Chapter 33
Welcome To Harmony, The Real World
Daniel walked in to the nearest club in town, The Blue note, the place wasn't all that great, not that he had been a big fan of jazz anyhow. All and all he liked this town, it was a quit peaceful town, the type of town a man could raise a family in. 'A man, could raise a family in, where in the hell had that came from?' He'd heard the types of stories about this town, about the witches and supernatural things that had gone on here, he smirk, he'd never really believed in that mumbo- jumbo, but, he did like this town, or better yet the girl in this town, his mind went back to Kathelina, his brother's girl friend, she was absolutely stunning, her lips looked to be so sweet, he would give anything to feel them on his and her smile, he loved the way her eyes danced when she was pissed. True, she was far to young for him, 10 years to be precise. He sighed and ran his hands through his spiked black hair, this girl had raised his blood pressure alright.
"Daniel Banning, you bastard.", Sam began.
"Samantha Scot, what do I owe the pleasure?", he smirked, he'd meet Sam about 4years ago and after a brief fling he'd skipped town leaving her alone again, he'd forever regret that, but there was nothing he could do for her now.
"How dare you come here, I hate you. Do you hear me, I hate.", Sam hissed. "Why don't you just leave, I mean I'm happy and I don't want nothing to do with you, so leave, why did you follow me?"
"Sorry to disappoint you, babe, but I came here for my brother not you, I forgot all about you the moment you left my…", she slapped him hard across the face.
"Liar.", Sam hissed. "Who's your brother?"
"Dylan, Dylan Banning.", he replied.
"You're his brother?", she asked.
He nodded. "Small world ain't it?"
She nodded. "So…"
"So.", he repeated.
"You aren't going to stay long, are you?", she asked.
"Maybe, it depends, see I'm kind of working on a business propositions in this town.", he told her.
"Meaning you're trying to woo some unlucky lady in this town?", she asked.
"Yeah, see Samantha, I ain't changed all that much.", he smirked.
"God help her.", Sam exclaimed.
Daniel let out a small chuckle.
"So who is it ? Who's the unlucky girl?", Sam asked.
"Kathelina Crane, do you know her?", he asked, he knew Samantha and knew she wasn't going to say nothing about it to no one, that was one of the good things about her.
"Dylan's girlfriend? Wow, you're even more of a scum then I thought, Kathelina's too nice of a girl for you.", Sam told him.
"Well, well, what in the hell do you know about being a nice respectable girl? I mean you were a teenage stripped.", he told her.
She looked at him with disgust, "I've changed my life."
"Good, Sam, I may seem like a total jerk, but in reality I ain't that bad of a person, yeah, I'm a playboy and I've had my share of dames but…",he began.
"You just want Kathelina, because you think she looks good, you don't know a thing about her, or about me or any other girl you've took a likening to. Daniel, Kathelina ain't like me or no other girl you've been aquatinted with.", Sam told him.
"I know, Sam, I- she's got this nature about her, she's so…", Daniel began.
"Kathelina is a virgin, well at least to my knowledge, she may have slept with Dylan, do you know how long they've been together? But, my point is, Kathelina don't open her legs to every man she sees, she's not into money or riches or one night stands.", Sam told him.
"How do you know her?", Daniel asked.
"Well, I'm a house keeper for her family and have been involved with both her brothers Fox and Ethan.", Sam explained.
"I thought Fox was married to that Theresa girl.", Daniel asked.
"Yeah, he is, but it's complicated.", Sam told him.
"What you boned a married man?", Daniel asked.
"No, Fox and I never slept together.", Sam told him.
Daniel nodded. "Yeah right, I know you Sam."
"Well, I- we didn't okay, I could never bring myself to hurt him and to rip apart his marriage.", Sam told him.
"And, Ethan?", Daniel asked.
"I love Ethan, I actually love him.", Sam replied. "Right now he's in a coma, he could die or even be paralyzed.",
"I'm sorry, it's tough, got to be.", Daniel told her, he had never really been in love, he had never found a girl that occupied his interest longer than one night.
