Disclaimer: Not mine. A/N: To my readers, thanks for putting up with me. I love your comments so please keep them up. (rewritten 05/08/12)

Valley Girls

Cece

Breakfast that day was memorable. Carol got out of the shower to see Owen half-naked and eating cocoa pops in her kitchen. Shep was still fast asleep. Lily received a raised eyebrow.

"Carol? I have something important to tell you."

Carol sighed, reaching for the box of cereal. "I'm listening."

"Don't hate me. Technically it wasn't my fault, but Mum's coming to stay. Tomorrow."

"She's what?!" Carol demanded. Owen was staring at her, milk dribbling off his chin. Lily tried to push away the image of her licking it off with her tongue. "Why, did you say yes?!" Carol said, throwing her arms in the air dramatically.

"I didn't, she just decided on it."

"This is a nightmare! I can't see her. Lily I CAN'T SEE HER!" Lily understood but she was at a loss as to how to help her. When her mother wanted something she usually got it. Shep was awake now and scratched his blond hair looking disorientated. Lily understood why Carol was so upset she was the Black Sheep of the family and though Lily never really got on with CeCe either, it was nothing compared to the screaming matches Carol had with her.

"We'll figure something out." Lily said meekly and Carol huffed, stealing the cereal and disappearing back into her room. Lily had breakfast with Owen and Shep and discussed the happenings of the previous night, or what they remembered of it.

The next day, the buzzer rang and CeCe's voice came through the loudspeaker. "Well, aren't you going to let me in? I've had a long trip and I'm very tired. Someone needs to lift my suitcases off the curb. I hope you don't expect me to do this?"

Carol clenched her fists together and buzzed down. "We'll be right with you, mother." The door banged of its hinges and a boy swaggered out. His hair was tousled and blond, he wore an unsure grin and leather studded jacket. She recoiled slightly but had no choice to follow the vagabond.

"Let me help you there, anyone who's a friend of my girlfriend's is a friend of mine." A second boy came out, as the first was having difficulties lugging the two bags up the steps. Owen held out his hand to be shaken but never got it. Immediately, from their appearances she could tell that none of these boys were good enough to be with her daughters. She would have to fix that.

Once Shep and Owen had brought the suitcases upstairs, they hovered near the entrance, supporting their girls, but it was hard when all CeCe could do was to belittle and insult them. After about half an hour, Shep left muttering some excuse about writing songs for their album.

Carol was standing near the table, gripping the chair's frame tightly. Lily knew that face. It was minutes before everything got too much. CeCe had only just arrived and already she had found several faults in Carol's way of life, how she dressed, who she let in her life and the bad influence she had on her little sister.

Before Carol could explode, Lily stepped in. She did feel rather responsible for allowing CeCe in the first place. Owen seemed to be invisible. Lily would have to change that, but first, she and Carol had to set some ground rules...

"Mother!" Lily interrupted her Mother's conversation; she had just started to say that the apartment should be disinfected... Carol looked up shocked. In fact so did CeCe. Owen just scratched his nose, waiting for it... "What are you doing here? Because Carol and I both know it wasn't to see us."

CeCe pursed her lips. "Believe what you think, but I did miss you...both. I thought it was time I see how Carol is providing for herself. Not very well, now I see it."

It was Carol's turn to say her bit. "If you're just going to insult me, then you can get out right now, Mother! I do not want to hear how much beneath you, you think I am! If you want to stay, then keep your thoughts to yourself, but don't expect us to wait on you, because our lives are here, and we actually work for a living..."

CeCe's face was turned pink, out of anger. Lily loved Carol. It was situations like this, which reminded her of how many times Carol had come to her rescue in the past. She had not missed the arguments between her family, but she had missed her big sister.

"I see now, this was a bad idea after all. You, bring my bags downstairs at once. Lily, pack you're things I am taking you home."

"His name is Owen." Lily said fiercely, "And I'm not going home with you. This is my home."

"Don't be ridiculous. You may think you're like your sister, but you will never be like Carol, you are too much like me." Owen bent down to pick up CeCe's suitcases and Carol stomped past to open the door for him.

"Get out now..." Carol ordered, her hands on her hips. CeCe followed Owen outside and Lily turned to Carol, wiping her eyes.

"I'm so sorry. You knew she'd be like this, didn't you?"

"I knew she wouldn't accept us. She never did." Carol squeezed her sister's shoulder softly and went to put the kettle on.

Owen waited on the curb with Lily and Carol's mother and watched her with no remorse. She was definitely not from around their parts. Her clothes were too fancy, her hair was tightly wrapped in a bun and she looked too much like a Porcelain doll. It was hard to believe she was Lily's mother. Except Lily was blond and tall and beautiful, and in a sense, he could see it in CeCe a little. Carol was different. Pretty, and wild and talented, she was not CeCe at all.

It was a fleeting thought which occurred to him after watching the sorry case unfold, but having no mother of his own, Owen felt a strange connection to this lady, though she seemed to have a horrible personality which was not passed down to either daughter – he listened to her mutterings, sure she had forgotten him.

Owen flung out his arm and whistled for a cab. He could see immediately she had heard him, (Shep said his whistles were high pitched enough that it could summon dogs from neighbouring towns!) she looked on disapprovingly and Owen knew he only had a minute to convince her not to leave.

She did not thank him for hailing down a taxi, not even when he loaded the suitcases into the car.

He opened the door for her and she hovered for a moment on the curb, turning up to face the building her daughter's were living in.

"You know, you don't have to leave..." Owen said holding onto the door.

"They do not want me there." CeCe said tersely.

"You're right. They don't want that lady who was just there, but if you be the person I know you can be, they might."

"That lady is me. And I will not change."

