Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Ugly Betty : )

Summary: Daniel Meade thought he could keep his feelings a secret. What happens when the woman with the keys to his heart gets hurt in an accident?

A/N: So, so sorry it took me so long to update. I'm a very busy senior taking biochem and neurosciences so I don't always get the time...however...here is the next chapter, which takes place a few days later. Thank you all so much for still submitting reviews! I'm so touched...really. Hope you like!

Betty sighed, finally opening her eyes. She couldn't sleep...it was useless to try. She groggily sat up in her hospital bed, looking out the window into the early morning sun. She couldn't get the nurse's words out of her head. Daniel? In love with her? It just didn't seem very probable.

Betty knew that Daniel cared for her...friends care about each other. So it was natural for him to be scared that she might die, right? Of course it was, she reasoned. True- she'd never seen him cry over or pray for Sophia, but then again she was never in a life-threatening accident either. Betty sighed, rubbing her forehead. This was all so confusing...why'd the nurse even have to say anything in the first place?

What did it even matter if Daniel loved her? Sure she had feelings for him, but she didn't love him... did she?

Well...if she did, it would've been obvious to her a long time ago. When you love someone you just know...don't you? So what she thought about him everyday...big deal. He IS her boss...which means she sees him almost everyday...so that was only natural. It didn't matter that practically everything reminded her of him...or that when he gazed at her she'd get butterflies in her stomach...it didn't mean anything. Did it?

Daniel was just...not her type. Well for starters he was...rich. And a playboy. Well...maybe not so much anymore. The Sophia experience had definitely changed his perspective on things...Betty knew he didn't do that anymore. Okay...so he was sweet, and kind...and way more intelligent than most people, usually his father gave him credit for. He'd proven that he wasn't just a spoiled heir to a publication fortune...Daniel was so much more.

She took a deep breath, slightly shaking her head. Who was she kidding? She loved him. She was crazy about him. It was hard not to be...they'd grown close so quickly...and he was so cute. Even sexy sometimes...Betty caught herself and giggled. "What am I thinking?" she rolled her eyes. Why was she even considering this? It didn't matter...because she was basing Daniel's feelings on the observations of a nurse who probably watched too much Young and the Restless.

Besides... the idea of Daniel Meade and Betty Suarez together was crazy. It just didn't make sense.

"Henry! Come in," she replied after the soft knocking interrupted her thoughts. "How's my patient?" Henry asked holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Hey...I'm doing much better, thank you. How're you feeling?" she graciously accepted the flowers, smelling them.

"I'm fine...getting knocked over the head is nothing compared to what you went through, Betty," he sat on the edge of her bed. "I'm going to be alright. That's the important thing," she smiled at him.

"Right...well I know you're ready to get out of here and back home. When are they bringing your release papers by?"

"Umm...around 12:30 or so. I'm excited...I could really use some of dad's flan...this hospital food just isn't doing it for me," she said meeting his eyes.

"Yeah...I'll go ahead and arrange for a cab to pick you up okay?" Henry stood from the bed, pulling his cell phone out.

"Oh...you don't have to. It's already been taken care of," Betty told him.

"Oh. Right...I guess your dad would be a step ahead of me," he grinned.

"Well...actually...Daniel arranged for the towncar to take me home," Betty wasn't sure why telling Henry this was making her uncomfortable or why she was playing with the end of her shirt.

"Daniel? Hmm...I see," Henry averted his eyes.

"Yeah...ya know...it's just that Daniel's been really concerned...coming by everyday and calling to check on me...he's a really good friend," Betty was rambling now...she knew it and so did Henry...but it seemed to happen anytime she talked to Henry about Daniel.

She needed to get it together.

---

Daniel glanced at his watch. Why was it taking so long for 1:00 to roll around? He'd forced himself to come into work today, even if it was only going to be for half the day. He'd only come in because he knew they'd fall behind if he didn't get some work done.

