Masquerade of Love

Part 10

"As much as I would prefer to stay here with you duty unfortunately calls. Your not the only one that is going to experience the wrath of their superior for indulging in a long lunch. Perhaps I can write it off as a mental health day?" Bianca joked.

"I am sure I will need more than a mental health day by the time Tanja chews my ass and spits it back out again, but like I mentioned earlier I'm over Tanja and everyone else dictating my every move and decision. I mean after all I am the one who ultimately saved LCL from closing its doors. I think it's only fair I have a little say in my life. I mean it is my life is it not?" Rebecca puffed out her chest showcasing a bit of exaggerated arrogance.

"I for one will not argue with you. Ok I really should leave and let you get back to what you do best." and after a gentle press of her lips to Rebecca's cheek Bianca left.

The timing was almost too coincidental to believe. The doors of the elevator had barely closed putting an end to Bianca and Rebecca's visit when the detectives mobile phone rang inside of her jacket pocket. The caller ID only verified Bianca's suspicion as to who was on the other line. Part of her wanted to hit ignore but dutifully she answered.

"Can you at least wait until I have exited the building?" Bianca's demeanor and tone changed dramatically from the school girl giddiness of only moments ago. Her voice became very mono toned and stern. Her stature rigid and cold. "Yes. It went well. Extremely well as a matter of fact." The doors of the elevator opened with her invitation to leave. "Look I can't talk here. Meet me in 10 minutes at the Media Harbor. Yes. The same location as last time." Ending the call Bianca glanced over her shoulder to assure herself that her conversation had gone undetected.

As Caro approach Rebecca's desk she was surprised to see her there but glad to see the smile that decorated Rebecca's face. It was something that Caro nor many of the others had seen in quiet sometime. Caro was sure that the Marlene was the one responsible for bring the light back in Rebecca's eye. However, Caro did find it odd that Rebecca was here. She imagined that after Marlene cleared the air between them that surely Rebecca would want to spend as much time as possible with Marlene.

"Rebecca?"

"Yes. Hello Caro." Rebecca replied all chipper.

"I'm surprised you are still here."

The a slight chuckle Rebecca responded, "Why wouldn't I still be here?"

"Well I just thought…" Caro was really not sure what to say because now she wasn't completely sure what was going on. "I mean I just thought…"

"Is it because I was gone for so long at lunch?"

Caro wide eyed nodded yes. "Yes. I thought you had left for the day."

"I'm sorry. I was just having such a wonderful time with Bianca that I lost track of time."

"Bianca? So she is the one who has put you in this happy state?" Caro now was completely lost. She thought for sure that Marlene would have talked to Rebecca by now. Marlene was so determined.

"Can you believe it? But yes she is the one. " Rebecca stopped flipping through the composite sketch book and faced Caro with a sincere expression. "I know I have not been the most pleasant to work with the past few months. Honestly I wasn't in a good place mentally or emotionally during that time, and I'm not going to pretend that you don't know the reason why. But Bianca. Her coming back into my life I think is going to turn things around for me. I am already starting to feel…well feel alive again. You know?"

Caro only nodded. Afraid to really speak and accidentally say or reveal something that really was none of her concern. "I am happy for you Rebecca. You deserve to be happy. By the way I brought some additional supplies that you will need for the fitting you have scheduled. The model should be here in approximately 10 minutes." Caro turned to leave and suddenly she remember something else. "Oh and by the way. I have a message for you from Tanja and I quote, 'When you see Rebecca tell her that if she doesn't report to me at 5 o'clock. She will find her ass unemployed and the only job she will be able to find in the fashion industry afterwards is that of a store clerk at a local outlet mall. If she is lucky.' I'm pretty sure those were her exact words." Caro nervously grinned.

Normally Rebecca would become angered by Tanja's demands but she wasn't about to let her run the good mood she was now in. She merely rolled her eyes and brushed Caro along. "The the old battle axe I will be there."

Doubtful she would ever have the never to say that to Tanja, because let's face it she was scary. Caro left Rebecca to work.

