S3 EP9: Double Date Danger

***
Aria

Miss Shapen's niece, Noelle, was staying at Henry's house for a few days, and I didn't really appreciate another girl staying there with him. I mean, I know Henry wouldn't flirt with her if I'm there or not, so I gave him a fair warning. 

When I entered the house, Piper, Mrs. Hart and Mr. Hart were fighting about Piper being too young to go on a date with a boy. She's like twelve, so I can see why they don't approve of the idea of her dating.

"Uh, what's going on here?" I asked as I set my bad down on Henry's couch, walking towards the kitchen.

"My dumb parents think that I'm too young to go on a date with a boy!"

I agreed with her parents. When I was twelve, I wasn't even allowed to go on dates, let alone having a boyfriend. They used to give me "the talk" until I was fourteen, thinking I needed to hear it a thousand times.

Henry and Jasper walked in after me, and they seemed to be fighting about something. Once they saw me, Henry immediately shut up while Jasper kept talking. He elbowed his side which made him grunt, but he stopped talking.

"Mom, dad? I won't be available this Saturday night because I will be taking Aria...on a date."

I blushed as Henry smiled at me. Henry's parents seemed a little shocked about it, and that's only because I've gone on small dates with him since we've been dating.

"Well then, I guess I'll be taking Noelle out on a date." Jasper smirked. I saw Henry start to glare at him so I smacked his shoulder.

"Wait," Piper started, walking to the living room, "you're saying that you have a date this Saturday night?" I think she was referring to Jasper, but I didn't know.

"Yeah, that's right."

"Okay, if I go on a double date with Henry or Jasper, then can I go out with Kale?" Piper asked, facing her parents.

I crossed my fingers and behind my back and prayed that Piper and her date would go with Jasper and not me and Henry. Piper is starting to scare me.

"Wait! Go with, uh...Jasper and Noelle. Henry and I are already going on a double date with someone." I interjected, pulling Henry near the door. he had a confused look on his face

"We do?"

I shook my head, "Ray. My dad just up and left us a few nights ago without a trace. My mom needs someone, and I think they'd like each other."

Aria, I know Ray. I don't know if-"

"Let's go to the Man Cave and talk to Ray." I opened the door and shoved him out of it. Jasper stayed at Henry's house and was all over Noelle.

"Ray! We need to talk!" I shouted as we left the elevator. He was sitting with Charlotte and looking at the monitors.

"What's up kid?"

"So...Henry and I are going on a date, and we think it'll be fun if you'd join us." I said, walking over to him.

He ignored me and started messing around with the monitors. Charlotte kept trying to push Ray away so that he could actually listen us.

"With Henry's mom?"

I mentally slapped myself in the face. Ray has this crazy, obsessed crush on Henry's mom. He knows she's married, yet he still tries to flirt with her.

"No, Ray, stop. With Aria's mom. Her dad left the family a few nights ago and hasn't returned. Would you be willing to go on a date with her?" Henry added, going to the Auto Snacker.

"Sure, whatever."

The next couple of hours consisted of me and Henry getting Ray all fancied up, but not too fancy. We were going to go to Sota Voce, the popular and expensive Italian restaurant.

I texted my mom beforehand and told her about everything, and she was hesitant at first, but agreed after Henry and I begged her quite a few times.

Aria: Almost ready or that day with Ray?

When my mom texted back, I expected her to be like 'Yeah, I'm ready' but it was a totally different message. I froze in place, staring at the message that was displayed on my phone.

***

Henry

We were about to leave the Man Cave when a news alert came on. I groaned, walking over to the monitors. I looked back at Aria and saw a blank look on her face as she stared at her phone.

"Aria? Hey, what's wrong?"  I rubbed my arm up and down her back, pressing my lips to her temple. I then wrapped an arm around her as her phone screen went black.

"U-uh...m-my dad..."

I grabbed her hands, "What about him? What did he do?"

She shook her head and pulled herself away from me. She walked towards the sprocket and sat down, pulling her knees up to her chest. I kept seeing her glance over at Ray, then shaking her head.

