Author's note: I have filled another request! This one is from Loganator_JR who requested a fic inspired by the movie 'why did I get married?' which was requested forever ago… but here it is now! This would have been up the other day but work got in the way… anyway, thanks as always for the reviews, alerts and favourites- I really appreciate it!

Logan took off his silly gown the moment the ceremony was over, he didn't really understand why anyone would want to keep it on longer than they had to.

"Oh man! You are ridiculous" Kendall laughed and took off his hat and placed it on Logan's head "you do know that my mum is gonna want a bazillion pictures of us now- and you're in a dress shirt! Did you forget that you're valedictorian?"

"Over a thousand hours worth of studying would indicate a no" Annie laughed and poked Logan in the ribs. "I think we went on more study dates than real ones," she laughed then hesitated before giving Logan a light kiss on the lips. They both scrunched up their nose at the awkwardness of it and Kendall let out a laugh.

"Oh Annie don't you remember Logan's rule about PDA? I thought that was one thing you two ALWAYS agreed on."

"I think the world would be a much better place if SOME people held my reservations on the matter" Logan rolled his eyes and nodded towards their friend James; who was using graduation as an excuse to grind on some excitable sophomore girl.

"Well at least he's affectionate- that's admirable in it's own way" Annie defended her friend and Logan and Kendall let out a snort in unison.

"He's affectionate alright" Logan commented with a playful nudge to Kendall's ribs, who snickered with him.

"Yeah" Kendall agreed "but I bet he doesn't know her last name."

"Correction- he doesn't know her first name," Logan gave Kendall a rare smile before chucking Kendall's hat off his head and in to the air. "Hey!" Kendall ran backwards and caught it in the air; he was in the middle of his completely unnecessary victory dance where he backed into someone.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry!" Kendall whirled around to find a blonde woman in her twenties, she pulled off her sunglasses and looking up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"It's okay," she told him with a half quirked smile, "I assume the victory dance was for an important reason…" Kendall clutched his hat close to his chest, and looked up at her with an embarrassed smile.

"I just graduated" Kendall told her more defensively than proudly.

The blonde's eyes cast down and back up and she raised her eyebrow pointedly at him.

"Your dress sort of gave you away," she told him in a mock whisper, pulling at his robe gently. He blushed and straightened it out, and she giggled at him.

"You're in a silly robe too- but you're not from my school… I would recognise you" Kendall pointed to her traditional black graduation robe and compared it to the flamboyant green one he was wearing.

"I am graduating… but that's just for the show" she gestured at the camera crew that was impatiently waiting for the crowd to disperse. "Seems your school double booked the auditorium."

"Oh my God" his eyes widened "you're Rachel from New Town High!"

"Jo actually" she stuck out her hand and he shook it enthusiastically, which made her laugh.

"Kendall" James suddenly appeared beside him "we have to get going if we want to make it to the cabin- it's tradition!" He waved his hands excitably, seemingly not taking in the totally amazing woman Kendall was desperately trying to talk to.

"Since when is it tradition?" Kendall narrowed his eyes, but flashed quickly back to Jo in case she wandered off or turned out to be married or something.

"Since… well it WILL be once we get there- now hurry up and just give her your number so we can go!" And with that James melted back into the crowd and Kendall began plotting his very gruesome death.

"I-if I gave you my number… would you call?"

She chucked her phone at him, and he'd never loved the sight of a phone so much. "Put it in- we'll see if I call" she winked at him; he typed the number furiously into the phone before handing it back.

"Maybe I'll be talking to you, Ken-doll."

And with that she was gone.

Kendall stood for a few minuets with a goofy look on his face, until Logan pulled him away.

"You know- one day I'm gonna marry her" he promised not caring how cheesy or cliché it sounded.

"Yeah and I'll marry Principal Roberts daughter" he responded sarcastically and rolled his eyes. He pulled on the blonde's sleeve "now come on- you were right. Your mum DOES want a bazillion pictures…"

******BTR******

"Ergh I can't believe we're in Minnesota again- when we got married you said I'd never have to stay somewhere this cold again." Jo complained not looking up from her iPhone, which she was typing on furiously.

"Did I say that? That doesn't sound like me" Kendall sniggered, gripping and turning the steering wheel quickly to avoid a dodgy looking patch of ice. "Though I have been known to promise some outrageous stuff."

