AN: I'm so never making promises again about when I'll try deliver a new chapter or so, I seem to curse myself every time I do. All I can say is, as long as people are interested I'll keep trying to write :D. Although even if people aren't interested I'll probably still try to finish it (since I can't stand leaving something unfinished). The next chapter is halfway finished, but then so was this one several months ago. I do have a semi-clear idea where I want to take this story, but I wouldn't mind someone to bounce off ideas on if anyone is willing? Also, to clarify the move in with Daniel is most definitely temporary and not the sappy variation. Daniel actually is aware of his feelings, at least to some degree. He just has no idea how Betty feels. And neither does she - in my story anyway - or at least she's in denial. Have you ever felt really strongly about someone but were unwilling to let yourself, because you thought the idea they could possibly return those feelings was absurd? That's about where she is and one step before that - denial happy land. I have no beta, so pardon the errors :). It's a bit short, but...it's something :). So without further ado...

Disclaimer: (Ok so maybe a tiny bit more 'ado') I still don't own Ugly Betty, as unfortunate as I may feel that may be.


"Good morning Hilda", Betty answered her phone with a yawn. Checking her alarm clock, she wondered if Hilda would ever learn the time difference and stop calling her at strange hours like…2:38am. Rolling her eyes she listened to Hilda babble on.

"Betty! You're not going to believe what happened! The insurance money finally- Ai, Justin! Can't you see I'm on the phone?...No, I don't know where they are, can't you ask Bobby to help you look?...I'm talking to Betty…Okay, okay! - Justin says 'Hey' and he loves you. So anyway, the insurance money came in! And we got the full amount, so I can start my salon again! And just around the corner of our new apartment is the perfect place! We're going over there tomorrow to see if we can get it, apparently the owner is some old lady who never really talks to anyone. I just hope she's not some crazy old lady who only talks to cats ya know? But isn't that great?", she finally stopped for a moment. The problem for Betty was that she now seemed to be waiting for an appropriately enthusiastic reply. At…2:42am.

"Yes Hilda, that's great news. You do know it's almost 3am here right? Why are you calling so late anyway?", she half mumbled while attempting to sit up so she wouldn't fall back asleep while on the phone. Again. She still had to listen to her dad's pretend-disgruntled comments about the last time that happened.

"We just got back from painting the apartment", she said and started laughing, "Justin and Austin were showing off dance moves to each other and Justin stepped in the paint tray. Now he's throwing a fit because his favorite shoes are ruined. Betty, the apartment is so beautiful, I wish you could see it."

Hearing the sadness in Hilda's voice, Betty couldn't help but feel a little guilty again. She knew she wasn't doing anything wrong, but she missed her family a lot. Sometimes, at moments like these, she felt guilty for leaving them. She felt guilty for not being there for the big moments in their lives, moments like help painting a first apartment. After a brief pause she answered, "I will Hilda, I'll come visit as soon as things are settled a bit here and the first issue is out. I promise. Speaking of visits, when is Justin's vacation exactly? I have to make sure I've found a place to live by then. Although with Daniels help it probably won't take that long anymore."

"Aahhww! That's so sweet. So…he's there? Actually staying there? In London. With you?", Hilda paused for a moment, wanting to say something else. When Betty didn't respond she thought the better of it and decided to just change topics. "Anyway, Justin's vacation starts a couple of weeks from now, but you'll have to ask him when he wants to visit."

"Alright, tell him I'll call him this week okay?" Realizing she had a really long day ahead of her tomorrow she decided to keep the call short. She'd make it up to Hilda later. Too tired to think she forgot she hadn't actually told Hilda about the 'roomie-arrangement' with Daniel yet. Too tired to think her next words through, she tried to suppress another yawn and started her excuse for cutting the call short, "Anyway, I'm really sorry Hilda, but I really have to get some sleep. I still have to pack half my things before Daniel gets here at 9am to help move and then finalize a few proposals that were actually due yesterday."

"Ohh okay, but you have to promise-..wait. Betty, I thought you said you didn't have a place to live yet?", Hilda asked confused.

Immediately wide awake Betty realized her mistake, far too late. Not that she was doing something wrong she mentally argued, it was a completely normal and friendly arrangement. She had no reason to feel so… Caught? Scrambling to explain it properly so it wouldn't sound like some huge deal, she made the rookie mistake of edging around the subject long enough to make it sound exactly like a really big deal.

"Oh that, well it's nothing really. See Daniel had this idea, and it really makes a lot of sense if you think about it, because well, you know he's helping me find a place right? But that could take some time, even if he knows London better than I do, and I'll have to stay in this hotel all the time. Staying here is really getting quite expensive and I barely have space to walk anymore with all the stuff I have now, and his family has an apartment here that's really kind of big. So he suggested we should, or that I should just…stay there for a while!", she ended in a high voice, way too chipper for it to not sound fake. About to ramble off again about the financial benefits when Hilda was still quiet, Hilda suddenly cut in, in typical Hilda-fashion.

