Big Decisions- a Danisnotonfire / Dan Howell Fanfic (Sequel to I Chose You)

Chapter 16: Friends

LIA POV

As I sat in the reception, waiting for Dan to hurry up with work, I couldn't help but think back to a few days ago, when Jack was attacked. 

I felt my blood race at the thoughts, then I squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to repress images in my mind.

"Everything okay?" A familiar American voice said, and I opened my eyes to see Angela standing in front of me, holding a folder in one hand and a coffee in another.

"Yeah. Just been a busy week."

Angela smiled at me, which gave me a feeling I was unsure about. "Come on, you're waiting for Dan right? You don't have to wait down here."

"Okay." I mumbled as I stood up and followed her into the elevator. It was an awkward silence until Angela spoke up.

"I'm sorry if we got on the wrong foot. I didn't think....I'm sorry about the other day."

"It's fine, truly." I smiled at her. Maybe there was a possibility of something coming out of this.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Angela led me to some sort of communal room which I hadn't been to before, where I recognized some familiar faces, but none being Dan or Phil.

"Dan's finishing in half an hour, if that's okay." Chris stirred his hot drink thoughtfully. "You're going away for America soon, aren't you?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Vid-Con, why?"

He shrugged. "Dan hasn't asked anyone to cover for him yet, is all. Neither has Phil."

"I'm sure they'll be ringing you up anytime soon. I think Dan was talking about organising the show for when they're at VidCon, so I thought he had asked you already, or maybe he just assumed you'll do it." I smirked at him, and he nodded, reassured.

"I quite enjoy doing their show, you know? Fun. They have a good line of things to do."

"They worked hard on it." I smirked to myself, remembering all the times Dan had jumped out of bed, running to the kitchen whiteboard to scribble a new idea down for the radio show. A new Dan vs Phil, a story he remembered hearing about the other day which would be funny on Internet news, and various other crazy ideas to put in. 

A few minutes later, the door opened and Phil walked in, drinking a bottle of water. He looked surprised to see me.

"Oh hey, Lia! Dan's already gone downstairs to find you!"

I felt my mouth drop open slightly as I processed that, but then shrugged, picking up my bag. "I'll catch him up. See you later." I gave Phil a quick hug before departing, heading downstairs in the elevator. I could see the back of Dan's head as he looked around for me, and he began to wander outside, pulling his phone out. I smirked as I snuck up behind him, pretending to be like a lion, ready to pounce on him and scare him. What stopped me in my tracks was Dan putting the phone to his ear, then dashing off into another direction, forcing me to try catch up with him.

I said to myself that I wasn't following him or stalking him, considering I was walking in the opposite direction to home. But who was I kidding. I was curious as to why he'd leave without me. 

Dan continued down the road, looking around as he spoke on his phone. 

I was too far away to hear what Dan was saying, but I saw myself stop in my tracks as I saw where this was going.

Dan was heading towards a coffee shop. 

Sitting comfortably in a chair outside the shop was a woman.

Not just any woman...

My mother, the one who I haven't seen or spoken to in years.

What is Dan doing with her?