I do not own the Lyrics or Ugly Betty oh and A/N Read and Review...Please don't tell me I am losing reviews over slow updates because it's not my fault lol..BLAME Acer lol =D Enjoy

-NWJ

They all stood outside of the isolated room, it's solace uncomforting, each person's psyche longing for a glimpse inside the forbidden room. The door remained locked and the blinds, drawn with no entry for eyesight. Marc had joined Daniel, Betty and Christina just as soon as he could after spending 2 hours trying to convince Claire that what she saw was just an honest mistake. Daniel watched the door intently, the tears burning at his eyes and moistening his cheeks, yet he never looked away. His arms longed to console her..Comfort her...Be there for her. But once again she pushed him away and all he could do was await her imminent arrival. It soon came when the door opened and Wilhelmina emerged, not a single trace of human emotion left in her expression. Her footsteps lead directly passed the bunch, making her way to the Nurses station down the long narrow hallway. Her eyes were covered, tucked away behind the dim set glass of her Chanel sunglasses despite being inside in the night. They matched the long buttoned trench coat in which her fists sat clenched within the depths of the pocket. Daniel attempted to follow behind her but was halted by that of a red-eyed assistant, he too having grown close to the young child as well. He nodded, not having the strength to fight. He watched as she signed the documents carefully, not knowing exactly what they were himself. Just as she was making her way back, he watched as her expression changed with the glance of someone out of his sight. He also watched as a hand reached out and struck her hard against the cheek, a familiar hand indeed. The plethora of Mode employees came barreling down the hall upon seeing the action. Their hearts nearly stopped when they saw Wilhelmina standing toe-to-toe with Claire Meade, both women unmoving and unnerving. The physical connection of Claire's boney hand to Wilhelmina's numb face was enough to knock the glasses from her eyes, uncovering their red, bloodshot appearance. Not that of tears but of anger...She hadn't allowed herself to cry over this...She refused...It began as a power play and it would remain just that...a power play.

"You ruin everything..." Claire whispered harshly, her purse dangling upon the crest of her arm, opposite her elbow. Daniel stepped forward, taking hold of his mother's shoulder as Wilhelmina stood before her, not even flinching past the woman's obscure tantrum. She didn't even seem phased..or there. Like a hollow shell of what used to be before life took it's unmerciful toll upon her. Claire looked at her son, pushing him away like a stranger. He fell back against the wall, a shocked expression on his face as the others stepped back. "Don't you touch me...Not when your hands have been touching her..." She pointed to Wilhelmina in disgust, Betty and Christina gasping in the background.

"Mrs. Meade I told you that it was a misun-" Marc tried to step in but he was in way over his head and he soon realized that when he caught a glance at the look Claire was darting his way as if to be telepathically cursing him out.

"You are sleeping with her!"

"Mom-"

"Claire..." Wilhelmina finally spoke up for the first time in the entire altercation. All eyes landed on her as she pursed her lips firmly, forming a thin line...her eyes still lacking any normal emotion.

"Don't speak to me...You are just a sick bitch who has over stayed her 15 minutes...You're probably going to milk that poor babies illness for all that you can."

A collectable intake of air was heard around the exchange, all of them bracing themselves for what could happen and what destruction could take place. Wilhelmina sighed, looking as if she didn't even care. "Actually Claire I just signed the papers for his body to be cremated...No service...No memorial...No last hurrah...Now if you'll excuse me.." She walked past the older woman who was now frozen still in her place. Wilhelmina double-backed slowly, eyes the only thing changing as they darkened with intensity. "By the way...What you saw today...it was a misunderstanding of...epic proportions...I was trying to seduce Daniel so that he would sign over his shares of Meade...but it wasn't working so I kissed him and you walked in...That's it...There is no sleeping with anyone...Or Big Secret...So if you want to hate anyone...let it be me...because quite frankly...I don't mind."

"Well since he's gone...you have no claim to the Meade Empire...You're fired.."

"MOM!"

"Hush Daniel!...Wilhelmina...you are fired."

She shrugged absently. "Fine. "And with that she was off, walking out the automatic doors of the hospital which lead to an empty sidewalk. Marc bent down and picked up her sunglasses, cleaning them with his handkerchief as he followed behind her.

