Thanks to everyone who took the time to review the first chapter, I really love hearing from you guys, and as you have all spoken, I've decided to add an extra few chapters. I'm trying to keep this within the same timeline as the show, adding my story around some of the big plotlines. So each chapter will probably continue a few weeks or so after the last, it just makes it easier when working around season 4. This chapter may have you questioning my Detty appreciation, but don't worry, it's all about the drama. As always I love getting feedback, and if you review while logged in, I will try my best to reply to you all. Here's chapter two.
A few weeks had passed since her epiphany, and Betty was still no closer to discovering if her feelings were true. She had questioned herself a number of times, and always ended up with some excuse to explain what she was feeling, none of them romantic. It was because they were best friends, it was because he was hurting and she was there for him, it was because she liked spending time with him. All of these excuses she had used and then some. She still lay awake at night; on the rare occasions such as this that she did sleep at home, and wonder what he was doing. Was he too tossing at turning at the lack of her presence? Or was she even missed at all? This thought made it even harder to sleep, and once again she was left questioning why. She needed to talk to someone, usually that would have been Daniel, but as he was the problem, she had bottled things up. She couldn't talk to her father, he was always there for her, but this was a little out of her comfort zone and as for Hilda, she wasn't sure how her sister would react to such news. Staring at the ceiling she finally gave up on sleep and made her way downstairs.
Reaching the living room, she found Hilda wrapped in a blanket watching TV, and she looked up when she heard Betty enter. "Couldn't sleep either huh?" Hilda asked, as she held open the blanket to let her in. Snuggling next to her sister, Betty leaned her head on Hilda's shoulder. "No, there's too much stuff floating around in my head. Why are you up?" Hilda picked up the remote and turned off the television, then turned to face Betty, she sighed. "I'm pregnant." This caused Betty to sit up, she couldn't believe it, and here she was worried about her problems when Hilda was going through this alone. "Hilda, are you okay?" she shrugged. "How long have you known? Does Archie know?" Hilda just looked at her. "A few weeks. And no, Archie doesn't know. We ended things remember? But it doesn't matter." "Hilda, doesn't he deserve to know you're having his baby?" Hilda's eyes shone with unshed tears. "He's not the father." She may have been away from home a lot recently but she could put two and two together. It was Bobby's. She leaned forward and held her sister. "It's going to be okay." The moments passed, as Hilda let go of all her pent up emotion, and Betty comforted her as best she could. She realised in that moment that had she been at home more, she would have known what was going on with Hilda, and maybe there was something she could have done. "I'm sorry I haven't been here for you." Betty said as they let go of their hug. "What are you talking about?" Hilda replied. "You're always here for us, taking care of everyone." Betty gave her a small smile. "It's just lately I haven't been around much. There's stuff I didn't even know about." Hilda smiled it was her turn to help. "Betty, you can't be here for everything, and that's okay. You've got your new job, you've got your own life, and that's okay too." Hilda stroked her cheek, the way their mother use to when comforting them. But then her tone changed. "Although I don't know who you think you're fooling sneaking in at that time of the morning." Betty looked shocked, but Hilda only smiled. How did she know about that, she thought she had been quiet enough? As if reading her mind Hilda explained. "Please, you think you can pass one over on me missy, I was an expert at sneaking in late." They both smiled, remembering when Hilda climbed the drainpipe into her room, to avoid being caught. "So, who's the guy?" she asked excited. "Oh no Hilda, it's nothing like that." Betty waved it off. "I've seen you around here lately, there is definitely something going on. Now spill." She looked at her sister, Hilda had told her about the baby, as difficult as it had been, and truth be told, Betty really needed to talk to someone too. "It's Daniel." Hilda reacted loudly, as usual. "Oh my God, Betty, what are you thinking?" Betty whispered anxiously "Hilda, you'll wake papi!" Hilda calmed herself. "I'm sorry." She spoke quieter. "Betty, what are you doing sleeping with your boss? I know he's a bit of a hottie, but…" Betty cut her off. "I'm not sleeping with Daniel. Well, I am, but I'm not. This is so confusing." She sighed; she needed to tell Hilda everything, so she started at the beginning.
