Note: Yup yeah you read the premise correct, this be the sequel to Impact. Sorry it took so long I got a little distracted by RL and then there was that other story that kept me away from this one and let's not forget Muse. She still isn't talking to me, a whole weekend of peace I just don't know myself. Now down to business this is set several months after Impact and gets stuck into all those loose ends I might have left….ya mean the marriage thing right?…darn it Muse I thought you were still huffing….what and miss a chance of finding out about Operation Chloe? No chance!…great just great… gotta say I like the sound of that, cool name now come on let's get this party started…shush Muse…teenage love nothing like it….MUSE SHUT UP AND LET ME FINISH…God I so love it when you get all hot and bothered Ela…..folks read on while I go wash out my brain!
Chapter One
Marissa Tasker had always liked to run, it was the combination of fresh air filling her burning lungs and cooling the dampened skin of her legs and arms that did it for her; it was exhilarating. Marissa did her best thinking when she was pounding the asphalt around the park across from the house that she shared with her partner and their four kids. The park was Marissa's second favourite place to be outside of that house, it was where years ago she had taken a leap of faith and kissed the woman that now shared her life in everyway; well everyway except maybe the one way that Marissa had been dreaming about for the last several months.
Marissa slowed her pace as she approached the grove of trees by the stream, this was the part of the park she loved the most. The bright early morning sun came streaming through the trees warming her cooling skin as she came to a stop and pulled at the little pouch wrapped to her arm. It was a pocket of sorts that held her iPod and the little knife she had taken to carrying on her morning runs; the knife wasn't a safety precaution although it might come in handy if the need ever arose, no Marissa didn't carry it as a weapon, it was a tool one that she now took in her hand as she leaned against the great oak and began to work. Marissa had a plan that was almost at completion, she just needed a couple of more days.
/
Bianca awoke to the familiar coolness of the empty space next to her and longed for the winter months when her lover chose the treadmill in the garage over these early morning runs in the park. The brunette stretched leisurely and glanced at the clock; she had another half hour before Marissa would return. Brown eyes drifted closed, an image of the athletic redhead filling Bianca's sleepy mind; how she loved the way Marissa's skin glistened and tendrils of coppery silk hair clung to her neck and face. The rise and fall of the redhead's chest was so mesmerising. Bianca's sleepy mind began to relive the many mornings when a perspiring Marissa would return to their room and awake Bianca for her own morning work out. A devilish smile of delight settled upon the brunette's face as she sank back into sleep.
/
There was an extra twinkle in Marissa's eyes as she prepared breakfast for her family. It wasn't just that it was a Friday morning, such mornings were always greeted with a little more cheer around the Monchasker breakfast table, Monchasker being the portmanteau the family had given to their house on Park and Crescent. It being Friday meant the kids would be happy not to have school for another two days and their Moms would be happy to have more time at home with their family. But that wasn't what was bringing the extra twinkle to hazel eyes, it may have added to it but it certainly wasn't the primary source of it. Nor was the fact that this particular Friday also happened to be Marissa's last day at MATTER the acronym for Montgomery, Anders, Tasker, Travani, Endossa and Rice the law firm she was a partner in, a law firm that she had come to despise. No the real reason was….
"Is that smile for me?"
Bianca stood in the doorway watching the redhead pop bread into the toaster with one hand while the other was pouring cereal into Lydia's favourite bowl. Marissa was already dressed for a day at the office, her mocha brown skirt and cream blouse stretching across her toned form as she moved. Bianca took in that form with a twinkle of her own that made Marissa chuckle.
"Always. Now get your mind out of the gutter and go hurry the kids up I need to drop them off early if I'm going to make my breakfast meeting."
The lawyer's smile deepened, after today there would be no more rushing out to morning meetings. The happiness of that thought floating across Marissa's face had Bianca ignoring her lover's request and crossing the room to lean against that toned form.
"That smile is reminding me of how much I missed my morning work out."
Marissa grinned.
"You looked like you were enjoying your dream too much, I didn't want to wake you."
"You and our workout was my dream."
