A/N: Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! I appreciate it! This is sort of a filler chapter. Like always, there is a reason for what I write. Hope you enjoy this update!

/

Bianca managed to slip out of bed without waking Marissa. She didn't want to disturb her fiancée. She needed her rest. The couple had experienced the gamut of emotions last night, but after talking everything through, she felt they were back on solid ground. They had both been at fault this past week and let misunderstandings rule their thoughts and actions instead of just talking to each other. Bianca heard the rain starting to fall as she checked the time. It was still fairly early. The family had one thing on their plate for the day, Sam's birthday party that afternoon. Marissa had told her that Gail had asked her to come over a little early to discuss something. While she wasn't sure exactly when Marissa had told Kendall they would pick up the kids from her and Zach, Bianca was fairly certain, that given the current time, that they had several hours before they needed to retrieve them. An idea popped into her head of something special she could do for Marissa this morning. Bianca just hoped that it would work out. With one last glance to make sure Marissa was still asleep, the brunette padded out of the bedroom and down the hallway.

/

Marissa shifted slightly as she snuggled under the covers more. She could hear the rain starting to hit the roof along with rumbles of thunder. Both were trying to pull her from the dream she was having, and she was fighting it, refusing to be pulled from dreamland and reliving the exquisite memories of last night.

Marissa grinned and gave her fiancée a quick but promised-filled kiss. "I'll race ya!"

The redhead could see Bianca grinning back at her as she called for Max.

Those were the last words uttered between her and Bianca for quite some time. It was also the last time they raced or did anything remotely fast for the remainder of the evening. No, they didn't rush or hurry in the least bit. Each took their time drawing out the pleasure for the other, making it last as long as humanly possible, pouring every ounce of love they had and felt into each caress and kiss. It was slow, sweet and completely and utterly satisfying. Each was left sated before collapsing and drifting off to sleep in the arms of the only one who held their heart and made them whole, complete.

/

It took everything Bianca had to not laugh as she watched Marissa. The redhead scrunched her face and snuggled under the covers as she struggled to not wake up. Bianca found her utterly adorable at that moment. She quietly set the tray that held breakfast for them down on the nightstand. She then kneeled on the floor next to their bed and ever so carefully lifted the covers to gain access to her goal. Bianca then gently kissed Marissa's belly. There was no sign of a baby bump yet, but that didn't deter the brunette as she began to whisper.

"Good morning, little one. This is your Mommy. I just wanted to tell you that I love you so very much. I'm sorry I've been away and haven't spent much time at home lately. You have my word that I won't let that happen again. You, your brother and sisters, and your Mama are the most important people in the world to me, and there is nothing that I won't do for you. I want to ask you a favor. It's not for me. It's for your Mama. Could you take it a little easy on her? The morning sickness has been a little rough on her, and she needs to be able to eat and keep things down so you will come out nice and healthy for us. I would appreciate if you could do that for her. You are going to love your Mama so much. She's amazing. You know, I really hope you look like her. She has a smile that lights up a room, and there's this glint that she gets in her eyes when she gets a particularly brilliant thought or idea or when she's in a really playful mood. More importantly, I hope you have her heart. It's so good and kind. She's helped so many people, including someone we're going to see today."

/

Marissa felt the feather-soft press of lips against her belly and then heard Bianca speaking tenderly and lovingly to their little one. The redhead's lips twitched as she struggled to suppress a smile but found she was fighting a losing battle. A low chuckle escaped from her and caused Bianca to glance up.

"Good morning, beautiful."

Bianca smiled brightly. "Good morning."

"What are you doing down there?"

"I was just talking to our little one." Seeing Marissa's smile, Bianca knew she had been overheard. "You heard everything I said though, didn't you?"

"Yep. Thank you for talking to them about the morning sickness. We'll see if it helps."

"You're welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Hmmm, a proper good morning would be wonderful."

