Disclaimer: Characters belong to Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, Gary Tomlin, NBC, et al and are used here strictly for non-profit entertainment purposes.
Rating: PG 14
Genre: Angst/Drama
Spoilers: Entire series, just to be safe.
Summary: A brief look at Olivia's life before, during, and after a trip to visit Gregory in prison. (Takes place four years after the original series ended.)
Note: This narrative follows documented "SB" canon and is in no way related to any of my other stories.

Part 1: "Raging Storms"

Dark black clouds roll angrily across the sky. Loud claps of thunder violently shake the house down to its foundation. Bolts of lightening pierce the sky.

Olivia Richards lies in her bed, safe and protected from the storm raging outside. There is however, no protection from the storm raging in her dreams. She shifts in her sleep and moans softly.

"Olivia, what you're really asking me is, 'did I ever love you?'" He looked away for a moment before saying in a voice thick with emotion, "More than life." He stared at me intensely, almost daring me to contradict him. "Does that surprise you? You know Olivia, in the beginning, all I could think about is how much we could soar together."

With a small sigh, I leaned in closer to him and asked, "You sure I wasn't just along for the ride?"

"You deserved the best. And, nothing made me happier or more excited than the prospect of giving 'the best' to you." He reached out tentatively and covered my hands with his. Looking down at our intertwined hands, he whispered, "Your life was going to be singular. Exceptional. Extraordinary. And, nothing was going to stop me from making it so." With a small smile, almost wistful, he looked back up at me.

"Gregory…" I whispered.

"But you…did," he said as pain clouded his expression. "You stopped me, Olivia. In the end, you were the obstacle I-, I couldn't overcome."

Olivia's eyes fly open and she sits up in bed, gasping for breath. She leans back against the head board, rubbing her eyes. As her breath steadies, she reaches over to the empty side of the bed and rubs it tenderly. "Oh, Gregory," she whispers sadly.

A loud rumble of thunder drowns out her sob and rattles the windows as a crackle of lightening illuminates the bedroom for a brief moment. It was in that moment that the bedroom door flies open and six-year old Trey barrels in, clutching a worn stuffed dog.

"Mommy!" is the only thing he cries before jumping into Olivia's bed and clinging to her.

"Shh, darling," she whispers as she bottles her grief and rubs his back comfortingly. "Shh. I'm here."

The small child sucks on his thumb and turns into Olivia's chest as another thunder clap makes him jump. "Storms are scary," he mumbles.

Olivia gently tugs Trey's thumb out of his mouth. "They're just loud, sweetie. That's all." She hugs him closer to her and repeats, "They're just loud."

Trey only whimpers in response. As the storm's fury intensifies, Olivia's soothing backrub and soft words eventually lull him into a fitful sleep. She moves the little boy off her lap and lays him down next to her. She slides back under the covers and pulls him closer to her. The sporadic flashes of lightening allows her to look down at his face. She brushes a tendril of hair out of his eyes and notes to herself that he needs a haircut.

I'll mention it to Cole later today when he comes by to pick up Trey, she decides. Olivia turns her head over to read the time on the clock and is dismayed to read that it is only four a.m. Sighing, she eases herself into a sitting position and gently slides out of the bed. She leans back over the bed and places a kiss on Trey's forehead, while pulling up the covers around him. With her robe on, Olivia leaves the bedroom quietly after leaving the door partially open.

When she gets downstairs, she turns on the lights and blinks as they slowly glow on. The sight of the living room in the house where she spent the majority of her adult life pleases her to no end. As she sinks down into the leather sofa, she recalls a conversation she had with Bette several years ago…

May, 2000

"You're what!"

Olivia pursed her lips and glared at Bette. "You heard me."

"Well, of course I heard you," Bette sighed. "What I don't understand why you are moving. You can't leave…Your family is here."

"Where do you think I'm going?" Olivia asked with a small smile. "Do you really think I'd leave Sunset Beach after everything?"

