Stand By Me

Chapter Two

"Want a soda?"

The girl on the bottom step turned, looked up with a blink before, sighing, she murmured "no" quietly. The shake of her head made black hair ripple and, hopping down the remaining the two steps, Maggie settled down at Amy's side, putting the other can by her side before cracking hers open. The hiss of air was louder than it should have been in the silent night air, and, beside Maggie, the other girl flinched slightly.

"What's the matter with you?"

A shrug, another ripple of that perfect black hair and Maggie took a sip of her soda, enjoying the harsh taste of way too much caffeine and carbonation.

"I've just been thinking."

"No, you've been moping… I know the look of the Aimless Mope."

Amy smiled slightly, sighing quietly and, moving slightly, she bent her knees up, wrapping her arms around them and resting her chin on her knees. "I should hate that name, shouldn't I?"

"Amy? Naw, it's a well loved name… look at how many times you hear people call Amy in the mall. And, of course, every time you look over and go 'what!' at the top of your lungs."

"I am such a dork, aren't I?"

"Yeah," Maggie grinned, took a swallow and choked the smallest bit, "but you're an extremely lovable dork, so you're good."

"Good to know."

"Here," Maggie instructed, pushing the other soda over a bit; rolling her eyes and stretching out her legs, Amy obeyed the unspoken order, popping the tab with a nail. "so, really, Ames, what's with this sudden drop in the usual Amy Cohen Excited-meter?"

"What about that name, Mags?"

"Frankie came up with the name Mags."

"Now who's being a dork?"

"If you want to be pissy, than I guess a pissy girl would hate the name 'Aimless'… are you pissy?"

"Maybe… hey, what if I decide to be pissy? That's allowed right?"

"But you're not pissy."

"What if I want to be though?"

Maggie finally gave in to her laughter and, of course, it went badly; things that carbonated should not be pushed out of the nose at the velocity of one of Frankie's spitballs… just wasn't meant to be pleasant probably. Coughing, annoyed at the broad grin on her friend's face, she wiped her face, snorting painfully.

"Okay, Cohen, let's be direct."

"okey-dokey."

"Stop that… anyway, I forbid you to be pissy."

"Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa… you forbid me?"

Maggie just grinned, clear brown eyes staring out at the distance, at where hints of fog were gathering in the late night air. "What kind of shit did Owen pull this time, Ames?"

Long seconds of silence, time passing as clouds overhead drifted, shifted the shadows across them; in the background, Maggie heard the faint honk of some car and a screech of tires, but, thankfully, she heard no impact… although she heard a few enraged screams in the distance.

"I came home and I must have doesn't something really stupid today."

"Jesus Christ, did he…?"

"Yep, he locked me out of the house for the night."

"That bastard."

"Yeah, Mags, like you haven't been through the same shit, let's see, how many times a month?"

"Speaking of Gwen… guess who's gone for the week-end?"

"You're kidding me."

"Nope."

"If that's not fate, what is, huh?"

Maggie laughed, drained the last of the can and, with another grin at her friend, folded it half-way; twisting partly, she met Amy's amused gaze, cocking her head. "What, Aimless?"

"You're going to recycle that, right?"

She just laughed and, when Amy got a slightly huffy look, she held up one hand in a peace-making motion. "I solemnly swear that one day this shall be another can! Or, in more simple terms, I shall recycle this danger to the Mother Earth."

"Good." Handing over her own empty can with a cheeky smile, she reached up and brushed hair from her face, chirping, "Don't forget that one, oh protector of Mother Earth."

"And here I thought you were a good dork."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… where's Frankie?"

"Gone… she ran off a couple days ago and I finally got a call this morning."

"How considerate of her," Amy murmured, leaning back and setting elbows on the step behind her. "And how high was she this time?"

"Amy…" Her voice, soft and quiet, made Amy grimace and she reached out, taking the hand beside her; squeezing it once warmly, she smiled apologetically at her friend.

"That's me for you. Got uncle Owen's temper huh? I didn't… I didn't mean it like that."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know."

Amy tugged her closer with the hand she held, and Maggie went along with the movement, scooting over to the adorable dork's side with a laugh. But, despite her best attempts to joke, there was that familiar brittle quality to the sound and Amy squeezed her hand more tightly, letting their fingers lace.