"Like honey, I promise you'll LOVE driving up to the Garcia's cabin- it'll be fun." Jo actually looked up and glared at him and an annoyed sigh came from the back of the car.

"I believe Kendall was thinking of all the fun HE'D have if we drove up together- he's a schadenfreudist."

Kendall looked into the mirror to glare at the man, "No- of course I'll take my wife's side Logan, I'll make sure you get the shitty room that leaks."

"I think the drive is just what we needed Kendall" Camille told him, lacing her fingers together with her husband; Logan corrected his fingers so their hands linked together harmoniously. "It's always nice to spend time with Logan's friends- it reassures me that you guys are real, and he's not just spending all his time with me."

"You've been toiling away in the lab again, eh?" Jo grinned and hit Logan lightly who ducked his head "you know I think becoming a research doctor was a good move for you Logan- now you won't have so much trouble... talking to patients."

"My socialization with my patients was adequate Jo, the improvement has to do with working within a team." Logan told her, and a slight defensive edge slipped into his tone.

"Logan always did work better in a team" Kendall told the women cheerfully and they both raised their eyebrows at him. He blushed darkly "what? I'm not wrong- Logan was great when we were on a hockey team together."

"And now nobody believes me when I say I used to help THE Kendall Knight with his plays in high school" Logan snorted, and Kendall grinned broadly.

"You used to help me with my homework too."

"Yes but no one has problems believing that- not that I do that anymore. The kids are always complaining that they don't understand my explanations- I'm starting to think you were right when you said I over explain things." Logan muttered, ears turning bright red. "One of the many reasons I'm lucky to have Camille, she's great with first grade homework."

"One of the many, MANY reasons" she grinned and pointed at her cheek until Logan took the hint and kissed her cheek softly. "Though really Logan- why you were trying to teach Suki physics is beyond me."

Logan grumbled and the rest of the occupants in car laughed.

"I think I see the cabin" Kendall suddenly squealed excitedly, and the car jerked excitedly with him.

"BABY" Jo screeched and laid her hand on his shoulder, stopping Kendall's wild antics.

"You're going to get us all killed!"

"What a waste that would of been too seeing that's the O'Mally's cabin and we've got a court order saying we're not aloud on their property." Logan added dryly and leant over punching Kendall lightly.

Kendall glared at him "okay first NO ONE is aloud to punch the driver." he waggled a finger in Logan's direction removing one hand from the wheel. Camille caught his hand and directed it back towards the steering wheel."

"Secondly it wasn't MY fault we have a life ban on that place- I didn't try to genetically engineer their cattle."

Camille let out a giggle and patted her husband on the arm. "Oh I remember this story it would have worked if only-"

"I had enough tape" Logan finished mournfully "my suturing skills really weren't up to par when we were twelve."

A phone went off "Don't answer that" Camille and Kendall both told their partners instinctively.

Jo pulled out her ringing phone and Camille relaxed while Kendall tensed up. "I have to- it's Peggy with my new schedule."

"Of course it's Peggy" Kendall groaned, "I hate her so much."

"Don't take it out on Peggy" Logan warned, "she knows everything- and she controls your wife's schedule."

"Who's Peggy?" Camille asked in a mock whisper and Logan grinned at her.

"Oh that's Jo's overlord- otherwise known as her personal assistant. She decides if the sun comes up in the morning and if Jo goes on Leno."

"Oh you SHOULD go on Leno" Camille squealed, "if I stayed up that late I would TOTALLY watch that show!"

"Aw sweetie" Logan cooed at her fondly and brushed her hair carelessly aside so he could kiss her shoulder affectionately.

******BTR******

"Wow I forgot how beautiful this cabin was" Carlos marveled as he threw down their bags. "We should come up here more often!"

"Are you kidding?" Stephanie chuckled "do you realize how HARD it was to find someone to look after all our kids. Plus the financial hit of shutting our business down for five days so we can go on this vacation."

A frown marred Carlos' face "I KNOW Steph- I found the babysitter didn't I? But I don't see why we had to shut down for this vacay- couldn't someone have minded the shop?"

"Maybe, but the ONLY other baker we have is married to YOUR best friend and is up here with us" Stephanie rolled her eyes. "How would anyone run a bakery without any bakers?"

"Store bought?" Carlos asked with a teasing grin "Aw come on babe" he grabbed at her waist pulling her in close. "We only have ONE vacation a year... away from the kids that is. Can't you get a LITTLE excited?"

