Emma didn't sleep hardly at all. At one point, she got up and stood in the doorway of V's room. She hugged herself and just looked. This had been V's life, and now it was gone. Dead at 23. What a waste. Emma turned and went to the kitchen. She pulled out all the alcohol in the fridge and poured it down the drain. She gathered any and all joints she could find and threw them in the toilet and flushed. She was making a promise to herself that from here on out, she was living a clean life. She pulled out the piece of paper that had the address of Christy's meeting on it, and she memorized it. Maybe she'd even get Tucker to come too. He had been saddened by V's death too, and Emma hoped that he would be on the same page as her. She looked at her phone again, reading her father's text message back to her.

I really miss you. Please reconsider coming home.

She hadn't responded. She wasn't sure of what to even say. She knew Christy was right, that she would have to tell her parents about what happened to her in order for them to understand, but she just wasn't ready. There would be so many questions. Her parents would cry, her Aunt Monica would start cleaning anything in sight, Uncle Chandler would try to make some lame joke, Aunt Phoebe would want to go pound the guy, and Uncle Joey would jump on board with the beating up train. Last of all, her little sister would never look at her the same again. It all hurt so much. Emma sat down on the couch and held her head in her hands. Casey went home with her parents. She doubted she would even see her again. California was beginning to look more and more bleak, but the idea of going home was scarier.

The Next Morning-Christy

"Up and at 'em Roscoe! It's time for school!" Christy called. "Shake a leg, Violet! It's time for your sonogram!" She walked out into the living room where Bonnie was moaning on the couch.

"Bad night?" Christy asked.

"Yea. I kept dreaming I was a long sausage in a very short bun," Bonnie groaned. She was way too long for the couch, her legs hanging over the arm.

"I'm sorry, but the couch is all I've got," Christy told her.

"It's all right. Just wish I could feel my limbs. Once I've got the money, I'm out of here," Bonnie replied. Her cell phone started ringing. "Must've fallen in the cushions," Bonnie muttered, searching.

"Let me!" Christy shouted. She hurried over and began digging for the phone.

"Christy! What are you doing? Christy, stop," Bonnie ordered.

"I'm helping!" Christy yelped. That's when Bonnie saw it.

"Oh my God!" she yelled, glaring. "You mean to tell me I've been sleeping on this damn medieval rack and never thought to tell me it turned into a fold out bed?!"

"Didn't I? I meant to," Christy said, wincing. Bonnie shot her a death glare. "Found your phone," Christy said, handing it over.

Later

"Oh don't do the silent thing," Christy admonished.

"You're the worst excuse of a daughter ever," Bonnie growled.

"Nevermind, keep up the silent thing," Christy said.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

"I just thought...you know, couches are short term and beds are long term," Christy explained.

"And long term was a bad thing? Don't worry, I'll be gone when you get home," Bonnie snapped.

"No, please stay. I really do want you here," Christy said.

"Fine, but only because I have nowhere else to go," Bonnie said. "It's gonna take a while for my shattered trust to begin to rebuild by the way." Her phone started ringing again.

"I got it," Christy said, reaching into Bonnie's purse.

"No, no, no!" Bonnie shouted. Christy pulled out a huge wad of cash, her eyes bulging.

"What...the hell...is this?!" she shrieked. "You told me you were broke!"

"Emotionally," Bonnie explained.

"She can't come to the phone right now," Christy said into Bonnie's cell. "She's about to get an ass kicking!"

"Oh don't do that," Bonnie said.

"How could you lie to me? You said you couldn't pay rent!"

"Couldn't and wouldn't are two different things..." Bonnie trailed off. "But you lied about the bed!"

"Oh, no, that's an old issue. There's a new lie in town!" Christy hollered. "I've been busting my ass so I can pay for everything around here, and you've been hoarding..." she counted quickly, "4,000 dollars from me!"

"If it helps I only had 3,000 when I moved in," Bonnie said. Christy growled and stormed off with the money. Bonnie followed her and got the bedroom door slammed in her face.

