Title: A Little Respect

Author: Misty Flores

Teaser: Pursuing a relationship with Aiden after discovering Bianca in bed with Babe, Maggie begins to question even her own self worth when she finds herself delving deeper into a baby kidnapping mystery, and an intense love triangle.

PART TWENTY-FIVE

Whoever made the claim that words could ease the pain
Never watched you fall apart, never put you back together
When you were broken down, into a million pieces
Scattered on the ground

Is there somethin' I can do other than being here for you

To ease the pain
If I can keep you from fallin', fallin' down'
I'm sorry to sound selfish but I feel so helpless
Is it okay if I stay here with you and cry for awhile

-- Five Star Mary Is There Something I can Do

Asleep on the bed, Maggie looked so very small.

Maggie hated to be referred to as tiny - Aiden had begun to joke with her about it, a passive way to make her eyes light up with the ridiculously perfect spunk, as her small fist would bury into his gut with more force than he would expect, every time, knocking the breath out of him, even if it was a playful punch.

Once, he let it show on his face, just how he was affected by Maggie's little retaliation, and Maggie's tiny hands were suddenly against his stomach, half laughing and almost genuinely sorry, promising to make it up to him.

He wasn't sure why that scene came to him, as he shuffled on the really uncomfortable hospital chair, rolling sore muscles, and listening to the bones of his spine, cemented in their awkward position, creak back into place. Still, the memory stayed fresh in his mind, as Maggie's eyelids fluttered, and she breathed in deeply, sunken low on the huge VIP hospital bed, provided on Erica Kane's dime.

Aiden had tried to drink the supremely bad coffee that had been handed to him, but had given up early, when the scalding hot liquid burned his fingers once too often thanks to his tremendous shaking. The tension in his body had yet to leave him, and he found himself struggling even for breath, as the image in his head was replaced with yet another, Maggie, on the floor, entangled with Bianca, both girls bleeding and broken-

He swallowed hard, controlling himself against the sudden fear - the realization of what Maggie had endured. She went off a balcony - she could have died to save her friend.

He wasn't sure what was more worthy of fixation - the fact that he could have lost Maggie forever or the realization that it would have again, been for Bianca.

Aiden wasn't a selfish man, he understood the bond between friends, and he would give his life for any of his mates, just as he knew they would for him - in his late business death was a part of his every day ritual, but here, in Pine Valley, with Maggie, the prospect had never been more frightening.

Tears stung in his eyes, and it burned to hold them back, as he reached for her one good hand, the one not buried in gauze, and carefully pressed it to his cheek, feeling the warm skin, feeling the pulse pound at her wrist.

"I love you," he whispered gently, and knew, as he reached forward to tenderly brush one unruly bang off the face of his beautiful loyal warrior, he meant it, more than he had ever meant it before.

Almost as if in response, Maggie mumbled something intelligible and shifted on the bed, cast foot a lead weight, nearly rolling onto her dislocated shoulder.

He jumped forward, tried to hold her, but already the pain erupted in a gasp and Maggie's eyes shot open, groan ripped from her throat.

"Maggie," he began, already moving onto the bed, sinking down beside her, carefully wrapping a broad palm around her waist, keeping her from causing further damage to her bruised body. "Shhh... it's okay."

Coming out of her heavily medicated fog, Maggie looked frightened, and in a burst of instinct, Aiden swallowed and managed another smile, palming the side of her face with a large hand, tenderly stroking. "You're okay, Maggie."

"Aiden..." she whispered, a barely there word, as she finally began to focus, suck in a haggard breath, and close her eyes again, "God..."

"It's okay, Maggie - you're okay."

"Oh, God." She shifted in his arms, free leg bumping up against the cast that shrouded her ankle, free hand fumbling for the gauze on her shoulder, gasping erratically. "Aiden-"

"It's okay," he said again. "Maggie, the fall dislocated your shoulder, and you landed on your ankle. You broke it - it's a small fracture but enough. You've also bruised a rib." He sucked in another shudder, managing a hard swallow and a smile. "But you're going to be fine. You hear me? You'll be fine. You're such a brave, amazing girl."

