Title: Why Henry Came Back
Author: Majinbuttercup
Pairings: Charlie/Henry, Henry/Betty/Henry
Rating: PG/K+
Comments, Warnings: This is my first "Ugly Betty" fanfic. It takes place mid – "How Betty Got Her Grieve Back." I have watched the episode a few times and I think I have all the times pretty close to correct chronologically. This is a fic that has been rolling around in my head for a few days, and I decided to go ahead and put it out, although it will almost assuredly be debunked in a few hours when the next episode airs. I apologize if it's a little confusing. I tried to be consistent, but first person present tense is a lot harder to write than I thought it would be, especially since I shift perspectives halfway through. It is also about 99 dialogue, so, I apologize if it gets confusing figuring out who's talking. I tried to avoid it. Comments and critiques are appreciated. I actually don't know how fast it will take for this to post, seeing as it is also my first fic, but, here's hoping it's before tonight's episode. I also do not know what kind of phone Betty has, so I just modeled it's options off of my own phone, and do not remember if they told us what Henry's ring tone sounds like, but if they did, well, he decided to change it while he was in Tucson.
Disclaimer: I do not own "Ugly Betty" or its characters, and am making no money off of this. Any similarity to actual people's lives is a coincidence and unintentional. I do not own whatever company owns "Onesies" or any other products I have mentioned by name.
October 4, 2007
Edit: Because made me wait two days before making my first post, all of my theories have now been disproved by the writers, and I must say, they did a much better job than I did, but that makes this now an AU. I hope you'll read and review anyway. Enjoy!
Why Henry Came Back
"Okay, Ms. Suarez. We just need you to come with us for a few minutes while we check your eye for damage," said the nurse, a large woman with brown hair and a frown. She held Betty's chart on a clipboard.
"Oh, all right. I sure hope this doesn't take too long. I have way too much to do today to be sitting around in a doctor's office. Here, Christina, take my phone and let the lawyer know I may be a little late to my appointment please? I'll be back as soon as I can." With that Betty shoved her phone into my hands, threw down her purse, and went to follow the nurse. I flip open her phone and select the phonebook to read her list of contacts: Christina; Dad; Daniel; Dr. Farkas; Henry; Hilda; Home; Justin's Camp; Lawyer; Mode; Sophia; Trina; Walter.
I scroll down to "Lawyer" and click "Call." Some snooty sounding receptionist answers, "Law office of Ronald J. Leader. How may I direct your call?"
"Yes, my name is Christina McKinney. I'm calling on behalf of Betty Suarez. She has an appointment with Mr. Leader for today in about a half an hour. She had an accident at work today, and just wanted me to tell you that she may be a little late to her appointment, but will come as soon as she finishes with the doctor."
"Hold please."
"Yes, Ms. McKinney," the snooty wench continues after about five minutes of making me wait, "Mr. Leader is a very busy man, and has eight more appointments this afternoon after Ms. Suarez. So tell her that if she can't make it to her appointment, she doesn't even need to bother showing up. We can reschedule if you'd like."
"No, that won't be necessary. I'll let her know, thanks." Click. "Like I'd tell her that, with everything else that's going on. Maybe if she shows up they'll see her anyway." I go to close her phone, and notice Henry's name. If she ever needed that boy, it was now. Peeking out the door to be certain she wasn't coming, I scroll to his name and select "Call."
I cringe as I listen to Charlie throwing up, yet again. 'That's my baby making her feel that way. My baby is growing inside of her.' This thought makes me smile. 'I can't wait until Charlie is be far enough along to find out if it's a boy or a girl, she isn't even a full trimester along and I'm already sick of yellow and green.' The piles of yellow and green Onesies are tall enough that they are towering over. I add yet another neatly folded shirt to the pile of 3-6 month clothes. We already have enough outfits for the baby to go through two outfits a day for his or her first four months. As the retching pauses, I call out, "Are you all right, Charlie? Do you want some 7Up, or some crackers?"
"No!" And she resumes her vomiting at the thought of food.
The Superman theme plays and I absentmindedly reach around the neatly folded baby clothes for my phone. 'It's probably Mom again.' My mother had been calling no less than four times a day ever since we told her about the baby, her first grandchild. I look at the name and see it: 'Betty.' Unconsciously I straighten my tie, rearrange my glasses, and smooth my hair. I reach over to the stereo remote and push "Play." Wagner fills the room as I answer softly, "Betty."
"No, Henry, it's me."
"Christina? What's going…?"
"I don't have time to explain right now, Betty should be back with the nurse any moment."
"Nurse?"
"I need you to call me back in about an hour on my phone. Betty should be with the lawyer by then."
"Lawyer? Nurse? Christina, what's…?"
"No time, she's coming. The number's 555-0198. Gotta go." Click.
'What was that all about?' I wonder as I turn down the music.
"Who was that on the phone?"
"Nobody, Charlie. Just a wrong number." She snatches my phone and looks down at the Caller ID.
"Betty? What's she doing calling you?" I can see her getting angry, which makes her hollowed cheeks more pronounced.
