Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Ugly Betty...or 'It's a Wonderful Life'.
Your reviews are awesome...thanks everybody! Sorry for the delay...LOST season premiere and studying got in the way.
WARNING: If you don't like corny happy endings, don't read this chapter. That is all :o)
"Daniel?" he felt someone touch his shoulder.
He lifted his head up, Amanda staring down at him with concern. "What are you doing out here? It's freezing," Amanda wrapped her coat tightly around her.
Daniel's heart suddenly beat a little faster. "You know me?" he questioned.
Amanda scoffed, rolling her eyes, "uh...do I know you? Betty's sent out mini-search parties looking for you. She's worried sick about you," she answered, in typical Amanda fashion. He'd never been so happy to see her in his life.
Daniel's smile widened as he stood from the stoop, wrapping Amanda in an embrace. She was caught off guard, nearly falling backwards, "Daniel! What's gotten into you?" she asked, apprehensively returning the hug.
"Amanda, it's snowing...it's snowing!" he exclaimed, looking into her confused hazel eyes.
"Yeah...but it's New York. And December. Seriously, Daniel are you alright? You're acting weird...how much did you have to drink?" Daniel's light laughter filled the air between them, and he gave her another hug.
"Thanks Amanda...don't worry about me...I'll be fine. Merry Christmas," Daniel gave her hand a squeeze, hailing a cab. Amanda stood flabbergasted on the busy sidewalk, stuffing her hands in her coat pockets as Daniel closed the cab door behind him. Her phone started to ring as she shook the cobwebs from her head.
"Hello? Hey honey...yeah...I just did actually. Don't worry...I'm on my way home. I love you too."
-
Daniel quickly made his way through the hustle and bustle of the crowded street, anxious to get back to the familiar condo he called home. He finally made his way up the steps, running down the hall and opened the familiar door. There was no older woman to greet him, just the sound of faint Christmas music meeting his ears, and the smell of pine and baking pie filling his senses.
"Betty? Betty?" he looked around frantically, into the den.
"DAD!" Brendan and Caleb exclaimed, running to greet him.
"Kids!" he kneeled down, hugging his boys tightly. "I missed you guys so much," he kissed their foreheads, ruffling their brown locks.
"Where'd you go Dad?" Brendan wrapped his arm around Daniel's neck.
"I just needed some fresh air. I'm sorry I yelled at you guys, I-"
"Daddy?" Isabella stood in the foyer, grinning slightly. "Hi Bella," she wrapped her arms around him.
"Are you okay?" she asked him, big hazel eyes staring into his.
"I'm wonderful. I love you guys. Don't ever forget that okay?" tears filled his eyes, as he smoothed her thick curls down.
"I love you too, Daddy," Isabella said, hugging him again. Daniel looked over his oldest daughters shoulder, seeing his wife enter the family room.
"Daniel?" Betty's gaze fell on her husband and children. She dropped her cell phone on the ground with a thud, as relief washed over her features. Daniel quickly stood from his crouched position, walking towards her and wrapping his arms tightly around her.
"I was so worried about you," she explained, pulling slightly away from him. "Are you okay?" she studied his features, the intense look in his blue eyes.
"I am now," he replied, stepping closer to her.
"God, Betty," tears filled his eyes as he stared down into her brown depths, holding her face in his hands, "I love you so so much. You and the kids are my life...it was never about the money or Mode, it's about us, our family. It'll always be about us. I'm sorry it took me until tonight to remember how blessed we are. I promise I'll never take what I have for granted again. Never." He wiped the tears from her flushed cheeks, and kissed her tenderly.
"Oh, Daniel," she cried into his cold peacoat, wet with melted snow. "I love you too," she grinned through her tears, warming his cold hands with her own.
"Daddy!" Daniel turned on his heel, his youngest daughter's voice was like music to his ears. She appeared around the corner a second later, clad in Disney pajamas and wearing a bright smile.
"Lilly," he leaned down, picking her up in his arms. "I'm all better now, Daddy," Liliana exclaimed, kissing Daniel on the cheek.
"You are?" he smiled at her, her blue eyes shining.
"Yep. Mommy said my fever is all gone," she told him.
"Well how about that?" Daniel kissed Liliana's forehead, glancing at Betty.
"Why are you sad, Daddy?" she wondered, seeing remnants of tears in his eyes. He shook his head, grinning at her.
"I'm not sad, honey. I'm just happy. Really happy. I love you, Lilly-bear," he smiled. "I love you, Daddy," Liliana clung to his neck. Betty smiled at the scene before her, feeling her heart swell in contentment.
"Daniel I've got a surprise for you," Betty told him, wiping a final tear from her eye.
"What?" he raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"Well, it seems as if word travels fast around these parts. Let's just say that there are a lot of people that don't want Cal Hartley running a company with the Meade name behind it," she began.
"Okay..."
"After you left, I called your mom because I was worried and told her what was going on. Your mother then made some phone calls to some old friends...and frenemies," Betty smirked, turning as the doorbell rang.
"What do you mean?" Daniel eyed her as she walked toward the foyer. "Are you expecting someone?"
"Maybe," Betty answered, glancing through the peephole. Daniel watched as she opened the door, revealing Claire on the other side of the threshold.
"Mom," Daniel smiled, walking to her and giving her a hug.
"Hi darling," Claire kissed his cheek, "don't ever scare us like that again," she told him in his ear. He nodded in understanding, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Hi grandma," Liliana said. "Hi sweetheart," she tickled her stomach, making her laugh.
"So what exactly is going on?" Daniel wondered, following his wife and mother into the family room. "I was absolutely terrified when I heard about Cal Hartley's plans. He knows nothing about running a publishing company, let alone Meade. I've been in touch with some old family friends...let's just say Cal Hartley won't be touching anything with the Meade name now," Claire told him.
"Really?" he asked.
"Really," Claire replied confidently. "A few gifts here and there and one in particular from Wilhelmina Slater will ensure that the company will be ours for quite some time," she explained.
Daniel's jaw dropped. "Wilhelmina? She...gave the company money?"
Claire nodded. "Even though Wilhelmina and our family had issues, she doesn't want to see the company she worked so hard for go under to some big-name hot shot."
Daniel's eyes drifted to Betty. She was grinning broadly, staring up at him with love in her eyes. "Wow...this is amazing," Daniel told them, his eyes studying the large Christmas tree.
"It is isn't it?" Claire smiled, watching her other grandchildren join them in the room.
"You don't know the value of things until you don't have them anymore," he said, his eyes finding Betty's. She moved next to him, and he wrapped his free arm around her.
"We're really fortunate. To have our health, our family...but most of all each other," Daniel felt the emotion rising in him, and Betty tiptoed to meet his lips.
Daniel felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, and Betty pulled away from him slightly so he could reach it. The message was from an unknown number, but he opened it anyway. It read:
Remember- no man is a failure who has the friends and family you do.
Thanks for the wings! Your friend,
Gabrielle.
Daniel smiled to himself. "Who's that?" Betty wondered, glancing at the message.
He let out a content sigh, placing the phone back in his pocket. "Just a good friend."
"Look Daddy," Liliana pointed to the tree, the small bells at the top chiming as Isabella moved past to the piano. "Teacher says, every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings."
"That's right honey," he smiled at her, feeling a warmth unlike no other radiating from within his soul.
Okay, hope that was a decent chapter guys. Even though this is where the movie ends, I'm going to add a short chapter after this. Thanks for reading, hope you've enjoyed.