A/N: I have to say that you all are simply great. Your kind words and thoughts really mean a great deal to me. I appreciate them more than you know. I know I'm not alone in that. Thank you.
Now, this chapter picks up where the last one left off. It's New Year's Eve (the timing with real life is purely coincidental). As Aya would say, Dipshit is back. I've been putting it off for as long as I could, but I had to bring him back to town eventually. We'll deal with him now so the story can move forward. Don't worry about our girls though because I'm not going to go down the path that the show did and have him go completely off the rails. I absolutely refuse to go down that dark and twisted path in this particular story. Given his past though, he's not going get a pass, and taking on Bianca is not going to be a very smart move on his side (that's for another chapter though).
I hope the new year brings you all happiness, health and only good things. Happy New Year!
/
Bianca pulled into the parking lot of the Yacht Club finding the spot that had been reserved for her by the management there as part of Marissa's shrewd negotiations a few months earlier and parked. It had been a quiet drive over from the redhead's house. Bianca had glanced over at her girlfriend from time to time on the way and saw that Marissa was going over the list of activities she was helping out with for tonight and making notes. Marissa's ability to focus had always managed to impress her. Basically, she went into lawyer mode as the brunette called it and blocked everything out. She hadn't even realized they had stopped. Bianca smiled as she watched her. Ever since admitting how she felt about her to Marissa, Bianca couldn't stop herself from watching her and memorizing every smile, every raised eyebrow, every expression that appeared on that beautiful face. Bianca had to admit that this was among her favorites. When she went into lawyer mode, the brunette loved the way Marissa's brow furrowed in concentration and how she bit her lip. Bianca shook her head and sighed happily.
"Marissa, we're here."
The redhead looked up, surprised they had already arrived. "Seriously? We're here already?" She glanced over at Bianca and saw the amused look on her face. She made a face. "I did it again, didn't I?"
"Did what?"
"Blocked everything out when the lawyer side of me kicked in. I'm really sorry. I just wanted to make sure I know everything I'm responsible for before we get inside. I know how much the center means to you, how much this event means to you tonight, and I want to do everything I can to make sure it goes off without a hitch."
Bianca smiled and shook her head. "You don't have to apologize. I know what you were doing, and I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. It means so much to me that you've put all of this time into it. Tonight wouldn't even be possible without you. I mean it was your idea, and your kick ass lawyer skills that got us this place at no cost. Besides, I know how to get your attention anytime I want."
"You do, huh?"
"Yep! It's actually pretty easy!"
"How is that exactly?"
Bianca unfastened her seatbelt and quickly unfastened Marissa's as she closed the gap between them capturing her lips. A soft moan escaped from Marissa as she wrapped her arms around Bianca pulling her closer.
After several minutes, the brunette slowly pulled away and smiled brightly, her happiness reflecting in her eyes. "See, I told you it's easy! I can get your undivided attention any time I want!"
Marissa gazed into Bianca's eyes. The redhead loved the way they lit up whenever she looked at her. "I have to say that you really know how to prove a point. I can't seem to find any flaws with your methods. Feel free to get my attention like that any time you want. In fact, feel free to do that any time you want."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
"You know, I never realized just how fast those hands of yours are. You had these seatbelts off in no time flat."
Bianca laughed. "I was motivated. Imagine what I can do when I'm really motivated." She leaned back in closer again and placed a lingering kiss on the redhead's smiling lips.
The redhead cleared her throat. "Maybe you'll be really motivated later tonight."
"If you're lucky, I think I just might be." Bianca added with a twinkle in her eyes. "Are you ready to go inside and get to work?"
Marissa sighed. "I suppose we need to get started. We've played hooky long enough."
As they got out of the car, Bianca asked, "Do you have your list?"
"My list? Damn, I forgot all about it." As she reached back into the car to pick it up off of the floor where she dropped it, Marissa smirked. "It would appear that I'm not the only one good at distractions."
"Well, I try my best. You're not complaining are you?"
"Ah, no. I'm not complaining at all, just merely making an observation."
Both women were laughing as they entered the lobby of the Yacht Club. Several staff members from the Miranda Center were gathered there in a small group talking. When they saw the two women enter, their conversation stopped immediately. Bianca's assistant approached them. "Hi, Bianca. Hi, Marissa. Do the two of you need any help?"
"Hi, Jan. Thanks, but we're good. Sorry, we're so late. I just couldn't seem to get moving this morning." Marissa started coughing, and the brunette shot her a quick look. Would you please try and behave yourself. "How's everything going?"
The exchange wasn't lost on her assistant, but she let it pass. "Like I told Marissa when she called earlier, everything is going fine. We're actually just taking a quick break."
"Good. We'll just drop our stuff off and be right back to get a status."
"Sounds good. There is a room reserved for you already. Marissa, I think they should be able to find you one if you want."
Marissa couldn't hold back a smile when she saw the amused look on Bianca's face as she waited to see how she would handle that offer. "Thanks, Jan. I think I'll just share one with Bianca though. Someone else may need the room later. Don't you think so, Bianca?"
"I think that's probably a good idea. We should probably get checked in. We'll be back in a few minutes, Jan."
They headed off to the front desk and checked in. The group watched in silence as the women entered the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, the conversation began again in earnest. Months of speculation were finally being unleashed and discussed among them freely.
"Okay, you seriously can't tell me they're not together, not a couple, after seeing that, Thomas."
"I don't know, Bill. You really think they're together?"
"Aya, would you tell them what you told me you saw in the parking lot?"