Bianca pulled the redhead to her until she was kissing grinning lips. Marissa turned into the kiss forgetting toast and cereal and breakfast meetings; Bianca's kisses would always have that affect on her..
"AJ knock it off already!"
"Ah come on Mimo where's your sense of adventure?"
The two teens entered the kitchen teasing each other in that way that brothers and sisters were apt to do. Miranda considered giving AJ a sarcastic response but the sight of their tongue tied mothers made her lose her chain of thought. It was a familiar sight, one the kids had grown up with and one that always made Miranda Montgomery feel a comforting sense of hope that one day she too would find what her parents had. AJ walked by his grinning sister to admonish their mothers.
"Hey wow ladies my toast, save my toast!"
Bianca and Marissa pulled apart both looking more dazed than AJ thought wise for a toast rescue so he slid across the kitchen and saved it himself. Bianca greeted her two eldest children with a deep smile that turned to a giggle when AJ groaned.
"Thanks Ma burnt toast is just how I like to start my day."
Marissa didn't bat an eyelid at her son's sarcasm instead she leaned in and kissed his cheek.
"Good morning man of the house. Did you sleep well?"
AJ cast a sideways look at his birthday twin to see Miranda roll her eyes; Marissa was generally a pretty chirpy person but lately she had been chirpier. The birthday twins had an inkling as to why.
"Yeah I slept okay. What about you Ma? Did you get enough shut eye to act a little saner today? Or is it the air in the park that's got you smiling so bright?"
Marissa chuckled, the air in the park never made her smile as bright as her family did. Hazel eyes followed Miranda who dropped into a seat at the table and poured herself some juice.
"What about you honey? Did you sleep okay?"
There was a distinct change in tone to the question, Miranda hadn't been sleeping well all week and it showed in the shadows under her lovely chocolate brown eyes. Miranda shrugged.
"I slept."
Bianca and Marissa looked to each other, their daughter's troubled sleep had been a topic of conversation just last night. The birthday twins were in the middle of their end of term finals and their mothers hoped it might explain the recent disruption in sleep, both worried though that it might be something more.
"Mama! Mom! Gabby won't come out of bed, she says she not going to school today."
Lydia's, the youngest member of the Monchasker household, shrill voice made its way down into the kitchen followed quickly by Gabrielle's muffled groan.
"Lydia you're shouting right in my ear."
Marissa made towards the door but Bianca stopped her.
"I'll get the girls you finish getting their cereal."
The lawyer took the offered out knowing Bianca would be better able to manage Gabrielle's morning grouchiness. AJ was ramming another four slices of bread into the toaster as Marissa returned to pouring cereal.
"AJ four is enough."
The blonde teen smirked.
"Yeah for me but you all will want some too. Right Mimo?"
Miranda shook her head.
"No I'm good with juice."
Marissa brought the cereal bowls to the table, her eyes taking in the pale teen.
"You feeling poorly?"
Miranda strived not to roll her eyes when a cool palm settled across her forehead; Marissa didn't remove her hand until she was satisfied her daughter wasn't running a temperature.
"Just crampy."
The lawyer replaced her hand with her lips kissing the teen's forehead in sympathy.
"You want some Andvil?"
"I had some earlier."
Marissa wasn't happy with that answer; just how long had Miranda been awake?
"When?"
"Bout 5ish. Ma please don't start, I'm okay we've just got this inter school quiz today and I needed to get up early to go over some of the topics."
Marissa searched her daughter's face for any indication that what she was hearing wasn't the truth but there was nothing there to suggest otherwise.
"Ok but you also need to eat something. Pain meds on an empty stomach isn't healthy honey. So humour me and have some cereal."
Miranda sighed.
"Fine but just a small bowl."
With one battle won Marissa mentally prepared herself for the next.
"Why does school have to start so early? Why can't we go in the afternoon? I hate school."
Gabrielle came into the kitchen in her pyjamas having refused to get dressed. Lydia trailed behind looking as grumpy as her older sister.
"I hate school too."
"Lyd's you're not at school."
Lydia ignored her brother's teasing and climbed up onto the chair next to Miranda.
"Do you hate school Mimo?"
