Betty blushed at his little scenario as she sat by his bed, then grabbed his hand, looking up at his IV, "I see somebody is enjoying his pain meds! Vegas, huh? You're hilarious, Romeo! It's Paris or bust for my honeymoon, Mister. It's a joke, Daniel. I was teasing about the lie your mother told the hospital staff so I could come see you, that's all. She said I was your…"
"Fiance? Yeah, I got that, sweetie. Paris, huh? I can do Paris. Okay, fine, I suppose eloping to Vegas might be rushing things just a little. But on the other hand, it has been ten years. Lots of people get married who don't even know each other.
We definitely know one another, though, like… really well, don't we, Betty? Even after all this time. You look...even more beautiful than the last time I saw you."
She nodded dumbly, totally entranced by his gaze and mesmerized by his touch. He spoke softly, the deep timbre of his voice reaching into her chest, "Remember your sister's wedding? When Hilda said that about...knowing someone better than yourself and doing whatever it takes to protect them...well, after that, I just finally knew…how I felt about you."
He reached over and brushed back her hair, as he smiled, "Of course, since I do know you so well, I'm sure you probably already read more than half my book. So you know now, too. You understand how I feel about you, how much you mean to me. It just got...more and more obvious even to an idiot like me that you and I were...meant to be together, Betty. I know it's taken me...forever to say this, but I'm in love with you."
She bit her lower lip, unable to move as he slowly traced his index finger down her cheek, cupped it gently with his hand, then reached down and intertwined his fingers with hers, "Do you...think you could ever feel the same about me?" he kissed her fingers.
"I do." She nodded and blew out a breath and gave him a half smile, as she leaned forward to kiss him tenderly. His lips felt soft and gentle against hers at first, but before she quite knew what was happening, he returned her kiss in no uncertain terms. She was frankly surprised at the urgency in his response, especially considering how weak he must be.
She finally pulled away, holding herself at arms' length and looking to him, as she took a breath, "Daniel!"
"Yeah? What's up? Sorry, but it's been a very, very long time, Betty…" he glanced down at his hospital sheet and smirked slightly.
"Hey, bro! Good to know you're not dead in a ditch somewhere...Jesus, Daniel! What the hell are you two doing in here? Playing under his tent? This isn't really the place for that kind of stuff, you know! I could have had Mom with me, for Christ's sake or DJ! You guys can pretend to be engaged when he gets released!"
Betty stepped aside as Alexis and Tyler entered the room. Daniel didn't show one modicum of embarrassment at his physical display. She, on the other hand was extremely uncomfortable, having caused such an obvious public show of Daniel's manhood. She watched as Tyler and Alexis rolled their eyes at their brother's somewhat prideful teasing.
"Hey, I say, if you've got it, flaunt it! It's just like those birds that show their stuff and everybody says, oh, look at that, what a pretty peacock and try to steal their feathers!"
Alexis and Tyler exchanged glances and burst out laughing. Alexis shook her head, "Peacock? Okay, Mr. Peacock. What the hell kind of dope are they feeding you in that tube, huh? I think I want some!"
Tyler asked, "I'd ask how's it hanging, but I think it's more like, how's it flying? And obviously, your little reunion with Betty here went pretty well, huh? It only took you ten years to get the balls to show her how you feel. But man, Daniel, when you show a girl you like her, you really go all out, huh?"
Daniel and Alexis laughed. Betty started to leave, to let the siblings talk, but Daniel peaked around them, "Wait! Betty, please don't go, honey. I'm sorry about this. I think it's just a reaction to...well, you know, the kiss, and us talking, but yeah, the meds, too. I'll be better, I promise. Just seeing these two knuckleheads is killing my...reaction to you. Give me a minute."
Alexis smiled at her brother, "Wow...okay, I'd say somebody's got it pretty bad. Yeah, Betty, stay. After all, you're family, too now, right? She was definitely good at doing the whole Sherlock Holmes thing to find you, Danny. The police were all useless. They wouldn't even let us do a missing person hunt at first, because they thought you didn't want to be found.
Has this cured you of your whole hermit writing in Walden's cabin in the wood routine, at least? Are you coming back to civilization sometimes soon? Cause...well, we could use you at the office."
Daniel shook his head, "I have no intention of fighting with Ms. Slater, or Owens or whatever. Been there, done that, thanks! That's you and Mom. Not me. Besides, I've apparently got a wedding to plan! Or...a real engagement, at least."
Alexis raised her eyebrow at Betty, "Is that so, Miss Suarez? What about you? Are you planning on returning to US soil or...is my brother following you like the puppy that he is back to London, again?"
