Celeste and Jess spent the night in a strange, largely silent, bubble, sleeping arms and legs linked or him spooning her. Sometime silence simply worked better for them, while the bodies assured that they were going to be fine. Celeste woke as he stirred, aiming to get up and head for the shower, knowing he needed to head back to Bradley International in an hour. Ripping himself away from home had never been harder than after having gotten just a teaser of it.

Celeste lingered in bed, as she heard him shower in the distance, trying to wrap her head around what all this meant. He'd apologized, time and time again, shown his regret, and reminded her of something she'd never really doubted - that they were good together, despite being imperfect. As a relationship, two and a half years really wasn't a lot - there were still surprises, miscommunications and wrong assumptions. But she did know he'd never meant to hurt her.

As Jess returned, looking through his closet for a change of clothes, she caught sight of her looking at him, causing him to give off a smug closed-mouthed crooked smirk.

"I'm glad you came," Celeste said, propping herself up on her elbow, as she glanced at her handsome half-dressed husband.

Jess clearly had no objections to that statement, and continued to dress, turning towards her. As he was nearly completely dressed, just picking out a casual blazer to go with his blue dress shirt, as he broke his silence.

"I meant what I said - I don't have to do it. Yeah, I want to, but I got a little carried away and that was wrong of me without discussing it first. So consider it forgotten," Jess said, bucklin up his belt. He wanted to clear the air so there really was no confusion. He was glad it was finished - whatever happened to it now was no longer as important.

Celeste should've been glad to hear this but somehow she wasn't. He was once again making sacrifices for her, and that wasn't really the outcome she had wanted.

She rose, pulling the burgundy red wrap dress around her naked body, and stepped close to him adjusting his collar just a little, leaving her hands resting on his chest for a moment, as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'm not saying you can't do it. You've worked hard on it, it's good. And I understand that you perhaps needed to write it - it hasn't been easy for you either. I see that. All I ask is that you give me some time with this - let me wrap my head around it, so I feel more rationally towards this," Celeste explained. It had all been too out of the blue, too raw, she was still processing this. What Dr. Tyler had said about this process itself being therapeutic to her, was something that had stuck with her - maybe that was the point of this? She needed to want him to publish this as a means of getting past this herself. And that was what she was trying to do - she just needed a little more time.

"Okay. I'll tell Lauren," Jess replied with a relieved sigh. He held her chin and kissed her. Lauren wasn't going to be happy, but she would just have to deal.

The next moment there was a giggle from next door - Evie still sometimes woke up like that, or well at least let herself be known like that, often beginning to giggle as she pulled one of her favourite books out of the shelf and began browsing through it herself.

"I believe that's my call," Jess smiled, raising his eyebrows tentatively, wanting to surprise Evie with his brief presence, having missed her painfully. At least they could have breakfast together before he headed off. It was one more week and then he'd be back anyways for Thanksgiving and later it was just a few quick trips to smaller towns nearby.

Celeste followed him to Evie's room, leaned against the door and watched Evie let out a loud squeal of excitement at the sight of Jess. It was safe to say the girl had her favourite parent.

"I'll go make breakfast," Celeste added a minute later, leaving Evie clinging to Jess' neck, hoping Evie wouldn't mess up his good shirt.

"So how are ya, mate?" Finn's old high school buddy Archie asked, with whom he'd met up with one night at the rooftop bar of one of his family's hotels in South Bank, that glanced over the city glistening skyline.

It was Saturday night and the bar was full of beautiful people - younger and older - definitely making Finn appreciate the scene. Just before meeting up with Archie who'd been running a little late, Finn had actually ran into a group of business associates he knew from New York and ended up having a drink with them just to celebrate the coincidence. They had been just the people he needed to call regarding Celeste's search for performers and he made the vital contact right there promising to call them with the details in a few days' time.

"It's just good to be home, you know - I needed a holiday," Finn said, taking a sip of his Martini.

"Busy with work?" Archie asked, his accent being a lot stronger than Finn's. Finn really hadn't seen Archie in years, hence the twenty-questions.

Finn made a so-and-so gesture with his hand.

"What was it that you did exactly, I can't seem to remember?" Archie asked apologetically.

"I'm with the Marriott corporation, you know - dad and Jamie are managing it these days. Essentially I'm dealing with consulting and some public relations," Finn explained, referring to his oldest brother who was currently the CEO at the corporation and at the same time gesturing at the building underneath them. He struggled to really reply about his work, as he very often felt like a slacker, and he was pretty sure his dad and brother through the same - all he really did was delegate, keep an eye on things. His most demanding workdays ever were when he was representing the company on the behalf of his brother and dad who thanks to this rarely needed to travel to the States these days, essentially he was just their delegate if they needed him, following a script. Things were pretty solid when it came to their brand in the States, stable, not needing much from him. Was he bored? Not really - every day was different, but he didn't particularly feel challenged doing it anymore. "You?" he asked in return.

