Taking a Risk

Pairing: Betty/Gio

Disclaimer: I don't own Ugly Betty. If I did, last night would not have happened the way it did.

A/N: Hi! This is my first Ugly Betty fic, and almost my first fic ever (the only one I've ever completed). I'll admit that I'm actually a Daniel/Betty shipper, but I've got quite a crush on Gio myself so...
Also, I'm pretty sure these aren't really in character, and it's not as polished as I would like it to be. But, I needed something to make myself feel better after the horrendous ending last night. So, just accept some crappy fluff and enjoy.

The day dawned to Gio sitting in the entrance terminal at New York's La Guardia airport. He was leaving for his trip to Rome today. His big luggage was checked, and his carry on bags sat at his feet. He held the ticket Betty left for him in his hands, and he absentmindedly opened and closed the ticket holder. Gio stared at spot on the floor ahead of him, barely noticing the feet periodically rushing past him, or the suitcases trailing behind.

It had been a week and a half since that ill-fated softball game. Betty had run off without another look at him, and he hadn't heard from her or seen her since. Then, about a week ago one of his staff handed him a large envelope when he returned to his deli after a delivery.

The envelope held hotel room information, travelers' checks, and two plane tickets. It also held a letter from Betty.

Gio,

Daniel gave me this after I told him about our trip. He's taken care of everything: the hotel room, money, other accomodations, and first class tickets for both of us. He has even talked to some chefs in Italy, and they've agreed to let you come in and work with them.

But, I can't go with you. I'm so sorry Gio. I just don't know what to do. And that isn't fair to you. I'm giving you both tickets so you can take someone else with you.

I have truly loved these last few weeks with you. And my birthday…that was the best birthday I've ever had. But…it's Henry. And I love him.

I just need some time. You were right in beginning: you shouldn't have been my rebound guy. You mean so much more than that to me, and I have treated you like dirt time and again.

I just hope I haven't lost you forever.

Betty

Gio leaned his head back to rest on the seat behind him. He closed his eyes, seeing the letter in his mind.

Of course she hasn't lost him. She could never lose him, even if she moved to Tucson with Egg Salad. He knew without a doubt that she was his soulmate. He hated being the sap, but it was true. If only he could find her again.

After 2 days of looking everywhere and calling her phone, Gio got Daniel's number from Chrsitina (who had also not seen or heard from her).

With a bit of trepidation, Gio dialed up Daniel, crossing his fingers and holding his breath with hope.

Gio could still remember that conversation:

"Daniel Meade"

"Hey Daniel. It's Gio."

"Gio…."

"I was looking for Betty. Do you know where she is; how she is?"

"Gio, I'm no longer editor which means Betty isn't my assistant anymore."

"But have you talked to her?"

"…"

"Come on Daniel. Please."

"I can't say Gio. I have talked to her. I do know what is going on. But she told me not to say anything to you…or Henry."

"So she's not talking to Henry either?"

"I didn't necessarily say that…but I cannot deny it."

"Well, thank you Daniel…how's it going with junior?"

"Really good, actually."

"I'll let you go, Daniel."

"Goodbye Gio…and good luck."

"Good luck," muttered Gio. Yeah, as if that had happened. He had never found her. Every visit to her home ended with Ignacio smiling sadly at him and telling him she couldn't come to the door. Every call to her phone took him straight to her voicemail.

He should have given up. This wasn't part of his five year plan. He wasn't supposed to have found someone. He wasn't supposed to have fallen in love. Damn him for falling in love. And especially with her. She met him and then got him fired. She had a boyfriend. What the hell was he thinking?

But he knew what he was thinking. He was thinking that she was one of the first real people, and especially girls, he has met in a long time. He was thinking that her personality was so great that he couldn't help but be around her. He was thinking that she was so strong, and yet he still wanted to be the one to protect her from the world.

And it was these thoughts that made him call her cell phone one last time the night before he left for Rome. As usual, it rang 4 times and then went to her voicemail. But this time was different. This time he left a message:

"Betty, it's Gio. I'm leaving for Rome tomorrow. Please thank Daniel again for me…and Betty? I just wanted to let you know that I'm going alone. There's no one I could go with besides you. I hope you are okay. Maybe we can hook up sometime after I get back. I can make you a sandwich with my new found knowledge. Goodbye Betty. I…just…goodbye."

So here he sat. He had arrived way too early for his flight, even by today's standards. But he just couldn't sleep. His nerves were wound so tight, and his brain so thinking so loud and persistent that he finally just got up and left. Ironically, there was almost no line at security, so after he sat down to check over everything, he just stayed sitting. He couldn't gather up the strength to make the long trek through the terminal yet.

As he sat, willed his thoughts go away from Betty. He kept his eyes closed and tried to focus instead on what he would see while in Rome. He thought of the Piazza and the Colosseum. He thought of the hills and the museums. He thought of Vatican City and Saint Peter's Square.

And then he thought of Betty in all of those places. "Screw it," he muttered under his breath, opening his eyes wide. He's doing it alone, so let's just go and do it. Gio gathered his bags and made sure he had the necessary documents out. But, as he turned around to walk toward security, something made him stop in his tracks.

"Betty."

She was standing there, a good 20 feet away, but still right in front of him and looking right at him. Gio blinked a couple of times, making sure he had in fact not fallen asleep. Nope, she was still there. He felt as if he had been paralyzed. He didn't know what to do, so he just stood there, holding his bags and staring at her staring at him.

