Fresh out of the orphanage

45| Heart to Heart

No one in particulars POV:

"Are you kidding me" Ed said, making his presence known causing Daniel to spin around, dropping his phone as it landed, cracking as it hit the solid carpeted floor.

Seething, staring daggers at Daniel, causing both their hearts to pound for completely different reasons.

Daniels pounding against his chest like boxing gloves punching painfully from pure fear.

Meanwhile Ed's heart at the same time was sinking, knowing Alexa may never be in contact with her dad again, but at the same wine wanted to keep his solid, heartless demeanour he was currently portraying.

"E-E-Ed" he stuttered, bending down to pick his phone, but still refusing to draw his eyes away from Ed's in fear he'd beat him considering he had that cold glare built in his eyes. "I swear, you've got this w-w-whole thing wrong, please" he pleaded before being interrupted by Ed's booming voice.

"No, are you actually kidding me!?" He yelled. But before Daniel had a chance to answer, he continued speaking. "Look, I was reluctant to do this whole bloody thing in the first place, but walking out of her now!" Ed said, walking towards Daniel.

"P-p-lease, I swear just-

"No, I gave you every chance and you failed Alexa, again, and now-

"ED WILL YOU JUST LISTEN" Daniel snapped, loudly but firmly interrupting a very bewildered Ed from his sudden outrage. He breathed heavily from his outburst before slowly sitting down on his sofa to try and wrack up the sentences to explain himself.

He took a deep breath and signalled Ed to sit down near him, trying to wipe the sweat off his forehead and compose all of his leaking thoughts.

"Look" he started off, attempting to make someone who had never dealt with a situation like this understand. "I didn't mean to get hooked on drugs, I promise!" He pleaded quietly.

"Then what Daniel?" Ed asked, still a little tired with all of his endless excuses but willing slightly to try and understand.

"It started off when I lost my job. I don't even know what happened, the stress of having Alexa round got to me and my boss just- just fired me" he stuttered, trying to hold back the frustrated tears that were threatening to leak out.

Ed was going to reply with a snarky comment as to what that had to do with him being a druggie around his daughter, but the look in Daniels pained eyes seemed genuine, so he reluctantly let him continue.

"So after going on job interviews after job interviews,  failing and failing. I finally found somewhere where I could borrow money easily." Daniel said, speaking as if there was a ray of light in his harsh situation.

But when Daniel explained to Ed that due to the high interest they charged him. And his inability to pay it back, he was forced to sell drugs by the men to cover his debts which caused his addiction.

"Ed you don't even understand. It's like a sickness- addiction" Daniel shuddered at all those relapsing moments when he thought he was in the clear. Shaking uncontrollably when Alexa visited, having his daughter watching him while he broke down. No young girl of her tender age deserved any of that.

Despite Ed having previous motives entering his apartment. Maybe banning him from seeing Alexa ever again. He began to understand that all these issues, drinking, drugs, weren't all just black and white issues.

He's not saying that Daniel wasn't selfish, but he himself had forgotten how addicted and ill some people got.

Addiction isn't a choice. Maybe at the beginning for some, but when you hit rock bottom, it's as if your old self was dying, and your new self were the drugs.

"Daniel, I'm sorry" Ed finally broke the silence.

He thought of all the times, almost from the moment they had met, the horrible thoughts Ed had wished on Daniel.

Feeling secretly happy when Daniel was late.

Smirking when Alexa answered back.

Saying 'I told you so' when Daniel would miss a visit.

All for the expense of his baby sisters happiness.

When in reality, he should have been helping.

When Daniel was late, he should have asked why.

When Alexa had answered back to Daniel, he should have told her not to be rude when someone was trying their best. Instead, he should have explained that you need to be grateful even if situations don't work to your favour.

When Daniel would miss a visit, he should have investigated why, instead of forcing him to throw a surprise party.

Ed was in no way blaming himself for what had happened. Daniel is an adult, and if he was meant to be looking after Alexa, he should have been more responsible.

In fact, even if Ed had helped, Daniel and Alexa may not have necessarily worked out, but that gave no right for Ed to be a bystander in this situation.

That was not who he was.

Even if Daniel wasn't her permanent guardian, he still should have helped a grieving man at least build a relationship.

"I should have helped" he mumbled, pressing his head against his hands.

"What? No Ed seriously, this was all on me!" He rambled, before he was interrupted again.

"No Daniel seriously, I'm not saying you are innocent, but I should have been more supportive. We all should have" he admitted. "Whether we like it or not, you are Alexa's biological dad, we are her adoptive brothers. And as her adopted brothers, her happiness should have been more of a priority.

The room was suddenly engulfed with a comfortable silence where both men were letting the words sink in.

"But Daniel, I have to know something before anything goes on. If something does happen, like you do get better with your addiction. If we do support you and Alexa does end up living with you permanently. I need to know for the sake of my well-being, that you won't take Alexa away."

Ed paused before going on.

"Because if living with you is something Alexa really wants, I'm sure she'll somehow make it happen m, so I need to know that even though we are not biologically related, we will see our sister."

Daniel took a deep breath before his tense, anxious face broke out into a soft smile.

"Of course" he smiled, relaxed that a lot of the bad blood in the room had gone. "I'd never in a million years use my daughter to get one over on someone, Alexa clearly loves you and at the moment, I'd never turn down family" he chuckled slightly, causing Ed to sigh in relief.

Both of those men had gone through a lot in these past months, for very different reasons.

But neither of them had been sure of the future.

Maybe it will be okay.

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A/N: what do you think of Ed and Daniels moment?

Do you sympathise?

Will Alexa go and live with Daniel forever or stay with Ed?

Sorry for such a long wait, I've got no excuse but writers block!!!!!

Please let me know what you think in the comments!!!