"I was grabbing something from my car and was heading back inside when I saw Bianca pull in. Marissa was in the passenger's seat. I was going to see if they needed any help when I saw Bianca grab Marissa and kiss her, and I'm not talking a peck on the cheek. From what I could see, Marissa seemed to really be enjoying it too. The both did, and it actually looked pretty intense. I decided it was probably best not to interrupt them."
"Wasn't Marissa married to JR Chandler?"
"Yes, she was married to him, but from everything I've heard, that's been over for a long time. She's happily divorced. I think I overheard her call him Dipshit on more than one occasion."
"You're sure it was Marissa in the car? I thought she was straight."
"I was right in front of Bianca's car. So yeah, I'm sure it was her. That it was them. As for whether or not, Marissa's straight, it would appear that is not the case from what I saw, or at least, she's not when it comes to Bianca."
"Aren't they just friends?"
"In my experience, what I just saw is not how you are with someone who is just a friend. You've been awfully quiet, Jan. What do you think?"
The assistant had been thinking about everything she had witnessed recently and what she had just heard from her friend. Jan didn't like to gossip, especially about her boss, and neither did Aya. She wasn't one to spread rumors and loved their boss as much as Jan did, but this felt like a time that called for an exception, a big one. She had watched them over the last week and noticed a definite change in their relationship. As she looked at the expectant faces of her friends and co-workers, she thought it might be okay to discuss their boss this once especially about something she thought was fantastic news.
"I have to agree with Aya. There's definitely something more going on between them, something more than just friendship. And really, you don't think she could tell who was in a car she was standing right in front of? It's hard to mistake either Marissa or Bianca, and the two of them just came in here together. Did you see how they were acting?"
"You mean that they both seemed to be kinda glowing and couldn't stop smiling or looking at each other? Yeah, I caught that."
"Exactly. I thought Marissa was going to bust out laughing when Bianca was apologizing for being late. Did you see the look Bianca gave her? It wasn't one of the patented Kane glares that we've all seen her give some people."
"I saw it. I don't know how to describe it, but she didn't seem upset, maybe more embarrassed than anything. Neither one really seemed to be all that sorry either." Aya smirked.
"Not by the way they were smiling. Plus, Bianca seemed pretty amused when I mentioned that Marissa could get her own room if she wanted. Something Marissa was pretty quick to turn down."
Thomas countered, "That doesn't really prove anything. If they are together, isn't it awfully quick?"
The others rolled their eyes in unison and shook their heads in disbelief. The man was just not getting it.
Jan spoke up again. "It's not when you really think about. They've always been close, and I know that they are best friends. I could just see a shift of some sort these past few months though. Remember when Bianca was sick? Marissa practically moved in to take care of her and made sure that all work requests we got from Bianca went through either Kendall or Marissa first. Then, there was the whole mess with Reese trying to get the girls again."
"Oh, I remember that. Bianca never talked about it, but Kendall did. She said that Marissa went off on that bitch and her jackass of a lawyer. She said Marissa could have gotten in trouble for that with the state bar, but she didn't give it a second thought." Aya added.
"Bianca's been there for her as well like dealing with all of the stuff Marissa's ex-husband has thrown her way. He's a real piece of work."
"I'm telling you the nickname of Dipshit fits him perfectly. Have you noticed that they always seem to light up when they see each other, and they're always finishing each other sentences? It's like they know what the other's thinking. I think they've had feelings for each other for a while now, but I think they were just denying it to themselves. At least, they were until the week before Christmas. I was over at Krystal's. It looked like the two of them were each on a date. I overheard Marissa's mom talking on the phone to Kendall though. From what I could tell, they had set them up. It seemed like some sort of plan. Bianca and Marissa were both jealous as hell when they saw the others so-called dates."
"I think things might have come to a head right around Christmas, and they might have finally done something about it then. I'm pretty sure I interrupted something between the two of them in Bianca's office the day after Christmas. Personally, I think it's great. Bianca is just simply the best person there is, and I really like Marissa. They just seem like a really good fit, like they're perfect for each other."
Aya nodded. "I'm right there with you, Jan. The two of them just seem to work, and I'm thrilled to see Bianca so happy. I don't think I've ever seen her like this before. If anyone deserves to be happy, it's her. They both do."
The rest of the group agreed with them. They all loved their boss and knew many of things she had been through. If anyone deserved to have happiness in their life, it was Bianca, and they all really liked Marissa. If she was the reason their boss was so happy, she definitely had their stamp of approval.
/
As soon as the elevator doors closed, Marissa looked at Bianca. "I think they're on to us."
"What are you talking about?"
"Your staff, or at least that little group in the lobby, I think they're on to us, as in they know we're together now."
"Why do you think that?"
"Well, they stopped talking the minute they saw us, and a couple of them exchanged looks like they knew something was going on."
"Are you sure because I don't know how they could know anything? We've been pretty careful around each other…"
"We were until you attacked me in the car a few minutes ago, not that I'm complaining." Marissa smirked.
Bianca made a face. "Oh, I did do that, didn't I? It would seem that I forgot where we were. I guess I was distracted."
"That seems to be happening a lot lately to both of us." Marissa added with a brilliant smile.
The brunette laughed. "It really does. Do you really think they know something?"
"Yeah, I do. They're a pretty sharp group especially Aya and Jan. Those two don't miss a thing."
The elevator stopped on their floor, and they walked down the hall to their room.
"No, they don't. Well, it's not like they weren't going to find out soon."
Marissa unlocked the door. They entered the room and set their bags down. Marissa saw the look in her girlfriend's eyes. "What is it, Bianca?"
"Are you sure you're okay with going public with our relationship tonight? I mean half of Pine Valley will be there. It could be a little overwhelming."
