So here is my new story. I have had SO many ideas about where I am going to take this and only finally have been able to write them down. Please take the time to read and review. I love to hear what people think and what can be worked on. But I hope you enjoy. It's going to be angsty in the beginning for a while, but will eventually lead to Gio and Betty. And this will not follow Season 3.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ugly Betty or Giovanni Rossi (but if I did, man, that would be awesome)

Beauty in the Breakdown

Chapter One: It's Over

"………and you expect me to marry you? Henry, I'm sorry but my answer is no. I think you should leave."

"Betty, I….."

"No Henry, look. I don't regret a moment with you, and it was great. But we have been growing apart. You will always be my first true love."

Gio didn't even hear the rest. He was standing in the distant as the exchange occurred. It was torture to have to finish the softball game, considering he heard Betty softly say, "I know what to do." She had briefly mentioned to both of them that she wanted to talk to them after the game. Never once did Gio think that it would be directly after the game, still in uniform, with Henry there.

No, Gio wasn't bitter that Henry showed up out of nowhere. He only had been patient during his and Betty's charade and was the gentleman in the situation. He took a punch to the face and was an ear to listen through it all. He waited until he couldn't wait any longer and kissed Betty in his deli. Not once did he regret that decision. He needed to prove to her that she did have undiscovered feelings for him and to finally wake up to the thing she had been denying. And finally things were starting to align before HE came back. No, Gio wasn't bitter at all.

He was livid.

And even more so at Betty, who avoided telling him anything that occurred. He was really taken off guard seeing him when he first got there. And then to find out he already had proposed to Betty, that she had a ring in her possession and decided not to mention a word about it. Gio didn't even know who he was mad at anymore, if it was Henry for returning and making Betty doubt again, at Betty for almost now giving him the impression that she was stringing him along, or at himself, for almost having blinders on.

"Goodbye Betty, I really hope you get everything that you deserve," Henry said. Gio turned to see Henry detangling himself from a hug, making Gio's distaste of the moment even more-so. Gio just felt so unsettled with everything and was trying to calm his emotions. He knew Betty was going to talk to him next and he did not want to make the situation worse. He turned away and tried to control his breathing, his eyes closed as he scrunched his brow.

"Gio?" a meekly Betty said behind him.

Gio turned around to see a red faced Betty with tears threatening to dance their way down her face. At that exact moment, he thought she looked so beautiful and yet was just so fed up with everything all at the same time. His head and his heart had reached its breaking point and he was emotionally drained.

"Finally ready to talk to me?" Gio said with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Well there goes keeping his emotions in check.

Betty got a look on her face before composing herself. "I figured we had more to talk about, and I didn't want an audience," she said as her gaze briefly looked over to where a retreating Henry was walking away. "I figured I should be fair to you."

"Now you want to be fair? Betty you've had all day to be fair and upfront. And I told you from the beginning if you didn't want to come with me to Rome, you didn't have to," he said, the agitation clearly coming across.

"But I want to go to Rome with you Gio! Why wouldn't I? I was honest when I told you yes. And then Henry just popped out of no where right after I told my family that I was going, and I was shocked. I was trying to come to terms with everything that took place, and then I had to be here. And I had no idea what to say to you and it is why I ran away."

Gio raised his eyebrow. "Oh and the fact that you weren't 100 sure about how you feel about me didn't have anything to do with it?"

"Gio, I…."

"Betty, I know. I know you weren't sure about everything. But I can't help but feel that I am going to end up just being your rebound because you aren't ready to be in a relationship," he said while looking down. He heard a sniffle and looked up into her piercing eyes as the threatening tears finally escaped, claiming territory as they slid further down her cheeks.

"My emotions are everywhere right now Gio. I broke up with Henry not to long ago and getting over him, yet here I am, attracted to you and scared to jump into something all over again."

"Sometimes you just have to take the jump Betty," he said quietly.

"I….I think I need some 'me' time Gio," she said while glancing down at the ground.

Gio took a sharp breath. Every inch of him was tuned to her as every feeling you could imagine flooded through him. Disappointment was highest on the list. "Betty, I said it to you once, and I'll say it again. It must be so hard being you sometimes," he said with a sad chuckle. He looked her in the eye, "You can have all the time you want. I'm done."

"What?" Betty said, her voice raising an octave higher, her eyes widening.

"I've waited long enough Betty. I'm going to go to Rome and focus on what I need to do right now. Give me a call when you figure it out," was all he said before walking away. He couldn't look to see her face right then and see the distraught look on her face……..

"GIO!" a voice called from the main room of the deli. Gio woke up with a start at his desk, on top of the piles of paperwork and mail that had been waiting for him the past month and a half. Unfortunately, running a business required time to look at bills, balancing check books, and other mundane tasks.

