AN: Great news… the computer lives! Yes, she has forgiven me whatever the hell I did to piss her off! Anyway, the following scene with the Kane women is actually a scene from LS that I've put into a flashback…Anyway, enjoy and review!

Stand By Me

Chapter Six

"Get away from my daughter, you sick son-of-a-bitch!"

Zach stared up at Erica from his place just inside the door of Kendall's condo, eyebrows raising as he realized that Kendall's hand, previously attempting to push him out of her place, had stopped its playful movements. What must it look like to Erica? Well , to judge by the volatile little look in those eyes, she must think it was something it wasn't.

He also decided that Kendall and Erica looked almost identical when they were pissed.

Kendall, looking horrified as she spun to the intruders at her back, opened her mouth with a quiet "oh" of terror. Behind Erica, Bianca just stared in horror, the full realization that Kendall and Zach had gone through with their plan already, at least to judge by the massive rock of her small finger.

Bianca took a step forward, threw her hands up in an attempt to soothe Erica, who surged forward and, grabbing Kendall hard enough to make her first-born yelp in surprise, shoved her behind her protectively… before he could take a single step back, she nailed him across the face full force and he was quite surprised at the feel of strength.

He was even surprised at the next slap across his other cheek… she managed to get him three times very nicely before Kendall finally got the chance to tug her away and step protectively in front of her new husband, hissing, "What the hell do you think you are doing to him!"

"Breaking my neck Spunky—now, what was that for, honey-buns?" he asked when she spun and walloped him on the arm with her snazzy little bag that he'd brought her during their elopement. Looking up, he studied his new mother-in-law with narrowed hazel eyes, head cocked slightly. In front of him, Kendall flung her hands up which was kind of funny to see actually.

"Kendall, don't you worry about him… I've given him and that brat daughter of his enough warnings to last a lifetime… you just let me handle him—"

"Mom…"

"Just don't worry about Mr. Cambias!"

"Mom!"

Kendall's yell finally jerked Erica out of her lethal glaring, halting her rage long enough to blink at her daughter twice… Zach noticed Bianca, at her back, gaping like some stranded fish, eyes huge. She looked slightly humorous. In front of him, Kendall was attempting to continue to protect him from the Tiny Torpedo. "Mother… we were having a business… discussion..."

Erica seemed completely baffled by that. "Darling… why?"

"Um… it's… complicated…"

Zach opened his mouth, grinning, and took a step forward, but Kendall smacked him again, snapping, "Back off, Brainiac!" And then Erica's eyes caught the ring on her daughter's finger; she snagged Kendall's hand, tugged her forcefully forward; she would have fallen if Zach hadn't of caught her arms and held her still while Erica's sharp eyes flew over the nest of perfect gold and diamonds.

Kendall floundered with ""Mom… let's go out for dinner, er, lunch… we can, um, talk!" But her attempts were in vain as Erica's gaze latched onto the ring decorating Zach's finger and brittle smile slid over her face. When she spoke, her voice was just as brittle, cracking over syllables. "Honey…why does his cheap ring match this nice one?"

"Uh… mom… let's go…"

"Answer me, Kendall!" The shriek, desperate, was a sound that made Bianca cringe in horror and dart back a step.

"Um…"

Zach, however, was having too much fun, wasn't he because, with a disturbing glint in his eyes and a large grin on his face, stepped forward and wrapped one arm around his wife's perfect shoulders, offering his new mommy-in-law that wicked grin. "Ms. Kane… aren't you going to offer us congrats!"

"No…" Oh, the horror in that little whisper, in Erica's brown eyes and her stance with absolute limpness… Kendall cringed and gasped when he stepped up close to Erica, despite her furious tugs on his jacket. Stopping before Erica, he flung open his arms, grin growing to alarming measure.

He resembled a warped genie… "Mom!"

There proved to be a small population of elderly people open to renters who happened to carry around a black-handled knife and wore a Pentagram necklace proudly… seriously, it was like discrimination. And, frankly, sweet little Amy was getting sick of it. And, frankly, from her seat in the passenger seat of Amy's small blue car, Maggie could tell Amy was getting sick of it.

It was fun to watch Amy slowly get more irritated with each let down. "Seriously, Ames, why don't you just get yourself an apartment?"

"Because…" She smacked the wheel, huffing. "Because, dang it, I don't want an apartment! I want to stay with renters… and, no, I can't explain why, Maggie, so don't start bugging me for an answer."