"I still have the practice in Sydney, but it's mostly off my hands now," Archie explained. He was a certified psychiatrist by education but he'd understood fairly early on that it wasn't really what he was that good at professionally, his business sense and inside knowledge of the field forming a much better combination as the owner and manager of his clinic rather than actually helping people himself. At least the man knew when to admit his faults. "Now I just handle it from a distance," he added.

"And how is Robyn? Sylvie said she saw you two," Finn asked, taking another sip of his drink. He wasn't even truly curious, it was more about politeness at this point.

"She's good, still living in Aspley," Archie commented.

"Right," Finn commented. But his lack of interest to really inquire any further into her relationship status or work, really ended that line of questions.

Archie took a sip of his Balter IPA, his eyes noticeably trailing a hot blonde in a red bodycon dress. She was way out of his league - him looking a little pudgy with his hair thinning on top of his head these days, and Finn almost felt bad for the guy, having himself gotten a half a dozen flirty gazes from various women that evening already.

"Do you guys still have that place in Noosa?" Finn asked instead, recalling Archie's family having a property there when they were teenagers. That had been the center of some of the wildest parties they'd thrown during those years, while Archie's dad, who had brought him up on his own, had been abroad. Hell, he'd even had sex in that house for the very first time, and come to think of if there had been a lot of other firsts - first beer, first joint, first breakup, first confrontation with a bull shark - just to name a few.

"For now," Archie sighed. "Dad's moved into the retirement home here, so there's really not much point holding on to it now. So I've been looking at places here actually, not to go driving back and forth all the time," Archie added. He was recently divorced, hence realigning his priorities in life along with it. "I'm handing it over the keys in two weeks. If you want you could come by one of these days - I'm staying there now, unless I'm here at the hotel," Archie explained. Finn knew that that invite involved probably boating, surfing and simply lounging by the pool - none of these things he really didn't have anything against. For Finn, being around Archie had always been quite effortless, appreciating the finer things in life - not really needing to go into extreme depths of the soul to just hang out. He wasn't going to be asking him how his love life was going or what his life goals were - it was just simple and straightforward fun.

"You know, I just might. I've been thinking about heading up there for some waves," Finn added, the two falling into the familiar topics that had brought them together years ago. They both had their own faults and they knew them, and it definitely didn't offer such comradery as Finn had with Logan, Colin and Robert, but it was a little similar, providing a substitute. Finn just needed to let loose, relax - allow himself to be whisked away into a holiday that was steered by someone else besides himself all the time, as all he seemed to want to do was feel sorry for himself.

"Do you guys mind if we share your table, the place is packed," a leggy 30-something brunette asked, who was with a slightly shorter friend of hers, both dressed to the nines, each holding their fresh glass of champagne. By the sound of their accents Finn's fair guess was that they were touristes - Central or Eatern Europe probably, but he had to hand it to them - their courage was half the draw, making them at least more interesting than the average person on that terrace.

"Not at all, darlings," Finn said gallantly, inviting the two to join them. That was what the nightlife scene was about, wasn't it? Meeting new people, interacting - and if it helped his friend to catch a bird, he really didn't mind being of assistance even if essentially he himself was just doing it to kill time.

"I have a favor to ask," Rory began as they'd finished eating Chinese food downstairs in the parlor, the TV showing and episode of Stranger Things while G held the remote to mute or skip over the scarier bits as Finny ate with them, having taken a particular liking to eggrolls. They'd just discussed G's school and Rory was beginning to understand a little better what G's school friendships were like.

"Uh-uh," G replied, half immersed into that particular episode, biting into a spring roll.

"I want to go to a funeral on Saturday," Rory began, doubting her choice of words. Did anyone ever really want to go to a funeral? She felt she should go, she wanted to show her support, and seeing Logan was just an added bonus.

"Oh..," she reacted, realizing the matter was more serious than just something casual.

"Logan's half-brother's mother died. The funeral is in Maine," she sighed, adding, "I could use your help babysitting if you wouldn't mind - it's just Maya on her own that day."

"Wait - Logan has a half-brother?" G exclaimed, focusing on the wrong end of her statement.

"Yeah, his name is Owen. It is definitely something that was brushed under the carpet years ago. He's not hiding it, but he hasn't announced it as such either - so it's sort of on need to know basis," Rory specified.