"You're gonna give that back, right?" she asked through the door. "Don't make Mommy kill you."

Ross & Rachel

"She wrote you back?" Rachel asked. "Really?"

"Yea," Ross nodded. "I don't know if things are going to get better, but it's a start."

"I really want her to come home," Rachel sighed.

"I know. Give her time. I think this whole incident is a wake up call for her," Ross said. "I do know her a little. She'll be rethinking everything right now."

"I hope you're right," Rachel said. Ross hugged her tightly. He desperately hoped so too.

Phoebe

"Paul?" Phoebe asked. Her son stopped in his tracks. He had been on his way to see Grace.

"Yea?"

"Do we need to have 'the talk?'" she asked.

"No," he shook his head. "Dad did that already."

"Okay, good. I don't want Grace popping out a baby before she's 20," Phoebe warned. Paul blushed furiously.

"Mom!" he cried.

"I'm just being frank with you," Phoebe said. "And I'm serious. Keep it in your pants."

"Geez! All right," Paul said, mortified. He hurried out the door before his mother could spew anymore embarrassing things at him.

"That was a little harsh," Mike said, chuckling as he sat down next to her. She sipped her coffee thoughtfully.

"I disagree," she said. "I appreciate frankness in this house, so he should too."

"I love you more each day," Mike said, leaning over and giving her a kiss.

"Besides," Phoebe said. "If I am called a Grandma before I'm 60, you're really going to miss him."

Erica

Things were a little tense the next morning, but Erica knew her mother would get over it. She was sticking to her guns. Monica stepped carefully around her daughter. She didn't want any unnecessary arguments.

"She might come meet you one day," Monica offered as they sat there at the table together.

"You think?" Erica asked.

"Yea. I mean, she comes to New York to catch a glimpse of you, so my gut says she's just working up her nerve," Monica smiled. Erica smiled back. She knew her mother was just trying to make her feel better.

"So late," Chandler called, rushing in.

"What have I been telling you?" Monica sighed.

"I know, I know," he said. He kissed her on his way by. "Have a good day!"

Christy & Bonnie-late afternoon

"It's your mother," Bonnie said, knocking.

"My mother is dead," Christy replied.

"I made you breakfast," Bonnie sang. The door opened.

"Fine." Christy went back to her bed, and Bonnie entered.

"So, we good?"

"I guess. I just need some time to rebuild our trust since you know it was shattered and all," Christy said sarcastically.

"Oh come on. You didn't want me here, and I didn't want to pay you, so let's call it even," Bonnie joked.

"I don't know. Is there other stuff you haven't told me?" Christy asked.

"You wanna do this?" Bonnie asked. Christy pondered for a moment.

"Yes," she said.

"And you want to come clean with me about everything?" Bonnie prompted.

"Oohh," Christy said, knowing there was one thing she wouldn't ever tell her mother.

"Tough one, isn't it?" Bonnie asked.

"What the hell," Christy said. "Let's do it. All cards on the table. Total amnesty."

"All right. Who goes first?"

"I'll give you 4,000 dollars if you go first," Christy said.

"Deal," Bonnie nodded. Christy tossed her the cash. "You remember your Aunt Jeanine?"

"Yea."

"Well, she and I were...you know," Bonnie finished.

"You were gay!" Christy shrieked.

"No just temporarily fed up with men," Bonnie corrected.

"Wow, okay. I thought we'd warm up, but you just dove in," Christy said. "Okay. Remember that kilo of hash you had in your car?"

"Yes..." Bonnie looked at her skeptically.

"Best...prom...ever..." Christy smiled. Bonnie leaped to her feet.

"I was almost killed in the desert over that!" she shouted. "They made me dig my own grave! With a gun to my head!"

"Amnesty," Christy reminded her.

"A gun. To my head," Bonnie repeated.

"Oohh. I was made junior prom queen," Christy grinned.

"Okay, here's a biggie," Bonnie said, getting fired up. "No, you know what, never mind."

"No, no! I want that one," Christy said.

"All right. You passed grade nine math because of my special visit to your teacher," Bonnie replied.