Daniel looked to his mother in complete awe and disappointment, not knowing how to feel at that point. All he knew was that when things fell apart...They really fell apart.

OoOoO

Yeah, I know sometimes it's real hard,

I know sometimes you want to bend,

OoOoO

Daniel shuffled through the apartment door quietly. He instantly took in his surroundings, mesmerized by how suddenly everything shined as if recently polished. Nothing was out of place nor was there anything homey about it...The atmosphere was cold...dark even. He shed his jacket, draping it across the back of the couch as he went in search of his wife. "Wilhelmina..." He called out her name, not knowing if she would be asleep. A small light attracted him from the other side of the hall and he immediately recognized it as the baby's room. Preparing himself, he expected a crying or sobbing hysteria yet when he pushed the door open that was the least of what he got. Wilhelmina ran her fingers against the fabric of the bed, smoothing the lining as she tucked the silk sheets beneath the designer mattress.

He felt the buzzing of tears coming once again as he stepped further into the room, looking around in shock. "W-Where...is..."

"The crib?" She asked monotonously, not even looking up to respond as she made up the bed to her standards with not a crease to be seen.

"EVERYTHING!" His voice rose a bit above a normal talking level.

"I gave it away..."

"To who?"

"Toys for Tots.."

"And why would you do that?"

"That's none of your business.."

"Wilhelmina obviously it is my business...He was my son..."

"He was your brother..." She responded coldly, never even looking back at him.

"Wilhelmina..." Daniel whispered, growing very close to the edge with his anger and she was definitely pushing it.

"Oh I'm sorry.." She finished with the bed and began advancing towards the door, acting as if she was moving towards him. She stopped short of his frame, her expression motionless yet her tone could slay an entire militia system. "...Your half-brother."

That was it...she pushed and he fell...Hysterically off of the edge. Daniel grabbed her arm promptly, jerking her towards him angrily. "What did you just say?"

She chuckled softly, a menacing smile playing on her lips. "Is someone getting angry?"

"Wilhelmina do not fucking play with me right now..."

"Why...because you don't like to hear the truth..."

"No...you don't like to hear the truth..."

"Excuse me...Do you have something to say Danny boy?"

"You know what...I am not going to do this with you."

"Fine!" She exclaimed, stomping down the hallway. The door of her bedroom flew open and out came his black suitcase, hitting the wall like a flying bat. Daniel jogged to where she was, dodging the line of fire as clothes were thrown out the door as if to be shot out of a cannon.

"What the hell are you doing?" He yelled as he stepped over the growing pile. She ripped the clothes from their hangers and tossed them his way until his side of the closet sat barren and empty.

"I am helping you pack...Leave a thank you note on the back of your head and I'll be sure to read it when you leave.."

"I'm not leaving.." He stood up to her, towering over her seeing how she was actually short without her heels.

She pushed passed him, dashing towards the suitcase just to throw his clothes in. "The hell you aren't...This is my house.."

"This is my house too!"

"Under what deed...This apartment is still in my name...You didn't adopt the baby...he is my son."

Daniel approached her slowly until his chest met the lining of his, both of their statures intimidating despite their height difference. "He was your son." His face was soon met the chill of her palm, striking him harshly across the mid of his identity. He looked back at her angrily and rolled his eyes, his hands gripping at her shoulders as he moved her out of his way forcefully. "Move..."

He pushed passed her and she stood in front of the doorway, her fingers holding on to each side so that she blocked the exit completely. "Oh so now you want to leave?"

"Isn't that what you wanted?" He yelled at her angrily, staring down at her piqué frame

"Fine...run away...better yet go find a whore, fuck her, get her pregnant and then maybe...just maybe you can finally call someone your son without lying to yourself or better yet call DJ-"

"YOU KNOW WHAT WILHELMINA!" His voice had now reached a level she hadn't heard, a vein popping out above his brows that had never appeared before. His finger pointed dangerously in her face, a look of sheer disgust on his face as he looked at her changed persona, honestly not knowing who she was anymore. "I wasn't going to tell you but I think the time is right..."