Bianca smiled and kissed Marissa's stomach. "We'll talk again later, little one. Your Mama needs me to do something for her right now." The brunette then took a seat on the bed next to Marissa and leaned in for a loving kiss. "Good morning."

Marissa hummed with her approval of the 'proper' good morning. "It is now. Do I smell bacon?"

"You sure do. I made us breakfast, and I thought we could have it in here. Do you feel up for it?"

Marissa thought for a moment, assessing how she felt. "Yeah, I do. Maybe your talk helped. Why do they call it morning sickness when it can hit you any time of the day?"

Bianca laughed and placed the tray holding their breakfast on the bed after Marissa sat up. She then settled in next to her fiancée. "I hope it helped, and I really don't know why they call it that. Hopefully, you'll be done with it soon." The brunette paused. "Are we okay?"

The redhead nodded. "Yes, I think so. What about you?"

"I think so too." After a quick kiss, Bianca continued. "What time do we have to pick up the kids?"

Marissa glanced quickly at the clock on the nightstand. "We have a few hours. This is delicious by the way. You're spoiling me."

"I'm glad to do it. So, we'll be picking them up on the way to Sam's party?"

"Yep. That reminds me. There's a folder I need to take with me, something I've been working on for Alex and Gail."

"Is this what Carol talked to you about not too long ago?"

"It is, and I have permission to tell you about it now if you'd like to hear."

"Of course I would. What is it?"

"They want to adopt Sam."

"Seriously? That's wonderful."

"I think so too. I've been looking into what needs to be done in order for that to happen. Right now, we're checking to see if Sam has any living relatives."

"I thought Child Services did that when they placed her with them."

"They did a cursory check. The firm is going to do a more thorough check. We just want to make sure we don't run into any surprises when we petition the court."

"How's Sam doing with this?"

"She seemed okay when we talked about it."

"I'm glad to hear that. She's thrived with the Walkers. I know Carol adores her, and Sam feels the same way about her. I mean she's been calling her 'grandma' for a while now."

"Yeah, she has, and Carol loves it. She's wanted a grandchild forever, and Sam fits in perfectly with all of them."

Bianca nodded. Seeing that Marissa had finished her breakfast, she moved the tray off the bed and placed it on the floor. The brunette then leaned back and pulled Marissa close. She loved the feeling of having her fiancée so close. Bianca then began to let her lips wander, finally stopping at the Marissa's pulse point. "Since we don't have to be anywhere for a few hours, do you have any ideas of how we can kill some time?"

"Mmmm, I can tell you have some definite thoughts on that, and I have to say that I love how you think." Marissa grinned before turning and capturing Bianca's smiling lips.

/

"Happy birthday, Sam!"

The teenager smiled at the Tasker-Montgomery family as they greeted her when she opened the door. "Thanks, guys. Come on in."

"Should we just leave our umbrellas on the porch?" Bianca asked before entering. The rain was still coming down pretty hard, and the family huddled under two golf size umbrellas.

"Yeah, they'll be fine."

"This is for you, Sam!" Miranda presented the teen with a brightly wrapped package that she had pressed tightly to her to keep in dry on the walk from the car.

"Thanks! Grandma has some cookies she just took out of the oven. She said that if it was you guys to tell you right away."

The three kids turned to their mothers with their eyes wide in silent plea.

Bianca chuckled. "Go ahead but no more than two each. Understand?"

Three heads bobbed up and down before they headed to the kitchen.

The brunette hugged Sam. "So, how does it feel to be 16?"

"It feels really good. A few months from today and I'll be able to get my license!"

Marissa laughed and hugged the teen. "Not that you're counting."

Sam grinned. "Nope! Thanks for the present. You guys really didn't have to get me anything. You've done a lot for me this past year. If it wasn't for the two of you, I don't know where I'd be today."

"You're welcome. We're glad we could help. As for the gift, we wanted to get you something. You deserve it. Bianca tells me all the time how hard you work at the Center."

"She really does work hard. I don't know what we did without her."