Miranda pulled her little sister's chair closer to the table so that Lydia could reach her breakfast bowl.
"Nope sometimes school is pretty cool."
Lydia picked up her spoon and dug into her Cheerios.
"Yeah my school is pwetty cool."
AJ laughed.
"And I'll say it again, you're not at school Lyd."
"Mom says in Ouoop they call it playschool."
Miranda and AJ chuckled at their little sister's superior tone.
"You mean Europe Lydia."
Gabrielle was finally beginning to smile too as she sat down opposite the youngest Montgomery. Lydia grinned.
"Yeah that's what I said, Ouoop."
Bianca and Marissa joined their family at the table again sharing a look, this last week had not been a typical one for the Monchasker household. Gabrielle had taken to hating school, Miranda was having trouble sleeping and Lydia was yo-yoing between both her sisters moods. AJ seemed to be the only one who was his regular self . The couple's gaze voiced all of this and more but Marissa needed to rush so now wasn't the time for a family discussion.
"Ok girls a change of pace today, Gabrielle I'm taking you to school this morning right after I drop Lydia at nursery."
Bianca's words had Gabrielle searching her cereal bowl in earnest. Lydia's little head twisted from looking at her Mom to looking at her sister; no one called Gabby by her full name unless she was in trouble.
/
"So an inter school quiz would be local schools right?"
They were in the car now on route to Pine Valley High School. Miranda nodded hoping the gesture would be enough of an answer, she didn't really want to talk about the quiz and especially not the schools that were going to be at it but AJ was too busy on his iPhone to realise that his sister wanted him to jump in and change the conversation. Marissa lifted her gaze from the road to glance across at her daughter.
"Mimo?"
Miranda shifted uncomfortably.
"Yeah Ma it's local schools."
"What aren't you telling me?"
"Nothing."
The teenager turned her gaze to the window hoping it would end the conversation.
"After almost eight years I would have thought you would realise by now that I know you a little better than that Miss Montgomery ergo I know when you are lying to me."
Miranda snorted at the lawyer's words.
"And you would think that in that time you would know that cross examining me is counterproductive to gaining information."
Marissa laughed.
"Oohhh listen to the future lawyer."
Miranda laughed too momentarily forgetting her unease in the face of her mother's infectious good humour.
"I guess there are worse careers out there."
Marissa swiped at her daughter's leg.
"Thanks for the ringing endorsement. And don't think I haven't noticed you changing the subject."
"I'm not changing it I told you I'm okay. Ma honestly you and Mom worry too much, I'd tell you if something was really wrong. You know I would."
To the teenager the words weren't exactly a lie, they were more of an evasion than anything else; she didn't want to talk about her worries because she was hoping that they would amount to nothing. But it wasn't so long ago that those same words would have rung hollow, back when Miranda had first learnt how she had been conceived; the teen had closed herself off and battled with the knowledge alone.
"Ma let it go, it's not that."
Marissa brought the car to a stop outside the school gates and turned to gaze again at the teenager; Miranda's gaze was unwavering but there was something, a little something off about her smile. The lawyer sighed softly, Miranda would come to her when she was ready Marissa just needed to have the patience to wait.
"Well whatever it is know that your Mom and I are always going to be here for you when you need us and even when you don't."
Miranda leaned across the centre console and kissed Marissa's cheek, the smile on her young face reaching in to tired eyes and lighting them up.
"I know, thanks. Enjoy your last day. Bye."
Marissa felt a little happier and waved her daughter off with a grin.
"Good luck with the quiz."
AJ dipped in between the two fronts seats and kissed his mother's cheek.
"Thanks Ma, have a good one. I'll see you Sunday."
"Remember to study AJ, you've got that history exam on Monday and it isn't your top subject."
The teen snorted.
"I got it covered Mimo give me loads of notes."
Marissa waved the two off noticing the elbow Miranda give her brother at whatever comment AJ had whispered to her.
"Kids!"
/
Dropping Lydia off at nursery was always the easy part of the Montgomery morning routine. The little girl adored Aishling, one of the centre's workers, and she also got to spend her day with her best friend Paris Chandler. All in all it made for a very happy Lydia Montgomery.
