A/N: I don't normally do this but I absolutely feel the need to right now! I'm dedicating this one to bg Roman and Marg for being absolute stars and really encouraging me to keep going with this.

It's quite a long chapter but I think the end is worth it ;)

He said it would be nice and cosy to sit in a distant corner. He said he'd be right back. He said he was just going to get her something to drink. He said he wouldn't abandon her. He says a lot of things - it's the following through part he has difficulty with.

Twenty minutes later, no drink, no Matt-just Betty sat alone at a table in one of the darkest spots in the hall.

Great!

She got out her phone and started texting. Tonight she was that girl, the one you often see, stuck in the corner pretending to be doing something while everyone else is off enjoying themselves. It was just like being back in junior high waiting for someone to ask her to dance.

No, no, NO! That made her think of…someone she'd rather not think about.

One exhausted phonebook list of people to send pointless messages to later she cast her eye around the hall. Now what? She began drumming her fingers on the table, head slouched against her hand, bored out of her mind. Where had he got to?

Thirty-eight minutes later a rather disgruntled looking Matt appeared from amongst the throng of head banging teenagers - she really was getting old, this music was driving her crazy.

"Where the hell…"

He stopped her in her tracks. "I'm so sorry Betty. Leo's girlfriend's dad wanted…a word. Talk about over protective!"

It didn't really seem like a good enough excuse for leaving her by herself for so long but she let it slide. He'd spent the whole cab ride warning her about this guy - every man's worst nightmare when it came to his daughter apparently. Betty listened attentively but found it quite…sweet. Okay, maybe threatening Leo with the use of a meat grinder on a certain part of his…anatomy if he dared to look at his daughter the wrong way was a bit much but at least he cared.

"So where are these drinks?"

He squeezed his eyes shut and sighed. "I'm such an idiot. Totally lost track of why I'd even gone over there in the first place. I'm sorry about this Betty."

Sorry again! It was a word he'd thrown around a lot tonight because he was simply trying far too hard.

It was a bit...well, boring.

As he left she began to glance around the room again and that was when she saw him.

"Gio" she whispered to herself.

At once, almost as if he'd heard her over the deafening din, he glanced in her direction.

It might have been dark but she could quite clearly see his eyes rolling and a no doubt exasperated sigh escape his lips.

Maybe I should just leave it. I hurt him…badly. I don't deserve to talk to him.

Then a little voice, that really annoying sickly sweet little voice of reason in the back of her mind gave her the words of encouragement she needed.

But he does deserve an apology

A little way across the hall he silently prayed she wouldn't speak to him.

"Aw crap she's coming over" Gio exclaimed rather loudly to his 'date'.

"Who is?" asked Antonella, straining her eyes through the darkness. "Oh my god, it's Braces!"

She sounded way too happy about this for Gio's liking so he shot her his killer stare. The one normally reserved for boyfriends…or Braces.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you don't like me calling her that."

"Are you serious? I have told you how much of a complete bitch she was to me the other night, right? I really don't care what you call her! I know I've thought of quite a few new names for her, the heartless fu-"

Antonella clamped a hand over his mouth. "There are kids present bro"

"Oh please, they probably know more cuss words than you and I put together."

He lost himself in their little debate and completely forgot what started it in the first pace. The reason was closing in on him but it didn't escape Antonella's notice.

She threw her hand over his mouth again to shut him up. He mumbled a muffled "what was that for?"

"Betty at 2 o'clock," she said, before removing her hand from his mouth and moving closer to his ear to whisper, "don't break her heart Gio."

Astonished her just sat there, staring at her as she walked off.

He wasn't alone for long.

"Gio," She was nervous, fidgeting with a delicate gold necklace that was long enough to cascade over the cleavage of her coral coloured dress.

Why does she always make it so hard for me to not want her?, he thought to himself.

"Do you mind if I…?" she motioned towards the empty chair beside him.

"Suit yourself." Short, sharp replies, he decided.

"I…I wanted to talk to you about…you know, the other night." Her voice, already filled with uncertainty, trailed off towards the end. But he was sure as hell going to make her sweat this one out.

No reply.

"Gio?"

"Yes?" He didn't even look at her.

Realising exactly what game he was playing she heaved a huge sigh and went for it.

"I owe you an apology for what I said. I was completely out of line and it doesn't matter that I didn't know about your wife's…" His eyes betrayed him and snapped round to meet hers, "passing because what I said was just plain spiteful and totally uncalled for."

She looked at him hopefully, evidently waiting for a reply. In truth she wasn't actually looking for him to forgive her. She wanted it, more than anything she wanted him to accept her apology, but all she was really looking for was acknowledgement, to know that she had admitted her fault to him.

He merely looked away from her. Cold Rossi, ice cold…why does your conscience always tell you exactly what you don't want to hear? She deserved this!

"Gio, I'm not expecting miracle here. I just want you to know how sorry I am" He could hear her voice begin to tremble but still he stared at the dance floor, no longer really paying attention to where Mia or the Idiot were.

It all became too much for her and hot, salty tears began to flow freely down her face taking her mascara along with them. "Gio can you please just look at me?" Without thinking she reached out her hand to rest on his knee but he pulled it out of her reach as though her touch burned him.

She'd had enough.

She ran from his side and seconds later he saw Matt manoeuvring his way swiftly through the crowd towards her, having seen her flee, visibly upset.

