Title: The Gift
Rating: G
Spoilers: Anything up to the November 23rd Episode.
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize I do not own. If I did I wouldn't be online, I'd be on a cruise. I am not making any money off of this story and no copyright infringement is intended.
Pairings: Implied/hinted at Daniel/Betty
Status: Complete. This is a one-shot.
Finding the perfect gift was essential. If she couldn't find the perfect gift then it would be a waste. Betty knew that gifts weren't the important part of the holiday season. It was the superficial part and it wasn't supposed to matter that much, if at all. Yet here she was, in Macy's on Christmas Eve with a thousand other shoppers who were all there for the same thing- the perfect Christmas gift.
She'd been pushed around, shoved, walked on and knocked over in the attempt to find the perfect gift. Walter had been very upset with her lately. He'd gone on about how she was too involved with her job and more importantly, too involved with her boss, Daniel Meade. He'd accused her of not spending enough time with him or making the effort to see him.
Walter had been a good boyfriend, at least since he'd been dumped by Betty's neighbor. So on a day she should have been spending with her family, Betty was fighting the crowds and searching for the perfect gift. If she could make it up, she would try. And a gift was the first step. She'd already left a dozen stores and was at her last hope. She was looking at sweaters, trying to decide which kind she should get, or if she should even get Walter a sweater. She picked up a red sweater and held it up, cocking her head to the side as she considered the garment.
She was still looking at it a few minutes later when she was suddenly pushed. Unprepared, her ankle twisted and she lost her balance. Looking up at the woman who'd shoved her out of the way, Betty frowned, hurt and angry. Looking around, she saw that her other shopping bag lay next to her, but her purse had flown across the floor and lay halfway across the department. Frowning, Betty pushed herself up onto her knees and crawled toward the purse, tugging her shopping bag behind her slowly as she wove between the shoppers who didn't seem to notice her.
"Don't mind me," she said sarcastically to no one. She was almost to her purse when someone stepped on her hand and didn't even bother apologizing as they continued on their way. Her eyes watering, Betty didn't even see the other hand reaching for her purse at the exact same time as she did. Betty froze when she realized she was touching a hand and not her purse.
"Betty?" Betty looked up to see Daniel moving to crouch before her, holding her purse out to her, an inquisitive look on his face. "Betty," he stood and moved closer to her, holding his hands out to her, "what're you doing down there?"
Betty shook her head, but accepted Daniel's help. "Oh, you know me," Betty smiled, hoping she sounded like she was joking.
"But why are you crawling around Macy's?" Daniel wondered before someone else pushed Betty. Betty flew forward and instead of colliding with a shelving unit, a table or a display, she fell forward into Daniel. Daniel's arms instinctively went around her waist as her face landed on his chest.
"Excuse you!" he called after the eager shopper. He looked into Betty's face and saw how upset she was and immediately felt a string pull at his heart. "Are you okay?" he helped Betty stand to her full height.
Betty nodded and quickly looked away from him as she retrieved her shopping bag from the floor. Daniel held out her purse awkwardly and Betty closed her eyes as she took it from him. She'd been embarrassed several times, been made fun of or treated poorly before, but it didn't ease the emotional turmoil she felt. Biting back tears that rarely fell, Betty turned away from Daniel, turning her back toward him as she took a few deep breaths in an attempt to push away her feelings.
"Betty." Just her name spoken in a soft and concerned tone was enough to push her over the precipice.
"I just wanted to get a nice present," she said brokenly, her voice hoarse as her bottom lip began to quiver. She felt Daniel's hands on her shoulders as he slowly turned her around to face him. Ducking so he could look at her face, he smiled a small smile.
"Let me help you," he offered warmly. Betty looked at him through tear-filled eyes and her glasses, looking at him uncertainly.
Betty shook her head, "Thank you, Daniel. But no." Daniel was obviously surprised and his face showed it. She nodded at him, smiling forcefully before she started shuffling away from him.
"Who's the gift for?" Daniel wasn't giving up as he followed her. "Your father?" Betty ignored him, shaking her head slightly. "Hilda? No, you wouldn't be shopping for her in the men's department . . . " he trailed off and Betty couldn't help but smile as she stopped in front of the original sweater she'd been looking at earlier.
"Justin! That's who you're shopping for, right?" Daniel asked hopefully, continuing to guess as if it were a game.
"Daniel, you don't have to take pity on me," Betty said evenly, running her hand over the sweater.
Daniel gaped at her, "Pity? Why would I pity you, Betty?"
Betty turned her head sharply and looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "Daniel, I'm not exactly . . . " she couldn't finish the sentence. She stiffened when a hand moved to rest on her shoulder.
