Ugly Betty

It Takes a Village

A/N: I can't apologise enough for not posting sooner. I could make excuses but you don't really want to hear them. You probably just want to read the chapter. However, I promised I'd finish this story and I will.

Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Ugly Betty in anyway.

Chapter Eighteen: Here, Now and Today

The day was upon faster than they had expected. It was a perfect summer day in New York. There was sunshine, blue sky and less smog than normal. It was almost as if God himself was shining down on New York City. The set-up for the ceremony and reception which was taking place on the rooftop of Daniel and Betty's building had gone off without a hitch. While most of the guests expected either a palette of white and silver or a childish cacophony of colour, they were treated to a surprising combination of the two.

Betty had changed her style somewhat but she was still the same old Betty underneath. It showed in her styling. While she had worked with a wedding planner, the basic ideas of the decorations were hers. The chairs were covered in white but pink, purple and orange gerberas decorated the chairs in the aisle. She would walk down a pink carpet (less gaudy than it sounded) to a platform which was decorated with bunches of gerberas and unlit lanterns. The waist-high wall behind was lined with single gerberas blooms.

While cocktails were served the rooftop would be transformed for the reception. The area would be filled with tables. Low clear vases would hold bunches of gerberas while the plain white and silver crockery and cutlery would glisten in what was left of the sunlight. Tea-lights and specially-crafted lanterns, white and coloured, hanging from a wire would be lit as guests watched the last moments of sunset. A wooden dance-floor hired for the occasion was right in the centre of the space and it was there that Daniel and Betty would have their first dance as husband and wife under the glow of the moon and the soft hush of candle- and lantern-light.

It was going to be a magical time. And it was here, now and today.

"Today is so not the day to be having a fat day, Betty," Amanda moaned as she fluffed Betty's veil.

"This dress makes me look huge!" Betty complained. "I think it's the colour. Doesn't white make you look larger than you are? White is the antithesis of black and if black makes you look slimmer than it makes sense that white makes you look larger. Why the hell did I wear a white dress?"

"Because it's your wedding and you're supposed to wear a white dress," Amanda groaned. "You don't look huge. You look amazing. Seriously, Betty, you are stunning."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," Betty huffed.

Amanda turned away from her friend and let out a silent scream. She then rushed over to the door and flung it open.

"Christina? Hilda? We need reinforcements in here," she called.

The two girls were there in an instant wielding a bottle of champagne and four glasses.

"You only bought one bottle?" Amanda groaned. She reached out for a glass and handed one to Betty.

"Betty's a light-weight. We really don't want her slurring through her vows," Christina answered.

"It wouldn't be the first time that happened at a Suarez wedding. Betty, remember how Papi told us that Grandma Rosa was tipsy at her wedding?" Hilda asked. Betty gulped her champagne and nodded. "He told us that she yelled 'I do' at the top of her lungs and practically mauled Grandpa when they had their first kiss."

"I was drunk at my wedding," Christina offered. The other three just glanced at her and she rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Okay, okay."

There was a knock at the door and the wedding planner stuck her head in.

"They're almost ready for you upstairs," she announced to the room. She moved her eyes over the bridesmaids in their dresses and then her eyes lingered on Betty. "You look stunning, Betty. Absolutely gorgeous."

She looked at herself in the mirror again, taking in her dress. It was a simple lace-covered dress with a semi-plunging neckline and a train. It was based on the dress Hannah's character had worn in 'Made of Honour' which was one of Betty's favourite movies. In fact she had based most of the wedding on that of Hannah and Tom. Just with slightly more colour. Her hair was loose held back from her face by the comb of her veil.

Hilda, Christina and Amanda wore knee-length dresses in blue, aqua and magenta respectively. Hilda's was halter neck and plunging, Christina's had spaghetti straps while Amanda's was strapless. They all wore matching silver heels. Sybella's flower-girl dress was white and covered in pink flowers. Her shoes were light blue Mary-Janes. She'd been allowed to choose it herself and nothing would sway her from the decision even though the shoes didn't go at all. Justin had been having a conniption in the other room about it but eventually he had calmed down. He could always photo-shop them to a more acceptable colour.

"You really do look great," Amanda reaffirmed.

"I wonder who designed that stunning and flattering dress," Christina winked.

"Mama and Papi would have been speechless," Hilda murmured. She caught her sisters' eye in the mirror and they smiled softly at each other.

The door opened again and Justin, who would walk Betty down the aisle in place of their Papi and grandfather, and Sybella entered the room.

"Wow, Aunt Betty. You look amazing," was all Justin could muster. He nodded in appreciation and acceptance.

"What do you think, Bella?" Betty asked.

"Pretty, Mama," Sybella agreed. She clapped her hands together and span around until Justin caught her.

"Be careful of your dress," he admonished. He puffed the skirt up a bit and shook his head. "She's a lost cause."

"Justin," Hilda scolded but everybody was smiling.

"What? Blue shoes with the dress? What was she thinking?" he scoffed.

"She's four years old," Hilda reminded with a chuckle. "Not all of your ensembles were great at four."

"Bite your tongue," he ordered his mother. His eyes travelled to Betty again. "Seriously, Aunt Betty. You look hot."

"Thanks Justin," she grinned. She looked into the mirror again and smiled. She did look beautiful.