Stephanie gave him a sullen look "easy for you to say- you don't even look at the business side of things Carlos! If I let you make any of THOSE decisions we'd be bankrupt in a month."

"So true" he laughed and kissed her lightly on the nose, before scattering several more light kisses on her face. "Come on" he laughed lightly "show me a smile."

"Okay" she pushed him away with a smile "but try and keep it in your pants... one too many children were conceived this exact way when we go away on these couples retreats" she warned "We're not in a financial position to have another child."

"But don't you want a girl?" Carlos tempted her kissing her neck and she pushed him away "maybe... once Eduardo goes to collage."

"Honey... Eduardo is six..."

"Exactly" Stephanie grinned and pulled well away from him. "Now what should we make for dinner- and by we, I obviously mean you."

"Aw I thought you said VACATION can't we just order take out?" Carlos whined but he was already trudging towards the kitchen.

"If you don't bake anything it WILL be a vacation" she called out after him before falling back on the couch. She kicked off her shoes and put her feet up, she flicked the TV on and Jo's face appeared in HD.

"Ew- the werewolf chronicles" she made a face and motioned to change it when Carlos called out. "You better watch it- she expects you to have seen it."

"She's not gonna want my opinion- years of dealing with that women means I know she just wants me to tell her how great she is and how fat the other leading lady was."

Stephanie watched Jo perform with a rather wooden leading man and cringed. There was nothing wrong with Jo's acting skills... though why she was still acting in teen schlock when she was in her thirties was beyond Stephanie. Maybe a niche was a niche.

"You be nice to her when she gets here" Carlos warned, appearing in the doorway to wave a wooden spoon around menacingly. "I don't want you and Camille running off and giggling like a couple of school girls- there is a reason she's never excited to see you guys."

"I promise" Stephanie raised her hand like a scouts honour, "I'll even be nice to Annie."

"At a girl" Carlos crooned.

******BTR******

"I'm sorry mam but there seems to be a mistake but your seat seems to be in business class instead of first class." a fairly unapologetic flight attendant told the blonde.

"Oh" the woman frowned and turned to her partner who frown deeply "so there are NO more available seats in first class? This should be a simple upgrade... it's what WE paid for."

"Unfortunately first class has been completely booked," the woman repeated more firmly.

"No see HERE'S what happened- YOU overbooked the flight and then were SCREWED when no one pulled out of the flight so you DOWNGRADED my wife!"

"James it's fine" Annie gave him a soft smile "I don't mind business class- let's face it" she gestured at herself "I'm kind of business class."

"Look this is ridiculous" Rachel butted in "give me your ticket and I'LL take the damn seat." she reached out but Annie held it firmly out of her reach.

"Don't be silly Rach- you paid for that ticket" Annie picked up her bag and dragged in along. "Okay" she said brightly to the attendant "could you please show me to my seat?"

Rachel sat down sulkily, and James followed sinking into his seat moodily. "Why does she always do this?" he complained "it's like she doesn't EVEN want to spend time with us- me."

"It's not that James" Rachel rolled her eyes "she's just that kind of person- she doesn't want to be a bother." she shot him a sly grin "you two always seemed to me like a mismatch- but at the same time I've never seen two people who get along better in a marriage."

A fond look past his face "yeah... well when we're together that is." he pulled out his laptop and opened it "it's hard to have a connection when she's out in the ocean more often than not..."

"And it's not like the CEO of Diamond cosmetics is ever too busy to spend time with his wife" Rachel shot back snarkily gesturing to his laptop.

He shot a sneaky grin and shut the computer "you may have a point" he leant over and gave her a brief kiss on the cheek. "Though I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with the woman I love."

"And who's that James?"

His phone rang. "You better turn that off before the plane takes off- why you thought it'd be okay to use it is beyond me" she rolled her eyes.

"I like getting my way" he grinned widely at her and an attendant walked up to them.

"Sir I'm going to have to ask you to turn that off before we take off" and she was off again, firmly telling a child to stop kicking the chair in front of him.

"Looks like you can't always get what you want..."

"yeah, but I can get pretty close."

******BTR******

"Oh my God it is SO good to see you" Stephanie flung her arms around Camille and grinned widely at her.

"You saw me yesterday" Camille laughed, but hugged the woman back just as tightly. "Or maybe you like me more since Carlos sentenced us to a no business talk weekend..."

