o.o.O.O.o.o

Part 1

Tammy's POV

One word. 5 letters…

It could be general or medical…

And it ranges from minor to major…

There's…an element of surprise involved…

It's a result of the unexpected…

Figured it out yet?

-x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x-

As he watched the two women who, for the longest time he believed, ruined his life walk away, J.R Chandler took a deep breath and hung his head in defeat. He raised his head and stole one more glance at the two women before he turned his attention back to AJ who had an eyebrow raised. Forgetting about his ex-wife, he made his way back into the booth he shared with his son.

"What?" He asked as he regarded AJ.

"Nothing. It's just…I'm wondering if I should applaud you or-"

"That wasn't an act. I swear it." J.R stated calmly. He wanted so very much for his son to believe him.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really… Look, AJ. I told you this, but I'm going to say it again. I've changed, I spent so much time in there thinking about everything I've done and how much I've let you down especially when you needed me. I couldn't see past my own stupid pain, or what I considered to be pain, and just stay sober and be the man you needed me to be. I turned into my own father, which was something I promised myself that I would never do…someone I would never become…" Taking a deep breath, J.R looked at his son in a most sincere regard. "Y'know, I once told your mom that Marissa was the best thing to ever happen to me…I was trying to convince her to help me out at the time. And all that time I was in that cell, listening to the silence? That memory kept coming back to me. That's when I realized that I was so wrong…about everything because you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. So, I made a promise to myself that if I ever got out of there then I would spend day in and day out trying to make you see that you matter to me more than anyone else. And if by some stroke of luck you'd give me that chance, I'd never screw it up! I've been sober for nearly ten years now and I intend to keep it that way. I love you AJ and I'll say it as many times as it takes until you believe me."

"I know that you've said it, Dad. But that's not the point." AJ sighed. He wanted desperately to believe his father, but like his mother, feared of history repeating itself. "The point is that I've heard it all before and yet your actions always say the exact opposite. So, until your actions back up what you say, I can't believe you…or trust you."

-x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x-

"Are you sure you're okay?" Bianca asked as she and Marissa returned from their lunch at Krystal's.

"I'm okay."

Bianca shut the door behind them and set her purse down. Marissa had made her way over to the couch that had yet to move from the family room in the Slater household. When she looked up and saw the way Bianca looked at her, head tilted with contemplative eyes, she scrunched her eyebrows.

"What?" Marissa asked.

"Are really okay?" She questioned as she walked over to her wife. She kneeled before Marissa.

"Babe, your leg-"

"Is fine." The brunette interrupted and she moved her hands to rest on the redhead's knees, moving them upwards before moving them back down again. "You, however, are upset."

Marissa smirked.

"And you're the expert, are you?"

"Oh yes." Bianca said grinning. "Especially when it comes to you," she quirked as she leaned forward to graze Marissa's lips softly. "But I'm serious. Are you sure that you're fine? That couldn't have been easy for you and you didn't wanna talk about it while we were eating, but I just…wanna make sure that everything is okay…" She finished, raising her hand to Marissa's cheek, caressing it softly. But before the redhead could say anything, she heard her sister-in-law's voice.

"Hey. You two are back."

Marissa looked up as Bianca turned her body to give Kendall her attention.

"Yeah. Lunch was a little short. We ran into J.R." Bianca explained.

"J.R?" Kendall's eyebrows were raised as high as Bianca had ever seen them. "They let him out of prison? When?"

"Early this morning…" Marissa muttered. "We went to get lunch and…he was there with AJ."

"AJ? Why would AJ wanna talk to him?"

"Uh…" Bianca said. "I think it was more like the other way around… J.R said he just wanted to get to know AJ and spend time with him, no strings attached."

Kendall walked over to the couch and sat next to Marissa.

"And you believe him?" She asked.

"No!" Marissa stated.

"Does AJ?"

Bianca, despite the fact that Marissa said that she was okay, knew from the look in her wife's eyes that the words "I'm fine" could not be further from the truth.