"Oh..," G said, unsure whether to feel more or less significant for having learned this now - it almost sounded like she was last to know but then again in a way she felt glad to be included in that closer circle of family that knew things like that. Rory really was treating her like an adult, but this was in the best sense of the word, not simply overbearing her with obligations.

"Do you think you can help out?" Rory repeated her initial question. Rory really didn't want to add child minding to her obligations, but she didn't have much choise.

"I was planning on going to Philippa's birthday in the evening, it starts around 8ish, but I guess I could be a little late," G replied, knowing that the kids usually went to bed not much later than 9 anyways.

"No I don't want you to do that, you should go, be with your friends," Rory insisted, knowing how the girl really deserved to spend time with her friends - even if they weren't that close. Rory knew they had been studying all week and it was kind of a celebration of the end of that rough test week, before the holiday week whisked everybody in different directions. Rory was under no impression that this party was going to be some kids party - expecting alcohol to be served and people hooking up - but so far G really had shown she was responsible enough not to get wasted or stay out all night.

"I'll call April or something," she brushed it off like it was no big deal, though she wasn't really sure what she was going to do, having already called April that morning and April was going to have dinner with her girlfriend's parents for the first time. She'd considered calling the agency to send someone to help out but she didn't like the idea of having someone she didn't fully know and trust into their house and near her kids. She'd even considered bringing Finny along, as Maya was fairly capable with the twins alone - but funerals really weren't the right place for two-year-olds. She'd considered not going. She hated to ask Celeste, knowing how much she had going on - but it seemed that was the only thing left to do.

Celeste was cleaning up the downstairs - the Apparatus Bay - dusting the shelves and mopping the floor. The place now had a sign out front, above the black gridded windows that now replaced the garage doors, the metal vintage-look lettering spelling out it's name specifying the store's functionality as 'Books et al'.

Doula had promised to come by after school and help her stack some more books that were still arriving, Jess having made sure on the go that they had everything. She was actually very proud of the selection they had - it was everything she'd ever read and considered good, containing some rarities and new releases from author's Jess knew personally, some with dedications or simply signed. This was definitely more than just any bookstore.

Celeste headed to the back, to go throw the mops she'd been using into the washing machine - god, she'd never even had a house that was all hers to clean before this, and she'd had to google 'cleaning tips' to realize that the washing machine really was her friend when it came to things like that. She wasn't disgusted by any of it, rather feeling embarrassed that she was only now realizing how most of the world's population did things. As she emerged from the laundry room she was jolted out of her thoughts by the sight of Doula, slightly panting, stepping through the kitchen door.

It wasn't even past noon, and she hadn't been expecting her before 2 PM. What was even odder, was that despite the 35 degrees outside, she was wearing her gym shorts.

"Hey, I wasn't expecting you so soon…," Celeste said, only then noticing the slightly panicked look on her face, her legs clearly still trembling from the cold. There were not a lot of things that would drive a 13-year old out into the cold in her gym shorts.

"Sorry, she said apologetically. "I think I got my period," she then said, with surprising upfrontness. "Your place was closest, I hope this is okay," she added, hesitantly, brushing her short blonde hair behind her ear. Technically she could've gone to the nurse, but with half the boys soccer team having gotten into a fight the waiting room at the nurses' station had not been very high on estrogen.

Celeste certainly understood her - sure Luke's was closest, but that really would've not been the place to go in a case like this.

"It's no problem," Celeste said, asking, "what do you usually use?" inviting her along to head upstairs, unsure what she needed from her exactly.

"I don't really...," she replied.

"It's the first time?" Celeste asked, a little surprisedly.

Doula mumbled something affirmative, clearly feeling a little self-concious about the whole thing.

That was something she'd expected Doula to go to her mom with. Sure, they hung out and she had on occasion talked to her a little about relationships - but this was a first for her, for sure.

"I mean my mom has tampons around the house and I tried that once, but it hurt," Doula added, having been a little curious to how they worked.

"Well - I'm sure we'll find something for you that doesn't hurt," she soothed her by rubbing her upper arm supportively across her back. "And I know some people might congratulate you one becoming a woman at this moment, but honestly…," she said and squinted her nose, "I think it's a nuisance. It's messy, bloaty, crampy and your mood might be all over the place," she added. "But don't get me wrong - there's nothing to be ashamed of. Half the population of this planet has them at some point during their lives and I think it's a disgrace that periods are some taboo subject and women actually have to pay for menstrual products - I mean it's not like it's something we choose to have," she explained, as they finally reached the third floor. She was surprised herself that she'd had so much to say on the matter, having never even considered how she was going to introduce the topic to Evie when it was her time.