"Oh what? You're gay...Long time coming..."

"I'm serious Wilhelmina!...Izak IS my son.."

"Daniel... you stupid...stupid...imbecile, how many times do I have to-"

"When you asked the intern to perform the procedure on my father he came and asked me if it was okay...I was so angry..that I just gave him a cup of mine and told him to tell you that it was Dad's...I wasn't thinking...And I didn't think that you were actually going to use it.."

"You stupid motherfu-"

"I'm stupid? You're the one that didn't get it tested...You carried my baby...You were carrying my son...Why do you think I was always so worried about you all the time...You were pregnant with our child...You bore our child...We HAD A CHILD TOGETHER...And now he's dead...And all you can do is...give his stuff away and...make up a bed...I may be a stupid motherfucker...but you...You're a cold, heartless bitch." He spat back at her before bending down to pick up his disheveled suitcase. His shoulder knocked against hers as he left, the coldness of each one chilling the other.

OoOoO

Ohh, but if you do, it all comes back,

In the end, just breathe

OoOoO

"Wilheboss!" Marc sang as he entered the apartment, a carton of Latte's in hand. He pranced through the dining hall, setting the drinks down on the table so he could travel to where he was. He entered her bedroom to see her standing inside the closet that she had organized carefully over the years with the pile of Daniel's clothes sitting next to her in a folded stack. She wore black wide legged pants beneath a yellow fitted jacket which was zipped up to her bust to display a black tank top.

"Willie..."

"Are you going to the retreat?" Willie spoke up, her focus never leaving the empty closet.

"No...I can't..it's only for Editor's..."

"It's a Christmas Retreat Marc...You can go..."

He smiled giddily on the inside, dancing around in his head yet in front of her he kept his composure, nodding curtly. "Well...are you packed?"

She shook her head, looking back at the empty suitcases on her bed. "What does it look like to you.."

"It looks like you're upset..Do you want to talk abo-"

"Marc do I look like Amanda..."

"Wil-"

"Do I have blonde hair and a nose job..."

"Well..."

"Don't answer that!...I am your boss...Nor your friend and definitely not your buddy...you are not my therapist...I don't need you diagnosing me like some type of loon.."

"I wasn't trying to...I was just..." His voice trailed off slowly as he took in her stare and the stance she had taken on in front of him. He went over to the bed and picked up the suitcase, dragging it to her closet. "I'll get you started..."

She folded her arms over her chest, stepping back to let him do so. "Thank You..."

Marc smiled as he pulled the Red Valentino from the hanger. "Just doing my job...just doing... my job.."

OoOoO

Just breathe, breathe

Ohh, but if we

would only

remember

OoOoO

"Daniel, Get Up!" Betty shook his shoulder softly as he groggily turned around, cuddled up against the Sombrero pillow. An eye opened and he lifted his head, stretching out his arms. "We have to get to the plane for the retreat..."

He shrugged and rubbed his eyes sleepily. "I'm not going..."

"Daniel, you have to...so get up...There are some pancakes and a Spanish omelet in the kitchen..."

"Okay..."

"But first...Do you want to talk about what happened last night and why you no longer have an apartment?"

He shook his head, standing up as he stretched some more. "Where's that Spanish omelet, again?"

"Fine... if you don't want to talk about it now we'll just talk about it later...In the meantime...I'm about to head over to Wilhelmina's place-"

"Wait...why?" He asked suspiciously, his voice growing more alert after the surprising statement.

"I have to make sure she's not going to press charges against Christina.."

"Well I would.."

"Why?" She asked hastily, surprised that he would do such a thing to his best friend.

"She stole her baby Betty..."

"Well it's not like she killed him...You heard the doctor...He said it was an untreated respiratory infection that Wilhelmina probably mistook as Colic...It's her fault..."

His eye closed sharply, wishing the young girl hadn't gone so far as to blame her. It pierced his heart a bit to hear that they were going to blame her for something that wasn't even her fault. "Betty please do not go there and get yourself killed..."

"She is not going to kill me..."

"She is a grieving mother..."

"No Christina is a grieving mother...Wilhelmina hasn't shed one tear since she found out...She didn't even care..Did you see her face?"