"Yeah, well I'm just going to get a drink, you know to clear my mind, then I'm going to go sit with Ethan, Daniel, it's hard, it's so hard to see him like that. God I love him so much.", Sam told him.
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"Theresa?", a man asked, "Is that you?"
"Oh My, Noah, Oh My God, wow, you've changed so much.", Theresa replied, wrapping her arms around the man that stood before her.
"So, I take it you're happy to see me?", he asked, she smiled.
"Yeah, Whitney is going to be so happy to see you.", Theresa told him. "It's been to long."
"Yea, it has.", he agreed.
"So how's your studies going?", she asked.
"Drop out, Theresa don't tell mom and dad but, I kind of got myself in a fix.", Noah sighed.
"Meaning?", Theresa asked.
"Well, I kind of got a girl pregnant.", Noah told her.
"Wow, is it Ashley, the girl you write so much about?", Theresa asked.
"I wish, see I kind of sleep with Amy, Amy's Ashley's roommate, was her roommate, see now Ashley is to pissed at me and Amy to forgive us. 5 years went down the drain, cause of one stupid mistake and you want to know the best part? Amy says she's going to marry another man and move to Arizona with my child.", Noah explained.
"Ah, I'm sorry, Noah, well there's always the fact you can fight her for custody.", Theresa replied.
"Yeah, well I'm jobless, houseless, and well I have no education.", he replied.
"Uh, and Amy?", she asked.
"The same, Theresa, I'm better off to let her keep the kid.", he replied.
"Do you know what the baby is?", she asked.
"A girl, Theresa, I helped create her, I mean I don't want to give her up. She ain't even here and I have this hole in my life, what am I going to do once she's born? I can't give her up.", he replied.
"Well, couldn't you work out something, I mean let her come stay with you during some you know ever other month or something and once she starts school she could stay with you during the breaks.", Theresa replied.
"Amy's too much of a bitch for that, she hates me. She blames me for her being knocked up.", Noah replied.
Theresa sighed. "I guess, but, she is as much to blame as you are."
"I know.", he replied. "Enough about me and my screwed up life, what about you? Is Mr. Crane taking care of you, are you happy?"
"To an extent, see you remember in my last letter I told you about Samantha Jenkins?", she asked he nodded. "Well, she and my husband were having an affair, as I told you in the letter well today she got up in court and said she came to town with every intention to take my husband, I mean I never laid eyes on her till she came here that night and now since Ethan's got shot she's through yet another surprise on us the little witch claims to love Ethan not, my husband, but yet she's all over him like a cheap whore.", Theresa replied.
"So, is she in love with both? Or is she just trying to piss you off, I mean you're married to Fox, right and you and Ethan well you were together for quit sometime.", Noah pointed out.
"Possible, but like I said, I didn't even know her to bother her.", Theresa replied.
"Well, some people you don't need to bother and well…maybe she's jealous of you, I mean you've got a husband and two beautiful children, maybe she's read about you or something and decided to take over your place, I don't know.", Noah sighed.
"Well, me either.", she sighed.
"Theresa?", Fox began.
"Fox?", she replied., Noah hit her arms softly as to say talk to him giving him a chance.
Theresa sighed, then turned to him. "I- Fox, I'm jealous of Sam.", she sighed, this was getting more and more complicated.
"Why? Theresa, I- I made a mistake by ever leaving and believe me when I say this, I love you and no matter what it takes I'm going to make it up to you.", he told her, then he turned to the man who stood beside her.
"Do I know you?", Fox asked.
"Oh, Fox, sorry, Noah forgive me, Fox, Noah, Noah, Fox.", she introduced them to each other.
The men exchanged hellos.
"So, you're the man who's married to my best friend?", Noah asked.
"Yep.", Theresa told him.
"Well, must say you are one lucky man. She's unlike any other woman I know and well you better treat her like the princess she is.", Noah told him, Theresa smiled up at him and turned to her husband, who looked down at her with smirk.
