Title: Permission

Author: A. M. Glass

Copyright: July 4th, 2007

Ratings: (USA) T (UK) PG (AUS) PG

Show: Ugly Betty

Couple: Betty/Henry

Show Disclaimer: The character of "Ugly Betty" are derived from "Yo so Betty, la fea," which was created by Fernando Gaitan. The following companies produce the show: Silent H Prod/Ventanarosa Productions/Touchstone Television in association with Reveille Productions and it is presented by ABC television. The Executive - Co-Executive producers are: Salma Hayek, Silvio Horta, Marco Pennette, Ben Silverman, James Hayman and Jose Tamez.

Author's Disclaimer: Let's face it, I don't own UB or any of the characters, back story, etc. I'm not making a cent from it - if I did, I'd buy a new computer and some other things. The story; along with any original characters are mine though... I think. Darn those pesky copyright laws.

Special Thanks: Goes to Mary, Teri, and Xerox. Especially Mary for staying up past her bedtime to read the story in IC.

"Hey there Jessie, is your mom home?"

"MOM!!" Jessie yells over his shoulder.

Betty runs from the kitchen wiping her hands on a dishtowel. "What's wrong? What is it?" she asks as she gets down on her knees and looks at him. "Why did you yell?"

"Hen… Mr. Grub…"

"Stick… Grubstick," Henry prompts.

"Mr. Grubstick is here."

"Henry?" Betty looks up, she hadn't notice the door open or Henry standing outside.

"Hi," he waves.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she stood up.

"Mom…"

"Yes," she looks at her son.

"Isn't he coming in?"

Betty felt the heat of her blush on her cheeks, "I'm sorry Henry, please come in," she said as she stepped aside.

"Thanks," Henry replied. "Oh," he paused as he stepped through the doorway, "this is for you," he handed her a rose.

"Henry, you didn't have to," she said as she accepted the rose from him.

He shrugged. "I know I didn't have to, I just like giving it to you."

Henry followed Jessie inside the Suarez residence as Betty closed the door behind him.

Betty shut the door and notice her son and Henry whispering to each other. "Should I be worried about this?" she asked smiling. She was grateful that her son and Henry got along, even if Jessie had a problem pronouncing Henry's last name.

Jessie smiled. "Nope."

Henry shook his head. "No problem here," he added as he put his hand on Jessie's shoulder.

Betty bit the inside of her mouth, she couldn't imagine how strongly the sight of her son standing besides Henry would affect her. 'Why couldn't it have been Henry?' she asked herself. She hardly saw Walter after Jessie had been born. He had taken a managerial position out of state and never looked back.

There had been the occasional card or letter, which she kept for Jessie incase he ever asked about him, but other than that, it was like he didn't exist.

"Betty, are you okay?" Henry asked. She had been looking at them with such a wistful expression on her face, that he grew concerned when he called her name and she hadn't answered.

She shook her head. "What? Oh, I'm fine. Why don't you have a seat, I'll put the rose in some water." She started for the kitchen when Jessie called out, "Wait!"

"Jessie, what's wrong with you today?" He had been acting a little oddly. Taking his bath wasn't a chore, having him pick up his toys without having to tell him more than once.

"Nothing."

She stared at him.

"I'm sure it's nothing Betty," Henry said coming to Jessie's rescue.

"Mom…"

"Yes."

"Smell the flower!" he blurted out, looking at Henry and saying, "Sorry."

"Smell the flower?" Now she knew there was something wrong.

"Please Mom…" he pleaded.

"Please Betty," Henry smiled shyly.

"I don't know what you two are up too…" she said as she brought the rose up to her nose.

'What's that?' she asked herself as she noticed something within the petals of the rose.

"Henry?" she looked at him.

He stood up straighter. "Yes Betty?"

"What…" she reached in and her fingers touched something smooth and circular. Her heart began to beat faster. "What's this?" She didn't want to pull it out, if she did, it would mean one thing. The one thing she had been wishing and praying for.

She had done that so many times in the past. When she prayed she wasn't pregnant, when she wished Walter would do the right thing and ask her to marry him.

Neither came true.

She was blessed in that aspect.

"Mommy… take it out already!"

She quickly looked at her six-year old son standing there with the biggest smile she'd ever seen. She nodded her head, and reached back in the petals and closed her fingers around the ring. As she pulled it out, she knew in her heart what it was, but her mind could not wrap itself around it. "What is this for?" she asked.

"I'll tell you later," Henry answered cryptically, then proceeded to walk to Betty and took the ring from her grasp and slipped it onto her left ring finger.

"Henry?"

"I'll tell you later," he kept saying.

"Okay... now it's time for you to kiss," Jessie said joyfully. Henry had sat him down not to long ago and had explained so he could understand that he wanted to ask him if he could marry his mom. At first he didn't understand why he would ask him.

"You're a very important part of your Mom's life - you are her life Jessie. So I need to get your permission first. I love your Mom very much and I want to spend the rest of my life with her and you."

"Really?"

He nodded his head. "Really."

"And if I said no?"

Henry looked away. "If you said no, I would wait until you said yes."

Jessie had looked at Henry and thought about how happy his mother seemed when Henry was around. "Okay."

"Okay?"

Jessie nodded.

"Wow... thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Kiss him mom," Jessie urged as he pushed them together. As Henry and his mother kissed, he turned around and went into the kitchen.

The End.