Author's Note: I want to thank you for everyone that has been waiting for me to update, I'm so sorry! My math is really kicking my butt this semester, I'm doing pretty good in my programming class. I'm just happy to get this small update up and it's kind of a transition for me! Maybe I'll end it in a few chapters or so and try a new endeavor, so I will try my best to think of a new one and put my all into it. You all mean a lot to me and it means a lot that you're actually still around, have stuck around for this! You all encourage me!

As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
Come whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever
Graduation (Friends Forever) by Vitamin C

Daniel sat there stirring his coffee with a stirrer as he looked to the two women across the table. He was glad to have his mom and sister there and he wondered if they could pull this off. He knew that this would stretch their budgets and could possibly bankrupt him, but he had faith in his girlfriend, he just hoped his family did. He prolonged the silence as he took a sip of his decaf coffee, because he had planned on crawling into bed with Betty, after this little meeting.

Alexis cleared her throat before she spoke, "So, what you are saying is you want to buy Dunne Publications?" She had her head tilted, the blonde locks cascading down her right shoulder as she gave him an inquisitive look. She wondered just what had got into her brother, never having seen him so smitten and willing to put his money on the line.

"Yes that is," he paused as he looked into his once-brother's eyes before he continued to speak again, "what I want to do. I want to show Betty that she can do anything. I know that she wants to run her own magazine someday and I'm giving her that chance that she needs."

"Yeah, Daniel but this isn't just one magazine! It's a while building for Pete's sake!" Alexis spoke, her hands flying into the air, causing them to get stares from the other patrons in the cafe.

Daniel rolled his eyes and knew just how dramatic Alex used to be and apparently he carried that into his Alexis persona, also. Their mother just sat back, cupping the cup of tea between her aged, hands and sipped at it. The cogs in her head were turning as she went over the financial pros and cons, the benefits, if there were any, of owning another Publication that was pretty well known. Her eyes were sunken in and she looked like hell, but she was here for her son and knew that she needed to break up the incessant bickering of the siblings; although it did remind her of the better times, the times when Bradford was around. How she had missed those days.

"Will you two be quiet?" She said, in a clipped and demanding tone, the only one that would get the two to stop bickering. "Now, Daniel," she spoke, her eyes looking at her youngest, "I know what you're wanting to do and this is going to put a strain on our money, but I think we can turn this around. I mean look at how established Dunne is, but it was getting a bit old. I think Betty will breath some fresh air into it, but what if it goes south? We could lose all our money, Mode is one of our top selling magazines, but it's the only one that is doing so well."

"I know, Mom but I think this would be a good career move. We have Mode in France, but I don't think one will work here in London, because there are already so many fashion magazines that it needs to be something inspiring. We're all looking for that one thing that will make us feel amazing about ourselves. That is why I believe it wont crash or crumble, Betty is a pretty sturdy woman in the fact that she will be a good boss."

He sipped his coffee as they all went back and forth, Alexis against it and Claire on the fence. She is still trying to grasp why he would want to do that, she knows that he wants to prove to Betty that she can do it and that he believed in her, but with everything that happened with Connor, she had a hard time believing in things anymore. She felt so weary and like the weight of the world is on her shoulders, she had to keep this company afloat and now Daniel wanted to add to that. Claire knew that he wanted the best, but what if she had to end up running it herself? She had her insert, Hot Flash and Meade on her shoulders. The two kids may have shares but she was the one running the show. Sometimes she wished that she could just shove it off on them, but then that would mean she would be retired and Claire Meade and retired don't go well together in the same sentence.

Finally she let out a sigh before she looked to Daniel and then to Alexis, "Okay, Daniel. We'll do it. On one condition, you and Betty will be the sole runners of the business. I don't think I can handle another company on my shoulder's. I am not getting any younger and I don't think they could take the burden and the roller coaster of emotions that it brings."

Daniel couldn't help but smile wide, "of course, mom and the money will be put back into the account. It's not like I wont pay you back for it, just think of it borrowing some money until we get it back on its feet. You don't know how much this means to me!"

He couldn't believe that his mother had finally said yes, although Alexis had put up a great argument against it and she almost had Claire. Daniel was about to admit defeat but now, now he could go home and put in his offer on the building and hopefully surprise Betty. The one that helped him through anything with her perky peptalks, he just couldn't believe how much they had been through. It took him so long to see that he was in love with her, always calling her for help. He remembered calling her to pick out his shirt, having a hard time and it was for a date too! He knew that wore her down and made her feel like crap, missing out on spending a holiday with her family. He was a wreck back then, but he grew and his mother had seen that. He believed that was the sole reason that she is giving him a chance. If he would have asked her this, way back before he met Betty, it would have been a firm no. Of course he would have to go through Bradford.

With the thought of his father in his head, he paid for their drinks and left a tip on the table, his hands in his coat's pockets, his mind running over memories of the man that had left them. Of course he had a hard time with his father and a lot of his memories weren't great, but he knew that Bradford had wanted the best for his family. Even if his son was now his daughter and he had pushed her away at first. His memories lasted him until he got back to Betty's flat and seen the tv flickering in the living room. He poked his head in and seen that Tyler had fallen asleep on the couch with Amanda wrapped up in his arms, he couldn't help but smile, the other couch occupied by Betty's sleeping body. Daniel couldn't believe that he had hated his half brother in the beginning. There were so many things that he had wished that he would take back but knew that he could only move forward, and that is what he will be doing.

He quietly tiptoed into the living room and picked up the remote, pressing the power button and shutting the television off. He loosened his tie and removed his jacket, moving over to the jacket tree and hanging up the garment, before he sits at the table and pulls the laptop to him. His fingers landed on the keys and wrote down his offer to the company and sent it in, his fingers on his chin as he gets an email from his mom for the account that the money would be taken out of. He knew that he would have to get the money out and that he would have to pay it, but right now he wants to get some sleep and be able to hold Betty within his arms. He would worry about if he had made the best offer on the building in the morning. Daniel shut the computer off and closed the lid of it, making his way to the bedroom, undoing the buttons on his shirt, before he had done this he had woken Tyler and Amanda, offering them the bedroom and now he lay beside Betty with his arms around her and his face nuzzled into her neck. He took in her scent, which smelt of her and fading perfume, everything making him smile as his eyes drifted closed, thinking about the future the both of them have.