Maybe it's All About Timing

Danielle Ch5-Part 1

Daniel's mind was in a state of total hell, with a cacophony of revelations bombarding him in rapid succession. Not only is he a father, but the two people who had raised him since he was as small as Danielle, Harold and Lydia, weren't his true biological parents. And that's not to mention that he is a god, and his daughter is a demigoddess with a prophecy stating that she would soon possess magical powers beyond her control. And the most heartbreaking of them all, Regina had been forced into marrying the King and had no choice but to give up their baby. His mind felt as if it were about to implode, leaving him speechless for what felt like the millionth time.

"And not to worry, this formula has all the nutrients she needs. It'll be like drinking straight from her mother's bosom." Blue said with a sly smile, her expression carefully crafted to ensure she got what she wanted.

"If I feed her this, can you assure me that she will be safe and protected?" Daniel finally spoke, his voice firm and unwavering. "I don't care what happens to me after this- my only concern is for my child's wellbeing. Can you guarantee that my effort won't be in vain?"

Hades approached his nephew, with a contract magically appearing in his grasp and a quill materializing in Daniel's free palm. "Let's make this official," the corners of his lips turned upwards. "You sign the contract, and your little critter there will remain unharmed. You have my word, but remember, she must drink. Every. Single. Last. Drop," he punctuated his words with a raised eyebrow for emphasis... "Oh, and you must use your own blood as ink. Tick-tock, tick-tock, time is ticking, Danny Boy."

Daniel paused, taking a deep breath as he shifted his softly cooing baby girl in his arms. With slight hesitation, he guided the quill to the hand holding his daughter and pricked his finger. Then, he hovered his palm over the contract. He was apprehensive, unsure if signing it was the right choice to guarantee his daughter's safety, not only in the present moment but for the years to come. However, he had faith that this was the best decision for her.

Once the bloody ink touched the paper and he inscribed his signature, the agreement was sealed, and the contract vanished in a puff of smoke. The quill in his palm was magically replaced by the bottle. He knew it was time.

Daniel gazed down at his healthy baby girl, feeling a rush of love and a sense of responsibility. He knew she was hungry and overdue for her feeding. Holding her close to his chest, he brought the bottle near her small lips, but Danielle wasn't having it. She kept moving her tiny head from left to right, displaying a fussy attitude she undoubtedly inherited from her mother. She was on the verge of crying again, and Daniel felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. He had never fed a baby before, and this was all new to him. Despite his inexperience, he knew she was counting on him; he was her father, after all.

Summoning every ounce of courage he had, Daniel caught his daughter's attention. Her hazel eyes met his sapphire ones and, for the very first time, he spoke to his daughter. "Hi, Danielle," he said softly, his voice trembling slightly. "I'm your daddy." His daughter's response was a series of cooing noises, blinking up at him with her long lashes and doe-like eyes.

"You have to drink this for Daddy, okay, sweetie?" Daniel gently held the bottle to her lips, and to his surprise, she eagerly latched on. A sense of pride washed over him as he fed his precious daughter for the first time. She suckled away in contentment, and he smiled, wishing he could have been there for Regina throughout it all. He couldn't believe she had been pregnant all this time. He figured she must have been scared to tell him they were having a baby, considering who her mother is. But they could have been a perfect little family, no matter how imperfect, if they had the chance to run away and start a new life.

He smirked to himself, knowing that the beautiful miracle of their love had been created on the first night they made love. They were just two careless, passionate teenagers... Suddenly, his joy was interrupted as he noticed something alarming: the golden hue on his daughter's cheeks was slowly fading, and her skin was paling.