"I attend to.", Fox replied, he kissed her lips softly.
"Fox, are you sure I can stay?", Sam asked, walking up to them.
"Yeah.", Fox replied.
Theresa gave her a confused look then, place a fake smile on her lips.
"Good.", Sam sighed, then she looked at the man who stood with them. "Who's he?", she asked, eyeing the complete stranger.
"Noah Bennett and you must be Samantha Jenkins?", Noah told her, he figured from the way Theresa described her that she would be a miniature Rebecca Hotchkiss but, the woman in front of him didn't match that image at all.
"Yup.", Sam replied. "I guess you've heard all the these stories about me."
Noah simply looked at her.
"Well, they're two sides to every story.", Sam told him.
"I know.", Noah told her. "I have no right to judge no one, ma'am. I've really made of mess of things myself."
"Well, only God can judge me, if they are such a thing.", she replied.
"Sam, don't say that.", Fox told her.
"Well, I don't know anymore, guess I never really did, I mean what proof do we have huh? God, ain't been to kind to me if he does exist.
"Sam, don't say that, okay.", Noah told her, the girl was a complete mess, she was a lot like himself after he found out Amy was pregnant and Ashley would leave him.
"Sorry to defend you all, but, that's how I feel.", Sam told them.
"Oh, brother, Sam, if you think you're going to get my attention and make me remotely you, you're dead wrong. Noah, don't know you all that good to figure you out and somehow you've blinded my husband with your sweet little smiles and pathetic sap stories, but you don't fool me, you are a manipulator, you know how I know this, hmm? Cause, I was the same way, I became Ivy's assistant, so that I could get close to Ethan, I became wedding planner for his wedding to Gwen so, I could be with Ethan, I married Fox in order to get my son back from Julian and Rebecca and to get back at Ethan for marring Gwen, but it backfired on me, see I didn't intend on feeling anything for Fox, but friendship and gratitude, but fate had something diffent in store, fate lead me to man that I was made to love.", she told her.
"Same, goes for me, Theresa, I never meant to feel a thing for Ethan or your husband, I mean I didn't even like Ethan at first, I mean I'd heard all these stories and I guess I formed an opinion about him, without getting to know him, but he ain't that bad of a guy, neither is Fox, I mean they have been the only men in my life that hasn't abandoned me, Fox is one of the few people I love and trust, same goes for Ethan.", Sam sighed, she knew no matter what she said Theresa would forever hate her. "Now if you would excuse me, I need to go check on Ethan."
Theresa sighed, this girl was the queen bee when it came to lying, scheming and manipulating men. "Don't tell me you both feel sorry for her?"
"Yeah, Theresa the girls confused, I mean she's seems to be a good person the only thing a wrong with her is that she's….", Noah began.
"A manipulator, liar, whore, moneygrubber, a player, a schemer, pick one, Noah you don't know the hell she put me through, I mean I had to watch the man I love, carry on with her right in front of me, I had a wreck and walked in on the two them about to have sex, I…", she began.
"Resa, please don't make me relieve the past, I made mistakes and I'm sorry.", Fox told her.
"I know, I'm just pointing out to you and him, just why I hate Ms. Jenkins so much.", Theresa replied.
"What's the deal with her and Ethan? I mean, he's my brother and all I think I should at least know if she's playing him.", Noah asked.
"She's Sam, what can I say.", Theresa replied.
"Resa, if she wanted me and not Ethan, then why is she here with him and not all over me, I mean what logic is there to it, if she wants me, she'd just buy Ethan flowers and a get well card and go on about her business, don't you think?", Fox asked.
"Maybe, she wants the both of you?", Noah suggested. "I mean, she has been caring on with the both of you, I mean maybe, she thinks Ethan and you will both respect her for sitting by him."
"Okay, let's say for a minute that is true, why would she want me to know she loves Ethan or remotely is concerned about him?", Fox asked.
"Jealousy. She wants to make you jealous, so she uses your worst enemy to do it.", Theresa replied.