"We uh…we're not sure." Bianca said, noticing the look of exhaustion and the desire to not speak in the redhead's eyes. "When we got there they were just talking, but it seemed like AJ didn't trust him just yet."

"Well that's a relief!" Kendall said. "That jackass ex-husband of yours is a master manipulator and I for one would love to kick his ass."

Bianca heard a playful scoff escape Marissa's mouth. A small laugh made itself evident at the sound of her sister's words.

"I'm sure you would Kendall. Thanks," Marissa said.

"You're welcome. And, by the way, a bunch of guys dropped some stuff off for you guys today. All of the things that were salvaged in the fire, excluding furniture and appliances, are in your room…and around the house; photos, videos, jewelry, Miranda's guitar. They also said that the reconstruction has started and the 3rd and main floors are basically okay, but the basement is pretty much demolished…only very little was saved…"

Bianca raised herself off of the hardwood floor to seat herself on the other side of Marissa. She wrapped a comforting arm around her waist.

"Uh…okay. Thanks Kendall."

"They also said that they've identified the one who set the fire."

The redhead looked to Kendall and raised her eyebrows.

"And?"

"It's Tammy."

-x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x-

J.R wanted to run… Just run as far as he could from this place. His ears burned with the words that had turned him from hopeful to desolate within seconds. But something inside told him to stay. He knew that this was a possibility – that AJ wouldn't trust him, believe him or even ever want to see him again, but this was his son. His only son. And J.R wasn't ready to give up on the little amount of faith he still had in him that he could build a relationship with his son…as damned as it was. He dropped his head and sighed.

"I get that AJ. I do. I understand that you don't believe me or you can't trust me, but I'm not asking it to happen right away. I knew that it wouldn't if you ever gave me the chance. I owe you a lot in terms of explanations and I'm well aware of the fact that anything I say won't be enough. But I promise you that if you let me into your life again, even if it's for 30 seconds every other day of the week, I will spend it, first of all doing everything I can to make you believe it. Secondly, answer any and all questions you have and finally stay sober and keep away from your mothers…" J.R dropped his forehead into the palms of his hands as his elbows rested on the table. Using his fingertips, he rubbed the fatigue from his eyes and gazed back at AJ lovingly. "Punish me all you want, but if I haven't changed, as you think, and you still feel like I'm still a villain, then I hope you remember this much. I love you AJ and you're the best part of me… I'm uh…gonna be in Pine Valley for good. If you change your mind, I'm staying at the Yacht Club."

J.R moved to get up, but his son's hand stopped him as it rested on his wrist. Looking down at AJ, J.R saw the best of him in the young adult's eyes, however he wasn't stupid. No. He knew very well the reason why AJ turned out to be the tremendous and kind-hearted person he is. Bianca and Marissa… No doubt.

"I want to believe you."

"Then believe me."

"I can't. You've hurt me too many times and you've hurt Mom-"

"Which I regret. I should've tried to understand her unhappiness and just forget about it and get over all of that and focus on you. But I couldn't. I was so…embarrassed and miserable about that I didn't react the way I should have… I got arrested, I could only think of how I let you down… Just one chance AJ… That's all I'm asking for. Please."

AJ regarded his father with a squinted eye. He tried his best to evaluate everything J.R had said to him and, if he were being honest, a rather large portion of AJ did believe that the older man before him was telling the truth and he had given his apology without an agenda…other than getting closer to his son.

"Okay…" AJ said.

"Wh-what?"

"I said okay, but what I said before still applies! You stay sober and the moment I see you anywhere near alcohol, you leave my life for good."

"Okay, okay. I promise."

AJ looked at J.R and hoped that he would be proven wrong because he wanted, more than anything, to not be made a fool of…especially from his father.

"So uh…I'm guessing you probably have somewhere to be?" J.R asked.

AJ looked at the time on his phone and shook his head.

