Chapter 25

"David why are you even here?" Maggie did her best to remain calm. The last thing she wanted was to get upset. She knew deep down that he meant well by coming to see her but she still wasn't ready to put the past behind them.

David came closer to Maggie. He put his hand on her shoulder and spoke softly, "You may think that I haven't cared about you in a long time, but I do. I really do."

"Save it David. I don't want to listen to any of this."

He pulled out his car keys and opened the passenger side door. "Come on, let's go for a drive and find some place to talk."

Maggie looked back at him. Reluctantly, she entered the car. David got in on the driver's side, started the car and drove away in silence.

Bianca watched David and Maggie from the bedroom window. She sighed, wondering what his purpose in visiting was, knowing how the sight or even the mention of his name upset Maggie. Watching them drive away, she hoped that whatever it was that they were going to do, it yielded happiness instead of more heartache.

"Bianca?" Greenlee called out from the doorway. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah sure," Bianca turned around and sat down on the loveseat in the room. She made space for Greenlee who immediately filled the vacant spot.

"I'm glad you're here," Bianca began. She hated having to approach Greenlee with the kind of news she had, but it was a necessity. "I know that you're supposed to be catching up on things with Kendall but I've got an important matter that you need to be concerned about."

"The missing Fusion funds," Greenlee beat her to the punch. "I heard that there was a board meeting today."

"Yes, the results of the audit came in and the board is not happy. Greenlee, who would want to take money from us?"

"I can give you one guess," she answered Bianca. Her suspicions were now confirmed.

"Who?"

"Jonathan. He's got full access to all of our reports, accounts and funds," Greenlee's eyes began to seethe with hate. "That weasel… he probably used the money for the apartment."

"Apartment?" Bianca said perplexed.

"I guess your sister didn't tell you this. I don't blame her, I wouldn't either to protect the both of you," Greenlee looked at Bianca. "Jonathan isn't living with Ryan and me anymore. He moved out."

Bianca's face grew with concern. The fact that Jonathan was embezzling funds was one thing. But as she scanned Greenlee's face, she could also tell that something was up. "Okay, so he moved out and stole company money. I'm following, go on."

"Jonathan moved into the apartment that you and Maggie shared," Greenlee waited for a reaction. "Bianca?"

It took a couple of seconds for Bianca to digest this new piece of information. "That jerk," she said vexingly. "What does he think he can do? Find Maggie and whisk her back into his life? No way, the guy is a nut job. And worse yet, he used company money to buy a place that Maggie and I used to live in? It's like I practically own that apartment again. Tell me that this is all he's done."

"It's all that I know of," she replied. "I'm sorry."

"No, no… there's nothing to apologize for," Bianca assured her. "We had no idea Jonathan would do something like this. I had no idea he was this kind of person." She bowed her head, last words fading into a whisper.

Greenlee quickly took note of the sudden downcast gaze Bianca had. The topic of Jonathan Lavery was always a touchy one but for some reason, now more than ever, the mention of him always managed to kill any mood. She surmised that the latter part of Bianca's statement had nothing to do with business, it was all personal. Reaching over, she pulled Bianca into a hug. Her arms wrapped tight around her she spoke, "It's okay. He's not going to hurt her anymore."

Bianca sank into Greenlee's embrace. This rush of emotions caught her in total surprise. It was the first time she ever expressed any kind of guilt or pain over what happened to Maggie because of Jonathan. Needless to say, after being the strong pillar of support she was for the past couple of months, releasing these kept emotions became a moment of clarity and relief for her. She stayed in that hug for a few minutes, Greenlee right there giving comfort. It was definitely what she needed.

"Sorry about that," Bianca pulled away, trying to smile. "I don't even know what got into me."

Greenlee smoothened Bianca's hair. "Don't worry about it," she sat for a moment and gathered her thoughts. "I know we don't talk much but we're family. All business matters aside, there's something I want to ask. Well, just wanted to know."

"Sure, what?"

Greenlee drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I know your life has been turned upside down in the past year. You've pretty much gotten back what you lost. And that's great because you deserve happiness for once."

Bianca agreed, "Yes things have turned out well. Except for what Maggie went through but she's healing."

"I know she is," Greenlee's eyes glanced to the framed photo of Maggie on the dresser. "I can see you're doing the same. It's obvious too by the concern on your face. But a minute ago you almost… well you practically broke down in my arms. Bianca, how are you doing? Let's not talk about Maggie, let's talk about you."

David drove in silence. His eyes conveniently glanced over to Maggie in the passenger seat every now and then. He didn't mind the silence at all, knowing that she had every right to be angry with him. Turning into a parking lot, David parked the car, got out and opened the passenger door.

