Hi...

I don't know how you guys are dealing with me. This isn't even a particularly long chapter. I haven't written anything in ages, but it's Christmas Eve and I just wanted you guys to have a Christmas present from me. I'm so sorry for the wait, and I have to say, this is all my fault. I should have updated a lot sooner and I didn't, simply because, and I will not lie, I couldn't be bothered. I hope you enjoy this chapter though, you've certainly had to wait for it!

So, now that all my apologies and sincereness is done (goddammit I can't spell), I MISSED YOU GUYS! I just want you to know that I'm not dead, and I still love you all! Also-see the end of this chapter, Caina shippers prepare for Diana daydreaming...you deserved it! =)

Angel faces, you are so brilliant to have waited this long, and I apologise most sincerely,

ENJOY!

Layla POV

The morning after Annie's exam, I wake up before her, which is really, really unusual. I'm always the last one up. Apart from today, I mean. I look at the alarm clock, and the time is 8.00 o'clock. Even weirder. I never get up before 10.00 on a Saturday. Again, with the exception of today.

I get out of bed and wrap myself in my housecoat. Before going downstairs, I listen carefully. If nobody's up yet, I'm not going downstairs. It's far too awkward. Luckily, I hear the distant sounds of voices. Caine and Diana, I can only assume. I head downstairs and into the kitchen, where (I'm right) Caine and Diana are sitting talking.

Both of them turn towards me as I walk in, and Diana feigns shock, "Layla? Are you really up at 8am? Is it a miracle, or maybe an illusion?"

I laugh, "I know, I surprised myself."

"Is Annie up?" Diana asks.

"No, she's sound asleep." I reply, "probably tired out from the exam."

Both of my parents-in-law look sympathetic.

"Did she say how she thinks it went?" Caine asks.

"Well, she thinks that she's done terribly, but she's just worried. I'm sure she did amazingly." I say.

"Oh, of course she'll have done fine!" Diana says, smiling, "I know all of us have complete faith in her, although I don't have a clue where these intelligent genes have come from-no offense intended, Caine."

"None taken." Caine assured her, "I know she didn't get them from me!"

I subtly look from Diana to Caine, and then back again a couple of times. Using my deduction skills learned by watching every episode of BBC Sherlock about fifty times (all six of them), I can see that they both really like each other, whether or not either of them are aware of this fact, I don't have a clue. Obviously, both of them must harbour feelings of more than friendship towards each other, after such a long relationship when they were younger, and of course, after having Annie together. I smile gently to myself. I'm really becoming quite the consulting detective, at least in my mind.

"I've got to be at work soon." Diana says suddenly, breaking the silence.

She gets up and gets her bag and coat from the hallway where they've been sitting by the door.

"Goodbye!" she calls out. Both Caine and I repeat the word, and the door slams shut.

Caine looks at his watch and sighs, "Yeah, I should probably get going too. See you later, Layla. Tell Annie good morning from me when she gets up."

"Will do." I reply, and he gets up and leaves the house as well.

I sit for a second, and then get up and move to the other side of the breakfast bar, so that I'm sitting in front of the computer. I hastily log out of Diana's setting and into mine. I'm not sure why I'm so nervous about what I want to find out about, I know that I have no reason to be, I just...am.

I open Firefox and google search 'california sperm banks'. A list of results show up almost immediately. I click through a few, dismissing several right away when I see that they are too far away from where we live. Others, I have to ditch when I read that they are only open to straight couples or single women. Most are okay with lesbian couples, but it still takes a while to find some that would be viable options for Annie and I. I grab a post-it note and a blunt pencil that are sitting close to the computer and jot down the names and web addresses for a few of these clinics.

After maybe an hour or so of me just researching and noting down, Annie walks into the room and smiles at me.

"You're an early bird this morning, babe." she comments.

I smile at her and reply, "I think that's just you sleeping in."

"You make a fair point."

Annie goes to make herself a black coffee, but I stand up quickly and say, "Sit down, Ann, you look exhausted still. I'll make you a coffee, okay?"