Marissa sat on the bed and took Bianca's hand pulling her down to sit next to her. "I'm good with it. The really important people already know like the kids, Kendall, your mom, Krystal, and they're good with it, happy for us, so I don't see any reason why everyone else shouldn't know. Besides, I'm proud to be with you, to be your partner, and I don't care who knows. I can handle anything as long as we're together."
"You're right. The most important people know and are happy for us. We haven't told JR yet though, and the odds are very good he's going to hear about it now before we get the chance."
"Since you brought up my ex-husband, that reminds me that AJ called while I was waiting for you earlier. JR called him this morning."
"You don't seem happy about that. What happened? Is AJ okay?"
"AJ's fine, now at least. He was a little upset. JR started asking him about me, what I was doing and was I dating anyone. It seems AJ let it slip that I was seeing someone. JR proceeded to give him the third degree wanting whatever details AJ could give him. AJ didn't tell him anything else, didn't tell him it was you, but he thought we would be mad at him."
"Well, I know you told him that wasn't possible of course."
"Yeah, I got him calmed down and reassured him that I wasn't mad and that you wouldn't be mad at him either. I'm pissed off at JR though. Any questions he may have about me need to be directed to me and not our son. I tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail."
"What did you plan on saying to him if he happened to answer?"
Marissa shook her head. "I'm not sure. I probably would've gone off on him which I know is not the best way to handle him so I guess it's best that he didn't answer. I know we agreed that it was better if we told him and did it in person, but if that doesn't happen, so be it. I let him have too much sway in my life for far too long. I'm done with it and him, and I have been for a long time. I don't give a damn what my ex thinks. I absolutely refuse to let Dipshit dictate the life you and I are building together. I love you and plan on spending the rest of my life with you. He is my past, and you are my present and my future."
Bianca beamed as she sat looking at Marissa. She never ceased to be amazed by her girlfriend. The resolve she saw in those hazel eyes was like nothing she had ever seen before. "You are simply amazing. I love you, and I am so proud to be with you too. You are right about everything you just said. He does not and will not run our lives. What's past is past, and our exes be damned. What matters is what we have now, and the future we are building together. We will handle anything that comes our way, together."
Their lips crashed together as their hearts swelled with the love they felt for each other. Minutes later, they pulled apart gasping for breath. Marissa finally managed to speak. "You don't know how much I really hate to say this because I'd like nothing more than to continue this, but we better get back downstairs. I have a feeling your staff will be sending out a search party for us if we don't."
Bianca sighed. "Oh, I think I do know because I really hate to admit that you're right this time." The brunette stood and pulled Marissa with her. "We better get going, but this will be continued later tonight."
"I hope that's a promise."
"Oh yeah, that is definitely a promise."
/
Several hours later, Bianca entered the lobby and immediately began scanning the room for Marissa. The set up was complete, and everyone had changed into their attire for the evening's festivities. The redhead had gone back to the room earlier to change while Bianca finished up some last minute details. By the time she was done, her girlfriend was no longer in the room. The brunette got ready as quickly as she could, growing anxious about the evening for several reasons. She encountered some of her staff members as she searched for her girlfriend.
"Bianca, is there something we can help you with?"
"Have you seen Marissa?"
"You just missed her. She said she wanted to check on the kids and was looking for a quiet spot to call them. I saw her headed off in that direction."
"Thanks!" Bianca headed towards the direction she was pointed. She heard Marissa's laugh before actually seeing her. The brunette did love that laugh. Although to be honest, she loved absolutely everything about Marissa. Bianca's heart skipped a beat when she finally saw her girlfriend. She was absolutely stunning. As Bianca took in the view, Marissa disconnected the call and glanced up locking eyes with her.
Marissa's eyes lit up as soon as she saw Bianca. Breathtaking, the woman was simply breathtaking. She walked over to her girlfriend smiling the entire way. The redhead gave Bianca a tender kiss and stepped back to admire the brunette fully. "You are breathtaking. I'm the luckiest woman here tonight."
Bianca blushed as she smiled. "Thank you, but second luckiest, you're the second luckiest woman here tonight. I'm the luckiest, and you are simply stunning."
"Thank you. How about we call it a tie on who's the luckiest?"
"It's a deal. How are the kids?"
"They just got back to my place. I think I'm getting some of my hearing back. When I told them about the three of you staying over, they were so excited that they started screaming. I could hear Kendall trying to restore order and asking Miranda what they were yelling about. When I got on the phone with her, your sister didn't say a word about it, but I could swear I heard her smirking over the phone. Zach and her are just waiting for the sitter and will be on their way over here shortly."
"Her knowing about the sleepover won't be awkward at all when I see her later. I have to say that I'm pretty excited about staying over myself." A huge grin spread across Bianca's face.
Marissa's grin matched that of the brunette's. "Trust me, you're not the only one."
Both turned as they heard guests starting to arrive. "Are you ready for this, Bianca?"
The brunette turned back to Marissa and gave her a loving kiss. "Oh yeah, I'm more than ready."
/
The evening was getting off to a rousing start as guests started arriving, and before too long, the Yacht Club was crowded with partygoers. Kendall and Zach arrived and began searching for Bianca and Marissa. They soon ran into Greenlee and Ryan who had arrived shortly after them.
"I have to say, Kendall, it looks like your sister and the rest of the folks at the Miranda Center really outdid themselves."
"Thanks, Ryan. I have to agree with you. The place looks great, and everyone seems to be having a good time."
"Where's Bianca?"
"I bet you'll find her wherever you find Marissa." Greenlee offered with a smirk.
Kendall looked and her friend and just shook her head. "I have to admit that you're probably right. Let's see if we can find them." As the group wandered around, they soon discovered the big topic of conversation among everyone in attendance was Bianca and Marissa.
