Here are a few notes about the series. First of all, not all the stories are Betty and Daniel centered. For example, this first piece of new material in the Gossip Universe in almost 4 years is the story of how Monique and Gio met each other. Other stories that will be included will focus on Cliff and Marc's first meeting post break up and Betty's last days with Molly. Of course there will be some Betty Daniel moments, such as Daniel and Betty together after Molly's funeral. I alluded to some of these scenes in the original story but I really want to go back and bring them to life.

After posting the revised Cliff and Marc One shot from the original series, I'm going to start posting the revised version of the main story and then other stories will be added when creativity strikes. I will be taking requests. If there was something alluded to in the original story that you want to know more about, just ask.

Warning: Grab tissues. This short story is a tearjerker. Trigger warning: cancer

The story is also dedicated to my sister who for the last few months has been dealing with her husband's battle with stage IV lung cancer, even though he never smoked a day in his life. Seeing her and my nieces take care of him this summer really shaped the direction of the story, causing it to become more than just the story of when Monique met Gio. He died on December 1, 2015, the day I originally published this chapter everywhere else but here. On the bright side, you're getting the story all at the same time.

Relationships for this short story: Molly&Monique friendship, pre-Monique/Gio,Gio/sourdough girl it's complicated Molly/Daniel, and it's even more complicated pre-Betty/Daniel.

Tomato Soup for the Broken Heart

February 2009

Molly: It's back.

Monique stares at the words on her screen. She is 99% sure what 'it' is but she doesn't want 'it' to be back. She would prefer Molly going back to that asshole Connor. That she can deal with. The cancer not so much.

Monique tells herself that if the cancer is back Molly would call her. This is not something you tell somebody in a text message, even if you've been friends for as long as they've been.

'This is better than finding out about it on CNN', a bitter voice whispers in the back of her mind. She still believes that the way she found out about Jordan's vehicular homicide was worse than the death itself.

Molly was there to pick up the pieces after that catastrophe. Molly stood by her during her catastrophic, emotional breakdown and bad sex decisions involving Alex and several guys she doesn't even remember the names of. He's the only one she still talks to.

It's a small miracle she survived that time without an STD. She didn't have to worry about pregnancy because that was post hysterectomy. That may have been why the bad sex decisions happened. She was trying to prove to herself that she was still a complete woman, even if she didn't have a uterus anymore.

Yet Molly was there through all of that and the mental health rehab that followed. Monique is pretty sure Molly lived on her couch for most of 2004 and Monique repaid the favor by driving her to every single chemo appointment for the majority of 2006.

They weren't supposed to be doing this again in 2009. The cancer should be gone. It's been gone for two and half years. Why is it back now?

Maybe she's reading the text message wrong. She has to be. Just because Molly had an appointment at the gynecologist a few days ago does not mean anything. If Molly suspected a relapse, she would have asked Monique to go with her to the doctor's office. Monique may absolutely hate turning over her magazine to Damien for any significant period of time but she'll do it for Molly. She would walk over hot coals for that woman and Molly would do the same. Besides she was working with Cliff and he could read her mind without her even being there. It's impossible for Damien to mess up a Cliff shoot.

However, Monique can't keep lying to herself when she gets text message number two.

Molly: cancer sucks and I hate chemo

So did Monique.

Shit!

That is not good at all. Monique grabbed her phone shakily, along with her purse and coat, because it's still February and freezing outside. But she can't make this phone call in her office. She just can't, the walls are closing in on her and she honestly can't breath. Her lungs are seizing up and her heart is beating way too fast.

Her ever loyal assistant Candi realizes something's wrong but Monique just shakes her off. People are used to her being weird after their first Christmas with her as the Player EIC. She explicitly said no Christmas decorations and well Damien is a dick.

By the time she makes it to the first floor, Monique is breathing again. Enough to call Molly at least.

"I was expecting you to call as soon as I sent the second message." Molly said as she answers her phone. She sounded like she was 30 seconds from crying. Monique knew that feeling quite well at the moment.