Maggie's fingers had found his, tangled tight, as her tone was dry, raspy. Carefully, Aiden reached forward and found the half melted cup of ice chips he had replenished, just in case.

"Here." Cupping her chin, Aiden carefully let her drink, bring some moisture back into her parched mouth.

Sighing, Maggie shuddered, falling back into her pillows, once again grabbing hold of his hand. "Thank you," she managed.

"You're okay, Maggie," he said again, "You're going to be all right."

She closed her eyes, obviously trying to breathe herself back into focus, chest rising and falling as she inhaled. Finally, she opened them, palmed his hands and drew them into her lap. "Aiden, what about Bianca?"

Aiden stared at her, the obvious worry in the dark brown eyes, the innate panic as thoughts invariably led to her best friend.

Maggie wouldn't be okay until she knew Bianca was okay.

"She's going to be fine," he said, and when Maggie continued to gaze into his eyes, he managed another tight smile, and suddenly reached forward, carefully as he slid arms and hands under the small body, to cradle her into his chest. Pressing a kiss against her temple, he whispered, "Let's go, beautiful."

--

Kendall Hart had Miranda Montgomery cradled against her, one firm palm holding the baby girl's head pressed against her collarbone, keeping her from the man who believed himself to be her father.

Clipping his phone closed, J.R. stared at her with the murderous rage he had previously reserved for Babe - his voice hard and malicious.

"I just got off the phone with my father," he clipped angrily. "He'll be here in a couple hours. We can do this nicely, Kendall, or you can go to jail."

All sympathy for J.R. and his predicament had pushed out of her heart the minute her sister slid off that second floor.

Kendall cut a sharp laugh, jerking her head in a sharp 'no'. "There's no way in hell you're touching this little girl," she snapped. "She's not your daughter, J.R. - you're going to have to accept that. We have proof."

"What an illegal test? A piece of paper that's shredded and gone?" J.R. sneered, nearly spitting out the words. "It means nothing, Kendall, do you hear me? Nothing. Only that a lot of people are going to jail, starting with you and ending with that nurse-"

"Oh?" Kendall was careful to keep her voice even, using J.R.'s love for the little girl to inch closer, knowing J.R. would never just trying to take the baby girl, too afraid of dropping her in the struggle. It was a sadistic card to play, but necessary. "How can we all go to jail for a DNA test that you say isn't true?"

"Conspiracy," he clipped, bobbing his head, pointing a finger. "All of you - trying to bring me down with this sick game-"

"God, J.R." Taken by surprise by the foreign intrusion into their conversation, Kendall turned, discovered Maggie, being let down gently by Aiden, one arm around Maggie's waist, the other carrying her single crutch. "You don't change, do you?"

Confronted with one of the consequences of his actions, J.R. visibly swallowed. "Don't."

"The only conspiracy that happened," Maggie snapped, "Was your ex-wife's. My skanky cousin. Instead of being here, making empty threats, you should be out there, looking for your son."

"Shut up," he interrupted, holding up a trembling finger. "I didn't have a son, I had a daughter. And you and your fucking lies-"

When Aiden moved, he surprised them all. Aiden was fast, very fast, and before Kendall could finish her surprised inhalation, the gasp that startled Miranda, he had J.R. by the collar, pinning the younger man to the wall, face furious, contorted with barely control rage.

"Must I remind you?" Aiden whispered, every word heated with anger. "To be a gentlemen in front of these ladies?" J.R. struggled, hands latched to the fists on his collar, but Aiden didn't give. "We can help you, J.R. - we can help you find your son - but everytime you call these women liars, you insult them. You're insulting women I respect and care about, and I don't take kindly to that." J.R. jerked in his grasp, and Aiden only held on tighter, slamming him hard against the wall, knocking his head against the hard plaster. "No one's forgotten that it was your push that sent both Maggie and Bianca over that railing - it was your push that nearly killed them both." Aiden leaned forward, until their faces were inches from each other. "You give me a reason to snap you like a twig."

"Aiden, that won't be necessary."

