So what now? (Katydid50 x 5Bulletproof-Marshmellows)

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Her eyes scanned his forehead, noticing that there wasn't much left. He was almost completely healed. She had never gotten a chance to bandage his wounds.. even if it was what she had been intending to do then. Hearing his leg still gave him trouble, she frowned slightly. It had been quite sometime.. perhaps he should go to the hospital, see what the doctor told him. Then again, if she said that he probably would just shake his head and say that he'd had worse. So instead, she simply stayed quite.

He didn't look so good. In fact it almost looked like he wanted her to kick him out instead. Well, she had already asked him to stay so it was a little too late for that. Besides, she really was afraid. She didn't know how she was going to handle tonight. Going back to Aunt Rose's once again just seemed ridiculous at this point. Yet.. that was probably what she'd end up doing.

Her thoughts returned to him when he coughed. Seeing him take a deep breath made her nervous, him saying her name didn't make it any better. Her stomach clenched as he continued. A light blush covered her cheeks before she lowered her head, unable to lock eyes with him at the moment. She hadn't mean to be an.. inconvenience. Biting her lower lip nervously, she finally looked up at him when he was done talking.

She could invite him. Or she could kick him out. "What are you planning on doing about it?" she asked softly, her green eyes searching his blue ones. Her voice was barely above a whisper. She didn't know where this would go, but she knew where she wanted it to. She had already placed her trust in him and he had never let her regret it. At this point.. she didn't know if she could let him leave either..  

[Katydid50]

Daniel could see the nervousness in her eyes as he stood. She had very expressive eyes. For half a second, he wandered if anyone had ever told her that. He quickly pushed the idea away, forcing himself to say what needed to be said. He couldn't go on like this, with Elenore unintentionally driving him insane. Granted, she could very well use this information against him but she wasn't like that. The blush that colored her cheeks only reinforced it.

Quite frankly, her embarrassment was a major relief. He had met so many girls in the past who would have no problem manipulating and using people if it got them what they wanted. He even knew a few women who had gotten pregnant to certain guys on purpose just to have some control over them. It had never ended well, for any of them and least of all the child, and he was so glad Elenore was not like that.

When she finally spoke, he swallowed thickly. What was he planning to do? What could he do? "Well, that's the question, isn't it?" he asked. He could stay away from her compeltely. It was probably for the best, no matter that it wouldn't solve the problem on his end and the very idea made him feel heartsick. "What do you want me to do?" The only solution he could come up with was him keeping his distance. Perhaps she would have some better ideas. Then again, she could always say that she wanted him in her bed and he very much doubted if he would have the strength to refuse her.

He looked away, focusing on a picture on the wall. He thought it was a picture of Grace and Nicholas when they were younger but it was too far away to tell. Everything in the apartment reminded Daniel of the reality of the situation. He couldn't stay. He just couldn't. If he did, he'd end up doing something they'd both regret and she had a family to look after. She had children to take care of and he would only get in the way and complicate things. He had to keep telling himself that or, he feared, he really would be in danger of staying.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Her eyes lingered on him. She knew that this could go several different ways if she wanted him to stay. She could either become his lover on the side, which would tear her apart, or they.. could have some sort of relationship. The likely hold of her becoming the first was almost nothing. Then again the second way was something she had asked him about and it never happened. So was she only here for his late night desires?

No. He wasn't like that. Hearing his response, she could tell that this was going nowhere. She would have to make the decision, not that she minded but she hoped he would agree to whatever it would be. Taking a small step towards him, she met his eyes once more. Her heart quickened before she spoke, "I want you to stay." Her eyes briefly lowered before returning to his, her fingers brushing against the top button of his shirt.

Her thoughts raced. Letting her hand fall back down, she lowered her head. "But, if you don't want to... I won't hold you back." Her eyes went back to his face, wondering what his decision would be. He had left when she had thought he would stay before.. Biting her lip, she felt like waiting for his reply was taking hours upon days.  

[Katydid50]

Daniel had to force himself to remain relaxed as she stepped towards him. His heart picked up speed when their gazes locked. He knew what she was going to say. He hoped he was wrong, hoped she was about to tell him to leave, but he knew she wasn't. She wanted him to stay. It came as no great revelation. However, he did grow tense when she touched the top button of his shirt. His mouth went dry and his heart felt like it was trying to burst out of his ribcage. He only relaxed again when she removed her hand.

When Elenore spoke again, he looked away. He wanted to, more than anything else in the world. He wanted to stay, to comfort her and make her feel safe, to make love to her and make her forget she ever knew anyone by the name of Ruggles. To wake up next to her with the knowledge that his mornings would start like that for the rest of his life. But he couldn't do it.

