It was Tuesday morning and Betty was sitting at her desk looking over some photos for an article on the crisis in Pakistan and the role of Doctors without Borders. She loved her job and couldn't imagine a better fit for her. She was so glad Daniel had convinced her to fight for it. It had been so worth it.

On top of that, she and Daniel had been dating for just under three months and things were great in that department too. She thought she was falling in love with him although she still hadn't been ready to tell him quite yet…she just wasn't completely sure…and that was too BIG to be wrong about. She knew he loved her. He didn't tell her he loved her very often - probably because he didn't want her to feel pressured to say it back – but he had told her. Besides, she could tell by how patient he'd been in the physical aspect of their relationship – never pushing her; never expecting too much.

Was it wrong that she was waiting for the shoe to drop? It wasn't like Betty to be pessimistic and expect something bad just because everything was going so well…but lately she just couldn't shake this feeling.

Her assistant interrupted her thoughts.

"Betty, there's a call on line two for you."

"Who is it?" Betty asked.

"He said his name was Matt. He's an old friend or something?" And just like that…thud…the rubber hit the linoleum.

"Ok. I got it." She paused for a minute before connecting the call. She had to collect her thoughts. Could it really be Matt Hartley? She hadn't seen him since they'd broken up when he'd left for Africa about ten months ago. She knew there was only one way to know for sure if it was him. She clicked the button to connect the call.

"Hello." She answered nonchalantly.

"Betty? Hi. It's Matt." Yep, it was him alright. It felt strange to hear his voice. Her heart skipped a beat.

"Matt! How are you? It's so good to hear from you." The feelings were genuine. There had been no animosity when he had left. She had loved him deeply and wanted him to be happy. When she saw how enthusiastic he was about going to Africa she knew she had to let him go - he needed to find his passion.

"I'm great. I'm in London." He's here. She stopped breathing for a minute and he continued. "I've been back to New York." He was matter of fact. "I stopped in at Mode because I wanted to see you. Amanda was there and she said that you had left and were now working in London."

"Amanda doesn't work at Mode anymore…" Betty was a little confused.

"I know. She was visiting or something. And to be precise, what she actually said was that you'd moved to Scotland and were working for the Queen or something? I had to get the real facts from Marc." They both laughed.

"Listen..." He was hesitant. "I…uh…was kind of hoping I could see you. Maybe we could have dinner or something."

Betty was silent for a moment. She wanted to have dinner with him. She wanted to see him; to find out all about Africa and how it had changed him. Surely there was no harm in an innocent dinner between two old friends. Then she thought of Daniel. Daniel; what would he say if he found out she'd gone out with Matt Hartley and hadn't told him? He would be so hurt even if she did explain that it was completely innocent. in the past she'd learned her lesson about meeting up with ex-boyfriends the hard way. She wouldn't make that mistake with Daniel.

"Uh…I don't know." She said.

"You don't know if you can have dinner?" He was confused. They hadn't ended on bad terms just two people going different directions.

"I mean…I'm seeing someone. And I'm not sure how he would feel if you and I went out to dinner and I didn't discuss it with him first…you know?" He knew.

"Is it someone I know? Stupid question…Of course it's not someone I know…I don't know anyone in London." He stammered in typical Matt fashion disappointment creeping into his voice.

"Actually…you do know him." Betty figured she might as well be honest. "It's Daniel." She figured Matt probably didn't need a last name.

"Daniel…?" He paused while trying to place the name. Suddenly the light when on. "Daniel Meade? You're seeing Daniel Meade?" He was shocked. "I heard he quit Mode. So he's here in London then?"

"Yeah. So let me talk to Daniel and let him know you're in town and you want to get together with me. Can I call you back?" They exchanged information and she hung up. Matt was staying in a hotel on the North end of London. They would have to take the tube if they were going to meet up somewhere.

Betty invited Daniel over to her flat after work so she could broach the subject of dinner with Matt in person. Daniel arrived just after six thirty. Betty was cooking.