"Nah. I have some time still. I can talk some more."

-x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x-

Marissa's hand was clasped tightly within Bianca's as the two of them made their way back to their bedroom after speaking with Kendall. The brunette led the way as the redhead remained silent. The warmth emanating from her wife's palm was proving to have a calming effect on her and she never wanted to let go. She shifted her body closer as it collided with Bianca's side. At the light tap, Marissa was caught in her wife's serene look of love and understanding. They came upon their bedroom door and pushed it open. Bianca pulled Marissa into the confined space and led her to the bed.

"You sit and relax."

"And what about you?" Marissa asked as Bianca made to move away. Her arm was outstretched, still attached to the redhead's by their hands. For a woman who seemed tired and mentally in the wrong frame due to their previous encounter, Marissa had a surprisingly strong grip.

"I," Bianca said as she sat. "Am going to stay right here and tidy things up a bit, but you should definitely get some rest and relieve your stress. You remember what Griff said about stress and your burns. That-"

"They can start to itch if I get too riled up, I know." She finished. "Well…can we at least do something together? Can we relax together? I mean I'm not the only one injured here… Besides," Marissa said with a smile. "Before all of this crap came up, you and I were having some relaxation time of our own, weren't we?" She said suggestively.

Bianca chuckled and raised her eyebrows as she watched Marissa easing her face towards hers.

"Yes, we were…but-"

Marissa groaned.

"I hate 'buts'-"

"You and I will have plenty of time to…'relax'. For now, though, you are going to stay in bed for a bit. We have just over an hour before the kids get home from school and at that time, they're gonna be all over you and your energy should be sky high so…"

"So…bedridden?"

Bianca smiled and shifted closer to Marissa.

"Only for the next hour."

"Okay, okay, fine. But I'm not sleeping. I think I've slept enough to last me a lifetime."

"Fine by me, but you're not leaving this bed."

Marissa couldn't help the wide, playful smile that formed on her face.

"There it is," Bianca said.

"There what is?"

"Your smile… Was beginning to think that it would never come back that big after we ran into J.R."

"Oh shut up," Marissa replied. "Are you kidding me?" She asked. She moved closer to Bianca so their hips rested against each other. Her hand moved to cup Bianca's face as Marissa leaned forward, close enough to see the multiple shades of brown in her wife's eyes. "Between our kids being here and happy and you? This smile will always be here. It might disappear from time to time, but it'll always come back."

"Good." Bianca whispered.

"Good… So uh…Kendall said there's a bunch of stuff-"

"Oooh, right!" The brunette looked around the room and spotted 4 boxes settled against the wall. She stood up and walked over to them with the feeling of Marissa's stare burning into her back. She bent down to rummage through the boxes, but only found a multitude of photo albums and home videos.

Marissa watched her wife's form getting further and further away from their spot on the bed as she headed towards the wall on the opposite side of the room. It had been several seconds before the redhead could hear anything from the brunette; a small gasp or a sigh of relief.

"Is everything okay?" Marissa asked.

"Uh…yeah. The umm, the photo album that Sofia and Nathan made me of what I missed out on is safe…" She said nonchalantly.

"So, what's wrong?" Marissa asked as she rose off of the bed and walked over to Bianca. She kneeled beside her and tilted her head, trying to get the brunette to look at her.

"Nothing-"

"Bianca?"

"No, no it's just…it's just it seems that there's a lot I missed out on. That's all."

"Well…that's true, but luckily for you, the kids and I knew that you'd come back and would want to see everything you missed."

"That's the thing…I'm not sure that I do."

Marissa moved her hand in search of Bianca's, trying to be the source of any form of comfort she could possibly be.

"Why not?"

Bianca looked up to see the worried look in Marissa's eyes before it hit her what that gaze meant.

"No, no, it's not that! It's not what you're thinking at all, I swear… I just want to remember everything first and I'm pretty sure some of these have stuff that is locked up in my head…somewhere."