"Tanja you are such a BITCH!" Rebecca mumbled to herself as she look over the supplies Caro left her. Measuring tape. Check. Scissors. Check. Box of pins. Che…..Once seeing the box of pins among her supplies she immediately realized the pin box with her necklace in it was not where she left it. A sense of panic began to wash over Rebecca as she frantically began searching her desk. Disrupting the meticulous arrangement of the items on her desk. "Where is it? Dammit!" She looked under every paper, pulled out every drawer, and searched her trash can and the box was no where to be found. "Caro! Caro! Wait!" Rebecca breathlessly yelled causing Caro to return. "Caro. While I was gone. Did you at any point see another box on my desk like this one?" Shaking the box of pins just inches from Caro's face.

"No. I'm sorry. I haven't. This is actually my first time at your desk today. I have been busy with other matters." Caro explained. Why was a box of pins causing Rebecca to act this way?

"I have to find it. I have to find it!" Rebecca demanded as she continue to still frantically search.

Caro began to help Rebecca in her search but it was obvious they were not going to find what they were searching for. "Rebecca why are you so worried about this particular box of pins? We have plenty more if that's what you are worried about."

Rebecca stopped. "No. You don't understand. I put something very important inside an empty box just like this one."

"I hate to say it Rebecca, but I don't think it is here anymore. I'm afraid you may have lost it, at least for now.' Caro said sympathetically.

Lost. Rebecca calmed herself down. This was a sign. It was a sign that life for her was changing. That her time with Marlene was really over. "Thank you Caro. Maybe your right. Perhaps it will show up again."

"With the right amount of luck. I'm sure it will. I'm sorry to leave but I really have to take care of the fabric order before the offices in India close."

"Yes. Yes. Please go. I'm sorry to have bothered you." Rebecca reassured Caro with the wave of her hand.

As made a good effort, but still Rebecca was saddened by the loss of the necklace. She never meant for that to happen. Granted she took it off but she never wanted to loose it.

"Wow. She kept up with everything you did while you were in L.A. and these sketches. They are beautiful Marlene." It brought Marlene great comfort that she had been able to reach Dana and that she was able to come to her. Ever since their mother had died Marlene and Dana seemed to have grown closer and more dependent on each other in their time of need. Between the two they seem to have enough of their mothers wisdom and grace that when they combined forces it was as if their mother was right there with them guiding them.

"I know. And look at the date of this sketch. It was not even a week before the show premiered here in Dusselldorf. When I saw that date I was for sure that Rebecca still loved me, but I was still to late Dana. I waited to talk to her but when she returned from lunch she was with Bianca and I overheard her admit that she was ready for a new beginning. A new start. Ready to just forget me and everything that we had together behind her."

"Why didn't you say something?" Dana gently prodded.

"I don't know? Hearing her confession just….I don't know it just ripped me up inside. Made me doubt again. Yes, she made this sketch right before us meeting again, but it was her last one and since then Bianca has entered the picture. And seeing how happy and relaxed she was with Bianca just made me even more doubtful. Maybe she is now starting to realize that she could be happier without my love. Discovered is easier without me in it." Marlene's head hung in defeat.

Pulling her sister close, Dana loving wrapped her arms around Marlene. Dana was silent for a while allowing Marlene just to be, but also searching for the right advice or words of reassurance. How would their mother have helped Marlene? What would she have said to ease Marlene's pain? Dana knew all to well what it was like to be torn in the matter of love. Finally Dana only thoughts came in the form of questions for Marlene that she didn't know yet the answer.

"When you left Dusselldorf for L.A. you were unsure. Unsure of yourself, the direction of your career…your relationship with Rebecca. You left to find answers to prove yourself. What did you discover or gain from your time away?"

Marlene sat up and looked at Dana. Thoughtfully processing Dana's questions. "I discovered that while I could no longer sing I had strengths in other areas that I wasn't even aware I had. I discovered that I could use my knowledge to grow into something bigger and stronger. In the past I had always been a follower and while in L.A. I was the leader, a teacher , the one that inspired others. And it felt great it really did and my success with Masquerade of Love really did provide the confident I needed, but I also discovered something more surprisingly important."

"And what was that?" asked Dana.

Marlene paused before continuing. "That it all truly meant nothing without Rebecca to share in my joy. Dana, we did. Somehow we did drift apart we dropped the communication ball and I don't know how? I don't know when exactly. So much happened. The long battle with Tristan, the loss of my voice, Ludwig and Hagen's disappearance….mother's death. Not to mention the constant pressures of Rebecca's family."