"Yes I did see her face and If you knew her you would know what that really meant..."

"Who doesn't know Wilhelmina...She is a cold heartless bitch..."

Now he really felt bad...he had reduced himself to the stereotype of the world and acted like he didn't know her. When she got upset, she pushed him away and the old Willie flew up and he took the bait. He stepped right into it and danced with the old Wilhelmina instead of stepping back and walking away...knowing that this wasn't the woman he married..He didn't hold her when she needed him...he hurt her because he was hurt.

"Why do you care anyway?"

"Because she's my wife...And she's hurting Betty.."

Her face was shocked and her tone angrily bitter."Than why did you leave?"

OoOoO

How beautiful it would be if we just

Breathed

Just Breathed

OoOoO

They all boarded the plane quietly, too much to talk about yet not enough gull to talk about it. Christina's arrest, the baby's death..Wilhelmina and Daniel's kiss...Claire's revelation...Wilhelmina's firing...Claire slapping Wilhelmina....Marc, Betty, Daniel, Claire and Wilhelmina sat in first class while the rest were moved to Economy..another cutback from their financial problems. Separately they sat, all except Marc and Betty who sat behind Daniel. Wilhelmina came through the aisle slowly, shades on as she promptly knocked down Daniel's leg to see what seat number it was. Upon seeing that and the number on her ticket she leaned over and pressed the Attendant's button, waiting impatiently as her fingers drummed against the leather seat. A young blonde stepped out from behind the curtains, a large smile on her face as she approached an unimpressed Wilhelmina. Willie removed her shades promptly to reveal her darting eyes which had scared the girl back a couple of steps.

"Ho-Ho-How c-can I h-h-help you t-today.."

"I need my seat changed.." She huffed, folding her arms over her chest as Daniel rolled his eyes.

"Is th-the-there a p-p-problem with your seat..."

"Yes...Chanel does not sit with scum...Conflict of interest..." She took a secluded glance down at Daniel as the Attendant nodded, confused.

"Yeah but she can marry it.." He mumbled low, only Marc, Betty and Wilhelmina hearing.

Wilhelmina's neck snapped around angrily and a hand propped up on her hip instantly. "Do you have something to say Meade..."

"Even if I did..You wouldn't want to hear it...You're a coward...That's why you're changing your seat.."

Wilhelmina rolled her eyes and sat down promptly. She turned back to Marc and snapped her fingers, his heck craning around her seat. He handed her the Summer cover poster and she slid it between the seat like a wall to separate them. Daniel sighed and Betty leaned forward. "That was very wife-like.."

"Betty not now..."

"I'm not trying to put her down...I'm just saying...What did you do?"

He rolled his eyes. Why did they all find the man as the culprit...Why does it always have to be the husband who messes up and takes the blame. But his question was soon answered when he looked at the poster. Maybe it's because you are the one to blame..Fashion Faux Paus of 2009..

OoOoO

Breathe

Just Breathe

OoOoO

Wilhelmina shuffled into her room noisily, her luggage cart behind her. The bellboy set the leather Louis Vitton suitcases next to the bed and stood in front of her, hand out in expectation of a tip. She lifted a brow and he walked away promptly, slamming the door behind him. You are soooo fired. She thought as she lifted the bag onto her bed and unzipped it, lifting the flap of the top.

A knock came to the door just as she removed her top and she huffed, reaching into the bag for something else. "One second." The door slowly opened and she ran around the other side of the bed, holding her arms across her chest. Daniel chuckled and dropped his bag at the door. "Calm down..It's nothing I haven't seen before."

She stood in her white leather skirt and Black Lacy bra, nothing else, her in a mess of curls. "Get. Out.."

"Wilhelmina."

"We are not sharing the same room just so you know.."

"I know..I'm on the other side of the hotel...But you and Mom...Have adjoining rooms." She rolled her eyes and pushed passed him to close the door completely so that no one else would get a sneak peek.

"What the hell do you want..."

"I wanted to apologize for.."

"For what?"

"If you'd let me finish I'd tell you.."

"Well maybe if there weren't so many things I wouldn't have to ask..."