Ryan gave the others a puzzled look. "Okay, I'm confused. What's going on with the two of them?"
Greenlee rolled her eyes at her husband. "I told you about them being together."
"No, you didn't. What exactly do you mean by they're together?"
"They're together, as in they're a couple now. You know, more than just friends. I could've sworn I told you." Greenlee finally spotted the couple in question across the room in the main hall. They each had an arm around the other's waist and were talking to a group of partygoers. "There they are."
"Whoa! No, you did not tell me about them being a couple. Trust me, I would've remembered that. When did this happen?"
Kendall took over the story. "They've officially been together for a week, but things started changing between them several months ago. It took them a while to admit their feelings to themselves and a little longer to admit them to each other."
"Yeah, Kendall and Krystal gave them a little nudge in the right direction a couple of weeks ago."
Zach laughed. "Ah yes, the dates from hell. You're lucky that didn't blow up in your face."
Kendall rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. Greenlee pointed that out to us the next day before offering her advice."
"Dates from hell? I'm confused."
"Let's go find the bar and get everyone something to drink. I'll tell you everything I know about what's going on. We'll be back in a couple of minutes." The two men headed off in search of the bar as Zach began filling Ryan in.
"You know, Kendall, I don't think I've ever seen Bianca this happy."
"That's because she hasn't been. Red looks pretty happy too."
"They're awfully touchy-feely tonight and seem to have this glow about them." Greenlee's eyes got big as a thought struck her, and she started laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"When I called you last night, Miranda, Gabby and AJ were over your house, weren't they? Did they happen to stay all night with you and Zach?"
Kendall sighed. She knew Greenlee would keep digging until she knew something. "Uh, yeah, they stayed over."
"I knew it! Bianca and Marissa had their own sleepover!"
"You got that from the kids staying at my house?"
"Yeah, I did. Well, from that and from just looking at them. They can't stop touching each other, and the looks they're giving each other are a dead giveaway to me. They totally did…"
"Okay, Greenlee, I am not having this discussion with you or anyone else. There are some things that Bianca and I don't really need to go into detail about with each other."
"Like each other's sex lives."
Kendall rolled her eyes. "Yes, like each other's sex lives. Bianca and I have an unspoken agreement on that subject."
"Okay, I get it, but they look realllllly happy! Are the kids staying over at your place again tonight?"
"No, they're not. They're staying at Marissa's." Kendall made a face as that bit of information slipped out. She immediately wanted to kick herself.
The smaller woman couldn't contain her amusement. "Well, it's about damn time! Way to go, Binx, and you too, Red!"
"Look, Greenlee, would you do me a favor and don't say anything to Bianca or Marissa about what you suspect happened last night?"
"Say anything to Bianca and Marissa about what?" Ryan asked as he handed Greenlee a drink.
Kendall glared at her friend. Don't even think about it!
"Nothing, nothing at all." A smirk was still on her face, but Greenlee knew not to press the subject any further with her friend at the moment. "Did Zach catch you up on everything?"
"Yeah, he did. I'm a little surprised, but good for them. God knows Bianca deserves to be happy, and so does Marissa after everything JR's put her through. Judging by the smiles on their faces, they are very happy."
"Who are you talking about? Who's very happy?"
The group turned to see Jake and Amanda and greeted them.
Greenlee answered his question and pointed to the couple. "We're just talking about Bianca and Marissa."
Amanda looked between the couple and the group. "Wait, you mean the two of them are together?"
The group smiled and nodded in unison. Kendall noticed the doctor smiling. "You don't seem all that surprised, Jake."
"To be honest, I can't say that I am. Something I witnessed a while ago actually makes sense now."
His wife looked at him. "What do you mean, and why didn't you tell me?"
"There was nothing to tell at the time really. It was just a brief thought that I dismissed right away. When she rushed Bianca to the hospital earlier this year, I've never seen Marissa so scared. She did a good job of holding it together, but I could tell. I've seen that look too many times from the loved ones of patients. Plus, she was there with her pretty much the entire time. At first, I thought she was just concerned as a friend, but when she refused to leave and somehow managed to convince everyone there to let her stay with Bianca, I started to get the feeling that there was something more going on. Marissa also seemed to be the only one who could convince Bianca to follow our orders. Your sister can be very stubborn, Kendall, but she listened to Marissa."
"I'm all too familiar with my sister's stubbornness. She comes by it honestly. I remember that incident all too well, and you're right about Marissa being the only one she would listen to at the time. I know she wasn't listening to me."
"So, the two of them are together now. Ryan's right. They do look happy, and for what it's worth, I think they make a great couple." Jake saw Erica and Jack enter the room and head straight towards Bianca and Marissa. "Uh, Kendall, does your mom know about them? I mean, Erica hasn't made it a secret how she feels about Krystal and David so I'm wondering how she feels about..."
Several members of the group held their breath as they saw Erica approach the couple. To say they were shocked when she embraced Marissa would be an understatement. They turned when they heard Zach and Kendall begin to laugh. "I think that answers your question." Zach added with a smirk.
"Mom found out yesterday when Bianca went over to tell her about them. You all know how mom can be when it comes to us. She always knows what's better for us than we do. After Bianca talked to her, mom headed over to Red's office hoping to catch her off balance. It turns out that Marissa ended up winning her over. I don't know all of the details, just the little that mom told us when she came over after talking to Red. They've got her blessing."
/
Across the room, Erica and Jack approached the two young women. Erica embraced both women. "Bianca, sweetheart, you look absolutely beautiful. So do you Marissa."
"Thanks, mom! You look fantastic as always."
"Thank you, Erica, and so do you. It's good to see you again."
