Clara slowly woke up, her vision slightly blurred after blinking a few times she realized she was in her living room on her couch. She looked over and was surprised to see David sitting there in the chair sleeping.
She tried to sit up but her head swam causing her to groan. David stirred and slowly opened his eyes and yawned. "Ah, you're up."
She laid back and grunted in response. "How do you feel?" David asked sitting up.
Clara frowned. "Depends, what happened?" "Drink your hangover cure first." He advised.
Clara propped herself up and stared at the orange and green liquid. She made a face. "What's in it?"
"Grass and old orange rinds." He remarked. She gave him a look. "You're not funny."
He chuckled. "Sorry, it's just some juices and herbs. It's a New Year's family recipe works every time for hangovers."
Clara closed her eyes and drank it. "Not bad, kind of taste like peppermint." She nodded in approval. "Glad you think so. Does it help?" He asked.
"Yeah, it does." She replied setting the glass down.
He smiled. "I'm glad. You had me worried, last night."
She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "I was pretty hammered, wasn't I?" He nodded. "Yeah, you were.
"How?" Clara frowned.
David shrugged. "Easy, some kid spiked the punch and no one noticed."
She suddenly cringed. "Oh, god I bit Jack." He suppressed a grin. "Yeah but I'll admit it was funny."
She covered her face and groaned. "Oh, lord I called you a sexy giant." David smirked. "Well, I've been called worse."
Clara scowled. "Glad you think it's funny." "Well, I know you didn't mean it." He replied.
"But I announced I dream about you being half naked right in front of Mr. Chesterton." She pointed out.
"Eh, I'll live." He replied sitting back in the chair. She lowered her eyes. "But I embarrassed you." Clara said.
"It's okay, Clara, honest." He assured her.
"You're not going to make fun of me?" Clara asked softly. David scoffed. "Please Clara, I may tease you a lot but even I know when it's not appropriate besides you're not the first person to ever get drunk and say silly things and you're not going to be the last." He yawned.
"I didn't do anything to Hayley, did I?" Clara panicked. "No, she's fine, worried about you but she's just fine." David promised.
Clara smiled. "Where is Hayley?" She asked. "Soccer practice, Jack took her." He sighed, leaning his head back.
Clara looked at him frowning. "Wait if you were here then who looked after Caitlin, Amy?"
He shook his head and pointed upstairs. "Poor thing's not used to sleeping in strange places kept waking me up; takes after me at that age, I guess."
She scoffed in disbelief. "Hang on; you actually stayed here all night in that uncomfortable chair and watched Hayley and your daughter while tending to me?"
David shrugged. "Pretty much." "But why?" Clara asked curious.
"Because I care about you." He replied simply. Clara smiled. It was the nicest thing anyone ever did for her. "How can I ever thank you?" She asked sincerely.
He thought a second. "Uh, not calling me sexy giant in front of Jack, ever again would work." David chuckled.
Clara smirked. "Deal."
He sighed rubbing the back of his head. "I need to get home. I'm exhausted." She had to admit he did look tired but after what he did for her she couldn't let him leave like that. He started to get up but Clara stopped him. "Wait."
"Yeah?" He replied.
"Listen, I can't stand the thought of you driving home tired why don't you sleep here on the couch?" She offered.
David shook his head. "That's okay I'll be fine." "Please, after all I put you through last night I'd feel better knowing I made it up to you." She replied.
He still appeared reluctant. "I don't know." "Please?" Clara begged. After thinking about it he finally relented. "Okay, why not?"
She grinned. "Good, you just lay there and get some rest, yeah?" David smirked and lay on his back on the couch. Clara took his glasses and set them aside.
"Thanks." He said softly before closing his eyes.
Clara smiled then pulled the blanket over him and went to kitchen to make him and Caitlin a lunch for when they woke up. While in the kitchen she heard a noise like small footsteps and went back to the living room to find Caitlin tugging on David's sleeve.
He woke up and glanced at her sleepily. Caitlin sucked her thumb and didn't speak but David seemed to know what she wanted. "Oh, right. Come on." He muttered picking her up and holding her close to his chest stroking her blond hair as they both fell asleep.
Clara leaned against the wall suppressing a smile. It was the sweetest thing she'd ever seen. Deep down she'd wished Danny had been that way with Hayley when she was young. She sighed and went back to fixing lunch.
About an hour later David woke up slowly to the sound of Clara stirring in the kitchen after gently moving Caitlin aside he walked over and found her at the dishwasher putting up dishes. "Hi." He said. Clara glanced at him and smiled. "Hi, hope I didn't wake you."
He scoffed. "Nah, I was up anyway." "How are you?" She asked.
He sighed. "Oh, I'm fine but I'm more worried about you."
Clara leaned over the counter. "I feel okay, thanks to you." She smiled.
He smiled at her. "No big deal just trying to help."
"Oh, before I forget I made you some lunch." She said pulling out a plate of sandwich squares from the fridge.
He looked at her surprised. "Wow, a nap and lunch, you're spoiling me." David grinned popping a small sandwich in his mouth.
"It's not much just ham and Swiss cheese." She said softly. David smiled. "I love it." Clara gave a small smile then lowered her eyes. He noticed her bothered expression. "What's wrong?"
She shrugged. "I still feel bad about what happened." He waved his hand as if brushing it away. "It's okay, nothing to feel bad about."
Clara tilted her head at him. She couldn't get over his nonchalant attitude over everything that had happened. He noticed she was looking at him. "What?"
"It's just after all the grief I caused you last night you were still there for me, why?" She asked.
He took a bite of another sandwich and shrugged. "Because you're worth it, of course."
Clara lightly blushed then looked at him curious. "Something still puzzles me." "What's that?" He replied.
"At the dance you said you hated dancing." She said. David nodded. "I do." "But there's more to it, isn't there?" She said.
He smirked slightly. "You're clever, you know that?" Clara shrugged and smiled. "Well, I try." She rested her chin in her hands. "So, what's the other reason?"
David sighed. "Clara, my parents divorced when I was sixteen years-old and in that time frame they would always put on a show for me and Amy by dancing together."
"Dancing?" She said curious.
He nodded. "Yeah, that's all they had to do to show us how happy they supposedly were, dancing at parties, social events even anniversaries but it was fake. And I told myself if I had ever had to make an idiot out of myself by dancing then I wanted to have a good reason to do it. Like a really special occasion or with someone I liked…or loved."
Clara nodded. "Fair enough." "I'm also a terrible dancer." He playfully added. Clara muffled a giggle with the back of her hand. "I knew it."
He just smiled. "Daddy?" They heard Caitlin say behind him. He turned and smiled. "Well, look who's up." He knelt and picked her up then handed her a sandwich which she quickly nibbled on.
He smiled. "I think she likes it. You like the sandwich, sweetie?" She nodded and kept eating. "I'm glad." Clara smiled.
"Are you feeling better, Miss Clara?" She asked swallowing her last bite. Clara nodded. "Yes, I'm feeling much better, now."
Caitlin smiled and rested her head on David's shoulder.
David checked his watch. "I better go before Amy starts worrying. Thanks for the nap and the lunch."
Clara shrugged. "No problem." She walked him to the door.
"Well, I'll see you on Monday." He said leaving. Clara watched him put Caitlin in the car. He was about to go in when she called out to him. "David?" He paused and looked at her. "Yep?"
Clara slowly walked up to him. She looked at David for a second before wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a hug surprising him a little before he embraced her back. The embrace was short but nice after the hug she smirked shyly at him. "Thank you." She said. David just smiled at her and squeezed her hand before leaving in his car.