I. About Today

He may have been standing there for a couple of minutes. He was so excited that he couldn't make up his mind and enter that building which meant so much to him. He had stayed away for more than two years, and still, all the time, his heart kept on telling him he had to return as soon as possible. Eventually, he had given in, and allowed himself to come back home. Now, he was standing in front of the Meade Building, breathing deep. Although he noticed that more and more people were realizing who he was, which meant that soon everyone inside the office would know he was there. He smiled, thinking he wanted to be the one announcing his own return, and he stepped forward into the lobby.

Finally, Daniel Meade was back home.

xXx

Walking in these rooms felt so unreal. Despite nothing having really changed since he had left, he felt like he was in a place he'd never been before. He was now at the beginning of the tube, and all he had come across had been a couple of editors, too young and too skinny, and a model, who just giggled at the sight of him.

Determined, he headed towards Wilhelmina's office, where he hoped he would finally meet some familiar faces. Once there, he saw that the curtains of her office were closed. This time, he was the one who giggled, thinking that she probably wasn't alone.

He was right indeed, only she wasn't with whom he thought she would be.

He was in front of the curtains when he heard the clear cry of a baby.

Yes, a baby was crying in the Mode's offices; in Wilhelmina's office, to be precise. A million possible explanations came to mind, one less feasible than the other.

He came closer, until he was able to peek into the room, as the curtains had been left a little open.

He froze.

Wilhelmina freaking Slater, the same woman known as the Ice Queen or the Fashion Nazi, who probably loved children just as much as she did department stores - something even nature itself had recognized, deciding to give her a hostile womb at last - she was holding a baby girl.

Maybe she wasn't exactly holding the poor creature with a smile, or a reassuring face; if he had to give a name to the feeling that flashed across her face, it would have been bother. She was clearly not at ease, with that crying thing in her arms. But still she tried to calm her, and he took note now that there was a cradle in the room.

He wondered whether it would be opportunistic of him to just knock and straight up ask Wilhelmina about the whole situation. Damn it, if only he had paid more attention to Betty's reports on what was happening over the Ocean. He had listened to them at first, wanting to know how his family and his friends were doing, but Betty always stuffed them with such a great deal of details he really couldn't stand listening for a long time. Anyway, he would have known it, or at least vaguely remembered it, had a baby ever been mentioned; this he knew for sure, it never was, and certainly never related to Wilhelmina.

In that very moment, he realized someone was coming in his direction. Not knowing exactly why, he ran to hide under the assistant's desk. From there, he saw someone knocking at the office's door.

"Wilhelmina? Can I enter?" she asked.

She was a young, little woman, with fair blonde hair and too pale a face for it to be that of a healthy person. Daniel thought he must have met her already, as she looked pretty familiar, but he couldn't tell who she was, nor her name.

"Yeah, come in," Wilhelmina said from inside.

The tiny blonde entered.

"Is everything ok?" she asked.

"It would be if a certain someone was so nice as to show up." Wilhelmina answered "She woke up and seems to be really hungry. Oh, why have I accepted to tolerate this?" she sighed.

"You did because apparently she can only fall asleep when you are around, and if she doesn't sleep she cries, and you don't want the whole office to suffer this."

"Thank you Lily, but as I've already told you a million times, you don't have to answer all my questions… some of them are rhetorical."

The shy assistant glanced down and whispered, "I'm sorry Wilhelmina."

"Yes yes, now go and bring me this little monster's mother!"

The little girl reacted at the name, pulling at the lace of Wilhelmina's blouse.

"Hey!" Wilhelmina exclaimed "Lily, hurry, now!"

Lily rushed towards the door, but there she stopped on the threshold and looked at Wilhelmina again.

"I am not sure," she said, "...but I think I've seen Daniel Meade hiding under my desk."

Wilhelmina raised an eyebrow "What?"

Lily peeked outside the door. "Oh yeah, that's definitely Mr. Meade."

"Tell him to come in, and then go," Wilhelmina ordered.

The assistant obeyed and went on to her desk.

"Mr. Meade?" she said kindly. "Miss Slater would like you to come in."

In that moment, actually, Mr Meade would rather have disappeared in a bubble.

"Sure…" he muttered. Then, slowly, he stood up and, facing Lily, asked: "Excuse me, have we met before?"

"Oh, yeah. I used to work at the features department. I organized your travel to Florida, remember, the challenge against Elle…"

"Of course I remember, how could I forget that experience…" Daniel felt half amused and half terrified at the memory of that work trip. "So, now you work for Wilhelmina."

"Yeah… I'm sorry sir, but I have to go now."

"Sure. Well, it was nice meeting you again."

