IF YOU THINK I NEED YOU

CHAPTER ONE

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As soon as she saw Daniel, Betty looked up and smiled. He hurried across the room to her, "Hi."

She looked down at her hands shyly, "Hi."

He looked at her with gratitude, "Thank you, Betty. For always having faith in me. Even when I didn't have any in myself! Please tell me you're coming back to work for me at Mode?"

"That depends."

"On?"

She raised an eyebrow, smirking, "On whether or not I can keep the raise Wilhelmina gave me."

And just like that, the weirdness between them seemed to melt away and all was right with the world again. He laughed, "Really using your leverage, huh?"

"You bet! You know, once you get a raise like that, you really can't go backwards!"

He put his arm around her as they started to leave Wilhelmina's "party".

"Did I tell you I really like your hair like that? You look very pretty tonight."

"Thank you. But I still want to keep the raise."

They both laughed, and Daniel nodded, "Okay, okay! I promise! You can keep the raise, girl! That's right. I almost forgot. I guess you need to pay the rent on your fancy Manhattan apartment now, huh?"

"Fancy? You mean the one with the bathtub in the living room? Oh, right! Very fancy!"

"That sounds...interesting. You know...I have a babysitter for DJ tonight. Maybe you could give me a tour of your new place? I'll buy us some dinner, since the food at this party sucks!" he teased.

"HEY! Don't complain to me! It was what the queen wanted! Do you know she had me get her a stupid tiara she had no intention of wearing tonight just as a test to see if I could get it?"

"A tiara? Geez! She really thinks she needs a crown, huh? Somebody's sure full of herself! I promise you, I will NEVER expect you to do that for me!"

"No, just pick the cabbage out of your coleslaw and schlepp through the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade to help you pick out a shirt for other women!" she raised an eyebrow, teasingly.

He winced, "Sorry! I've apologized for both of those a thousand times! I thought we said we weren't ever bringing up my first week of boot camp and I swear, I'm done with asking you to help me with other women, Betty. Trust me, that was a HUGE mistake! Worrying about impressing THAT woman especially!"

"Well, for the record, she was not only a terrible person, but a very stupid one! I mean...what woman in her right mind would do that to YOU of all people?"

"That's really nice of you to say, Betty. Thank you."

"It's the truth. Ask any girl at this party. Ninety-nine percent of them would love to go home with you! Sofia was...totally crazy!"

"Must be my type! Grace was pretty...intense! Not that I blame her for being pissed at me at first. But, she was really nuts."

"Grace? What about Renee?"

"Yeah, well, I was building up to her. So, let me get this straight. You told me back then that you were in love with Henry."

"Right. I was in love with Henry."

"Okay. WAS. As in...past tense, correct?"

"Correct. You helped me bury everything, remember?"

"I did. I mean, you DID turn him down when he proposed. So...that means you have for sure moved on now, right?"

"I have."

"But not to...Gio? He's a nice guy, but...not THE guy for you, right?"

"Exactly."

"So, no men in your life right now? Other than me, of course." he grinned, teasingly.

She blushed, "YOU?"

He teased, bumping her shoulder with his elbow good-naturedly, "You're so cute when you blush! Well, yeah. I mean, think about it. Right now, neither of us is dating anyone. And our friendship is the longest relationship either of us has ever had with someone of the opposite sex.

So, I'd say that qualifies as me being the only man in your life at the moment. At least until you manage to charm someone else who works here or one of your new neighbors or something with your Betty magic."

"Betty magic? Thanks! You think I'm a witch?"

He shrugged, cocking his head to look at her, "A pretty one. A nice one. But, I don't know. Maybe. You definitely have some kind of magic! You seem to cast a kind of spell of niceness over everyone you meet. I mean, how did you even GET a tiara? Who does that? Hell, even Wilhelmina saw how valuable you are!