The redhead nodded in comprehension while simultaneously sighing silently to herself in relief.

"I can understand that… The element of surprise isn't always a good one."

"Exactly."

"Okay, well…" Marissa turned Bianca's face to she could look at her. "That doesn't mean we can't look at the stuff you weren't here for. Or, if you prefer, we can look at photos and I can tell you the stories behind them."

Bianca had let her eyes wander from Marissa's face to the boxes next to her, yet again. Her stare had wandered over the various titles of the DVDs stashed in the boxes and a single name caught her attention.

Gabby.

She reached into the box and pulled it out.

"Did you wanna watch that?" Marissa asked as she noticed the small bit of tears that had risen in Bianca's eyes as she continued to stare at the casing.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"You miss her?"

"Yeah… I mean I love all of our kids, but she hasn't been here in months and I have all of these memories of her and all I wanna do now is hug her and hold onto her and never let go of her."

The redhead chuckled lightly and pulled her wife towards her into a tight and warm embrace.

"Okay," she said and pulled away. She kissed her lips lightly for a moment before taking the video, slowly, from her hands. "How about we spend whatever time we have left before the kids come home watching this? That way, when Gabby comes home, you'll know the woman she's become and you can get to know her even more."

"'Woman'?"

"Ahh, yeah. She's 14, but she could pass for 24. So smart."

"Like her mom," she said staring at Marissa.

"Aren't we thinking utterly high of ourselves?" She teased.

"I was talking about you, you moron." Bianca said lightly.

"Oooh really?"

"Yes, really. And I say we do watch this. And you are supposed to be in bed. Go, now!"

Marissa laughed as she stood, pulling Bianca up with her.

"So anxious to get me into bed." She joked.

"Ha, ha, ha, very funny. Go and I'll put this on."

Obeying her wife's demand, Marissa walked over to the bed and sat on it. She watched as her wife reached upward to insert the DVD into the small widescreen television that was settled on top of the small armoire. Once she pushed it into the DVD slot, Bianca returned to the bed. She settled down on her side and rested against the headboard. She moved to grab the remote, but noticed that Marissa was already holding it.

"Looking for this?" She asked mockingly.

"Yes, as a matter of fact."

Marissa shrugged and stirred, heading in Bianca's direction. Opening her wife's legs, she settled in between them and turned around to face the TV, waiting to be played. She, carefully, leaned backwards, but not before Bianca could protest somewhat.

"Marissa, what are you doing?"

"I thought we were going to watch this video." She reasoned.

"We are, but I meant what are you doing?"

"Watching it with you."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Oh! You mean, sitting here?"

"Yes. That."

"Well," She continued as she resumed her position and leaned into Bianca, resting the back of her head against her wife's chest plate. "You said you wanted to hold me." She reached for Bianca's arms and wrapped them around her waist as she rested her legs against the brunette's and caught a sight of them colliding together.

"But your back-"

"Is fine." She said, echoing Bianca's words from before and turning her head to meet her gaze. "I promise you. You have nothing to worry about."

Bianca held Marissa closer, tightening her arms around her waist slightly.

"I'm always going to worry about you."

"Of course you are. Pointless to argue with you, huh?" She asked.

"Exactly… Now press play."

"Okay, so Gabby hates being on video so we're going to sneak up on her."

Marissa and Bianca both could recognize the whispering voice on the video to be AJ. The camera moved slowly, inching towards Gabby, closer and closer.

"She never used to be so shy or so reserved."

"Talking to yourself again AJ? You know they say that that's the first sign of insanity, right?"

Marissa could feel the vibration of Bianca's laughter throughout her body. Miranda's joke or attempt to upset her brother had clearly amused her.

"Shut up Mimo. Video camera," AJ said as he shifted the frame to focus on Miranda. "See?"

"Okay. So why are you taking a video?"

"This tape is for Ma when she comes home."