It was her mother's voice that interjected quietly into the confrontation, as all eyes turned to Erica Kane. Her mother wore a tight smile, careful to shut Bianca's hospital room door firmly behind her, before stepping forward.

"I'm sure we can all discuss this like human beings without resorting to violence," she said easily, hands clasped together, like she was addressing members of the press. "Aiden, please let J.R. down."

Miranda blew a small bubble of drool against her neck, before she rearranged herself, little feet digging into Kendall's rib cage.

"Maggie," Erica's manicured palm slid over Maggie's cheek gently. "Thank you, again, for saving my daughter's life."

True to form, Maggie only managed a small nod before she asked, "How is she, Erica?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Erica motioned for the door, and turned to Kendall, opening her arms, ready to take the baby. "Here, Kendall," she commanded, smiling affectionately at the baby, who eyed her with large eyes, and a fist stuck in her mouth. "Let me have this darling."

Her mother had once again taken control, and Kendall was glad for it. Erica Kane was a diva, and with good reason. She trusted her mother implicitly, and just the thought made her smile tensely, as she let Bianca's baby girl drift into her grandmother's arms, tiny Erica Kane shifting the weight of the baby on her hip. "Aiden, would you please stay here with me?" Erica asked, and then nodded to Kendall, "Perhaps you can help Maggie inside?"

"Of course."

Already coming forward, Kendall smiled at the hobbling Maggie, Aiden moving away, one hand out to steady Maggie, until Kendall came to her side, taking his place. "Come on, Shorty."

"I can make it," Maggie mumbled, obviously not one to be patronized.

"Right. Then humor me, okay?" Kendall drawled, careful with Maggie's good arm, twisting the knob to the VIP room and leading her in.

Her mother was asking to be left alone, to 'handle' things.

Kendall knew she would.

--

Bianca looked completely pale, sitting on that white bed, nearly overtaken by the white starkness of the sheets, the beeping machines, and the tubes sliding up her nostrils and inserted into her arms.

"Oh, God-"

"No-" The moment she began to shake, Kendall's arm wrapped around her, holding her steady, breath in her ear, "It looks worse than it is, I promise."

Maggie kept her palm on her mouth, eyes suddenly burning at the vision before her. "Is... is she-"

"She's going to fine." Hands smoothed down her shoulder, carefully massaging. "She's okay, Maggie. She had a concussion - so she's been out for a few hours, but she's gonna wake up. She's on some pretty hard medication."

Bianca's eyes were closed, she was breathing, and Maggie thanked God for small favors, as she grimaced at the pain in her side, hobbling closer, led by Kendall's strong hand steadying her.

"It's not as serious as it could have been," Kendall said above her, palm pressing into her un-bruised side. "If she had gone straight over, the way she hit her head... she could have landed in a coma. The doctors think that you catching her, it broke her momentum."

Bianca was going to be all right. Maggie's shoulder sagged, and she found herself laughing, half from relief, half from a real, desperate need to just get it out, all the emotion that welled up inside of her at the sight of her best friend on that bed.

"God..." she breathed, chuckling harshly, "Yeah, well, it damn near broke my shoulder..."

She teetered, not quite used to the huge walking cast that had been plastered on her foot. "Allright, Hero," Kendall said, already producing a chair, patting it. "Let's go," she motioned. "Before you trip on that thing, break your head open too and Aiden and Bianca both kill me."

Maggie arched an annoyed brow, but in pain and still foggy from her drugs, she obeyed, settling into the chair with a sincere grimace, sucking in her breath through her teeth.

"You look like a refuge from an abused women's shelter."

"Thanks," Maggie drawled. "Can't I just say I ran into a locker at my local gym or something?"

Kendall 'pfft'ed' her, and Maggie sighed, falling into silence as she looked at Bianca, her best friend sleeping, her forehead permanently wrinkled, as if she was lost in thought.

"She should wake up soon," Kendall said, voice strangely uneven, like she was almost trying to reassure herself, along with Maggie. "You know..." Kendall waited a beat, and then pulled a chair for herself, settling into it beside her. "You saved her life, Maggie." Maggie blinked, caught when Kendall's voice suddenly grew rough. There were tears in the porcelain face, colored eyes jeweled and moist. Kendall smiled crookedly, "Thank you."