"I'm afraid for her."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know."

More silence between the two, and they shared that warmth that only lucky people ever get to experience, enjoying the few moments of simplicity the two always gave each other. And, then, Maggie perked up, pushing all that pain away like she usually did and Amy wished it was that easy for her. "So, we get an old-fashioned slumber party, huh?"

Amy laughed, and, when Maggie stood, she tugged her up with her, grinning at the groan that came from the taller girl at the kinks in her legs. "Come along, my little guest. Let's go find ourselves some kind of sugar in this shack huh?"

"I brought something actually."

"Ah, going to bribe me, huh?"

"Would I ever have to bribe you?"

"Never." She wrapped an arm around a waist, kissed her playfully on the cheek and laughed again. "Anyway, what kind of sugar did you bring?"

"Sugary things."

"Ah… the best kind."

Deciding to ignore why they were completely alone, the two girls sauntered up the stairs and into Maggie's house, giggling about why white chocolate was so much better than milk and about how dark chocolate kicked both their asses.

Maggie wasn't at the apartment she shared with Jonathon. Bianca banged on the door for a good five minutes before finally realizing that Maggie wasn't just ignoring her. With her hand throbbing slightly, she leaned against the door and tried Maggie's cell again; yet again, just a message.

Standing there, cell gripped in one white-knuckled hand, she stared down at the floor without seeing it. She needed Maggie… she needed to talk to Maggie… Maggie would help her with this, help her decide what to do… she needed Maggie…

She turned away from the door bitterly, trying to leash her growing desperation. Stepping into the elevator, she sorted through her mind, attempting to think of any place that Maggie would be. Okay, fine, how about Jonathon? He always knew where she was and, hey, maybe for once that would pay off.

Fate, however, didn't seem to be with her today for, once again, all she got was a machine; a voice mail, to be more descriptive. Was it "ignore-Bianca" day or something? Kendall was off doing God knows what and refused to even acknowledge Bianca's presence and, of course, her mother's focus was completely latched onto her new show.

Erica Kane was a fine mother but god forbid one of her daughters come between her and her show!

Still, she found herself leaving Jonathon a message, in some pathetic hope that he just might help her find Maggie. Yeah, like he really wanted her and Maggie to even be in the same room together. Bianca saw the way he looked at her when she stood too close to Maggie, when Bianca's hand settled on Maggie's.

Jonathon hated her and, despite his clear ability to hide emotions, that hate shown right through to Bianca from his brown eyes. He looked down on her, that gaze glittering with disgust and, oh yeah, quite a bit of raw jealousy. But, then he'd look at Maggie and, just like that, his gaze would calm, the tempest he felt towards Bianca stilling into perfect love for Maggie.

Bianca did not like Jonathon. And, what was worse, she didn't know if it was her own jealousy that Jonathon got to have the one thing Bianca would kill for or, if, just maybe, he really was dangerous.

The call to Micaela completed, Amy set her phone on the table and, grinning, leaned back in the booth, not even minding the annoying squeaking of her skirt against the vinyl; she stretched arms up over her head, stretching as she waited, and, before she could stop herself, the warmth in the corner she had stolen from Maggie had dragged a yawn from her.

"Am I boring you so much?"

She grinned up at the other girl, chirping, "A girl shouldn't have to wait this long for service."

Maggie just laughed and set down the tray of food, a mingle of everything someone could possibly make with hot dogs, ground beef, massive amounts of cheese and enough chili to choke a donkey. And, boy, for Amy, it smelled good; as soon as she caught the scent her mouth started watering.

"Jeez, I forgot how easy it was to make Amy Cohen drool."

Amy's reply, muffled by the mega-mouthful of chili-cheese fries, reminded her, once again, how nice it was to get the chance to squish herself into a seat beside her. Handing over a pile of napkins, she giggled, "Here, monkey-girl, wipe your mouth. And then I can interrogate you about the last years."

Amy obeyed, being sweet enough to blush a bright red. Clearing her throat, she leaned away long enough to let Maggie chose herself a plate filled with a massive cheeseburger, fries and a Coke. "You must love this place… you always were obsessed with cheese and chili. You must get them half their weekly earnings."