"DANIEL ASKED YOU TO MOVE IN WITH HIM?"

Betty groaned, all happy thoughts of any sleep left leaving her. She was pretty sure everyone on Hilda's end must have heard that and drawn the wrong conclusions. Not to mention she was half-convinced Hilda could be heard in China. She could already hear some scuffling about on Hilda's end and her dad and nephew arguing softly about who would get the phone first. Sighing she prepared herself for a lengthy discussion on whether or not Daniel actually had asked her to move in. "No! Hilda! It's nothing like that! Like I told you, it's just easier right now. It's more like when I was living with Amanda. You know, sharing rent and things like that."

"Amanda never paid rent. And you said his family owns that apartment, so doesn't that mean you won't have to pay rent? Besides - ..PAPI! I'm talking to her, give me the phone!...Betty? Okay, so let me get this straight, you'll be playing house with Daniel?! Betty, are you sure that's such a good idea? How can you be sure it's just 'as friends'? The man followed you halfway across the world, Betty!"

Waiting patiently for Hilda to breathe so she could cut in, she jumped on the moment when it arrived only to not know how to respond to Hilda's last remark. Desperate to say something, anything, to keep Hilda from continuing so she could hopefully have at least –some- time left to sleep she blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "Amanda did pay rent! Sometimes anyway", she quickly gathered her thoughts and went on, "Anyway, that's not the point. No, I won't have to pay rent, and I'm not playing house with Daniel! It's only temporary until I find a place of my own. Hilda, please don't make a big deal of it. It really isn't! It's just two friends living together for a while, that's all."

"If you say so. Like I said, the man followed you to London. That should tell you something Betty! He cares about you, but I don't think it's just 'as friends' –"

"Hilda, don't be ridiculous. This is Daniel we're talking about, of course it's just as friends", she was getting annoyed. Between the lack of sleep and Hilda being the third person to suggest Daniel was interested in anything other than friendship she was really getting annoyed. The idea alone was absurd! Anyone who knew Daniel's taste in women would have a laughing fit thinking he would be interested in her. She was like his little sister or something! She was sure of it. That he followed her to London, which even she couldn't really deny, was only because they had become really close..friends. Right? He was close to Alexis here, but still far enough away to be able to start on his own doing…well whatever it was he wanted to start. Staying in London was probably just so he had a friend around, someone he could trust and feel comfortable with. She could definitely understand that, remembering how good it felt to see him again and to find out he would be sticking around for a while. There was absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a friend around when making a new start with your life. For all she knew, he could have easily decided to just visit and stay with Alexis instead.

So why exactly hadn't he?

Hilda, sensing Betty wasn't willing to listen to what she was saying right now decided it was probably better to let her think on it for a while. Still trying to keep the phone away from their father (who looked like he was trying to decide between being somewhat happy or completely horrified and ready to talk some 'sense' into Betty) and Justin (who looked particularly smug), she decided it was better to have the family discussion another day. "Anyway, I'll let you get back to sleep. Just….think about it ok?"

Still annoyed she immediately welcomed the chance to end the conversation. No matter how much she missed her family, this was one of those moments where she didn't need their voices alongside her inner voice telling her nonsense. Before you know it, she'd start to believe it and…well that would just make things awkward wouldn't it? Thinking back with a wince at how Daniel had acted when he thought Betty had feelings for him…well..that really erased any doubts she'd started to form about whether or not Hilda could be right.

"Trust me Hilda, there's nothing to think about. Really. I'll call you guys later this week okay? Tell everyone I said 'Hi' and I love you guys!"

"We love you too! And start planning that visit okay? We miss you! Bye!", hanging up the phone she turned to the others and exclaimed, "Betty is moving in with Daniel, can you believe it?"

Betty rolled her eyes at the turn the conversation had taken, but at the same time felt a smile firmly in place again. She really did miss them a lot. Suddenly feeling very tired again she figured it was probably better not to dwell on it and just go to sleep. She'd be spending the whole day with Daniel tomorrow and she definitely did not need to be concerning herself with anything that could distract her from the move and her job. Daniel would notice something was up and then she'd have to tell him about the conversation and the very, extremely, absolutely crazy conclusions Hilda had drawn. He'd probably laugh about it and she felt very sure she would too. But it would be easier to not have to explain of course. It was stupid, just a misunderstanding with her family, something that happened on a regular basis after all. But the thought of laughing about it with Daniel made her uneasy. She wasn't sure why exactly, because really it was nothing.