Adopted by Janiel

Chapter Seventeen

"So, what happened back there?" Daniel asks before taking a sip of his drink and a fork full of spaghetti.

"Beater from the orphanage showed up" I mumble and Daniel sighs.

"I'm sorry...eat please"

"Can I tell you something? Something serious?"

"Absolutely, Cassie...unless it could hurt you it's between us. Otherwise, Joey has to know. Only because we care about you and want the best for you...okay?"

I nod before giggling. "You sound like a counselor"

"Well, to be honest...before you, I was fucking depressed. I was so depressed it wasn't funny. I never smiled, never laughed. I cried every day. I thought there was no such thing as hope...hope was gone in my eyes. I also suffered from major anxiety, and as you can tell, I haven't really found a fix to that yet. My past was eating me alive, my older past with my parents and previous owners. And I was living my recent past, living with beatings at least two times a day and verbal abuse. I'm sorry, Daniel. I trust you and Joey completely, but whenever you yell, when you fought, when my trigger goes off, I always fear something will happen, that you'll hurt me. Just thought I'd say..."

"First of all, don't worry about your anxiety, your attacks are not a problem, I don't mind coaxing you out of one. Your past is in the past, and though it follows you and still causes you troubles, what they did, I hope you know we won't. Joey and I would never ever hurt you, I'd never even dream of it. You're safe here. Do you feel safe?"

"Most times...except for like when you were fighting, or yelling..." I mumble.

"I'm sorry, Cass" Daniel sighs. "We try not to yell, I'll try harder" I nod.

"It's not your fault, you know..." I pipe, looking back from my chicken platter to Daniel. "Don't feel like you have to change your life because I'm in it now"

"Cass," Daniel sighs and purses his lips. "It's not a trouble. When I adopted you, I knew that this was a huge step. Not only in Joey and I's relationship, but in my life. I knew this would change everything. Things are good now, you've changed my life for the better. You being in my life has made everything better. The only reason I'm trying is because I'm trying to get you as comfortable as possible. Now, c'mon, let's just eat...we have to meet Joey in fifteen minutes"

After finished eating, Daniel and I walk the streets of New York, Daniel stopping to take pictures with a few people before we reach Stream Con.

There, we return to the same room is Joey, and at the sight of Daniel, fans go crazy.

Pictures of taken and more than half of the screams ate "JANIEL!", which I've picked up is their ship name.

"Alright, c'mon Cass, c'mon Cass" Daniel says, moving me quicker to Joey's room and to the chairs we've been assigned.

Far away from Joey; wow, their relationship really is secret.

Daniel says I can go sit in my previous chair if I like, but I decline.

The meet up is over within fifteen minutes, and Joey reunites with us before we head out to the streets of New York.