Rudolph and Romance

Rating: K/PG

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Ugly Betty. I'm just taking them out to play for a short time. I will return them to the rightful owners as soon as I'm done (ABC, Silent H Productions, etc)

Timeline: Set during "Fake Plastic Snow". WARNING: This is an AU because this changes the episode FPS and its'
ending. This was an idea we had about what maybe should have happened.

Thanks: Thanks to Devera, Xerox, Teri, Tracy, Danielle and anyone else over at I-C whom I might have forgotten. This is for all of you!!!!

Betty Suarez woke up from the morning after MODE Christmas party in a foul mood. Christmas was one of her favorite times of the year and this Christmas should have been no different. But last night had been a night for surprises and endings.

It had all started at the MODE Christmas party. Well, technically it had started before that with Henry. Betty had wrestled with the dream she'd had about Henry all week! She'd dreamed that Henry had kissed her right in the MODE offices. Adding to that the fact that she'd kept running into Henry all week, especially since he had to oversee the budget for the party, had wrung her nerves out completely. Betty had walked around the entire week with sweaty palms and a racing heart.

The party had actually been fun. Everyone seemed in great spirits. Betty had seen Henry a few times from across the room and even had a laugh when he'd gotten powdered sugar on his nose. But it had been those looks between them, those warm, pinpointed glances between Henry and Betty that had made her blush just thinking of them. Betty had never seen Henry look at her with such longing and desire. It had nearly scared her to death. Just when she had been planning to confront Henry, someone had walked between their line of sight. As she got another view of Henry, his hands were holding the arms of some beautiful, perfect model. She stared in shock for a moment, then swung around and headed for the door. She had managed to get into the elevator before she heard Henry's voice behind her calling her name. Henry had wisely stopped chasing after her as he'd obviously seen the anger and hurt written all over her face.

She hadn't remembered even leaving the party after that or arriving home. She just remembered Walter being there. He was the one person she hadn't wanted to see after what happened with Henry. Betty thought back to last night, sitting on the couch with Walter, dreading what she knew she was going to have to tell him.

"Walter, I'm sorry. But I think we should break up." Betty had said, looking down at her dry palms. Even though things probably weren't going to work out with Henry now, Betty couldn't string Walter along anymore. She didn't have the heart to hurt him like he'd hurt her once before.

"Here." Betty said, thrusting the packages he'd given her earlier at him, "I can't take anymore presents from you. It wouldn't be right." Walter had looked at her, not understanding. Betty couldn't fault him for that. She wasn't sure she understood herself anymore. She knew now that she didn't love Walter anymore. She cared for him as a friend, but the romantic feelings she'd once had for him were gone. Walter didn't make her palms sweaty and her mouth dry like...

"OK Betty, I don't understand it, but I'll accept it." Walter sighed, "This doesn't have anything to do with that guy who took you to lunch..."

"No...no Walter it doesn't have anything to do with him at all." Betty said as the phone rang and Hilda went to answer it. Betty sighed as the words left her mouth. She wasn't completely sure she believed what she'd just said herself.

Betty staggered down the stairs, bleary eyed and cranky. She walked into the kitchen to find her father at the breakfast table, a cup of coffee in his hand and a balled-up piece of paper in front of him.

"Morning Dad." Betty grumped, heading to the refrigerator. Ignacio waited until she had poured herself a glass of juice then motioned for her to sit down.

"Mi hija, I found this in the trash this morning. It's a phone message for you." Ignacio said.

"Who from?" Betty said as she gulped down her juice.

"Read it." Ignacio said. Betty slowly unfolded the paper and smoothed out the creases in it. Her eyes widened as she looked at Hilda's chicken scrawl.

Betty... Henry? called last night. Said he wanted to know if you want to watch "Rudolph" with him to call him.

"Dad, I never got this! Why was it in the trash?" Betty said angrily.

"I think Hilda was trying to keep you from getting hurt Betty." Ignacio said, "Don't be too hard on her..." Ignacio trailed off as Betty pushed herself back from the table, grabbing the phone message.

"I broke up with Walter last night! I don't love him anymore!" Betty shouted as she stormed out of the kitchen. Ignacio could hear her angry footsteps as she ran upstairs and banged on Hilda's door.

"Hilda!" Betty shouted as she knocked on Hilda's bedroom door. A moment later, Hilda opened the door crossly.

"Betty, God...it's too early in the morning for this!" Hilda said.

"Why did you throw this message away from Henry?" Betty demanded. Hilda backed up a pace and looked at her sister.

"You're with Walter, you should be happy. Not worrying about some super geek from your work." Hilda said.

"For your information, I broke up with Walter last night Hilda!" Betty said, "I realized that the feelings I have for Walter are only in friendship. I don't love him anymore."

"So, you want to go chasing after this accountant guy?" Hilda asked.

"Leave Henry out of this." Betty said, "But even if it DID have something to do with him, at least I know Henry wouldn't cheat on me with Gina Gambarro." Hilda held up a hand.

"OK, I'm sorry I threw away your message from the little accounting geek." Hilda said, "Geez, Betty you woke me up just for that?" Hilda finished as she slammed her door. Betty threw up her hands in frustration and went back downstairs.