Led Astray
'Nine o'clock on a Sunday morning is a little early...' Carolyn mused to herself as she looked at the SUV that was becoming more familiar in her friend's driveway as she strolled past. She stopped and gazed in the driver's window for a moment before continuing on up to the house.
She could hear muffled conversation and giggling even as she approached the front door. Pausing a moment, Carolyn's hand hesitated over the doorknob. Should she knock?
"Right.." She laughed to herself as she quietly turned the knob. The only time she'd ever knocked on the door in her life was when her and Vala had first become friends - and that had been a long time ago. Still, as the sounds got louder as she stepped inside, Carolyn felt she'd wait a few minutes to make her presence known.
Silently, she closed the door and stepped up against the wall just off from the entryway to the kitchen.
Daniel's voice was recognizable immediately. "Why don't we show your mommy how to make some real pancakes, hmm?"
"Are you implying that I can't make pancakes?" Though it sounded indignant, Carolyn could hear the amusement in Vala's tone. That, and something unidentifiable. Hayden's giggling filled the otherwise momentary silence that followed the statement.
Then Daniel's voice came again, sounding a little farther away. "No..." He laughed. His next words were muffled and harder to hear. "It's just an excuse to hold you again."
Eyes widening, Carolyn peeked around the edge of the wall. She could see Hayden sitting at the kitchen table, giggling at the adults near the counter. Brown eyes blinked in surprise at the sight of Daniel with his chest pressed firmly against Vala's back. One arm wrapped around her waist while he placed his other hand over hers as she poured batter into a frying pan. It definitely didn't escape Carolyn's attention that Daniel was naked from the waist up, or that the only thing Vala had on underneath that suspiciously large shirt was a tiny pair of shorts that showed off most of her legs.
"You don't need excuses..." Vala replied with a giggle as Daniel kissed along her neck. Her bare foot came up to stroke up and down his jean-covered ankle.
Not being able to stand there any longer, Carolyn stepped out into view. She crossed her arms and gazed at the pair. They continued necking, not noticing her. Hayden saw her, however.
She jumped up from her seat. "Auntie Carolyn!"
"Hey Hayds." Carolyn never took her eyes off Daniel and Vala as the little girl came to hug her legs. She was satisfied to see the way the two spun around in surprise at her voice. They stared at her like two kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
Vala blinked towards her friend. "Hi...Carolyn."
"Hey Vala..." Carolyn's shit eating grin turned on the young man. "Daniel."
He offered her an embarrassed smile and nod. "Carolyn."
Carolyn tilted her head to the side a fraction, eyeing the young man with consideration. "I'm surprised to see you here so early, Daniel."
From the look she was passing between him and Vala, Daniel figured she'd already come to the right conclusion. Still, he feigned innocence. "Well, I was in-"
"Mommy and Daniel had a sleep over last night!" Hayden interrupted; excited she could share the big news.
Looking down at the girl, Carolyn smiled. "Oh, they did," She looked up at the two, now outted. Vala was watching her, face going a shade pinker as her hand sat over her mouth. Daniel had silently moved over to the far counter and was intently focused on pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Did they?"
The little girl nodded and skipped back over to her chair. "Yep. They were both sleeping in mommy's bed this morning..."
"Oh, I see." Carolyn walked farther into the room, leaning her arms down on the back of one of the other chairs. She continued to grin back and forth between Vala and Daniel, who still had his back to the three of them.
Vala dropped the hand from her mouth, glaring down her friend. "Hayden, can you go to your room please."
The little girl pouted and looked up at her mother. "But what about breakfast?"
"I'll let you know when it's ready." Vala never took her eyes of Carolyn, snapping her finger in the direction of Hayden's room. "Now, go."
With a huffy sigh, Hayden jumped down from her chair and trudged her way towards the doorway. She stopped just short of stepping onto the carpet of the living room. "Daniel?" She called out to him.
He turned his head to look at her. "Yeah?"
"You'll still be here when I come out, right?" Hayden's voice was nervous and hesitant.
Carolyn watch with interest as a small smile came over the man's face.
"I don't know." He told her honestly, and Carolyn watched Hayden's face fall at the admission. It surprised her a little. She looked up at Daniel as he continued on. "But I promise if I leave, I'll say goodbye to you - okay?"
Smiling, Hayden nodded. "Okay."
As Hayden headed for her room, Carolyn stood up and looked at her longtime friend. "Nice shirt." She smirked, though every part of it was sarcastic.
"Oh, quit with the games while you're ahead." Vala sighed, eyeing her friend with a knowing look. "Just come out and say what you really wanna say." She crossed her arms.