"Come on, talk between bites. I thought you were headed for Texas?"

"I did get to Texas… I just now moved away from it." Calmer after the first few gulps of food, she stabbed a few fries, stripped them off her fork with her teeth and chewed thoughtfully.

"All this time around people who ride those big monsters and go 'yee-haw' all day? Sheesh… masochist anyone?"

Amy grinned cheekily, wriggling fine black brows at Maggie. "Just because you're afraid of horses doesn't mean I am."

"I am not afraid of hoses… I just, um, had a bad experience, okay?"

"Honestly, I loved Texas… plus, met my best boss ever there, too!"

"Yeah, that Michelle chick… you still work for her?"

"Uh, her name is Micaela and, yes, I do still work for her."

"You're a secretary, right?"

Now she was annoyed. Maggie quickly dipped her head to hide her grin from Amy, who let out a huff of annoyance at being called that word she hated so much. "I am not a secretary, Stone. I am an assistant."

She took a bite of her burger, chewed for a few moments before swallowing happily. "Fine, secretary, what are you doing in Pine Valley, anyway?"

"Micaela's decided to put her Foundation in this town. Hence, a big move… although now, hey, I like it here!"

"Glad to know I'm so loved."

"Yeah… so… who's the hunk who gave me directions here? I mean, I get the name and those eyes, but, you know, what does he do? Does he sing or dance or… do something equally mockable?"

Maggie took a sip of her Coke, smoothing her hands down on her jeans, wiping off the condensation from the cup with a slightly amused laugh. "Uh, no, Amy, he is not exactly 'mockable'… what's that snort for, Snorty?"

"It's, just… you just used air quotes."

"Yeah, this town steals all your brain cells. Anyway, he works with his brother, or, well, did. He's currently between jobs, but, you know, he's… he's looking. What, are you interested?"

Amy didn't even rise to the bite, laughing it off with a chirp of, "I don't like boys."

That was Amy for you, fearless and brave and so very, very honest with people. "Yeah… you don't like boys… how could I have forgotten about that?"

She hadn't forgotten about that and Amy knew it; she took another bite of yummy, yummy fries, and then a sip of her Coke and, turning to study Maggie with a suggestive leer, she asked, "So, does he have a sister?"

Bianca was in a rather foul mood when she finally stomped out of her car and towards the restaurant, bag smacking her leg with each angry stride. Where the hell had Maggie gone! What, had she dropped off the edge of the Earth? Stopping in front of the door, she paused to ease her own annoyance, breathing in and out carefully for a few minutes and trying to relax her shoulders and back.

With one last deep breath, she pushed open the door, stepping in lightly and letting the door slide shut behind her. Okay, she'd get a bite here and then head off to continue her great Maggie Search. Stalking over to the counter, she opened her bag… and heard a peel of laughter from behind her.

She knew that laughter, even if it had been ages since she'd actually heard it.

Bianca spun, eyes growing wide, trying to pierce the shadowy corner… just barely, she could see the shape and when it shifted, she caught a flash of dark blonde hair… Maggie!

Ignoring the huff from the waitress behind her, she took off, thoroughly intending to tell Maggie to never ever do that vanishing thing ever again, right after she talked about what she had to do.

Two steps away from the table, she finally caught the other shape. Female, slim, bright smile… and she was laughing… she was laughing… with Maggie… her Maggie… why was somebody sitting like that with her Maggie… that wasn't Jonathon…

There are times when a person, no matter how amazingly civilized, will revert back to their natural primitive instincts. This is what happened right now. Very softly, low in her throat, she made a noise that sounded disturbingly like a growl. She had to sit around and watch Jonathon paw on Maggie like one of those dogs that run around after you, humping your legs… but this!

She spun back, deciding to go home… she didn't want to see this… what, was Jonboy going to pop up now? Would she be forced to watch a freaking threesome! She managed one step, two steps, then three before an excited yell of "B!' met her ears. She turned back, face expressionless and went, very softly, "hmm?"

"Come here! Meet my best friend Amy!"

AN:I want reviews people! Anybody who read sthis fic... it just takes a second, okay! Review! Simply "yay" you like it or "nay" you don't like it! Thank you!