"I ain't convinced.", Fox replied. "She ain't that conniving and besides wouldn't she be smart not say anything to me about loving Ethan, I mean I wouldn't want no one I'm remotely interested in know hey, I love your sister ,brother or such, it don' add up."
"True.", Noah agreed.
"I don't know, all I know is I don't trust her.", Theresa replied.
"Hello, once again.", Daniel greeted.
"Daniel, right?", Theresa asked.
"Yup, is Kathelina around here?", he asked.
"No, what do you want with my baby sister?", Fox asked.
"What, ain't she allowed friends?", Daniel smirked.
"Not when they are your kind.", Fox replied.
"Ain't she a grown woman who's capable of making her own decisions?", Daniel asked.
"No, she's hurt, Dylan is….", Fox began.
"He's my brother for Christ sake she's his girl, she needs comforting.", Daniel replied, he'd knew Fox for quit sometime, the two had never been friends, as a matter fact Fox blamed him for April Hansen death.
"Yeah, well you're the last person I want comforting my baby sister.", Fox told him.
"Too bad, you have no say.", he smirked, he watched as Fox's grew angry.
"I will kill you, if you even think out hurting her.", Fox warned.
Daniel's eye grew big. "You're still holding an vendetta against me, over April aren't you?"
Theresa looked at her she saw a raw fiery in his eyes, it was like he was on fire with rage and hurt. "You killed her, you took her from me."
"Fox, I can't help it if she was drinking or that she…"
"She wasn't that type of person, you got her drunk, you let her drive that car, you…you killed her. You bastard, you killed her.", he told him, Theresa looked at her husband then to Daniel.
"Fox, I swear I never meant to hurt her.", Daniel told him, "Fox I was so stupid, okay, I learned from my mistakes, I will never be that stupid again."
"Learning from your mistakes, won't bring her back, she's dead, Daniel she was so young, she had her whole life in front of her.", Fox told him.
"What do you want to hear from me, huh? That I wish I died instead of her? That I can't sleep because that night haunts me, that I think about her everyday, that I miss her like hell?", Daniel asked, Kathelina walked out and stood there, listening to him as he talked. "Well, I do, Fox I wish I died, I don't sleep unless I'm drunk and half the time that don't take the pain away, Fox she's always there, I see her, I relieve it everyday of my life."
Kathelina looked at him, she saw hurt in his eyes, she knew something had happened, some terrible had happened, something that her brother and Daniel both had suffered because of.
"Well, you should, you…", Fox began.
"Leave him along, would you? Nick, can't you see he's hurting, Nicholas can't you see how much pain this has caused him?", Kathelina asked, she watched as he turned to her and for a minute she saw a tear in his eye.
"Let it go, little girl, he sees what he wants.", Daniel told her, he like that she stood up for him, he like it when she would look at him, just simply look at him it set his soul on fire. He turned and left, he prayed softly that she'd follow him, he wanted to get to know her, but he'd never force her into talking to him.
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Kathelina looked at her brother with disgust.
"Fox, he didn't deserve that.", Theresa told him.
"Theresa, he killed her.", Fox told him.
"Nicholas, he hurting because of it.", Kathelina told him. "Fox, I seen his pain, okay. I seen his pain, it was so strong, it was so…"
"Katherine, a 16 year old girl died because of him.", Fox told her.
"It don't matter, I don't think he meant to hurt her.", Kathelina told him.
"What's up with you? Kathelina, you act like….", Fox began.
"Fox, I don't like him okay, but I do see that your words hurt him.", Kathelina told him, she turned and walked away she had to fine him, he was hurt and she felt drawn to him.
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Daniel relieved that night ever day he lived, April was so young, she was 4 years younger than him and she was more beautiful then any girl he'd ever knew, he closed his eyes, he could still see the way her blonde hair lay over her shoulder and her smile.…
"Daniel?", Kathelina asked, Kathelina's voice shook him from his thoughts. "Oh Great."