"My pleasure," Lily smiled, and went away.

Daniel cautiously entered the office, still unable to understand what was happening there.

"So… hi," he started. "How are you?"

"Fine, thank you," she smiled, but then her attention went back to the baby. "Please dear, calm down for a moment. Your freaking mother is coming, I assure you."

"Who is she?" he finally asked.

"Wait. You were hiding under my assistant's desk, so please, I ask questions first."

"Oh… I'm sorry about that." Daniel wondered how much dignity he would lose if he started blushing now. "It's just, I saw the baby and I couldn't understand, and then I saw Lily coming, and I panicked. Don't ask why, maybe I just didn't want to be seen right away, or … maybe I was just really scared that baby might be somewhat related to what happened in that absurd trip she arranged three years ago…?"

Wilhelmina couldn't hide a laugh "I vote for the latter. So," she immediately returned serious "What brought you back home?"

Daniel shrugged. "Nostalgia, I guess. Hey, will she ever stop crying?"

"Yes," Wilhelmina answered. "Right… now." and with that last word, she nodded towards the door.

Turning round, Daniel had the pleasure to see another familiar face.

Amanda was standing at the entrance, with a large smile that split her face at the sight of Daniel.

xXx

Wilhelmina had left her office right after Amanda's arrival, and she was now heading to the reception.

"Wilhelmina, wait!"

She stopped and raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Good afternoon to you too, Claire," she said, turning to the woman who had just reached her.

"Is it true?" Claire asked with a cheery voice.

"What?"

"Daniel! Lily told me he's back, and hidden under her desk… whatever, is he back for real?"

Lily was always so shy, but she was also incredibly fast in spreading news, Wilhelmina thought.

"Yeah, it's all true… desk included." Wilhelmina answered. "He's in my office now, with Amanda and Leah."

"I'll never understand how Amanda manages to trust you as much as to leave that poor girl with you."

"What? Are you afraid I'm going to eat her?" Wilhelmina joked.

"Yes, I am."

Wilhelmina smirked, as Claire turned and moved. However, a few steps later, Wilhelmina regretted having left her so quickly and called her back.

"Claire… wait. I have to ask you something."

Claire stopped and looked at her, intrigued "What's the problem?"

"Daniel… apparently, he doesn't know much about last year's events."

"What do you mean?"

"He knows nothing. That's why I'm asking you not to spill the beans the moment you'll see him." Wilhelmina could read it in Claire's eyes that she wasn't convinced. "Please Claire. You know how your son is. You really want to upset him the day of his return?"

"Well, maybe you're right…"

"I am. Claire, it's not for me. It's for you, for him, and mostly for Amanda. I think she'd rather be the one to tell him how things really are."

"Yes, sure, remind me to call you Mother Teresa."

"Claire, please… or, you know what, just do whatever you want. But at least consider this thing."

Wilhelmina didn't add anything else. Claire kept on looking at her for a moment, and eventually went away.

She didn't understand Wilhelmina's request. For once, it hadn't even been her fault.

xXx

"Look, she likes me! She even stopped crying."

Amanda smiled, looking at her daughter playing happily with Daniel's tie.

"I don't want to spoil your happiness, but I'm afraid that most of her love is for your tie. A sparkling orange toy goes beyond her wildest dreams," Amanda said smiling.

"Yeah, that's probably it, but… you know, I like to think she's just happy to meet her awesome uncle," Daniel answered.

"So, how's life?" Amanda asked "I want to know everything. First, are you really dating Adriana Lima? If yes, please don't spare on details. Mostly the dirty ones," she added, winking.

"C'mon, do you believe all you read on tabloids?"

Amanda nodded.

"Well, it's not true. I barely talked to her once, and I'm referring to the time she did that photoshoot for Mode."

"Yes, of course" she said in a silly tone "Daniel, are you trying to make me believe that you spent the last year all alone and pure? I mean, you were surrounded by hot models every day, not Tibetan monks."

"There's no way I could manage to convince you, is there?"

Amanda nodded again, swinging herself and giggling "Nope, I'm sorry."

"But enough about me," Daniel said. "I need a little update too. I didn't know you and Tyler were so far into your relationship. I mean, a baby is a huge thing."

"Yes, it is," Amanda answered, brushing Leah's hair. Daniel didn't notice how suddenly any trace of cheerfulness had left her, so he kept on questioning.

"And Wilhelmina? I've honestly never thought of her as a baby sitter."

"She's not babysitting Leah. She just allows her to sleep here."

"And she does it because…? You don't even work here anymo-"

"I do," Amanda interrupted him "I do work here again."

In the meantime, Leah had stopped playing with her uncle's tie and reprised lamenting. Amanda took advantage of her daughter's hunger to change subject.