"There's nothing wrong with you, Betty Suarez." He spoke softly and seriously and Betty raised her gaze to look into a pair of cerulean eyes. They were honest and warm and Betty didn't know what to say to that, so she said nothing.
Daniel seemed to acknowledge that and nodded. "So who's the gift for?" he grinned when he saw her fighting her own smile.
"You never give up, do you?" Betty shook her head at him.
Daniel shrugged his shoulders, "What can I say? Why give up when you can be great?" he joked. "So who's the gift for if not your father or Justin?"
Betty's smile faded and she couldn't help but shake her head slowly, not wanting to say.
"Is it for Wally?" Daniel asked, crossing his arms across his chest and raising his eyebrows at her.
She smiled again, shaking her head, "his name is Walter, not Wally."
"He doesn't have a nickname?" Daniel seemed surprised.
"Daniel," Betty chasticised.
"Okay, so we're shopping for Walter," he stressed the name. "And you're buying him a sweater?"
Betty noticed his skeptical look and raised eyebrows. She knew that look- it was the look he gave her when her ideas were ludicrous and he didn't know how to break it to her. "What's wrong with a sweater? Walter happens to like sweaters!"
"Betty, no man really likes sweaters," Daniel informed her. "We may say we like them, but really, a sweater is what you buy a guy when you don't know what to buy," he shrugged his shoulders, chuckling to himself as her jaw dropped and she swatted his arm lightly.
"Well what did you have in mind, Mr. I'm-so-great-at-picking-gifts-Meade," she asked with a slight attitude.
Daniel smiled then, a truly brilliant smile and took her arm, linking it with his, "Come with me." Betty allowed Daniel to tug her through the floor, down the escalator and through countless departments.
"Daniel, where are we going?" she asked, nearly tripping over her own feet as she was tugged after him. The music was upbeat and her heart was warmed at the holiday music. The New York shoppers could be rude, but Betty knew it was just the stress of the season. At the moment though, being pulled through crowds and around displays, she wasn't so sure Daniel was just stressed. He was on a mission.
Betty was speechless when they stopped in front of the jewelry counter. "Daniel, what're we doing?"
"Mr. Meade!" the associate behind the counter said brightly, moving toward them. "What can I get for you?" she grinned. Betty noticed when her grin faltered when she saw her and then she quickly looked back at Daniel with a distasteful look.
"I need . . . " he trailed off slowly before turning his upper body toward Betty, leaning forward and resting his elbow on the jewelry case. "What about a watch?"
"A watch is special?" Betty wasn't so sure that Daniel knew what he was talking about after all.
"To start with," he smiled at her assuringly. "Shall I pick or do you . . . " Daniel asked. Betty leaned over the counter and looked at the gorgeous and expensive items underneath the glass.
"Daniel, I can't afford-"
Daniel cut her off by holding a hand up, "Think of it as a Christmas bonus."
Betty looked at him and smiled, shaking her head, "You already gave me a Christmas bonus, Daniel. Daniel looked at her oddly, his gaze intense and if he had been anyone else it probably would've made her uncomfortable. She felt completely at ease though.
"We'll take that one," Daniel smiled, pointing at the watch that was tasteful, yet simple. "It'll be perfect." Betty's eyes had been wandering and she smiled when she spotted a beautiful necklace. It was a perfect silver snowflake that had white gemstones placed strategically on the branches of it.
She looked away quickly as the girl placed the watch on the counter so that he could inspect it before it was gift wrapped.
"Daniel, I can't let you do this," Betty smiled regretfully, shaking her head as the sales girl left them.
Daniel nodded at her, "Yes, you can."
"A gift should come from the heart," Betty insisted.
"Then what're you doing at Macy's?" Daniel raised an eyebrow at her. Betty blushed and shrugged her shoulders, having had a point proven. Her eyes flicked back at the necklace and then around so she wouldn't be noticed. Daniel smiled as she looked around and nodded to himself, making a mental note to himself as he watched her amusedly.
"Here you go, Mr. Meade," the sales girl handed him the fancy box that held the watch. "Can I get you anything else?"
Betty was walking to the end of the case and looking at display of scarves and hats.
"Yes, I'll take one of those," he pointed to the item he wanted and then walked toward Betty. "Whom are these going to be for?" he smiled.
"I was thinking Justin," Betty shrugged, asking him his opinion without actually asking what he thought.
Daniel nodded, "I can see him liking this." He picked up a 'to/from' card and scrawled a quick note on it. "Attach this to the second item please."
"Mr. Meade, your purchases," the sales girl smiled at Daniel and completely ignored Betty. Daniel frowned. "Will there be anything else?"
He smiled at Betty. "Well Betty? Anything else you need to get?" he wondered. The girl behind the counter was flabbergasted. "What do you want?"
