Thank you for reading and for all the wonderful reviews! :)
sniffles1983, I'm still debating whether to keep going with this story or to end it within the next few chapters. (Thoughts/comments on this are welcome from everyone.) As for "One Last Night", I definitely plan on finishing it - I just hit a road block on how to proceed. I'll probably continue it within the next week or two. I'm so glad you like it, as well! :)
Now, on to the next chapter. I'm thinking you'll be happier with me this time - or maybe not . . . Enjoy! :)
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Betty walked into a practically empty Heathrow after a long and tiring late flight from New York. Part of her was really excited to start her new job and begin exploring a different country, but the majority of her was scared to death of being all alone in an unfamiliar place. God, she missed him so much . . . but she couldn't dwell on it any longer.
No matter how badly she wanted - needed - Daniel to be in her life, she knew it was hopeless. She headed straight for the baggage claim and waited while her bag came through the carousel. She noticed it and attempted to lift the enormous duffel bag onto the floor without much luck. "Need some help?" a familiar voice behind her asked.
It couldn't be – could it? She had to be delusional from the jet lag and massive lack of sleep from staying up the entire night before. She curiously turned around, only to lay her eyes upon the brown-haired, blue-eyed man she knew and loved. "Daniel?" Betty asked, slowly touching his arm to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.
"Hey," was all Daniel managed to get out before Betty immediately wrapped her arms around him in a warm and loving embrace, so overcome with emotion she nearly knocked him over, afraid of letting go. Daniel slightly pulled away, enough to tenderly kiss her forehead. He slowly brought his head down to meet hers, their foreheads touching, eyes meeting each other's. "How did you – what are you –?" Betty tried to speak, a million thoughts racing through her mind.
Daniel put two fingers to her lips. "Shh . . . it doesn't matter right now. I'm here - and I'm not going anywhere . . . Unless you want me to?" Daniel saw the tears brimming in Betty's eyes and made sure he wasn't reading her wrong. Betty shook her head and smiled, tears of joy streaming down her face. Daniel grinned, tears welling up in his eyes as well. He slowly kissed away the salty droplets on her cheeks, then captured her lips with his as if it had been a lifetime since he had seen her.
"I'm sorry, baby . . . I'm so sorry . . ." Daniel said between shorter, apologetic kisses. "I'm sorry, too," Betty told him as she kissed the corner of his mouth, then his cheek. Daniel pulled her into him, resting his chin on the top of her head. They stood there silent, clinging to each other as a form of forgiveness and relief. Daniel absently stroked Betty's hair. Betty gradually broke away.
"I – I love you," she timidly confessed. "I love you, too," Daniel smiled. As her forgotten bag continued to rotate on the carousel behind them, Betty brought Daniel in for another passionate kiss; this one feeling different, freer, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders simply by saying those three little words and hearing him say them back.
They both knew things weren't always going to be easy. They had a long road ahead of them - questions left unanswered, uncertainties of their future. But as long as they were together, they knew they could make it through anything.
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Betty lay in bed and watched Daniel sleep, his sandy brown hair disheveled as he lay on his side, his breath barely audible as his bare chest rose out and in again, his body occasionally stirring when lost in a dream, the look on his face so peaceful and content, almost childlike. He was right – it was addictive when with the right person. "Morning," Daniel slowly opened his eyes. "Morning – afternoon actually," she greeted him, remembering they were on London time and it was now 12:20PM.
"What are you doing?" he asked. "Nothing . . . just trying something out . . ." she answered, coyly. "Really? What's that?" he asked, intrigued. "Someone once told me they could watch the one they loved sleep, all day," she replied. "And?" he waited for her to finish. "And they were right . . ." she answered. "Good. But once they're both awake, what then?" he mischievously inquired.
"I don't know. But I'm sure I could come up with a few inventive ideas . . ." she slyly suggested as she kissed his chest and straddled him. "Whoa! You're really feisty this morning," he chuckled, slowly kissing her shoulder. "I can't help it . . . for the first time in weeks I'm happy," she confessed. "Good," Daniel caressed her cheek. "That's all I want," he admitted, pulling her into an embrace.
"Are you happy?" Betty kissed his collarbone, then turned her head to face him. "And tell me the truth, because I want this to work . . . Are you really okay with giving up MODE and starting over? This goes both ways – I don't want you to resent me either. If you have any regrets just tell me. I don't want you to look back and wish you had never left," she told him, stroking his untamed hair.