"I thought you didn't cook?" He was surprised.

"It's a new recipe I wanted to try. It's nothing fancy, honest."

They sat down at the table when dinner was ready.

"Hey, this is pretty good." Daniel commented.

"Yeah. It's not bad. I guess I can make two things now." She smiled hesitantly.

She was feeling a little nervous about telling Daniel about Matt. She hadn't really figured out what she wanted to say. Daniel could sense something was wrong.

"Something is bugging you." He said. It was a statement not a question. Betty couldn't hide things from him.

No point delaying the inevitable. "Matt called. He's in town and he wants to have dinner."

Daniel didn't respond. He was trying to process what he had heard. Did she mean Matt Hartley? Of course she did - that's why she's so edgy. He was a little confused. "He wants to have dinner with us?" he asked, slightly perplexed. That might be a little awkward.

Betty looked at him closely. Was he serious? He did just say "us" didn't he?

"Not us, Daniel." She needed to clarify. "Me. He wants to have dinner with me."

I'm an idiot - of course. Daniel was finally putting it all together. Matt was in town and wanted to reconnect with Betty – alone - not with the two of them. Did he know about the two of them? Would Betty have told him? Daniel felt a little sick. He hated the idea of Betty getting together with Matt at all, let alone for dinner where there might be romantic music and candlelight and Matt would totally be mackin' on his Betty. Daniel hated feeling jealous. But he couldn't help it. He didn't trust Matt for a minute not to try to rekindle with Betty what they had had back in New York. And though he thought he should probably trust Betty, it was more that he didn't completely know how she felt about him. She had loved Matt back then - Daniel knew that. But did she love Daniel now? That was the real question. And would getting together with Matt just make her confused. He felt a little panicky. What if he lost Betty to Matt?

"Daniel?" She was waiting for some kind of response.

"You want to have dinner with Matt…like some kind of date…" he needed to clarify it "and you want me to be ok with it?"

"Not a date, Daniel - just two old friends having dinner." It bothered her that he would make it sound that way. She didn't understand what the big deal was. After all, she had thought to talk to him about it first. She didn't go behind his back.

"You and Matt are not just "two old friends". You make it sound like you just used to hang out after work or something." Daniel was trying to be rational but her argument didn't make sense. "You almost moved in with him Betty! You probably would have if he hadn't left you to go to Africa." He needed to remind her that Matt was the one who had left - he could do it to her again - he was flakey that way. "Jeez...Betty…he broke your heart…not once…but twice."

She was getting annoyed.

"I just want to find out about Africa. To see how it's changed him. Is that so awful?"

"Yeah it's awful. He's an ex-boyfriend Betty…one with a lot of history." He paused for a minute and then he said "I think you want to go because you want to see if he still has feelings for you…and if you still have feelings for him…to see if that door is still open."

She felt a twinge of guilt. He wasn't completely wrong – deep down a part of her had wondered that, but she hadn't even admitted it to herself. And now here he was accusing her of it. She was angry – with herself…and with him for knowing her so well. But that wasn't the whole truth…she didn't want to have feelings for Matt, she just needed to know if she had gotten over him so she could move on with Daniel. She didn't say that though.

Daniel looked at her and said "I don't want you to go."

She took a deep breath and said in a frighteningly calm, icy tone that Daniel rarely heard from her "I wasn't asking your permission. I was just letting you know out of respect for you…for us."

"So you're going to go?"

"Yes."

Daniel continued "I won't stand around waiting for Matt to break your heart again so I can step in and pick up the pieces. If that's what you choose to do…don't expect me to be here for you Betty."

He couldn't believe she was choosing to go even after he'd asked her not to. He loved her – he'd left his life in New York because he didn't want to be without her. And now she wanted to have dinner with Matt to see… what exactly…if she still loved him? The unfairness of it made his head spin. He needed air. He got up from the table and walked to the door.

"Daniel…" Betty called after him.

He kept walking.