Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Ugly Betty...etc, etc

A/N: Enjoy the chapter...I'm writing the last installment of this story right now :o)...as always, flashbacks/memories are in italics...

Three Weeks Later…

Betty Suarez hadn't planned on this.

If she had, that would make her a lying and deceitful person…someone she was certainly not.

But as she looked at the pained expression on her fiancé's face, she couldn't help but question the person she'd become.

Betty swallowed hard, feeling a lump in her throat. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to say- she'd already said enough. "I can't marry you Austin." The words had been sharp as a bullet and had pierced his chest. Their attempt at talking things through to work it out had failed miserably.

So here she was, tears flowing down her face, because she wishes things could be different. Betty wishes there was no other man. "I'm sorry," Betty chokes out through another sob. She wishes she hadn't given a large chunk of her heart away a long time ago. She wishes Daniel really was the playboy asshole he acted like her first day of work, that way she never would've fallen so hard. Instead he was a kind, caring, loving individual...maybe that's way she'd given her heart to him so easily.

She allowed her thoughts to wonder back to that fateful day in her apartment. The day everything changed…

Betty's heart thumped loudly in her ears. She glanced between Daniel and the angry face of her fiancé. "What the hell is this?" Austin stepped inside, demanding to know why she was standing in her living room half-naked with Daniel Meade.

"Austin…I can explain-" Betty reached for her jeans, sliding them on.

"Oh can you? Are you…are you sleeping with him?" his voice continued to escalate as he stepped closer to her. Tears rolled down her cheeks, "I didn't mean for this to happen! I just-" Betty cried, stopping as he grabbed her shoulders.

"You just what? Couldn't keep your hands off him? How long has this been going on, huh? Answer me!" Austin tightened his grip on her.

"Let go of her!" Daniel grabbed the smaller man's arm and pulled him away from Betty. Austin pushed him forcefully in the chest, "Stay out of this!"

Betty stepped in between the two men as Daniel regained his balance. "Stop. Please," she told them. "No, Betty. Look, this is my fault…that's why I can't stay out of this," Daniel started to explain.

"No. It's not. Daniel," she turned toward him, speaking in a lower tone, "I think you should go...please. It's for the best." Betty quietly pleaded with him. "I don't wanna leave you alone with him," Daniel gazed down at her concerned.

"You don't have to worry about that. I'm outta here," Austin quickly walked back out the door, slamming it loudly.

Betty blinks back more tears. Her fiancé – ex fiancé stares down at her, his big hazel eyes a mixture of hurt, anger, and love as she places the engagement ring into his palm. She hated it. But she had to. 'He deserves better,' Betty tells herself as she turns and walks out of his loft. Out of his life.

She places a hand over her belly momentarily, knowing that it was the right thing to do. The only thing to do…

- fb -

"Oh no…" Betty felt her legs go weak as she sat on the couch behind her.

Her nerves took control of her body as she took a deep breath. Tears clouded her vision as she shook her head and rested it in her hands.

She looked back at the home pregnancy test and compared it to the picture on the box for the fifth time. "Damn it," Betty cursed under her breath. She was definitely right the first three times. It was a match. She was pregnant.

She cried for a few moments, burying her head in a nearby pillow. She wiped at her face, trying to catch her breath.

Betty stood, throwing the pregnancy test in the bathroom trash. She caught a glimpse of her reflection, pausing stare herself in the eyes. "Get it together…calm down," she said quietly. She dampened a hand towel, cooling her face before exiting the restroom.

She leaned on a nearby wall, closing her eyes as more tears fell from them. How could she have let this happen?

And more importantly, what was she going to do now?

- fb -

"I need to put in my two weeks notice." The words had slipped out of Betty's mouth quicker and more smoothly than she expected. She'd been practicing variations of that sentence all morning, making sure she sounded as confident as possible. She'd knocked on her boss' door, taking slow breaths and trying her best to remain cool.

"Wait. Huh?" the confused expression on Kristin's face would've almost been amusing if this was a joke. But it wasn't. "I'm sorry to do this to you, Kristin. You know how much I appreciate this job and the wonderful opportunity you've-"

"Hold up. Please tell me this doesn't have something to do with the rumors floating around here all week. Look, relationships in the office aren't advised, and since you and Austin took that chance, you have to deal with all the drama that comes along with it," she clasped her hands in front of her, pursing her lips together.

"I know, but…that's not the only reason. It's something else. Something a little more life-changing." Betty saw the realization dawn on the older woman, and she motioned for her to have a seat.

"Okay. Let's have a talk."

-

Later that week...

Daniel closed the door behind him, the familiar smell of stale pizza and Chinese food greeting him as he walked into his penthouse. He glanced through the mail quickly, tossing it on a small table with the keys. He sighed, rubbing the stubble on his face and loosening his tie, wanting to forget today's events. "Everyone's really worried about you, Daniel," Amanda had said, putting a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

"Huh? Why? I'm fine," he'd shrugged, walking back to his desk.

"No you're not. It's like- it's like you don't care anymore," she tried to explain.

"Of course I care…" he responded, avoiding her eyes by sorting papers on his desk. "Is this about the 5 o'clock shadow?" he jokingly motioned to the stubble on his his face, "because if Alexis is that worried about appearances, I'll have it taken care of in the morning."

He heard Amanda let out a sigh, not needing to see her face to know what it looked like. "No. It's not that and you know it. You've had this nonchalant attitude about almost everything this last month. What's up with you? Does this have anything to do with Chicago?" His head had shot up quickly.

"What about Chicago? Nice city, but…apparently there's nothing there for me," he'd replied bitterly. "It's Betty isn't it? That fashion show was just an excuse to see her wasn't it?" she crossed her arms, examining his every move. "This has nothing to do with her. Let it alone, Amanda. I'm fine." Daniel said sternly.

"No you're not. You're-"

"Leave me alone! Don't you have somewhere to be?"

He'd practically told her to get out of the office, feeling guilty for yelling at her afterwards. He knew Amanda was right. He was a mess…and he could blame Betty, but it was really his fault. It was his fault for allowing himself to get so obsessed over one little kiss. One stupid kiss. And it was his fault for letting his emotions get the best of him in Chicago. He'd let his love for her surpass the fact that she was engaged to another man and in turn, pushed her further away. It was because of him that he'd probably lost the one person that meant the most to him forever.

Daniel rolled his eyes at his stupidity, grabbing the Chinese takeout box on the kitchen counter and tossing it in the trash. He picked up his phone, momentarily scrolling down his favorites list. "Natasha, Vanessa, Tricia, or Kelly?" he muttered under his breath bitterly, sighing raggedly and unbuttoning his shirt.

Daniel shook his head, tossing the phone to the side and grabbing a half-empty bottle of Patron from the refrigerator. "Much better idea," he said to himself, automatically thinking of how Betty wouldn't approve of his behavior. He cursed under his breath, sitting the bottle back down and resting his head in his hands.

Why did he have to love her so much?

He got up from his seat, heading toward his room for a nice long shower, but the doorbell stopped him in his stride. Daniel groaned and placed a hand to his temple, having a feeling Alexis was here to bitch about his behavior. He unlocked the door, opening it slightly so his body was in the doorway.

She stood there, as she had so many times in the past, clutching her purse and gazing up at him behind her frames. "Betty?"

will betty tell him her big news or will daniel push her away first? stay tuned!!

PLEasE reviEw! I always love to know what you think!!