"I was leaving the building for lunch and got your message in the elevator." Monique lied, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible. "You know the reception is questionable in the elevators."

"Enough to get a text message, not enough to make a phone call?"

"Exactly. I thought you were just going in for a regular gynecologist visit and not your regular cancer screening."

"There were some abnormalities in my bloodwork." Molly practically whispered.

"And unfortunately, your new boyfriend, who happened to sleep with my sister in high school did not give you and STD?" Because country club kids know all the other country club kids. She is significantly younger than Daniel by country club standards. However, he was a contemporary of big sister and Mercedes slept with the Meade heir just to screw with their absentee father.

"Unfortunately, no."

"And you went through all the follow-up test alone?" She doesn't ask about stages or the specific results. Monique doesn't want to know yet. She would like a few days of pretending that this is an easy cancer that they're going to be able to destroy once more, but she knows better. This was her second time at the cancer rodeo.

"Daniel had work stuff. It is fashion week and we've only been together a few weeks. This isn't something that you drop on someone so soon in the relationship." valid point. Especially because the bastard freaked out so badly the first time around.

"I'm here. I'm always available for doctor duty." That's why she left Isabella last time around.

"You had a major photo shoot this morning for the summer swimsuit issue." Which she despises and would have loved an excuse to get out of anyway.

"I swear next year we are doing the swimsuit issue in November."

"And this is why I went alone."

"I care more about you than Player. Candi could've ran that shoot with Cliff. The guy is a photo genius." Because there are some things you don't do alone and running a gauntlet of test to find out the cancer is back is just one of those things.

"I thought Dr. Carson was being overly cautious." Because Molly's mom died of ovarian cancer before she even made it to Molly's age. Because Molly was already diagnosed the first time at a ridiculously young age and they weren't anywhere close to the five year remission mark.

"You still should've brought me with you. It doesn't matter. I'm here now. Where are you?" Monique asked this question because Molly still sounds like she's about to cry and Monique really just wants to hug her right now.

"Wandering through Brooklyn."

"Please tell me it's the nice part of Brooklyn?"

"Yes. That's where the in network oncologists is." Which Monique hates. She'll be calling the University in Manhattan Medical Center the second this phone call is over because maybe the other oncologists screwed up. She hopes that's the case because… She just needs Molly to be okay.

"Do you need me to come get you?"

"You hate driving." Yes, she did. Seeing video footage of your husband being ran over by your fellow hotel heiress repeatedly on CNN will cause car issues for anyone. Besides she's too shaky to drive and she may vomit at any moment.

"Yes I do but I would for you. However, that's not necessary because car service is a wonderful thing. The post lunch rush is almost over. I may make it in under an hour with minimal traffic, by Manhattan standards anyway."

"You hate using Vivian's car service."

"Again for you I would. Find a coffee shop or something and I'll be there in an hour."

"Or you can send the car to come get me."

"That's a better idea. He can also stop by your place and to let you pick up some clothes since you're moving in for a little while."

"That's not necessary." Yes it was because Molly could not be alone right now, Monique would not let her.

"You lived on my couch after Jordan died. Moving you into my way too big loft until you can adjust to what's going on is the least I can do."

"You won't take no for an answer?"

"I have to get something from my mother. Vivienne despises the word no." Monique joked, false bravado still in place. It was the only thing keeping the tears away.

"Bring lunch. Soup or something light." Monique really didn't want to do that because things follow the pattern of last time, vegetable broth will become Molly's favorite food group. Molly needed one last night of junk food.

She calls the car service first. Monique arranges for one car to venture to Brooklyn to get Molly and another one to get her. She's still too unsettled to walk and she just doesn't feel like a cab ride right now. The car service does not ask questions when you start crying hysterically in the back seat. They're way too good at their jobs for that.

She calls the oncology department at the UMMC. Vivian Windom-West is on the board of directors, so Molly gets an appointment the next day.

