Thank you to everyone who read or reviewed the last chapter. Some of you are brilliant and have an inkling of what I'm planning. Those of you who are scared of where things are going don't worry we will have a Daniel Betty happy ending (it just may take us 100,000 words to get there).

This was supposed to be a longer chapter but I wanted Betty and Daniel's goodbye to be unspoiled by the drama that's coming next. There will be drama. This is Ugly Betty, so expect nothing less.

Chapter 8: All Good Things...

Over the last couple of weeks, Betty has adapted to limousine rides and spending quality time in Daniel's town car almost as if she was a princess. Yet on this morning, she couldn't help but feel like Cinderella waiting for her carriage to turn back into a pumpkin. This last month has been something like a fairytale, complete with beautiful dresses and her almost carriage ride. She never thought that she would have a boyfriend who really cared about her to the point that he hung out with her nephew and tried to pacify her sister. Daniel even defended her from the idiots at Meade publications who said asinine things. Betty did not necessarily need him to defend her, because she was used to being bullied, but it was nice not to have to put up with the insults alone.

Now she was scared that this fairytale was about to end. Daniel would be getting on a plane in a few hours and she just couldn't help but feel that her metaphorical clock was going to strike midnight and she would be back to her pre-Daniel life with a boyfriend who didn't appreciate her (i.e. he only wanted her for sex) and a job cleaning up cat urine. She just had the sick feeling that once Daniel was away from her the spell would be broken and he would realize that he didn't belong with ayou are evil and all girl like her from Queens who could only afford to go to college because she got a scholarship.

The fact that she felt like she would vomit at any moment on the way to her 9 AM class today did not make the situation any better. (Actually, she already did 10 minutes earlier and once really early this morning on Mrs. Meade's shoes). Because Daniel was not sick from their gourmet dinner she assumed it was nerves or possibly his cologne. (She hoped it was just nervousness despite what Mrs. Meade said when she threw up on her.)

"You getting sick was not what I envisioned when I planned out the perfect Valentine's Day. I'm sorry. I'm never ordering from that restaurant again." Daniel said handing her a soda that the driver just got for her from a nearby store. She already used the mouthwash from Daniel's carry-on bag. Did she mention that he was dropping her off at school on the way to the airport? They were only about 15 minutes from Queens College at this point. Due to the events of last night or rather this morning she was kind of happy that Mrs. Meade would be arriving at the airport in a different car with her sobriety coach Marcy. Marcy was kind enough to retrieve Mrs. Meade this morning after the events of earlier.

"It's okay. This was still better than last year despite your mom showing up this morning and me getting sick all over her shoes." Daniel frowned when she said that most likely remembering her story about the guy who asked her out just so she would write his essay for him last year. "I don't think it's the restaurant, anyway. You ate the same thing and you're not sick. Also, I did throw up before taking the first bite of food the first time." She said taking a drink hoping that her stomach would be settled by the time she arrived on campus. She would hate to think of the type of rumors that would start if she got sick in class.

"Good point. Also, I'm sorry about what my mother said after you got sick on her shoes. She didn't mean it and she really does like you anyway." Daniel said looking slightly embarrassed. She was shocked that Daniel could blush considering the things he did to her before the sudden onset of nausea. (Even though it made her blush to think it, she is really going to miss his tongue.)

Claire Meade showed up at Daniel's apartment at 3:33 AM 'slightly' drunk and wearing a designer trench coat and nothing else. She was ranting about deceased children, bastard husbands, and lost babies in South Dakota. Betty's response was to promptly regurgitate on her shoes, which probably cost more than Betty's tuition last semester. Mrs. Meade's response was, "Daniel, I thought you had better manners than this. You should've introduced me to your new girlfriend before you got her pregnant." Daniel tried to explain that it wasn't like that yet, but it was hard for Mrs. Meade to believe that considering that she was wearing one of Daniel's dress shirts. (For some reason said dress shirt was now crumpled in Betty's overnight bag.) In her defense, Daniel's dress shirt covered more than the black lace lingerie that Jordan gave her to sleep in.

"It's okay." Betty said blushing again. The encountered just made her slightly embarrassed (and made her a little worried about the Walter thing). Considering Mrs. Meade actually liked her, despite what happened, Betty is not going to let this worry her. They had a really good conversation once the coffee kicked in before Marcy came. "She was…"

"Completely drunk." Daniel finished for her when Betty was unable to come up with a polite way to say that. She just nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm well aware that my mom is an alcoholic and Valentine's Day is just bad for anyone who has a dead son and philandering husband." Daniel said with bitterness.

Daniel was mostly okay with Alex's death now or about as okay as you can be a month and a half after your brother commit suicide. He can at least now talk about the man without his eyes glazing over. The situation with Bradford was still bad. Part of her hoped that Daniel's time in Europe will give him time to let go of his anger but Betty wasn't sure a reconciliation was possible. Daniel still held the man solely responsible for Alex's death.

"That's why I wasn't offended." Betty said squeezing his hand. "She meant nothing by it. She was just joking. It couldn't be true because I was really careful with Walter and it is not like I can actually be pregnant with your child." Daniel's eyes got wide for a moment but he didn't say anything. She was glad for that. Even though she use spermicide and condoms with Walter she was still scared, which is why she's been so cautious with Daniel. This was kind of stupid because she is sure Daniel actually likes her for reasons beyond sex, she's just not sure why.

