A/N: And we're back to Daniel. The morning after is never a pleasant experience, let's see how Daniel reacts.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own Ugly Betty or anything to really do with the production and writing of the show. I'm an avid viewer with an overexcited imagination. Please refrain from suing me!

Being Stupid

Franklin was gone by the next morning, Alexis had informed him that his actions were not going to be tolerated and their father had promptly asked him to leave. A strange action for his father to take, considering he knew they were only faking it...well they were only faking it. He'd woken this morning to Betty's head tucked into the crook of his arm, her body lying slightly on his giving him a sense of peace in the morning light. They say everything looks better in the morning and he couldn't agree more; he'd turned to face Betty to find her already staring at him.

'Morning,' she smiled.

'Morning yourself,' he grinned, lowering his head to give her a quick kiss.

'It's eight-thirty, we should go down for breakfast,' she went to move.

'Breakfast can wait,' he whined pulling her back to him. 'I just want to lay here.'

'Daniel,' she gave him that mock-threatening tone he loved. 'Come on, we're leaving today.'

'Oh, alright,' he sighed, dramatically throwing the bed covers back. 'If we must, then we must.'

It was on the way to breakfast that Alexis caught up with him, she glanced between them, he'd seen her curious glances. Perhaps she'd been expecting the worse this morning, maybe they'd all heard them yelling at each other; but it didn't matter, he hand was firmly within his and that's where he liked it.

'Morning Daniel, Betty,' Bradford greeted them. 'Alexis, sleep well?'

'Fantastically,' he grinned, Betty nudged him in the ribs. 'Dad I need to speak with you.'

He let go of Betty's hand just long enough to walk outside with his father, he had to explain what happened, that there was a change in their relationship. He figured it was smarter to tell him now than to risk everything only to fall flat in later on.

'What is it Daniel?' Bradford had his 'leader of the Meade family' tone happening.

'It's about Betty and me,' he shifted on the balls of his feet.

'What about you and Betty?' His father seemed to have a small smile in the corner of his mouth.

'Look, I know you hired her because you never thought I'd sleep with her, and I haven't. Not in that sense of the word anyway. But Dad, I've fallen in-love with her.' He waited for the lecture.

What he wasn't expecting was Bradford Meade to laugh at him. 'You seem to think that this is news to me,' he continued laughing.

'What?' He was thoroughly confused.

'Daniel, Alexis and I already know,' he smiled uncharacteristically.

'Already know?' he squeaked.

'Personally, I thought you would've had it figured out by now, but you hadn't. So, Alexis and I decided that you should invite her this weekend, knowing full well that Franklin would bring out the best in you. Especially, concerning our young Betty,' Bradford explained.

'Well...then you'll be glad to know that it worked,' he snapped slightly disappointed. He began to walk away. 'You know something Dad?'

'What Daniel?'

'I've been trying to find away to get you to be proud of me my entire life,' he gave a cynical laugh. 'If I'd have known it would be as simple as confessing my love for Betty I wouldn't have bothered; because she was proud of me even before that.' Daniel walked into the restaurant.

'Daniel,' Bradford called back to him.

He faced him. 'No Dad. You tricked me into bringing the one woman I actually want to spend the rest of my life with to a family reunion, just so you could make me realise it. I'm sorry Dad, but I actually wanted for once in my life not to here "I told you so",' He stormed back into the restaurant.

She glanced up at him, smiling before the frown settled in. He shook his head and continued into the lobby. He couldn't tell her that his father had set them up; worse yet, that his sister had set her up. He paused mid-stride and faced the restaurant. Had his sister been pretending to like Betty? Walking back he came to a halt when his father walked back in.

'Was any of this real?' He asked.

'What do you mean Daniel?' Alexis and Bradford looked at him.

'Any of this?' He gestured around the table. 'Do they know?'

'Daniel,' Bradford warned.

'No Dad, I want to know,' he stood his ground. 'Was there any part of this weekend that was real?'

'All of it,' Alexis walked towards him.

'Don't,' he held up a hand. 'Did anyone else know that Betty and I were faking it?'

'You're not dating Betty?' Aunt Francis squeaked.

'No,' he sighed. 'Yes, we're dating now, but Friday night?'

'Daniel,' Uncle Gary looked at him. 'None of us knew.'

'So it was only you two,' he glared at his immediate family.

'Yes,' Bradford answered solemnly. 'But that doesn't change anything.'

'Doesn't change anything! I'm not even sure if you actually like Betty!' He snapped. 'But you know what? I'm going to date her anyway, someday I'll propose, and I don't care what you think...I'm so tired of being seen as the idiotic son whose only claim is to be a playboy.' He felt tears prick his eyes.

'I like Betty,' Alexis spoke up. 'She's good for you.'

'What about her? Stop seeing her as an object to make me better!'

'Whoa, Danny stop!' Alexis grabbed his shoulders. 'We like Betty, she's outrageous and she's everything this family was hoping you'd find. You just need to calm down and breathe.'

'You wanted me to find someone like her?' Even to his ears he sounded like a child hoping for approval.

Bradford stepped up to Betty. 'This woman survived her first two years at MODE with nothing less than my utmost respect, Daniel. She survived her first week by saving your ass after you humiliated her in front of an entire shoot. What's not to like?'

'Breathe,' Alexis whispered in his ear. 'Just breathe.'

He felt his body shake; it was everything he'd ever wanted from his father. Glancing at him with his hand upon Betty's shoulder with that look of pride in his eyes, reduced Daniel to needing his sister's support to stay standing. He'd done it. Finally he'd won a battle. He felt his sister move away from him, only to be replaced with a familiar body, warm, mango scented and his.

'It's ok,' she mumbled. 'It's a lot to take in, your father accepting one of you choices, being proud in you. I know how much this means to you.'

He pulled back to see his favourite smile, the smile she reserved only for him. 'I love you,' he mumbled pulling her closer to him; wrapping her tighter in his arms.

'Squeeze me any tighter and you'll be burying me,' she choked out a laugh. 'You ok now?'

He nodded. 'I'm sorry,' he faced his family.

'Don't be stupid dear,' Aunt Muriel grinned. 'We know the weekend you've had, what with Franklin trying to steal your precious Betty.' She glared at Uncle Rodney. 'Then there was that fight we all heard you two have last night, sorry dear, didn't mean to eavesdrop.'

'Its fine,' he smiled weakly. Things were going to take a while to get used to; mainly the look on his father's face directed at him.

A/N: This was a little angst filled, what with Daniel's outburst and all. Next chapter will have a little more humour in it!