She started walking slowly toward him. He still couldn't move his body, but his mind was racing. Was she here to take the tickets away? Was she here because she was getting ready to leave with him? He had always held this faint hope that his message would make her come on the trip with him, but surely she wasn't here for that.

She stopped about three feet away from him, setting down her bags. She looked pale, nervous, scared about something. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up her hand to stop him.

"No. I need to say this." Betty took a deep breath. "Henry proposed to me…you know this. He said that he had gotten me a job writing for a magazine in Tucson. He said that he couldn't live without me. He said everything I wanted to hear."

Gio looked away at this. His heart fell into his stomach, and he wished she would hurry so he could run before he threw it up.

"He said everything I wanted to hear. Or, everything I thought I wanted to hear. But there was one problem: Henry isn't you."

Gio's eyes snapped back to hers. His wide eyes took in her watery ones with disbelief. He wanted to reach out and wipe the tear that was threatening to run down her cheek, but he didn't trust himself to do much of anything just yet.

Betty sniffed and wiped the tear away herself. She took another deep breath before continuing.

"I wasn't lying when I said I loved spending so much time with you. I think I just needed some time to figure out what that meant. I was in love with Henry, but I don't think he was really in love with me. If he was, he wouldn't have treated me the way he did. And then you came along. And you were so sweet, Gio, in your own way, that I got so confused. But I'm not confused anymore. And now I'm here, standing in this airport, hoping that there is still a chance for me to make this right." Betty stared at the immobile Gio, completely missing the smile that was slowly crossing his face. "But you aren't saying anything…so I'm going to leave…have a good tim…"

And with this, Gio finally broke through his restraint. He cupped her face with his hands and consumed the rest of her words with his lips covering hers. Betty's eyes widened and she stiffened just enough to make Gio question what he had done. But she soon relaxed and lost herself in the kiss, grasping his forearms in order to stay in balance. Gio could taste the salt in the tears that were still running down her cheeks. He let out a small moan of satisfaction and could feel Betty tremble as he stroked her cheek with his left hand.

The kiss started off strong but gentle. Gio knew he should step away, just as he had in his deli what felt like years ago. But, his will was weak, and instead he stepped closer to her, wrapping his right arm around her waist and digging his left hand into her hair, angling her mouth to his, and pulling her flush to his body. The voice in his head continued to yell at him to slow down, but Betty moaned as his hand moved to the back of her head, and he just kept going.

Finally, when the dark spots began to appear in front of his oxygen-deprived eyes, he pulled his lips off hers. They stood there for a moment, his forehead resting against hers, as they tried to control their breathing.

Betty's eyes were still closed, and Gio found himself still questioning whether that was the right thing to do. After he finally got his breathing under control, he eased his forehead off of hers. Her eyes opened, and as they met his, he could see every emotion in them. He could see her guilt and her apology. He could see a hint of exhaustion. And, he could see what he desperately hoped was love.

"Betty," Gio whispered. As much as he knew he should, he couldn't keep himself from touching her, so he grabbed her hands with both of his, holding them between their bodies, and moving his thumbs in circles over the back of her hands. "Of course you can make this right. But are you sure you want to? Henry can give you stability, safety, things I never…"

This time it was Betty to cut him short. She leaned up and kissed him, hard and quick, on the mouth.

"I want this Gio," she said as she leaned back, her voice unwavering, sounding much more sure than before. "I want you. Mrs. Meade said I was too safe, that I needed to take risks. She was right. You are a risk, but only in the vaguest sense of the word. You have proven time and again that you would be in my life, even when I didn't want it."

"I will be, Betty. And, this may be premature, but I love you. I love every crazy thing about you. You weren't in my five-year plan. You weren't even close, and yet you still shoved your way into my life."

"Well, I love you too, Gio." Betty smiled up at him, and together they leaned in for another kiss. This one was tender, gentle, and full of the love they shared for each other. It didn't last long before Gio broke it off wth a wry smile on his face.

"You know, I was getting ready to go to Rome in a bit. And, I just happen to have another ticket." Gio held up the ticket between them. "I was hoping to pawn it off for some spending money, but I'm sure if the right girl came along, I could be persuaded. She'd have to be hot of course, a good conversationalist because it's a long flight, and it would help if she was a good kisser because I was really hoping to join the mile high club."

"Well, I'm not the first, and there's no way the last one will happen, but I know can hold my own in a conversation."

Gio grabbed his chin in his hand and "pondered" her statement.

"Eh, I guess you'll do. I am running out of time." She smacked him on the arm, and he grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him, talking quietly and serously. "And you are the first. You are the hottest, sexiest girl I know. And the fact that you don't believe it? Makes it even more so."

Betty blushed and shook her head, trying to extract her body from Gio's hands. Instead, he pulled her tightly to him, wrapping his arms around her and claiming her mouth with a hot, searing kiss. She gasped, and he took the opportunity to slide his tongue into her mouth. He poured everything he was feeling into the kiss, his love and his lust. It wasn't much longer than the last one, but when he pulled away, they were both flushed and panting slightly.

They stood for a moment, trying to compose themselves. Gio composed himself first and grabbed her bags along with his.

"Now come on. We don't want to miss the flight."

Gio walked off, leaving Betty standing alone, feeling shocked and holding a shaking hand to her lips. After he had gotten about 30 feet away, he stopped and turned around.

"You ready to take that risk?" he said with a big smile.

Betty returned the smile and started toward him.

"You bet."

And that's that. I hope it helped you feel a little better. Reviews are always nice, but since I don't even like this myself and I don't ever review, I won't beg. :)