"Why did he do that?" Jo asked curiously, she had followed Camille quietly from the car, acting as voyeur on their semi-intimate moment.

"We're always fighting over prices and product value and such- or how Camille keeps forgetting to put flour in the cupcakes" Stephanie jokes and sent Jo the warmest smile she could muster and Jo returned it with about equal enthusiasm. "Carlos is always getting in the middle- so he put a ban in effect."

Camille flushed with embarrassment about the flour jab but quickly got over it and seemed to lighten up over the fact they were talking. She beckoned Jo forward and pulled her so her arms were wrapped around her, her arm shook a little and Jo patted her arm affectionately- she could sympathize with Camille. She didn't like people making fun of her screw-ups either.

"Steph you should hear about the mini series Jo's auditioning for- she told me all about it on the way over."

"Oh well I-"

The door flew open and an excited Kendall bounded inside "CARLOS GARCIA!" he rushed past the women and upstairs and out of sight just as Carlos rushed in excitedly from the kitchen.

"KENDALL?"

They pointed upstairs and Carlos rushed up in a flurry of excitement. Seeming to follow the trail of snow Kendall had left in his wake.

There seemed to miss each other several times, calling out to each other in various voices of barely contained excitement playing the worlds most peculiar game of Marko Polo.

"I guess no one is going to help me with these bags then?" Logan called, the last of the group to trudge inside. Stephanie ran up to him and hugged him, "hey there Logan!"

"Gee Steph it's not like we didn't have you over for dinner last week" Logan rolled his eyes and Camille shot her a nauseatingly smug look.

"LOGAN!" the two men that had at some point apparently found each other, and now pounced on Logan in excitement.

"Kendall" Logan cried in exasperation "we drove here, you know TOGETHER!" the blonde seemed to ignore the shorter man's annoyance and swung him around. "And CARLOS for God's sakes I saw you YESTERDAY!"

"Wow and I thought their display of 'bro-fection' was bad at the airport" Jo hissed with a grin to Camille. The baker giggled behind her hand and made no move to assist her flailing husband.

"When is Annie going to get here- God! It's like the Diamonds go out of their way to be late!" Jo watched her watch tick slowly; she didn't have much in common with the sunny marine biologist except that she also wasn't in the little two-person click of Stephanie and Camille.

"They're plane probably got delayed- it's not like Malibu is exactly a hop skip and a jump from here" Camille told her. Her watch went off and Logan popped up next to her, wrapping his arm firmly around her.

"Hey hon- let's take our stuff up to our room" and immediately steered her away.

"He is SO weird" Jo rolled her eyes at Logan's antics- it always unsettled her how Camille let him control her life so thoroughly. Down to how many hours she worked, when she could go out and it was all timed into that stupid watch that dictated his commands to her.

"Oh that's just Logan- he became pedantic a couple of years ago. It's never bothered Camille though- I think she just likes having his attention. You know how disconnected they used to be, and she's gotten so scatterbrained lately she could use the guidance" Stephanie frowned at the retreating couple.

"We're not living in the fifties Stephanie" Jo glared "I don't understand how a guy that is best friends with Kendall."

"I used to feel the same way about him and Carlos... but Carlos never seems happier than when he's with his old college room mate- so I try not to be too bitchy."

"Too late" Jo snickered and Stephanie shoved her playfully.

"Look who's talking?" they turned and spotted James in the doorway.

"James?" they both exclaimed and then looked behind him to find a pretty brown hair woman in place to the usual pretty blonde one.

"Where's Annie?" Jo demanded almost at once and eyed the new woman with the utmost distaste.

"Well hello to you too Jo" James rolled his eyes "ladies this is Annie's friend Rachel- Annie invited her when Katie and what's his name couldn't make it."

"Is he still afraid after the time you and Kendall tried to drop a boulder on him for besmirching Katie's purity." Jo snickered "which was stupid because Katie hasn't been a virgin since-"

"Lalalalalashutup" James stuck his fingers in his ears angrily "Katie is still as pure as the virgin white snow of the mountains."

"You're going to have words with Carlos then" Annie appeared next to Rachel heaving a sizable amount of luggage "I'm pretty sure he had a thing with her when she was a senior in high school and he was a 'worldly' college guy."

"CARLOS!" James threw his hands in the air "YOU GET IN HERE YOU DIRTY SACK OF BETRAYAL!" James tore out of the room like a man possessed.