"Your mother's right. The two of you look beautiful, glowing in fact. I hear congratulations are in order. I'm happy for both of you."
Bianca beamed at her uncle and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Uncle Jack. That means so much to me, to both of us. I wanted to tell you yesterday, but you weren't home when I stopped by to talk to mom."
Marissa offered her own brilliant smile as she hugged Jack. "Thanks, Jack. Bianca's right. It does mean a lot."
"Well, the two of you deserve all of the happiness in the world. Judging by those smiles on your faces, I'd say you found it."
The couple looked at each other and nodded in agreement. "You're right, Uncle Jack. We have found it."
Erica's heart warmed to see her youngest daughter so happy. She had been through so much in her young life, and she deserved nothing but happiness. She could tell she was truly happy with Marissa. Whatever they needed, Erica would be there for them. As for the fact of who Marissa's biological parents were, well, she chose to block that out. The young woman seemed to have risen above that and deserved the benefit of the doubt. As long as she didn't hurt her daughter, she would get it from her. If she crossed that line, however, there would be hell to pay. To her credit, Marissa seemed to know and respect that, and she did not seem inclined to repeat the mistakes that others had made regarding her daughter. "Bianca, I have to say the place looks fabulous. It looks like you have another success on your hands."
"Thank you. I think you're right about tonight being a success. None of this would have happened without the center's staff. They put so much time and effort into this. A large part of the credit also goes to Marissa."
"That's not true, Bianca. You and the staff did the lion's share of the work. I just helped out a little."
"That's not what I hear. I heard you negotiated one hell of a deal and ended up getting them the place at no cost along with some added bonuses. You couple that with all of the great work you've been doing for us at the firm, and it seems we were pretty smart when we hired you."
"I could have told you that, Uncle Jack."
"True, but I think you might be a little biased."
Marissa laughed. "I appreciate it, Jack, and I think Bianca is more than a little biased. I know I am when it comes to her."
"Erica mentioned that JR doesn't know about the two of you yet and might cause some problems."
"Yeah, we are both afraid he might. I had Caleb go over the custody agreement just in case."
"That's very smart. Anything you need, you just ask. I know Erica has given you her support. You can add mine to that along with the full resources of the firm."
"Thank you again. I can't tell you how much that means to me. You've both been so great."
"As you'll learn, dear, I take care of my own, and that now includes both you and AJ." Erica smiled and hugged both women again. "Now, if you'll excuse me, it looks like I'm needed over there. I'll talk to both of you later." With that, Erica and Jack headed off to another part of the room where Erica could hold court.
Marissa stared after them in complete shock. Bianca chuckled. "You really should close your mouth, Rissa."
"Huh? Oh right. Did I did hear that right? Did what I think just happen actually happen?"
"Yeah, you did, and it did. Mom basically said you were family. It's a New Year's Eve miracle!" Bianca laughed and placed a quick kiss on Marissa's stunned lips.
/
Greenlee shook her head in disbelief having witnessed the scene between her father, Erica and the young couple. "If I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it. I never thought I'd live to see the day when Erica actually gave her blessing to Bianca and one of her girlfriend's. It looks like things really are different this time for Bianca, like things are really different with Marissa."
"What's different with Marissa and Bianca?" Scott asked, having just arrived with Madison.
The group burst out laughing, leaving the new arrivals puzzled. "I'm thinking we missed something, Scott."
"I'm thinking you're right. Would anyone care to clue us in about what's going on?"
Kendall collected herself. "We were just discussing Marissa and my sister."
"What about them?"
"Yeah, Kendall, what about us?" Bianca asked knowing full well what was being discussed. She and Marissa surprised the group having made their way over to them after hearing them laughing loudly.
Madison saw that the two of them were holding hands and immediately knew what the group had been discussing. She looked at the pair with an unasked question and received a nod from them. She nudged Scott and motioned to the couple's hands. He looked from their entwined hands to their smiling faces several times. The surprised look on his face was priceless and left the group laughing loudly again.
"Wait a minute! You mean the two of you are?"
Marissa smiled brightly at her friend. "Yep, Bianca and I are together. I was hoping to talk with you earlier, but we kept missing each other."
After a few seconds, Scott started laughing had pulled Marissa in for a hug. "I think that's great! Congratulations! You both deserve to be happy, and I can tell you are," he said as he hugged Bianca as well. "I have to say that I did not see this coming."
"Thank you, and you're not the only one." Marissa laughed. The rest of the group shared hugs and congratulations with the couple on their wonderful news.
"While I'm thrilled for the two of you, I have to ask how JR took the news. If I was surprised, I can only imagine my cousin's reaction."
"He doesn't know yet. We haven't had the chance to tell him since he's been out of town for a while."
"Well, if you need any help with him, just let me know. I'll be more than happy to help the both of you."
"You can count me in too." Ryan added as the others offered their support as well.
Marissa looked around at her group of friends and knew she was indeed very lucky to have them in her life. "I'm hoping we won't need it, but thank you. It means a lot."
Kendall pulled her sister and Marissa aside. "I need to apologize to both of you in advance."
"Apologize? For what?"
"Greenlee guessed that the kids stayed with us last night, and she decided to put two and two together about the two of you. I also accidentally let it slip that the three of you were staying over at Marissa's tonight, and I really don't need any other details about that, please."
Marissa couldn't hide the amused look on her face, and Bianca just sighed. "Well, that explains the smirk on her face. I could've done without her knowing any of that, but you're forgiven."
Kendall sighed in relief. "Thanks. Now, what happened with the two of you and mom? I know she spoke with both of you yesterday because she stopped over our place after talking to Marissa. I got a good report from her then, but Red looked a little in shock after just talking to her tonight."
