustled himself together, pulling on a t-shirt.

“Hey,” Sutton smiled as she pushed open the heavy door. “Geez, how is it fair that you get to live in luxury and we’re on air mattresses?”

Dylan chuckled. “If I remember correctly, Jack was just complaining about him and Danny having to sleep on air mattresses for a year. I still don’t get how Merritt slept on a couch this whole time.”

“Don’t question it, trust me” Sutton laughed as she sat down on the bed beside him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” Dylan smiled lightly as he sat beside her, folding his hands together.

Sutton sucked in a breath. “Why did you recruit me?”

Dylan laughed. “Sutton, really? Isn’t it pretty obvious?”

Sutton shook her head. “I didn’t bring anything new to the table. I’m a mentalist who dabbles in card tricks. I’m, like, a backup to Merritt and Jack.”

Dylan shook his head, his shoulders heaving as his lungs erupted in laughter. “Out of all the Horsemen, I knew you would be the one to question your abilities.”

Sutton bit her lip. “I guess old habits of questioning one’s self die hard.”

Dylan looked at the girl sitting beside him and took her hands in his. “Sutton, I wanted you to be part of this team for more than just your magical skills. I wanted you here because I knew what the others needed.”

Sutton scrunched her eyebrows together. “I don’t get it.”

“Think about it,” the sixth Horsemen said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Henley needed another girl to control the guys. More importantly, she needed her cousin, the one person in her life who has been constant ever since you became the Reeves Girls. She wouldn’t have done this without you, and you know it.”

Sutton grinned. “Henley could have handled the guys alone.”

Dylan smiled, continuing. “Merritt needed someone who he could call family. He needed that one person who he felt responsible for to give him a sense of, let’s say, maturity. After losing everything, he needed someone to welcome him into a family again. He considers you a daughter, you know?”

Sutton shook her head, tears filling her eyes. “I never knew that.”

“Jack needed a best friend,” Dylan explained. “He’s been living on his own for years now, never having a place to call home. With you by his side, he was able to become comfortable again. You helped bring him realization that he isn’t just a pickpocket but someone’s best friend and family.”

At this point, a tear slid down Sutton’s cheek. She wiped it away quickly. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Dylan told her. “And Danny, he needed you more than I think either of you will ever know. He needed someone to knock him down a few pegs and deflate his head.” Sutton laughed. “But, you needed him just as much. You both deserved to find love after never truly feeling it, or after believing it was only an illusion.”

Sutton stared at him. “You knew?”

“I knew,” Dylan nodded. “Love is more than just an illusion, Sutton, and I’m glad you finally realized it.”

Sutton looked down at her fingers to play with her ring. “What about you?” Dylan furrowed his eyebrows. “What about Alma?”

Dylan let out a long sigh. “She went back to Paris. She’s Interpol, Sutton. She can’t stay here forever.”

“Did you get to say goodbye?”

“In a way, yes,” Dylan said, not so sure of himself.

“Did you kiss her?”

Dylan laughed. “How old are you?”

“Funny. Danny asked me the same thing before when I suggested we play 20 questions.”

Dylan raised an eyebrow. “Is that how you ended up sleeping together?”

“No!” Sutton shouted. “Geez, no!” As Dylan laughed, Sutton said, “You liked her, didn’t you?”

Dylan nodded. “I did, yeah. She managed to know me better than anyone in a short amount of time.”

Placing her hands around his, Sutton instructed Dylan to go after her. “You need to go to Paris. Just go and have closure with her. Tell her how much you wish you could be together, even if you can’t.”

“This isn’t a chick-flick, Sutton,” Dylan said, standing up and scratching the back of his neck.

“I don’t care what this is,” Sutton smiled at him. “Danny and I aren’t the only ones that deserve to be happy.” She stood, placing a hand on Dylan’s forearm. “Even if it’s just for that moment, I know it will mean more to her than nothing at all.”

“This is stupid.” Dylan shook his head, trying to convince himself.

“But?”

“But, okay. I’ll do it, on one condition. You and the others come with me. You can have the trip to Paris that you never really got.”

Sutton squealed with excitement. “Yes! Yes! Totally yes!” She ran out of Dylan’s room, screaming, “Pack a bag, guys! We’re going to the city of love!”

“Shut up! I’m sleeping!” Jack yelled, throwing a pillow at her.

Sutton grunted as the fluffy object hit her stomach, knocking her off balance as she fell back on someone’s air mattress.

“Well, if you wanted to sleep with me again, all you had to do was ask,” Danny winked as he rolled over and kissed Sutton.

~~

Dylan’s plane dropped the six Horsemen off at an airport in Paris, and the FBI agent was off to find his beloved Interpol agent.

“I can smell the delicious Paris food now!” Merritt exclaimed as he bounded off the plane.

“We’re at an airport! You can’t smell anything except fuel,” Henley corrected him as she bounded off the plane behind him.

Jack burped as he emerged. “I could go for some French fries, French toast, French bread.”

Danny slapped the back of Jack’s head. “Just because French is in their name doesn’t mean that’s the only food available here.”

Sutton ran up and grabbed Danny’s hand. “Don’t hit him. That’s my job.”

“Feel the love, Jack,” Jack spoke to himself. “Feel the love.”

Sutton chuckled, pulling herself close to Danny as the two walked behind the other Horsemen.. “Promise we’ll be okay?”

Danny stopped in his tracks, wrapping his arms around Sutton’s waist. “Promise,” he whispered, bringing their lips together in a long kiss.

“Hold up, guys,” Henley told the others as she noticed the couple had stopped.

“Please get a room,” Jack told them as he shielded his eyes.

“I’ve already gone blind from this lovey dovey crap,” Merritt announced.

As Danny and Sutton pulled apart, they laughed. Sutton looked around at the four people she loved more than anything. “Group hug!” she exclaimed, her arms outstretched.

Even though the others groaned, they obliged with smiles on their faces. They were a family. A messed up one but the best any of them ever had.