Forcing himself to look her in the eye, he said, "I do want to, but I can't. I'm sorry." Not waiting for a response, he headed towards the door. He couldn't stay there with all the possibilities before him that would only end in heartache. He paused at the door, one hand on the doorknob. Without looking back, he said, "I really am sorry, Elenore. I would stay if I thought I could." And, with that, he was gone.

((Sorry for the abrupt exit but this could have gone on forever and I really want things to get moving. It's so soon! Elenore and the kids moving in, I mean. So much drama! So much fun! I can't wait! ))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

While her hand had been at the button she could feel his heart pounding behind it. Her eyes searched his face. His eyes said one thing but the words that came out of his mouth were another. He was leaving. So she was just another late night girl. Just someone he could call. Perhaps it was just her emotions speaking because she felt like absolute s**t at the moment. Her boss.. and then Daniel pushing her away once more. Why had he asked her what she wanted in the first place?

Lowering her head, she didn't look at him. She barely heard his apology. It was just sympathy probably. He could stay. He could stay if he just put his mind to it. If he could just look towards the future for once. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she heard the door close. That was when she started to sob. She had promised herself that she would never cry for any man after Sebastian had cheated on her... and yet here she was.

An hour passed and Elenore found herself sitting on the bathroom floor wrapped up in a towel, her eyes still red from the tears that she had spilled. The doors were already locked and so were the windows. Lowering her eyes to the floor, she then forced herself to get up. She couldn't allow herself to turn into a mess. She had kids to talk care of, speaking of them, it sounded like they had just come home. Or at least one of them had. Walking into her room, she pulled on a loose shirt after she had gotten a bra and then pulled on the rest of her clothing, including some black pants.

She heard the door to the other bathroom slam shut and a few swear words muttered behind it. Blinking, she went up to it and knocked. "Grace?"

s**t, s**t, s**t.. Grace froze when she heard her mother's voice. She already had the rubbing alcohol pulled out and she planned on treating a few of her wounds. Thankfully only one of them was visible and that was a long scratch on the side of her face. She had gotten into another fight at school. She had almost lost as well but thankfully a few of her friends had stepped in. It had been right after school.. they had argued during lunch and then set up a meeting after they got out.

"Yeah? Why aren't you at work?" she asked her, trying to be as quite as possible as she washed the blood of her hands and her face.

((It's alright. I agree! lol. I can't wait either! ))  

[Katydid50]

Daniel stared ahead at the wall. A large crack ran down the middle of it from top to bottom. It had always seemed like such a major obstacle to overcome. Now, as he took a swing from the whiskey bottle, it seemed like someone else's problem entirely. The alcohol burned on its way down but he hardly noticed. He wasn't drunk. Not yet, at any rate. After leaving Elenore's apartment, he hadn't stuck around. He'd immediately gone down to his truck. Her own car had already been brought around, no sign of the person who had brought it. He'd driven home and promptly sat in his car for ten minutes, cursing himself. He had then busied himself sorting through his liquor cabinet, only to find that the strongest he had was whiskey.

It had been an hour since he'd left Elenore's. Dolan was a fast worker, something that had always been true about him, and Daniel expected word from him soon. In the mean time, he would work towards getting drunk in the hope that he would pass out and be able to have some peace, for a little while at least. But, he'd hardly taken another drink when the phone behind him rang.

Daniel set the bottle on the floor before crossing his living room and picking up the phone. It was Dolan, no surprise there. After a short swap of pleasantries, Dolan explained that he had managed to get Elenore a position as a secretary at an accounting firm and that Carlotta would be calling to tell her. The pay was good -marginally better than what she'd previously been earning- and her boss would be professional. The news for Daniel, however, was not as good. Dolan told him that he had looked everywhere he could think of but no place was hiring someone of his skills. "But," Dolan said. "there is currently a spot in one of my... less public ventures." Daniel knew immediately that Dolan meant one of his less legal ventures.

Even a day ago, Daniel would have turned down the offer. He had left the underworld for a reason. But, things had changed since then. He no longer had any means of income and he had every intention of fulfilling his promise to Elenore to help financially. Even with the increase in pay, she still wouldn't be able to afford four kids on her own. He looked down, studying the floorboards. The last thing he wanted to do was get back involved with the city's underworld but he had a woman -and a child, before long- depending on him. "What do you need me to do?"