Bianca's smile was dazzling as Marissa relayed to her sister what had just occurred. "I have to tell you, Kendall, that I'm still a little in shock. Erica offered her support regarding JR yesterday. Jack just added his tonight as well as the full resources of the firm."
"Well, mom said she offered to help any way she could, and Jack adores this one over here. I'm not sure why you're still surprised."
"That's not what threw me tonight. Erica just told me that she takes care of her own and that included AJ and me now."
"My mother, our mother, told you that?" She looked at her sister who couldn't stop smiling and simply nodded. Kendall started laughing and hugged the redhead. "Well, that's a first. Welcome to the family, Marissa. Although, I think that you've been a part of it for a while now after everything that you've done for each other."
"Thanks. Bianca called it a New Year's Eve miracle." Marissa could finally laugh.
"I think my sister's got that right. I'm so happy for the two of you."
Bianca hugged her sister. "Thanks, Kendall."
/
As the evening wore on, Marissa felt the need to steal a few minutes alone with Bianca. They couldn't go back to their room since they had decided to check out early in order to make a quick getaway once the benefit was over, and the rest of the club was packed. She came up with an idea and whispered to Bianca. "Grab your coat and meet me outside on the patio in five minutes."
The brunette saw the look in Marissa's eyes and smiled. She'd been dying to get some alone time with her girlfriend all night long, and it seems the lawyer had the same idea. "Outside?"
"It's the only place where we can be alone right now unless you can think of someplace else." Marissa gave Bianca a mischievous grin. "If you're worried about being cold, don't worry. I'll keep you warm."
"I'll be there in five minutes." Bianca watched as Marissa walked towards the coat check room and shook her head slightly. Oh, I'm definitely the luckiest woman here tonight.
/
Marissa grabbed her coat and snuck outside. It was a clear evening, and the chill in the air did not affect her at all as thoughts of Bianca kept her warm. The redhead turned when she heard the patio door close. The smile on her face instantly disappeared when she saw her ex-husband standing in front of her.
"JR, what are you doing here?"
"I happened to be in the neighborhood and heard there was a party going on so I thought I'd check it out. I have to say that you are the most beautiful woman here."
Marissa did not react to his attempt at charming her. "When did you get in?"
"Tough crowd. I guess I need to work on my lines, huh? Okay, I came straight from the airport. I wanted to see you. I thought we could talk and ring in the New Year together. You know, make it a new beginning for us. There's nothing that says a man can't spend time with his wife, is there?"
Wow, I can't believe there was a time when I would've thought he was being charming. He's really laying it on thick, and God, I hate when he leaves off the 'ex' part. If he came straight from the airport though, he doesn't know about Bianca and me. Where is she? "Ex-wife, JR, it's ex-wife as I've told you repeatedly. We're divorced, remember?"
"Well, that's something I'd like to change."
"Well, it's not something I want to change."
"I'm sure I could convince you otherwise if you give me a chance."
"You exhausted all of your chances a long time ago, and I'm not going to change my mind."
"Come on, Marissa, that's not fair. This time will be different."
"Oh, that's rich. Fair? Was it fair when you cheated with Annie, or how about when she tried to kill me? Why would this time be any different than the others?"
"I've learned from my mistakes. I know I can make you happy."
"No, JR, you can't make me happy because you don't really know anything about me. If you did, you wouldn't have tried to manipulate Bianca into trying to help you get me back."
"Is that what she said? That's not true. She's lying."
"That right there is one of the many reasons why I'm not giving you any more chances. I was there. I heard the entire conversation. I know what you were trying to do, and Bianca wasn't having any of it. Unlike you, she doesn't lie to me. You can't help but lie. It's second nature to you along with manipulation and cheating. I can't trust you, and I can't believe you."
/
Aya chuckled as she spotted Marissa whispering to Bianca before the redhead grabbed her coat and headed outside. Her boss had practically sprinted to the coat check room to get her coat. The brunette was pulled into a conversation with a donor before she could join her girlfriend outside. What had begun as an amusing scene soon changed to one of concern. She saw that Marissa's ex-husband had arrived and had followed her outside. Jan had told her earlier that she had overheard that JR didn't know about the two of them being together yet. Everyone knew he had a nasty temper when things didn't go his way. Aya's gut was telling her that Marissa should not be alone with him, that it was something her boss would be worried about. She made her way over to Bianca and whispered, "I just saw JR follow Marissa outside." The look of alarm on her boss's face confirmed her suspicions.
Bianca quickly turned to the man she was talking to. "I'm sorry. I need to go." She turned back to Aya. "Would you please find my sister, and let her know what you just told me?" Bianca then rushed outside.
/
"I've changed. One more chance, Marissa. Do it for AJ. You know he wants us to get back together, and you know you still want me."
"You haven't changed. If you did, you wouldn't be trying to manipulate me by using our son to get me to do what you want. You also wouldn't be pumping him for information about me. You're not thinking about AJ. What he wants is for everyone to be happy, and he understands that's not possible if I moved back in with you. He's seven, and he gets it. He's thinking about others. You, you're just thinking about what you want, about yourself. I'm tired of you treating me like one of your possessions, like you own me, of not listening to me. I don't want you. Look, I just can't deal with you right now."
JR grabbed her arm as the redhead started to walk away. "So, you are seeing someone. Who is it?"
"Yes, I'm seeing someone. I've moved on, and you should too. Please let go, JR."
"Not until you tell me who he is."
"I said let go."
"No. Tell me who he is."
"You heard her, JR! Let her go, now!"
Relief rushed through Marissa as she saw Bianca walking towards them shooting JR a look that had him immediately releasing his grip on her arm and backing away from the couple. It was pure Kane woman and was truly awe-inspiring.
