The Dreaded Love Triangle and Other Spooky Tales: Chapter One

Hi, everyone! This is my first fanfic ever, so be gentle ;) Huge Betty/Daniel shipper here so be forewarned that I don't write for any other UB pairing, at least in the long-term. I know, I'm biased like that. Anyway, hope you like it!

Also, I realize the first chapter is kinda slow-moving but it will pick up soon. Just laying the groundwork.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ugly Betty or any of its characters; if I did, it would be the Daniel and Betty Show. So please don't sue. Please.

Description: When the employees of Mode go on a work retreat, hijinks, love, jealously and all that good stuff occurs. Somewhat based on a comment Michael Urie made in the Ugly Betty Season 1 DVD. AU.

Pairing: BxD all the way, babay!

Chapter One: Ascent Into Purgatory

When the plane began its ascent, Betty Suarez, as was her habit, had a mild panic attack. She reached for Vincent Bianchi's hand from where he sat beside her, poring over layout ideas—her fiancé, the workaholic. Vince squeezed her hand.

"You okay, Sunshine?" he asked. It was his pet name for her because of her happy demeanor, hopelessly cheesy, but she adored it.

She ignored her boss Daniel Meade's derisive snort from somewhere to her right, and didn't even justify it by bothering to shoot him a dirty look. He had been petulant and downright cranky for some weeks now, ever since she'd gotten engaged…"I will be once we reach cruising altitude—until then, Dramamine is my friend," she said weakly.

"Screw Dramamine," said a voice from the seat behind her, "This'll take the edge off." Becks handed her a silver flask containing an alcohol probably outlawed in most states, obviously already blitzed. "Then you can come back here with me." The photojournalist waggled his eyebrows and grinned lasciviously at her. Betty tried to suppress a grin. Becks was harmless…well, mostly, and gorgeous and obnoxious totally.

"Leave her alone Becks," Daniel growled. He knew that the vast majority of people found it extremely odd that playboy Daniel Meade, Editor-in-Chief of Mode Magazine, put his, well, unconventional assistant Betty Suarez on a pedestal well above that of any other woman he'd ever known. She was his best friend, his confidante, and his rock when his over-privileged world spun crazily; he felt closer to her than his own blood relatives and as fiercely protective of her as any big brother. That being established, he didn't like Becks hitting on her, even in jest. At least he hoped it was in jest. Since Betty had become engaged to Vincent Bianchi, men had seemed to suddenly realize the now-unattainable Betty's charm, seeing what Vincent and Daniel already knew was there. Daniel knew Becks would never be good enough for his Betty; besides, she was now happily engaged to a man Daniel grudgingly approved of, and if Becks started to display any real interest in her, he would nip that in the bud right damn quick.

Vincent, without looking up, said calmly albeit unnecessarily loudly, "I thought this was a retreat for Mode employees only, Becks." Becks shot a drunkenly fearful glance at the back of Bradford Meade's head.

"Hell, if Mandy can bring her ugly, funky-smelling mutt...," he gestured at Amanda, her dog Halston, and Marc, "Daniel can bring me."

"Don't talk about Marc that way!" Amanda protested. "Just because he's been having a bad hair MONTH, and obviously fell, bumped his head, got amnesia, and forgot how to moisturize AND deodorize…"

"He was referring to Halston, Mandy" Marc snapped wearily. Betty looked over at them. Their bickering was starting to get on her nerves; she wasn't a mean-spirited person ordinarily, but now she wished that if the theory about dogs and their owners looking alike sooner or later were true, it would happen to Amanda and Halston, and sooner rather than later.

"Did someone turn up the air-conditioning all of a sudden?" Daniel asked, breaking into her sour thoughts. At that precise moment, Wilhelmina Slater strode past, haughtily ignoring them, seated herself on Bradford's lap, and shot a pointed look at Daniel to gage his reaction.

"Oh, it's just Wilhelmina …I thought I felt an icy blast," Daniel turned and said to Betty, just as pointedly. Betty and Daniel shared a grin, and Betty felt momentarily relieved. She hoped this retreat away from the hassles of Mode would cause Daniel to open up to her about what had been irking him lately. She was willing to do just about anything to bridge the gaping chasm that had subtly and inexplicably opened up between them.

I crave feedback, so please do! Any suggestions that help me improve are most welcome...Thanks!