"Ahh. And because Gabby now shies away from the camera-"

"I gotta sneak up on her to let Ma know what she's been up to all this time."

"Okay, good luck with that and when Gabby takes your head off, don't come crying to me for help to get her off of you."

"Nah, she loves me too much."

Miranda laughed wholeheartedly.

"Yeah, ooookay. We'll see about that."

Once Miranda was out of sight, AJ shifted his attention back to his younger sister who had her tongue sticking out as she quickly moved her hand across the pages of what looked like a notebook.

"I think she's drawing something. Mom, seriously, she's awesome when it comes to sketching…and she's only 12! Some serious stuff."

Gabby looked up and her eyes widened.

"AJ! You idiot! What are you doing?"

Bianca and Marissa kept watching. Gabby looked upset and had gotten up from her seat. AJ remained still and once Gabby began to advance her stride in his direction, the frame of the screen began to work its way back as well.

"C-c'mon Gabz. It's for Ma when she gets home."

"Gimme the camera AJ."

"Now why would I do that?"

"Cuz I'll kick your butt that's why!"

"That would require you to catch me first."

The two women on the bed began to laugh as the screen began to shake. AJ had refused to turn the video camera off and took off in a run to escape his little sister.

"Miranda!"

AJ could be heard on the video. Bianca couldn't help the snicker that escaped her mouth as the television caught a glimpse of Gabby, looking determined, to get AJ. He may have been taller, but she was faster. AJ lifted the camera and the redhead and the brunette recognized their kitchen. The blonde was headed for the table where Gabby had been drawing. He took the sketchpad from its comfortable place on the table and ran out.

"AJ you dummy! Give it back!"

"I just wanna see it."

"I'm not done you idiot! Give it back!"

The pair of them were now in the family room, which was carpeted at the time and was void of a coffee table in the middle of the room. AJ lifted the camera to get a clear and full view of Gabby's look of agitation.

"Damn Gabby. This is really good."

The camera remained focused of Gabby who was moving closer and closer when finally, before AJ could do anything, she pounced, knocking the both of them to the floor. The sound of the sketchpad flying through the air and landing somewhere in the distance could be heard. AJ was on his back and he brought the camera up, getting a close up of Gabby's angry face.

"Ow! Gabby!"

"Told you not to!"

"Miranda!" AJ yelled.

The pattering of footsteps was coming down the stairs.

"Oh man!" Miranda said.

"Help me!" AJ pleaded.

The camera was ripped from AJ's hands and it now showed Gabby mounted on AJ's abdomen, holding him down.

"There, now you have both hands." Miranda said.

"That's not what I meant!"

"Hey, I told you not to come calling me for help when she started to kick your ass."

"Ha ha!" Gabby teased. The two of them continued to wrestle. AJ attempted to wriggle out of Gabby's hold, but even though the youngster was tiny, she could hold her own. Miranda's laughter was clear behind the camera and she began to wander off to an object out of place in the corner. She tore the camera from her fighting siblings and walked towards the sketchbook on the floor that had been thrown previously. Her hand made its way in the shot as it picked up the book and a, explicit view of the unfinished sketch was shown.

"My God," Bianca whispered as she saw what was being displayed on the screen. There it was, in black and white, a vivid and near perfect sketch of her. The details were intricate; the curve of her lop-sided grin radiated the page giving rise to a light in her irises, which were clearly lined; the fallen pieces of hair that had escaped her loose ponytail that had rested against the swell of her cheeks. "That's me."

"Yeah… Beautiful isn't it?"

"It's exact!"

"You should see the finished drawing. I'm pretty sure Gabby has it with her at school. She never goes anywhere without that thing."

Before Bianca could speak a word, a loud knock came from the door. The two of them disentangled themselves before replying to the one on the other side of the door.

"Yes?" Marissa asked.

AJ popped his head into the room.

"Hey Mom," he said smiling. "You guys got some time for a couple of kids who missed you both?"

