She watched as he slept on her couch. Molly had only been gone a few hours. He didn't want to stay at Molly's house, he didn't want to go back to his loft. So she had suggested that he go back home with her. And now there he was sleeping on her fathers couch. He looked so peaceful sleeping, like the last few hours had never happened, like Molly was still alive.

"you know that's creepy" she jumped when she heard him whisper.

"sorry… I just came down to get something to drink" she said shaking her head as she started to head for the kitchen.

"wait" it was a soft whisper and she barely heard it. Turning she saw his eyes were watery, and he looked like he was trying to swallow the lump forming in his throat.

Rushing to his side as he sat up she pulled him into a hug and rubbed his back. "It's okay, Its okay"

"she's gone… oh God Betty she's really gone." he cried into her shoulder, and she couldn't hold back her own tears that were forming. She had only seen him cry twice in the three years they had known each other. She held him closer and whispered comforting words in his ear until his breathing evened out and she was almost sure he was asleep. She shifted him so that he was laying down and as she went to move she felt his arms tighten around her "stay please? I don't think I can sleep alone tonight"

Biting her lip she looked into his blue yes and nodded. He was her best friend, her protector, she couldn't say no to him.

Betty woke the next morning to the sound of clicking heals and the smell of bacon. Opening her eyes she realized she was alone on the couch. Looking over to the kitchen she saw Daniel and her father talking in hushed tones over a cup of coffee. It was something they shared in common now, both being in the unofficial Widowers Club. Sitting up quietly she tucked her legs under she and watched as her father put his arm around Daniel shoulder as they started to shake.

She wanted to rush to him and hug him again, telling him everything was going to be alright but her father looked over his shoulder at her and shook his head. He had it handled.

After breakfast and a long ride into work she stepped off the elevator and walked up to Amanda at the front desk. "Any messages?"

Amanda looked up ready to strike, but when she saw that it was Batty her face softened. "what are you doing here?"

"I have to work, Daniel wont be in for a while so I have things to do"

"shouldn't you be with him?" Amanda asked. Betty tilted her head and looked at the normally snippety receptionist.

"He's with my dad right now" Betty replied and Amanda nodded handing her the messages.

"Ok"

Walking over to her desk she set down her coffee and the pile of messages. As she turned on her computer she flipped through them, Condolences, Condolences, Condolences…. It hadn't even been twenty four hours since Molly had passed and everyone already knew. Picking up the phone she called Claire, seeing as she had called looking for Daniel.

"Betty! Thank God I was worried" Claire exclaimed

"I know and I should have called earlier but it was a long night" she sighed.

"how is he? Where is he, does he need me?"

"He's dealing, a lot of crying right now but its to be expected." Rubbing her forehead she cradled the phone between her ear and her shoulder "He's with my dad right now if you want to go over."

"No, I think I'll wait until tomorrow" Claire said and Betty could hear the defeated tone in her voice.

"you know Claire, you're his mother. Go see him get him to open up. He needs you just as much as he needs me" Betty said and almost smiled at the relieved tone she heard from Claire before the call ended.

She spent the next few hours cancelling appointments and fielding calls from old friends and Designers. Looking up at the clock she noticed it was after lunch, shaking her head she got up grabbing her jacket and purse. As she passed Willie's office she paused, Mark was sitting behind his desk typing.

"what do you want" he said and while she had been expecting a biting tone, it still caught her off guard. He looked up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "look its been a long day already, Willie is being 'nice' and covering for all of Daniels appointments. I am busy"

"I don't want it" she said and slipped her purse over her shoulder while he gave her a confused look.

"what?"

"the promotion, I don't want it. I don't want to write for a fashion magazine. I want to start my own and I know that it would be a great opportunity, but you deserve it more then I do you've been here a lot longer then I have" she smiled at him and turned throwing a "its all yours" over her shoulder.

As she pushed the button for the elevator she smiled a little more as she head a "YES" ring out.

She got home after ten that night. She called in every few hours to check on him and her father and sister had assured her that he was fine. She toed her shoes off as she closed the door and then leaned on it slightly, it had been a long day. Seeing the light in the kitchen on she walked over and smiled as she saw Claire and her father talking over a cup of wine.

"Betty" Claire said and stood up to hug her "thank you so much for bringing Daniel here, I got mobbed by the press on the way out of the house this morning, I don't think Daniel would have handled that well"

"Its no problem" Betty said and sat down next to her father " Is he upstairs sleeping?"

"yes, Mija." Ignacio said as he rubbed a hand over her shoulder "He's been sleeping most of the day."

Betty nodded and reached over to cover Claire's hand with her own "We'll get him through this"

"I know… I know… its just, They didn't have a lot of time." Claire said betty could see her try and hold back her tears.

