Chapter 4 UB FanFic

~Still part of flashback (September)~

Daniel walked over to his desk. He sighed quite loudly. He was so happy for Betty, but he knew that this would be too much work for her. He knew that she would pull another Betty, and overwork herself and not let anyone help her. Especially him. For some reason she never liked for Daniel to help her with more than he was supposed to. She loved to have him there, and she loved working with him, but unless it was in his job description or something a friend should help her with, he wasn't allowed to do it.

He tried to not become upset about it. He tried to not become angry, but whenever he stopped to think about it, he couldn't help but wonder why she did it. He wasn't even sure if Betty knew why she did it. Maybe she had some kind of idea that if he helped her more than he was supposed to, that she wasn't able to do her job. Then what did that say about Daniel and when she would do more for him than she was supposed to at Mode? Did she think he couldn't do it? It was too much to think about.

How could I even think that? O course Betty has faith in me, or at least I hope she does. I was Editor in Chief of MODE! Sure I got the job from Dad, but I proved myself. didn't I? Or was it always Betty doing it for me? No! I shouldn't be thinking like that. Either way she deserves this. But can she do it with so little help?

~3 weeks later (October)~

"Hey Betty?" Daniel said knocking on the open door to her office. He saw her sitting in front of the window like she always did when thinking. The light from the sun set a golden hue to any and everything in the room. It brought light to the room just like she did to him. It wasn't hot anymore, in fact you even needed a sweater in the evenings to be comfortable. Betty had liked sitting with her chair next to window just as much as sitting on the window seat. He loved that he knew what she would be doing and how. He knew her too well, and she knew him too well. That's what best friends did right?

There were papers strewn about on the hardwood floor of her office. The dark cherry wood desk she worked at everyday was no longer visible under all the files and boxes she had placed there. This was so unBetty like to be so unorganized, but Daniel knew what these days were like. He remembered feeling that way the night he stayed late in his new office working on an idea for Fabia Cosmetics, when it suddenly dawned on him how much of a jerk he had been and how much he needed Betty.

Daniel frowned slightly. The pain showed in his eyes. Maybe Betty doesn't need me? She hasn't asked for my help on anything. I come here every day to just get her coffee and take her calls. I mean I do work. Very hard actually, harder than I expected I would, but not enough it seems. I know I'm her assistant, but I can do so much more. Is this how Betty felt every time one of her articles got taken away from her? At least now I know how it feels. Look at her, she looks beautiful sitting there, but what's going on in her head?

"Yeah Daniel?" she asked quietly not turning around. She smiled slightly, but Daniel couldn't see it. She loved to hear his voice.

"You sound exhausted Betty. It's almost 8pm, why don't you go home and relax and get some rest? You need it. You can't work yourself to death." He stepped closer to the chair she sat in which was still facing the window.

"I know Daniel, but I have to get these ready for final approval by Wednesday, or else Sarah won't be able to have the site up by Friday." She yawned midway through her sentence and dropped a paper. She reached down for it and rested her head on the arm rest of the chair.

"It's only Monday Betty. You have time. The meeting with Mr. Dunne tomorrow is at 4pm. You can go over everything with him tomorrow, see what needs changed and then have the final approval. You have time." He sat down on the floor next to the chair. He put one hand on the back of the chair and held her hand that rested next to her face. Her lovely face.

"Daniel." She half groaned and half whispered. "I have to do this and get it done. I can't let this slip through my fingers. I have to try and pull and all-nighter. I don't have the choice." She looked at him and sighed. She didn't know what else to say. All she wanted to do was curl up and sleep. She wanted for Daniel to wrap his arms around her and hold her as she fell asleep, but she couldn't give in to her thoughts. She had been thinking this way since she first got this assignment. She hadn't been able to get her mind off of Daniel.

Every time she thought of him she couldn't work, and every time she worked, she thought of him and how they were a team at MODE. At Dunne she was afraid of expecting too much from Daniel. She knew he was capable of helping her. More than capable. She just couldn't bring herself to make him do that much for her. She was better off doing it on her own. She couldn't ask Daniel to make him help her that much. He had been looking for a fresh start. She wasn't going to make him do anymore than was in his job description. She didn't want him to hate her for making him do more than he expected to. No, she had to do this on her own.

He brought his other hand to her face and brushed the hair away cupping her cheek.

"Then let me help you." He looked into her eyes.

"No Daniel, I couldn't ask you to do that. I'm not going to make you do more than you expected to do here."

"Betty." He sighed looking away. "I've been waiting for you to ask me to help you. It's not about the job description. Do you think I like only getting the phone and bringing you the things that you need? Really Betty, come on. You know that I can help you. I know what starting something like this takes. It's in my blood for heaven's sake. I can help you, and I want to help you. You just have to let me."

Betty sat up making Daniel set his hand down on the chair, but he still held onto her hand. She wiped her eyes, trying to see straight from them burning with exhaustion.

'Really Daniel?" she asked looking back to him.

"Yes Betty. I want to help. But for some reason you haven't wanted my help. Haven't you ever heard that two heads are better than one? I know you need the help especially since Sean can't be here."

"I hope his brother's alright. Should we send something to them? Do you think flowers would be okay? Can you be sure to send flowers to the hospital tomorrow Daniel?" Betty asked rambling with worry.

"Yes I can be sure to send flowers." He laughed looking to the window for a moment thinking. "But that is tomorrow, and today you need to go home and rest. We can bring all of this to your apartment. Okay? I'll stay and help and we can order something to eat okay?" Daniel said standing up still holding her hand. "But you're not pulling an all-nighter."

"Fine." She said yawning. "As long as we get pizza." She tried to smile her reflexes lethargic.

"Sure." He laughed pulling her in for a hug without thinking.

Neither of them wanted it to end.

"What's this for Daniel?" she asked resting her head on his chest, wanting to just fall asleep and stay there forever.

"Um, I'm not sure Betty." He blushed stepping away. "I guess I'm just happy to know that we just might be a team again. At least for a little while." He smiled and gathered up all the papers around the chair.

"Let's go Betty." He gently grabbed her arm pulling her to the door. "Don't forget your purse."

She smiled, and they headed to her apartment.