By the way, I'm sorry I yelled at you before. I was just...jealous, you know? I didn't want to lose you. Especially not to..her! She doesn't deserve you. Not that I do, either, really. But I'd like to think that...other than the raise, I am a little bit nicer boss than her!"

"You are. Definitely nicer. Usually."

He winced, "Other than that first 'hell week' I put you through, of course! Which means that I'll not only match her raise, I'll add another five percent. Fair?"

She hugged him, "Another five percent? DANIEL! You're awesome! YES! Thank you! That means I can actually pay my rent AND start saving a little."

Daniel's smile grew as she held him close in her arms. He had to admit, he sort of loved it when Betty hugged him. There was something so kind and loving about her hugs. He had never felt anything better. She didn't judge him, didn't have any expectations or demands, she gave them so freely and with such...sweetness. They made him happy.

He had a sudden thought, "Hey! Do you think...I could bring DJ over tomorrow to bring you a housewarming present? We could take you out to lunch, to celebrate both of us returning to Mode."

"I don't know." She hesitated and Daniel put up his hand, "I promise, DJ will be on his best behavior! I confiscated his Silly String! I've started putting my foot down with him and his little antics! Trust me, he got me in so much trouble the other day with Alexis for messing up her silk outfit. I had to really yell at him.

I talked to my mom and was worried I was too mean to him. She told me that as long as I let him know I still love him and will be there for him when he makes a mistake I have to correct him for, it's okay.

I talked to him about the silly string before and although...well, I have to admit, it was kind of funny, it was also mean to you and he really wants to apologize. He made you something at school."

"Of course! Tell him it turned out alright. I mean, the video went viral on YouTube. I'm famous as the R girl from Player!"

They both laughed at that for a minute, after she released him from her embrace, they stood, just staring at one another.

"Mr. Meade?"

"Holly!" He jumped back, seeing the lawyer from DJ's custody case, standing and watching him holding Betty's hand while he had been looking at it for what probably seemed to anyone watching a long time.

He was embarrassed to be 'caught' having what must have looked like a "moment" with his assistant. He glanced back at Betty, who also looked shy and beet red at the interruption. He grinned at her. She really was adorable tonight. He loved teasing her.

Holly cleared her throat, interrupting his somewhat inappropriate thoughts about Betty, holding out a file from her briefcase, "Here, Mr. Meade. I just wanted to bring you these, but was told you were at some sort of celebration for one of your company's magazines. I wanted to let you know in person, however, that...well…I'm sorry, it's not good news. Should we do this privately?"

He stepped away from Betty, only a step to seem more professional, "It's okay. This is Betty Suarez. You can say anything in front of Betty. She's my assistant. And my friend. Is something wrong with DJ's paperwork? Are his grandparents still trying to take him?"

Betty's eyes widened, and she reached out to squeeze Daniel's hand in support, "But surely they understand that DJ came HERE, looking for Daniel! He wanted to be with his father after his mom died! If he had liked it so much in Paris with them, he wouldn't have run away in the first place!"

Daniel smiled, thinking how much he appreciated her support. Betty was always there for him, backing him up, no matter what. He wouldn't put it past her to believe in him, even if she thought he had murdered someone! It felt so different from the way his father had always made him feel like nothing he ever did would be good enough.

Holly seemed impressed at Betty's observation, and sympathetic at Daniel's confusion, "That may be true, but...well, this is very difficult to tell you, Daniel. It seems since they are his next of kin, and there is a custody battle, they also received a copy of the DNA sample you ordered. And you are actually NOT DJ's biological father!"

Daniel and Betty's eyes both widened, "WHAT?" They almost said in unison.

Betty shook off her shock first, "Well, who IS? And if he isn't, why in the world did his mother write that letter, saying that Daniel WAS DJ's father, then? That makes no sense!"

Holly handed Daniel the file, and turned to leave, "It says that there is a biological relationship. Daniel is actually DJ's uncle. Look, I know this must be a shock, but unless his real father shows up and asks for custody, DJ will end up back with his grandparents. I'm really sorry, Dan...Mr. Meade. Miss Suarez. Let me know what you decide. But they are on their way from Paris. So you don't have a lot of time. Goodnight."