"You are evil" Rachel grinned at the blonde and the woman merely shrugged "he deserved it- he's been sending me links to sea life fetish support groups for months. He obviously thinks he's hilarious."

Stephanie let out a snort of uncontrollable laughter and Annie glared at her darkly until she stopped.

"So Rachel... how long have you and Annie known each other?" Jo tried to be amicable and hoped Camille would come back soon- the girl could be friendly to a tree.

"Not long" she admitted, "I've been friends with James longer..."

The dark looks the two women sent her could be seen from space. "I guess he said I was Annie's friend to avoid you two looking at him the way you're kind... of... looking at me right now."

"I'm going to put these in our room- Stephanie can you show me where that is?" Annie piped up grasping most of the luggage again and surged forward grabbing Stephanie in one swift movement.

"Be nice you two" she called out as a worried after thought. Neither Rachel nor Jo were known for their restraint or patience.

"So how are you friends with James?" Jo asked, her eyes narrowed at the woman with great suspicion. Rachel smiled widely at the question.

"Oh- we used to work together. I worked in his missile defense section" she exclaimed as though that made any sense.

"For Diamond COSMETICS?"

"Yes- well that's what he thought as well, so when he took over the company... he got rid of some of the more... frivolous sections of the company."

"But he didn't get rid of you completely?" Jo prodded, wondering what she was going to use with this information once she had it.

"We met for the first time when he was firing me- I wasn't pleased... but after he reviewed my work and gave me a glowing recommendation to my future employers I kind of warmed up to the guy" Rachel grinned wistfully at the mention of James and that disturbed Jo.

"So what about you- you're Jo Taylor-Knight right? I used to watch New Town High religiously... It's a shame the show had to end. But I guess after ten seasons it was time to let the teen show go right?"

"Right" Jo said uneasily and Rachel cocked her head and her smile turned a little sharp.

"I heard you're doing movies now- anything I would know?"

"Probably not."

******BTR******

"I think it's endlessly amusing JAMES is the one beating up Carlos for dating Katie" Camille giggled to Kendall. "You don't seem that upset by the affair."

Kendall shrugged "if I had any say in who she dated she never would have taken that ginger kid to the prom."

"I think that was more of a business agreement- he backed Knight industries when she was starting up" Logan told them. "I wouldn't have put it past teenage Katie to horde favours for future profit."

"Can you please not talk about my sister like that" Kendall glared, turning away from where James was trying to pummeling Carlos, and Carlos was giggling like a madman.

"I meant it as a compliment- she's a shrewd business woman... and let's face it she's the scariest, most powerful woman of our generation."

"What does her business DO exactly?" Camille asked hesitantly and Logan let out a low laugh at Kendall's embarrassed expression.

"Ah I don't actually know... everyone's very coy on the matter."

A yelp admitted from the fight that was still in progress and Logan rolled his eyes, getting up to separate them. "Alright- break it up!"

"I'm gonna find the girls" Camille grinned easily and walked out of the room, her grip on the door handle slipped and she shot Logan a smile before she exited the room, saluting him in a jaunty fashion.

"She seems good today dude" Carlos muttered to Logan as he pulled them apart. "She is, I think she's finally coming to terms with-"

"What are YOU ladies talking about" Kendall swaggered over to them, flinging his arms around their shoulders.

"Just that Jo and you seem good" Logan said hastily "I haven't seen you two like this since college- not that either of you went to college."

Kendall frowned "she been 'dealing' with career stuff- I think. She's being hot and cold; I think she's just in her hot phase right now. She's not on her a phone for a change- but it's only been a couple of hours."

"Probably having an affair" James sniggered "you don't see THAT look on the face of a woman who's just sleeping with her husband."

Logan and Carlos simultaneously smacked James over the head, "what's wrong with you? Not everyone is having an affair!" Logan glared at James who merely shrugged.

"Why not? God knows I am."

"So that woman who's here? Is that her?" Carlos asked hesitantly, he wasn't surprised when James said he was having an affair. Just a little sad.

"Well Jo is defiantly not," Logan told him with more confidence than James felt was necessary considering they weren't talking about his wife.

"Wait- I thought you and Annie had an 'open marriage' because of her... situation." Logan added and Carlos and Kendall raised their eyebrows feeling incredibly out of the loop. "I thought is wasn't considered an affair if..."