((I don't really have anything else to post for him until Michael gets into contact with Elenore, worried about Daniel's sudden depression, or Elenore gets into contact with Michael, concerned about Daniel's lack of a job but still paying her large sums of money))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Elenore wasn't prepared to answer that question. Her lips parted but no words left her and so instead she leaned against the wall. "I'm looking for another-" her voice was cut off when the phone rang. Sighing, she pushed herself up to a stand position and then walked to the kitchen where the house phone was. "Hello?" she asked after she picked it up.

Grace couldn't help but sigh with relief when the phone rang. Taking the time to quickly look at all the scratches that she had, she was glad that she didn't need any stitches. Her arm still hurt like hell though. Pulling her jacket back on, her fingers brushed against the patched up sleeve, a smile appearing at her lips.

Unlocking the door, she opened it and walked out. Well, everything was going to be fine and she hoped that her mother wouldn't bring up the scratch on the side of her face. It was the only thing visible. "Who called?" she asked, leaning against the fridge. From what she could tell, it was good news.

"I have a new job," she said, ignoring the first question. She didn't know the woman that well so she didn't really know how to introduce her. "It's a lot better than the last one as far as I can tell." Her eyes then lifted to look at her daughter, noticing the scratch on the side of her face. "Where did you get that from?" Her eyes narrowed and she went up to her, tilting Grace's head slightly to get a better look at it.

Grace jerked away from her mother's hands. "Nowhere," she snapped before moving into the couch. She wasn't about to explain. Of course this only caused them to start fighting...

The next couple of weeks were quite the same. Grace didn't get along with her mother. Nicholas did his own thing.. and Deserai was Deserai. Elenore was happier with her new job. It took her a while to get used to it but once she did, she did the best she could. She even started getting a small baby bump. The morning's were starting to get colder as well.. Winter was on its way.

((Hope you don't mind the time skip >< ))  

[Katydid50]

Daniel cursed under his breath as he zipped up his fly. He remembered quite clearly the nights he used to spend in the fighting ring. Back then, it had just been to pass the time, assert his dominance and earn a bit of extra cash. Even then, passing blood had been quite common, but not that much. He lightly placed a hand over his stomach. Beneath his shirt, his chest was mottled black and blue, getting darker until it was completely black around his navel.

Daniel hadn't asked but Dolan kept him updated on how Elenore was doing. He himself avoided all contact with her. Every time he won, he set most of it aside, put it in an envelope and dropped the money into her mailbox. While he was glad to hear that she was doing well and that she seemed to be enjoying her new job, it just made him realize how much better off they were without him. His own life was not going so smoothly.

He was excelling in the fighting rings, just as he used to. But, unlike his younger self, he was not healing as quickly as he used to. Of course, it probably didn't help that he went there every night now, as opposed to once or twice a week. He didn't always fight but he usually did and he wasn't getting any chance to heal. The tiolet speckled with blood told him clearly what he very well arleady knew.

Micheal was getting on his case as well. The old man had always seemed to know when something was going wrong in Daniel's life. Most of the time, he truly appreciated it. Now, he just wished Micheal would drop it. This was one thing he didn't want to share with him, one failure he didn't want his friend to know about, because he knew what lecture he would get. He wasn't as young as he used to be. He cut ties with the underworld for a reason. If he kept this up, it would be the death of him. It was obviously making him miserable, so why do it at all? Things he already knew and didn't want to hear spoken aloud.


While Micheal respected Daniel's right to privacy, he also knew that his young friend had a tendency to keep to himself things that he really should share. He didn't want what the man was doing. Daniel spent his days all the same, something else that worried Micheal. He drove off, came back looking ready to pass out, got drunk, did pass out and woke up just early enough to put up some extra insulation before driving off again. Micheal had tried to follow him multiple times but failed every single one. He suspected Daniel knew what he was doing.

Sitting back on his couch, Micheal frowned, arms crossed over his chest. This was no good. Daniel was obviously miserable doing whatever he was doing. He hadn't mentioned Elenore in the weeks since Daniel had lost his job, and the one time Micheal brought her up Daniel had silenced him with the glare to end all glares. Whatever was going on, Micheal was convinced Elenore had something to do with it. He'd told Daniel he would stay out of it but now his concern was overriding his promise and he could no longer just sit back and do nothing.

Pushing himself up, he walked across the living room and picked up his phone. He had looked up Elenore's number on a whim just before Daniel had lost his job and he punched it in now, listening to the phone ring.

((Not at all ^_^ ))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Now with a good job and with Aunt Rose's support her life was slowly starting to get better. Of course there were nights where she'd cry herself to sleep. She had thought that things would be different with Daniel. Now.. well she hadn't talked to him since he'd left. There was money that came in the mail from him, just like money came from Sebastian. She put it away in the savings account that she had made when she had gotten divorced. There would come a time when she would need it.. that would be when she took it out.

