7
Climbing out of his car Daniel was sure he made a new record and no doubt forced his driver to break a few rules in reaching Betty's house. But with a grin lighting he face and a skip in his step he didn't care.
Climbing the steps to the Suarez family home he couldn't help but to bounce on the balls of his feet, he hadn't felt like this in a long time and he nearly spent twice as long trying to figure out what he was going to wear but it had taken sharp mental slapping to remind him that he was going to Betty's and his black tracks and white t-shirt would be fine… well maybe his favourite grey Harvard t-shirt and a pair jeans would be better but after that he couldn't waste any more time.
Clearing his throat he knocked on the door before glancing back at his driver who sat watching the road in front of him, making Daniel smile he would be willing to bet half a million on the fact that his driver had thought he had gone made… he of course wasn't paid to comment on Daniel's life but when Daniel had called him his driver casually asked where he was taking his date tonight making Daniel laugh and tell him he was going to pick her up and bring her back to his loft.
Daniel's musings was brought to a stop when the door open and he turned to look back to Betty only to be stunned at what he saw.
Standing in a pale olive green wrap round dress Betty looked up at him with wide eyes and a little flushed. Daniel couldn't stop as his eyes did a once over forcing himself to settle his eyes back on her face where she was trying to push back the few strands of hair that hung curled around her face.
"Daniel!" she gasped before blushing and looking down then snapped herself back together and opened the door "come in Anna is just getting ready" she declared bringing Daniel back from his state of shock and slowly making his way across the threshold on autopilot.
"Anna Daniel's here" Betty called before quickly closing the door and hurrying to the stairs leaving Daniel to stare at her trying to take in the new image of his Betty- he didn't even stop himself from thinking of Betty as His.
"Thank you again Daniel… Anna is so happy to be spending time with you she wouldn't stop talking about how much fun you two are going to have" Betty said as loud thuds come from upstairs as Anna hurried around her room. Betty looked to Daniel who still stood staring at her making her blush and duck her head.
"What's wrong… it's the dress isn't it, Anna convinced me to wear it and then she said I had to do something about my hair and she was stubborn… she wouldn't take no as an answer and then she did all this and she's only six and I told her that I look silly in this dress and" "you look beautiful" Daniel stopped her finally finding his voice, swallowing he watched as Betty blushed once more and ducked her head.
"Daniel really this isn't really that nice of a dress and my hair" "Betty stop… you look… wonderful" Daniel stated a smile lighting his face as his shock and awe wore off and he could think like himself at least for now.
"Thank you… I hope Henry thinks that" Betty stated still ducking her hair to smooth the dress down and causing Daniel to get a cold slap from reality.
Henry, Betty's date… for tonight and the whole reason he was baby sitting Anna. Daniel shifted his feet trying to get that uneasy feeling in stomach to move, he was reasoning to himself that it was out of friendship that he didn't want Betty to go out with Henry and only because they had been having so much fun that he wanted to tell her to come back with him and Anna.
Thumping down the stairs followed by an over excited Anna brought Daniel back once more and a smile to etch across his face and holding back the frown at the feeling that he was forcing the smile for some reason.
"DANIEL" the screech and the young child throwing herself at him made Daniel laugh as he lifted Anna up and look at her.
"Are we ready" Daniel asked as Anna nodded bouncing in his arms, a smile lighting up practically the whole room.
Betty laughed watching the pair leaning against the banister "we're going to have so much fun… can we get movies and popcorn" Anna gushed as Daniel smiled brighter and brighter nodding.
"Mom can come too right" Anna asked causing Betty to straighten her glasses before Daniel turned his blue eyes towards her and offering a smile that Betty hadn't seen before.
"Your mom has a date" Daniel said in a tone that Betty hadn't heard before but he was still smiling and he looked back to Anna so quickly that she was sure it was nothing.
"Maybe some other time… but for tonight it's just you and me and a stack of movies" Daniel declared in a chirpy tone bouncing Anna in his arms causing her to giggle.
Betty frowned but carried on smiling feeling a little dejected at missing her daughter's happiness.
Daniel lowered Anna to the ground before she sprinted back up the stairs, both smiling as they watched her. Daniel lowered his eyes back to Betty and couldn't help but smirk as he watched her. She was glowing and it was getting harder to look away from her.
Betty sighed and looked to Daniel and blushed when she found him watching her.
"You did a great job Betty… you must be so proud of her" Daniel stated stuffing his hands into his pockets while Betty ducked her head again still blushing. Daniel bit back the chuckle before moving forward.
"You know the offer is open though… you can come too" Daniel stated causing Betty to snap her head up at him.
"How about you blown Henry off and hang out with me and Anna" Daniel stated only half joking. Betty studied him for a few moments before it seemed she came up with a decision and giggled softly not meeting his eyes.
Daniel stepped back and rubbed a hand across his chin then through his hair as he tried hard to reason to himself that he didn't really want Betty to agree… he wanted to see her happy just as any friend would. At least that was his statement and for now he was sticking with it.
Anna's prompt return made sure that Daniel didn't have to deal with the need to convince Betty, grabbing her bag he lifted her once more in his arms and smiled at her.
"We all ready now" Daniel asked causing Anna to roll her eyes and nod before they both looked to Betty who was beaming her mega watt smile at them.
"Ok then… guess we'll see you in the morning" Daniel declared raising his eyebrows but Betty nodded then stopped giving him a look "no wait I'll pick her up she can't spend the night it's not fair" Betty started as Daniel laughed and gave Anna a look who was pouting to her mother.
"It's fine Betty really… have a nice night and come home and relax and then in the morning I'll bring her back" Daniel assured trying to hold his best serious face but watching Betty look as though she was once again trapped in the headlights of a car made him grin.