"You told me that the next day," Christy scoffed. "Now give." Bonnie exhaled deeply, shaking her hands.

"All right," she said. "Alvin Lester Biletnikoff."

"Who is that?" Christy asked.

"You're father," Bonnie replied. There was a stunned silence for a moment.

"You said you didn't know who my father was," Christy said quietly.

"Well, I lied. I always knew. Wow what a load off! You're turn," Bonnie said, plopping back onto the bed beside her.

"ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!" Christy screeched. "This whole time you knew?! When I've always been wondering?!"

"Oh calm down," Bonnie said. "Amnesty remember?"

"Screw amnesty and screw you!" Christy shouted. She stormed out of her room with Bonnie behind her.

"Violet, please watch Roscoe. Your grandmother and I have to run an errand," Christy said. She was out the door before Violet could protest. Bonnie hopped into the car beside her. They drove to the address that Bonnie had given her.

"How did you find him?" Christy asked once they had parked.

"Internet," Bonnie said. "He's been in Chico 17 years. Married with two kids."

"Sounds like some unfinished business between you two," Christy growled.

"It would end with me going to jail," Bonnie said thoughtfully.

"Do you have a picture?" Christy asked.

"Yup," Bonnie nodded. She pulled one out. Christy peered at it. The man staring back was her father. It was gutwrenching almost. She looked up at the garage in front of them where he worked.

"What's the plan?" Bonnie asked.

"I don't know," Christy answered truthfully. "How do you just spring something like that on someone. And how come you didn't tell me?"

"I lied because it was better than the truth," Bonnie replied.

"Thanks for making that call for me," Christy snapped. Then she felt bad. She had just as big of a secret from her mother. This whole thing was making her feel even more guilty for keeping it a secret. She looked from the garage to her mother.

"Last chance," she said. "You tell your side first or I go hear his."

"All right, all right," Bonnie said. "I was fifteen. I was on my fifth set of foster parents, and they were no longer really supporting me. I met your father. I was between homes, and he had a winnebago, so it was perfect timing."

"So not a one night stand?" Christy asked.

"No. We were in love. We dated two years before I got pregnant. He was so excited to be a dad. He made you a crib and everything," Bonnie said.

"So what happened?"

"I guess he panicked. We were at the hospital when he just left. He never came back. He abandoned you and me there, and I waited two days before realizing he wasn't coming back. It was Christmas Eve. I remember sitting on a bus bench wondering where the hell I was gonna go from there."

"Damn it," Christy said, tearing up.

"What?"

"I hate it when you get all personal," Christy sighed.

"I don't like it either," Bonnie replied, sniffling.

"Now I don't know whether to hug him or kill him," Christy said.

"Not to influence you or anything..." her mom said, pulling out a pistol.

"Oh my God! Put that away! Put it away!" Christy shouted.

Emma

She was at the meeting, and Christy wasn't there. She wondered where she could be. Emma kept straining to see the door, but Christy did not show up. She listened to the others' stories, and she felt connected to them in a strange way. These people were as screwed up as she was, and she finally had a chance to share without feeling judged. She wasn't brave enough to get up and share, though. She was going to save it for another time. She made her way to work where she found Tucker in the back anxiously looking for her.

"Hey," she said as he kissed her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just missed you," he said. "How was the meeting?" She had told him she was going.

"It was good actually," Emma replied. "You should come."

"I'm good, thanks," Tucker laughed.

"I really think you should change your habits," Emma said, playing with his collar.

"I said I'll think about it," he said. "So I'm thinking about it."

"Well, I'm done with that life, so if you're wanting to be with me, you're gonna have to stop," she warned. "Think about that." She left to put on her apron and get to work. Tucker stood there staring and holding the flipper lifelessly in his hand.

Grace

Kissing Paul was still so amazing. She couldn't believe it had taken her this long to do it. He pulled away breathless after a while.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"My mom gave me the talk," he sighed.

"What talk?"

"The 'If you knock up Grace, I'll kill you' talk," Paul winced.

"Oh God," Grace said, embarrassed.