"Man, the jetlag is really cramping my style," Gio said as he ran a hand through his hair before stroking his jaw. The stubble of facial hair tickled his fingers as he let out a yawn.

"Dude, I know you just got back and all a few days ago, but it would be nice if you don't drool all over my paycheck from the past month," a young guy in his late 20s said as he leaned against the door frame to the back room, a slight smirk on his face.

"Hey! I don't have to give you any paycheck. Who says I have to pay you, you were just helping me out when I got back. Isn't that what cousins do, Marco?" Gio asked as he swiveled around to look him in the face.

He could feel his cousin's eyes on him, taking in his appearance. Gio knew the circles under his eyes were from all the traveling and flights coming back. But deep down he knew it was more than that. The sparkle in his eyes wasn't there, the tiredness from the lack of sleep or the many dreams of that same dreadful day. The tiredness from beating himself up. The lack of shaving from the dis-interest he had. Gio ran a hand over his face and let out a sigh as his cousin walked over to him.

"This whole thing still bothering you? I figured you would get over it while in Italy. I mean, all those women are there! And I know you, you know how to work the charm," Marco said as he took a seat from him.

"It's not bothering me any more. But do you know how hurt I feel? I've never been played like that, ya know? And she was a girl that got me and VERY different from the type I usually date. I'm just shaken."

Marco gave a knowing look, "So you are saying that you are over her then?" Gio opened his mouth before his cell phone started ringing and he froze. "Aren't you going to pick that up?"

Gio pulled his cell phone out of his pocket, fully knowing who was already calling. Hastily he pressed the ignore button, the image floating away from the screen, knowing full well that the caller would leave a message. When the familiar chime rang, he instantly dialed to his voicemail, his cousin Marco being highly entertained by his actions.

And then there it was. The voice that had been haunting him for the whole month and a half he was going. "Hi Gio, its Betty..." was all that got out before he hit 7 to delete it.

Gio didn't care to listen to whatever she had to say to him at that point, for he did a lot of thinking while in Italy. It was this that lead to his problems right now. He gave up who he was, and lost some of the spunk that he had. His sharpness wasn't there as much. He turned into that whipped guy he said he NEVER would be. And lost some of his own dignity with every passing moment he let Betty have some type of control over him. Was part of his pain due to himself? Yes, and he knew it He set himself up for it. And he let go of most of those ill-willed feelings. There were still some there dug deep into him, and that was what he had to work at. Gio placed his cell phone on his desk before letting out a long breath.

"Are you ok?" was all Marco got out, the concern flickering across his face.

Gio looked up at him before getting out of the chair and grabbing his apron. He tied it on before looking him straight in the eye. "It's over. I'm over it. And I'm ready to have fun and live life and just be. I've left the past behind me, because it obviously isn't meant to be a part of my five year plan. And that is what I'm going after."

"Look Gio, are you sure you don't want to talk..."

Gio raised a hand to stop his cousin. "Look, I put my heart out there, I got rejected, and it's time to let go. And I am. Now, I'm ready to hit up the club scene again, drink, dance, and introduce myself back to the single lady world. And all I want is a diversion and some fun. I think I deserve it."

"Well, I heard a new club opened downtown while you were away, music is off the hook. Want to hit it up tonight if you are up to it?"

Gio walked through the door from his office to his deli a slight grin on his lips as he greeted the cute blondie that was waiting for an order. "You look like someone that would love to try one of my new creations while I was away on Italy."

The girl blushed before putting a smile on her face. "What's in it for me?" she asked as she leaned forward across the counter.

"Enjoying the taste of some of the best Gio sandwiches ever," he said as he started putting it together. While busying himself, he didn't notice that she grabbed her bag and pulled out a pen. When he handed her the sandwich he made and said "No charge," she took one of his napkins. Without a skip, she grabbed the sandwich and slid the napkin to him.

"How about you give me a call and I'll make it up to you," and with that she sauntered out the door, the little ding above the door signaling that she left.

Gio smirked before turning to his cousin. "Yea..." he said in a long drawn out breath. "I still got it. Meet you at 10?"

With that Gio walked back into his office and threw his i-pod on while he tackled the paperwork. He knew Marco was looking at him with three heads wondering what the hell he was thinking. And frankly, Gio had no idea what he was thinking either. His emotions were on a roller coaster ride and anyone would say that he was unstable. And maybe he was, maybe he was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. But he knew one thing, he deserved some fun. And he knew the only way to work through his pain would be to forget all about one Betty Suarez.

Note: Just wanted to say that each chapter title is going to be a song that represents how I interpret Gio to be feeling. Don't know if anyone cares, but it helps to give a better look into his thoughts.

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