First kiss, and then some - sequel to A Complete Crush

A/N: Apologies for the delay; the Heroes bug does not let go very quickly, it seems. Again, this chapter is another scene depiction. More of a drabble than a story I suppose.

Dinner at hers

"Now Daniel," Betty said. "I think we both know what has to be done."

He looked up from his desk and stared blankly at her.

"This Friday," Betty said, "It's my house."

Daniel smiled. "Great. Although..."

"...yes..."

"I've been to your house before."

"As my boss."

He cocked his head to the side. "Ah. So how will I be introduced this time?"

Betty rolled her eyes. "You can guess that one, genius."

After a short pause, as Betty began to head toward the door of the office, Daniel said, "Wait."

She turned back to him. He had a serious expression on his face, and rising from his desk he came toward her. "When are they going to know, Betty?"

She knew who he was referring to by 'they.'

Betty

It was a tough question. What can I say?

The thing is, I know that 'they' will have to find out sooner or later. Either we tell them or they find out...and splash it all across the news.

I can just imagine the headlines. Playboy Daniel Meade's Fling with Assistant, or something horrible. Because the public still thinks Daniel is a playboy, don't they? It's practically expected of him. And plus the press is getting very bored and restless for lack of news in these past months. Where were the Daniel-Meade-girls they had counted on to write about to fill up a corner of Page Six almost every week? If they caught up with this in the wrong way -

God knows what they would write.

But then again, how exactly would we tell them? Maybe Daniel could just hold a little press conference, and go, "Hey, guess what, I'm dating my assistant."

Not exactly romantic.

Plastering on an assured smile, Betty said, "When we tell them."

"And when is th-"

"Tell you what, Daniel!" Betty exclaimed, cheerfully. "I'll just go and fetch your one o clock now!"

"But Betty, it's elev-."

The door had already closed behind her.

"So." Ignacio raised his eyebrows at Betty, finishing his preparations for dinner.

"Yes, Papi?"

"Getting serious, are we?"

She smiled.

He rinsed his hands, wiped them on the towel that hung on the kitchen door knob, and sat down at the table, gesturing for Betty to do the same. "He is the one," Ignacio said, but it was more of a question.

"Yes, Papi," Betty said. "He is. And don't get started about how he isn't responsible again, he's chan-"

"I wasn't going to," Ignacio said, calmly. "But Betty, if you both feel this way...why haven't you told anyone?"

"I have! Hilda, you, Justin," Betty counted on her fingers, "Oh - Christina! And...er..."

Her dad rolled his eyes. "Ai, you know what I mean, Betty. The general public. You'll have to deal with them too, if you're with someone like Daniel."

Betty bit her lip. "But you know...it's scary." She looked almost like a little girl again, little Betty, and Ignacio smiled with a mixture of pride and gladness and melancholy. Where had his little girl gone? Grown into a successful, happy, strong woman.

"There were a lot of things to be scared of in my marriage too," he said. "But whenever I felt like I couldn't do it, I just looked at your mother's face, and her smile, and then...nothing was too hard."

Betty smiled down at the wooden table.

"Where is he?" Justin asked, kneeling on the sofa and looking impatiently out the window. As if on cue, Betty's mobile began to ring.

"Hi, Daniel?"

"Hey, Betty," he said, sounding rather harrassed. "I'm sorry I'm late, but I had to - well. Would you mind if I brought Alexis?"

"Er...not at all," Betty said. "Sure. See you soon."

Alexis was drunk. That much was obvious. Though it wasn't really pass-out, leaning-on-shoulder-to-walk drunk, it was far from tipsy. Betty noted with relief and love that Hilda, Justin and Ignacio all looked most understanding and concerned.

During the dinner, as Hilda made interesting if rather choppy conversation with Alexis, Justin interrupting occasionally, Ignacio being a perfect host, Daniel reached for Betty's hand. She turned to look at him, smiling. His blue eyes were apologetic. "I'm sorry to be such a trouble."

"Nonsense," she said. Remembering Papi's words, she looked at him, his face, the angle of his eyebrows, the shape of the slight smile on his mouth. She leaned in closer. "And there's something I think we should tell them."

"Who?" He asked, softly.

"The general public."

He smiled, understanding now. "Are you sure, Betty?"

And then she leaned in and kissed him, and he knew. He raised a hand and touched her face softly, shifting his chair closer.

p.s. i've tried to make Daniel and Betty kiss each chapter, thus the title of the story.