"This is not the ending I want."

"Tell me about it," she mumbled just seconds before she opened her eyes and stared up toward the ceiling. Chocolate orbs scanned the ceiling while she attempted to remember what she had just been dreaming about. Unfortunately, the more she tried to concentrate the more the already elusive dream drifted away until all she could recall was being at the Chandler mansion, free-flowing premium champagne and Marissa looking gorgeous (as usual in her opinion) in a copperish dress, which embraced her in all the correct places.

Tell me about it.

Tell me about what? She wondered. Why had she responded with that on the cusp of consciousness and what and to whom exactly had she offered the response? And why was she allowing it to bother her so much? Plenty of times over the years Bianca would awaken from a slippery dream but if she failed to recall it within a few moments she would let it go. For some peculiar reason it was difficult to let this one go.

"Tell me about it," she whispered into the quiet bedroom as though that would help. Five seconds afterward she sighed. It didn't. "Oh, forget it." Bianca glanced toward her left where the alarm clock rested upon the nightstand. Verdant digital numbers informed her that it was 5:46 a.m. Turning to the right, she pressed her lips to the nearby cheek of a softly snoring redhead. With a smile tugging at her mouth, Bianca carefully rose from their bed and headed into the adjoining bathroom to take care of some morning business.

Nine minutes later she returned with an empty bladder, minty breath and scrubbed face. Reclaiming her spot, which remained warm in her absence, Bianca lay on her back with her hands linked behind her head. She was contemplating whether to fix French toast or buttermilk pancakes for the five of-oh, wait the seven of them. She quietly chuckled, having forgotten that they were babysitting her nephews since Kendall and Zach were on their way to New York this morning for a little romantic alone time.

Eyes shutting, Bianca imagined surprising a certain redhead with a little romantic vacation of their own. Perhaps they could take a short trip just before the upcoming holidays went into full swing. Now where would they go? If Marissa was a fan of skiing maybe they could visit a snowy destination. She grinned as she thought of the two of them recreating their snowball fight from six months ago. Afterward, they snuggle by a roaring fireplace with a couple mugs of hot chocolate or cider.

Definitely hot chocolate. The grin broadened. If they drank hot chocolate Bianca could think of a few interesting things to do with the whipped cream. Yes, Marissa plus whipped cream filled her with such delight.

Now if her love was in the mood for some sun perhaps they could travel to an exotic beach locale. Her eyes remaining closed, practically all of her pearly whites were visible as her grin persisted. Yes, Marissa plus a bikini filled her with such delight. The brunette took a mental journey back to St. Barts where she was blessed to witness her girlfriend in a two-piece for the very first time. It was challenging to declare who was ogling Marissa more-her best friend or her ex-husband.

Her ex-husband. JR flipping Chandler. The grin abruptly dissipated, a frown starting to settle into place. It alarmed Bianca just how quickly her playful disposition vanished, intense anger bubbling to the surface. Her heart pounded beneath her chest, her breathing became shallow and removing her hands from behind her head she balled them into fists so tight that her palms ached. For a moment she wished that JR was there so that she could have the opportunity to put those fists to good use but then changed her mind since Bianca didn't trust herself to stop after one or two punches. Where had that come from? She was upset with him but not to that extent.

Ice blue eyes with an inky backdrop.

Dark brown ones popped open once again searching the ceiling for answers. Pardon? What did that mean? Steady short beeping sounds broke the silence in their bedroom along with Bianca's ruminations. Now what was that? It reminded her of something yet she couldn't put her finger on what. She was about to sit up in order to investigate where the rhythmic beeping could be hailing from when an arm stretched across her to press a button on the alarm clock, the beeps immediately ceasing.

A crimson head resting on her shoulder brought a tiny smile to Bianca's lips. With her arm now resting across her girlfriend's stomach, Marissa asked in an adorably groggy voice, "Which one of us set the alarm to go off at 6:00 a.m. on a Saturday? Whose bright idea was it?" Slipping her fingers underneath the bottom of Bianca's t-shirt she stroked the warm skin of her side eliciting instant tingles in the brunette.

Snuggling obviously a cure, her bad mood began to lift as she softly chuckled. "Not I. All my ideas are genuinely bright."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yep. You didn't know that?"

"I've suspected that a lot of your ideas are bright, but I wouldn't go so far as to say all of them are."

"Well you need to pay closer attention." She planted a kiss on Marissa's head when the smaller woman started laughing. "I can name at least three bright ideas off the top of my head."

"Yeah? Shoot."

