Ugly Betty
It Takes A Village
A/N: I'm sorry for the long delay in updates. October is not a good month for me. I just can't seem to shake whatever illness I have and I just started a new job (kind of) so major stresses but I have to say, thank you for the continual support. I love getting everybody's reviews and it means so much to me when people add this to their favourite stories etc. I can't promise anything but I will try to update soon! Thanks again for loving this!
Thanks to: Glorybox and Laura8881 for giving me the correct name. I just drew a blank. x
Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Ugly Betty in anyway.
Chapter Six: …And Rolling…
"You don't have to come in today," Daniel said. "Neither of us has to go in. We can stay at home and eat noodles and watch daytime TV."
Betty was rushing around the apartment, rummaging through piles of washing for a clean outfit that didn't need ironing… and that fit over her growing belly.
"If we don't go in, it's like letting them win," Betty called as she staggered into the bathroom. He heard her slamming drawers open and shut while muttering to herself. Exactly what she was saying, he couldn't decipher but he could imagine the kinds of things. A few Spanish words slipped out at a loud decibel. He didn't understand them but he could tell by the tone of her voice, she was angry.
"Betty, maybe we should talk about this a little bit before we go out and face the world," Daniel yelled out. "We need to strategize. There will be press outside the apartment and outside the office. We need to decide what to tell them."
Betty walked out of the bathroom, all shiny and ready to leave. She sat on the couch next to Daniel and looked at him, "Daniel, we just tell them the truth. It's not your baby and you're just helping a friend out. Then if necessary, we set up a fake date with you and a hot, blonde model."
"That will only increase the headlines and they'll accuse me of cheating on you and leaving my pregnant girlfriend at home to go out and gallivant around the city with models. I'll be back to my old tricks and the fact that I've been really good and only gone to industry parties that I need to be seen at for the past six weeks."
"Has it only been six weeks since I found out?" Betty groaned. "I swear this pregnancy is taking forever. I'm only fourteen weeks along. I still have twenty-four weeks. How can we deal with six months of this? Not to mention the rest of the child's life."
"We'll deal with it," Daniel promised. "I don't know how but we'll deal with it."
"You shouldn't have to," Betty sighed.
"Neither should you," Daniel replied. There was a silent pause. "So what are we going to do?"
"Exactly what I said. Deny that the baby is yours and simply tell them you are helping out a friend. It's brilliant press for you and the magazine because it shows that the company takes care of its employees. And I am going to take Wilhelmina on," Betty said.
"You're going to what?" Daniel asked, his eyes almost bulging out of his head.
"You heard me," Betty answered. She stood up and picked up her bag. "Ready to face the music?"
"No," Daniel replied, still sitting on the couch.
"Fine," Betty said, stalking towards the door. She flung it open and took three steps before realising Daniel wasn't following her. She turned around and yelled out in his direction, "I'm not waiting for you."
"I don't think I have ever seen so many paparazzi in one spot," Daniel whistled. Next to him, he heard Betty gulp. He reached down and took her hand. "We don't have to do this. We can get the car to turn around."
"No, I want to do this," Betty replied. "I just need a minute. Actually, I need a lot of minutes."
"Take as many minutes as you need," Daniel sighed.
"No, I've changed my mind. Let's go now. They smell fear so the longer we wait, the more scared they'll think we are," Betty decided.
"I still say we shouldn't do this. I think we should just go home now," he retorted.
"Oh my goodness. If you want noodles for lunch that badly, I'll get them for you. If you want to watch daytime TV that much, I'll wheel a TV into your office for you!" Betty exploded. "Can we just go now?"
"Fine," Daniel agreed, rolling his eyes. It wasn't wise to argue with a woman who was hopped up on hormones and anger. He knew that Betty was a force to be reckoned with at the best of times and that the assorted reporters and photographers were taking their lives into their own hands when they dealt with her but he also knew that they could crucify her. That was the power of the written word.