Maggie was still seated in the car when she saw David extend his hand out to her. She stared at it for a moment. Unwillingly, she took his hand and stepped out. Quickly taking a look around, she wondered where exactly David had taken her. She then walked away from him and spotted a park bench and sat down.

David followed after her. He didn't sit down but rather stood at the railing, inhaling the crisp air by the waterfront. He always had a love for the Brooklyn Bridge and hoped that by taking Maggie there, she'd soften up on him. He stared across the water for a few moments before turning around to face his younger cousin. He gazed at her, noticing how much she'd changed in the past months. David could see not only the physical changes but also the emotional changes that resided below the surface. To everyone, she looked like someone who was strong and able to carry herself well. But the more he looked at her, the more he saw a lingering pain or fear beneath that strong facade.

Maggie sat on the bench, letting the cool breeze blow past her face. The cool air was refreshing as she took a deep breath. She tried not to let the fact that David was present bother her. Her eyes focused on nothing in particular, looking as if she was blankly staring across the water, lost in her own thoughts. The sun was beginning to set along the horizon, which meant that it was going to get dark soon. This small thought unnerved Maggie but she managed to calm herself.

David sat down next to her and placed his hand on top of hers. "I'm sorry," he said with sincerity, hoping that she'd stop shutting him out.

"Do you mean that?" Maggie didn't want to turn her head but did so anyway. Her eyes met his as she searched for an ounce of genuineness in his eyes and words. "What exactly are you sorry for?"

"For everything."

"Everything?" Maggie repeated. "David, when you say everything, that's a lot to be sorry for. Just be honest with me for once, please? Sure, I get why you put Babe first, she's your daughter but still. What she did… what you did, it was wrong. And it still upsets me that you could do something like that to Bianca."

"Maggie you need to calm down."

"No… you need to listen to me," she continued on. "How could you keep Bianca's child away from her? How could you? Explain that to me," she stood up from the bench and walked to the railing.

"I did what I did out of love and devotion," David answered. He was still sitting on the park bench hoping Maggie would come back and sit down. "I had to protect my daughter and did what I needed to do. Just like you're doing what you need to do to protect your own child."

"You leave my son out of this," Maggie mumbled. "He has nothing to do with what we are talking about."

"A boy? It's going t be a boy?" he answered with some delight.

Maggie turned around. She wasn't about to let David change the subject and shift the focus on her. She wanted an explanation from him. She wanted to know why.

"Fine David, protect your daughter, protect your own grandson. But the baby that you kept from Bianca didn't belong to any of you. Miranda should have been with her mother. Her mother! The one who should have been there to protect her daughter. The one to show her love and devotion. But instead you took it all away. Everything! Bianca trusted you and you took it all away from her and for what? Heartache. You don't understand how much Miranda meant to her. Or to Kendall," Maggie stopped for a second to catch her breath. She held back the tears that were brimming in the corners of her eyes. Finally she finished her verbal assault. "You don't even understand what Miranda meant to me."

"Greenlee what are you talking about? I have Miranda back. I am happy," Bianca wanted to avoid the subject. As much as she was the kind of person who always shared her feelings, she felt this need to hold back.

"Bianca…"

"I haven't thought about me in a long time. I've been and still am worried about Maggie. A lot," Bianca replied, looking downward.

"Let's talk it out. You can't lay anything on Maggie now. She has too much on her plate. Talk to me, you need a friend. Let me be one for you," Greenlee said, full of concern.

"I'm still reeling over the fact that I've lost the first nine months of Miranda's life. I can't wait for Maggie's son to be born. And I… I feel so selfish about that. And jealous. Greenlee, I'm such an awful person."

Greenlee pushed Bianca's chin up. "Look at me. You are not an awful person. No way. This past year has changed you. It changed all of us. But in no way are you an awful person."

"Then I'm just selfish."

"No," she disagreed again. "Just like how Maggie fell in love with Miranda before she was born, you're doing the same for her son."

"I adore that little boy already and that's a given. But sometimes I feel guilty."

"Guilty? Of what?"

"That maybe I pushed Maggie into keeping her baby just so I could make up for all the time I lost with Miranda," Bianca looked away. Her eyes panned toward the window, thinking about David and Maggie.

"I'm sorry," David spoke again.

"Sorry is not going to cut it," Maggie said, upset. She did her best to keep all emotions in check but it wasn't working. "You may have earned Bianca's forgiveness but no amount of apologies will ever be enough for me. You're here now because you want to what? You want to protect me? Now? What about last year? What about before? Where were you when it was family that I needed? Oh wait, you were protecting your OWN family," she glared at him. "Yeah, your family forgetting that I even existed. So much for all those promises you made me."

