Hey everyone – after a LONG hiatus, I've decided to pick this one up. I made a few attempts, but the plotlines this season have come and go so quickly that none were successful. I thought I'd pick this up and continue my fic in the way that I would personally like to see this series end, and since I'm fairly sure (like 99.9% certain) it WON'T happen this way, I'd like to put the fic out there and at least pretend. To stop this from being AU, I've put in a HUGE lapse of time and I hope that it works.



Six Months Later

Time had passed. Things had changed. One thing, however, stayed the same – Daniel never kept him promise to Molly and spoke to Betty.

He didn't speak to Betty when he felt desperate, turned to a cult and started feeling as though he could get her back. He did for a moment – and accidentally kissed her – but he didn't speak to her.

He didn't speak to Betty when Matt left her, then they got back together, then he left her. Again. Was there anyone in the world that didn't break Betty's heart?

He didn't speak to Betty when he started to lose bits and pieces of Molly as his responsibilities grew and he focused more on sticking it to Wilhelmina than he did to thinking about how much he missed Molly.

By all formalities, Molly was gone. Her innocence was gone. Her sweetness was gone. The love of life that Daniel once felt with her beside him was gone. Nothing could bring it back – not even Betty. Molly was wrong about that.

Worse still, Molly's presence wasn't the only thing that was changing. Betty was too.

She was an editor now. She spent time in an office doing things that directly affected Daniel only every so often. He'd get visits from her every now and then, and, technically, they were friends, but it wasn't the way it used to be. She wasn't his assistant. She didn't need him the same way she used to. She was slowly, gradually turning into another employee. Even more unsettling, she was turning into another employee that was starting to intimidate Daniel.

She was being more widely recognized for her ideas. Her fashion sense was certainly improving. Daniel always saw Betty as his assistant and never particularly noticed if she looked nice, but there were a few days when she put an outfit together that wasn't entirely crazy. Even Daniel couldn't help but notice.

Besides, she had other things going on in her life. Daniel used to be there too – he used to have the prospect of work and then the prospect of dating, women, socializing and the like. He had no hobbies to go home to. He had no wife to go home to. He had no friends to spend time with. It was work, home, work home – that was it.

Betty may not have had a boyfriend anymore, but she had the rush of a new apartment. She had the new found closeness of Marc and Amanda, no matter how bizarre that friendship was. She had her blog or whatever it was. She had things going on.

Daniel had nothing.

Still, because she was Betty, she managed to find time to come in and see him and they would talk about their week. This was particularly appreciated lately, when he was starting to realize how old he was actually getting. Not truly old, but old enough for models to check out people like that Tyler character instead of him, whoever that guy was. Daniel had hoped that he'd be there for a minute and disappear; no such luck. He was a valued model now.

Great.

Which is precisely what Daniel attempted to talk to Betty about. Not Molly. Not what he promised he would talk to her about. This Tyler guy.

"Daniel, I don't even know what the big deal is," Betty told him one day as they got lunch out of the office, prodding her fork into her salad carelessly. Since when did Betty eat salad? "He's a model; there are tons of models around work and they've never bothered you before."

"I've never had to compete with them before," Daniel complained, wondering why on Earth Betty just couldn't get what was plaguing him. "I've always been the one that the women went to first; now it's all…Tyler this and Tyler that…"

"Daniel," Betty said, giving him that disapproving look she was famous for. "Don't you think you're exaggerating just a little bit? I mean, come on, at the end of the day, he's some model and you're Daniel Meade. Who seems more important to you?"

There she went.

As usual, Betty had this annoying habit of making everything sound perfectly okay.

"Well, that's at the end of the day. What about during the day when people are awake and noticing other people?"

"You're still more important," Betty insisted, although it looked like she was trying to hide a smirk. "And even if some people don't give you as much attention, who cares? What difference does it make if some models are into you? I thought you were past all that."

So did he.

Again, as it happened every so often, Daniel thought of Molly, her face faded in the background appearing to him clearly and telling him to listen to Betty. She liked Betty. Betty knew what she was talking about.

"You're right. It doesn't."

"Exactly! Now be happy with me – this week's very important."

