Chapter 21

After calming Leah down a bit, the four headed into the living room to talk the situation over.

"Okay, Brooke, why don't you start?" Joanne said,

Brooke sighed and nodded. She stood in front of Joanne, Leah and Maureen, nervously playing with her fingers. She told them all about why she started selling drugs, and was only going to do it once, but she later got carried away when she seen how happy she could make Leah, and for the selfish act of wanting to stay in the city.

"You could have came to us you know." Joanne said, a little disappointed Brooke had to sink this low.

"I know." Brooke said, taking a seat, "I didn't think it would come to this. Now this Tony guy wants cocaine and I don't want to give it to him, but this goes beyond wanting money, he wants to hurt Leah!" She said with fret.

"Wait, did you say Tony?" Maureen asked,

Brooke nodded, "Yeah, he's like some big disgusting pimp. I don't know if he actually takes the drugs himself, but he's always talking about "his girls" and how one of them needs cocaine."

"Kristen!" Maureen blurted. "Oh my God, Kristen is one of his girls." She turned towards Joanne, "He was probably going to make Haley one of his girls too!"

"Alright calm down." Joanne said, "How do you know Kristen is involved."

Maureen began explaining her side of the story, and sure enough Tony was the same guy Brooke was supplying too.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Haley asked, coming in the living room.

"Brooke's a drug dealer and sold Kristen her cocaine!" Leah said,

"Leah, don't be mad, I came to your Mama for help like you asked didn't I?" Brooke said, "And I did not sell any cocaine!" She clarified.

"Yeah, after he threatened my life." Leah said, "You couldn't have gotten out of that situation when I asked, nope you had to keep on selling and now I'm not going to live long enough to make my own fashion line!" Leah pouted, burying her face in Joanne's shoulder,

"Relax; you'll get to make your fashion line." Joanne said, "I'll get you out of this."

"What are you going to do?" Brooke asked, "Is my name going to come up when you bust him? Oh God he's going to find out I told on him and then kill me isn't he?"

"No one is getting killed." Joanne assured,

"Am I going to go to jail for selling drugs!?" Brooke asked her voice rising a bit, "Please don't let me go to jail, I'm too pretty to be in there! They'll rape me and I'll have to be somebody's bitch!"

"Should have thought of that before you started selling drugs!" Leah said.

"I'll figure out a way so you won't go to jail." Joanne said, "Why don't you two go lay down for a bit? Get some rest, looks like you've been up all night."

Leah nodded, "Sounds good."

"The room downstairs has all your stuff in it, and a bed." Joanne said, "You can sleep down there."

Leah stood up, heading out of the living room. She turned to Brooke when the brunette didn't follow, "You coming?"

"I thought…" She cleared her throat, "I thought you were mad?"

"I am." Leah said, "But as if I'm going to sleep alone right now. I'm scared and I want you with me."

"Oh, okay." Brooke said, taking Leah's hand, "So you're not that mad then?"

Leah shrugged, and simply dragged her along.

Later that night Joanne was in the master bedroom on the computer, searching around for ways to help Brooke and Leah out. Maureen walked in a little bit after, smiling in Joanne's direction.

"Hi."

Joanne smiled back, "Hi."

"Find anything useful?" Maureen asked, heading for her dresser to change into some pajamas.

"A couple things." Joanne stated, looking back towards the computer screen. I think I found an idea that will work, if the police will be willing to help, and I'm sure they will. She looked back to see what Maureen thought, gasping at the sight.

Maureen was currently topless, her back facing Joanne and all the lawyer could see were bruises on both of her shoulder blades and one dark one in the middle of her back. Slowly she stood up walking over to her wife, "Maureen…" She whispered, causing Maureen to turn around.

"What?" Maureen said, clutching a tank top in her hands, watching Joanne's face fall even more, "What's wrong Joanne?"

Another gasp left her lips at the sight of another wound. It was a long reddish scar starting from the top of her collarbone, ending right where her cleavage began.

"What happened?" Joanne asked,

Maureen looked down, tracing the scar, which had faded a lot since the car accident, "Seatbelt cut me." She said like it was nothing,

"Seatbelt?" Joanne asked, unsure at first, but then remembered. She couldn't believe she forgot. She was worried about Maureen, but then when she heard about how serious Tessa's injuries were, and about everything else with Maureen, everything about Maureen's injuries kind of flew out of her mind. "And the bruises on your back?"

"Some guy was giving me a hard time in jail." Maureen stated,

Joanne was suddenly hit with emotion. Emotion she was lacking for a long time, which was sympathy for her wife. She was so wrapped up about her kids and her own emotions, she didn't even think about what Maureen must have been going through during this rough time. Maureen was the one who went through the most too. The car accident, getting kicked out of the house, trying to beat an addiction, and going to jail, the poor woman couldn't seem to catch a break.

Joanne reached out tracing the scar on Maureen's collarbone, "Maureen…I'm so sorry, I've should have been there." She whispered,

"You were just doing what you thought was right. You were protecting your family." Maureen said, "I mean I was pissed you kicked me out of the house since I knew I was done with drinking, but if I was in your shoes, I could understand how that's hard to believe since I've been drinking so much before."

"But I didn't even comfort you after the accident." Joanne said,

"I'm over it." Maureen said, "I'm home now and that's all I want."

Joanne stepped forward. She eyed Maureen, before leaning down, placing a kiss on Maureen's scar. Slowly she trailed her kisses on to Maureen's shoulder then started a path to her neck.

"Mmm, Joanne." Maureen whispered, titling her head to the side, missing this type of affection very much. Pretty soon Joanne's lips found Maureen's, and the diva was pinned against the wall as the two made out. Joanne deepened the kiss, letting all her emotions out with it, taking Maureen's breath away. "Wow…"

"Sorry…I just…" Joanne didn't even finish her thought and instead attached their lips back together, diving right in to another heated lip lock.

"Mom?"

Joanne and Maureen broke apart at the sound of Tessa's small whine. Thankfully they were apart before she entered the room. Maureen found time to pull her shirt on in that time as well.

"Can I sleep with you guys?"

Joanne looked over at the clock. She didn't realize it was so late. Tessa should have been asleep an hour ago. "Why aren't you asleep?"

"I was…" Tessa groggily said, dragging her feet over to the bed, "I had a bad dream." She pouted,

"Sure babe." Maureen nodded. "You can sleep with Mama."

Tessa pouted even more, "I want both of you."

Joanne nodded, "Well you will get both of us then." she smirked in Maureen's direction.

Tessa smiled and climbed on the big bed and under the covers. Naturally Tessa snuggled up to her Mommy when Maureen climbed in bed. Joanne was in bed soon after shutting the lights off. Her and Maureen shared a smile, before all three of them drifted off to sleep.

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Sorry it's short!

Thanks again for R&Ring!

Also I don't own anything that has to do with RENT!