"No - as hard as it was deciding to give up my cushy job and try to make it on my own, I don't have any regrets about it. My only regret was leaving you. It killed me inside. I couldn't stand hurting you like that. But I knew if I stayed, you'd never take this job and would be too selfless to ask me to go with you," he admitted. She timidly smiled – he knew her too well.
"Where did you run off to?" she asked. "My parents' house in The Hamptons. I needed to escape, clear my head, try to get you out of my mind – but I couldn't, because no matter where I go or how hard I try to fight it, you'll always have my heart," he absently toyed with a strand of her hair.
"And suddenly it hit me that I didn't need to push you away – I could still be with you without standing in the way of your dreams. And I could pursue my own dreams as well. I can honestly say that I am truly happy, Betty," he told her.
"I want nothing more than a fresh start in life, where I can be with you and figure out what I really want to do without someone handing me a job on a silver platter . . . I want this – right here, right now – forever," Daniel admitted, caressing her cheek. "Me, too," Betty agreed and passionately kissed his lips. He gently rolled her over and began to kiss every inch of her body all over again.
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A few hours later, Daniel slowly rubbed his eyes and reached for Betty but felt nothing but empty sheets. His heart stopped. "Betty?" he called. Oh god! It was all a dream – she was gone. "I'm over here," she answered, staring out the window of his hotel suite, wearing his black lightweight sweater. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. "God, baby I thought I'd lost you!" he came up behind her wearing his black jeans, wrapping his arms around her as he planted a loving kiss on her neck.
"Now you know how it feels," she replied half-joking, without even thinking. She clapped her hand over her mouth and quickly turned to face him. "I – I'm sorry. It just slipped out – I love you and I know you were trying to do the right thing . . . It's just I was in this state of bliss: we had just made up, made love for the first time . . . I thought our lives were only going to get better . . ." she apologized.
" . . . I woke up and the first thing I wanted to do was tell you I had fallen in love with you . . . but you weren't there - I didn't even get the chance to say 'goodbye' . . . " her eyes welled-up, and her chin quivered, remembering. "Hey . . . it's okay. I know I hurt you – we hurt each other. But it's over now. We're together, right? And I'm never going anywhere without you, again," he assured her, stroking her hair as she quietly cried into his chest.
"I know – and in my heart, I believe you . . . in my head – I can't help going back there again . . . I've never hurt so much over losing someone like that before . . ." she sniffled. "Not even with . . .?" Daniel asked. "No – not even with Henry. You know the whole burying ritual thing we did?" she remembered, drying her eyes.
"Yeah," he gave her an inquisitive look. "It wouldn't have helped with you . . . it wasn't about petty material things or unrealistic fantasies . . . I've grown up and none of that truly matters. What I lost with you was so much deeper than that – it was like I lost a part of myself - like I couldn't breathe," she confessed.
"I felt the same way the whole time – like there was this void inside me. I couldn't stop thinking about anything but the sound of your voice . . . your smile . . . your laugh . . . the smell of your skin . . . the taste of your lips . . ." he lightly traced a single finger across her jawline and down her lips. ". . . The way you felt in my arms . . . just being in the same room . . . everything about you," he ran his hands down her arms and met her hands with his.
"I missed being able to talk to you – about . . . anything. I listened to your messages over and over again – it took everything in me not to pick up the phone and tell you not to go, to go back home and tell you I needed you to stay," he revealed, pressing his forehead against hers. "I never want to feel that way again - I can't!" Betty pulled away from him and faced the window again.
"I – I don't know if we should be doing this . . ." she hesitated as she watched the tiny cars and people pass by, debating on whether she should just let it go for now. But her fears wouldn't allow her to just shove everything under the rug again. "What?" Daniel was thoroughly confused. "This! Us – again . . ." she turned around.
"I jumped to conclusions and disappeared on you over nothing – you left me without even talking to me first . . . What happens if something else comes up?" she worried. Daniel sighed. "Yeah, as good as we are at talking, we really suck at communicating stuff like that," he mused, agreeing with her. She gave him a bittersweet smile and gazed down at the floor before timidly looking into his eyes.
"So . . . what do we do?" she wondered, not wanting to end it then but at the same time not wanting it to end farther down the road when she was in even deeper than she already was. "We work it out, are open about everything. If you have any doubts about something – tell me. Don't run away. And I promise I'll do the same," he answered, hoping it was enough to convince her. He didn't know what he'd do if he had to live without her again.