"Daniel-"
"We'll take these," he snatched a scarf and a hat off the wrack and then he pointed at a bracelet that looked expensive, "and that." He scanned the area and then pointed to yet another item, this one in the home department though. "And that."
"Are you sure, Mr. Meade?" the girl asked, obviously miffed that he was spending so much money and on Betty and her family.
Daniel turned and looked at the sales girl sharply. He located her name tag and raised his eyebrows. "Tina, this is a store, is it not? I believe it's Macy's, which is supposed to be the greatest department store in the city, is it not?"
He looked at her expectantly and waited for her answer. She stammered and couldn't seem to spit the words out.
"Is that a yes?" Daniel smiled at the girl. The girl nodded. "Okay, now Tina," he smiled again. "You know who I am, and I haven't a clue who you are, besides a Macy's sales girl." The girl nodded again and Betty wandered back over at that moment. "Now you are to give this young lady, my assistant, whatever she wants. And if you treat Miss Suarez poorly, believe me, your supervisor will not be happy." The girls' eyes widened and she looked downright terrified.
Betty laid a hand on Daniel's arm, "Daniel, that's not necessary. Thank you, but if you're done shopping . . . "
"Are my things ready?" Daniel turned toward the young blonde salesgirl and looked at her expectantly. She nodded mutely and stuttered as she tried to tell him his total. Finally Daniel just handed the girl his credit card.
Ten minutes later after everything had been gift-wrapped and had been placed into large shopping bags, Betty suddenly wondered why Daniel was at the store.
"Daniel, what're you doing here? Who are you shopping for?"
Daniel remained quiet for a few moments before he smiled. "I always get presents for my parents. Even if they don't open them," he shrugged his shoulders. Betty nodded thoughtfully. "Well I'm done with my shopping," he smiled. "Why don't I give you a ride home?"
"You don't have to go through that trouble, really," Betty shook her head.
Daniel smiled, "It's no trouble."
Betty looked at him and was about to object before he cut her off and whipped out his cell phone and called his driver. "Don't even think about arguing about it with me," he smiled. Betty ducked her head and nodded as she blushed a bit. Daniel always knew when she was going to argue with him.
The limousine ride was rather slow due to the traffic and the weather conditions. Daniel and betty made small talk and when they reached Queens, Daniel looked a little upset.
"Betty, can you do something for me?" he asked as he got out of the limo and stood on the sidewalk next to her. Betty nodded and smiled, asking him what he wanted. Ducking inside the car and getting her bags, he carried them as he walked her to her front door.
"Daniel?" Betty prompted.
Daniel looked at the ground, kicking the snow at his feet around a little. "There's a gift in there for you," he avoided her gaze. "Promise me you won't open it until morning."
"You didn't have to get me anything. You shouldn't have, really. Daniel, you're my boss."
Daniel raised his eyes and couldn't help but smile at the young woman in front of him. His eyes crinkled, proving the smile was genuine. "I wanted to," he shrugged his shoulders. "You do a lot for me and I wanted to thank you."
"Daniel-"
"Promise me," Daniel smiled as he backed down the steps. "Betty, promise me!"
"Daniel-"
"Betty, promise me you won't open the gift," he grinned as he backed onto the sidewalk.
Betty shook her head, rolled her eyes and nodded, "I promise."
Daniel grinned triumphantly before opening the door to the limo. He had just sat down and was pulling the door shut behind him before he heard Betty's voice. Pushing the door back open, he saw her still standing at the front door in her puffed coat, smiling at him.
"Merry Christmas," she smiled.
Daniel smiled back. "Merry Christmas Betty."
--
The following morning after the family had opened their gifts together- all of which they had loved- thanks to Daniel, Betty went up to her room. She sat on the edge of her bed and stared at the tiny box. She'd promised Daniel she wouldn't open her gift until morning, and for some reason, she'd felt the need to open it by herself. She wasn't sure why. Daniel was just her boss.
Her father had made comments after Daniel had helped them decorate their Christmas tree about how Daniel would make a great father someday, and how he was so nice. Then Betty had had to remind him about Sophia. Sophia who was intelligent and successful and gorgeous. The Sophia that Daniel claimed to love. After that her father hadn't brought it up again, until that morning. Her father had been so impressed with Betty's assortment of gifts. Hilda had died for the tennis bracelet that Daniel had picked out for her. Justin had adored his scarf and hat and Ignacio had appreciated the cooking set that Daniel had bought.
Ignacio had questioned Betty about the gifts, asking why her boss was buying her family presents. "He wanted to say thank you for letting him help the day of the photo shoot," Betty shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "He's never had a real holiday before and you helped show him what it could be like." Her father had accepted that and nodded as he admired the new skillets and pans.