The emotion was sincere, and caught now, completely in Kendall's good graces, Maggie found herself unable to speak. There was no joke she could crack, no self depreciating insult, nothing to cut the tension and emotion that lay itself bare in this room.

She managed a nod, before she wiped the lone tear that escaped from her face. "You know, Bianca saved my life first."

Kendall was quiet, and then a moment later, affirmed, "Yeah. Mine too."

They both stared at the sleeping beauty, silent among the beeps and whispers of machinery.

--

There was no time for pleasantries or cuckolding.

Erica had vowed to her little girl, holding her hand in that room, that her daughter would be in her arms when she woke up.

She fully intended to keep that promise.

No one would cause her any of this pain, ever again. Not even a misguided father.

Shaking off Aiden angrily, J.R. nonetheless kept silent, hooded eyes watching Erica with fear that he tried to disguise with defiance.

"Now, J.R." Erica began with a soft smile. "I've always liked you - so we can handle this like mature people, or you'll force me to get mean." J.R.'s jaw squared in retaliation. "There's no reason for all of us to lie." Straightening, she tossed her hair over her shoulder, voice hardening. "I'll help you catch that lying tramp and everyone involved. Believe me, they will pay. We will find that baby boy of yours, and we will make sure no one takes him from you again." J.R. inhaled audibly. "But-" Her smile grew deadly, her eyes became cold, "If you try to steal this little girl, my baby's daughter from Bianca? You will suffer, like no one has suffered before."

It was a valid threat, and J.R., poor child, was completely out of his element. He had no response.

"We can do a legal test right here," she said, waving an elegant hand to the hospital around them. "I called Jackson, he's arranged for a local judge to come-"

"A judge you bought?" he spit suddenly.

She took the insult with a small sucking of her breath. "No, J.R," she said patiently. "I'm not your father, or you."

He swallowed hard, glancing from her to Aiden's passive, threatening face. "And what happens if I don't agree?" he asked huskily, a last moment of defiance.

She found herself laughing, a frightening sound to a scared little boy. Catching Aiden's eye, she smiled. "I don't think it will convincing on any of our parts, especially Maggie's, to redefine that push off the balcony." She sighed. "J.R., would you like to spend the night in jail?"

They had him, this poor scared boy, who had his heart bruised and broken, and now, watching him, Erica felt a small minute moment of sympathy.

Carefully, she brushed a kiss against Miranda's head, and then placed him in her faux daddy's arms, watching as he immediately curled her into him, eyes closing.

"Shall we begin?"

--

Whenever Erica Kane entered a room, she did it fast and furiously, taking it over with her blinding presence.

She opened the door with a furious swing, catching Maggie's attention, as both she and Kendall turned to her entrance.

"Kendall?" Erica said, stepping forward, taking Bianca's hand and squeezing it gently. "I need you to come with me."

Maggie blinked, unsure what was happening, as J.R. stepped into the room, holding Miranda against him, wearing an insecure, odd expression. Behind him was Aiden. Locking eyes with her boyfriend, Maggie arched a confused eyebrow.

"What's going on?" Kendall asked, already rising out of her chair.

"We're going to get this little girl a DNA test," Erica said, pressing a kiss lightly to Bianca's still hand, placing her daughter's palm gently back down on the bed. "J.R. has agreed to help us prove the truth."

Maggie sucked in her breath, glancing from Aiden to J.R. Their former friend only stood in the corner, holding Miranda to him like a little boy with his teddy bear.

J.R. was afraid.

Aiden's hand slipped into hers, tangled for support, and Maggie breathed out, looking up at him. "Are you going too?" she whispered, when he bent down, kneeling beside her chair.

"I have to," he told her simply. "I've got to make sure he doesn't pull anything, try to run."

"Can I go too?"

"No." Aiden smiled, leaning forward to brush his lips along her cheek. "Stay here."