"You won't pull another chivalrous act, claiming it's what best for me?" she asked. "No, I won't. I realize now that I wasn't helping you or me at all. I was a dumbass thinking that would make anything better," he admitted. She smirked in agreement. "Look, I love you. There's no one else who I'd rather grow old with – have kids and grandkids, sit in our rockers holding hands . . . laughing, bickering, talking about the old days," he admitted. "Bickering?" she skeptically asked, amused.
"Come on, you know how feisty and passionate you are . . ." he smiled. "And how stubborn you are . . .?" she added, smiling knowingly. "Just . . . let me finish here, okay?" he chuckled and brushed his lips against her nose.
"In fact, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," Daniel pulled out a light teal blue Tiffany box from his pocket and knelt on one knee, taking her hand in his. "Betty Suarez, would you do me the honor of being my wife?" he nervously asked, as he opened the box to reveal an intricate 3 karat 3-stone platinum diamond ring, the band having slightly eye-shaped slits on each side, forming a double-band with smaller diamonds covering it. Betty was speechless.
"Amanda helped me with the final decision. I would have gotten you the biggest diamond in the world, but I knew you'd want something unique, yet simple. Only she insisted that 'Every girl wants to show off some major bling!'" he explained, mocking Amanda's voice. "So I hope it's not too much . . .?" he anxiously awaited some form of response. "Daniel, it's stunning . . . I've never seen anything like it before!" she finally found her voice again. "Just like you," he softly said, running his thumb across the top of her hand.
"So . . .?" he held his breath for an answer. "Oh!" she exclaimed, realizing she never gave him a coherent response. "Yes! . . . Yes, I will marry you, Daniel," she beamed, her eyes sparkling with happiness. Daniel carefully slid the ring on her finger and stood up. Betty exuberantly jumped into his waiting arms. He grinned as he picked her up, spinning her around before placing her on her feet again and drawing her into a fervent, spellbinding kiss.
Betty felt herself pull away and struggled to keep her balance. She held onto Daniel's shoulders to steady herself. "Are you okay?" Daniel asked, concerned. "Yeah, fine. I just felt a little light-headed for a minute. It's nothing – probably just from all the excitement," she brushed it off. "Are you sure we don't need to find you a doctor?" he questioned, still unconvinced.
"Positive. Oh! My boxes from home are supposed to arrive today and there's a lot of unpacking to do before I start my first day of work on Monday, so I'm going to go get ready. You'll help me, right?" she asked. "Sure . . . warm up the water in the shower and I'll meet you there . . ." he devilishly smiled, leaning in to kiss her. Betty stopped him. "That's not what I meant and you know it," she scolded him.
"But you do have some interesting ideas, Mr. Meade . . ." she slyly looked at him. "Do I, my future Mrs. Meade?" he flirted. "Mmmhmm . . ." she replied, running her hand along his ass before walking away. "So how big is this place you found?" Daniel asked, trying to remember where he stashed his suitcase.
"Christina checked it out for me and she said that it was 'fit for a single gal on the prowl'" Betty answered in her best Scottish accent as she rustled through her duffle bag for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash before making her way into the bathroom. "Translation?" he inquired, confused. "1 bedroom, 1 bath postage stamp," she answered from the bathroom. "Don't you think we're gonna need a bigger place than that?" he said, skeptically.
"Well, yeah. But it'll work temporarily and it's not any smaller than my apartment in New York. Plus, I already signed a 6-month lease, so I'm at least stuck for that long," she explained. "Well, if you're stuck, then I am happy to be stuck with you," he told her, finally finding his suitcase. "You're not gonna break out into a Huey Lewis song, are you?" she teased.
"Nope - I'm just 'doing it all for my baby'," he continued, taking out his shampoo. "Daniel . . . stop! You really are a dork, you know?" she giggled. As she turned the knob on the shower, her stomach began to turn as well. ". . . But I know that's secretly why you love me . . . Hey, I can't be any worse than that Wilbur guy - or Henry - right?" he joked.
Betty rushed to the toilet and pulled up the seat, her hands clinging to the cold white porcelain as she heaved into the bowl. Why did she feel so horrible? It wasn't nerves or stress anymore – Daniel was here and he wanted to marry her. She hadn't felt happier or more relaxed in her life . . . Had she eaten something on the plane? She knew better than to drink anything but bottled water once she got here . . .