"Don't worry. I've already called the funeral home, and set the funeral for Saturday. I just hope Daniel can help with everything else"

"Oh Betty, you don't have to do this" Claire said and squeezed her hand "I can take care of everything"

"No.. No.. I guess. Well I guess I have too" Betty replied and wiped a tear away "She was Daniels wife, which made her family"

"Oh, Mija" Ignacio said and Betty turned to him. It was all catching up, Daniel had finally gotten his Happily-Ever-After, only to have it torn out from under him. Her best friend was grieving and she was at a loss at what to do.

"Pappi" she cried and leaned into him.

"It's ok betty" Her father said as he held her and smoothed down her hair.

Ignacio looked over his daughters shoulder at Claire. She nodded at him and then turned to look out the kitchen window. They both knew that when ever someone close to Betty was hurt it hurt her as well. But now that Molly was gone, to Betty it was like she had lost everything too. She had lived her life the last three years on what made Daniel happy, she was devoted to being the best she could, so that she could keep him going. The two parents had seen how close their children had become and while Molly had been Daniels wife and his first real knock out-sweaty palms kind of love, they also knew that Betty was his soul mate. Because as much as she tried to be the best for him, Daniel had always tried twice as hard to be the best for her.

The next few weeks went by in a blur, preparations were made for the funeral, Hotels were booked for the family that was coming in from out of state, the funeral had been so full that people had lined the walls of the church. Betty had to hold Daniel up at the gravesite. He had broken down and started crying as everyone was leaving. She'd brought him back to her house again, only tucking him into her bed this time. She had woken the day after the funeral in her bed and confused, when she turned over and saw Daniel looking at her he just said "you feel asleep in the chair."

After a few more days Daniel had gone back to Molly's house saying it was time to start dealing with things. As much as she wanted to leave him alone, it was killing her that she couldn't be there helping him. But he was right he needed to do some of this on his own.

Betty went back to work, people stopped by her desk to ask how Daniel was and to ask if she needed anything. After walking back and fourth between her desk and his office so many times she eventually just moved all of her work onto his desk and worked from there.

She wasn't sure when Daniel was going to come back to work so she start Scheduling appointments she knew she could handle. Only after asking Claire first though. Soon she was swamped, She approved photo shoots and talked to designers, She helped with the layouts and approved models.

Late one night she sighed and leaned back in Daniels chair. Turning the looked out the window. Daniel was right it was a good way to think and clear your head. The view was amazing and she could get used to it. Turning back around she jumped when she saw Daniel leaning against the door grinning at her.

"Daniel! You scared me!" she said and stood quickly, grabbing her papers of his desk she looked at him

" What are you doing here its almost three in the morning"

"I could ask you the same" he said and stepped forward tucking his hands in his pockets.

"Oh well I was going over the proposal for Kline" She went to walk past him and he stopped her, turning her around and guiding her back behind the desk.

"Don't take your work out just because I'm here" He said and smiled at her "Mom says you've been running the show since I've been gone"

"Oh, please. I'm just doing my job. Willie takes the big accounts, and I run every thing by your mother before I submit it." She said blushing.

"No… don't do that… don't discredit yourself" he said and took her hand "She also told me that you and Willimina got into a fight over the cover and… you won?"

"well…. I didn't like the cover I thought It was trashy and apparently she didn't think it was trashy enough" Sighing she sat down and tugged on his hand " I miss you "

"I miss you too" he said and squeezed her hand "But its going to be a while before I can come back"

"I know… I know" she replied "I just feel sometimes like I'm not doing enough to help you"

"Betty" he said and pulled her to her feet, leaning down a little bit so that he was eye level with her he smiled "you have been nothing but amazing. You made all the arrangements for the funeral, and you've jumped into my job head first taking control and making sure everything was still flowing like it should" He chuckled "Plus Mom said the Models actually looked like they have eaten"

Betty giggled and smacked his chest "I still think they are too skinny. But Stick lover Willie insisted they met the weight requirement."

"see, your doing great. I couldn't have asked for a better friend" Daniel pulled her closer and propped his head on hers.

She smiled and hugged him harder. This felt wonderful. I had been so long since she had gotten a hug from him, she could smell the shampoo she had bought him yesterday. And his cologne, he smelt like pineapple.

"Come on" he said as he pulled back and tugged on her hand "lets get out of here"

Smiling at him she nodded and turned off the computer. He helped her into her jacket and handed her, her purse. When they stopped at the elevator she noticed that he was still holding her hand. She also noted how it fit right, how her hand felt good in his. Shaking her head she heard the elevator ding and fallowed him in.

"what are you smiling at" he asked as he grinned at her.

"nothing, It just that, isn't it my job to drag you out of the office?" and when he laughed her stomach did flip flops. Smiling small she lead him out of the elevator and into the lobby.

She knew it then, as they walked out into the cold morning air, holding hands and talking like nothing had ever happened. Like they did before Molly died.

She was in love with him.