Bette's mouth dropped open in surprise before turning into a huge grin. "Oh, Livy. Livy, Livy…Don't EVER do that again!" She pulled Olivia into an embrace. "But I'm still confused then…Why are you moving?"

"Because I hate this house. I never liked it. So, I'm getting rid of it."

"House hunting will be fun," Bette noted as she sat down on the couch next to Olivia. "Have you found a realtor yet?"

"Better than that." Olivia faced Bette and clasped her hands. "I've found and purchased a new house!"

"So soon? My, my, my that certainly is impressive. So tell me, what's the new place like?"

"Well," Olivia said slowly, "you're already familiar with it."

"Toots, I'm confused…I'm already familiar with it?"

Olivia nodded. "Yes…I'm moving back to One Ocean Avenue."

"Olivia," Bette asked softly after a moment, "are you sure that's a wise decision?"

"Of course it is!" Olivia snaps. "This monstrosity it too big! Caitlin and Cole are moving into a condo by the marina. Sean is barely here as it is. Trey and I will be much happier there."

"Livy, One Ocean Avenue is about the same size as this 'monstrosity', as you put it." Bette watched with interest as Olivia's gaze shifted down to the ground. "Why don't you tell me the real reason you're moving?" She stared intently at Olivia. "It's alright to say it," she suggested quietly after several moments of silence. "You want to go back to the home that you shared with Gregory."

Olivia shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Is that so bad?"

"I don't know," Bette sighed. "I think it might do more harm than good though. Toots, they are sending Greggy away for a long time. AJ mentioned that he'll be lucky if he gets 25 years to life." She watched as Olivia choked back a sob before collapsing onto the sofa. "Is living in the house where you and Greggy-poo spent so many years together in your best interests?" She reached out and placed her hand on her sobbing friend's shoulder. "Is it?" she repeated.

Olivia looked at Bette through tear filled eyes. "I don't know," she whispers with a sob. "But I-, I can't stay here. He was married to Annie here, not me." She wiped the tears off of her face. "I'm going back to my home…The one that he bought for ME when we first married." She jutted out her chin defiantly and hissed, "You can't make me change my mind."

Bette stood up with Olivia and watched her walk over to the wet bar and sip some seltzer. "Livy, I'll support you. You know I will. I just want to make sure that you aren't setting yourself up for more pain."

Olivia straightened her back and turned to face Bette. "I'm not. Everything will be fine now that I can go home."

Tossing her hands up in defeat, Betted said, "Fine. If this is what you want-"

"It is."

"-then I'm happy for you. I always did like that old house." Bette paused, as another thought entered her mind. "By the way, how can you afford to buy One Ocean Avenue? Didn't the courts freeze most of the family assets while Greggy's trial takes place?"

"It…worked out."

Bette looked sharply at Olivia and took a step closer to her. "What does THAT mean?"

"Just what I said," Olivia repeated vaguely. "Everything worked out."

Bette shook Olivia's arm. "Mommy!"

…Olivia startles awake as Trey jumps on top of her.

"Why'd you come down here?" he asks in a sing-song voice.

"Mommy couldn't sleep," she yawns. "I see you slept well though."

Trey sits up and smiles broadly at his mother. "I like your bed…It's way bigger than mine!" He looks out the patio doors to the beach and the bright sunshine. "Can we go swimming today?"

"You'll have to ask Daddy," Olivia says as she stands and swings Trey up onto her hip. "He's coming over to get you today."

"Hooray! Can I learn how to skim board?"

"No," she states strongly. "When you're older, Daddy or Sean will teach you how."

Trey glowers as Olivia sits him on the kitchen counter before going into the refrigerator for juice. Though only six, he quickly learned, as all children do the best way to manipulate their parents. He sighs sadly and looks at his mother with sad eyes and a frown. "Please, Mommy?"

Olivia turns around from where she is cutting up an orange. She smiles briefly but repeats, "No." She passes Trey the plate of orange slices and a cup of juice. "But I'm sure your Daddy has fun things planned for the two of you today. So cheer up," she says as chucks his chin, "but no skim boarding."