Bianca slid back behind the driver's seat and glanced at her second eldest daughter, Gabrielle was still pouting. The ten year old liked her sleep and did tend to be a little grouchy in the morning but by the time breakfast was over she was usually her regular smiling self; until recently. Bianca was determined to find out what had caused the uncharacteristic change.
"Okay Gabby do you want to tell me why you suddenly don't like school or should I go ask Ms Meriwether?"
Young eyes flashed with tears.
"Ms Meriwether isn't there anymore."
That was news to Bianca.
"Did she leave? I'm surprised there wasn't a leaving gift organised."
Gabrielle shook her head.
"I don't know Mom, she just wasn't there on Monday and hasn't come in all week."
Bianca put the car in gear and made her way towards Pine Valley Elementary.
"So you have a substitute teacher."
Gabrielle nodded, her young eyes growing upset again.
"I don't think he likes me Mom, he keeps putting me in the corner."
The mother was more than a little surprised, Gabrielle was generally a teacher's pet.
"What happened that made him do that?"
A bottom lip began to tremble.
"I asked him too many questions."
Bianca could hear tears in her daughter's voice.
"Ah sweetheart don't cry, I'll come talk to your substitute teacher. We'll sort this out."
Gabrielle didn't look hopeful.
/
AJ had that grin again, that Cheshire cat grin that Miranda usually loved to see unless of course it was at her expense which in this case it was. They were walking into school together and up in front of them several metres away walked Chloe Maguire. The other teen seemed oblivious to the mulling crowds of students heading in the same direction, head bowed, blonde hair falling in waves down a narrow back, tanned toned legs ate up the ground faster than their watcher would have liked; Miranda could feel her stomach jitter just at the sight and her brother knew it.
"Knock it off AJ."
AJ's grin just widened some more until Miranda was tempted to elbow him.
"You promised."
The low voice with a hint of hurt in it brought AJ up short turning his grin to a concerned frown. Weeks ago he had been forced to cease and desist with Operation Chloe under the threat of bodily harm, not that his sister would ever see that threat through but the fact that she had made it had given AJ reason enough to stop. Miranda was always happy for them to verbally spar for the sake of humour, she was confident enough within herself not to care about a little teasing so for her to have a problem with Operation Chloe meant something and AJ backed right off. But what if his sister was missing out by being too cautious?
"Mimo I've seen the way she looks at you."
Something in Miranda's stomach did a little flip at the thought that her bother might be right, that Chloe might like her. AJ read the silence as encouragement.
"So why not talk to her about it? We're breaking up for the summer soon wouldn't you like to know before then?"
Miranda would, she definitely would because not seeing Chloe for the entirety of the summer break felt like a life sentence.
"Tell her Mimo, you've got nothing to lose."
And there was the catch, Miranda had everything to lose in telling Chloe how she felt because outside of AJ Chloe Maguire had become the closest thing to a best friend that Miranda had ever let herself have.
/
"Am I sure I want to do this?"
Reggie Montgomery was talking to the mirror in his bathroom but his wife Marie was the one to answer.
"Yes you're sure, you haven't been happy at MATTER for a long time now."
Marie turned her husband to face her and straightened his tie.
"Now keep your chin up and your smile bright because today is the first day of the rest of your life."
Reggie snorted.
"Over used and way over abused but I'll take it."
Marie reached up to give the lawyer a soft lingering kiss.
"Good now get out of my bathroom already and let me powder my nose."
Reggie smiled and kissed his wife again before moving from the mirror.
"Thanks babe."
/
"What's going on with you two?"
Miranda was in Modern Literature the one class she and AJ actually had together, only right now she was wishing that wasn't the case. Operation Chloe was back on track and AJ wasn't about to let Miranda forget it, not that she could given that the target of said operation was sitting right next to her asking her what was going on. Miranda steadied her jumbled thoughts and turned to gaze at her study partner. Chloe Maguire was just so beautiful, her face was angelic with a golden tan and blue eyes the colour of the sky she must have surely fallen from.