Carolyn shrugged innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about..."
Shaking her head, Vala turned back to the stove. She tried to make the best of the burnt batter in the frying pan, but it was a futile act. "Oh, come on Carolyn. We all know what your thinking."
"What am I thinking?" Carolyn challenged, stepping around the chair and over next to Vala. "Am I possibly thinking it's unbelievable that you two," She looked up at Daniel, who was watching her nervously from his 'coffee corner'. "Had a nice little 'sleep over'," Carolyn air quoted around the words. "Last night?"
Vala stared intently at the frying pan. "It's none of your business what we did last night."
"None of my - Vala, your whole life has been my business practically since the day we met!" Carolyn practically shouted. "Now you have sex with a man you only met two weeks ago, and suddenly it's none of my business what you do?!"
Grey eyes turned a heated glare on her. "Jealous much?" Vala spat.
Eyes widening, Carolyn's mouth fell open a little. "You think I'm jealous?"
Vala picked up the frying pan and flung it in the sink. The sound of shattering glassed joined the clatter of its impact. "Well, you sure as shit aren't happy for me!" She made her way over to Daniel, who watched the heated exchange intently. He placed his mug on the counter behind him, and took her hand reassuringly. She spun on her heels, bringing his arm around her waist as she did.
"You two are quite cozy now, aren't you?" Carolyn's question was sarcastic, her eyes squinting at the now obvious couple. "Guess crazy, reckless sex will do that - too bad it's all some facade." She was both pleased and terrified at the way Vala flinched at the word. "You wanna believe Daniel here is the one, go right ahead. I'm done trying to give a shit about your well being. Go be naive and reckless with this fucking fake hero!"
The only thing that kept Vala from going after Carolyn was Daniel. "Don't..." He whispered in her ear. "It isn't the way to handle this."
Breathing in deeply, Vala entwined her fingers tightly in his. "Get out of my house." She ordered quietly to Carolyn. "Get out now before I throw you out."
Carolyn shrugged, fighting the tears ready to break free. "Gladly." She said back calmly, stalking out the way she came.
As the door slammed, Vala let out a ragged breath. She stepped away from Daniel, staring at the mess she'd made in her sink. "I need...need to clean this..." Her breath caught in her throat, the tears spilling over onto her cheeks.
Daniel moved to take her in his arms as she started to cry brokenly. "It's okay."
"What am I doing, Daniel?" Vala turned and cried into his chest. "I'm jeopardizing the only family I really have for something I don't even know is gonna last. I'm throwing them away for..."
He tightened his hold on her. "I'm sorry I'm not proving myself completely."
Vala pulled back and shook her head. "No...no." She pushed away from him and stepped over to the table. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "How could everything get so screwed up after yesterday? Yesterday was perfect, and now..."
"We knew it could happen like this..." Daniel offered, giving Vala her space.
She wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm scared, Daniel." Vala turned to face him as the tears continued to fall. "Scared that being together will destroy us before we even reach happiness."
Daniel nodded and stepped over to her, not being able to take seeing her suffering. "I'm scared too." He rubbed her arms with his hands. "And as crazy as this sounds, I'm thinking being scared is a good thing."
"How?" Vala questioned with uncertainty, bringing her fingers up to softly stroke his chest.
"We're proving to ourselves that we're in this for the long run." He whispered, pulling her in close.
Vala rested her head against his warm flesh, taking comfort in Daniel's strong heartbeat. "I don't want to lose my best friend over this. She's always been there for me, and I honestly don't think I can do it..."
"You're not gonna lose her." Daniel stated firmly. "No matter what I have to do to prove to her that I'm serious about this, I promise you that you won't lose Carolyn."
She pulled back, looking into his promising blue eyes. "Thank you, Daniel." Vala leaned up and gave him a simple, sweet kiss. He gladly accepted it.
Daniel then placed a reassuring kiss to her forehead. "Now how about we clean up this mess and fix some pancakes before someone else hates us?"
"I like that plan..." Vala gave a small smile. She reluctantly let Daniel move away to grab the trashcan. As she watched him, Vala's smile widened at his dueling attitude of comfortable and awkward in her home. Taking a deep breath, she moved to join him - in more ways than one.
A/N: I never intended Carolyn to get so harsh, but that's where the brabbits took me! I think it works out better than from what I had originally planned. It helps show how everyone is scared for the future of the relationship, and solidfies the fact that Daniel and Vala are in it for the long run! Anywho, the next chapter is right on the heels of this one, and there will be a resolution to this conflict.
Ofcourse, reviews are LVOE!