Trey glares at Olivia but takes the plate of oranges and stuffs a slice in his mouth. "This is the worst news I ever heard," he says with a mouth full of orange. "I don't know how I'll recover."

Olivia stifles a laugh and manages to say with a mock seriousness, "I think you'll manage, darling."

Cole Deschanel knocks on the massive glass and wooden door. He waits patiently and smiles as the door slowly opens.

"Hey big guy!" he exclaims when he sees Trey is the one pulling it open. He bends down and pulls the smiling boy up into his arms. "How are you?" he asks, walking into the foyer and closing the door behind him. He nods at Rose, who places a basket of beach toys on the floor by the sofa. "Uh-oh…Someone wants to go to the beach?"

Trey nods eagerly and flails his legs in attempt to get down. He bounces over to the basket and starts pulling out toys after Cole lets him go.

"Here's my pail and my shovel and my dinosaurs and my race cars," Trey jabbers. "And the waves are really big and loud…Can we go fishing? Maybe we'll catch a big shark!"

Cole chuckles. "Why don't we just stay on the beach today?"

"But Daddy," he whines, as only a six year old can, "Sean and me went fishing and it was so much fun! We took a boat and everything!"

"A boat, huh? Which boat?"

Trey shrugs. "I dunno. Sean said it was his daddy's. It was really big and Sean said it was named after Mommy."

Cole sighs and sits down on the sofa. Even from prison, Gregory's shadow still hangs over us, he thinks to himself. It doesn't help that my son is living in the house that Gregory called home for so many years. He reaches over and ruffles Trey's hair. "Well, we'll have a good time playing on the beach."

"Ok Daddy." Trey looks up and grins. "Daddy, can you teach me how to skim board?"

"Well-" Cole starts to say.

"Armando Deschanel! I told you this morning that you were too young," Olivia admonishes as she walks down the stairs and into the living room. "Didn't I?"

Trey nods and hangs his head. "When I'm older, Daddy or Sean will teach me," he recites with a small sigh.

"That seems fair, doesn't it Trey?" Cole asks. The little boy shrugs his shoulders and resumes playing with his dinosaurs.

"Cole," Olivia says as she drops her heeled sandals on the floor before stepping into them, "he needs a haircut. Just a trim and not too long over the ears."

Cole nods. "What time should I bring him back?"

Olivia glances down at Trey briefly. "I'll leave that up to you, but not too late. He didn't sleep well last night because of the storm," she whispers conspiratorially. "Also, if I'm not home, leave Trey with Sean because he'll be here."

"Where are you going?"

"To see Gregory," she replies softly.

"Hey, that's Sean's daddy!" Trey exclaims. "His boat is huge!"

Cole and Olivia both look down to where Trey sits on the floor, lining up his dinosaurs. The young boy is too engrossed in his game to notice the look of pain that stabs his mother's face or the fury that flashes across his father's.

Olivia clears her throat. "Not too late," she reiterates to Cole as she bends down. "Trey, give Mommy a kiss."

Trey leans up and kisses Olivia before throwing his arms around her neck. "I love you, Mommy!"

Olivia smiles and closes her eyes. "I love you too, sweetie." She gives him a final squeeze before standing back up. With another smile and a quick wave, she is out the front door, only pausing at the mirror to check her reflection.

As the door closes behind her, Cole mutters, "She'll never learn." He shakes his head sadly as he bends down to Trey's level. "Come on big guy…Let's hit the beach."

Trey looks up at Cole with wide eyes. "Oh no, Daddy. Mommy says I'm not allowed to hit anyone and that I'm to keep my hands to myself."

Cole laughs out loud. "Well," he says between laughs, "you must always listen to Mommy. She's usually right. Come on…Race you to the beach?"

Trey is up like a flash and out the door before Cole has a chance to stand. Oh man, he thinks, I'm going to get a workout keeping up with him today.