"I'm not really ready for that step anyway," he said. "Are you?"

"No!" she said quickly. "I mean, not right now. I'm good with just kissing for now."

"Okay," he said, relieved. He started kissing her again. He felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, so he let her check it.

"Just Emma," Grace said.

"Is she coming home?" he asked.

"No. Not yet. She's trying to clean up first," Grace replied. She was proud of her sister. She only hoped it would last. She pulled Paul closer so they could keep kissing. Things couldn't be better right now.

Ross & Rachel

"Where's Grace?" Ross asked.

"She's with Paul," Rachel replied. He tensed immediately. "Relax! They are at the library where my friend is keeping tabs."

"You have a library friend?" he asked.

"Yea. She works there. She said they're just kissing," Rachel told him.

"Oh, ew! Rach! I don't want to hear that stuff," Ross shuddered.

"Sorry, honey," Rachel said, ruffling his hair. "They're gonna kiss."

"As long as they don't do other things," Ross threatened.

"Phoebe said she already scared him straight," Rachel laughed.

"Good," he nodded.

"Now, I've been feeling a little lonely over here," she said. His interest was peaked. Ever since Emma had vanished, they hadn't wanted to be intimate, but now that they knew she was safe and communicating with them again, they felt it was okay.

"Let me see what I can do about that," he smiled, kissing her.

Christy

It was now or never. She walked into the office, and the man looked up at her.

"What can I do for you?" he asked.

"Hi, I'm Christy," she said shyly.

"All right," he said.

"Aw, we're the same height," Christy sighed.

"Came just to insult me, huh?" Alvin asked.

"No, no! I just wanted to tell you...uh," Christy trailed off. Alvin was looking at her expectantly, and suddenly she couldn't do it. "My car needs to be painted."

"We can do that," Alvin nodded. "What kind of car?"

"'91 Jetta," Christy said, gesturing out the window.

"I hope you're painting it brown, cos that's a big ol' piece of crap," Alvin laughed, looking at it.

"Yea?"

"Yea. My honest opinion, don't waste your money," he said.

"Thanks," Christy said. She gestured to his photo on his desk. "Nice looking family."

"Yea. My one son just got back from Afghanistan, and the other is a DJ. I think it's stupid, but I did dumber things at his age."

"Oh, like what?" Christy asked.

"Like none of your business," Alvin snorted.

"Right. Sorry."

"It's okay. When you get a new car, you know where to find me," he said. She nodded and walked out of his office. When she got back to her car, she started crying.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Bonnie asked when she explained it all.

"I choked," Christy admitted. "He seems nice and all, but I think we did just fine without him."

"I've never loved you more," Bonnie smiled, pulling her into a hug.

"Back at you," Christy laughed.

"There's another thing you should know," Bonnie said as they pulled away from the curb. "You're two years older than you think you are." The car swerved as Bonnie shrieked, "Amnesty!"

Later

Christy paced her room. She knew it was Honesty Day, and she couldn't sleep without revealing her last big secret. Her mom had been brave enough to share her about her real dad, so she owed it to her mom to share this. She went into her closet and pulled out the photo. She walked out to the living room. Violet and Roscoe were at the table, so she addressed them first.

"Hey, can you guys go outside for a bit?" Christy asked.

"Why?" Roscoe asked.

"Just do it," Christy ordered. Violet huffed but pulled Roscoe with her. Once they were gone, she turned to Bonnie, who was on the couch.

"What?" she asked.

"Mom, I've got another big one for you," Christy said. Her hands were shaking. She felt like she was going to be sick.

"Okay," Bonnie nodded. She put down her book and gave her full attention. Christy handed her the photo. Bonnie peered at it, confused.

"I don't understand," she said. "Who are they?"

"That's Monica and Chandler."

"Uh huh."

"They adopted the twins."

"Yes, and?"

"They're my twins."

I know, I know, I know: cliffhanger! But it'll keep you coming back for more muahahaha ;) Anyhow, I feel there will only be a few more chapters to go before I finish. Let me know what you think!