She cringed as her black heels sank into the ground while she walked to her limo. Will, Grace, Jack, Ann, Susie, and Jonas were walking with her as they left the hillside, along with the other family members. She found her mother's face for a moment, but they didn't speak as she watched her little sister's casket being lowered into the ground. Even though most of the people around her were sobbing hysterically, she was too high. Will didn't know, or if he did, he didn't say anything.

They arrived shortly at Gin's home, deciding that the wake should have been there, as well as the reading of her will. Karen sat with Will at the kitchen table, eating some of the cocktail snacks and chatting a bit. Suddenly, she felt a hand upon her shoulder and she turned to face someone she never wanted to speak to again.

"Hi, Kiki."

"Lois." She turned back around to Will to continue their conversation, but her mother took her hand and harshly pulled her from her chair. She tried to get her hand away, but Lois didn't let go until they were in the garage, out of everyone else's earshot. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm trying to talk to you!"

"I don't want to even be in the same room as you, let alone have to speak!"

"Damn it, Karen, you were always so difficult!" Their breathing was heavy, but composure was quickly gained and Lois spoke more calmly. "Listen, you are the only child I have left, and I want to put everything behind us right now."

"Spare me your bullshit, Christopher lives in New Jersey." Christopher was her younger brother, the middle child. He had left home a year after Karen, but she knew he still spoke to their mother.

"Yes, but he isn't my daughter."

"Neither am I."

"Don't start that with me. Gin told me you got married again." She crossed her arms over her chest, wishing she could leave.

"Yes."

"Congratulations. She said he was a really nice guy."

"He is."

"Are you two thinking of children?"

"Lois, if you care too much you can call me sometime and we'll go to lunch, but I don't really want to do this right now." She walked back into the house, glad that her mother didn't follow very closely.

When she returned to find her friends, she realized that they had already begun to read the will. She sat next to her husband and took his hand, waiting to hear what her sister had left behind. All of her money went to the kids, evenly split into trust funds, and her apartment was going to be taken by her beloved maid, who had been with her for years. The last item on the list had to do with the custody of her children, who were soon to learn that they would be living with their Aunt Karen. At the news, she almost vomited.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Will's hands brushed across her stomach as he hugged her from behind, placing his chin upon her shoulder. She smiled at the warmth of his embrace and pressed her cheek against his, placing her hands over his. It had been a long day, and it felt good to be held in his arms, so lovingly.

They had spent the majority of the day moving the children's belongings into the manse. Yes, they had decided to live in her mansion for the time being. She was at least glad that she hadn't moved too many of her things into boxes, it saved time for her to help Will and the children. Only a few more boxes left, but they all decided that it was time for bed. She checked on the kids, unsure of what she was supposed to say to them.

It was difficult for her, losing her little sister so quickly and without chance to say goodbye, but she knew it had to be so much worse for the children. They had always been such a close family, Gin made sure of that. It probably had a lot to do with the distance between all of them when their father died, and Lois moved them around. Then, Karen left, their brother left, and she was alone with their mother and step-father. She wanted to be certain that her own children never felt as lost as she had.

"Why would she leave them with me? I'm not exactly maternal." She felt him chuckle a bit before he placed a small kiss upon her cheek, holding her tighter.

"Maybe not, but she trusts you."

"Trusted."

"No, she still does. Don't you believe in God and heaven?"

"Of course I do, but even God knows I'm incapable of parenting a child. Why do you think I've never had one?" She felt his fingers caress her stomach through the thin fabric of her nightgown, her breath stalled for a moment.

"He works in mysterious ways, Kare. You are the closest thing to a mother these kids are going to have for the rest of their lives, and your relationship was close when Gin was here, so you know they already respect you."

"And you'll be here to help." He nodded, placing warm kisses upon her neck. She smiled, let out a short giggle, before running her fingers through his hair. His hands trailed upward, over her breasts. A sigh escaped her lips, and she felt his pelvis pressed tightly against her buttocks.

"You're incredible." His words were sweet, and she believed he was telling the truth to his knowledge, but she felt as if they were lies. She had been doing drugs, drinking when he wasn't around. She was fine until her sister was in the hospital, but the emotions were too much to handle at that point, and she has succumbed to her addictions once again. But they were suddenly worse than ever.

His hands brought her out of her thoughts when they began sliding her nightgown straps over her shoulders. It quickly fell to the floor, leaving her clad in her bra and matching thong; his hands quickly returned to her soft stomach. Normally she would've been overtaken by the idea of making love, and she would have already taken the lead, but she wanted to be the one to follow.

The feeling of his lips against her shoulder blades made her close her eyes in excitement, and he continued to move down to the clasp of her bra, undoing it in a swift motion. His tongue tapped her skin as he turned her around, and he kissed from her stomach down to the line of her panties. She looked down into his eyes as his gentle kissing ceased, and he smiled.

"Why did you stop?" Her words were a small whisper, and he placed his lips against her stomach for another moment, his hands pulling her thong down to her ankles.

"I just want to look at you for a minute." Her cheeks felt warm, and she was a bit embarrassed. Of course he had seen her fully naked, many times, but the fact that he wanted to observe her body was different.

He took her hands in his and stood, taking a step back to run his eyes over her body. She bit her bottom lip, wishing he would just stop. She didn't feel like she was worth looking at, making love to. She was too vulgar to make love; she was the kind of woman who was only good for a quick fuck. In her mind, she was barely worth the light of day.

"Stop." She reached down to get her nightgown, covering herself with it. "Are we going to fuck or not?" He was confused, his face contorting at the shrill sound of her voice. She seemed so cold.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." She walked over to the bed and turned off the light, leaving them only illuminated by the streetlights outside the window. She felt that her features weren't as harsh in that light. "Let's do it." He rolled his eyes, walking over to his side of the bed.

"Karen, if you don't want to make love then we won't. I was just trying to be romantic with you." He sat down and pulled the blanket over his legs, pulling off his shirt and tossing it to the floor. She remained naked, wrapped in the silk.

"Staring at me is not romantic."

"It is to me. I just wanted to make love to you."

"Can't you see I'm not worth it?" She almost gasped when she said the words aloud, never wanting him to know how insecure and how guilty she was feeling. He quickly sat on his knees and moved towards her, taking her face in his hands.

"You are worth more to me than my own life and everything else in it. Why would you ever think you weren't?" Because, I lie to you and snort coke behind your back. I've been drinking, taking pain pills, and shooting up when you aren't looking. I'm vulgar. I'm ugly.

"I'm sorry, honey. I'm just a little sad, you know, about Gin." That wasn't necessarily a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth. She leaned forward and kissed him hard on the mouth, pushing him onto the bed and tossing her nightgown to the floor.