Disclaimer: If only they were mine and didn't belong to those crazy folks over at ABC but alas that's not the case, I'm merely borrowing them for my own entertainment and hopefully yours.

Note: I started writing this back in July when the above crazy folks left a whole flipping 4 days between Marissa's declaration and Bianca's return from that hilarious intervention for Erica – 4 whole days for my mind to spin in too many directions and start filling in blanks hence the name of this series. It's not strictly AU because it pretty much sticks to the soap (I hope) but there is some HILU (how I'd like universe) added in which can be a pretty crazy place too ;-)

The Talk

"You've had this really strange look in your eyes since Krystal hugged you. Should I be worried?"

Marissa's voice was teasing but the amusement didn't reach her eyes, lurking within those hazel depths was concern edged with a little fear. Krystal Carey spoke highly of Bianca Montgomery but there was no certainty that her sentiments were returned. Marissa didn't know the full history between her birth mother and the woman she had fallen in love with, part of her believed it was probably best if things stayed that way. But the other part, the part that was over processing absolutely everything, thought she needed to know.

The smile that curved Bianca's lips and lit up her beautiful deep brown eyes made something inside Marissa take flight. Butterflies, it felt likes swarms of butterflies fluttering in a crazy dance around the pit of Marissa's stomach.

"I've never had that happen before."

A sculpted red brow rose in question at the quiet words making Bianca's smile deepen. Marissa wondered just how many different smiles her friend had because these were two she was sure she hadn't seen before.

"I've met Sarah and Reese's mothers and both would have preferred I was on another planet than anywhere near their daughters. Krystal's reaction was unexpected but in the best kind of way."

Marissa moved her champagne flute aside and reached again for Bianca's hands cupping them within her own. Fingertips soothed the soft skin on Bianca's wrists where only weeks ago cuts had marred their perfection. The touch resonated within Marissa, the softness of Bianca's skin like silk against her own. Bianca's eyes lowered to their hands another of those beautiful smiles lighting up her face. Marissa never realised until that moment that falling in love was like flying on a swing; the higher you reached the more you saw and the more you saw the better the joy. Marissa's joy was multiplying with every new smile that crossed the brunette's face.

"Are you really sure about this?"

The swing threatened to topple when brown eyes rose to meet hazel again and Marissa read the trepidation within. Hands clasped Bianca more intently.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I love you."

The remaining traces of disbelief that lingered in brown eyes made Marissa want to round up all of the women in Bianca's past and teach them each a lesson in pain. The wounds they had left on Bianca Montgomery's heart would heal in time, Marissa was determined to help speed up the healing process; she was after all the daughter of a heart surgeon.

"I know you're scared Bianca, I'm scared too. But I'm not going to let that get in the way of what I want and what I want is you."

Bianca's eyes danced with emotion.

"I want you too."

The husky timbre of the brunette's voice set the butterflies within Marissa's stomach on a new flight path that threatened to launch her across the table. Never before had a voice affected Marissa so deeply.

"Would it be moving too fast if I told you I really wanted to go somewhere more private?"

Bianca's laughter was as husky as her words.

"Actually it would, not that I'm opposed to the idea but we should really talk about what's going to happen next."

Marissa fluttered her eyelids teasingly bringing a cute grin to the brunette's lips.

"I was hoping I'd covered that with my question."

Both women laughed causing the sexual tension to dissolve into something more manageable. Bianca's fingers moved outward entwining with Marissa's, her thumbs caressing along knuckles.

"I'm not going to lie and say I'm not worried about how quickly this has all happened for you Marissa. You've went from straight to not so straight faster than a Pine Valley minute."

Marissa shook her head.

"I didn't, if you think about it there's always been something more between us. Something deeper than friendship, I just wasn't sure if I wanted to label it with what it really was. I was afraid of what that meant for me."

Brown eyes searched Marissa's for endless moments.

"And you're not afraid anymore?"

Marissa snorted.

"I'm terrified Bianca, absolutely terrified. It changes everything from the life I wanted to give my son right down to the life I expected for myself. But that space you wanted us to have, the time apart. It made me realise that I'm more terrified of not having you in my life than I am of anything else. What was it? Barely two days? And I was falling apart without you, I couldn't think about anything but you and how much I missed you. Your smile, your voice, your laugh just your mere presence. And it had nothing to do with friendship."

Bianca closed her eyes and sighed deeply before opening them again. The frown told Marissa she wasn't going to like what she was about to hear.

"I don't want to let the past shadow my future but it's hard to forget the pain. I'm afraid Marissa, afraid of losing my best friend and more if we go down this path."

It was one word, a tiny two letter word that pierced Marissa's heart with a red hot blade.

"If?"

Bianca's gaze dropped to their hands again but not before Marissa saw the tears glistening in her eyes.

"What can I do to take that fear away Bianca? Tell me what to do and I'll do it because I can't lose you. I love you."

Their eyes met again and another smile climbed up Bianca's face to settle within pools of brown.

"You said earlier that you can't always promise to know what you're doing and that you might step backwards when you're trying to move forward."

Marissa nodded; she was done being surprised at just how good Bianca Montgomery's memory was; the orange soda and donuts had been a throwaway comment made months ago and yet the brunette had remembered it.

"I guess that's going to be the case for both of us Marissa, fear is going to send me backwards even when I try not to let it. I don't think I'm as strong as I used to be, it's getting easier to run from my fears than face them."

Shame oozed from Bianca's voice and Marissa shook her head at the sound.

"That's because you were facing them alone, you won't be now. I'm here, I'm right here Bianca and I'm not going anywhere. Remember we make a great team."

Marissa watched as recognition settled in brown eyes, the words were a repeat of the conversation they'd had that night Bianca had called from the hospital to check on her. Marissa could tell from the grin on her friend's face that Bianca remembered it too.

"Hell yeah."

It wasn't so much that their roles were now reversed but more that they had new roles and new roads to walk down. Together they could do it; together they were stronger. Bianca's fingers flexed within Marissa's, her eyes moving again to their hands before gazing deeply into hazel orbs.

"Together."

Marissa nodded.

"Together."