Daniel couldn't help but laugh; Betty had only mentioned this four thousand times.

"I know, I know – the braces…"

"Oh, Daniel, you're killing me!" Betty argued. "You're talking about it like it's no big deal. Seriously – I can have tootsie rolls again!"

"Sure. And you'll get those braces back in about three months."

"Bite your tongue," Betty retorted, but she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. "It's just…oh, man, Daniel, you don't know what a relief it is! For years I've been the girl with the braces, and I've had to have every person comment on them or ask when on Earth they were coming off and they are! They finally are!"

Excitedly, Betty lifted her hand for a high five and Daniel couldn't help complying. He missed Betty's high fives. They came on fewer and fewer occasions these days.

"Well, I'm sure you're going to look great," Daniel told her, and he meant it. Betty, however, didn't seem to want it to end there.

"Well, that, and I won't worry about things stuck in my teeth, I can smile without worrying about the metal, I can stop scratching my gums…"

"Okay, Betty, okay!" Daniel said. "I get it – you're happy."

"Well, aren't you a killjoy today?" Betty asked, looking a bit put out. The last thing that Daniel hoped to do was to end her excitement, so he reached over and patted her shoulder. She looked the slightest bit happier.

"I'm sorry. I'm just stressed about this Tyler thing and I'm letting it get to me. How about this – you get them off on Wednesday, right? We'll go for lunch Thursday and I'll pick you up a pack of Oreos to have afterwards; you've been talking about them for years. My treat." Betty looked a little guilty; he hated that look.

"I'm sorry, Daniel, I can't. I…kind of told Marc and Amanda I was getting them off and they said they'd take me to lunch that day."

Marc and Amanda?

Taking Betty to lunch?

Voluntarily?

"What?"

"I know," Betty said, giggling. "Of course, they didn't say it like that; they tried to make it sound as if it was for them because they won't have to look at my braces anymore, but, still, as far as they go, that invitation was practically sweet."

And that was what Betty chose over him? Two people who made fun of her the entire time they were at Mode? Why would she want to celebrate with them before she celebrated with him?

"Well, okay…that's…fine, I guess. What about Friday? We have a lunch meeting but maybe we could do dinner."

"Dinner on Friday's perfect," Betty said with a little too much enthusiasm. He could tell she felt guilty about blowing him off (if that's what she considered it), but he still felt a lump in his throat.

First he lost Molly. Then he lost his pride. Now he was losing Betty. Slowly but surely, losing Betty. Forget discussing Molly with her – he couldn't even discuss anything with her.

"Great," Daniel said, trying not to sound too disappointed. "Come on, we'd better get back to the office. I'll get the check."

"This one's on me!" Betty insisted. She flashed him that metallic grin he knew he'd miss as soon as the braces were off. A piece of him didn't want to see them go. "I've wanted to say that for years." Daniel couldn't help smiling back.

"Okay, Miss Hot Shot Editor. It's all yours."


That Wednesday, Betty could not stop looking in the mirror.

She felt as though an entire row of teeth had been removed and she now had room in her mouth that was never there before.

And the white – the WHITE!

Her teeth were white. They weren't a mess of metal; they were pearly, sparkling white.

The first place she had to go to show off her new smile was her house. Everyone was thrilled, especially Hilda, who said that she'd be good business for the salon with a smile like that (despite how self-serving a comment that was, Betty couldn't help but be flattered). Papi went out of his way to make a caramel flan, but Betty reminded him that her teeth were still a little sore for sweets.

It was a perfect day so far, and it only got better as the doorbell rang.

Betty opened to door to a stocky yet sweet looking fire fighter who was standing outside, his truck a few feet away in the street.

Did Hilda hire a stripper for the occasion?

"Hi, um, do you live here?"

"Yeah," was Betty'd gut reaction, but then she shook her head. "I mean, no. Well, I mean, kind of…my parents…I mean, that is to say…" She caught him smiling and she had to smile back.

"Okay, sorry to confuse you," he said with a bit of a smile. "Is there someone around who does live here?"

"No, no, it's okay, my father and sister live here. I'm here all the time." He smiled at her again.

