(See first part for disclaimer, notes, spoilers, etc.)

Chapter 10: "The Witch of the Western Shore"

There is great peace that comes with solitude. Not just for the fact that one is alone, but the fact that one is alone with their thoughts. Anything and everything could be pondered. Past and future decisions could be mulled over. The mind could wander freely through the different rooms of their memory, visiting old friends and reliving triumphs. Or facing old demons and confronting painful tragedies. With the good came the bad.

The possibilities were endless, as ever changing and constant as the sea that lay to Olivia's right. Or the clouds in the sky that looked down on her. She sighed and rolled over onto her back. The weather that began with vibrant sun and warm breezes became temperamental as it moved into the afternoon. As Apollo led his fiery chariot across the sky, he darted behind numerous clouds. Making it bloody difficult to tan, Olivia thought to herself as she opened her eyes and sat up.

The wind blew harshly off the ocean, bringing with it the subtle scent of rain. She looked closely at the horizon and studied the thick black clouds that loomed. If she stared out at them long enough, she was almost able to see her reflection in them. Shaking her head, she twirled a piece of hair around her finger. In an hour's time, the sand would kick up and the palm frond would bristle as the strong wind ushered in the storm clouds and the fat raindrops. Bolts of silver lightening would hit the beach, crystallizing the white sand and illuming the roaring waves.

But for now, the sun was still out and about, though partially hidden behind a fluffy white cloud. Over the sound of the waves smashing into the hard and wet sand of the beach came the soft clicking of heeled shoes as they strode purposefully across the patio. Olivia turned around after they abruptly stopped. "Julianna."

Julianna's eyes, mascara and eye shadow applied with a heavy hand, narrowed as she walked around and stood in front of her young daughter-in-law. She watched as Olivia knotted her hair at the nape of her neck and then looked up at her expectantly.

"Was there something you needed?" she continued.

"No. Not me."

"Who then?"

"AJ."

Olivia scoffed and stood up, locking her gaze with Julianna's. Matching blue eye for blue eye. "What AJ needs is a strong cup of black coffee and some aspirin." She adjusted the bottom half of her bikini, a small scrap of material held together by thin strings that rode low on her hips.

"Precisely."

Olivia blinked in surprise at Julianna's readiness to agree with her. From the day she met Julianna it seemed that the woman had made it her mission to be as difficult as she could be. Not having much experience with mothers herself, Olivia was unsure of the dynamic between AJ and his. After dating him for a few months, she came to realize that their relationship was close. Extremely close. AJ deferred to his mother for all major decisions that he needed to make. Olivia's hopes for a small wedding with very little fuss were dashed when Julianna informed her that the guest list topped six hundred, there was an order placed for two dozen white doves, and the menu consisted entirely of French gourmet cuisine.

"So," Olivia started, "if we agree that's what AJ needs, why aren't you telling him?"

"Because I'm telling you. You are his wife." She folded her arms across her chest and glared at Olivia. "You are his wife. He needs to be managed. You could be handling him and this absurd situation better."

The laugh exploded out of Olivia's mouth before she was able to cover it with her hand. "Man-, Managed…Managed better?" She gave up on covering her mouth and laughed freely. Julianna frowned at the uncontrolled spectacle Olivia became, a mass of shaking shoulders and hysterical laughter. "Ow," she whined as she pressed her hand into the stitch on the side of her stomach. She breathed deeply and sucked back more laughter that threatened to spill out. "So, I need to manage him? Is that what you're saying?"

"I fail to see the humor in this situation, ma chere." Sharp daggers shot jointly out of Julianna's mouth and eyes. "The wife is the backbone of a marriage. Any marriage. And I realize that you didn't have the best role model when it comes to a successful marriage, but that is no excuse." She cut off Olivia's objection and ignored the dark fury in her eyes. "You need to control this situation. You-"

"I," Olivia interrupted forcefully, "am not his mother."

"You aren't a mother…to anyone."

Olivia froze, straightening her spine and returning Julianna's glare. Here we go. She sighed, boredom clinging to it as Julianna took a deep breath.

"This family," Julianna spit out, "is evergreen. We are eternal. We have a legacy to maintain. A legacy like no other." She turned and gestured at the beach with her palm upturned. "All this will one day be AJ's. And after, it will be his son's." She shifted back to Olivia when she heard her start to turn away and grabbed her arm. "It would be easier to think about the future if AJ had a son. An heir."

Olivia shook Julianna off and pulled away. She rubbed her arm and could feel that Julianna's iron grip would leave a bruise behind. With narrowed eyes and a clipped tone, she muttered, "Who needs a child with AJ around?"

"What?"

"You heard me," Olivia snapped. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes as a strong breeze howled and whipped across the patio. "I'm not discussing this with you further. A child will happen…if it's meant to be."

"Well it had better," Julianna said slowly. "Otherwise, what would be the point of keeping you around?"

Olivia smirked and said with a sweetness she never felt when addressing Julianna, "That's why I'm not your wife." She rotated on her heel and started back for the house, ignoring the holes that her mother-in-law singed her back.

The bedroom was as quiet as a tomb. The curtains were drawn, blocking out the sunlight that was so prevalent earlier. The wooden blades of the ceiling fan, rotated lazily and relieved the warm room with a draft. AJ sprawled across the bed in his bathrobe, one leg off and his arm flung across Olivia's side. His chest rose and fell with an unnaturally slow rhythm that didn't falter. Even when the door flew open and Olivia barreled through.