David's forehead wrinkled at the mention of old promises. He was surprised that she remembered that far back. "Maggie, I…"

"You don't remember do you?" she surmised by the look on his face. "You rescued me after Vanessa had me kidnapped and almost killed. You said that you'd be the family I needed. David, you promised to protect me. Do you not remember that?" she questioned. "I guess not because I realize now that they were all just empty promises." Suddenly, she flinched. Her face showing signs of pain. "Owww…"

David shot up from where he was seated and rushed over. "Maggie, calm down… Tell me what's going on."

"It hurts David… it hurts," her hands clutched her abdomen. She was on the verge of tears.

Without any thought, David scooped Maggie into his arms and took her to the car. Stuffing the keys into the ignition, he started the car and peeled out of the parking lot. "It's going to be okay Maggie," he assured her, placing his hand on her face while weaving around the traffic. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you or your son."

"Why would you feel that way?" Greenlee searched her cousin's face. In all the time she knew Bianca, harboring guilt wasn't one of her traits.

"I don't know," Bianca shrugged. "I don't know what I'm feeling these days. So much has happened. I got my baby back, Maggie drifts away from me, and Anita suspects something is up with Maggie only from us to drift further. Then all of a sudden Maggie is back in my life without so much as an explanation. She starts acting weird and finally she breaks down and tells me what happened. And now she's carrying the child of the man that hurt her. Lives have been uprooted and it still feels like we're living in some sort of fear."

"Whoa slow down there tiger. That's one too many issues for me to handle. What is it about you Kane women? It always feels like one of you is carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders while the other ones are trying to save the day," she calmed Bianca. "Let's rationalize okay? What has you feeling guilty about Maggie keeping her baby?"

"I told you, that maybe it's my way of trying to make up for the time I didn't get to have with Miranda."

"And do you think that's true?"

"Yes, I mean no… I mean partly," Bianca brought her hand to her forehead. "Yes, sometimes it feels like that."

"Why do you think so?" Greenlee asked.

Bianca leaned back on the couch. "When I realized that my baby was alive and I had Miranda back in my arms, I was overjoyed. Then it all sank in, how I missed out on everything during the first nine months. I was just a visitor in her life. I missed all the firsts, the first time she rolled over, the first smile, the first time she began to crawl. All those milestones that parents are supposed to witness. Those Kodak kinds of moments, you know?"

Greenlee did her best to understand. "You think that with Maggie's son, you can experience all that? Everything you missed out on with Miranda?"

"It sounds selfish doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't sound selfish at all."

"How do you figure?" Bianca sat, caught with surprise by Greenlee's words. In all actuality, she was also astonished being able to talk to her about all that has been weighing down in her mind.

"It's not selfish because all those firsts… Maggie would be sharing them with you," Greenlee smiled. "You'd be doing it together and I know she wants to do that with you. I don't know if I've ever told you this, but the both of you… The two of you are the cutest couple. I mean Kendall and Ethan are sweet, sure it makes me gag sometimes and I don't have to say much about Ryan and me but you and Maggie. The both of you look great together."

"Thank you," Bianca laughed. "Thank you for helping make sense of what I'm feeling. Maggie and I will get to experience all that together when… Bre... I mean when her son is born but I'd also like to say that Maggie and I aren't exactly 'together' yet."

Greenlee tried not to act surprised but wasn't able to do a good job at it. "Wait, you two aren't? But I thought…"

"You thought wrong," Bianca answered. "We're close and yes we've shared a kiss here and there but I don't want to push Maggie into something she's not ready for."

"You love her don't you?" Greenlee was still trying to make sense of everything. All this time, she figured that Bianca and Maggie finally got it all right.

"Of course I do!"

"And she knows that?"

Bianca nodded her head. "Yes and I know she loves me but we both agreed to wait until she was ready. And I told her that however long it takes, I'd wait."

Bianca opened her eyes. She stretched her arms out and checked the clock. 'Nine' she noticed. Slowly, she turned to Maggie and saw how she was still asleep. She gazed at her and smiled, admiring her beauty. Her thoughts drifted back to the night before, reveling in the one moment of closeness they both shared. It was picture perfect, just like in the movies.

Maggie stirred. Her eyes opened slowly and met Bianca's with a smile. "Hi there."

"Hey you."

"Sleep well?"

"Do you even need to ask?" Maggie laughed. "Whenever I'm with you, I always sleep well."

"I do make a good cuddle bug don't I?"

"Yeah, it beats having dreams about chocolate covered mint candy canes," she gazed into Bianca's eyes. "What? So I dream about candy from time to time."

"Are you hungry?" Bianca slowly rose from her spot. Before she could go anywhere, Maggie took her hand. "Bianca wait."

"Yes?"

"Last night… last night was… You didn't have to do that all."

