Lighting the Fuse
By Mary
Summary: I guess this should be considered an AU story since it takes place on the 4th of July after the Season 2 finale. In this story Henry is in New York for a while but they are not living together (the story is set in Betty's apartment). This is a birthday present to one of my coolest friends over at I-C, Erin. Erin, Happy Birthday and I hope you and everyone else likes this.
A/N: This is a two chapter fic….also the second chapter is smut!! Those of you who do not like to read anything of that nature please do not venture too far into this story. For the rest of the readers I hope that you enjoy the story and any and all reviews are appreciated, but no flames please!! Also there will be some references to the finale, but nothing is intended but pure speculation. Enjoy!!
Chapter One – Setting the Explosives
Betty hurried from the shower clad in her bathrobe and her hair wrapped in a towel as she headed for the bedroom. She walked to the dresser and picked out the new sequined butterfly t-shirt that Christina had bought her and a pair of soft black cotton shorts. Betty pulled the towel from her head and dressed quickly, running a comb through her damp locks. When her hair was hanging straight and damp down her shoulders Betty slipped her feet into a pair of sandals and headed out of the bedroom. As she walked through the living room, she heard an approving whistle from the balcony.
"Wow." Henry said as she turned towards him blushing.
"Henry…." Betty said. Henry smiled heatedly at her.
"I like butterflies more and more every day." Henry said with a wink as Betty shook her head at him and laughed as she went into the kitchen.
Betty checked everything in the refrigerator one last time before everyone started showing up. There was potato salad, deviled eggs and coleslaw. Henry and Betty were grilling hot dogs and hamburgers and Ignacio was bringing some steak and chicken to grill with his "secret" recipe sauce. Betty was thrilled that her family was coming to spend the holiday with her and wanted everything to be perfect. Betty was pulling out a pitcher to make lemonade when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it!" Betty called as she headed for the door. She hurried across the living room and opened the door to her family and Hilda's date Tony. Betty's family hugged her one by one as Tony hung back from the group. He smiled at Betty as the rest of them moved into her apartment. He handed her a nice bottle of wine as she motioned for him to come in.
"I'm glad you came tonight with Hilda." Betty said as Henry closed the lid on the grill and came inside to greet the guests.
"I'm glad to be here. I was surprised when Hilda asked me to come today I thought things were over between us." Tony said.
"Hilda can be pretty understanding, once she gets over being mad about something." Betty laughed as Tony looked over at her.
"I just want you to know…I really like your sister and Justin. I would never do anything to hurt her." Tony said.
"Then you two are off to a good start." Betty said as she watched her father playfully insulting Henry's grilling abilities as Ignacio took a plate of steak and chicken out to the grill. Betty excused herself to head to the kitchen and make the lemonade. As she busied herself mixing the sugar and lemons into the crushed ice she felt a pair of strong hands circling her waist. Betty grinned to herself as she tried to ignore the warm lips brushing over her neck.
"Delicious…." Henry whispered against her neck, his lips gently grazing over her skin.
"The lemonade's not even done yet." Betty said teasingly. Henry's hands tightened around her, pulling her against him.
"I wasn't talking about the lemonade and you know it." Henry teased back, his tongue gliding over the shell of her ear. Betty shivered and leaned her head back as Henry's teeth nibbled at the tender skin on her neck.
"Henry…if you don't stop, this will never be done and dinner will….." Betty sighed as Henry's hands inched under her shirt. Betty squirmed out of his grasp and turned to him. Henry was grinning widely and waggling his eyebrows at her.
"I can wait until our guests leave." Henry said, "I'm sure we'll be able to find something creative to do once the fireworks are over." Henry finished, emphasizing fireworks with a wink. Betty blushed as Henry went back out into the living room and Betty reached for a long handled spoon to stir the lemonade. She fanned herself with one hand as she looked forward to both fireworks displays she was sure the evening was bringing.
Dinner had been a loud, laughing meal for all. Ignacio told the group how Hilda had chased Betty with a sparkler when they had been younger and Henry told them about watching the fireworks displays every year in the desert. Even Tony found himself telling the group about his first couple of years as a teacher and some of the pranks the students had played on him. Everyone was having fun, laughing and sharing all the good food. Ignacio sat back in his chair and watched his daughters as the conversations continued. Hilda and Tony sat close together and smiled often at one another, Tony's arm draped across the back of Hilda's chair. Ignacio hadn't been sure of Tony when he'd first met him and especially when Hilda had told him there was still a wife in the picture, albeit a separated one. But Ignacio had trusted that Hilda knew what she was getting herself into with Tony and was hopeful that everything would turn out fine with them. He looked to the other side of the table at Betty and Henry. Ignacio watched them laugh at something Hilda said as he saw Henry's hand work underneath the back of Betty's shirt. He watched as Betty blushed but kept on talking; Ignacio smiled to himself remembering how he and Rosa had been the same way when they were younger, unable to keep their hands to themselves. Ignacio was proud of Betty and Henry. They had overcome quite a lot to get to this point and even though Henry was still only visiting New York, Ignacio had a feeling that Henry was going to find a way to bring his son back here for good. Ignacio pushed himself away from the table groaning from all the delicious food as he began to clear the table.
"Dad, you don't have to do that." Betty said, "Henry and I…"
"Made this wonderful dinner." Ignacio finished, "And now I'm going to help clean up."
"I'll help you Grandpa." Justin said pushing his chair back from the table. Justin cleared the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher as Ignacio wrapped the leftovers and put them into the refrigerator. Justin wiped down the table and put the placemats back down as Ignacio finished in the kitchen. Ignacio walked back into the living room as Betty looked out the balcony windows at the fading purple twilight.
"Grab some chairs if you want. I think the fireworks are getting ready to start." Betty said as she opened the balcony door. She looked at Henry as everyone made their way outside. Henry gave her a long heated look, his dark eyes slowly moving over her. He mouthed the word "later" to her as he raised one eyebrow at her. Betty felt her face flush as she followed her sister and Tony outside to watch the show as her stomach danced nervously with butterflies at the suggestion of "later".
Fireworks, indeed……….
TBC……….