"If you're ready, Betty," the wedding planner prodded.

"Oh, of course," Betty agreed. "Does everybody have their flowers?"

There was a scramble around the room. Sybella was handed a basket of brightly coloured petals and ordered not to throw them under any circumstance until she was on the carpet. The bridesmaids grabbed their bouquets and fixed up lipstick and eyeliner. Eventually they were in the left and a few short moments later they were standing on the roof. Betty's veil had been fluffed and her dress tugged into place as they elevator had descended. Now she was standing at the back of the lift, picture-perfect and wedding ready. After a last minute squeeze of the hand and excited squeal, the girls made their day down the aisle followed by Sybella who grandly tossed petals into the air. The music peaked and Betty stepped out of the lift. She blinked a few times as she got used to the sunlight. Justin took her arm and they began to walk towards the altar.

Daniel was standing there looking ravishing in his tuxedo. Betty made a point of not catching his eye until halfway down the aisle because she knew once she did, there was no turning back. Daniel however watched her the entire way begging her to look at him. When she did, his breath caught and tears popped into his eyes. He could barely see hers through the veil but he saw her bright beam. She was glowing even through the gauze. His beam matched hers and even the most hardened of the guests couldn't help a soft smile or tears popping up in their eyes as Daniel married his assistant and former 'uggo.'

"I've never thought you were anything but beautiful," Daniel said as an addendum to his vows. "But I have never seen you look more beautiful than you do right now. It's an honour and a privilege to spend my life with you. You have made me so happy, Betty, and I hope I can do the same for you."

"You already have," she whispered. He beamed back at her and it was all she could do not to reach over and kiss him right there and then.

They finished reciting their vows and signing their wedding certificate. The minister gave another spiel about love, joy and spending their lives together. Through it all they were both itching to hear the words 'you may now kiss your bride.' Eventually they came and to a chorus of catcalls and cheers, Betty and Daniel Meade had the kind of first kiss that Betty always swore she would never have in public.

As Daniel and Betty swirled around the floor wrapped in each other she became vaguely aware of something tugging on her skirt. She looked down to find Sybella looking eagerly up at her. She glanced over at Marta, who was taking care of both Astrid and Sybella for the night, making an apologetic face.

"It's okay," Betty mouthed. She took one hand of Daniel and reached down to pat Sybella on the head. "What is it, sweetheart?"

"I wanna dance with you and Daddy," she announced.

"I think we can arrange that," Daniel agreed. He scooped Sybella up with his free hand and the three of them began to sway together, awkwardly managing a turn every now and then.

Betty turned and waved to where her closest friends and family were standing.

"Come on!" she called.

And they did. Champagne glasses, gerberas and all.

Hilda was standing at the edge of the dance-floor, a wistful smile on her face. She became aware of someone standing next to her.

"You okay?" Amanda asked.

Hilda looked over to where Betty was doing the time-warp with Christina. Or rather, trying to. The long dress and four year-old on her hip wasn't making it easy.

"I guess I feel kind of left out," Hilda admitted. She cringed when she realised how it sounded. "Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled to be here and I'm thrilled for Betty. I'm even happy she has you two as friends but I can't help but feel like she'd rather it be just the two of you."

"Well that's stupid," Amanda said in her no-nonsense way. "When you left for Mexico, Betty was devastated. She was so excited when you came back and when she was choosing who to have as a bridesmaid, you were the top of her list."

"Really?" Hilda asked. Amanda nodded and took a long sip of her drink. "I shouldn't really feel like this. I'm the one who chose to run away and move to Mexico. I wasn't there for her when I should have been."

"You're here for her now," was all Amanda said. "Why did you move anyway?"

"I don't know if you've noticed but Betty is incredibly positive and bright. Not very helpful when all you want to do is crawl into bed and stay there," Hilda explained. "I took the coward's way out and I ran."

"Well, you are back now and there is a really hot guy over there who has been eyeing you off all evening," Amanda winked. She handed Hilda a drink. "He asked me to give this to you."

Hilda looked over to where a brown-haired man in a grey suit was standing. He lifted his glass and Hilda lifted hers in return.

"That was amazing," Betty sighed. She flopped onto the bed, her dress still on. Her veil had been discarded hours earlier but by God, the dress wasn't going anywhere. She rolled over onto her stomach and propped her chin up with her hands. "Can we have a wedding every week?"

"Don't you think it'd lose some of the gloss after awhile?" Daniel asked. He was in the process of unbuttoning his sleeves and rolling them up.

"Getting to wear a pretty dress and having you tell the whole world how much you love me? I don't think that could ever get old," she disagreed.

"Betty, I can guarantee that there will many more pretty dresses and occasions where I tell the whole world I love you. Or at least tell you how much I love you," he said. He crawled onto the bed next to her and caught her lips with his.

"I could spend all day just kissing you," Betty sighed when they eventually came up for breath.

"Just kissing?" he asked with a wink.

"I can think of a few other things we could do," she decided. She leaned over and kissed him again. "We got married today, Daniel. That means we're going to be together forever and there's nothing you can do about it."

"I think I can handle that," he replied. He pressed his lips to the soft spot under her ear. She trembled slightly when his breath touched her ear. "I wasn't planning on letting you go anyway."

"I love you so much, Daniel," Betty whispered.

"I love you too," he replied.