"I'm just nervous." She said after a moment.

"Big test today?" He asked jokingly.

"I hope not considering I spent most of the last three days not studying." Betty said with a yawn. Between her Valentine's Day activities with Daniel, getting sick, and keeping Mrs. Meade occupied this morning before her sobriety coach showed up Betty managed to get a grand total of two hours of sleep. She wondered if Jamie would be mad if she took a nap instead of actually working this afternoon. She was exhausted and she could legitimately call in sick because she was sick. Daniel did suggest that she stay home three times but she could not afford to miss class.

"You're leaving today and…" Betty started but she wasn't sure how to finish that thought. How exactly do you articulate that you feel like this is all a dream that you will probably wake up from at any moment?

"You're afraid I'm not going to come back to you?" Daniel said it as a question. He really did know her.

"Yes. I mean I still don't understand what you see in me. My coworkers are kidnapping me to get good braces. Marc said the only reason why he hasn't started a fashion disaster blog about me was because you threatened him with certain career death if he made fun of me again." Daniel actually smirked at her comment. Why did she have the feeling that Marc wasn't exaggerating?

"I didn't take it that far. Also, you are now dressing a lot more professional and you only have 'I just got fucked' hair after actual sexual activity." That made her blush.

"Is 'professional' a code word for 'fashionable'?" Betty said ignoring his more sexually charged comment.

"In the industry we work in, yes. Fortunately, you only work at a kind of men's fashion magazine. I don't think we are as bad as the devil that wears Dolce and Gabbana." Daniel joked as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"If it wasn't for my nephew I would have no idea what you were talking about. Part of me thinks that my carriage is going to be a pumpkin again the moment you get on that plane. Maybe this is just some reaction to…" Betty was cut off by his lips, making her very thankful that she used the mouthwash earlier.

She tasted like his mouthwash, which makes sense considering she used an entire travel size bottle after they had to pull over 20 minutes ago. He wanted to stay home sick with her but she was pretty much forcing him to get on the plane today even though he really didn't want to. He wanted to memorize everything about this kiss because he already knew they were a mere two minutes away from Queens College and he would have to let her go until at least April. (At least, he hoped it was just April.)

"Don't listen to stupid people. I'm not using you as an Alex replacement or as a means to get over him. I don't know how many times I need to repeat this but I'm with you because you're you, crooked teeth and all." She exhaled in relief at his words.

Daniel could understand her fear because he was scared too. He was afraid that she would not want him anymore when he came back from France. Daniel was already pretty sure that there would not be anyone else. He was more afraid that she wouldn't want him. It wasn't easy being Daniel Meade's girlfriend. The incident yesterday with her sister freaking out because of inaccurate tabloid speculation illustrated that. They have managed to avoid the paparazzi so far but that wouldn't last much longer. He considers it a miracle that they haven't figured out who Betty was to him yet. He didn't want them to hurt her. He didn't want this to all fall apart because he…

"I love you." The words were out of his mouth before he even realized they were out there. Really, he thought he was just saying that in his head but Betty's physical reaction told him that was not the case.

"No you don't, but thanks for saying it." He's sure he's heard that line somewhere before but said nothing about that. She made it sound as if she were joking. "Don't say things you don't mean just because you're going away." Now he could hear the hurt in her voice.

"I meant it." Daniel said in a whisper, as the car pulled into the parking lot closest to Betty's 9 o'clock class. "I've never said those words lightly. Although, I know a lot of guys do." He wondered for a moment if Walter ever said those words to her for the sole purpose of getting her into his bed.

"Because you're brilliant smile can get girls into your bed with much less effort." She said trying to joke but her eyes told him that she wasn't into it.

"But not into my heart. I would never let any of these girls in my heart but you're already there. How you got there, I'm not sure. I've spent years trying to keep everyone out and yet somehow you managed to look past my man-whore image and see me. No one has really seen me before. That makes saying goodbyes so hard. I'm not 100% sure I can live without you right now. I don't want to leave mostly because you won't ask me to stay even though you really want to. You're too good for me." He was rambling.

"I don't want you to leave but I know you have to. Your mom is a mess and everything," Betty said now on the verge of tears. "You're kind of like the best friend I've ever had." Now she was crying.

"But with make out privileges." He joked trying to cheer her up.

"Is it weird that I just like spending time with you more than the make out privileges?" She asked half smiling despite the tears.

"I kind of like that too," he told her as he breathed in the scent of her shampoo. He just held her for a few moments despite the fact that he was going to make her late for class.

"I have to leave." Betty said choking back a sob. He wanted to cry too.

"I know," He whispered. His heart was in his stomach. Actually, he felt like he was going to throw up at any moment. Maybe the dinner was bad the night before.

"I'll call you before my plane leaves." He said not sure what else to say.

"Okay." Betty whispered as she kissed him one more time. It seemed to last forever but reluctantly she pulled away. For a moment, he thought he heard her say 'I love you' too but his mind was obviously playing tricks on him. It was purely wishful thinking on his part. He sat inside the car as he watched her disappear into one of the many buildings on campus. If anyone asked him later he would completely deny the fact that he cried almost the entire way to the airport even if he did send her text message.

To be continued

Enjoy the last few fluffy moments in this chapter because things are about to get 'bumpy'. Just remembered this will be with a happy ending.