The car is still at least 15 minutes away because traffic in Manhattan is evil. She should probably get food. Thankfully, there is a deli right where she told the car service to come get her. That was perfect because the other option was the bar and Monique probably shouldn't be near alcohol at a time like this.

She walks in and sees the place is almost empty. That doesn't surprise Monique because it's now almost 3. Too late for lunch way too early for dinner.

There's a really cute guy behind the counter. Just her type. Not that she was looking for anybody right now because Molly needed her. A new boyfriend will definitely not be sticking around, even if Molly would let him. And she won't because she's barely letting Monique stick around and that's only because Monique will not allow Molly to push her away.

Maybe if she was still with Connor things would be different but rumor mill has it that he is fucking Wilhelmina Slater already. Normally Monique doesn't listen to office Gossip, but the Mode rumor mill was usually accurate and Amanda knew her stuff.

Unfortunately, cute deli guy was currently making out with the Baker girl. Of course, he has a girlfriend because that is just her life, nothing but tears and misery, accompanied by a big bank account that she doesn't even use.

'Stop ogling what you can't have and order a sandwich, you idiot.' Except her eyes get blurry when she even looks at the menu on the board and her mind is too busy trying to remember all the things that made Molly sick last time around. Ham was a big no-no.

She should also contact Vicki, Mercedes former drug dealer from the bad times was now legit and she probably needed to buy Molly a stash of those special chocolate bars.

She should also let Candi know she's not coming back for at least a few days. She hated putting Damien in charge, but it was her and Molly against the world right now.

Maybe the doctor in Manhattan will have better news. Maybe there's a new treatment options. She doesn't want to lose Molly. She has other friends or at least she hope she does, but no one else like Molly. Sometimes she thinks half of them only talk to her because she's a Windom-West. She's not sure how many of them would stay by her side if something bad really happened. (Many of them were conveniently on vacation when she lost Jordan.) Breanna was the only one anywhere close to Molly and she had to focus on her daughter Alexis. Maybe Cliff would eventually come into that category, but he was still mostly a work friend at this point.

Monique was thinking that she seriously needed new friends when she heard the clatter of a plate being placed on the counter in front of her.

"I think you could use this." She heard the cute deli guy say. She looked up to see a large bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich in front of her.

"I did not order yet."

"You kind of look like somebody who could use a grilled cheese sandwich and some tomato soup."

"What does somebody look like that needs grilled cheese and tomato soup?" Monique asked hesitantly.

"Someone who looks 20 seconds from crying."

"That would be accurate." Monique said as she tentatively took a bite of the sandwich. She's pretty sure she did not finish her morning banana because Damien is a dick.

"Let me guess. Boyfriend broke up with you?" She wished it was something that simple.

"No boyfriend to break up with. I'm a widow."

She doesn't know why she tells cute deli guy that. Her widow status is usually something she keeps quiet if people don't know. But most people in her world know about her husband being murdered. Again, the graphic footage was on heavy rotation on CNN. Thank God the incident predated YouTube. Maybe he just has that type of voice that makes you want to confess everything.

"That explains it. I'm sorry."

"Car accident but it was not a recent thing. I've been a window for a long time, more than five years actually. I just haven't dated that much in the interim."

"Anniversary?" Monique realizes that he's asking her if the anniversary of his death or their wedding anniversary is the reason why she feels like crying right now. She almost smiles at the fact he is aware those days are always awful for her.

"The anniversary of my husband Jordan's death was in December and our wedding anniversary is next month." It would have been 10 years because she got married way too young.

"And February just happens to be in the middle and included a day dedicated to happy couples. I think you're going to need another bowl and possibly a brownie."

"I made peace with Jordan's death a long time ago and that's only because I had Molly." Her eyes become moist with tears before the name even leaves her lips.

"We been friends for what seems like forever but we really didn't meet until college. But we've been with each other from everything from miscarriages to burying husbands to holding her hair back when you are reacting badly from chemotherapy." Monique was already making a mental note to get a few more trash cans for the house.