Thank you again for reading and for your awesome feedback. I was worried about that last chapter, but you all seem to like angst! One person commented that I write Daniel as a really great boyfriend. That's because in the series, once he settled down with a woman, he was a great boyfriend. As much as I hated the whole Molly thing, Daniel's character matured through that, so I think his new maturity, coupled with his already strong bond with Betty, would make him a great boyfriend for her.

The next chapter should be the last.

Coming Home

The Friday afternoon they were supposed to leave for Christina's, Daniel had a work emergency. One of their clients decided to change an ad last minute, meaning he had to go into the office on Saturday. But he convinced Betty to take Oliver and go to Scotland anyway. She spent the day lounging with Christina, watching Stuart and little Sammy play fetch with Oliver and feeling as relaxed as Christina had wished.

Betty awoke at 2:30 in the morning to the sound of her cell phone ringing. Checking the caller ID, she answered, "Daniel, are you all right?"

"Hey, Betty, it's me," he slurred, "Daniel."

He was obviously drunk. She couldn't help but smile at his greeting. "I know who you are," she replied, "though it has been a really long time since you drunk dialed me."

"I don't drink that much anymore," he agreed, "because there is a lot of alcullis-, alcohulls-…there are a lot of drunks in my family."

While Betty was amused, she was also a little concerned. "Honey, where are you?"

"I'm at your place," he answered, then let out a burp. "'Scuse me. I couldn't remember my address, but I remembered yours. Weird, huh?"

"Very weird," Betty said, nodding her head.

"Do you mind me staying here?" he asked.

"No, of course not!" she replied, but then was immediately was struck by another thought. "You are alone, aren't you?"

"Yep, my mates from the office got me into a cab," he said. Betty chose to ignore the fact that he was now speaking in his bad British accent. "We went out for a few drinks after we finished the project," he continued, "I'm really good at my job, Betty."

At that she laughed outright. "Yes, you are," she told him. "I think I'm going to take the early train home tomorrow, because it sounds like you are going to be quite hung over."

"No, you should have fun at Christina's," he answered. "You should have fun, and I'll just lay here. Your bed feels weird without you in it. Can I sleep on your pillow?"

"Just remember to sleep on your side and not your back, in case you throw up," she reminded him. She pictured him sprawled across her bed, cell phone pressed against his ear, and she wished she was there.

"I love you, Daniel."

"Aww, really?" he asked. "Cause I love you. I really do. And I like you, too."

She was about to respond when she heard a crash. "What was that?"

"I didn't turn the light off," was his reply, which Betty took to mean he knocked the lamp over. "Daniel, pick up the lamp."

She kept at him until she felt sure he had turned the lamp right-side up and that her apartment wouldn't catch on fire. Then she said, "Why don't you get some sleep, and I'll see you in the morning."

"Hey, Betty?"

"Yes, Daniel?"

"I'm really glad you're my girlfriend."

She shook her head in amusement. "Fiancée'," she corrected. "I'm going to hang up now. Turn off your phone, okay?"

Betty waited until she heard the click on his end before hanging up her phone. Laughing to herself, she lay down and went back to sleep.

"Good morning!" Betty said happily as she entered the kitchen, rolling her suitcase behind her.

"Good morning," Christina answered, "why are you packed already?"

"Daniel called me in the middle of the night drunk," she explained, "so I'm catching the early train to go see about him."

Christina clucked. "Daniel's a big boy; he can take care of himself."

Betty smiled. "I know, but… oh, okay, I admit it. I like taking care of Daniel. I'm good at it, too."

"Yes, you are," her friend replied.

"Lately it seems like all Daniel's done is take care of me," Betty said, "and I miss taking care of him. I miss him. Does that seem lame?"

"What, to miss the man after being away from him only one day?" Christina asked. "No, it seems like you're in love."

"Thank you, Christina," Betty said, giving her a hug before heading out.

She arrived home to find Daniel lying on the floor of her bathroom with a washcloth over his forehead. "Hi, honey," she said quietly as she tiptoed in. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, god, Betty, I am never drinking again," he replied without bothering to open his eyes.

"Do you want me to fix you some of Hilda's hangover remedy?" she asked as she removed the washcloth and helped him get to his feet.

"I'd rather throw up again," he sneered.

A few hours later he emerged from the bedroom, freshly showered. "Hey, you look human again!" Betty enthused.

"I only feel sub-human," he said sheepishly. "I'm sorry I called you and ruined your weekend."

"Don't apologize," she replied, "I kind of enjoyed it, and I was ready to get back to you, anyway."

Daniel chuckled and draped his arm over her leg.

"So, you had a good time with the guys last night?" Betty asked.

"Yep," he answered. After a moment's hesitation he added, "Uh, something happened last night that I should probably tell you about."

She felt her heart lurch. "What?"

"I got hit on by a woman who works in Accounting," he said, darting his eyes at her to judge her reaction.

Betty was slightly relieved. "And what did you do?" she asked.

"I turned her down!" he screamed, then grabbed his head and said, "Ouch."

"Wait, this woman works at the agency," Betty thought aloud, "so shouldn't she know you're engaged?"

He winced. "She does. She said that I'm known around the office as 'The Unattainable One.' Then she said that she likes challenges." Daniel shuddered remembering the woman's advances.

"And you just said no?"

"Um-hmm," he confirmed. "And I moved down a few bar stools and sat between some of the guys. It was about that time when I started drinking a lot faster."

Betty couldn't decide if she was more amused at Daniel or angry at the woman. "So, you got drunk because some skank hit on you?"

"Pretty much," he nodded. When she laughed, he said, "Hey! It's been a while since I got hit on, and she was persistent: I didn't know what to do. Anyway, Gordon and Scott made sure I got safely in the cab and on my way to your place, so no harm, no foul."

"Who was she?" Betty asked with menace in her voice.

"Oh, honey, I don't think you need to know that," he replied, trying to diffuse her anger.

"You bet I do," she answered. "It's that Daphne isn't it?" She saw it written all over his face. "I knew she looked slutty when I met her at the Christmas party!"

"Isn't the important thing here that I'm completely committed to you?" Daniel asked. "She only matters if we let her."

"Yeah, well, just wait until the next time I'm at your office," Betty threatened, "I'm going to let her know what matters." She held up her engagement ring, with her hand in a fist, "This matters, baby."

Noting his shocked reaction, she asked "What?"

"Nothing, you just, sounded like Hilda," he said.

"Really?" she responded, instantly back to herself. "Wow, I don't usually get that angry."

"It's kind of hot," Daniel remarked, "you being all protective of your territory."

"Oh, really?" she replied seductively before catching onto something he said. "Wait, are you saying my sister is hot?"

Daniel knew he was walking into a losing battle. "Okay, shutting up now," he said, "I need food."

Betty couldn't help but laugh at the way he quickly jumped off the couch then held his head in pain as he made his way to the refrigerator.

He might be a scruffy, hung over mess, but he was her mess, and she was happy to be with him.

"It's good to be home," she said quietly to herself.