"All right, it wasn't a wrong number. It wasn't Betty either, it was her friend Christina. I have no idea why she was calling me, she wouldn't say. Now, how about some breakfast? I still have about twenty minutes before I have to leave for my job interview."
"No, thank you. I'll tell you why Betty's friend is calling you. She wants you to go back to New York. Betty's probably lonely. Who cares about the baby? Betty misses you. That's all that matters, isn't it?"
"Charlie, that's not fair. I left Betty. I came back to Tucson to be with you and the baby. There's nothing else I can do. I'm just going to go. Make sure I get there good and early. For all I know I could run into an accident and end up late. Make sure you eat something. You're losing too much weight. I want you and the baby to be healthy." I pull her into a quick hug and kiss her lightly on the lips. Thank god she brushed her teeth before confronting me. I look at my watch. 'It's only been 10 minutes, still too early to call Christina. I sure hope Betty's all right."
"Thank you, sir. I appreciate you taking the time to see me." I shake the man's hand. 'No positions available… If you'd just applied last month… We'll keep you in mind the next time… Blah, blah, blah. How am I supposed to take care of Charlie and the baby if I can't find a job? I'm only paid up for one more week on the rent for my apartment in New York, and Miles said they are still interviewing to take my place at Mode... Mode! Betty! Christina.'
"555-0198. Come on Christina!"
"This is Christina."
"Christina, this is Henry."
"Aye, I can tell."
"What is going on up there? You call and tell me Betty's seeing nurses and lawyers? What happened?"
Christina continued, "Ah, she's fine. She just ran into a sign and poked her eye with the bottom of her glasses."
"Ouch. I've done that, not too much fun."
"Of course not, but that's not why I called. The doctor was much more worried about her blood pressure. She's been running around like a chicken with her head cut off."
"Why?"
"Well, surely you've heard about Daniel and Alexis?" I nod, forgetting for a moment that she can't see me. "Nods don't really do much over the phone, but oh well. Her father's still in Mexico, she's actually in with the lawyer right now. At least I hope she's in with the lawyer. I didn't tell her, but a snooty little secretary said if she was going to be late not to bother showing up. I figure she can usually get her way if she's stubborn enough." Again, I nod a little smile on my face. "And, her nephew's fighting her about going to summer camp. And her sister's been holed up in her room for three weeks, and hasn't come out once."
"Why?"
"You know that message Betty left on your voicemail about needing to talk to you about something important on the night you left?"
"Voicemail? What voicemail? I didn't get any – wait a minute, Charlie used my phone on the plane. She must have seen it and erased it," I conclude bitterly.
"Ah, such a sweet little thing… I can't imagine how you ever did without her." The sarcasm is evident in her voice.
"That must be why I haven't heard from her. I wondered why she didn't call to thank me for the flowers. She must be upset she didn't hear back from me."
"Flowers? What flowers? Ach, never mind that now. Anyway, she decided to stop you from going, but then she found out about Santos."
"Who?"
"Justin's father. Hilda's fiancé. He was shot when the store he was in was robbed. He was there buying a card for Justin, because he was in a school play."
"That poor kid."
"Of course. That's why she didn't go looking for you. And she really needed to talk to you."
"Perfectly understandable. What did she need to tell me?"
"Well, it's about you and the whore."
"Whore? You mean Charlie? We're going to have a baby. She's my girlfriend."
"Whore, tramp, floozy, girlfriend. It's all the same. Call her what you will, she was still sleeping with Betty's orthodontist"
"Betty's orthodontist? That guy she brought to Charlie's party? He wasn't her boyfriend?"
"Of course not you nincompoop. She didn't want to go alone, so she asked him because he had a crush on her."
"Why'd she feel she had to bring somebody? And lie and say they'd known each other for a long time?"
"She had known him for a long time. Would you want to go to a party for Walter alone?"
'Shit. No wonder she brought a guy.' "Wait, Charlie was sleeping with him? The baby might not be mine? Does he know?"
"Does who know?"
"The orthodontist, Farkas, or whatever. Does he know about the baby?"
Christina paused, as if a revelation had bowled her over, "I highly doubt it, unless the tramp told him herself. All we've been thinking about was the thought that the baby might not be yours. She never said anything about telling him that the kid may be his."
"Don't. I'll tell him myself. I have to go talk to Charlie and then I'm coming back. I miss Betty and New York. We'll figure out the baby later. My poor mother, her first grandchild. She is going to be heartbroken. Oh, well. She always did say that Charlie was all wrong for me… I guess she was right. Oh, and Christina… Don't tell Betty. I want to surprise her."
"All right, Lord knows she could do with having someone around here that doesn't need her for everything. Daniel may be cute, but I've never met a needier 32 year old. Hold on… I've got another call, Henry. It's probably Betty. She was supposed to call me when she finished up with the lawyer and she's running a bit behind and there's a photo shoot pretty soon." Click.
I straighten my tie, stand up from the park bench I've been sitting on since I dialed Christina and walk to my car, the first pure smile on my face I've had in weeks. 'I'm going home.'
Owari