Letting lose a soft sigh, she sat down on the couch. She played her guitar more often now since her work hours weren't as tough as they used to be. And packed whenever she got the chance. She had already told the kids that they'd be moving in with Aunt Rose in a couple of months. Elenore wouldn't be able to take care of a baby and three grown children on her own, Aunt Rose had already convinced her of that. She hated to be a burden but there wasn't anything that she could do about it. The child was precious to her. Her fingers ran over her abdomen just as Deserai hopped up onto the couch next to her, wrapping her arms around one of hers.

"What are you gonna name the baby?" she asked, poking her mother's stomach before grinning. It was obvious that she had already come up with a few on her own. "I think Ginger would be a good one, or maybe even Ade-lane."

Elenore couldn't help but laugh though tears threatened to come as well. Parents usually came up with names for the child together and here she was sitting with her toddler. "What makes you think it's going to be a girl?" she asked her before stroking her daughter's dark red hair.

"I don't know. It'd be fun to have another sister though. But maybe a boy would be better." She shrugged just before the phone rang.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips before she got up, going after the phone. "I'll be right back sweetheart," she told her before picking up the phone. "Hello?" She didn't know who would be calling her. The only person she really spoke to lately was Aunt Rose and she had talked to her earlier in the day.  

[Katydid50]

Micheal waited patiently for someone to answer the phone. He didn't know how he was going to do this. He'd only spoken to Elenore once and she didn't seem like the type to dicuss someone else entirely with a near-stranger, even if said near-stranger was a friend of her friend and the person they were discussing was said mutual friend. Then again, if she was as worried about Daniel as he was, she might be more willing to talk. In any event, Daniel was more likely to open up to a woman, especially Elenore, about what was going on with him. At least, he hoped Daniel had.

When the phone was finally picked up, Micheal was relieved to hear Elenore's voice. "Ellie! It's Micheal, Micheal Ricks. We met at Daniel's place a couple months ago?" Without waiting for her to respond, he asked, "'ave you noticed anything off about Daniel lately? I thought, being a woman, 'e might 'ave opened up to you because 'e certainly 'asn't to me, which, in itself, isn't really that surprising. But I'm really getting worried. 'as 'e said anything?"

Daniel was like a son to Micheal, though he'd never said as much, and the sight of Daniel's suffering made him hurt too. They had been through so much together and, in all the years they'd known each other, he'd come to realize that Daniel was just naturally withholding. Micheal didn't know why that was the case but he suspected it had to do with the parents that he never talked about and the childhood he only described as 'a nightmare'. He had managed to piece a few things together, and had even done some research himself into Daniel's history, but that still didn't explain why he was the way he was.

((Bleh. Shorter, but I didn't want to add stuff just for the sake of length))  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Elenore's heart jumped when the man on the other line called her Ellie. It was Micheal. She couldn't help but smile. She had only met him once but from what she had seen he seemed like a good person. "Yeah, I remember," she answered, her voice soft. That had been so long ago.. Things had been different then. Her fingers brushed against her stomach. Her thoughts returned to the phone call though, wondering why he had called her in the first place. Had something happened to Daniel?

"I haven't seen him in a couple of weeks.." she told him after a short pause. What was going on? What had Daniel gotten himself into? "I know that he's gotten a new job.." her voice trailed off. What kind of a job had he signed up for? Her thoughts rushed and she took in a deep breath, hoping that she would be able to keep her sanity until she found out the facts. The facts had to be better than her thoughts.

"Is he alright? Did he get himself into trouble?" she asked Micheal, hoping that he would say Daniel was just fine. That wasn't going to be the cause though because if everything was fine, he wouldn't be calling her. Wrapping an arm around her waist, she looked at the door for a moment. She was sure that he'd still be living in the same place as last time... Her pride told her stay put and yet her wounded heart told her to go. Biting her lip, she lowered her head, waiting for a response.

((Sorry it's kind of late ><))  

[Katydid50]

Micheal was glad, but not overly surprised, that she remembered him. Daniel had said that he was a very difficult person to forget, a fact which had only ever been proven true. However, at the news that she hadn't seen Daniel for a couple weeks, he frowned. The two had seemed like they'd been growing closer. Why would they stop seeing each other? He knew that Daniel had been wrestling with his feelings for her but surely he hadn't decided to avoid the situation altogether? Not wanting to believe it, he said, "I assume you two 'ad a fight. And if I'm wrong, I don't really want to 'ear otherwise." They had seemed like they had the potential to be a wonderful couple. He was not yet ready to give up on the idea of having surrogate grandchildren.