"Alexis, let's give them time to figure this stuff out on their own. We just came to make sure Daniel's better, that's all."
"Yeah, Alexis. Give us...at least a day or two to decide our whole lives, will you? I'm too doped up right now to figure out what it's taken over six years to decide this second!"
"Fine! Sorry. I didn't mean to be so...selfish. We just miss you, okay? It would be nice to see you for the holidays or something, now that Henri and I are in New York. And DJ misses his buddy. You're still the closest thing the kid's had to a dad, Danny, sad as that is. He talks about you all the time."
Daniel smiled, "Yeah? Is he here, too?"
Tyler nodded, "Of course! You've got a whole entourage out there, Daniel. DJ, Justin, Betty's father, sister and brother-in-law. We've all been looking for you. We were all worried sick something might have happened."
"Wow! That's...kind of cool. Betty, your whole family's here, too, for real?"
She nodded, smiling as the tears slid down her cheek and she swiped at them, and put her hand on his, "Of course they were concerned about you, Daniel! They think of you as...as…"
"Family?" he smiled at her warmly. "That's...fantastic! I'm so glad to know my disappearance rates such a gathering of forces."
"Daniel, I need to freshen up and go get some coffee. Why don't you go ahead and catch up with the rest of your family? I'm not going anywhere. I'll come and see you again first thing in the morning. I'll get my family and myself a hotel in town for the night. I'll tell your mother and DJ you're up to seeing them." she squeezed his hand and leaned down to plant a chaste kiss on his forehead, then smiled.
"Goodbye, everyone."
As she left, Tyler grinned, "She's got a very nice…"
Alexis raised an eyebrow and Daniel cut him off, "Finish that sentence, and you'll find out what it really means to have an older brother who can kick YOUR ass, Tyler!"
Alexis and Tyler looked at Daniel, laying in the hospital bed, and laughed, "You're kidding, right? Sorry, I was just kidding."
"No, you weren't. But I think given how long it's taken poor Danny to get Betty's ass...ets, you should probably give him a break and chill. I'm sur you meant it as a compliment, but having grown up with the guy, I have to warn you, he's always been VERY jealous!"
"So? Besides, why are you looking at My girl's ass, Tyler? You've got Amanda! What, one girl isn't enough?"
Tyler sighed, "She dumped me!"
Alexis patted him on the back, "That girl is cute, but...she's a total flake, Tyler. You can do better, right, Daniel?"
Daniel didn't comment at first, then shrugged, "I think I'd better stay out of this one. But I will say she changes her mind a lot. Take her some flowers and shoes and whatever it is you fought about, she'll forgive you."
"Its a little more complicated than that, Danny. She wants something more...permanent. Like a ring."
"Oh." Daniel shook his head.
"Yeah. Oh, is right. You know you need to both bite the bullet. Just how long do either of you think a good woman is going to wait around for your sorry asses? Neither of you is any great prize."
"Okay, okay. Just because you managed to pull your Frenchman down the aisle!"
"What, are you telling me you think "holding out" is some kind of manly thing at this point? Tyler, you've been dating that poor girl for over five years, and Danny, do you have any idea how worried Betty was about you? She was like some FBI agent, the minute she heard you were missing.
And we both know you've been nuts about her practically since you met her! I remember seeing how you fawned over that girl ten years ago! I hear your latest book is practically all about how much she "changed you" and you can't tell me it isn't basically a long love letter to her. Just like that letter from the editor you did to her in the Mode anniversary issue six years ago."
"Yeah, and I just found out she never even read that! Okay, fine; I admit it. My new book is all about Betty. Not only how much she made me a better person, inspired me to turn my life around, but what she did to everyone she touched at Mode. That includes you, Alexis. You can't tell me she didn't rub off on you, too, because we both know that's just not true."
Alexis rolled her eyes, then nodded, "Fine, what do you want me to say? If it weren't for Betty, I might be in prison right now for pushing her friend down the stairs, or worse yet, YOU might be, if I actually let you take the fall, pardon the pun."
Tyler asked, "If that's the case, why were you giving her the nasty glares back at Daniel's cabin earlier?"
"Yeah, Sis. Why were you giving her a hard time? You were? What the hell for?"
"Because! She broke your heart! She put you through hell! And like it or not, I care about you, you dumbass!"
Daniel smiled, "I love you, too, Alexis. But Betty isn't to blame; I am. I'm the one who just walked away. I should have never let her go without at least telling her how I felt. I never gave her the chance to break my heart, because I was too much of a coward to give her that choice I didn't think I was good enough for her, so I gave up without even trying. But I've learned my lesson. From now on, nothing is going to keep me from her. We've waited long enough."
Actions