Betty really suspected that Daniel just liked to have people to buy presents for- people he wasn't romantically attached to, anyway. She stared at the tiny gift box she held in her hand for a few more moments. It was wrapped in festive paper and had a small decorative bow on the top next to the tag where Daniel had hastily scrawled her name. Daniel was a good man. Betty knew that. The present was an example of how generous he was- he'd given gifts to she and her family.
"Are you going to open that?" Betty looked up to see her father standing in the doorway. He entered the room and crossed the distance to sit on the bed beside her. He smiled at her The Little Mermaid pillows and then looked at her expectantly. "Betty?"
Suddenly Betty felt very anxious. Gifts and compliments. Daniel had always treated her very well, but since Sophia had offered her a job, she'd been suspecting Daniel of trying to win her over even though he'd all but encouraged her to take that job. "Dad, what do you think of Daniel?" she asked, still gazing at the box, picking at the bow.
Ignacio looked at his daughter, "Daniel is a fine man." It was all he said and she knew her father wouldn't embellish on his opinion. "He's a good man, Betty." She was surprised when her father spoke again.
"Do you think I should take the job Sophia offered me?" Betty set the box aside and turned her body so she was facing her father.
Ignacio smiled warmly, "I think you should do whatever is best for you. Don't make your decision based on what your family wants or even what Daniel Meade wants. Do it for you, for your dreams."
Betty suddenly felt fine and nodded. "Thanks, Dad."
"You hurry and open that present. Justin is dying to go outside with his new scarf and hat." Betty nodded again and watched her father leave the room, closing the door behind him.
The bow came off first, the tape was carefully peeled open and the paper laid aside carefully. It was a jewelry box. She was sure of it. Hilda's bracelet had come in the same blue velvet covered box. Curious, Betty flipped open the top and her jaw dropped.
Inside the box lay the necklace she'd admired at the store the day before with Daniel. The delicate silver chain had the equally delicate silver snowflake charm on it, the stones sparking in the light. They were real diamonds and the white gold went with them perfectly. If anyone else had been in the room, she would have been speechless.
Betty fumbled around for the name tag and opened it up, unfolding it as she read the message. No two snowflakes are exactly the same. Each is a beautiful and unique creation. To the only person I could compare to natures lace: Merry Christmas, Betty. Daniel.
Betty's breath caught in her throat and she couldn't help but grin as she reached out and touched the delicate snowflake. She heard Hilda outside the door and then the door opened as she entered without knocking.
"Are you ready? Justin wants to go for a walk . . . " Hilda trailed off when she saw Betty staring at a small jewelry box. "Is that Daniel's present?" she walked over to the side of the bed and sat beside her, looking at the necklace. "It's beautiful."
"Yeah," Betty nodded, still smiling. She bit her bottom lip when Hilda took the note from her hand. "It is."
"' Nature's Lace'," Hilda snorted. "The man may have good taste, but he's a cheese ball," she laughed. "C'mon, let's go, Justin's getting antsy."
Betty nodded and waited for Hilda to exit the room before she slowly removed the necklace from the card and carefully put it on, clasping the necklace around her neck. For some reason she couldn't stop smiling. She picked up the phone and dialed Daniel's cell phone, left a message thanking him for the gift and then after hanging up, she made her way downstairs where her family was waiting for her.
If her father noticed the necklace he didn't say anything and after bundling themselves up in warm coats and scarves, they left their home and went on a leisurely walk. They were walking through a park when the wind picked up a bit and then snow started to slowly fall. Reaching up to the necklace, Betty couldn't help but smile. Suddenly, she got the feeling as if someone were watching her. Slowly looking around, she didn't see anyone she knew or anyone that was even looking in her direction. Her family was halfway across the park by now and she only followed after Justin yelled to her.
Looking up at the grey sky, Betty smiled and slowly made her way through the delicate snow toward her family. They continued out of the park and back toward their home.
Nobody even noticed the limousine parked off to the side or the handsome young man who stood outside in the snow, leaning against the vehicle with a satisfied smile on his face as he watched the Suarez family. When they were almost out of sight, he got back in his car.
"Where to, Mr. Meade? Home?"
Daniel nodded, "Yeah." The limo drove by the Suarez's as they walked home. Betty was still smiling and Daniel couldn't help but smile too.
Authors Note: Okay, so I wrote another one-shot holiday fic. And I'm not really caring for it right now. This is NOT a sequel to "Irresistible". And I don't know if I'll be writing a sequel for it, even though a lot of people have requested that I do that. I'm very happy that you guys liked that story, but I hadn't intended to write more for it. But if I get writer's block for my original fiction story, who knows?
Again, I'm not sure I like this story at all. I think it's all incredibly cheesy and I hadn't intended for it to be this long.
A big thanks to all my reviewers- I LOVE hearing what you guys think! On that note, leave me a review:)
Jen