"That's right, Maggie." Erica was already at the door, Kendall beside her. "One of us needs to stay here, in case Bianca wakes up, to reassure her."

It was obvious why Maggie was chosen for the duty, being the invalid cripple of the group. Still, she found herself relieved, not wanting to admit that she wasn't ready to leave Bianca, not quite yet.

Glancing at Aiden, she saw only a smile of support, before he bent down and brushed another kiss across her lips.

"Thanks," she whispered, kissing him again, running affectionate fingers through his nape and letting him go.

She watched as they left the room, all of them, as the door closed and she was left behind in a beeping room, with her best friend.

Letting out a ragged breath, Maggie turned back to the still figure on the bed.

Bianca lay still, eyelids fluttering, beautiful even in her sickness.

An unintended swallow managed to force the lump in her throat down an inch, nearly choking her, and Maggie sucked in her sob, reaching forward for Bianca's face, carefully clasping the fingers in her own, turning the palm over, and tangling their digits.

The feel of Bianca's skin against her caused a sudden flare of pain in her heart, and she lost control, tears suddenly spilling over as she brought the palm to her mouth, breathed her in.

"It's almost over," she whispered, mumbling against the skin, moving until Bianca's palm pressed against her cheek, eyes closed. "It's almost over, Binks." Another kiss, another hard swallow, and Maggie, overwhelmed, couldn't resist quietly telling her friend, "I love you." Eyes opening, she fought the tears.

"I love you so much."

--

He had left Maggie where she most wanted to be, beside her suffering friend.

Aiden was quiet, finger to the corner of his mouth, large form splayed in the plastic chair, eyes locked onto J.R., as the man held onto the little baby, playing with her fingers, whispering in her ear.

Aiden's day had been full of epiphanies and realizations. Blindfolds had been ripped away, and he stood there, naked and bare aware of the depth of his feeling for Maggie, and never more certain that he couldn't possibly have made her as happy as just one minute with Bianca could have.

Could he let her go? After all this? Could he take precious, beautiful, tantalizing Maggie, a woman he could see himself heading to the altar with, having handsome, quick witted children with, and steer her toward Bianca - to give them their happy ending, complete with baby?

He closed his eyes, battling for a brief moment, as he thought back to leaving Maggie with Bianca now.

He already did. Even if Maggie didn't realize her feelings for Bianca hadn't changed, they were something she had to face, deal with, if they were to ever move past them.

If they weren't... then Maggie deserved to explore that.

His bruised heart had taken so much, and he wasn't expecting the phone call, even as it buzzed and chimed, tuned to some ridiculous country song that Maggie had picked out, expressly to annoy him.

Kendall and Erica both shot him odd looks, but he only managed a sheepish half smile, before he flipped open the call, ending the ring, and answering with a quiet hello.

"Aiden."

The tone, choked and hurting and full of sorrow, struck him deep in his heart, and his eyes shot open and his form straightened, suddenly at attention.

"Anna."

--

Awareness came to her like a lead blanket, draped over her body, making it nearly impossible to move.

Something heavy, like a thick fog, settled over her eyes, and Bianca managed a groan, a brief moment of panic overtaking her as she struggled, still falling, worried she had yet to hit the floor, in some dark abyss.

"Bianca-"

The word came from a familiar person, and it stilled her, as Bianca jerked toward the sound, and winced suddenly, the headache slamming into her skull.

"Maggie-"

Pressure over her fingers created a soft tingle, and Bianca felt like she was fighting thought sludge, fumbling for the fingers, trying to hold on tight.

"It's okay, Bianca-"

"I can't move-"

"You're moving," she heard, coming into her ears through a foghorn. "You've got your eyes squeezed shut - it's okay, honey, you're under a lot of drugs..."

Her eyes felt so heavy, but she managed to win the small victory, eyes fluttering open only to shut again when blinding light spiked into her brain, shutting down her senses.

"Okay, hold on-"

The pressure of hands left her. Bianca breathed in, breathed out, and still, the fog was so heavy. She was almost drifting.

"Try it again-" she heard, and she struggled to obey, heavy and dizzy, until she was able to make out a noticeably darker room, that swayed, fuzzy in her vision.