Maggie just snorted, reaching down to the bag of McDonalds and slipping a hand in; shoving a few still steaming fries into her mouth, munching happily as she listened to the annoyed muttering of the brunette at her side, shaking her head in silent laughter. Sucking in air at the sudden flood of heat, she coughed, taking a swig of her Coke. "Do you have any other names?"

"One or two…" She drummed fingertips along the wheel, blue eyes intent on her list of addresses, biting her bottom lip thoughtfully as she read. "I swear, what kind of person loses it when they learn someone goes to a few festivals monthly! Come on!"

"There, there," Maggie soothed her, patting her on the head with a grin, thoroughly enjoying the sight of an annoyed, disheveled Amy the Aimless. "Seriously, Amy, there are all kinds of people who'd rent for a girl like you! Why not go with someone younger? You might even meet someone!"

"Yeah… like this town is really over-flowing with lesbians… give me some of those fries you piggy… thank you."

"No, there aren't exactly a lot but there a few, I believe. And, besides, you're always on the prowl right? Last I heard, you aren't seeing anyone, right?"

"No… unfortunately…" She shoved the last fry back, placed the list back up on the dashboard and planted both hands on the steering wheel, listening to the munching beside her for long moments… okay, time to take a risk… "So, how close are you and Bianca, anyway? I mean, really good friends?"

"Oh, yeah, really close…" A sudden silence, a stop and she scrunched down in her seat a bit, feeling Maggie's blazing gaze on her… "Amy, please oh please tell me I just confused these vibes I'm getting from you."

"I'm just wondering…"

"Oh, no, ma'am, look at me," Maggie ordered, hand snagging Amy's arm firmly and shaking her to get the taller girl's attention. "Where the Hell would you get some crazy idea like that? Me and Bianca? Um, have you forgotten that I'm the straight girl in this car!" Boy, did she protest too much…

"No…" She yanked herself out of Maggie's way-too strong hold, rubbing the skin with a sigh. "Look, okay, I have good instincts and they're telling me big things okay? I mean… she didn't look all that happy with me suddenly popping up and taking her place."

"'taking her place'? Are you listening to yourself here? You and Bianca are precious to me, but taking her place? Once, yeah… she'd have a reason to be all green-eyed and irritated but now? Look, Bianca and I, sometimes we're complicated but really? We aren't as close as we used to be…"

"Aren't you upset about that?"

"Yeah." She shrugged, shaking her head. "Yeah, I was upset about that and then I realized something. Once, we needed each other, we both needed someone to at our side and to comfort us but we don't… need each other anymore. You know, she has Miranda back and her family and it's fixed and, you know, I have David and now I have Jonathon. He worships me, he gives me everything I could possibly need."

"Uh-huh…"

"Don't look at me like that," she snapped and there was a bit of real anger there, making Amy grimace slightly. She'd always hated when Maggie got mad at her. Nothing felt right and she'd always felt lonely until they'd finally made up. "Besides, Bianca doesn't want me… you know… and I'm straight or, at least mostly straight, for now…"

Amy, however, frowned slightly, a slight confusion passing over her pretty face. "Um… why does that matter, Mags?"

She waved a hand, attempting to quell the brunette's piqued interest but it didn't work and, before she knew what happened, Amy was studying her with a sympathetic glance. "I told you before that it was okay to like boys and girls… I thought we solved this before?"

"We did—"

"Well, apparently, we didn't well enough… remember our long months of soul-searching… long nights talking?"

"You are gay and proud of it and I am proud of you because I love seeing you happy and I love you, but I don't see what this has to do—"

"You are still dodging the question—"

"And, I mean… it doesn't matter anyway, we're both in relationships… well, she was but they broke up and, hello, Jonathon—"

"Do you have the hots for Bianca Montgomery?"

Sure, it wasn't exactly the best way to get through Maggie's thick skull but, in the sudden silence of her car, Amy's firm question finally did the trick. Maggie hesitated, eyes closing off as she stared out the windshield at the traffic in the McDonalds parking lot. "Yes, sometimes, I do have feelings for Bianca but, Amy, some part of this bond we had is gone and all that's left is tons of pervy thoughts. It isn't the kind of thing you can build into a relationship."

"But this thing with Jonathon is?"

They stared at each other in the front seat, brown eyes locked with blue and, thankfully, Maggie felt a hand on hers. It should have strange, shouldn't it, so easily lacing her own fingers around Amy's, even after years? And yet that's what she found herself doing in Amy's car. She missed this, having somebody to hold her hand and make things easier and make life less painful.

And here was Amy, beautiful, sweet, loyal Amy with her big blue eyes and gentle smile. Amy, who would never leave her side or leave her in confusion or play with her heart like Bianca did. Amy, who shared painful memories of breaking glass and locked doors with her and didn't use them to hurt her. Amy, her best friend for so long that it hurt to think of all that time apart.

