Ch: 1 Repercussions…Are a Bitch

Well, it seems I can't stop writing fanfic. As promised, here's the sequel to "The Dreaded Love Triangle." It takes place a month after our heroes return home from the work retreat. And guess what happens…yeah, drama. As always, it's AU and as always, it's D/B. I went ahead and gave it an "M" for "Mature," but it won't get good n' smutty just yet.

Requisite Disclaimer: I don't own Ugly Betty, its characters, or any of the companies and/or brand names mentioned. I'm sure not making any money off of this. If that were the case, it would be the length of "War and Peace," trust me. So please don't sue because I'm hopelessly broke anyway.

When the alarm went off at 5:30 am, Betty didn't stir. Daniel, on the other hand, let out his customary muffled curse, and was prepared to unleash some not-so-muffled ones as he struggled into his pajama bottoms, until his eyes fell on the sleeping, angelic form in his bed. Okay, she was snoring and drooling, but still, Daniel still had his shiny, new-relationship love goggles on.

Correction, our bed, he thought with satisfaction. And it had been so ever since they'd arrived home from the Work Retreat O' Drama and Repressed Emotions. Looking back on the night of their return, Daniel was pretty sure Betty had just accompanied him to his loft to wish him goodnight and grab a cup of coffee before heading back to the Casa de Suarez. Neither of them had really been prepared for what'd happened:

flashback

The door had swung shut to Daniel's apartment and both jumped a little before awkwardly going their separate ways, the bathroom and the kitchen respectively. Betty had started the coffee and just stood leaning against the counter. The bathroom door swung open suddenly with a big, to-hell-with-it bang, and Daniel came storming out, making a beeline straight for her. Betty barely had time to form a WTF expression before Daniel pounced on her. That, as it turned out, was fine with Betty. They'd groped their way to the bedroom, but at the sight of the massive four-poster, all progress came to a screeching halt. Betty couldn't form words, but then again, she and Daniel had never really needed them. So there they stood, both in bare feet on the cold floor, clothing disheveled.

Daniel had looked Betty over and, achingly, noticed she was trembling; her arms were crossed tightly over her stomach the way she always did when she found the world threatening. That look killed him, absolutely annihilated him from the inside out, ever since her first day as his assistant. In fact, the first time he'd ever seen that look, he'd been the cause of it by being an easily-manipulated ass-hat. He'd vowed from that day forward that every time he saw that look, he'd move heaven, earth, and walk barefoot through hell, anything to make it stop.

Now was no different. Not making any sudden movements, Daniel reached over and gently pulled Betty backwards into his arms. She somewhat reluctantly broke her transfixed stare at the bed and tiredly buried her face in his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she'd said softly.

"You apologize for the damnedest things," he teased gently. "I'm the one who should be sorry, practically mauling you in the first place." Truth be told, he was a bit relieved. As clueless as he was about the progression of actual relationships as opposed to one-night-stands, even he could see that neither of them were ready for this.

"It was a mutual mauling," Betty sniffed, giving him the first real smile he'd seen since they'd caught sight of the Meade Publications building out the plane window.

Daniel kissed her forehead. "We'll wait."

Betty looked at him skeptically. "This from the guy who once kicked all his assistants to the curb if they wouldn't crawl under his desk within five minutes of being hired and…"

"You know about that? What, did my dad tell you or something…Alex, it was Alex, wasn't it?"

She silenced him with a finger to his lips and gave him a cheeky grin. "Actually, I didn't have any solid proof until you just now confirmed the rumor. And, yes, we'll wait, just until we sort some things out."

/flashback

And here they were a month later, still sorting. And sorting and sorting. Although to be fair, they'd decided to literally sleep together pretty much from the get-go. The sexless sleepovers were worth it for so many reasons, not least of which was that he was treated to Betty talking in her sleep.

Now she tossed a bit and murmured, "Oh, Brad, leave Angelina, you promised…"

Betty waited about ten seconds and opened one eye a slit. Daniel was mock-glowering at her. "Sorry, Daniel, forgot whose place I was at for a minute. But then I remembered, I'm only at Brad's on weekends."

Daniel responded by rolling her up in the covers, straddling her, and tickling her senseless. Both knew, Daniel trying to hit some choice places strategically in his tickling and Betty wishing he'd hit those places and trying not to pee, that sooner or later, hopefully sooner, Daniel would be straddling Betty for a very different reason.

By all indications, it wouldn't be long now. During their pre-sleep make-out sessions, they'd done everything but go there, anyway. It was getting harder and harder, no pun intended, to peel away from each other, whether it was in Betty's house, Daniel's apartment, or the conference room after-hours at Mode.

Thinking of Mode suddenly, Betty gasped that she really should get going. They'd been arriving at work at different times as opposed to together, per Betty's request. As for Daniel, he'd be perfectly happy to organize a "Daniel and Betty 4-Ever" parade, in which there'd be banners and flaming batons announcing their love. But he was determined that this relationship progressed at Betty's preferred pace.

Betty surprised him, however, by saying, "You know what, to hell with all this sneaking around. Christina told me everybody knows anyway, what with every time I go into a room alone with you, I come out with my shirt on backwards and you come out with my bra on your head."

Daniel smirked, because first, it wasn't that much of an exaggeration lately, and second, Betty was at her cutest when she was trying to be tough and swear. It was like a kitten hissing and swiping futilely with its little claws at whoever has her by the scruff of the neck.

"Into the belly of the Mode-shaped beast," Daniel grinned, not at all worried. Betty didn't know whether to be flattered or annoyed that Daniel wouldn't give two shits if they marched into CNN and had hot, sweaty, massive sex on the news desk for the world to see.

As was usually the case regarding her boyfriend, it was a little of both.

Wili, Marc, Amanda, Bradford, the whole fashion industry would likely chew them up, spit them out, and pick their veneers with their bones. Betty couldn't have been happier; all the derision and scorn and general great globs of poo slung at them meant that the superficial world of fashion didn't approve of the genuine. And she and Daniel were nothing if not genuine. In short, it would be all the affirmation she and Daniel could hope for. Suddenly, she couldn't wait to go to work.

I know, I know, big fluffy chapter. But there will be angst, I promise. I know how you all loves some angst as much as I loves to dream it up and write it.

Please, please review. I write for you all, so I need to know your thoughts and criticisms…I'm still new to fanfic and I can't get better without it. Thanks so much!