"Hey..." Turning her head slowly, Bianca felt her heart suddenly thud against her, taking in a vision of Maggie, smiling down at her.

In her dizziness, she could perceive a glow around the woman she loved, and it warmed her, made her struggle against the darkness clouding around her. Until a thought lodged in her brain, and she sucked in another harsh breath, eyes closing. "Miranda-"

"It's okay." Soft fingers trailed against her face, smoothing up and down against her cheek, her jaw. "Miranda's okay, honey. Everything's going to be fine."

The muddiness was thickening around her, and still, Bianca felt like she could float above it.

It was so odd...

Her tongue felt too big, thick, and still, she was able to detect beautiful Maggie, beside her, and somehow it calmed her.

"Maggie," she breathed again, whispering roughly, "Maggie, I love you so much."

"Bianca-"

"No, I do..." she rasped the words, struggling against her slow senses to get it out. "I'm so sorry for everything - I'll never leave you-"

"Bianca, hush, okay? It doesn't matter."

Fingers caressed her face, and Bianca breathed out unsteadily, curling into the hand, desperate for the feel of that embrace, above the odd sludginess of everything else.

"Tell me you love me," she breathed, begging now. "Tell me you love me, Maggie."

She couldn't say how long she waited - she couldn't make sense of time at all, in this state, but when she finally heard it, a whispered, "I love you," she deflated, dizzy with relief.

There was a shift of weight, like she was bobbing like a buoy on the sea, and suddenly, she was cradled in a warm embrace, the warm scent of Maggie filling her nostrils, enveloping her.

"Go back to sleep, Binks," came the whisper of breath against her ear. "You need your rest."

She inched her eyes opened, fighting the sleepy euphoria for another look at Maggie's face, tracing Maggie's lips as well as she could, fumbling clumsily. "Can I kiss you, Maggie?"

She felt her heart pounding, so loudly, intensely aware of it, and it only got louder, when Maggie's lips brushed against hers. Fighting her moan, Bianca swam in her desire, tilting her head back to take in Maggie's kiss, a tender brush of lips on lips, intimate and beautiful.

When Maggie's mouth broke away from hers, Bianca still felt her breath against her own, and heady with feeling and something else, she couldn't help but wonder, looking up, suddenly in heaven. "Is this a dream, Maggie?"

A moment, and she heard, "It feels like it, doesn't it?" Another kiss, and Bianca sighed, as Maggie pressed her mouth against hers yet again, and then mumbled against her lips, "Go to sleep, Bianca. When you wake up, you'll have everything you deserve."

Bianca believed her.

She drifted off again, the haunting image of Maggie's face swimming in her mentality.

--

Shaken awake by a small, gentle jolt, Maggie blinked open, making out a masculine form in the dimmed lights of Bianca's hospital room.

"Hey..." Wiping at her exhaustion, she tried to focus on his face, shifting up in her chair, grimacing at the pain that came with it. "How'd it go?"

Aiden's face was different. Weird.

Maggie's sleep fell away from her immediately, as her sleepy tone faded and she immediately asked, "What? What happened?"

Aiden looked so affected, and Maggie licked her lips, swollen from their midnight activities, a sudden sink in her stomach making her sure that he had laid witness to her vigil to a foggy Bianca.

Except it couldn't have been that - his face was...

"Aiden? Baby? What is it?"

Aiden knelt against her, hands curling into hers, and when Maggie discovered his hands cold and clammy, she suddenly feared the worst.

"Anna-" she whispered, and his eyes sparkled with emotion, mouth trembling.

"They found another tumor." Biting his lip, Aiden struggled with his words, tears tainting his tone. "I have to go, Maggie. I have to go to New York."

Maggie's heart thudded, but immediately, she nodded, refusing to look at Bianca as she whispered, "Okay," squeezing, and already trying to get herself up.

"Maggie-"

"Let me just get my stuff- I still have stuff, right?"