"She's too tired to wait. I'm sorry, but it's lunch time. Can you go?"

Daniel let Amanda take Leah in her arms. "She doesn't like to be watched while she eats?"

"I still breastfeed her. And don't try and say you didn't know it, because you've been looking at my boobs ever since I entered the room."

"I'm sorry." Daniel said, quickly raising his look "It's not my fault, I mean, they're so… hypnotic."

"And big."

"Well, yeah, they're bigger than the last time we met."

"You and me or you and my boobs?" Amanda joked.

"I guess both. So, do I have to go?"

"Yes, Daniel."

"It's not like I've never seen them before…"

"Out."

"Ok, I get it. I'll see you later, hopefully." Daniel walked up to the door, looking at Leah. "See you too, little princess!" he said, with a childish voice.

The second he closed the door, Amanda's eyes darkened again.

xXx

Afterwards, Daniel went to the cafeteria, reflecting on what he had just witnessed. He started to regret not having kept in touch with his family through last year. Funny how nothing had really happened while he had stayed in London with Betty and her constant knowledge of events, but as soon as he had left, so many things had changed.

"Daniel! Finally!"

He pushed all thoughts aside and his eyes met his mother's.

"Mum!"

She ran to him, hugging her son tight as soon as she reached him.

"Why didn't you tell anyone you were coming?" she asked when they finally broke the hug.

"Huh, I wanted to surprise everyone."

"You did, definitely. But tell me, how's Betty?"

"Fine. She says hi to all of you."

"And..." Claire sat at the nearest table, inviting Daniel to join her. "How are you, honey?"

"Good. Really, I promise," he added, seeing Claire wasn't that persuaded.

"If you say that, I believe you," she answered smiling, but still not convinced.. "Are you going to stay?"

The last question came abruptly, Daniel hadn't seen it coming.

"Uhm… I don't know yet," Daniel answered. "Just.. give me some time to make up my mind."

"All the time you need." She grabbed his hands. "I'm so happy you're back home."

"Me too," Daniel smiled. "So tell me, how's Tyler? I haven't seen him around… God, his daughter is really pretty. I hate that I didn't know anything about her and everything… are he and Amanda going to get married or what?"

"I don't know, maybe you should ask Amanda herself."

"Or Tyler."

"Yeah, or him. Daniel, if you decided to stay, what would you think of Hudson? You could handle it, I can see you fitting there."

"Hudson? Where's this coming from?"

"I think it could be a good idea… but if you prefer there's still a role as CFO. We haven't had a good one since Connor Owens."

"Speaking of him, where is he? Not that I love the idea of meeting him, but I heard he works here again."

"He is…around."

She was trying to hide something, but Daniel noticed his mother was feeling uncomfortable.

"Mum, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She forced herself to sound sincere. "Really, everything's ok, especially now that you're back."

"Ok. Mmm, I'm hungry, what could I eat?"

Claire smiled, thinking that for the moment he wouldn't ask other questions. Daniel smiled back, thinking he didn't believe his mother at all.

xXx

It was exit time for the employees in the Meade building, and a large crowd of people filled the lobby, everyone focused only on getting out as soon as possible.

Among them was Amanda, holding her daughter tight. It wasn't that easy to walk with a baby on one arm and a bag full of toys and diapers on the other.

She sighed in relief when she saw the main entrance, and the car still waiting for her. But when she was outside, nearby the car, she found herself in trouble again, since there was no free hand to knock and ask the person inside to open up the door for her.

Luckily for her, Lily arrived in that moment.

"Are you coming too?" Amanda asked, handing her the bag Lily had already extended her hand to take.

"No, I only stopped by to help you," Lily answered.

Amanda opened the car's back door "Then, thank you," she said, and took back her bag. "See you tomorrow."

"See you both. Hi pretty!"

Leah smiled to the sweet assistant who had greeted her.

Right after, Amanda entered the car.

"It's late. I was about to go away."

The girl settled down on the seat, "I'm sorry, but I had work to get done, and I hadn't realized it was time to feed Leah again. You know I don't like doing it in the car."

"You do like it, I'm the one who threatens to kill you if you do that."

Amanda laughed. "You're right."

"Of course I am. Anyway, when do you think you'll stop breastfeeding? I have asked Lily to buy some baby food, have you at least tried to give them to Leah? I'm tired of watching you show your boobs everywhere."

"Those were for Leah?" Amanda asked, as she had just realized something.

"Yes, they were. What have you done with them?"

"I may or may not have eaten them…"

Wilhelmina sighed, "You're unbelievable," she commented. Then, she spoke to the driver "We can go."

They left, heading home.