He'd been so distracted by Betty's accident that he'd neglected a few things the last few days. She was getting released today and he'd arranged for the company car to swing by the hospital and take her home. Betty, of course, insisted that he didn't have to go through all the trouble. But it wasn't any trouble. Nothing was too much for her.

He let out a sigh and a small grin graced his lips as he thought of her...his Betty. Her near death experience opened his eyes to a lot of things. Life was too short to not be with the one you love.

Daniel knew he loved Betty...that was for sure. The question was...how did Betty feel? He had to find out...but how?

"What are you grinning about?" Amanda's voice resonated through his office. Daniel brought himself out of his thoughts and watched as Amanda walked briskly to his desk.

"Nothing," Daniel looked back down at the article in front of him.

Amanda crossed her arms and smirked. "Yeah right...I've seen that grin before. But you save it for a certain someone. This someone wouldn't be getting released from the hospital today would she?"

Daniel's head shot up, a shocked expression crossing his features. "What? No..." he scoffed.

"Oh come on Daniel! Everybody knows how you feel!"

"Wh- everybody?!" he asked worried as a look of victory spread over Amanda's face.

"Ah ha! So I was right...you do have feelings for her! I can't believe it."

Daniel sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. This is not what he needed right now. "Look...Amanda..."

"You don't have to explain yourself, Daniel. I've actually known for awhile now...don't worry. I won't tell her."

"Wait a minute...you've known for awhile? How?"

"How would I not? Anybody that watches you two and the way you guys..." she paused with a disgusted look on her face, "I dunno...interact with each other can definitely see that it's more than what you'd like everyone to believe," she explained to him, simultaneously pulling out a fingernail file to play with her nails.

"Really? Do you think she knows?" Daniel asked surprised.

"Please...she's as clueless as you are. So what is it about her? What is it about Betty Suarez that's so wonderful?" Amanda raised an eyebrow, watching Daniel stand from his seat.

He shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "What's not wonderful?" he said, unable to keep the small grin on his face from getting bigger.

Amanda rolled her eyes and snorted, "don't make me state the obvious here."

Daniel frowned up and shook his head. "So...because Betty's not your size with your fashion sense, I'm not supposed to love her?"

"That's not what I meant Daniel..." Amanda shouldn't have said anything...he was getting defensive now.

"I mean...yeah... when I first met Betty, I made presumptions about her just like everyone else here. That was stupid of me. But the more time we spent together, the more I got to know her. And I came to realize that she's more beautiful than any of these models walking around here. There's so much more to her than meets the eye...she's just-"

"Okay, okay. I get the picture. You love her," Amanda interrupted him holding her hand up.

"Yeah. I do," Daniel sighed contentedly once more. Amanda didn't know how much more of this she could take.

"So when you gonna tell the girl?" he paused, meeting her eye after she asked.

"Well...I - I haven't really thought that far ahead yet. I don't exactly know how she feels about me," he adjusted his tie, glancing at the clock. Almost time to go.

"Hmm...well if you love her like you say you do, you may wanna start thinking a little faster before Henry from accounting swoops in and ruins any chance you have. You need to tell her Daniel!" she told him forcefully, barely believing the words coming out of her mouth. Who would've thought in a million years that she'd be giving him relationship advice? So weird.

Daniel gave himself an encouraging nod. "You know what? You're right. I should tell her. I am gonna tell her," he buttoned up his Italian style suit, "I'm going to march in that house and tell her just how I feel," he picked up his briefcase, feeling confident as ever.

"Exactly!" Amanda said as a smile spread across her face. She suddenly felt really good about herself...she was doing the right thing.

She followed him all the way to the elevator doors. He turned towards her as he stepped inside, uttering a quick thank you before the doors closed. "Wish me luck," Daniel grinned.

"You won't need it," Amanda said to herself once he had disappeared from sight.

Ooh...looks like Daniel's about to step his game up! What will happen next? Stay tuned...and please do review...