"This thing with Jonathon isn't better, but it's easier and it doesn't hurt."

A handful of words that, from someone else, wouldn't have meant much but from Maggie of the hidden heart and secret soul? Maggie shouldn't be peering at her with those broken eyes and holding her fingers like her last lifeline… Maggie settling for easier instead of better?

She shifted in her seat, facing her and, with a sigh, she leaned forward, sliding hands around Maggie and it felt the same as it had the day that she left, that day that Maggie had finally broke and run home and packed a bag and fled. She'd been thinner then, smaller and more helpless but the feel was the same and she held Maggie even tighter, feeling hands on her back.

"Don't worry, okay? With me here, you don't have to worry about anything ever again."

"Promise?" she whispered into her hair and Amy nodded, holding her even more tightly.

"Always, Mags… always."

Her back ached and her head throbbed as she eased into her bed, kicking off her shoes as she rolled herself in her covers, eyes already stuck shut in her exhaustion. Still… Kendall was still mad at her and Mom had apparently lost her damn mind, at least to judge from her strange new language.

She was now known as 'Kinks' in her mother's language and, god, even in the Psych-ward, she still managed to be pissed off at her, didn't she? Bianca groaned quietly, wishing everything would stop long enough for her to catch her breath and rest before something else comes up. Dully, she stared at the phone, at where Babe's voice had just recently come through, pleading with her to continue to keep her secret.

Bianca had promised and Bianca always kept her promises, didn't she?

Kendall had married Zach and was now married to Zach… god, that just sounded wrong. Maybe Greenlee could talk some sense into her? That thought made Bianca snort bitterly, she knew full well how things were going on in the oh-so-happy Lavery marriage… oh, yeah, and Ryan's reaction to the happy marriage news?

Everything felt like a frozen pond for her and it was getting so exhausting to try to keep from breaking it. Ryan wanted Kendall and Kendall had run off to Vegas and eloped with Zach and now they were married and Maggie was dating Jonathon and she was running around town with that Cohen woman and she refused to spend any time with her anymore.

And JR was mourning for his son…

She had no idea when this had become her reality. But it had. Everything in her life was suddenly skewered, suddenly shifted painfully by that one single fact that she held inside her head and her heart and what was left of her soul. It was the first thing she thought of when she woke and the last thing she thought of before she slept.

God, what would Kendall think? Despite her loyalty to Bianca, her friendship with JR was powerful, as Bianca had witnessed during their fight, a fight that had started with the need to let JR have the good-bye he needed with his little girl that wasn't his… she'd freaked, panicked and Kendall had planted her feet and refused to give up.

Hence, a battle to rival the Civil War… so, here was Bianca, alone and miserable, wishing Maggie was here to spend time with her and Miranda… wishing Maggie was here to hold her hand and comfort her… wishing Maggie was here to show her what to do… That was how everything was supposed to be now… her and Maggie and Miranda, one happy little family.

"So… you're coming to town? Next week?" Jonathon set his fork down, his appetite for food gone at the sudden turn of events.

"Yeah, me and a… a business associate. We'll be coming in and settling down to do some business. Why do you sound so annoyed at that? I mean, you always say you want me to visit you… you're still up for a brother and sister reunion."

"I'm sure Rye's gonna be excited, I'll call him—"

"No." Her sharp tone made him still, raising eyes from his half-eaten plate to observe the empty apartment. "No, Jonathon… I don't want him to know I'm there."

"Erin—"

Once again, she cut him off, voice chilly and he leaned back, pressing the heel of his hand into his forehead, shaking slightly. "Ryan would love to see you, okay? He's been dying to talk to you, see you, meet you."

"He left us there, Jonathon… with Dad and Mom and their fists and their alcohol… if he tries to come back into my life, dragging me around that town and bragging about how good a brother he was? You'll be bailing me out of jail, Jon, because I'm not letting him put his hands on me like I belong to him."

"He loves us."

"No… he loves us when it's safe to love us, he loves us when it's convenient to love us… that isn't love, Jon."

"He's our brother, Erin."

"He's no brother of mine."

This was how it always ended, how this conversation always ended… "So, what, you're still in Nova Scotia if he asks a week from now?"

"Yeah, yeah, I never left. Promise me you won't tell Ryan."

"I promise… he won't hear it from me, Erin."

"Good… good." His eyes closed and he shivered again, more roughly than before. "I love you… you k now that right, Jon?"

"I know. I love you too…"

"Forever."

"Forever," he agreed quietly.