Was she here with him?

This really was between him and Betty - no need for Hartley to get involved!

He rushed after them, unaware of why he felt the need not to let them be alone together. He just didn't want Hartley thinking he could intervene like that, right?

In the hallway Matt was trying in vain to put his arms around a distraught Betty. She was holding him at arms length, insisting she would be okay and to go back to the party.

"I think you should do as the lady says Hartley."

"What gives you the right to tell me what to do Rossi? Besides, I saw Betty with you just before she ended up like this! Last thing I'm going to do is leave her alone with you again. I take it you two have history." Betty and Gio glanced at each other as Matt stared at Gio.

So she'd never told Matt about him…that hurt far more than it should have. He brushed the feeling aside-what did it matter?

Again he looked at Betty who looked expectantly back at him through watery eyes. "Matt?" she sniffled, " Can you give us five minutes?"

He looked utterly bewildered and entirely reluctant to leave her…and let Gio win!

"Please" she whispered, not meeting his eye.

Looking slightly dejected he walked away although he threw the odd glance over his shoulder until he was out of sight.

It all went quiet.

Gio stared at the floor not really sure what to do now and realising he had completely gone against his promise to himself.

"I really am sorry Gio." She couldn't bear the silence any longer.

His eyes, his treacherous eyes found their way to her tear stained face. He felt a slight jolt in his stomach at the thought that he was the reason for the sight before him. But the anger was still there.

"It's just a word Suarez."

"But Gio, I…"

"I know you're sorry but it doesn't quite make up for the fact that you opened that big trap of yours! It insults me," he began walking towards her, "to think that you thought I'd go out with someone who is clearly young enough to be my daughter." He was getting very close to her. "You called my daughter a trashy blonde, you insulted my dead wife's memory…I know I know you hadn't heard." He added the last part in answer to the beginning of her protest, they were dangerously close now, " But more importantly it pisses me off that you didn't even know Angela, and you just assumed we fell apart, you thought she'd left me or I'd left her or whatever. You never saw us together Suarez. We loved each other completely." His face was inches from hers now, he could feel her unsteady breathing brushing against his face. The echo of his last words hung heavily in the air and the stricken look on Betty's face just spurred Gio on. "Does that hurt? Knowing how much we loved each other?" Her eyes flashed with pain and anger. He was pushing all the right buttons but she was so shocked she just stared at him, lost for words.

Sensing the advantage he pressed on.

"Does it pain you to know that it was bliss?" He started walking forward again, forcing her to step backwards.

"Are you jealous that you've never had that?" Further and further back until she hit the wall.

"Does it kill you to know that it could have been you?" He had finally hit the nerve. He had barely finished his sentence but she had raised her hand to him, ready to strike.

Having already experience a good slap from her all those years ago he anticipated her action and caught her by the wrist. "Not this time Suarez" he whispered in a deadly, icy tone. She struggled to break free, bringing her other hand up in a desperate attempt to loosen his grip but he merely grabbed her again and pinned her against the wall, her arms held just slightly above her head.

They were closer now than ever before, noses almost touching, enveloped in their own little bubble filled with anger, hurt and desire. Both of them were breathing heavily as they stared at each other, desperate not to be the first to look away. Neither of them would admit it, but nobody else could make them feel this way. Only Gio and Betty were capable of causing each other to feel this absolute rage and overwhelming need at the same time. When they were together it was like rubbing two sticks of dynamite against each other, deadly and explosive - they ignited each other's passion.

A mere few seconds passed in silence only broken by their laboured breathing, both of them resolutely refusing to look away. Then something happened, setting their spark into a burning flame.

Betty's tensed body relaxed in his grip, her eyes still laden with tears but they held a certain yearning.

For the first time since his wife's death his heart leapt at the sight of the woman in his arms, the sound of her short, sharp breaths almost too much to take. He couldn't bring himself to loosen his grip on her.

Abandoning everything, all thought and logic, he crashed his lips heavily against hers, crushing them with his anger. Despite her shock she made no protest, kissing him back just as fiercely. It was as though they were pouring all their hurt and fury into each other, dissolving their chaotic emotions in a passionate embrace. It was a hungry kiss that spoke of long unfulfilled desires. He never once let go of her wrists, enjoying the feeling of having complete power over her after years of being under her spell but she certainly did not complain, in fact she willingly complied to every movement he made.

When they finally broke apart, after what felt like both an eternity and a matter of seconds at the same time, neither of them looked at each other. They felt raw and exposed, like they had seen into they very depths of each other's souls.

Wordlessly he let go of her wrists and made his way back to the hall, not daring to look back for fear of what he might do next. She made no attempt to call after him. Instead she straightened herself up and went to tidy herself up in the bathroom before leaving, texting Matt only when she was a safe distance away from the venue to know he couldn't reach her.

Later that night as she lay in bed she pressed her fingers to her lips, a poor substitute for Gio. She wasn't quite sure what had happened between them or why but at that moment she had no desire to question it.

He had provoked her, teased her and, frankly, been downright evil towards her.

But he kissed all of that anger away.

She knew she shouldn't do it but she couldn't help herself - she dared to hope.

She hoped that he could forgive her.

She hoped that they could move on from this.

She hoped that the kiss they shared would not be their last.

She hoped that he might love again.

She hoped that he might love her again.

A/N: Good? Bad? Indifferent? Let me know :)