Several seconds passed by without Bianca uttering a word. "Honey that's your cue to start. I'm listening." Not a peep out of the woman partially beneath her. Had she fallen back to sleep that swiftly? Reluctantly raising her head from a comfortable shoulder, Marissa discovered that her girlfriend was wide-awake, her eyes focused on the ceiling. She appeared befuddled and…was that fear? "Bianca?" Marissa whispered, gently pressing her palm to the other woman's cheek.

Rapidly blinking, Bianca refocused on a concerned face. She tried to smile but she wasn't certain how successful she was. "Sorry sweetheart. I was thinking."

The concern didn't waver. "About what?"

"Um, milk." Bianca Montgomery had her share of skills. Falsification wasn't one of them, so she wasn't the least bit surprised at the raised eyebrow and disbelieving look cast in her direction. "You know…for breakfast. I'm not sure we have enough milk for the seven of us. You want pancakes or French toast?"

"I want truth."

"Don't think I've heard of that. You have the recipe handy?" Damn. Not a giggle, not even a ghost of a smile and at this point she might be desperate enough to accept a smirk.

"Bianca tell me what's wrong. Please."

She sighed. "I can't."

"Why not?" Marissa began stroking the cheek that she still held. "Baby you must realize that you can tell me anything."

"I know I can." Her heart resumed it's earlier pounding and she sent a quick prayer that Marissa didn't detect it.

"So tell me."

"I…can't." Bianca observed that her girlfriend was about to argue so she added, "Because I don't have a clue what's wrong. I just…I just woke up this morning feeling a little odd, but it'll pass. Please try not to worry." She leaned up enough to kiss what may have been the softest mouth on the planet. "Now I was supposed to list a trio of my bright ideas." The stubborn redhead stared her down until she began to fidget. Another louder sigh ensued. "Not long before the alarm clock had you saying your goodbyes to the sandman I woke up from what I'm beginning to suspect was a nightmare. I'm not sure…it was so fuzzy," Bianca paused, striving to produce the words to explain. "It's like trying to put a thousand piece puzzle together without having the picture on the box of what it's supposed to look like when finished." When an index finger trailed a short path to her parted lips and proceeded to trace them her heart pounded for a different reason.

Her eyes following what her finger was doing, Marissa softly inquired, "What section or sections of the puzzle have you been able to figure out?"

Bianca shook her head. "It's just various images that I'm unable to piece together. Honestly there isn't anything concrete that I could share with you." She gazed up at a woman who may have been the most ravishing on the planet. "Well except for one detail."

"What's that baby?"

Bianca didn't realize she was crying until warm tears slid down her face and dampened the pillow beneath her head. While she swallowed around the sudden lump in her throat Marissa whisked a few of the tears away using the padding of her thumbs. Truly, what was wrong with her? Her emotions were all over the place today and the day had just begun. She had to get it together. There were five children hopefully still slumbering that were depending on the two grownups in the house to provide them with a fun filled Saturday. An entertaining day they'll have, so take a chill pill. Chill pill. Is that idiom still current? Bianca Montgomery had her share of skills. Keeping abreast of the latest slang words and phrases definitely wasn't one of them.

"Bianca?"

The brunette blinked lashes that were still wet although she had stopped crying. "Sorry. Did I drift again?"

The other woman nodded and kissed her forehead. "What can I do for you?" Crying may have been contagious between the couple because Marissa's eyes were now glistening.

Placing her arms securely around her girlfriend's waist, Bianca smoothly flipped them over so that Marissa was on her back and she atop her. Arms braced on either side of Marissa's head, she tenderly smiled when a pair of shapely exposed legs wrapped around her. Although a tear escaped with it, her smile was returned.

"It has me thinking about how precious life is and how we should take full advantage of every day, every hour, every minute because it can be over or abysmally disrupted in an instant." Bianca shivered although far from feeling chilly. Pressing their foreheads together she whispered, "One detail. I can't lose you."

"No, absolutely one hundred and fifty percent no. You won't lose me," Marissa fervently returned in her own whisper. "Baby it was only a dream. I'm here, right here and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." Could anyone truly make such an affirmation? No, but she was riding on faith that five decades from now she would still be sharing a bed, a home and a life with this incredible woman. Their foreheads still touching, she stroked the nape of her girlfriend's neck. "Who was it that stated we were a package deal?"

A little smile took up residence on Bianca's lips. "I believe that was me."

"Please explain how we can be a package deal if we're separated."

The brunette shrugged. "Unable to."

"Exactly. So you're stuck with me."

Raising her head, Bianca looked at the woman beneath her while a grin bloomed. "Totally sucks to be me then." She quickly joined in when Marissa started to laugh. Upon sobering she whispered, "I love you."

The couple smacked their lips together. "Love you right back."