The look was gone the instant Bianca looked at Marissa, replaced by one of concern as she held out her hand. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Marissa took Bianca's hand. "I'm fine."
"What are you talking about? I wouldn't hurt her…"
"Shut the hell up, JR! I wasn't asking you, and do you honestly think I would believe one word that comes out of your mouth? I swear to God, if you hurt her…"
"Bianca, look at me." Marissa cupped both sides of the brunette's face. "I'm okay. I swear."
"Look, I don't know what you think was going on here, but we were just talking. Marissa was just confused…"
A light finally went on for JR as he saw Marissa holding Bianca back. In all of the years he knew the brunette, he had never seen her like this. The redhead's words sank in. "You don't want me. Who exactly do you want?"
Marissa turned to face him. "I want Bianca."
"Bianca? You mean… No, that's not possible. You can't be serious. She's been messing with your mind. She's got you confused. She's just doing this to get back at me."
"Believe it or not, JR, this isn't about you. For the first time in my life, I'm crystal clear about what I want, about who I want. I finally found someone who listens to me, who understands me. Bianca doesn't want me to change into someone that I'm not, someone that I don't want to be. She wants me for me. She's never lied to me, never manipulated me, never hurt me. She never could. Bianca is the most amazing person I've ever known. She just wants me to be happy, wants what's best for me, and because of her, I've never been happier."
"Are you saying that you…"
"I'm in love with Bianca, and I have been for a while. The best thing of all is that she's in love with me too."
"How long has this been going on? What about AJ?"
"What about him?"
"I don't want my son around two…"
"Around two what? Two people that love each other?"
"Where is AJ? I want my son."
"It's late. He's asleep."
"You're not going to keep him away from me."
"I'm not trying to do anything like that. You can see him tomorrow afternoon. Let's try and keep this civil. I don't want AJ drug into the middle of a nasty fight."
"No, I want to see him tonight. If you think I'm going to stand by and let my son be corrupted by the likes of you, you're dead wrong because I don't care what you want. You better be ready for a fight, and it's going to be ugly. I'll do whatever I have to."
This time Marissa was held back as Bianca placed her hands on the redhead's shoulders. "Corrupted? You can't be serious. In case you forgot, he's my son too, and I would never do anything to hurt him. If you think for one minute that you're going to take him away from me, then you're the one who's in for a rude awakening. I will fight you every step of the way. You're not walking all over me anymore. You're going to be in for the fight of your life. Bring it on!"
"And she won't be fighting you alone. I'm going to be there right beside her. I know your tricks, JR. I know how you like to play dirty. How you like to go after the people you think have crossed you. I'm not going to let you hurt her or AJ. You want a fight, that's exactly what you're going to get."
He started towards them but stopped short when he heard Kendall. "You won't just be taking them on." Kendall, Zach, Jack, Ryan, Greenlee, Scott and Jake were standing behind the couple.
"This isn't any of your business, Kendall."
"Oh, I beg to differ. You're threatening my sister and her girlfriend. This is my business."
JR looked over at the redhead. "You're sure you want to do this, Marissa? Take me on? Chandlers don't lose."
Jack walked over to one side of JR. "I think Erica would disagree with you on that last statement. In fact, if you really want a fight, I'm she'll be more than happy to oblige. I could go get her. It's been a while since she's been in a good fight, and if you remember, she likes nothing better than taking on the Chandlers and making them pay. Oh, did I mention that Marissa's going to have the entire firm working on anything you might happen to throw her way?"
Zach stepped over to JR's other side and started to guide him out of the club. "Think about it, JR. Do you really want to take on Erica when one of her daughters is concerned? Plus, you're going to have all of these other people and many others to deal with too, including me. You know, Kendall and I are very fond of Marissa, and basically, if she's hurt, Bianca's hurt. We don't want that to happen now, do we? I really wouldn't like it. Go home, cool off and you can see AJ tomorrow. Kendall and I will be there to make sure you do, and that there aren't any problems."
Marissa turned to her friends. "Thank you. I can't tell you how much this means."
"Don't mention it." Greenlee offered before adding, "This group loves a good fight. We weren't going to let Bianca have all the fun. Let's go get a drink. Kendall's buying."
Kendall rolled her eyes and watched the group head back inside. "Fine, I'll buy. I'll be there in a minute." She turned to the couple. "Are you two going to be okay?"
Bianca looked at Marissa and nodded. "We will be. Thanks for rounding up the troops."
"It was my pleasure, and they were more than happy to help once they heard Red here needed some assistance. Don't look so surprised, Marissa. We've all got your back, and it's not just because of my sister. We kind of like you."
A smile crossed Marissa's face. "Thanks, Kendall. I kind of like you too."
"Oh, we decided to keep mom and Krystal out of this little confrontation. We figured it was best for now, and it would be a little quieter this way. No point in making a big scene here."
Bianca nodded. "You're probably right on that."
"You know, Binx, I was thinking. Why don't the two of you get out of here? Between your staff and me, we can take care of the rest of evening. Most of the work is done anyway, but if I need any more help, I'll put Greenlee to work."
"You know, Kendall, I'm going to take you up on that."
"I can't ask either of you to do that."
"You're not, Marissa. Kendall's volunteering, and I'm simply taking the advice of someone that I love very much. The advice you gave me a long time ago. I'm letting someone else help me. Besides, I really want to be alone with you."
"And you two are giving each other that look again that I don't want to see between my little sister and you."
"What look are they giving each other? Oh, I know that look. It's the I want to get you alone so I can rip your clothes off look." Greenlee smirked as she re-joined them outside.
"Thank you, Greenlee. I really didn't need you to tell me that. Do you have their purses?"