He nodded when she said that Daniel had gotten a new job. "Yeah, I know that. 'e won't tell me what it is, though. I've tried following 'im but 'e can be right 'ard to follow when 'e wants to be." He had his suspicions on what Daniel was up to but he didn't want to believe them. He didn't want to jump to the one conclusion that would mean ten years of hard work had come to nothing.

When she finally asked the question he himself want to know, he sighed. "I don't know," he told her. "I was 'oping you would." That was the whole point of his call, but perhaps it hadn't been a complete waste of a call. "'e's miserable, Ellie. A blind person could see it. His life has been reduced to drinking, putting up installation so he doesn't freeze to death and going to this mysterious job of his. I 'ave a terrible feeling that I know what it is 'e's doing but I 'ope I'm wrong. If I'm right, 'e probably won't live to see spring and I'm going to need your 'elp to convince 'im of that."  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

She lowered her head when he told her what he thought happened between them. No. Daniel had just decided for himself and for her that he was leaving. Going out of her life except for the money that came in every month. She hated picking it up. She hated looking at it. She had even considered returning it to him at one point. It seemed as if she would never have someone she loved by her side, a father for her children. Closing her eyes, she then raised her face up towards the light at the top of the ceiling above her. Her family would be safe and sound. She would make sure of that.

He was hiding his job from Micheal? That was kind of strange.. Why was Daniel being so secretive from him? Opening her eyes, she narrowed them against the harsh light. Had he really gone back to doing what he had left? Dove into his past just to get the money? Her heart clenched. Guilt washed over her.

She knew nothing about him these days except that he had a rather good income. One that had frightened her at first. He was drinking again, she remembered what a mess he had been after he had found Nick. He wouldn't be drink again just to drink. She was sure of that. At Micheal's words, she swallowed. "What do you need me to do?" Even if they weren't together anymore, not that they really ever had been, she didn't want him to die.  

[Katydid50]

Micheal was afraid she had left, she was so quiet. She hadn't said anything to his suspicions. Did that mean she didn't believe it? Or did she believe it but just didn't want to help and was trying to figure out how to tell him? He didn't want to believe she was that kind of person but, really, he didn't know her. They'd only met once and she and Daniel had been getting along then. Perhaps she was the kind of woman who didn't give two stuffs about people she didn't care about.

When she finally spoke, he couldn't quite repress a grin. "Be there," he told her. "You remember how to get to his place?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "I'll be there when you get there and we'll go in together. I'll do the talking. 'opefully you won't 'ave to say anything but you being there will show 'im you believe what I'm saying. If 'e doesn't believe me, maybe the idea of us being so worried about 'im will finally get 'im to open up and tells us what 'e's been doing. If 'e still won't talk, you can bludgeon 'im over the 'ead and we'll force 'im to tell us what 'e's been up to." That last part was a joke though Micheal would still save it for a last resort, if it came to that.

Micheal truly hoped he was wrong. He remembered what being part of the underworld had turned Daniel into and how hard it had been for him to leave it. He didn't believe Daniel would become that way again but it would bring up old memories, even more so than day-to-day life did.  

[5Bulletproof-Marshmellows]

Grace was home, she'd be able to take care of her younger siblings. Leaning against the wall, she glanced down as Deserai came up to her, wrapping her arms around her legs as if her child knew that she was leaving. "Alright, I'll see you there," she told him before hanging up and putting the phone back where it belonged. Hopefully they wouldn't have to hit Daniel.. Crouching down, she gave Deserai a quick hug. "I'll be back in a few hours, alright?" She ran her fingers through Deserai's red hair. She could tell that a million questions had come up in the girl's mind but thankfully she didn't voice them. Deserai nodded her head and Elenore got back up.

"Grace! I'm heading out for a bit, make sure that Deserai and Nick go to bed on time." She knew that Grace would be able to hear her from the other room. Alright was the simple response she received. Sighing, she let Deserai run off in search of her sister before she picked up her car keys and purse, heading out the front door.

Biting her lip as she was driving down the gravel about twenty minutes later, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of state Daniel was in at the moment. What would happen if he was drunk? Would he even be happy to see her? Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel when she saw the house up ahead. Paint was still chipping off though it was considerably worse now.

Parking the car, she turned off the engine as well as the heaters. With her back against the cushioned seat, her eyes stared at the door that she had gone in months ago. There was no way she was turning back now. Opening the door, she climbed out of her silver colored car and closed it behind her. The only thing she took with her was her keys and her phone. The purse stayed in the car. Leaning against the car, she shivered as the cold air embraced her.