"Maggie, what are you saying? I'd do anything for you. We're going to do this your way. I know you're not ready for anything yet or a relationship and I understand that. I love you Maggie, so much. You do what you need to do and however long you need me to wait, I will."

Bringing Bianca's hand to her face, Maggie pressed it against her cheek. "Thank you," she whispered. "Now about me being hungry…"

"What would you like?"

"Well, a nice cup of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows sounds great right about now," she raised an eyebrow at Bianca. "That and some yogurt."

"Consider it done."

Bianca stood at her dresser holding the picture frame in her hand, her thumb caressing the corner. She looked at the clock noticing the time. "Are Maggie and David back yet? They've been gone for an hour now."

Greenlee walked over to the window and looked outside. "I don't see his car, maybe he took her someplace to eat."

"No, that can't be. Ethan is downstairs cooking remember?" Bianca bit down on her bottom lip, holding back worry.

"I'm sure they'll be back soon. Why don't we head downstairs and check on Ethan. Better yet, we should make sure Kendall hasn't gotten a head start on eating all the food," Greenlee said, ushering Bianca out of the bedroom.

Jamie popped his head into the kitchen. "Erin and I are going to make a quick trip to the store for some ice cream. Got any requests?"

"Peanut butter chocolate chip," Kendall chimed.

"Butter Pecan," Ethan added.

Greenlee and Bianca both entered the kitchen. "What's going on?" Bianca asked.

"We're going on an ice cream run," Jamie said, putting his hat on. "I've got a request for peanut butter chocolate chip and butter pecan. Do either of you have any flavors you want?"

"Rocky Road," Bianca and Greenlee spoke simultaneously.

"That settles it, I think we're heading to Baskin Robbins," Erin tugged on Jamie's arm. "We'll be back in a bit."

"Take your time," Kendall watched them dash for the door. She quickly saw this interval of time as an opportunity to do some snooping on Erin. "I'll be right back," she reached up and kissed Ethan on the cheek.

Ethan knew that tone of her voice. He sensed that she was up to something. "Kendall," he called out while stirring the sauce.

"What? A girl can't go and use the bathroom?"

"Okay."

Kendall rushed up to the second floor. Approaching the stairwell that led to Jamie's room, she carefully tiptoed up the stairs and entered. "Damn Jamie for a guy you sure do keep your room clean," she muttered while searching for Erin's knapsack. "If I was a knapsack where would I be?"

After ten minutes of searching, Kendall finally found Erin's bag and quickly looked inside. She found Erin's wallet and opened it. "Bingo! Now why is it that I sense something about you?" She pulled out a college id. "What the hell?" her eyes grew wide. "Oh my god, Erin… Lavery?"

The sound of a ringing phone shook Kendall out of her shocked haze. She stuck the college id back into Erin's wallet and then shoved the wallet inside of the bag. Putting the bag back where she found it, Kendall made her way downstairs hoping that no once noticed how long she was gone. All the while trying to figure out how to confront Erin about who she really was. 'Jamie is dating Jonathan's sister,' Kendall thought. 'Why can't any of us get away from these Laverys?'

Reaching the entranceway, Kendall met with Jamie and Erin who returned from their ice cream run. "Ice cream right here," Jamie raised two white bags with a grin. "Got all the flavors requested and more."

"That's great Jamie," Kendall replied blankly. 'Should I talk to him first or should I just confront her about who she is in front of everyone?'

The three of them entered the kitchen and found Bianca standing with the phone to her ear. They became concerned, noticing the worried look on Bianca's face.

"Yes David. Yes, okay, I'll be right there," Bianca hung up the phone. "David had to rush Maggie to the hospital. He didn't say what was wrong."

"Is she okay?" Erin asked.

"I don't know. He's waiting to hear from the doctors. I'm going to head there now," Bianca grabbed her car keys.

"Wait, I'm going with you," Greenlee took the keys from Bianca's hand. "Come on, I'll drive."

The two of them rushed out of the house leaving Kendall, Ethan, Jamie and Erin in the kitchen. Jamie looked around at everyone, "Well, I'm going to put this ice cream in the freezer before it melts."

"I'll find a way to keep dinner warm," Ethan added.

"Umm… do you think we should go to the hospital too?" Erin suggested.

Kendall couldn't hold it in anymore. She wanted to find out why the girl that Jamie was dating felt the need to lie to everyone. "Not so fast. Why do you tell us who you really are?"

"Kendall? What are you doing?" Jamie shut the freezer door. He reached into the refrigerator and took out a can of Pepsi, opening it.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh you know what I'm talking about. Erin Lavery," Kendall shot back.

Jamie dropped his open can of soda, its contents spilling all over the floor. "Erin Lavery?"