Annie smiles gratefully at me, and then mutters, "How the heck did I get lucky enough to met you? And how was it that you fell for me instead of someone else?"

"You think you're the one who doesn't deserve me? Honestly, Annie, that's bull. You are the most perfect person I've ever met, so don't give me that crap. I don't deserve you is more like the truth, I think." I argue.

Annie smiles, "You're so sweet. Have I ever mentioned how much I love you?"

"Yes." I say, bluntly, "but I really think that you can never say it too many times."

"I agree." Annie tells me, "I love you."

"I love you." I reply, handing Ann her coffee.

"Thank you." she says, taking it carefully, so as not to spill any of it, something which I do far too often.

"Is there anything you want to do today?" I ask, "because I'm all for having a lazy day, if you want."

"Sounds good." Annie agrees, leaning back in her chair and sipping her coffee.

I sit down behind the computer again and slip the piece of paper I've been scribbling on over to Annie. She glances over at me and smiles.

"Decisions, decisions, huh?"

I smile back, "Yeah, I guess. When is it you get your exam results back, again?"

"About three months." she answers, "I guess we'll wait."

"That's probably sensible." I agree, "How are you feeling? About the exam, I mean."

Annie tilts her head slightly to the right, and then moves it back, "I don't know. I really don't. I can only hope."

I shoot her a sympathetic smile, which she responds to with a grateful look.

"So..." I start, ready to change the subject, "Your mom and dad?"

Annie smiles, "I hope they get back together. I mean, you have to feel sort of bad for Cara, they've been together years. And she's pregnant. Still, I do want them to get back together, selfish as it is."

"I don't blame you." I respond, "I mean, not that I actually give a crap whether my parents are together or not, in your position, I would probably feel the same."

Annie shrugs, "What do you think Cara will do? She'll be devastated, if I know her, but she won't get back together with him. She always told Molly and I, if a guy treats you badly, you should never get back together with him. I think that was her lashing out at Molly's dad, though. At the same time, she'll want dad to be there for their kid. It's not exactly an ideal situation."

"I know, but I bet you anything your mom and dad will get back together. I mean, your dad can have the sort of relationship with his and Cara's child as your mom had with you when you lived with them, I suppose. Cara will find someone, she's still pretty." I reply, also caught between feeling bad for Cara and wanting Diana to be happy with Caine.

"Promise me we'll never divorce and make our lives this complicated, Layla." Annie says, sighing lightly.

"Cross my heart." I promise, grabbing her hand across the table and grinning at her.

She leans across the table towards me and whispers, "good."

Diana POV

Concentrate, Diana.

I shake my head and continue to type up some statistics.

Caine walks up to me. He grabs my hand. 'I never loved Cara. It's only ever been you.'

I shake my head even harder, and type in a couple sets of data.

He leans towards me, his eyes closed and his lips slightly apart.

I almost hit my head with something before I stop myself. What am I doing? I need to concentrate.

I close my eyes too, and meet his lips with mine. Our mouths move in unison. God, I've missed this.

"Ms Ladris?" I'm brought back to the present by one of my co-workers.

"Ms Ladris, are you alright?" Miss Rayne, who works at the desk beside mine, is asking me, her hand cautiously resting on my shoulder.

"I'm fine, thanks. Just spaced out a bit." I reply, offering her a half-hearted smile.

Not surprisingly, she doesn't look convinced.

"Are you sure you don't need to go home? You look like you're about to faint." Miss Rayne persists.

I shake my head, smiling still. "Honestly, I'll be fine. Thank you."

She seems to take the hint, thankfully, and I expel all thoughts of Caine from my head and try to get on with my work.

How was that, then? Caina fans? TALK TO MEEEEEE!

Review, please? Tell me how mad you are at me, please. It may encourage me to not force you to wait so long for an update! Just...I want to feel like you guys are reading this and sooo...please review and tell me you hate me/love me/want to stab me with a machete =D

So have an AMAZING Christmas and New Year. I hope Santa/family and friends spoil you to death!

Yup...byeeee and many many kisses to you all!

Toodles-

Sophia xoxxxoox

(How I've missed the word toodles...)