"Aria, please talk to me."

"M-my mom sent me a picture of my dad," she started, and when I saw the message, my eyes widened, "who's Ray."

"R-Ray's your dad? Does he- did he- what?"

Ray looked over at us and dropped the blaster he was polishing in his hand. His mouth dropped open, but he didn't say a word. Charlotte gasped as the words came flowing out of Aria's mouth.

"Y-you're my daughter? But h- your mom is Jen. Oh my god."

I stood up and pulled Ray over towards the elevator. Now I'm more than confused. Every now and then I'd look at Aria and she'd be rocking herself back and forth while Charlotte tried to talk to her.

"You didn't know you had a daughter?!" I whispered-shouted at him, gripping firmly onto his arms, making him look at me.

"No! Me and her mom broke up when we were twenty. I didn't know she was pregnant with my daughter!"

I sighed, "So you left her mom to raise a child on her own, then her fake father stood in line as her 'real' father."

Ray ignored me and walked back over to Aria. He sat next her and Aria refused to look at her. I sat in front of Aria and grabbed her hands. Ray swatted my hands off of her and glared at me. Wow, just because she's his daughter doesn't mean he has be protective now.

"Aria, I know you're probably surprised and I don't blame you." Ray said, speaking slowly and softly to her like she was a child.

Aria looked up, "Why did you and mom break up?"

"It was before my twenty-first birthday. My dad, Carl Manchester, wanted me to move closer to Glass Tech Industries, so I did. I mean, I got indestructible there when I was eight years old."

It hurt to see Aria so broken down about this. I walked away and stood near Charlotte as Ray talked to his daughter.

The emergency alarm went off, so Ray and I ran over to the monitors to check it out. Apparently a young boy was lying in a bag of trash with all his teeth out. 

We go to The Basement and Ray threw me through the door. I landed on my back with a thud, my back hurting. Piper, her date, and Jasper were all tied up while Drill Finger and Noelle stood off to the side.

I started to untie each of the people and watched as the boy ran off crying up the stairs. I got to Piper and before I could even untie Jasper, I got smack in the back by a walker.

Next thing I knew, I was getting attacked by the elderly. I took the walker and shoved the old man through the railing, and I have to admit, I felt pretty bad about it.

But when I get hit by someone's cane, then I don't feel bad because they're basically asking for it.

"Okay, everybody stop. I don't like hurting old people!" As soon as I said that, a cane went flying near my face so I had to duck so I didn't get my nose broken.

I smacked so many elderly with a bag that I didn't seem to realize they were elderly. One of the elderly tried to hit me with their cane, but since I had fast reflexes, I was able to dodge it.

"Kid Danger! Noelle's getting away!" I heard Piper scream. She ran and jumped on Noelle, shoving a bag over her head in the process.

Finally, Ray came back and directed Piper outside and Noelle to sit down. Once all the elderly people were out, I pulled Noelle up by her arm.

"You. Stealing kids teeth...to make money? Wearing a romper? You disgust me."

"I disgust you," Noelle started, "I really...disgust you?"

She started to trace her fingers up and down my arm, and I couldn't think. I shouldn't be feeling this way, I'm dating Ray's daughter for crying out loud!

"uh...well...your actions disgust me...but physically...you know, you- you make me happy."

That right there, I mentally cursed myself. It would be a different story if this was Aria and she didn't know I was Kid Danger.

"Well, maybe you could change me...you know, teaching me to be a better person." Noelle smirked as my body was pressed against the railing of the stairs.

"Oh man. Uh...'

"Kid! Are you- you have a girlfriend!" Ray popped his head through he door as he glanced at me and Noelle.

I ended up taking Noelle to jail and headed back to the Man Cave. Aria was still a bit shaken up about Ray being her father, and I was too. The only person who didn't know about this was Jasper.

Knowing that Aria is Ray's daughter, things might be a little different around the Man Cave, especially since I'm dating his daughter.