"That's good to hear."

Crap.

It had only been a few hours and already she was getting attention from the opposite sex.

Sweet.

"So, um, I'm sorry, I don't know your…"

"Jimmy," he replied, extending a hand to hold out. Betty shook it, feeling how warm and rough it was in hers.

"Hi, Jimmy. So…did you just come here to introduce yourself, or what?"

"No, no, oh man, sorry," Jimmy said, removing his hand from hers (much to her dismay) and laughing a bit before pulling something out of his pocket. It was what looked like an outlet. "I was here for the fire a few weeks ago; one of my guys checked out the outlet here to make sure it was safe; doesn't look tampered with, but I don't know if you should have an electrician come and check it out. There could be a problem with the wiring."

Tampered with?

Who thought the wires were tampered with?

"Well, thank you Jimmy. We'll look into that."

"Wait, wait, that's not fair," Jimmy said, giving her that flirty smile again. "I've told you my name and you haven't told me yours, but judging from that B, I'd say it's…Becky?"

"Nope, it's…"

"No, no, let me guess," he insisted. Although slightly pushy, Betty was still so happy about her braces she didn't let it bother her. "Bea?"

"Nope."

"B…B…Beth?"

"Uh-uh."

"Bethany?"

"Betty."

"Oh, man, I told you not to tell me!" Jimmy insisted.

"Sorry, Jimmy, you're just…not a very good guesser."

"Okay, granted. So, Betty. Is there a last name that goes with that?"

"Suarez."

"Oh, right!" Jimmy said, giving the same doofy laugh he gave before. "The Suarez house. I forgot."

"Look," Betty said, flattered by his flirting but starting to feel slightly uncomfortable. "I don't mean to be rude, but aren't you kind of busy or…"

"Yes, but not before you say yes."

Betty gazed at him completely confused; what was the question?

"What?"

"Well, I was hoping that if I asked you to dinner on Friday night that you'd say yes. I mean, I know it's not standard firefighter/civilian protocol, but I thought, since you didn't let me guess, you'd at least let me take you out."

Wow.

A date.

With a total stranger.

Betty hadn't been on one of those in…no, wait. She'd never been on one of those.

"Oh, well, Jimmy, I don't know."

"Aw, come on. I put the fire in your house out. I promise it'll be a good time. Trust me."

Then again, what did she have to lose?

He was charming – indisputably so. A bit odd and annoying, but maybe he was just nervous?

Still, the idea of a spontaneous, new date could put matters into perspective. It would be a new experience, and each new experience added to her life. Each addition to her life was an addition to her growth, her career – everything.

She was no longer safe, little-girl Betty. She was a grown woman who would take risks.

"Sure. Okay, I'll go."

"Great. You have a pen? We'll swap numbers." Betty smiled and nodded and turned inside the house, where Papi, Hilda and Justin were all gazing at her. Papi looked disapproving and worried, while Hilda and Justin looked both shocked and impressed.

"Who is that guy?" Papi insisted.

"Do you have a date with a total stranger? A fireman, no less?" Hilda asked.

"That is so hot, A.B.," Justin cut in.

"Guys, guys, it's no big deal; it'll just be dinner."

"It had better be," Papi muttered, but Betty ignored him to grab a pen. After they had exchanged numbers, Jimmy gave her one last smile.

"So you're in Manhattan? Perfect – I know a few great places by there."

"Great," Betty said. Then, in a very forward motion, Jimmy took her hand again and gave it a little squeeze.

"I'll see you tomorrow Betty Suarez."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow," Betty said.

Despite her looks from Hilda and Justin and her questioning from Papi, despite the noise that came from the argument that persisted afterward between Hilda and Papi about whether or not the outlet had been tampered with, Betty couldn't focus on anything.

It was a new dawn, a new day, a new life.

She couldn't wait to tell someone…someone who would understand.

Daniel.

He was always supportive of every new move she made.

Wait a minute…

Daniel!

She told him that they would have dinner on Friday!

She already blew him off for Thursday, and now she'd have to postpone for Friday as well?

Oh well. He'd understand. They'd make it up the next week.

Or so she hoped.