** Thank you ... thank you... THANK YOU!!! Thanks for the support and ideas! I am working on ideas as they come! I hope you guys keep reading and enjoying!!! Without your awesome reviews I wouldn't be able to carry on!!! ~ Serendipity

CHAPTER FIVE

As they drove off, David kept glancing over at Kendall. He kept thinking that she would start crying, or yelling, something... anything but sit their in silence.

"Oh my god... that felt so good!" Kendall looked over at David and started laughing, "For the first time since he married that woman... I could look at him and not feel my heart bursting or as if my world was about to end... I could walk away... David, you did this... you helped me..."

David started laughing too, "No... Kendall... you did it. It was all you... maybe it is just time for you to let go of Ryan... I didn't do anything special... I just wanted to goad him a little..."

"Whatever... I don't care why you did that... thank you anyway... did you see his face?" Kendall laughed until tears fell from her eyes, she wished she had a picture of that.

Once the laughter died down Kendall turned in the passenger seat, "So what's the plan?"

"Ok... I see we put our "game" faces here... First, we find Kramer and ask him about the night of the crash..."

"Wait, why don't I talk to Kramer. He is less likely to get defensive if I turn on the helpless female routine..."

"Helpless... yeah right... but you do have a point there. Why don't I leave you with Kramer and go off and ask some questions around the hospital see what I can did up... maybe I should play the "helpless" male type and work that angle with the nurses..."

Kendall rolled her eyes and laughed; "Now that's a stretch... you are the least helpless guy I know... hopeless maybe... but..."

The rest of the way to Llanview they joked about different questions to ask the nurses and Kendall imagined interrogating Kramer like they did in jail movies... The three hours seemed more like two to her and she forgot all about Ryan and the heartache he had caused her.

Bianca walked up to the house half-expecting to see two different scenarios. The first being Ryan waiting got her to come back to try and annoy her some more, or two, Kendall having backed out on David and throwing a pity party inside.

But, all that greeted her was the peaceful sounds of birds chirping, the wind blowing, and home. Funny, how you could live somewhere for less than a month, but it felt like home. Going around to the back she went inside and sat down at the kitchen table.

She had the whole day to herself. Normally, she would have jumped at the opportunity, but now when she was alone her mind would start to wander and she would think about that sweet angel that had made her life complete for such a short time...

Shaking her head she got up and walked over to the phone, and stared at it. Who could she call? To be honest she didn't really want to talk to anybody...

Picking up the phone she dialed the first number that came into mind... "Babe? Hi...it's Bianca. No... no everything is fine. I wanted to see how you and Bess were doing. Wow! That's great. A wedding... that is so great. I am really happy for you. Right now? I was about to take a shower... I am not sure... No, I am not avoiding you. I promise. Ok...ok, you win. I'll be over in about an hour. Ok...bye."

Bianca wasn't sure it was a good idea for her to be heading over to see Babe, but she missed her friend. Babe was right, she couldn't avoid them forever. It was just so hard for her to look at Bess...no matter what they said, no matter what she knew... in her heart she still felt that Bess was her daughter...

Tears stung her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall. She couldn't afford to give in because if she did she would be the one throwing the pity party... not Kendall.

Kendall was really nervous about coming face to face with Paul Kramer. She just hoped she could keep the emotions in check long enough to get her questions answered. David gave her hand a supportive squeeze and went off to ask some staff about the guy in question.

Looking over the nurses' station she knew that the nurse had been right. He was standing next to the counter flirting with one of the nurses on duty.

Here goes nothing... Kendall stood up straight and pasted a fake seductive look on her face.

"Excuse... can you tell me where I can find Paul Kramer?" She knew who and where he was, but she directed her question to the nurse behind the counter.

"What do you want with him?" Kramer answered the leggy brunette's question. She looked familiar but he couldn't exactly place her.

Kendall directed a smoldering look at him, "It personal. If you can't help me..." As she turned to walk away she reached into her purse and turned on her mini-recorder. Hopefully, he took the bait.

"Hey... wait. I'm Paul Kramer... and you are?" He liked the looks he was getting from her and just the way she carried herself showed that she had money, maybe he could get something out of this...

Gotcha... "Kendall... Kendall Hart. I was just hoping that you and I could have a chat... a quiet, cozy chat."

"Sure...uh.... Over here ok... not too private, but then I am on duty, you know."

Sitting down Kendall made a show of fixing her skirt and crossing her legs, "I am not sure if you remember me. You did so much for my sister... I just wanted to thank you..."

"Sister...I am sorry. I help a lot of people in my business. And I think I would remember any sisters of yours." Paul couldn't take his eyes of her lips.

"Bianca... Bianca Montgomery. I know that the whole ordeal must have been really hard on you both professionally and... personally."