Bianca and Marissa smiled at each other and then at AJ.

"Of course," Bianca voiced.

AJ opened the door fully as Nathan and Sofia ran past him, nearly knocking him off of his feet.

"Careful guys! Mom's still trying to get better." AJ watched his sibling run to their mothers. "I'm going to help out Ian with his homework. You four have fun." At that, the blonde exited the room.

Sofia ran into Bianca's arms while Nathan hopped onto the bed next to Marissa and gently wrapped his little arms around her neck. The two older ladies sat at the foot of the bed. Bianca sat Sofia into her lap as Marissa did the same with Nathan.

"Hi Mommy," Sofia said looking at Marissa. Bianca glanced from her little daughter in her lap to her wife who moved one of her hands from Nathan to run it through Sofia's auburn locks.

"Hi Baby Girl."

"Nafan! Lemme say hi to Mommy. Let's trade."

"Okay!"

Sofia hopped off of Bianca's lap as Nathan did the same from Marissa's. They traded places. Bianca picked Nathan up and hugged his tightly.

"Hi Momma Binx," he said smiling. Bianca melted at the sight of Nathan's grin. He buried his head into her neck and at the small gesture the brunette kissed his small head.

"Hi Mommy," Sofia said as she climbed onto the bed and sat in what little space there was between her two moms.

"You can hug Mommy Sofia."

"But AJ said to be careful."

"That doesn't mean you can't hug or kiss Mommy." Bianca said. The four-year-old looked up at her other mother. "Trust me Munchkin, Mommy wants you to hug her and play with her. It'll make her feel better."

"Rweally?" She asked. Bianca leaned down connecting her forehead with her daughter's.

"Really, really."

"See?" Marissa asked. "Now, get into these arms you!" She said as she widened them and waited for her youngest to fall into her lap. Sofia gave her mother a huge grin and rose to her feet and hugged Marissa tightly.

"Are you okay Mommy?" Nathan asked as Sofia dropped into Marissa's lap.

"I'm fine Nate. A little sore, but I'll be back to normal very soon."

"What happened Mommy?" Sofia questioned.

"Well," Marissa said. "Do you remember the fire?"

"Yeah."

Nathan nodded.

"When I was helping Mommy Binx get out of the house, something fell on me and my back got hurt. But I'll be okay very soon."

"Yes, she will. And we're going to help her as much as we can." Bianca said as she looked at Marissa.

"I'm just glad that you're going to get better Mommy," Sofia said cuddling up to Marissa as she rested her head.

"Me too," Nathan said. He leaned forward and kissed the redhead's cheek. Bianca shifted closer to her wife and Nathan crawled into Marissa's lap. The children occupied a leg each and as Bianca watched the two of them cuddled into their mother's chest.

"So, what do you two say to a movie night?" Bianca asked.

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!"

-x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x-

Two weeks later

"Hey you!" Bianca said as she watched Miranda zoom past her. "Where you going?"

"Hey. G'morning. Uh well, I've gotta take Nate, Fia and Little Bianca to school and then I've gotta go pick up Gabby." She said.

"Pick up Gabby? She's done school?"

Miranda nodded.

"Yup. She called me last night."

"And you're going to go pick her up at school?"

"Yeah. She needs a family member above the age of 18 to sign her out of her dorm and seeing as how Mom is still recovering and you're looking after her, so I told her I'd be there to get her out of, what she describes, as a hellhole."

"Can't wait to get home, huh?"

"That she can't."

"Is AJ going with you?" Bianca asked. She hoped he would because she didn't like the sound of her first child travelling hours out of Pine Valley alone.

"No, he's spending time with J.R today… They've been spending a lot of time together."

"More than Marissa would like."

"More than any of us would like. But I trust AJ and he's got a good head on his shoulders. He can tell bullshit from the truth… So if he says that they're just talking and he really thinks that he's changed…I can't believe I'm going to say thing, but-"

"Then maybe J.R really has changed?"