"So many things?"

"For one you tricked me into having your child...You lied to me..."

"You lied to me when you said that my father signed a consent form..."

"Than why didn't you tell your mother...See that's the small inconsistency that I keep finding in your story...You had all of this on me...And Yet you never said a word..."

"Have you ever thought that maybe it was because I wanted to have a baby with you.."

She smirked deviously, pulling her hair into a messy ponytail. "Well that's a sick way of showing me..."

"Wilhelmina don't you get it! I have loved you for a long time now..."

"Why?"

"I don't know...I honestly...don't know..."

"Than go..."

"What..."

"If you can't tell me why you love me than don't you dare tell me that you love me..."

He snatched up his bag angrily. "Dinner with all of the Meade employees is at 6..."

"I don't care...I'm not going.."

"Why the hell not?"

"Chanel does not eat with scum either..."

OoOoO

Oooh, if we would only remember to breathe

How beautiful, how beautiful, it'd be

OoOoO

Wilhelmina laid on her bed quietly, eyes stared up at the ceiling as she thought about the eventful week. No one wanted to be on this trip, especially with everything that was going on...but Claire and her wrinkles insisted that they go so..here they are. Willie hated it...only wanting to go back home and throw herself into work without the bother of other's. She didn't want to deal with Marc and Daniel or Claire but than again...She was out of a job..Then why the hell am I on this trip!

"Wilhelmina.." She heard a small voice say from the other side of the door. She recognized it instantly and jumped to her feet, going to the door to answer it.

"What do you want Claire.." She asked coldly, the door only half open to revel her face.

"Move.." Claire pushed her aside and walked into the room slowly, looking around.

"What the hell..." Wilhelmina followed her, confused.

Claire sat on the bed, bouncing to test it. "This is good." She whispered before laying back on the pillow behind her...

"Look Claire..I don't know if this is the dementia or the botox finally getting to your brain but you need to leave..."

"No..I don't actually...I planned this trip and my plumbing is not working and the room is flooded...The carpet is damp and it has a filthy odor..."

"Congratulations...Sounds like a third Meade in the making..."

"Wilhelmina...I need a room to stay in...And this is it..."

"What?"

"You can either stand there and complain or you can go to sleep...like I am about to..."

"This is ridiculous...I'm calling the-"

"The Front Desk?..It's closed..."

"UGH!" She snatched a pillow from the bed and stomped over to the couch where she laid her head down uncomfortably.

"You don't half to sleep there..."

"Proper respect to the elderly...Plus..do you really think I'd take the risk of being vulnerable next to you?"

"I'm not evil you know.."

"Says the woman who slapped and fired me after my child died..." A pregnant pause filled the conversation and Claire shifted, turning her back away from Wilhelmina's face.

"You can have your job back..."

"I already had it back...You can't replace me.." She retorted cockily.

Claire shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Don't you ever get tired of wearing a mask all of the time..."

"Actually no..It's quite refreshing.."

"Wilhelmina...I...know how you feel..." She blurted out softly.

"What are you babbling about..."

"Losing a child...I know it hurts...You have to...pretend to not be affected just to stay clear of the weeping Willow routine that's expected of you..."

"You know nothing..." She spoke harshly, turning her back to the older woman as she laid on the couch.

"They say...the one thing a mother should never have to endure is losing her child...It was never meant to be that way...because it hurts more than anyone...can imagine..." She even got choked up a bit saying that herself as she thought about Alex. Sure she had Alexis now but every once in a while it felt better to mourn the son she had no longer. "And...It is...okay to cry..you know?"

"It's a sign of weakness..."

"No...It's a sign of humanity..." Her voice sat barely above a whisper as she spoke gently. hoping to get through to her.

Wilhelmina inhaled shakily, a solemn tear cascading down her face for the first time in she didn't know how long. To grieve for her son...she allowed herself one single tear...one trace of humanity...

"Why didn't you go to Daniel's room?" She whispered, not liking how the older woman could just break her like that and see right past everything she had put up.

"Because Daniel is not a mother…I couldn't tell him what I just told you…."

We tend to forget that we're all the same,

We all have joy

We all have pain