"Yeah, I've googled a little…," Doula replied, not wanting to seem ignorant on the matter. And of course there had been the mandatory sex-ed with Mrs. Driscoll, who, believe it or not, was still teaching.

"So there are options, for now I think the single-use pads are your easiest bet, but there are nicer options," Celeste said, demonstrating some alternatives she had around the house - reusable colorful patterned pads, the cup and period panties. She was certainly not going to be one to recommend she go back to the conventional products, knowing how many toxins most tampons contained.

Celeste handed her half a pack of single-use pads saying that she could keep those, she herself really only had those for when she travelled, which she hadn't done in a while.

"If you want you can go take a shower, and I'll try to find you some warmer pants," Celeste instructed. Doula was a little shorter and skinnier than her, hence she wasn't sure if she had anything other than leggings that might fit her. "Clean towels are in the cabinet," she called after her as Doula disappeared into the bathroom. Celeste eventually hung a pair of sweatpants, with a string tie, from the bathroom door handle for her to wear.

When Doula emerged, looking visibly relaxed and relieved.

"Feeling better?" Celeste asked, having spent the ten minutes putting away Evie's laundry, across the hall, using her free day efficiently.

"Yeah, thanks," Doula replied.

"And if you want to get something reusable, just tell your mom or me, okay?" Celeste assured.

"I really don't feel like telling my mom," she mumbled.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because she'll make a big deal of this - you know what she's like," Doula rolled her eyes, already imagining the rituals and celebrations she'd put her through. It was sometimes that she felt like she really wasn't their daughter at all - sure, she looked a little like her mom, but if anyone her personality was a lot like Jess' - not the teen version of him, but the essence of him.

"Hmm… well I guess I can understand that," Celeste replied. "But you might need a note from her to explain why you're not at school right now," she added. "And I'm a little worried she might take offence if she finds out you came to me instead of her - moms can be weird like that sometimes," Celeste admitted. She could imagine herself feeling a little hurt if Evie went to someone younger and 'cooler' but she didn't really know how she would react. Besides, she needed a support system and maintaining a relationship where her mom-in-law liked her was high on her list of priorities.

"Maybe I'll just wait until it's over or something," Doula hesitated.

Celeste shrugged. It was not like she was going to tell Liz for her.

"So.. you feel like going back to school or do you want to play hooky with me downstairs. And if you don't feel like it, you don't have to help me," Celeste said, continuing back down the stairs.

They'd almost reached the shop, when Celeste's phone rang.

"Rory, hi!" she answered.

"Hey," Rory sighed.

"What's wrong?" Celeste asked, hearing it from her voice.

"Catherine Ward died," Rory replied.

"Oh wow, how's Logan?" Celeste asked, beginning to stack some books into the shelves. Doula was helping too, clearly just wanting to repay some of her helpfulness.

"He's okay I guess, but the funeral is on Saturday and I think I should go," Rory sighed, explaining herself.

Jess' recent visit clearly in mind Celeste had no trouble understanding the variety of reasons why Rory might want to go.

"And I could use someone to help Maya out that day. I'll be in and out the same day," Rory explained. The flights were rather short, just a little over an hour, and unless there was horrible weather the plan seemed feasible enough.

"I wish I could, but I have this huge anniversary party to handle," Celeste replied apologetically, trying to think of some alternatives. Technically if Rory brought Finny there surely Luke or maybe even Liz and TJ could keep an eye on him - but that just seemed like complicated logistics.

"I guess I'll just not go then," Rory exhaled.

"Wait, what date is it?" Celeste asked, suddenly thinking of a solution.

"23rd," Rory replied.

"Jess has two signings in Brooklyn that day, but they're at 12 and 2, if I remember correctly," she recalled, switching the phone into speaker mode and browsing through Jess' tour calendar. Jess was likely going to be staying with Rory anyways, simply probably having forgotten to let them know he was coming. But it was not like he had to ask for permission, having his own key.

"Can you ask him for me? G can help out until then I guess, but it's the few hours in the evening that would be a huge help," Rory added.

"Sure," she added, feeling relieved that she could at least in some way help.

AN: don't be too hard on Celeste - I hope this chapter resolved some of those emotions. It was interesting reading your reviews as a few chapters ago a lot of you were really symphatizing with her and then suddenly you were almost angry at her. made me think if I had written something with the wrong tonality. but that is fine - just because i might understand her, doesn't mean that she's perfect.

Some of today's scenes were a little bit of a fillers putting people in new locations in the following chapters.