She seemed rather frustrated, but Betty couldn't figure out exactly what was going on with this young woman. Even though she was trying to keep things professional, she obviously was extremely attracted to Daniel. That much Betty could tell. She had seen scores of women look at her boss hungrily like that. Who knows, maybe Betty being there had kept this Holly from providing Daniel with some kind of comfort.

"Mercy jump!" she blurted out, causing Daniel to come out of his thoughts and clear his throat, and give her an amused but somewhat puzzled look, "I beg your pardon, Miss Suarez? Thank you, I appreciate the offer, but I don't think that would be appropriate! Especially not right here in my office! Maybe we could go in the copy room later. It at least has a door with a better lock and no windows."

She knew he was teasing her but she rolled her eyes, "Very funny, Daniel!"

He persisted, trying to avoid actually dealing with his feelings in his usual way, by flirting and not taking anything in his insanely dramatic life too seriously or he might lose his mind, "Who says I'm joking? I mean...I AM upset! This is...crazy! Like you said, why would Lucy write that damn letter saying I WAS DJ's dad if there was some other guy?"

Betty shook her head, "I don't get it, either. But not just 'some other guy'. Remember, she said that ...you and DJ are related, that you are actually his UNCLE? How is that even poss...I don't understand." Her eyes suddenly widened in realization, "Wait, oh my God, your BROTHER!"

He shrugged, "I don't have a brother, remember? Only my sister!"

She waited for the light bulb to go on in her sweet but sometimes slightly slower boss, "Who USED to be your brother! He must have slept with Lucy, too while he was still ALEX!"

Daniel put his face in his hands, trying to wrap his mind around this insane situation. Of course Betty was right. She had to be. If he was DJ's uncle, it was the only possibility. Alex had slept with Lucy before his operation!

As if on cue, Alexis stuck her head in the door, "Hey, Danny, listen, I know you're celebrating your return to Mode, so I'm sorry to bother you two. But Mom has been drinking tonight. Can you help me get her home? Christina just brought her into the ladies room. Oh, Betty, by the way, Christina was looking for you. I'm afraid my mom spilled a drink on her. I think she was wanting you to get her something else to put on from The Closet."

Daniel narrowed his eyes at his sister in anger and betrayal. Alexis seemed completely thrown off guard, "What's up? I would think you would be a little happier about getting out of Player! I know Betty is the one who told me…"

Daniel threw the file at her, "You slept with Lucy!" he accused, his eyes filled with emotion and fury.

"What? What the hell are you talking about?"

Daniel lunged across his desk at Alexis, trying his best to punch her in the jaw but she moved in time so that he merely fell on the ground.

"DANIEL! Oh my God! Are you alright?" Betty rushed to his aid, and glared up at Alexis angrily as both women tried to help him up.

Alexis made a face, "What the hell was that all about?"

Betty continued to help her boss up to sit in the chair on the other side of his desk, and grabbed the file on the floor and pointed to the results, as she handed it to Alexis, "Daniel took a DNA test to make sure he was DJ's father. It seems the results say he is actually DJ's UNCLE!"

Alexis made a face, "Uncle? That doesn't make any sense...OH!"

As she stared at the paper, her eyes grew wider with realization and she put her hand over her eyes, "Ohmygod! Danny...listen...I'm SO SORRY! I have no...I...I was just…"

"Competing with me? By sleeping with MY girlfriend behind my back? Yeah, I got that. Trying to prove that you're better than me at… at … absolutely EVERYTHING? Well, congratulations, DADDY! You are! Apparently, even your swimmers were faster than mine!

And because of this, now DJ's grandparents are going to take him away from me! I hope it was worth it! Thanks to you, I'm going to lose my son! Let's go, Betty! I'll get my mom and you can help Christina." He stood and left Alexis on the floor with the file, still staring at it in shock.