"I really like it. I wasn't sure at first if I would, but I feel like I'm helping."

Bianca smiled. "Well, you're very good at it, and you are helping. You know that you've almost completed all of your required hours. Have you thought about staying on?"

Sam nodded. "I'd really like to, if that's alright with you?"

"That's more than alright with me. How about we work on the details next week?"

"That'd be great! Thanks, Bianca!"

"You're welcome."

"Bianca, Marissa, I'm glad you could make it. We really appreciate you coming over a little early." Gail Walker smiled as she entered with her husband Alex right behind her.

"We're happy to do it. Why don't I leave you all to talk and go see if Carol needs any help?" Bianca offered.

"We don't mind if you stay, Bianca. That's why we told Marissa she could tell you what we've been discussing with her." Alex offered.

"Let's all have a seat." Gail gestured to the sofa and chairs in the family room.

Once everyone had settled, Marissa pulled out her folder and began. "I've started researching what needs to be done in order for you to adopt Sam. I'll petition the court to have you changed from foster parents to adoptive ones. Social Services will need to visit and conduct interviews with all of you as well as Carol and any character references you want to supply to them. I think it's a good idea to have Mike Jensen on that list."

"The district attorney?"

"Yes. Mike is aware of all of the particulars of Sam's case, and he's checked in regularly on how she's doing. He's a really good guy, and someone that'd be great to have in your corner."

Gail nodded. "Okay, we trust your judgment on this."

"I've initiated a search for any family members that we may not know about. I know Social Services did a search last year, but it wasn't too in depth. This will help us speed this process up and show the court we are acting in good faith. If all goes as planned, there will be a hearing in family court where a judge will review everything and sign-off on your petition."

Alex and Gail smiled and looked at Sam. The teen had been quiet during this discussion, and they could tell something was on her mind.

"Sam, is something wrong?" Gail asked the teen, her concern clearly evident. "If you don't want to do this, we understand. It won't change how we feel about you. We want you to stay with us, no matter what."

Sam shook her head. She wanted to stay with the Walkers. They had provided her with a loving home when no one else would. "It's not that. It's just … I can't really say. I just …"

Marissa had an idea of what might be bothering the teen. "Would you mind giving Sam and me a few minutes in private?"

The others nodded and left the pair alone.

/

Marissa eyed the teen while she tried to figure out where to start. She had always been straight with Sam starting back to when they first met in the interrogation room at the police station. Now was not the time to change that approach. "Sam, I need you to be honest with me. Do you want Gail and Alex to adopt you?"

Sam thought for a long moment before slowly nodding. "Yeah, I do. I love them. They've been great to me. I have a home and a family again. I didn't think I would ever have that."

"Okay, then what's wrong?"

"It's hard to say. It's gonna sound weird."

"Try me."

Sam ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath. "Ever since we started talking about this, I've been thinking about my Mom and Dad a lot. Is it wrong that I want Gail and Alex to adopt me? I mean, do you think my Mom and Dad would be mad or hurt by it?"

Marissa motioned for Sam to sit next to her. When the teen complied, she continued. "I don't think they would. They'd want you to be happy and taken care of."

"Could I ask you something?"

"Sure. What do you want to know?"

"You told me that you're adopted, and I know that Krystal's your biological mom. How does she feel about that? How did she feel about you being adopted?"

Marissa thought for a few moments about how much of her own history she wanted to reveal. There was one detail she would never share with the teen. It was just too painful for her, and frankly, she didn't know how to say it. How do I tell someone that my mother sold me but kept my sister? Granted, I ended up with a better life with Mom and Dad, but still, she didn't want me. She didn't pick me. She sold me. I was the spare child, the throwaway. Marissa shook her head to clear the thoughts. It didn't do her any good to dwell on the past, and she usually did a good job of moving on from those thoughts. Besides, Krystal did help her later when she needed it and had been very supportive of her relationship with Bianca. "Well, my situation is a little different than yours. My Mom and Dad, the Taskers, adopted me when I was a baby."