Miranda smirked and nodded.

"Yeah."

"I hope he's right." Bianca said.

"So do I… Well, I uh, better get going. I'll talk to you when I get back… Actually I'll call you when I get there."

"You better."

-x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x-

Two weeks. It had been two weeks since Bianca had been able to remember anything and it was beginning to frustrate her. She hadn't had this much time between flashbacks since she first came home back in February. Now, here she was nearly 4 months later and didn't have even a third of her memories in tact. She tried everything to get anything to come back to her; music, photos, home videos, newspaper clippings, magazine articles and her result? Nothing. Not even a "tip-of-the-tongue" phenomenon had made itself known to her. She felt like she drawing a complete blank.

"Stop it." Marissa said as she lifted her head from Bianca's shoulder. The two of them were sitting on the couch.

"Huh?" Bianca asked as she came out of her own head.

"I said 'stop it'."

"I don't-"

"Baby, I know you haven't had a memory in a while-"

"Two weeks-"

"But if you keep trying so hard nothing is going to happen, okay?"

"I know, but it's hard."

"I know. I know it is and, not that you don't look adorable when you're thinking so hard because you do, but seriously you can't be so hard on yourself."

Bianca looked down at Marissa and tried to smile, but a goofy grin was the only thing to cross her face.

"Promise me you'll stop trying so hard? …Please?"

Bianca leaned down and connected her lips with Marissa's in a soft yet fierce kiss. Her hand that was placed on her wife's shoulder closed its grip to pull the redhead closer. She fell back, pulling Marissa with her. Her head hit the pillow beneath her as their embrace became more and more intense. Marissa pulled back a bit.

"Okay, I promise." Bianca said.

"Good." Marissa said pecking the brunette's lips. "So uh…I got a call from these contractors."

"And?"

"The house is well under way. They said we can go see it anytime we want. It's safe."

Bianca smiled.

"You wanna go see it?"

-x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x-

Bianca and Marissa were a little nervous, truth be told. Neither of them had been to the house since the night of the fire and going to a place they used to call home, knowing it wouldn't be the same, was a little nerve-wracking. As they exited the vehicle, Bianca and Marissa looked up at the house. From the exterior it looked the same, but once they would get inside, things would be different. There were no workers in sight, which left them alone to look at their progressing home.

"They said to go round back to the basement to get in." Marissa said.

"Okay," Bianca replied as she held out her hand. Noticing the action, Marissa smirked and took a strong hold of her wife's hand, clasping their fingers together in a tight lock. They moved around the side of the house and walked down the hill of dusty grass. Once they reached the back doors, they walked through the plastic coverings they surveyed their surroundings. The furniture was gone and the floors had yet to be laid. Beneath their feet was dried cement, waiting to be dressed with the tiles that had previously occupied the space.

"Wow," Marissa said.

"I know… It's empty."

"And cold," the redhead added as she cuddled up to Bianca. The brunette wrapped her arms around Marissa and despite the warm weather and blazing sun, Bianca could feel the goosebumps forming under her exposed skin that met her wife's. "What do you think though?" Marissa asked.

"Personally, I don't find it better than before."

The two women turned at the sound of a third voice interrupting them.

"T-Tammy," Marisa muttered.

"Miss me?" The blonde asked.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" Bianca inquired as she tightened her arms around Marissa.

"Two very valid questions Ms. Montgomery," she said as she walked towards them getting closer with every step she took. "I'm here to get what I want…and what I want, you're holding. And the only way to get what I want is to start what I finished."

What happened next Bianca couldn't tell. Everything around her suddenly became black and every bone in her body felt like jello. Before she lost all consciousness, she could hear the piercing plea of her name being called from the lips of the one she loved.

-x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x-

I have NO excuse for being so late in updating. I had a lot of personal things to deal with this past week and unfortunately it became very difficult to get this chapter written. Hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review.

Lotsa love!

o.o.O.O.o.o