"I can understand the family pressure from my own experience." Dana agreed "Being in love with a Lahnstein is not easy. That is for sure."

Marlene couldn't help but smile. "No. No it isn't easy to love a Lahnstein, but we do don't we." Dana let out a sigh of agreement. "Yep. We sure do."

"I love her Dana. That's what I discovered. Despite everything. Even the god forsaking one night stand with Thore. I never stopped loving her. My career is important and I am devoted to it and it is an element in my life that I need, but I also need Rebecca. And that's why I worked my ass off to bring this show to Dusselldorf. London really should have been our next stop. How I managed to persuade the investors to come to Dusselldorf still amazes me."

Dana was curious. "And what if they hadn't of agreed and demanded that you take the show to London? Would you have gone?"

"No. I had already made up my mind that my next move, show or no show, was back here to Dusselldorf. L.A. proved to me that if I could make it there. I could make it anywhere and why not make it in the one place I longed to be. Home. With Rebecca…and my family." Marlene said with a joking elbow to Dana's arm.

"Alright then. Now what? What are you going to do about Rebecca? I mean your obviously still in love with her."

"Yes. Deeply, but I'm afraid that she is no longer in love with me. I'm afraid I have hurt her beyond repair. I mean I didn't make it easy on her when we initially fell in love. I rejected her and pushed her away so many times and then once we did come together I abandoned her when things got tough. I'm sure she has lost all confidence in me. How could she ever fall in love with me again?" Marlene regretfully sighed.

"That's it!" Dana interjected.

"What are you talking about?" Marlene looked in puzzlement.

"You need to make her fall in love with you again. Look I can't believe for one minute that Rebecca's feelings for you have just vanished in the matter of days. I witnessed how she fought for you in the beginning and how distant she became while you were gone. Your right she probably doesn't have the confidence in you right now. So you need to prove your love your commitment to her. And don't let this whole Bianca person prevent you from doing so."

"Do you really think…."

Dana interrupted Marlene before she could even finish her sentence. "Yes! I really think you can win her back. It may not be easy. Rebecca is a prideful person as well."

Marlene laughed, "Prideful? You mean stubborn!"

"Yes. Well you know her best."

"Yes. I do know her best. And your right. I can't just walk away. I can't give up before I try. I love her to much not to try." Marlene was so grateful for her sister. Had Dana not been her sounding board she may have given up completely, but now. Marlene had a whole new mindset. It was her mission to prove her love to Rebecca and hopefully in return win back Rebecca's love.

"Ahhhh! I'm so grateful for you!" Marlene gave Dana the biggest bear hug.

Returning the gesture Dana responded, "And I am so late picking up Maxi. As much as I love you I have to go."

"No. That's fine. I'm feeling much better. I think I may stick around the Harbor just a bit longer before heading home to Dad. Make sure I'm well composed before he sees me so that I don't have a lot of questions to answer."

"Good idea." Marlene and Dana rose from the bench and with one last embrace Dana waved goodbye.

Making sure she had Rebecca's album tucked safely in her arms. Marlene began to walk along the sidewalk. Thinking. Trying to determine how she was going to do it. How was she going to make Rebecca fall in love with her again. She knew it wasn't going to be easy. Like Dana mentioned Rebecca was very prideful. Plus, she now had the added burden of Bianca to contend with. It didn't matter. Marlene was determined that nothing would stop her.

As she strolled along Marlene's attention was captured by a long black limo parked across the street. She couldn't help but laugh about Jacob's reference to a limo the time he picked her up from the airport, but before her next step forward Marlene was taken aback by who she saw emerge from the now open doors.

"Bianca!" Marlene gasped. Marlene turned her back to the scene in hopes of going unnoticed by Bianca who was checking her surroundings before departing into the opposite direction. Marlene in a continued effort to go unnoticed slowly peered back over her should curious as to who Bianca was with in the limo and why she looked so suspicious upon leaving the vehicle. What or actually who Marlene saw next as they peered out of the half cracked window left her in shock.

"Alexis Berg." her name escaped Marlene's tongue. Marlene knew of the search for Alexis and Ansgar's hell bent efforts to find her. What was she doing here in Dusselldorf and more importantly. What was Bianca's connection to her?