Chapter Four

A/N: Thanks to everyone for all your reviews. Those make me that much more motivated to keep writing. Once again, thanks to all over at I-C….you rock Team Henry!!!!!

Betty sat in her bathtub a few nights later; trying to let the jasmine scented bubbles soothe her. Physically she felt fine. Tired, but fine. Mentally this had been one of the worst weeks she could remember.

Since her last conversation with Henry, she went out of her way to avoid him. Apparently he had the same thought, actually turning and walking in the opposite direction one morning when he saw her chatting with Christina. Christina caught his abrupt u-turn and turned to Betty, giving her a curious look but mercifully not commenting.

Betty sighed and pulled the plug in the bathtub. She stepped out and dried herself off, slipping into her nightshirt. She turned off the bathroom light and walked into her bedroom. Gio was already waiting for her, surfing through the channels from the bed.

"Hey there Cutie." Gio said, pulling back the covers. Betty tried not to flinch outwardly at the pet name she'd asked Gio not to call her. She got into her side of the bed, pulling up the covers as Gio turned off the TV and the lights. Betty felt Gio slide up next to her as he put his arm around her.

"So, have you given any more thought to what we talked about the other night?" Gio asked. Betty bit her lip, hoping Gio wouldn't see.

"You mean about kids?" Betty asked.

"Yeah, I mean you want to have kids right?" Gio said.

"Well, yeah I do, but I still think it's a little soon Gio." Betty said, "I mean we just got married and all."

"Six months, going on seven." Gio replied, "And we haven't had sex in…." Betty interrupted.

"Gio, I know we haven't, but I don't think I'm ready to have kids just yet. Can we talk about this tomorrow, I'm really tired." Betty said, turning away from him.

"Yeah, sure Betty." Gio sighed. He turned over the opposite way and pulled the covers up to his chin. Betty stared at the wall long after Gio fell asleep. She remembered the old saying her Aunt Mirta quoted when she was a child about marrying in haste and repenting in leisure. Well, she didn't have much leisure time but she sure was repenting, Betty thought as she finally drifted off to sleep, dreaming of babies with dark curly hair and big brown eyes.

The next day was Take Your Child to Work Day. Everyone in the Meade Building was excited. So many people were bringing their children to work that some of the staff had volunteered to show the children around. Christina had made special arrangements with Henry to take Maddie and show her all the "coolest" places in MODE. Maddie had wandered around the Closet, wide-eyed, looking at all the latest fashions. She asked Christina some very intelligent and amusing questions. Christina steered her through the MODE offices, letting her talk to Amanda and Daniel. Maddie told Christina she didn't like Amanda too much but thought Daniel was "nice". As they headed out of Daniel's office, Christina decided to detour over to Betty's office. She knocked on her door and waited for Betty to invite them in. As they walked in, Betty smiled at Christina.

"Hey Christina, you having fun playing tour guide today?" Betty asked.

"I am and I thought I would bring up wee Maddie here to see a writer in action." Christina replied.

"Well good. Maddie are you having fun looking around the offices?" Betty asked, looking at Maddie.

"Yep." Said Maddie, "I got to see where Daddy works this morning, but it's not nearly as fun as up here." Betty and Christina laughed.

"Well, sometimes work isn't always fun Maddie, but we do try to make it fun here." Betty said. Maddie looked up at Betty.

"Can I sit at your desk Betty?" Maddie asked. Betty smiled.

"Sure you can." Betty said. Betty pulled out her chair and Maddie climbed up into her lap. Betty woke her computer and pulled up her socuteitssick website and showed Maddie all the cute animals there. Betty and Maddie were so engrossed in looking at all the kittens and puppies that nobody noticed Henry standing in the doorway, a solemn look on his face. As he watched Betty and Maddie laughing, he felt someone walk up next to him.

"Hey there Egg Salad." Gio said, balancing a Styrofoam carton in his hand.

"The name is Henry!" Henry replied angrily as everyone in the room looked up at him.

"Henry." Betty said as Maddie waved at him.

"Daddy, look at this! Betty has some cute baby animals on her computer." Maddie squealed.

"Henry." Christina began, "I just wanted to show her…" Henry's brow furrowed as he looked at Betty and Maddie.

"Come on Maddie, we need to go. You have a dentist appointment." Henry said. Maddie stuck out her lower lip as she looked at her father.

"I don't like the dentist." Maddie said.

"Nobody does Maddie, but you still have to go." Henry said, mustering a smile. Maddie jumped down from Betty's lap and paused, looking over her desk.

"Do you have any kids?" Maddie asked, "Daddy has pictures of me on his desk, but you don't have any pictures on yours." Betty felt her face turning red, but managed to find her voice.

"No, I don't have any children, but I've always wanted to have a little girl with pretty brown eyes just like yours." Betty said, directing her answer to Maddie, but looking directly at Henry. Henry felt his face flush as his eyes met Betty's. Everyone else in the room seemed to disappear as they stared at one another. Christina caught the look as she glanced over at Gio. His expression was unreadable as he finally walked over to Betty.

"Here uh…..Cutie, I brought you some lunch." Gio said. The spell was broken as Betty averted her eyes from Henry's and Maddie clutched her father's hand. Maddie waved goodbye to Betty and headed out with her father. Christina mumbled some excuse about needing to get to the Closet to alter a dress. As her office cleared, Betty looked over at Gio.

"Guess we can start trying to have a baby then." Gio smiled at her. Betty avoided his gaze as she thought of the birth control pills she had stashed in her underwear drawer. Pills that she had been taking every night since her wedding. She unwrapped her sandwich, ignoring Gio as she tried to figure out how she was going to get out of this mess.

TBC……………………………….

A/N 2: While some people think that Betty may not be that deceiving as to be taking birth control, I choose to think that this is entirely possible, but if anyone thinks I've overstepped the character's personality or strayed from canon, please let me know!!!