Water . . . her mouth had the rancid taste of bile and Papi's arroz con pollo from the night before . . . she had to get rid of it. Forcing her frail body off the floor, she shakily grasped onto the counter and spotted a bottle of Evian in the ice bucket. She twisted off the cap and took a drink, swishing the liquid around then spitting it out into the sink - repeating the process several times, trying to rinse the awful combination out of her system.
"Betty? Are you sick?" between the noise of rifling through his bag to find his conditioner and razor, Daniel thought he heard her coughing. Plus, he hadn't heard a peep out of her since his crack about her exes. He hoped he hadn't offended her. He couldn't help it – those two were the epitome of un-cool. Look up 'dork' in the dictionary and you'd find their pathetic mugs.
"Hey, I promise you can make fun of my exes all you want - actually you pretty much already have over the years," he called to her, reflecting on her tell-it-like-it-is attitude when it came to the women he dated. Betty thought she heard Daniel talking to her, but was too weak to form words. She could feel a burning, numbing sensation in her head.
Her arms and legs were like JELLO, making it almost impossible to hold herself up any longer. A rush of coldness fell over her as she turned sheet-white and collapsed backward on the tile floor. "Betty?" Daniel asked, hearing a thud. He shook his head and smiled. Knowing Betty, she probably just knocked over a shampoo bottle or something.
"Is everything okay?" he tried again thinking maybe she didn't hear him. Still no response. Panicking, he rushed in the bathroom to find his new fiancée lying unconscious on the floor. "Betty! Oh, god! Betty, please be all right! Baby, wake up!" he cried desperately, a sense of déjà vu coming over him as he knelt down beside her, making sure she was still breathing.
He flashed back to finding Molly in the same situation, the morning after their wedding. Did Betty have cancer too? Oh god! He couldn't lose her – he couldn't go through that all over again . . . She was everything to him . . . Focus, damn it – focus! Pull it together! He ran over to the phone on the nightstand and started to call 9-1-1 – Crap! – What the hell was the British equivalent? Luckily, it stared him right in the face, above the touch pad.
His fingers shakily dialed the numbers and impatiently waited for someone to pick up. Practically tripping over Betty's enormous bag, it occurred to him that she'd need some clothes. He grabbed the first top and pair of pants he could find – judging from her attire from only a year ago, he doubted she'd care if her outfit didn't match, just this once.
Top. Pants. A pair of her shoes were on the floor. What was he leaving out? . . . Underwear – she didn't even have any on right now. He frantically searched through her bag again . . . "Emergency Services, how may I assist you?" the dispatcher answered as Daniel finally found a pair of Betty's panties and a bra.
"Yes, this is Daniel Meade – I - I'm at The May Fair Hotel off of Stratton - Suite 429. My fiancée collapsed in the bathroom – she's still breathing, but I found vomit in the toilet and she's as pale as a ghost – please hurry!" he tried not cry, as he gave the dispatcher the information. "Sir, please stay calm. We're sending the medics over straight away. Could you tell me what occurred before she collapsed?" the woman asked.
"I – I don't know. She went in to warm up the water in the shower . . . I was in the bedroom area . . . we were laughing and joking . . ." he described. "Oh! Um . . . not too long before that, she said she felt a little lightheaded and had trouble keeping her balance for a minute - but she insisted she was fine . . ." he answered, finding it hard to keep his thoughts straight.
"How the hell long does it take for a freakin' ambulance to get here?" Daniel started to panic again, pacing across the floor raking his fingers through his hair with his free hand, paying no attention to the short allowance of the phone cord to follow him. In consequence, the other half of the phone fell off the nightstand and slammed onto the thinly padded carpet, startling him.
"Hello? Are you there?" he hoped he hadn't lost the connection. "Yes, sir. I'm still here. Mr. Meade, someone will arrive very shortly. In the meantime, please try to relax a bit and check on your fiancée. I just got word that the ambulance has arrived at your hotel and the medics will be up in just a few minutes," she informed him.
"Thank you," Daniel told her and hung up, running to Betty's side. He could feel her breath as he leaned over her. "It's going to be okay, baby. The paramedics are coming," he told her in a soothing voice, trying to convince himself that his spoken words were true - that his worst fear hadn't become a reality.