"Oh." Was all Hilda said, when she had finished. "Oh?" Betty mimicked, "Oh is all you have to say? I'm freaking out here." She leaned her head back against the couch, and scrunched her eyes shut. Hilda grabbed her arms and pulled her back up. "This is serious, are you going to do anything about it?" She sighed. "I don't know Hilda. What could I do? This is just so complicated. Why did I have to stay in the first place?" Hilda placed a hand on her arm. "Because you're you. Daniel was hurting, and you being the person you are couldn't let that happen." "Yeah, but now every time I see him, I get confused all over again. It's ridiculous Hilda, me and Daniel, it would never work. Besides, I'm hardly his type." Hilda changed from comforting sister, to 'listen here' sister. "You're gonna make me tell you how amazing you are again, aren't you. I don't know why you don't see it, I can, Justin and papi can, and Daniel can too. Why else would he let you in, when obviously he is shutting everyone else out?" Betty thought about what she was saying. "Was Molly his type?" Hilda questioned, with eyebrows raised. She had a point; Molly was nothing like the women he use to date in the old days. "He's changed, you should know better than anyone how much." Betty smiled at her sister, she should have known to come to Hilda sooner, she was always there for her no matter what. "So what are you gonna do now?" Betty sighed. "I think maybe I'm too close to the situation. We spend so much time together I think it's clouding my judgement. As much as it pains me to say it, I think Daniel and I need some time apart. Just until I figure out if these feelings are real. I don't want to say something that could ruin our friendship, it means too much to me." Hilda placed a hand on hers. "So what are you going to tell him?" Betty looked up. "I have no idea."
The next day at the office, she had been putting off the conversation with Daniel she had been dreading. Thankfully both their schedules had kept them busy, so staying out of his way hadn't been too difficult. But by the time she had finished for the day, she knew there was no more delaying. She had stayed at home the night before and there was every chance he would assume she would be staying at his tonight, now all she had to do was find the courage to tell him otherwise. Until she could think of a better reason, the one she had come up with would have to do. As she approached his office, she could see his face light up at her presence, and he waved her in. She stood before his desk, thinking standing would allow her a speedier getaway, and opened her mouth to speak but he beat her to it. "Hey you, I was thinking Chinese tonight, what do you think?" She paused, taking a deep breath. "Daniel I can't." He looked up a little surprised. "Oh, okay did you want Thai instead, I know this great place that delivers, we could just..." This was difficult enough as it was, and he wasn't making it any easier, she had to try again. "No I mean," she looked around making sure no one was listening in, and finished quietly. "I can't stay tonight." His face seemed to fall, but he quickly covered it up. "Oh…okay." Was he disappointed? It didn't matter, she needed this time to figure out how she really felt, and she couldn't do that with him around. "It's just there's a lot going on at home right now, and I just, I need to be there." Daniel nodded. "That's fine, ah, anything I can help with?" He didn't seem fine, and part of her wanted nothing more than to forget her stupid idea, and go home with him. But she couldn't, she had said so herself their friendship was much too important to leave something like this unresolved. For once she was going to have to put herself first. "Thanks, but its fine." He nodded once again. "Okay then…I guess I'll see you tomorrow." He seemed distracted, going back to the work on his desk as if trying to hide his disappointment. She couldn't help it, she had to ask. "Are you going to be okay?" Still occupying himself with his paperwork he spoke. "I'm a big boy I think I can handle it. Go, be with your family." Unable to shake the feeling she had let him down, but determined to continue with her decision, she said her goodbyes. "I'll see you tomorrow." "Yup." He replied never looking up, and a part of her felt a little hurt at his sudden coldness. As she left his office, she hoped she had made the right decision.
As soon as she walked through the door, she was grabbed and dragged up the stairs by Hilda, who had been waiting impatiently for her sister's arrival. Pushing her into her room, Hilda shut the door behind her, giving Betty a moment to catch her breath. "Geez Hilda, you couldn't let me get through the front door first?" Hilda was pacing. "I'm sorry, I couldn't wait any longer. What did you say to Daniel? How did he take it?" "Whoa, slow down, you're acting all crazy control freak." Betty replied, then by the look on Hilda's face apologised. "Sorry…I told him there was stuff going on at home and I needed to be here. As for how he took it? He said he was fine, but I don't know, he seemed kind of disappointed I guess. Then again, I could just be over analysing it." She sat down on the bed and Hilda joined her. "You're doing the right thing you know." Betty nodded. "Yeah I know." She just hoped that whatever she was feeling she could deal with it quickly, because being away from Daniel was one of the hardest things she ever had to do.