Without warning, Betty's hand reached over and flipped the door handle. She pushed the door open and slid out then stood and waited as Daniel slid over and exited from the same car. Even in the harsh daylight, the flashes from the cameras were blinding. Daniel instinctively laced an arm around Betty and she gratefully smiled as they made their way through the throng. A group of security guards ensured that there was a path clear to the door. The noise was deafening and overwhelming but step-by-step, Daniel and Betty made their way closer and closer to the door where they would give their statement.
"Betty, is it true that? Daniel, we heard…" various calls could be heard over the din. Betty and Daniel ignored the questions like true pros. Eventually; they made it to the door and one of the guards yelled for quiet.
"Thank you all for being here," Daniel started, realising the irony. He didn't thank them for being there at all. In fact, he despised them. "This will give us a chance to clear things up properly. There have been reports that I am fathering a child with Betty Suarez but these reports are false. I am not the father of the child but I plan on being a part of its life. We aren't involved in a romantic relationship but I do consider Betty to be my closest friend and I will be there for her during this time."
"Can you tell us who the father is then, Miss Suarez?" a reporter yelled out.
"He wishes to remain anonymous at this time and I don't really feel it's appropriate to reveal his name at this point in time," she answered. She was shaking slightly but Daniel was positive he was the only one who noticed.
"Aren't you worried that not revealing his identity will simply intensify the rumours that Mr. Meade is the father?" someone else asked.
"I believe in being integral above all things," Betty replied. "The father wishes to not be revealed and I am respecting his wishes. I am sure you can all understand that. If people want to believe that Daniel is the father, then that is their problem. We know the truth and if you had any integrity about you, you wouldn't publish these things which aren't true."
With that, Betty turned on her heel and stormed inside the Meade building. Daniel muttered a quick goodbye and ran in after her.
"Betty!" he yelled as she stormed towards the elevator. "Hey, Betty. Slow down!"
She pushed the button for the lift and waited impatiently as it descended. She went to push the button again but Daniel grabbed her hand.
"Sorry," she whispered.
"Is that how you expected that to go?
"I can't exactly say it is. I think I just gave them all the fodder they need. I mean, refusing to name the father is almost like admitting the child is yours and then all that crap about people believing what they want to believe, it's like denial. Maybe you were right. Maybe I should have waited," she answered.
"Hey, I'm proud of you for standing up to them. I really am. We know the truth and that should be all that matters," Daniel comforted her.
"You've been really good about this. Thank you," Betty smiled.
"It's my pleasure," Daniel said. They both chuckled lightly knowing that it wasn't a pleasure at all. The elevator finally made its way to the lobby and they walked in before sharing a silent ride up to their floor. As soon as they made it to the right floor and exited the lift, Amanda was standing in front of them.
"Bradford's in your office," she told Daniel. It was hard to hear exactly what was in her voice. It was a little bit gleeful, a little confused and a little worried. Daniel and Betty both froze. They were unable to even look at each other. Finally, Amanda spoke again. "Uh, guys. You may want to go find out what he wants."
"Right," Daniel said. He prodded Betty along. "We'll go see what he wants."
"Right," Betty agreed, suddenly finding it difficult to put one foot in front of the other. "Daniel, what do you think he wants?"
"I'm guessing it has something to do with this," he said, eyeing her belly.
"I figured that," Betty said, rolling her eyes. "Do you think he's going to fire me?"
"He'd fire me before he fires you," Daniel said. Betty said nothing but she knew it was true. Too soon they were outside Daniel's office. Sure enough, Bradford was sitting behind the desk, his expression unreadable as always. Daniel and Betty entered and stood in front of the desk as if they were two school children about to be punished by the principal. "Dad?"
"Daniel, what on earth is going on?" Bradford asked. "Did you get this young lady pregnant?"
"No, I didn't," Daniel answered.
"Then why am I hearing that you did?" he asked.
"Daniel is just helping me out," Betty answered for her friend.