"M?"
Miranda watched those lovely blue eyes begin to cloud and again she got to thinking about heaven and angels and all the things that had not one thing to do with Chloe's question.
"Huh?"
Chloe smiled at the almost goofy expression on Miranda's face.
"You and AJ what's going on with you two?"
Reality kicked in, Miranda turned back to glare at her brother who was sitting in the adjacent row with a comatose Rick Yves. AJ winked and his sister scowled.
"Nothing. AJ's just being an asshole."
Miranda's words surprised her study partner, the brunette rarely if ever had a bad thing to say about her brother.
"You okay M?"
Chloe leaned in whispering the question worried that something more than AJ's usual shenanigans was annoying the brunette. When Miranda's gaze lowered to the desk Chloe's worry wrenched up a level. The pretty blonde had taken to watching Miranda probably more than she ought to. It had started last year when the two girls had been paired as lab partners in chemistry class. They had always shared the same group of friends but were never really all that close. Miranda had only one best friend and that was her brother AJ, sure she got on with the girls but AJ seemed to be the one she turned to when things were bothering her. Chloe couldn't fathom how that would feel, she had three older brothers and would never dream of calling them her friends. Mark, Richie and Jon Maguire were great when Chloe needed a ride somewhere, they were also pretty good when it came to guys hassling her but that was as far as it went. The Maguire boys were nothing like AJ Chandler.
"Come on Chloe you can't be agreeing with Miranda, I thought you said I was growing on you?"
AJ was trying to get the conversation back on neutral ground noticing how his sister was beginning to look more than a little uncomfortable. Chloe looked at the handsome youth with fondness, there had been a time when she had wondered if maybe she was jealous of Miranda for having a brother like AJ, in fact she had considered that maybe she liked AJ as more than her friend's brother. But the more she got to know Miranda the more she realised that it was AJ she was jealous of, Chloe wanted to be the person Miranda confided in, she wanted to be as close to the other teen as AJ was, even closer if that were possible. Chloe didn't know how to feel about all the thoughts she was having, there were times when she could get so lost in thoughts of Miranda Montgomery that the world around her would just cease to move.
"Yo Chandler I thought you didn't like Barbies, looks to me like you've got the hots for one."
Miranda glanced at her brother in time to catch the way his body tensed at the words. Across the room Marcus Thorne gloated as the rest of the class turned towards the fuming blonde youth only to find two fuming blondes. Chloe Maguire's blue eyes glinted with anger, her perfect bow lips arching in the opposite direction of their default position as she glared across the classroom at her fellow student.
"Barbie? Is that all you can come up with Thorne? A Neanderthal stereotype?"
Chloe's voice was laced with venom earning her cats calls from several of her fellow students.
"I bet you just love all the things her smart mouth can do for you Chandler."
Miranda felt her blood boil at the insinuation, she wanted nothing more than to silence the arrogant boy with a hard slap but instead her hands were having to hold back her brother and friend who were both aiming to cross the room.
"Rick! Damn it wake up!"
Rick Yves had been trying to catch a snooze, Miranda's voice stole into his dream but her words were all wrong. It was enough to rouse Rick who looked around him to see his best friend trying to pull away from his sister who was also holding onto Chloe Maguire.
"Huh whah? JA where you going? Damn what did I miss?"
"I'm going to fucking sort out the Thorne in all our sides."
Rick settled a strong arm across his friend's chest preventing him from going anywhere.
"Hold up now let me get a handle on this."
Marcus Thorne was already edging towards the door with a smug expression on his ugly face.
"Letme guess Thorne mouths off then makes for an escape?"
Classmates nodded at Rick's question.
"Well JA no point in doing anything, can't hit a man who has no backbone he'll just fall over and start crying."
AJ began to relax as their classmates all laughed.
"Chandler's a pansy with two Moms he ain't going to do anything macho like hit me. His sister will probably do that for him, she's the butch one after all."
Silence settled across the room as all eyes turned back to Miranda and AJ both teens looked at each other, both ready to forget Rick's words and grab Marcus but Chloe was two steps ahead of them.
"Ah shit!