"But… but" "Betty have fun, I can handle it and if I can't I'll just have to phone you or 911" Daniel joked bringing Betty's eyes snapping back to him.
"It's fine mom… I have all my stuff we'll see you tomorrow" Anna chirped causing Daniel to duck his head hiding the grin spreading across his face while Betty chewed her lip fighting the urge to give in but slowly with her brown knitted she nodded and gave her daughter a smile.
"Ok well be good and don't let her stay up too late and don't give her too many sweets and" "Betty, we'll be fine" Daniel assured with a grin as he watched Betty size him up before nodding and relaxing. Anna beamed before Betty moved forward and kissed her daughter on the cheek smoothing her dark hair down.
"Have fun mom" Anna chirped before she gave Betty an awkward hug then a kiss on her cheek before pulling back and beaming. Betty gave her daughter a smile before Daniel lent forward and before the pair even knew what was happing Daniel pressed a kiss to Betty's cheek and smiled at her "have fun" he whispered before he looked at Anna and grinned and walked out leaving Betty staring after them with a shocked expression on her face and a hand lifting to touch her cheek where Daniel had just kissed her.
After placing Anna and her bag in the car Daniel dared a glance behind him still unsure what made him kiss Betty but not caring because he enjoyed it. He smiled to himself when he saw Betty had at least moved to the door but she still looked a little stunned. Feeling proud that he could leave a woman speechless with a kiss he waved and climbed into the car in time to see Anna examining the car with awe.
"Anna this is Ralph, Ralph this Anna my date for the evening" Daniel introduced as Anna looked up at Ralph who looked in the rear view mirror and nodded.
"Maim" he greeted as Anna beamed at him before settling in her seat "sir, is miss Anna going to be wearing her seat belt" Ralph questioned as Daniel laughed before he reached across Anna and pulled her seat belt across and buckled her in.
"Of course, Ralph we need to make a stop first… we need some movies and some food" Daniel ordered as he settled back and Ralph nodded before Anna peered up at him.
"Can you go very fast in this car Ralph" Anna asked as Ralph looked back at her and nodded.
"Yes maim, but seeing as you're in the car I'm not allowed to go very fast which is a good thing because you see how pretty the city is when lit up at night" Ralph told her causing Anna's eyes to light up before she looked at Daniel who nodded in agreement smiling brightly back at her.
"Ralph" Anna called causing the driver to look at her again "yes maim" he said before Anna frowned.
"Do you like ponies" Anna questioned causing Daniel to laugh a little and to look to his driver who thought for a moment and nodded "yes I do miss Anna… but I like horses more, John Wayne rode them all the time" Ralph stated before Anna looked at Daniel with a told you so. Laughing Daniel looked to Ralph and let the feeling of happiness wash across him.
"We can go now Ralph" Daniel ordered as Ralph nodded and started the car.
Daniel watched as the bright Disney movie carried on, the only source of light was now coming from the singing images of the little mermaid. Anna had long ago lost her energy to be too over excited and only spoke every now and then.
"I wish mom was here" Anna mumbled from her position against Daniel's chest. Daniel peered down at the young girl curled up against him with a large blanket wrapped tightly around her. Despite himself Daniel found himself smiling and nodding in agreement.
"But Henry is nice and he makes mom laugh… but not like you do and you make mom happy" Anna mumbled in a sleep laced voice making Daniel swallow hard and look back trying to stop his mind from wondering to that uneasy feeling in his stomach once more.
"I bet your mom has more fun with Henry" Daniel offered finding the lump had come back to his throat as he tried to force those words out. Anna shrugged barely beneath the blanket and her own tiredness.
"Mom said that you only take care of people you love… mom takes good care of you doesn't she" Anna questioned as Daniel snapped his eyes back to her and processed what she said.
"Daniel" "um yeah…yes your mom does take good care of me" Daniel admitted feeling a little stupid that a six year old had to point that out. Fearing to shift with his new knowledge Daniel instead he ran a hand through his hair and forced his eyes back on the screen.
"And you take care of mom" Anna pointed out before a yawn crept up on her while Daniel thought a smile spreading across his face.
"Yeah I do…your mom really said that, you only take care of the people you love" Daniel asked as Anna nodded slightly as her eyelids drooped.
"Yeah… she said you should take care of people you really like" Anna added before Daniel frowned before looking back to Anna who was now letting her eyelids close and her breathing to even out.
Once the movie came to an end Anna was out for the count and Daniel watched her for a few minutes before he turned the DVD off and then the TV. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness before he slowly edged himself away from Anna and laid her down on the couch. Standing up he stretched the kinks out of his muscles before he scooped Anna up, standing still as she protested a little before she snuggled against him clutching his shirt a little in her tiny hands. Daniel didn't stop the smile touching his lips before he bent his head and kissed Anna on her forehead taking a deep breath of her innocents before moving to the spare room.
With a little difficulty he pulled the covers back from his queen sized spare bed and placed Anna on it and quickly pulled the covers back tucking her in. brushing hair from her face Daniel couldn't help but be awed by the sight of such and innocent and sweet child.
Kissing her forehead once more he sighed and made sure she was secure in her bed before whispering "night baby" Daniel stood and went to walk away when Anna stirred and turned in her sleep.
"Night daddy" Anna mumbled through her sleep haze causing Daniel to come to a stop and look at her wondering if he had misheard her but watch her Daniel frowned with a smile across his face knowing that he hadn't and surprisingly he hadn't minded that title.
As Daniel made his own way to his room scrubbing at his hair he realised how much he liked that title… how much he loved it. Daniel stopped and surprised himself by understanding what he truly loved these days… Betty and Anna, deciding that for tonight at least he could just be happy with knowledge that his feelings was growing for Anna and his feelings for Betty were defiantly changing.
