An Unlikely Advisor

By LadyWithLight (a.k.a. Martha)

Summary: Betty gets some relationship advice from an unlikely source. AU set somewhere around Swag (the flashback part) / Fey's Sleigh Ride.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ugly Betty or any of the characters or plotlines. I'm just borrowing.

Betty Suarez sighed deeply as she settled in for a long evening of working late. It wasn't the work, really; work gave her the ability to take her mind off her other problems. Walter was still following her around, begging her to take him back. Truthfully, she could feel her resolve waning. He had, of course, cheated on her with Gina Gambarro. In her heart, Betty was not sure that she could ever forgive that. But he had gone over and above, trying everything to win her back, with everything from gifts to serenades.

Still, she felt unable to really forgive him the breach of trust. Feeling slightly overwhelmed by the weight of her musings, Betty felt a single tear roll down her cheek. She wiped it away furiously, angry with herself for crying.

Lost in thought as she was, Betty didn't notice the figure walking up behind her desk. Everyone else had left hours before, and she believed herself to be alone in the building. "Betty? What are you still doing here?"

Startled by the intrusion, Betty jumped in her chair quickly wiping away any stray evidence of how upset she was. "Daniel!" she began nervously. "I was just finishing up some paperwork for you. I wanted to stay on top of things for the next expense report."

"Right. Great idea," he said, "I just dropped in to pick up some papers I left here by mistake."

"Well, don't let me hold you up. I'm sure you've got a very busy evening planned,"

"Betty, have you been crying?" he asked. He waited a few moments for a response. Receiving none, he continued, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about, Daniel. I'm sure you have a very busy evening planned. I wouldn't want to slow you down."

"Betty, Betty, Betty. C'mon, tell me what's going on? You're always there for me when I need someone. Tell me, what's going on?" Daniel cajoled.

Betty sighed, realizing that Daniel wouldn't give up until she forfeited. "Okay, I'll tell you," she conceded. "I've just been thinking about this whole situation with Walter."

"Refresh my memory?"

"Walter. The guy I went out with for four years who then summarily dumped me for Gina, the neighborhood hoochie—"

"I remember. The girl who stole the book," Daniel interrupted.

"Right," Betty replied. "Now, he's been trying to win me back since a few days after he broke up with me. He's been sending me gifts, following me around town, showing up at family dinners, that sort of thing. But I just don't know if I can forget what he did."

Both were silent for a few minutes as they mused over what she had told him. Finally, Daniel spoke, "I know I'm not the type of person that should be giving out a lot of relationship advice, but I'm going to give you some anyway. Dump him."

"What? Why?" Betty protested.

"Betty, he's not good enough for you," Daniel answered, causing Betty to stare at him as if he'd grown another head. "You are an amazing person. You're full of life and funny and caring and sweet and beautiful. If all of those things weren't enough to keep this Walter guy from going off with the first slutty girl who offered, then he doesn't deserve to have you back. There are a lot of guys out there who would kill to go out with a girl like you. Don't settle because you think he's the best you can get. What about John the security guard, or Henry from accounting? I saw the way he was smiling at you the other day when we took Wilhelmina down. There's definitely something there. You deserve better than what that Walter guy has to offer you."

Betty was silent for a moment after Daniel finished his little speech. "You really think that?" she whispered.

"Yeah, Betty, I do. You can do so much better," he said. "You are so much better. You deserve all the best things in life, and Walter doesn't seem like the kind of guy who will let you chase your dreams."

"Thank you, Daniel,"

"I've got to get going," he said as he walked into his office to pick up the papers he came back to get. On the way back through, he added, "Just give it some thought, okay?"

"Okay," she smiled, watching as Daniel walked to the elevators.

The next evening, Betty and her family sat around the table in the living room playing an exciting game of 'Bilingual Scrabble.' Just as Betty played 'queso' on the triple word score, earning a whopping 42 points, they heard a knock at the front door. Justin jumped quickly from the couch and eagerly ran to answer it. "Aunt Betty, it's Walter," he called from the door.

Betty sighed and went to the door, dismissing Justin as she stepped into the breezeway with Walter. "Walter…" she started.

"I got this for you," Walter interrupted, holding out a travel alarm clock with a bright blue bow on it.

"Walter, you have to stop this. It doesn't matter how many gifts you bring me, or how many grand gestures you make, or how much you beg me, I'm not going to take you back. It's over, Walter."

"But Betty, I love you!" Walter protested.

"Walter, I don't think you know what love is. When you broke up with me, you told me you were in love with Gina. If that's what you think love is about, I don't want your love. It's over, Walter."

"Betty…"

"No! I don't want you coming over here anymore. I don't want you following me around. I don't want you buying me presents. No more, Walter! We're over. Forever. End of story. Now, leave."

Betty opened the door and gestured for him to step outside. "Goodbye, Walter," she said when he was outside. Then she closed the door. It felt, however, as though many more doors had been opened.

Authors Note: I wrote this story because I never thought Betty should have taken Walter back, and because the Betty/Daniel friendship always seems a little one-sided and Daniel needed to do something to help Betty for once. I will continue this story if I get enough reviews/requests and/or if the muse finds me.