A/N: Set during "Past Presents the Future" before the wedding. I couldn't have been the only one who didn't think Gio was talking about Henry with his "only ever been one guy for you" comment. I know it's never clarified but that was the impression I got from it.

Happy reading!

angellwings

Only Ever Been One

By angellwings

"We fell madly in love. All because we pursued our passion."

"Well, you seem happy."

"I am. But you were right too. I was flirting with you a little bit."

"Oh really?"

"Now I didn't mean anything by it."

"Mhmm."

"I didn't! It's just our thing. Besides, I know there's only ever been one guy for you."

"Ugh, okay, Gio. Can we not go down that path again? We were having a nice moment."

"You'll always have a special place in my heart, B."

That was how she'd told everyone the conversation ended. She wasn't stupid. She knew Daniel read her blog and what Gio said next was not something that needed to be out there for public consumption. It wasn't the first time she'd heard an ex-boyfriend say something like that. Matt, Walter, and even Henry once had all shared similar thoughts with her. Thoughts she'd immediately dismissed as ridiculous. Clearly, they didn't see how completely platonic the situation was.

And even if it hadn't been, it would not have been from the other end. It would have come from her and she could promise that she'd never once entertained the thought of it.

Daniel was, and always had been, off limits to her. There was no way she would ever allow herself to think of him as more than a friend.

Not until recently at least. Very recently.

As recent as Trista actually. The first pangs of jealousy Betty had ever felt happened because of a tall leggy brunette who'd once told her she had the "upmost respect" for Christian "Loo-bow-tin". Betty assumed she meant "utmost respect" in reference to, shoe designer, Christian Louboutin. She found it extremely hard to believe a model didn't know how to pronounce Louboutin. Theoretically, a model should know more about fashion than Betty.

This didn't seem true in Trista's case. At first she'd thought, maybe Daniel's dating her to make himself feel more intelligent by comparison. Then she overheard a conversation between the two of them where he'd said "for all intensive purposes." She'd shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Oh, Daniel. She did not understand. He'd made such progress and now he was back to models with limited mental capacity. Resentment had bubbled up inside of her toward Trista. Why did she get someone like Daniel and Betty didn't? She wasn't naïve. she saw the obvious appeal but she'd thought Daniel had finally learned to see past that.

Why couldn't he see past that? Why did he have to pick Trista to be his first actual girlfriend since the Amanda "fun buddies" incident? He was regressing and it irked her. Not that it was really any of her business.

No matter what Gio said. He couldn't have meant it. He just wanted to push her buttons the way he always did. That's all there was to it. He couldn't have been serious.

"I didn't! It's just our thing. Besides, I know there's only ever been one guy for you."

"Ugh, okay, Gio. Can we not go down that path again? We were having a nice moment."

"You'll always have a special place in my heart, B. Just like Daniel will always have a special place in yours," Gio said as he nudged her teasingly.

"What?" Betty said shrilly. "Who brought Daniel into this?"

He looked confused. "I…did?"

Betty blinked at him. "No, we were talking about Henry. Who I can assure you I am completely over."

"No," Gio said with a smirk. "I was talking about Daniel. Why else would you still be at Mode, Mobot?"

"I'm at Mode because I got a promotion—"

"If you hadn't gotten that promotion you would still be there waiting on Daniel's every need and you know it," Gio said with a smirk. "You're Daniel's Girl."

"What? No, I'm not! I'm not anyone's 'girl', Gio. And if I hadn't been promoted I would have kept looking. I would have found some other way out," She told him. Hearing him say 'Daniel's Girl' reminded him of Matt accusing her and Daniel of sleeping together.

"Right. I'm sure. Have you even tried applying to other magazines since your promotion?" Gio asked knowingly.

"I've been a little busy trying to get the hang of my current job. Besides a lot of companies aren't hiring right now. Print media is not doing well lately in case you haven't noticed," Betty said with a glare.

"Don't make me start clucking again. I will. Every time you give me some excuse I will start clucking. I may have grown a little since you last saw me but I'm not past clucking," Gio threatened.

"Hey! I had an interview just today actually! Remember?"

"For a magazine that was going to let you stay at Mode," Gio pointed out. "With Daniel."

"Oh my God! This is not about Daniel! Why would this be about Daniel? He tells me all the time that he knows I'm going places and that he supports my decisions. If I got another job Daniel would be ecstatic for me. I have no reason to stay at Mode just for Daniel," she practically shrieked at him. "Now stop it before I punch you! I'm from Queens! I'll do it!"

Gio shook his head. "Classic denial. The two of you don't even see it."

"Gio! Shut up!" Betty said as she shoved his shoulder. "This isn't funny! Tease me about Henry all you want but leave Daniel alone, okay? I don't like what you're insinuating. Daniel and I are professionals. Yes, we're friends. But that's all we are!"

Gio sighed and held his hands up in surrender. "Fine, but I reserve the right to say I told you so when the inevitable day comes where you have to choose between your career and Daniel."

Thankfully Gio had dropped the subject but when she'd come back to find Daniel enthralled by this Trista person she couldn't help but be reminded of it. But Trista didn't bother her because she felt something for Daniel. She bothered Betty because she symbolized a past Daniel had finally overcome. She was a girl old Daniel would have dated. Not the Daniel she'd watched mature over the last four years.

She was worried about him making a terrible mistake. That's all it was.

That's all it was. Gio was totally wrong. Gio was always wrong.

No way was she going to let him turn out to be right.

Besides, she had other things to worry about other than Trista. She had Hilda's wedding, the sudden reappearance of Henry, and this job offer from Dunne. All of these things were slightly more pressing than trying to prove to Gio how much of a pompous ass he was.

The job offer from Dunne. The one she was sure she was going to turn down. The one she'd assured Henry she wouldn't take. When he'd asked why she'd rattled off her family's names and Henry had accepted that. He knew her family was important to her.

But now that she'd replayed her conversation with Gio she felt doubt creeping in. Was it her fear of leaving her family alone that kept her from accepting the job or her fear of leaving Daniel?

She felt her cheeks heat up and gulped. Oh God. Was Gio right? Was Daniel the reason she'd stayed at Mode all this time? Was he the reason she was hesitating on Dunne's offer?

No, she thought. It was her family. It was always her family. The job paid less and was a world away. How could she help with the mortgage or the groceries or Papi if she were working out of the country and being paid less? She couldn't. They needed her. She couldn't leave them.

She nodded decisively to herself. Gio was not right. Gio was wrong. Staying at Mode wasn't about Daniel.

It wasn't.

She sounded sure in her head but the creeping doubt was still there. She shoved it away again. Her family needed her. That was the real reason she couldn't go. Nothing else.

No one else.