Aiden kept her still, heavy hand on her good shoulder keeping her from rising. "Maggie, you don't have to come with me." Confused, Maggie only stared, as Aiden shifted his glance, towards the sleeping Bianca. Maggie's throat grew dry, as she followed his stare. "When the tests come in - I think you should be here. You should be here with Bianca."

Maggie blinked, unsure, for some reason, truly scared. "Are... are you going to leave me here?"

"I can buy a ticket," he said. "The company jet will be here for you. For all of you." He smiled painfully. "Maggie, I want you to be happy. I know this is what you want - you want to be here-"

His words were so filtered with pain, and Maggie found herself suddenly fighting back her sobs, reaching for his face, keeping him from moving, eyes closing to tilt her forehead against his.

"No," she whispered, "No, Aiden."

"Maggie, I love you."

"I love you," she managed, sucking in her breath, "I want to go with you. I want to go with you to Anna. I want to be here for you, just like you were for me. And tonight, all I want to want to do, is lie in your arms, and listen to your heartbeat." Aiden was crying. The tears were falling down the face of this beautiful man, and Maggie smiled painfully, palming his face. "I want to go with you. You're my home. You're my family." She was having trouble breathing through her emotion, and she swallowed, resisting the urge to look at Bianca. "She's gonna get her baby back, and you did that, Aiden. You did that for her. Bianca's got her happy ending. We deserve ours."

He closed his fingers over hers, this beautiful, strong man trembling, crying from his own fear, his own emotion.

"I just want you to be happy, Maggie."

She swallowed, looked into his face. "You can make me happy," she whispered against his face, rubbing her cheek against his stubble.

And it was true. Aiden made her safe. He made her happy.

She had promised herself to carry this through, and in this room, unable to let go of her beautiful Aiden, who only wanted her to be happy, Maggie was suddenly sure she could.

The lump in her throat was so painful, but she didn't look at Bianca. She couldn't and do this. Her focus was Aiden, it would be Aiden for the rest of her life.

"Let's go home."

--

"Bianca. Wake up, darling. Wake up and see Miranda."

She was lured almost against her will, words echoing in her consciousness, until a soft, shifting weight against her stomach, and the name of her blessed child spiked into her brain.

She blinked, fighting against the heavy medication, coming, literally, to her senses.

Hands felt fabric rustles against them, the smell of the baby powder scent of her daughter. The sound of gurgling, her mother, and crying.

And suddenly, she was there, holding her baby girl, overtaken in wonder as she slipped from sleep, to discover her treasure in her arms.

"Miranda..." she breathed, and her mother laughed, pressing a kiss against her temple.

Bianca was lost to anything but the smell and sight of her daughter, the feel of the baby pressed against her, the complete joy as the deadened withered hope inside of her exploded into such happiness she could barely stand it.

"Oh, my baby..."

She was sobbing, clutching onto her mother, onto Kendall, her family around her, the great Kane women reduced to a mess of tears, because of one, tiny life.

Go to sleep, Bianca. When you wake up, you'll have everything you deserve.

She held her squirming child to her, unable to let her go, but her eyes were already searching the room, past Erica, past Kendall, and she blinked, confused, heart suddenly in her throat.

"Is Maggie here?" she breathed, fighting the fog of the night before.

Kendall licked her lips, eyes shining, as her mouth turned down, and she reached forward, smoothing fingernails against her scalp.

"No, I'm sorry, honey. Maggie had to go. She had a family emergency."

The confusion was overwhelming. "What?"

"Anna Devane-" Erica bit her lip, voice even. "Honey, she had cancer - they thought she had beaten it, but... it might be back. Maggie went with Aiden to New York."

To New York. Anna... cancer...

Maggie, holding her. Maggie... kissing her. Maggie... telling her she loved her...

Fighting the dying hope, Bianca shook her head- it wasn't a dream... was it?

"When did they leave?" she asked, glancing from her mother to her sister.

"Last night." Kendall sucked in her breath, and smiled bravely. "She told me to say goodbye to you for her."

Miranda gurgled in her lap, and suddenly sad, a dizzy, conflicted Bianca clutched her daughter tighter, determined not to let her go.

end chapter