"She didn't ask me to help, I offered," Daniel said quickly. "She was stupid enough to let me help. I bet she wouldn't have agreed to this if she knew what was going to happen."
"That isn't true," Betty disagreed. "Daniel is doing a good thing. He doesn't deserve this."
"Daniel, can Betty and I have a word alone?" Bradford asked suddenly.
"No way, Dad. I'm not leaving her in here alone with you," Daniel retorted.
"Its okay, Daniel. I can take care of myself," Betty said.
"Not against my father you cant," he said.
"Need I remind you I'm sitting right here, son?" Bradford asked.
"Just go, Daniel. I'll be fine," Betty prodded him. Daniel refused for a little while longer but seeing it was a losing fight he eventually left.
"Betty, I'm not really worried about you. I'm more worried about my family's name and reputation. I know that you have denied that Daniel is the father, and frankly I'm concerned that people thought there was that possibility, but I'm afraid that if you don't reveal the identity of the real father then Daniel's reputation will be tainted. If you were going to get married or were in a relationship, then things would be different but since neither of those are going to happen, I think it would be best for Daniel if you revealed the name," Bradford said.
"Daniel is doing a good thing. Why can't anybody see that?" Betty asked.
"Because this is a scandal. It doesn't matter how selfless Daniel is being, all people see is the scandal. Quite frankly, I am worried about what people will think of him. All those stories about him being out with a new woman every week will pop up and he has come so far that I can't bear to see that happen to him. I know you love my son. I can tell that you want the best for him."
"I do but this isn't fair," Betty replied. "I don't see what naming the real father is going to achieve. People will think I've just come up with a random name. They won't believe it."
"If you love my son, you'll find a way to make them believe it. It's the only way to protect him," Bradford answered.
"What about me? What about my child? This is supposed to be a happy time and it hasn't been."
"If you love my son, you'll do the right thing," Bradford repeated. Then with a great big whoosh, he left the office. Daniel entered the room as soon as his father had left but Betty had already pushed past him and was storming through the office. He watched her go the way of Wilhelmina's office but she had pushed the door open and rushed in before he actually realized what was happening. He ran after her and watched as she took the woman down.
"You!" Betty screamed as Mark cowered behind Wilhelmina's desk. Wilhelmina herself was sitting behind her pristine desk, trying to look unaffected but Daniel could it in her eyes that she was the tiniest bit unhinged. Betty was furious. Her eyes were narrow slits and her face had a slight pink tinge. "You are a horrible, horrible woman. I know that you want control of this magazine but you picked the wrong girl to mess with. You will never, ever be editor in-chief as long as I am alive and do you know why? Because you bought my child into this. You had absolutely no right to bring me or my baby into this and I don't know how, but I will make sure you are never in control here. I swear, you are just about the devil incarnate and you deserve everything that happens to you. You know how your Texan lover left you? You deserved that too because you are a nasty woman. You aren't capable of love or compassion. Even your own daughter doesn't want anything to do with you. If you weren't so caught up in your pursuit of power then maybe you would see that love and friendship is more important than anything else. I'll even show you how much more important love is. I'll give you the name of the real father and you can go and tell everyone. I love Daniel enough to make that sacrifice."
"Betty, no. You don't have to do this," Daniel interrupted. "Please don't do this."
"I have to, Daniel. For your sake, I have to do this," Betty replied. "You can't stop me. This is my decision to make and I've already made. Wilhelmina, the father's name is Gabe. Dr. Gabe Farkas. He was my dentist then we began dating and he told me he loved me, we slept together, I got pregnant, he wants no part in the baby's life so he dumped me then Daniel kindly stepped in and offered to help me out. I know, I know. What was I thinking? I was way out of my league thinking he really loved me but you, Wilhelmina Slater, are out of your league thinking you can beat me. Now I swear if you so much as breathe a bad word about Daniel or myself again, me yelling at you will be the least of it."
And with that, she stormed out of Wilhelmina's office and into the ladies bathroom where she threw-up. Again. She thought she was done with that…