Logan had evidently caught on quickly to something James was trying to convey through facial expressions alone. "Oh..."

"Oh what?" Kendall asked in frustration, irritated over them dissecting his love life but treating James' with kiddy gloves, which was evident in his voice.

"What's wrong with Annie that she'd be okay with an open marriage?" Carlos added curiously but James made a face like the discussion was closed.

"Does she know your sleeping with Rachel specifically?" Logan asked and James shook his head. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you to keep this quiet."

A look past Carlos' face that didn't instilled him with confidence.

******BTR******

"They have a what?"

"Shh Steph- I wasn't supposed to tell you" Carlos covered her mouth. Stephanie narrowed her eyes, "why is everyone cheating?"

"Everyone? Who else is cheating?" Carlos asked his horror and prayed the answer wasn't something he couldn't live with.

"I overheard something Camille was saying on her phone" Stephanie told him in a confidential tone. Carlos was filled with immediate dread, Camille had to be his closest friend outside of the guys and he knew Stephanie had a love hate relationship with the woman because it.

"She was talking to someone Logan works with- doctor something and they were a lot of hushed words and arranging of meetings."

"I don't think that's what you think it is." Carlos wanted to tell her exactly what he knew, exactly what he had been keeping from his wife for his friend. But he had promised Camille, not to utter a word to Stephanie.

"Yeah well as fucked as Logan and Camille's relationship is she shouldn't be doing this."

"And you don't feel that way about Kendall and Jo?" Carlos tried to relieve pressure by hopping from one frying pan to another. Stephanie crossed her arms in defiance.

"Oh I know that bitch is a cheater- I don't feel too bad for him though. It's not like HE hasn't stepped out on her before, at least SHE manages to keep it out of the newspapers."

"Kendall said nothing happened…" Carlos frowned and Stephanie snorted.

"Face it your friends don't have the best relationships" she crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows in a decidedly smug way and Carlos could feel his temper rising.

"Yeah? Well that's what they say about us" Carlos snapped and then stormed off to find Camille and Logan. Leaving his wife behind, confused and angry.

******BTR******

The dinner was strangely tense, with no couple being able to look at another- and not just because Katie had popped by unexpectedly with her dogged newly minted fiancé; Kyle in toe.

"So the wedding is in six months" she exclaimed excitedly and clapped her hands together, "Kyle is organizing the wedding of course, seeing as I have so much work piling up, now I'm opening up a new missile defense subsection."

"Why would you need a missile defense section for?" Logan asked spuriously and Katie shot him an amused look.

"I would never need a whole section Logan" she gave him a look that verged on patronising "that's why I have a sub section."

"It's for defense against potential threats" Rachel added and took a large sip from her wine glass "it's best to have one in case of-"

Katie raised her hand and Rachel fell silent, Katie let out a titter of a laugh. "Oh let's not talk business right now- with my upcoming nuptials I'm much more interested in assuring that my favourite brother can make it to the wedding."

"You KNOW I'll be there Kates- come hell or high water" he told her confidently and then cast a sideways glance at his uninterested wife who was trying to covertly text under the table. "I don't know about Jo though- maybe you'd have to check with her personal assistant." he stood and nabbed the iPhone from her in a smooth motion and pocketed it.

"Kendall Knight you give that back, right now!" Jo commanded and Kendall gave her a challenging look slipping the phone out of his pocket and opening it up.

"What's so important that you can't listen to my baby sister talk... about..." Kendall's words faded off into nothingness as he read the message on her phone.

"Who were you writing this to?"

Jo snatched the phone back, "just Peggy- GOD Kendall why don't you ever trust me! We both KNOW I'm not the one with the history of lying."

"We both know that's not quite true Jo," he told here deathly quiet. "Do you always tell Peggy that you miss her? That you wish you were there and not here?"

"Better there than here!" Jo's outburst was much more violent then anyone (herself included) had predictably. "Do you really want to try and save our marriage HERE? With THESE people? They haven't got it together anymore than we do!"

"Jo just calm down-" Annie reached up to her but Jo pushed away from her standing angrily. "Me calm down? I think I'm the only one who's angry enough! Are you happy Annie? Really? With a husband who's having an affair that you don't care about because as long as he's touching someone that's not you."

Annie shrunk back, trying to hide behind her curls but Jos tirade was far from over.

