Author's note: I started writing this story a few years ago. I just never had the balls to post it 'cause I didn't think it was any good. I used some of the dialogue between Daniel and Molly to fit he and Willie, because that was the only time Daniel wasn't an asshole in the show.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Ugly Betty characters mentioned in the story nor do I own the quotes from the show that are used in the following story.

CHAPTER 1:

'Morning Trendys, This is Fashion Buzz, and coming up in the hour we'll tell you why mauve is bad, stripes are the fad and Naomi's gone mad. But first, an exclusive with Mode Creative Director, and soon-to-be bride of Bradford Meade, Wilhelmina Slater. Clearly, grief becomes La Slater. She looked amazing as she gave us an update on Daniel and Alexis Meade's recovery from that nasty car accident three weeks ago.'

"Bradford and I want the people to know that we are planning on moving forward with our wedding. And I did ask Alexis if she would like us to move ahead, and told her to flutter her eyelid for 'yes'. And by God, that little eyelid fluttered! That's our girl"

"Fuck!" Daniel switched off his T.V and huffed in frustration as he thought about what he just heard. He couldn't believe that Wilhelmina and his father were going through with the wedding. He couldn't help but think what is it about her and the media? Whenever there were cameras around, she would put on this act of pretending to be total bitch and in truth that's not what and who she really was. He got to witness that there was another side to the vicious monster in heels in the past few months his father assigned Wilhelmina to mentor him. He fell back against his pillow thinking about the time they were working together.

FLASHBACK:

Just like they've been doing for the past 3 weeks Daniel and Wilhelmina were in the conference room after hours with numerous proofs, cover ideas and center spread ideas. Wilhelmina didn't show any signs of tiredness yet but Daniel was bored out of his mind.

"Wilhelmina when are we gonna finish up? I wanna go…"

"Can't wait to go out whoring, Daniel?"

"Oh come on! You know that's not..."

"Save it! I promised Bradford that I would mentor your incompetent ass. In addition to working as creative director and practically co-editor in chief, I have to have tutoring sessions, teaching you how to run a goddamn magazine."

"Okay, Willie. Don't get so worked up. Gosh, I was beginning to think you and I have an understanding now."

"We do. I'm marrying Bradford and I have to play nice with you and Alexis. And don't call me Willie."

"Okay." He replied childishly "While we're on the subject, why are you marrying my father, again?"

"Because…I love him." Daniel snorted "What?"

"You could have fooled me."

"I'm not trying to convince you, Daniel. And you can leave, we're done here." Her mood changed instantly and she began collecting her belongings getting ready to leave.

"Oh, so it has feelings?"

"Shut up, Meade!"

"Okay, okay I'm sorry. Look you can't leave now. We're not done yet."

"Okay fine." She sighed and sat back down "God, I swear I'm the only one who cares about this magazine." She said mainly to herself

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm here working after hours, sacrificing…"

"Only to prove to your father that you're not the screw up he always thought you were. Alexis on the other hand, she's only trying to piss Bradford off. I mean do you really care about this magazine? I mean really." He just stared at her and because he really didn't know the answer to that yet. While they were looking at each other he found himself getting lost in her blue eyes.

"Uh…What color are your eyes exactly?" She lifted her brow

"Excuse me? How did we get from Mode magazine to my eye color?"

"Technically it's the same subject if you think about it. You have graced the cover of Mode for years and your eyes somehow had different colors. Are they blue, green, blue green?

"Well it all depends where I am…you know, the lighting. They are blue green most of the time, but at times when it's a little darker like right now, they become crystal blue."

"Oh I see." He grinned

"Now can we be grown ups and get back to work?" Before he could even reply "Thank you."

PRESENT:

They went back to work that night and it was all business. While he was attempting to scratch his toe, he heard a knock on his hospital room and smiling Betty came in.

"Oh, Betty I'm so glad you're here. Big toe! Please scratch!"

"Okay"

"Yeah! That's it, I will never forget this!"

"This is not what I want to be remembered for. So how's Alexis?"

"There's not change, I was with her all morning."

"According to internet research, you should really talk to comma victims."

"Betty I've been doing everything I can."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"How's the issue coming?"

"You know Wilhelmina, jumping in with both claws, running with it."

"Oh that reminds me. Here are my notes on the features and Tahiti shoot. Make sure Wilhelmina incorporates them."

"Well, I better get going before the meeting ends."

Back at Mode, Betty hands Daniel's notes to Wilhelmina.

"These will be incorporated immediately. After all, everything I do here is in service to Daniel's vision."

"Thank you very much Wilhelmina. I will tell him you said that." Betty walks out and Willie hands the file containing Daniel's notes to Marc who immediately puts them in the trash."

"What did you do that for?" She asked with total confusion lifting her brow

"Oh, I thought you…" She stretched out her hand

"Give them here please."

"Willie? Are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"Willie, why do you care about his notes? I thought you were gonna take over the issue and papa Bradford will see that you can do the job all by yourself and then demote the Tranny and Pasty."

"Because…Daniel is…I'm marrying Bradford now and to the old fart, it has to look like I care about my future step children." She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Marc or herself

"Oh, I see. That's why you've been visiting them in the hospital these past few weeks?"

"Yeah…that's it."

She didn't hear a word Sheila said when she started briefing everybody in the room about the upcoming Victoria Secret shoot.

Flashback:

"Why are you marrying my father, again?" Daniel asked her. She hated being asked that stupid question, it somehow made her blood boil

"Because…I love him." Daniel snorted "What?" She snapped

"You could have fooled me."

"I'm not trying to convince you, Daniel. And you can leave, we're done here." Her mood changed instantly and she began collecting her belongings getting ready to go. But somehow he managed to make her stay.

When she went home to the Meade manor she was totally taken aback by his eye color conversation. What the fuck was that? Why was Danny Meade talking to her about her eyes? At that point she realized that, that was the first civil conversation she's ever had with him ever since he started at Mode.

Later that evening while lying next to a snoring Bradford, she began to think about Daniel's question. Why was she marrying this man? For a magazine? Power? All she ever wanted was to run the magazine when Fey retired and instead the job went to the bastard she just finished fucking's son. And now for the past three weeks at Bradford's request she has been teaching Daniel how to be better at his fucking job. She'll never have any real power and steak at Mode unless she marries the horn dog. She quietly got up and walked to the bathroom to take a shower and when she walked past the mirror she took a step back and looked at her eyes. They were really crystal blue in the dark bathroom and at that moment she was overcome with guilt and disgust and she couldn't tell which one she felt more than the other. Her mind kept travelling to that short eye conversation she had with Daniel. She opened the shower door to attempt to wash away the thoughts of what occurred that evening and what had just taken place less than 10 minutes ago.