Title: Dear Diary

Author: QueenWillie

Pairing: Daniel/Wilhelmina

Rating: Hmmm pretty tame PG-13 just now but will change as story continues 

Summary: Can all this animosity really just be over a job?

Chapter 1

Betty was profoundly bored. With Molly's death still hanging over Daniel like a black cloud, everyone had been steering clear of his office. Editors, models, photographers all directed themselves to Wilhelmina's office and through the glass she could see Marc running about with a cell under his ear, several pagers in one hand and a stack of papers under the other arm. God, how she longed to be busy. She looked at her watch for the 10th time in as many minutes and swung round in her seat; when she was facing forward again she saw a harassed looking Marc standing in front of her.

'Okay Suarez, stop begging, you can help me.' He drawled, as if doing her a favour.

'What?'

'I see you here, pleading me with those puppy dog eyes buried under caterpillars, and I know you're dying to help.'

'Actually, I'm fine. Having some me time, you know... It's not often things are so quiet for me, it gives me a chance to check out the update on .' She grinned.

Knowing full well she was lying but was not going to help without asking, he sighed and shut his eyes. 'Fine, I need help. I have a million things to do and I'm never going to get to our YETI class if I don't have an assistant.'

'A partner.'

'Whatever.'

She reached up and lifted the mountain of paperwork from under Marc's arm and smiled. 'Okay, whaddya need.'

'Leave the papers, they can be filed later. I need you to help me call back all these missed calls while we're on our way.' He grabbed her arm and pulled her after him.

'On our way where?'

xXx

Betty swore she could actually feel the temperature drop as she walked over the threshold.

'Marc, I don't want to be here. Why are we here anyway?'

He sighed. 'Breathe a word of this and I'll have you banned from every taco stand in Manhattan.'

She nodded.

'So that she could help out financially with the company after lover boy bailed with the big bucks, Willie sold some possessions to an auction house.'

'Wow…but why are..'

'Let me finish woman!'

'Some things are too beautiful to part with.' He said, his voice breaking. 'I hid one of her sables, I thought they wouldn't notice but they did, so now I've got to get it to them before 6pm or Willie will have my eyes as earrings.'

Betty rolled her eyes at him.

'Don't judge me, like you wouldn't protect your poncho with your life. Now you go in the kitchen and finish those calls while I get the sable.'

Marc threw his scarf over his shoulder and walked to Wilhelmina's bedroom while Betty retreated to the kitchen.

xXx

After 30 minutes Betty had finished returning the calls and she realised Marc wasn't back yet. How long does it take to pick something out a closet? She sighed and toddled down the hall to the bedroom. When she opened the door she saw Marc standing in front of a full length mirror, modelling the exquisite sable and a tiara. Her jaw dropped as she saw half the contents of Wilhelmina's extensive wardrobe were pulled out and scattered all over the room.

'Marc, what are you doing!?'

He spun round at the sound of her voice, but instead of appearing embarrassed about being caught in such a compromising position, he merely shrugged and wrapped another fur around him.

'Calm down, one of the perks of being Willie's whipping boy is playing dress up when she's not around.'

'Marc help me get this cleared up, we have to leave for YETI in 30 minutes!'

'Fine!' He huffed and walked back to the walk in wardrobe as Betty started scooping garments from the floor and bed. Walking to the closet with her arms full she groaned when she saw Marc sitting on the floor inside, still wrapped in finery, looking through a box at his feet.

'Marc, come on, stop snooping!'

'Okay, okay…god I hate that you're good. I wish I'd asked Mandy instead. It's not even that interesting anyway. Crappy blankets and baby clothes from when Nico was little, urgh Willie's sentimental.' He shivered.

One last rummage in the box of childhood trinkets and Marc was about to return the lid to the box when he froze and his eyes widened.

'Ooooh.'

'What?' Betty asked as she hung clothes back on the racks.

Marc held up a selection of books in front of him, eyes shining in interest. 'Diary of a Diva!'

Betty stopped what she was doing and shook her head slowly. 'No Marc…no! This has gone too far, that's such an invasion of privacy.'

'Yeah, like she wouldn't read yours.'

'I doubt anything in my little life would interest Wilhelmina Slater.'

'Well, that's true.' He deadpanned as he opened one of the books.

'Marc no!' She reached to remove the book from his hands but he batted her away.

'Fine, but I'm taking no part in it!' She busied herself sorting the shoes Marc had removed from the closet as he sat himself in the corner and began to read.

After 10 minutes of gasps and laughs from Marc, Betty was determined not to let her curiosity get the better of her. Marc suddenly sat bolt upright.

'Oh my God!'

She would not rise to the bait….she would not.

'Betty….'

'I don't wanna know Marc.'

'Trust me I don't want to know this either but…oh my God!'

She didn't turn round or reply but let him go on.

'These last few entries are all about some guy she was seeing…younger, handsome, playboy type and she kept trying to put him off, but in this last one she says she thinks she's falling for him.'

'So, she was in love. She was in love with Connor, what's the big deal?' She asked, annoyed that she was getting involved. She felt herself being prodded in the back and turned to find Marc pushing the diary at her.

'Read it.'

'No way!'

'Betty…trust me, you have to read it!'

She snatched the book reluctantly and read the last entry on the page.

March 18th 1994

He's wearing me down, he knows it as well as I do. As much as I protest at the end of each date that I won't see him again, I always do. I don't want to fall for him, he's just a kid. He's only 22 and I'm 30 (God that's depressing just writing it). He's funny, handsome, smart(ish) and he's wonderful with Nico. Plus he knows what he's doing in the bedroom, surprising considering his age. Why am I questioning this so much, look at the list of pros I've just listed without even thinking about it and what's putting me off? A number? That's ridiculous, I've had enough Casanovas, Lotharios and Romeos break my heart. Maybe its time I revert from my usual type, maybe a Daniel Meade is just what I need.