"It bothers you though, it MUST" Jo gestured at James and Rachel who were paralyzed by shock "that he's starting to love her more than you. It not like high school when there were no feelings involved, right?"

"Jo" Carlos stood up and moved quickly to her side "that's enough." He made a desperate motion at Logan who stood as well and moved to comfort Kendall.

"You know your right Carlos –and you know I think that's probably what Stephanie was thinking when she got her tubes tied- that's enough right?" she shot Stephanie a nasty look and then took off.

"Oh God" Logan watched her leave "Kendall go after her now."

"Why?" Kendall glared up at his friend, the only one to come out unscathed from Jo's tirade. "Did you not HEAR what she said? Look at what she did!"

Annie had excused herself from the table and James had followed closely behind, leaving Rachel to sit uselessly at the table and focus very hard on the steak she hadn't touched.

Kendall and Logan could nearly look at Carlos, who was staring at Stephanie with such a painful look of betrayal etched on his face. Stephanie tried to take his hand but he pulled away from her and threw his fork down in a rare display of anger.

The clatter of cutlery echoed on the now silent table, and Katie took Carlos leading him off into another room. Possibly to prevent another rare display of anger, perhaps in the fork of a slap to his wife.

"She was never patient Kendall" Logan stressed in a hush whisper "she's never been my friend, but she did speak to me in a dark hour- and she clearly hasn't spoken to you about it."

Kendall's eyes widened and his face-hardened "what did she speak to you about?"

"She was nauseous, tired all the time- she thought she had finally gotten pregnant," Logan's frown sat deeper on his face than Kendall had ever seen it- like it had been carved by sculptures. Kendall had wanted children since he took over the role as father for his sister. Logan could tell it had killed him that his and Jo's attempts had been fruitless so far.

"Sometimes... menopause just hits woman sooner than others."

Kendall's eyes went horribly wide and all the fight drained out of him. He thought of his wife's face, and how he must have been out of town playing hockey and the only person Jo could think to call was a friend of his that she didn't even like that much.

He ran out of the room as fast as he could trying to trace Jo's steps and Kyle took the initiative to usher Rachel into the parlor while Stephanie finally gained enough common sense after watching Kendall's display to race after Carlos.

It was just Logan and Camille at the table and she was sitting quietly trying desperately to grip her fork and knife to cut her stake.

"It's becoming a bad day," she told him quietly and he sat down quietly and gently took the knife and fork out of her hands. "It's alright sweetie- you're just tired... It's been a long day for everyone." She motioned to the empty room and she let out a hollow laugh.

She rested her head on his shoulder and listened to the comforting sounds of her husband cutting her food into small even little pieces.

"Stephanie's going to work it out soon," she told him and she could almost hear him frown.

"I think they're going to be busy for a bit- Steph isn't going to notice anything that doesn't have to do with her marriage."

"I can't do my job properly Logan" she pulled herself up "Carlos can't hide the fact that he's helping me for much longer- they can't afford to keep me on."

"You love the bakery" he told her, "and with the research I'm doing we'll be able to-"

"What? Rewrite my DNA? Buy me some time... all I've ever wanted was time enough to be with you... to be with the kids… will you still love me when I'm so gone you can't even recognize me anymore?"

"I'll love you much longer than that" he promised, "I'll never stop loving you."

******BTR******

"Annie-" James caught up to the blonde and spun her around, "please, PLEASE don't do this!"

"You know- I think it was easier when it was just an abstract thought... because at most I was only ever going to give you eighty percent of what you needed in life. So you needed someone who could provide you with what I couldn't."

She turned and James could see the tear trails that marred her face. He cupped her face with his hand and pushed a tear away with his thumb.

"Rachel gives you more than I ever could," she told him mournfully, "she's not the kind of girl that could only give you twenty percent."

"I'll break up with her," he told her with a half sob "it was never supposed to anything more than-"

"I never should have married you James- you're the kind of man that needs to hold someone, to show you love them."

"I only ever wanted to hold you" he kissed her lips gently but he could feel her flinch. Suddenly her arms were around him and she was pulling him closer than she ever had before, opening her mouth and finally, FINALLY letting him in.

He pushed her away "I knew you were asexual when we got married- I couldn't help it. You were the only woman I had ever loved... and I thought that could be enough but..."

"Now I'm not the only woman you ever loved" she finished for him, and now she was the one wiping away his tears. "Just do it. Ask me for the divorce."