She stared at AJ, breathing heavily as the adrenaline coursed through her veins when she recalled the chat she had with Julianna. Her stare turned into a glare after she slammed the door shut with no response or movement from her husband. She marched over to the stereo on the table and turned the volume dial hard to the left. With a glance back at the bed, she flicked the power switch.

With a startled gasp, AJ jumped awake. Blinking wildly, he managed to brace his hand so that he didn't tumble off the bed. "Angel! What are you doing!"

"What!" Olivia shouted over the deafening music.

He rushed over to the stereo, smacking its buttons blindly until it powered off. He rubbed his eyes and repeated his question.

Olivia pouted and touched his arm. "Oh I'm sorry," she oozed dramatically. "Did I wake you?"

He patted her hand comfortingly. "It's all right Angel."

She smacked his hand away. "No! It's not 'all right Angel'. You made a fool of yourself last night! Do you realize that!"

"I…don't remember," AJ faltered.

"You don't remember? Well let me refresh your memory, Angel…"

"Say goodnight AJ."

"Goodnight AJ," he parroted back cheerfully as he waved dumbly to the guests that stopped to watch the spectacle.

Lugging AJ's body up the stone stairs from the garden turned out to be more of a project than she anticipated. His arms were like lead around her neck as she urged his legs over the stone. "Damnit AJ, one foot in front of the other."

"Look Angel…The people are waving goodbye! I should say something," he exclaimed as they reached the top. AJ turned to the crowd and threw his arms out wide, as if he could envelop them from the balcony. "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" He pushed Olivia away as she struggled to regain her breathing. "JOYEUX NOEL!"

Olivia's cheeks burned as AJ's "holiday" wishes were met with mocking laughter. She glared at the stupid grin that painted his face because she knew that he'd never remember this. He'd never remember the way people laughed and pointed at the embarrassing lump of flesh that he became when he drank. The way Gregory Richards stared up at them, pity written across his face. Damnit, she thought. I don't want his pity. I want him to do other things to me. Olivia bit her lip after her last thought. Where did that come from, she wondered. I barely know the man.

"I know MANY carols," AJ announced to the crowd. "I can sing one now if you want!"

"That's it," she sighed. She tugged on AJ's coat. "Let's go AJ. It's time for bed."

AJ turned and threw his arm around Olivia's shoulder as she led him back into the house and to the staircase. "Bed?" he slurred. "But I'm not sleepy, Angel."

Olivia gripped the railing as she hoisted AJ's heavy body up the stairs with her. "I don't really care at this point." She reached out and grabbed the collar of his tuxedo jacket before he tripped and fell face first on the top stair. "You're going to sleep this off before you embarrass yourself and your father any more."

"My father? Is Father here?"

She hushed him as they walked down the hall to their bedroom, even though the bedrooms for both his parents were at the opposite end of the house. Sometimes she wished she and AJ maintained separate bedrooms the way that Julianna and Armando did. "No, thank god. He went to bed hours ago."

He stumbled into the bedroom and collapsed on the bed. "Angel? Pull my shoes off." He held up his foot expectantly.

"Are you kidding me?"

AJ lifted his head and said dazedly, "Please…" He pushed himself up and rested his upper body weight on his elbows. "Angel, please…My head is spinning."

Stepping out of her own shoes, Olivia shook her head. "Do it yourself." She walked over to the bureau and began removing her turquoise and silver jewelry. With the utmost discreetness, she watched through the mirror as AJ stood up and wobbly made his way over to her.

He pressed himself against her and covered her breasts with his hands. He moaned softly as he massaged them clumsily. She rolled her eyes and bit her lip when he kissed the side of her neck. She turned around and he immediately moved his lips to hers. Wrapping his heavy arms back around her neck, he sucked on her bottom lip before pushing his tongue inside her mouth. She raised her hands to his chest and pushed him away.

"Not tonight," she snapped. "You're drunk."

"But in love," he leered as he grabbed at her thin fabric of her shirt. AJ shoved his hands up the front of her shirt, marveling at the soft warmth he felt. And that contrasted the stinging slap he felt on the side of his face.

"I said NOT TONIGHT." Olivia pushed his hands away and stormed into the adjoining bathroom.

AJ stared at the closed door before backing away from the bureau. His knees hit the bed and he fell back, his head landing on the feather embrace of the pillow. "Angel," he sighed as his eyes closed, "my shoes."

Olivia came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, muttering curses under her breath. She tightened the sash on the robe as she went to AJ's side of the closet and pulled a pair of his pajamas off the shelf. Walking back to the bed, she continued to mutter curses as she stripped off his tuxedo and changed him into his nightclothes. She hurled his damn shoes at the wall, smiling victoriously when they hit wall with a resounding thunk…

AJ touched the spot on his cheek, where the handprint almost faded away. "Angel-," he started.

"Don't Angel me. I've had enough of the Deschanel's for one day." She kicked off her shoes and dropped the towel that was covering her scantily clad body. "I'm going to take a bath….ALONE!" she added when AJ's eyes bugged out of his head.

And for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, the bathroom door slammed shut.