"Daniel…", she began.
"What?", Daniel asked, his voice was harsh almost furious.
"I came to say, I…", she sighed.
"What? You came to say what?", he asked, interrupting her.
"Nothing, you, you know what never mind.", she told him, then turned to walk away.
"Kathelina…",he called after her, she turned to him and he smiled. "Thank you for caring, I mean I, people don't get me, they see what I let them."
"I know.", she replied, she walked back to him.
"Want to talk about it, I mean it might help.", she told him, he shook his head no.
"I don't want to, not now.", he replied. "It hurts too bad."
"I understand.", she replied.
"Just know I never meant to hurt her.", he told her.
"I know, you're a good man.", Kathelina told him.
"What makes you say that?", Daniel asked.
"Well, you felt bad for being harsh with me, you….", she began.
"Yeah, I did, I mean, hell I had to do something right, for you to uphold me.", he told her.
"Well, Fox was wrong, I think, you are…damn it Daniel, I just want to be nice, you know.", Kathelina told him.
"Ouch, you cussed me.", he told her, he saw a smile form on her lips.
"Damn, isn't what I call cussing you.", Kathelina told him.
"Apologize.", he winked at her and she shook her head.
"No.", she replied, she knew he was trying to distract himself from the pain and for now she'd let him.
"You better or…", he began.
"Or what?", she asked.
"Or I'll have to do this.", he kicked his foot in the mud puddle, throwing fresh mud on her jeans.
"Not, right, Oh My God, do you know how much these damn things cost?", .she asked.
"Don't worry, your daddy will get you another pair just like them.", he told her, he couldn't help but stare at her as she licked her lips.
"You'll pay.", she told him, she looked up at him and watched his eyes he was looking at her, and it made her feel very uncomfortable.
He looked up and in to her eyes, he wanted her, Lord help him ,he wanted her, not just tonight, but every night.
"Uh, I need to go, uh, Dylan's…", she began.
"Yeah, it's late, I need to get some rest, know of any good places to stay?", he asked.
"Well, I'm sure you could stay at Dylan's place, I doubt Theresa being there, she's probably going to be with Fox.", she told him.
"Would you happen to…never mind, I don't know what I'm saying of course you wouldn't have a key.", he told her, she giggled.
"You do, don't you?", he asked.
"Yup.", she told him.
"Well hand it over.", he told her, she shook her head no. "Why, should I?", she asked.
"Because, I'm older and if you don't I'll…", he began, he loved the way, she licked her lips. 'Damn it Daniel, quit it she's a little girl, she's barely legal.'
"Well, there is something, you could do for me in exchange.", she told him, waiting for him to reply.
"What?", he asked.
"Promise me, to not listen to Fox, don't let him hurt you.", he looked at her surprised.
"That's hard, beauty.", he told her.
"I know.", she agreed. "You know people say words don't hurt, well that's a lie, they hurt more than anything.", she told him.
"Ain't that the truth, beauty.", she smiled at him, he'd started calling her that dreaded nickname again.
"So, we got a deal.", she asked, she wanted to see him like this, happy and carefree never like earlier, she never wanted to him hurt. 'What the hell?'
"Deal.", he told her and she gave him the key.
She smiled at him. "I better go, Dylan needs me, you know he's not any better, he's…I got to go.", he watched her walk away, he could do this, he couldn't and he wouldn't come between them. "Friends, it's time I learn that word.", he told himself, he was going to be her friend and nothing more at least for now, he sighed, Harmony was his new home town, he was going to go find an apartment first thing tomorrow, first he needed some sleep, he'd had a hard day and he had a feeling that things weren't going to be any easier.
A/N: Okay, this ain't that good, but oh well, I don't feel to good and didn't want to wait too long to update, plz, review and thanks everyone for the feedback.
Spoilers for Chapter 34:
Daniel meets up with another person from his past, who is it?
Fox warns Kathelina about Daniel, will she listen?
Noah, Theresa and Whitney catch up on each other's lives.