"Well, that's not good enough. They've proven they can survive without you, but, it looks like you can't. Why don't you try and get to know you're daughters and be a real mother to them. You might actually be proud of them."

At that moment the taxi driver interrupted gruffly, "Where to lady? I Ain't got all day, you know."

CeCe thought about Owen's words and sighed. The taxi smelled of urine and the alcohol. It took her a long way to get there. It would be a long ride home. She took Owen's hand hesitantly and he helped her out. "I'll stay. But I will not be sleeping on the couch like a common roommate. I expect a proper bed and breakfast."

"I'm sure Lily can sort out a proper bedroom for you. As for a proper breakfast, I know the perfect place." Owen retrieved her luggage and returned to the door, hoping Lily and Carol wouldn't kill him.

Carol and Lily were sitting in the kitchen discussing the dead plant on the window sill, when Owen came back into the room, followed by CeCe. "Before you say anything, my mother died when I was nine. If I had the chance to make everything right before she died, I would have. Just remember, you don't know how long you have before someone you love is gone."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to use the bathroom." CeCe said quietly. Lily nodded and showed her where it was and then she hugged Owen tightly, thanking him, because it was tough tolerating her mother.

0o0o

Two days flew by, which was strange considering how much Lily and Carol wanted nothing to do with their mother. CeCe was on good behaviour. The first day, Owen had taken them to a diner near Carol's apartment. It was a shock to find that both Carol and Lily were waitresses there. CeCe came from a proud, rich family and she wanted more for her daughters, than this. Owen pointed out the owner, who looked CeCe up and down and grinned broadly. She had to shake his greased, sweaty hand, out of politeness, but quickly wiped it with a handkerchief at her earliest opportunity.

The food was common, but edible and there were no bottles of Chambord but a cheap looking bottle of red, which washed down her grilled burger just the same. It was strange seeing her youngest, Lily hand in hand with Owen. He seemed so below her, but there was something intriguing about him. She had known someone like him in her past, but had not settled for him. Owen seemed to like her daughter very much. His manner with her was sweet and caring, but boys like that could easily break your heart. As for Carol, the boy named Shep, had said he was having relations with her, but Carol and Shep were always apart. Knowing Carol, she was not with him. Perhaps, they had shared something but it was long gone now.

Shep was at the counter paying for another round of drinks. Carol was playing with the straw in her last drink with a preoccupied expression. Lily and Owen were not paying attention at all to Bill's favourite Guitar shop on the Corner of Bligh and George. CeCe couldn't care less, but she had been reared to disable situations like that.

After leaving the restaurant, CeCe said she was quite tired and would like to get to bed early. Owen and Shep bid their goodbyes. Shep hovered for a moment and then when Carol shook him off, with a hand on the arm, he left. Owen held Lily's face in his and kissed her passionately which was saying something, more than just a kiss. He was giving her a message. He loved Lily.

CeCe was not overly pleased but she had more pressing matters at hand. Carol had not spoken to her at all for one whole day.

As CeCe entered the bathroom, to take a long bath before bed, she did what any mother would do...

She opened the cabinets and peered inside.

There were ordinary, everyday items in there. Nothing suspicious about moisturisers, make-up or hairspray, despite the fact they were not designer but cheap imitations. Interestingly, CeCe came across contraception and she wondered which daughter was taking it. She closed the cupboards, and stepped into the bath.

0o0o

"Oh god. I feel sick..." Carol said as Lily cleared the sink to make room for Carol.

"What are we going to tell Mother?"

"I seriously don't care right now..." Carol bent over the sink and threw up.

"Have you told Shep yet?" Lily said softly, holding back Carol's hair.

"I don't even know what to say to him."

"He loves you."

"I know, but he can't. He won't, not after he knows..." Lily hoped CeCe hadn't noticed. She really didn't want to explain this to her. Carol would kill her if she said anything about her pregnancy. The cover story would have to be stomach bug or too much alcohol.

"What on earth is going?" CeCe demanded suddenly. She had heard. That woman had ears like an eagle.

"Stomach bug." Carol retched, spitting out another batch of vomit into the kitchen sink. CeCe's lips pursed. If there was any suspicion as to who was using contraception it was now clear.

"I've had my fair share of stomach bugs. I know, that there is morning sickness! And the fact you did not come to me any earlier is beyond me. Move over Lily, I have more experience in this matter than you." Carol flinched as her mother took over the hair duty and ordered Lily to make a cup of Camomile tea.

After Carol's bout of morning sickness was over and they sat in the kitchen in silence.

"Who is the Father?" Carol turned white. Lily reached over to reassure her. "Is it that fool of a boy, Shep? Because I can tell you now that boy won't know one thing about raising a child."

"Mother, it isn't Shep's..." Carol said loudly.

"Then who?"

Carol ran her fingers through her hair, frantically, "It's Keith Van Der Woodsen's."

CeCe knew of the boy, vaguely. But it was the name which stood out. Van Der Woodsen was a high class family. A rich family. She smiled to herself. Carol had tried to outrun her past and yet it still was part of her.

"There's no happy ending here, Mother. Keith is a jerk. He never loved Carol. He used her." Lily said stiffly. "And now he's paying commission." Carol looked up with wide eyes.

"What do you mean?" Carol shook off Lily's hand and shook her head.

"I told him, so he can provide for you and the baby."

"Nooo! No! I told you not to tell anyone!" Carol said, tears leaking down her cheeks.

"How much is he paying?" CeCe said quietly.

"A few hundred. I wanted Carol to be ok." Carol excused herself from the table and slammed her bedroom door leaving Lily looking miserable after her.

Things however were not hopeless, CeCe thought. She would visit the Van Der Woodsen's and make peace. Carol and Keith would work out their issues and if things go her way, a wedding would take place.

A/N: reviews welcome.