"Here you go. Have fun."
Marissa and Bianca took their purses and laughed. "We will."
/
The couple silently walked to the car, still processing what had just occurred. Once they got in the car, seatbelts were fastened and Bianca started it up. As she pulled out of the parking lot, she glanced at Marissa. "Are you ready to talk?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Are you okay, really okay?"
"I am. I just can't believe how lucky I am."
"What do you mean?"
"To have friends like that. Ones willing to back me up like they did."
"Why wouldn't they? You seem to forget that you are amazing and have helped a lot of people. You have a big fan club with me as the president of it. What about JR?"
"Oh, I don't think he's in the fan club anymore."
Bianca laughed. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."
"Yeah, I know. Seriously, I'm okay. He didn't hurt me. I have to admit that I was a little nervous because of his temper, him not being able to control it sometimes, but then, you were there. When I saw you, I've never been so relieved to see someone in my life. I knew things were going to be okay. It was good to have Kendall and the rest of them there, but you were the one that made me feel safe."
"I love you. I'll always be there for you, Marissa."
The redhead squeezed Bianca's hand. "I know. I love you, and I'll always be there for you." Marissa sighed. "I'm glad he finally knows. I hated having that hang over us. It could've been worse. It could've been better too, but I guess it went pretty much like I expected. I knew he would try and use AJ and that he'd get nasty. We'll need to talk to AJ in the morning."
"We will. I think we might want to say something to Miranda too. It wouldn't hurt for her to be prepared for whatever might happen. Thankfully, Gabby's too young to be affected by any of this, but we'll keep an eye on her just in case."
Marissa sighed. "I hate that they might get pulled into the middle of this."
"Hey, this isn't your fault. We'll do everything we can to keep them out of it, to keep all three of them safe."
They pulled into Marissa's driveway and parked.
"You're right. I've got to tell you that it felt really good standing up to him and giving him a piece of my mind. Now, I guess we'll see what JR has up his sleeve. As long as we're together, I know we can deal with it."
"I bet it did feel good because he certainly deserved it. You're right. Whatever it is, we'll be ready for it. You heard, Uncle Jack. You'll have the entire firm working for you. Plus, we've got some people on our side too that have all kinds of tricks up their sleeves. Can you imagine what mom, Kendall and Greenlee will come up with when they put their minds together?"
Marissa laughed. "That is truly frightening. I'm glad they're on our side. Speaking of frightening, I almost felt sorry for JR when I saw you giving him the Kane death glare, almost. I have to say that I kinda thought you looked…"
"Don't say adorable."
Marissa grinned broadly. "Oh, I wasn't going to say that. Adorable was the furthest thing from my mind. I wasn't thinking more along the lines of hot or sexy as hell."
Bianca laughed. "You're not right, you know that don't you? That look is supposed to instill fear in others, to make people quake in their shoes and make them run away with their tails between their legs."
"What can I say? You have that effect on me." Marissa unfastened her seatbelt and quickly unfastened Bianca's as she closed the gap between them capturing her lips.
"Talk about someone having fast hands."
The redhead laughed. "Let's just say I was motivated. I seem to recall a promise of something being continued when we got home."
Bianca gave her a wicked smile as she got out of the car. "You're right. I do remember making that promise, and I always keep my word."
Marissa jumped out of the car. "Oh, I know. It's something I was counting on."
The women raced inside the house. The babysitter was surprised to see them. "You two are back early. How'd it go tonight, Bianca?"
"It was good, Susan. How were the kids?"
"They were great. No problems at all." The sitter walked to the door and grabbed her coat.
"Thanks for watching them tonight." Marissa followed her to the door and paid her for the evening's work. "Be careful out there."
"Thanks, and I will. Good night."
Marissa locked up while Bianca waited for her near the stairs. They walked up together and checked on the kids softly kissing each one good night. Marissa closed the door behind them after they entered her bedroom.
"Now, about that promise." Bianca quickly pulled Marissa to her capturing her lips in a passionate kiss that soon deepened as each pulled the other closer. Clothes were soon quickly discarded and tossed aside as they tumbled onto the bed and only thoughts of each other remained.
/
In the morning, Marissa woke up before Bianca. Lying in her arms, she gazed at her lover. How did I get so lucky to have her in my life, to have her love me? Her ears perked up as she heard the kids beginning to move around and knew they would soon be invading her bedroom. She sighed not wanting to leave Bianca's arms but knew she had to. The redhead threw on her pajamas and picked up their clothes from where they had been tossed aside earlier. Marissa walked back over to the bed sitting down as she gently brushed away a lock of hair from Bianca's face.
Bianca opened her eyes and smiled. "You're dressed already. I think we have to change that." She pulled Marissa down to her, kissing her fervently.
Marissa reluctantly pulled away. "I'd like nothing better, but I heard the kids moving around."
"Which means we can expect them any minute." She gave Marissa a loving kiss before getting out of bed. She found her pajamas and dressed quickly. "Speaking of visitors, Kendall and Zach will be here in a little while."
"I'm glad they're coming over. I'm not at all sure how JR will be today."
"It'll definitely be good to have the backup. Plus, we can start planning for whatever he might throw our way."
"We're going to win this, right?"
Bianca sat back on the bed. "We're in this together, and we'll win. I promise. Remember, I always keep my promises."
Marissa smiled and gave her a lingering kiss. "Yes, you most certainly do."
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. After receiving permission to come in, AJ, Miranda and Gabby burst through the door launching themselves at their mothers. "Happy New Year!"
The women laughed and began smothering their children with hugs and kisses. "Happy New Year!"
Marissa looked at Bianca and their kids, her love for them was almost overwhelming. This is definitely worth fighting for.