"so umm…how do you feel about all of this", Danielle looked on at Ronnie with a careful expression. She didn't want to look nervous, because that would make her seem vulnerable to Ronnie; make it seem essential for Ronnie to like her. The figure she wanted to put across was of confidence; one where it seemed rejection wouldn't hurt her if that's what Ronnie threw.
"I can't believe it." Ronnie could not let it sink in; this was her little girl, alive! Archie had been lying, he had wormed his way into her so well that it was very difficult to believe anything else, and yet, here she was, fit and healthy.
This didn't eradicate Danielle's suspicions, she half expected Ronnie to ask her to leave, even though she seemed determined earlier to have a discussion with Danielle.
Both women were lost for words. For Ronnie, this was her dream come true, her daughter was standing right in front of her, and all Ronnie wanted to do was take hold of her and make sure no one would harm her ever again.
Danielle at this time craved approval from Ronnie, but it seemed Ronnie was too frightened to speak, and standing here all night seemed else physically painful "Right well, to be honest, I'm totally wasted. All I know is, it's great to have all this in the open, you know? I mean, it's like now you know, well, my head seems so much more clear, it's completely up to you…" Danielle was rudely interrupted by Ronnie.
"I'm so sorry for everything." Ronnie started sobbing uncontrollably. She buried her face into her hands and knelt down onto the floor, guilt hammering her further into the ground.
Danielle was taken aback from Ronnie's reaction. This was the untouchable Ronnie Mitchell, who now sat inches away from Danielle's feet. Danielle considered getting Roxy in here, but instead, she mimicked Ronnie's actions. She got down on her knees to face Ronnie. Both women sat inches away.
"Look, we can talk about it in the morning okay? Right now, we're both totally pissed, and I need a good nights sleep." Danielle was amazed at how calm she was herself. After everything that had happened, sleep was the last thing on her mind. The fact Ronnie knew the truth meant a huge weigh-down had been eliminated, she saw things differently. What happened now was Ronnie's choice.
Ronnie's expression changed to one of pure horror at the idea of Danielle leaving. "Please, you have to believe me Danielle. All those horrible things I said downstairs, I'm so sorry. I've been the worst person to have to deal with, but believe me, that's all going to change from now on."
Danielle could feel anger rising within her once again. For the zillionth time tonight, the subject being conversed had been brought around to Ronnie, how Ronnie had acted, how Ronnie would change. Danielle calmed herself and wished all this anger away. She kept reminding herself that they were both under the influence, and that she would feel differently in the morning.
"The question is, what do you want from all this. You know, since my mother died, there's been this itch that wouldn't be satisfied until I found you." Danielle felt scared at the fact she was revealing such delicate information to Ronnie. She gave Ronnie such power over her, and she regretted it the moment she had spoke. She leapt up from the floor telling herself that someone had to break the ice, and it was Danielle who had wanted to confront her biological mother in the first place.
Ronnie spoke prior to Danielle getting a in edgeways. "I want nothing more than what I've always wanted. You must understand that my baby girl is everything to me, and I'm sorry for this cold exterior you've been exposed to, but it's not the real me. Loosing you did this to me."
Danielle sympathised with Ronnie, but this was not the time to do this. She already had enough buzzing around her head, and she felt Ronnie was blaming her for the pain. She kept telling herself that it was not what Ronnie had meant, but something more interesting had caught her ear. Ronnie had acknowledged Danielle as her daughter for the first time since she had arrived.
"Right well, you do understand, it's not going to be easy. I mean, it's not like after tonight, we can all live happily ever after. All I want is for us to get to know each other, 'coz as you said earlier, this isn't the real you is it? I just want to get to know the Ronnie behind the shield, the Veronica Mitchell I came here to meet." Danielle's voice faded away as both women looked away in thought. Minutes passed before Danielle once again decided to crack the ice. "How about I call you tomorrow yeah?" Danielle couldn't help but feel Archie was right about something: Ronnie's state of mind. This Ronnie seemed very fragile, she looked so broken, and it took everything Danielle had to keep herself calm and explain everything in a soothing voice to Ronnie. It seemed like a mother talking to a child, but it was Danielle who needed to be mothered.
Ronnie truly could not believe what she was hearing. She looked up to the wall behind Danielle. Her head was level with the girl's, but her eyes were focused on the wall behind. When she spoke, it seemed like she was in a different world, almost a trance like state. Danielle hoped it was due to the irksome day they had both endured, but seeing Ronnie Mitchell so vulnerable, without any control: it terrified her. She reminded Danielle of herself, a mirror image. "Thank you so much Danielle. The last thing I deserve is this second chance, but I swear on my life, I won't let you down. Not again."
The concluding statement angered Danielle all over again, how could Ronnie make such a promise so freely without any actual thought? It just made it seem so untrue to Daniele, a lack of substance to such a meaningful promise. Yet, this anger was quickly suppressed with the feeling of utter relief. The strong determination in Ronnie's voice had returned.
"Right, well… let's get on the sofa yeah, my knees killing me". Danielle rose to her feet and held out a hand for Ronnie to take.
As Ronnie watched her daughter- wow her daughter- reach out her hand, she smiled. Pride washed over Ronnie. Danielle was managing this all so well, and it was Ronnie who now had to be strong. She was handed a second chance-quite literally-, and the Earth would have to stop spinning before the slightest likelihood she would blow it.
As both women took their seats, Danielle felt the urge to express her feelings. "Look Ronnie, I could do with a friend right now, how about we take this one day at a time yeah?. I mean, I really want to get to know the Mitchells, umm, well I mean if you would allow me to, 'coz after all… it was the family I was born into. But it's up to them as well of course; I don't want to be where I'm not wanted. I mean, I need to know what you think..." Danielle had started babbling yet again, Ronnie always made her nervous. Ronnie decided to lighten the mood.
"Get to know the Mitchells? Believe me; you'll regret saying that one day." Ronnie smiled over at Danielle, and she happily returned it at Ronnie's gag.
Ronnie embraced Danielle's right hand with her own, she didn't want to seem too forward. "Listen, I'm going to be here for you okay? We can work at this together. We'll take this at your pace, but if getting to know me is really what you want, then you've just made me the happiest women alive." Ronnie could feel tears stinging her eyes.
This was the reassurance Danielle needed. Her biological mother was willing to fight for a relationship. Her feelings towards Ronnie changed for the millionth time tonight. "God Ronnie, you sound like you're about to propose". Ronnie gazed into Danielle's eyes. A small smile ran across Ronnie's face before they both let out a watery laugh. This soon subsided with the awkward silence falling again between the two women. Danielle felt that all those buzzing sounds contained in her head were fading away one at a time. Ronnie couldn't t take her eyes off Danielle for longer than a minute. Both women fell back into reality as suddenly there was a tumble outside, and a familiar figure walked into the room.
"Oi, get out, just leave them alone yeah!" Roxy was now shouting at the figure which stood before them.
"Yeah well you and her whispering about what might be happening in here is driving me mad…" the figure pointed to a very flustered looking Peggy Mitchell, "…so I thought I'd come see for myself."
A/N: Who's this figure I wonder?? No more until 5 reviews (good or bad), coz I'm unsure now if people want this to continue. I wanted to make it different to the others, and still keep it as realistic as possible. I promise the interactions with other characters is up soon – if I get the reviews.
Btw, did anyone hear that version on YouTube of Kelly Clarkson's track?