"I still love you more" he told her and she laughed and held his hands close to her heart "I love you more than I ever thought was possible."

"You're afraid to loose me- but James you're my best friend" she kissed his cheek and pressed her hand to his heart "I never want to loose you either. I just... don't think I can stay married to you."

******BTR******

Carlos pushed Katie away "I can't Katie" his tears tracking down his face and his jaws clenched. "I can't even look at her... How am I supposed to look at her?"

"You could try turning around" Stephanie appeared at the door and Katie slipped away.

"Steph don't-" he started but she surged forward and pulled him close.

"I couldn't tell you," she told him her face close to his chest. "You never understood- you never tried to understand! It wasn't like I never wanted children... but when Eli came I was SO happy... eventually."

Carlos pulled her away from him but he wasn't looking at her in the eyes "I love him so much- and I love Terri and Eduardo... but you remember how it was. I could barely hold Terri and I never tried to be with Eduardo. I wouldn't survive another pregnancy Carlos."

"Do you hate our children Stephanie?" Carlos asked like he had just voiced his darkest fear and the look she gave him was so pained, so dark and miserable that he had to pull her close again.

"It was always like sinking into a dark hole... I never got excited, and after they were born... I DO love them. But never all at once... and never straight away."

"I was always afraid you'd never be able to love someone like me... and with the kids. It was like I was proving every fear I ever had."

Carlos kissed Stephanie's hair "oh baby- I'd never not love you."

"Never?"

******SIX MONTHS LATER******

"Xiao-Lang you get back here right now we're in a church!" Jo hissed angrily and the small boy toddler out of her grasp and up to where Kendall was standing up at the alter, he picked the boy up easily and laughed at Jo's facial expression. The little boy pulled at his future uncle's hair- but the groom was such a nervous wreck he didn't seem to notice.

"He looks just like you, you know" Carlos teased, and slid next to Jo on the pew, Stephanie following in his wake.

"He's Chinese Carlos" Jo rolled her eyes but Carlos just gave her a silly grin and patted her arm.

"Has that ever mattered?"

"No" Jo told him, and Carlos smiled widely when he heard Stephanie softly echo the sentiment clearly referring to a different matter and hugged Eduardo close to her chest. She seemed so much better now that she was talking to someone- and the drugs weren't bad either.

"Are Camille and Logan going to make it?" Jo asked, her voice was strained and Carlos knew she was now regretting every nasty thing she'd said about Logan and his relationship with his wife.

"He said she was feeling good today- she's still got a lot of her motor control... it was really unfortunate when we had to let her go" Stephanie told Jo quietly. "But she was starting to shake so badly she couldn't hold a spoon- and she was mixing up the ingredients to the recipes. It was... confusing the customers to say the least- what with the flourless cakes and the jelly and spinach tartlets."

"Logan said that her Huntington's was progressing faster than they thought- I guess he would know he has spent the last couple of years dedicated to find potential solutions with his research team." Carlos told them and the women nodded sadly.

"Let's not talk about this now-" Jo wiped a tear off her cheek and smiled watery at Kendall, who was shooting her an array of concerned looks. "Camille wouldn't want us to bring down Katie's wedding."

"Damn right I wouldn't" they turned quickly to find Camille grinning at them, Logan a step behind. They all stood up quickly to hug her. "You shouldn't listen to the gossip Jo- my new meds are working much better- I feel years lighter off my sentence. You can barely see a tremor" she held up her hand more steadily than Jo could probably manage.

"Logie and I have decide to take the twins and do a big vacation and see the world- I desperately need to clock in some mum time." she tickled her daughters cheek and Logan looked tired but happier than anyone had seen him in years. Maybe it just had to do with his wife's condition being pubic knowledge. It seemed to be a weight off his shoulders.

"Hurry up, hurry up" James called from behind them. "You do realise that the wedding is about to start- or don't you recognize here comes the bride?"

"I don't" Annie snickered "I walked down the isle to a classical version of crazy by fools rush in."

"Of course you did" Rachel rolled her eyes and laced her fingers with James "when I get married I want here comes the bride."

"Duly noted," he grinned and his hand subconsciously went around his neck where is old wedding ring sat on a chain. Annie noticed and touched her necklace as well- she had her band melted into a necklace after the divorce came through (approved by James of course.)

"Hurry up and take a seat guys" Logan pulled them into a pew "look- here comes the bride."