"Montgomery... are you serious? Or are you just here to bust my chops some more... I already told my story..." Paul wasn't that stupid... there was no way he was going to fall for a pair of legs....

"Wait!" Time to work the tears, "Thanks to you my sister is alive... I don't know what would have happened to her if you hadn't...oh"

With a muffled sob Kendall turned her face away, this was like taking candy from a baby... "Oh... man, it's ok. There's no need for tears... look, I just get so many questions about that night. I mean, a guy could go crazy, first Chandler and his dad, then that brunette friend of your sisters... and Babe's mom... It's getting old...I mean, I would really like to put it behind me." Paul sat back down next to Kendall and took her offered hand.

"I understand... I am trying so hard... trying to put it behind me... but I just need to know... please... can you tell me what happened that night..."

"Well... there's not much to tell... I got the call and went to the cabin. Your sister was unconscious already... but she was stable for the moment. Babe went into labor and I helped her deliver her baby...he... she was ok. So I put them on the helicopter... then there was a malfunction and the helicopter started to go down... Your niece's incubator was thrown... I am really sorry..."

"But, how did it get thrown... I know it wasn't your fault... believe me... things happen... but wasn't it secured?"

"Yeah, it was. By the time I got ready to take off... your sister was fading fast... I had to hurry... maybe if I had slowed down... rechecked the babies..." God, this chick was so dumb! She was totally buying this story...

What a lousy liar... I could do better when I was five, "It's not your fault... it was a horrible accident... I really appreciate you going over this with me... you have been so wonderful! The investigation must have been a nightmare... I mean all the questions..."

"Oh... it was not sweat really. It wasn't that bad. Pretty cut and dry you know... say, I get off in about an hour... you want to go and have a drink?"

"Gosh... I would love to, but I have to get back to Pine Valley. Business you know... but, if I had a phone number maybe I could give you a call or something..." Batting her eyelashes she hoped he would give it and go. She felt dirty now and wanted nothing more than to go and take a shower.

David sat waiting in the downstairs lobby. He jumped up when Kendall got off the elevator. She didn't even hesitate, but jumped into his arms, letting tears fall. Tears for Bianca, for Miranda, and for the future that they never got to have.

"Hey... it's ok. What? Did that creep doing something to you? Say something..."

Kendall shook her head, "No... he just told "his" story. Just get me out of here please!"

After about an hour of driving Kendall opened her purse and rewound the tape.

"Here it is. Just do me a favor and listen to it tonight. I just listen to that creep right now."

"You got it... So we have about two hours until we get home and two or more hours until Bianca sends out the search party for us... how about you and I go to SOS and have a nice dinner and a beer. That will definitely improve your state of mind."

"David, did I thank you for today? Because you have been so wonderful..." Closing her eyes she laid back against the head rest and without even realizing it she slipped her hand into David's. All the tiredness from the day crept up on her and before she knew it she was asleep.

Looking over at her David was amazed at how beautiful she looked. Ryan had definitely lost something special... and for once he felt sorry for the guy. He wondered if he even realized just how special Kendall was.

"Bianca... I am so glad you came over. I wanted you to be able to see Bess, but JR just got her down for a nap. He is so amazing with her. But... in a way this is a good thing! Now you can help me look through all these magazines... I want to find just the perfect dress!"

"I am really so happy for you two! Have you actually set a date?" Bianca hoped the relief that she felt about not seeing the baby didn't show on her face. It was just so hard...

"Well... we are planning on next Saturday. Of course, I am just waiting for something to ruin it... it doesn't seem possible to be so happy... Oh... Bianca I am sorry... here I am going on about being happy... look, tell me what you have been up to... tell me about this cottage I have been hearing about!"

"It's great! Perfect really and I couldn't have asked for a better roommate, I mean I loved living with Maggie, but living with Kendall is kind of making up for all the years we weren't together..."

"Wow... I heard about Ryan and Greenlee... how is Kendall doing?" "Well, at first it was hard. But, she is doing so great! We are actually talking about opening a club together... but don't say anything... it's still a work in progress!"

"A club... wow! That sounds so cool! Don't worry your secret is safe with me... all right get over here! As my maid of honor you will have to pick out a dress too!"

"Maid of Honor? Me? Are you sure?" Bianca was amazed at how sweet Babe truly was.

"That is if you want to... I would really love for you... as my best friend... to be there with me!" Babe wanted Bianca to be happy more than anything and she would do whatever she could to make it happen.

"I would love to!" Bianca gave Babe a hug and both girls laughed and looked through magazines for the next two-hours.

Pleading exhaustion and prior commitments, Bianca said goodbye and rushed out the door. She didn't want to stick around when Bess woke-up.

Jumping in her car she headed for a local real estate office she had seen in the paper. There were several commercial properties that she wanted to get a better look at.