She stayed for the meal for Daniel's sake, although she wished she hadn't for he spent the entire night apologising for not telling her of Angela's death.

She wished to God he'd stop reminding her of what she had just done.

"You just seemed to have moved on and were always so caught up with work…I didn't really think it would…bother you."

Finally she snapped.

"You do realise that I was very close to Gio."

"Yeah, you were close to him. Past tense."

"It still seems like the kinda thing you should bring up." Betty grumbled, her eyes narrowed but almost instantly they softened. "I'm sorry Daniel, I shouldn't be blaming you for this. It's my fault…entirely my fault." She could feel her voice break as the look on Gio's face came unbidden to the front of her memory.

Hot tears were threatening to spill from her eyes and so she decided to say goodnight to Amanda and Daniel, who insisted on ordering her a cab.

"Don't beat yourself up too much." he said as he hugged her and opened the car door for her.

She offered him a weak smile but made no promises.

Lying curled up in bed later that night Betty fought to rid herself of the image of Gio's tortured face…again! Why did she always have a habit of breaking his heart? It didn't matter that she didn't know about his wife's passing for her words were born out of bitterness and spite. Even if she had known she could not justify being so cruel. If his wife really had just up and left him would that have made it any better? NO!

The hours slowly trickled past but sleep evaded her the entire night. Eventually at around 6:15 she gave in, showered and dressed and poured herself a large cup of coffee.

She sat and drummed her fingers against the boiling hot mug as her conscious nagged her incessantly.

"Enough!" she cried out to the empty room.

Distraction.

That was exactly what she needed.

A nice walk somewhere and she knew the perfect place…

Betty knelt down beside her mother's grave, adjusting the small figurines and gifts from Rosa's many grandchildren and adding a new bunch of white lilies to replace the old ones, only just beginning to wilt.

"Hi mom," she whispered, her breath blowing out in an icy cloud before her.

"Just thought I'd come visit you…take my mind of things. Hope that maybe you've got some answers for me."

Silence.

Betty laughed lightly as she played with a small fray on her scarf.

"As usual you're right. I should really figure this one out for myself," she paused and decided maybe things would be clearer if she voiced her thoughts out loud to the world's best secret keepers, " So you probably saw what I said to Gio…I know, I know I should never speak to anyone like that…he just makes me so mad sometimes that I can't help myself! He brings out the worst in me…" she thought for a moment, "and the best. Mom, it killed me that he moved on, that what he felt for me just …disappeared. It still doesn't make it right but I was just jealous and I thought since he was there with Mia that she was obviously the new girlfriend…so I just assumed his wife had…" She sighed heavily. "Silly of me really, who on earth would leave a guy like Gio? I just wish he could know how sorry I am and understand that I'm clearly just turning into a bitter old woman!"

It was so early in the morning that Betty had just presumed she was alone. Little did she know that two rows behind her and perfectly within earshot, was Gio.

Just like Betty he couldn't sleep after the previous nights…event. It was for this reason he found himself at the cemetery so early that morning. He only ever visited at this hour when he was particularly lost, like when he would wake in the middle of the night and reach out for his wife only to find she was no longer there.

Of course he had seen her enter through the wrought iron gates and hastily make her way to her mother's grave and deciding he wasn't quite up to her apologies and begging he too knelt down by the grave he was visiting, obscuring him from her view.

He had heard every word. Every heartfelt syllable that she so desperately spoke to her mom and his heart went out to her, as it always did, but he was hurt. Like a wounded animal licking his wounds, he needed to be alone. Deep down he knew he had no real reason to be so angry with her, for she clearly had no idea of his wife's death and her sorrow was on show for all the silent world to see but that rage was still there. The pain and the hurt. Like his wife had died all over again.

Her words to her mother slowly dissolved into silence and for the first time since he had seen her he felt the urge to go to her and tell her it was okay. To hold her in his arms again.

The thought startled him and he bowed his head before his wife's grave. How could he have such thoughts while she lay cold and still beneath his feet?

What did these thoughts mean?

Nothing...you're past all that Rossi.

Was it possible he was starting to feel again?

Will that ever be possible after a woman such as Ange?

Was it possible he was starting to feel for her again?

His eyes closed in torment as he whispered a breathy "Please God not again!"

A barely audible sigh escaped him as Gio dared to glance up once more only to see Betty scurrying away towards the gates, entering back into the land of the living.

He noticed that he was scowling at her retreating figure.

Yeah, you're pretty pissed at her...just because she's sorry doesn't make it okay.

But in the deepest corner of his soul a tiny light flickered-love like he had for Betty never truly died, it may glow a little dimmer but it doesn't go out. Not ever.

He was mad,he was hurt and maybe just a little bit glad to have her back in his life...regardless of the situation they were in.

Every fibre of his being was conflicted! Any contact he would have with her right at that moment would either result in homicide or passionate sex.

Honestly, both options seemed perfectly feasible.

Both options seemed perfectly terrifying.