"Huh, so Krystal was alone?"

"No, she wasn't. She had my sister." Seeing the confusion on Sam's face, Marissa continued. "I'm not talking about Jenny. I'm, uh, talking about my twin sister, my fraternal twin to be exact."

"You're a twin? Wow. What's she like? She doesn't live in Pine Valley, does she?"

"She passed away a few years."

"I'm sorry." Sam immediately felt guilty for bringing up the subject.

"Don't worry about it. It's okay. It was before I came to Pine Valley so I never met her. I didn't even know about her. Krystal wasn't in a position to take care of both of us. She asked her friends, my Mom and Dad, to take care of me. They weren't able to have kids of their own so they readily agreed. It turns out that it was the best thing that could've happened to me. They gave me a great life. I had a very happy childhood. They chose me and loved me more than anything. As to what my sister was like, oh her name was Arabella but everybody called her Babe, I can only go by pictures that I've seen of her and what other people have told me. She was what everybody wants, blonde hair, blue eyes and beautiful, kinda like the girl next door. AJ looks like her."

"He does?"

"Yes, he does. AJ is her biological son. It's a long story, and I'll save you a lot of the details. She and JR were married and had AJ. When that tornado hit Pine Valley a few years ago, she died saving AJ. When I came to town, I met him and he stole my heart before I even knew his relationship to me. I ended up marrying JR and adopted AJ. I couldn't love him anymore than if I had given birth to him myself. AJ remembers his mom. While he sees me as him Mom now too, I've never tried to replace her because I couldn't, and I know and accept that. If something were to happen to me, I can honestly tell you that I'd want someone there to take care of AJ. That's why I have it set up so that Bianca will have custody of him if something does happen to me. That's also why I'm pretty sure your Mom and Dad would be okay with this. Gail and Alex know that they can't replace them, and they're not going to try. This is a way to commit to you, to formalize your relationship. It's a way to show you how much they love you, that you're an important part of their lives, their family. No one will be able to take you away from them. You don't have any reason to feel guilty about any of this. So the question is, what do you want? What will make you happy? Because knowing Gail and Alex like I do, that's all that matters to them."

Sam had listened intently to Marissa. She respected both Bianca and Marissa a great deal. They had helped her when no one else would. Through them, she had met the Walkers and had the life she had now. With Marissa though, it was different. In Sam's mind, the redhead had always been straight with her and never sugarcoated anything. It was definitely what she needed at that time in her life, and it had been the only way to get through to her, to make her see reason and the truth of her situation. The teen also thought they had a lot in common. Marissa knew better than anyone else what she was feeling, what it was like to lose your parents and to be suddenly alone in the world. Sam had been feeling guilty. She worried that her parents would think she was replacing them, forgetting them. Listening to Marissa helped her put things in perspective. "I want to stay with the Walkers. I want to do the adoption."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I am. Thanks for helping, again."

Marissa smiled and hugged Sam. "Anytime and you're welcome. I'll go get them, and you can give them the good news. Okay?"

"Yeah." Sam smiled and felt a huge weight lifted from her.

/

Marissa entered the kitchen to find the concerned faces of Gail and Alex. She gave them a reassuring smile. "Sam would like to talk to the two of you." After the couple left, she found Carol giving her a questioning look. "It's good news."

Carol exhaled and smiled. "Thank you."

Bianca wrapped her arms around Marissa from behind and rested her head on the redhead's shoulder. She had caught part of her and Sam's conversation and had tried to assure Gail and Alex that Marissa was the best person to talk to Sam about this having been on both sides of the adoption issue personally. Bianca whispered in Marissa's ear, making sure that no one else could hear what she was saying. "I overheard part of you said to Sam. I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of you, how incredible I think you are for sharing what you did with her. Just so you know, not everybody would want Babe over you. I'd pick you every damn time."

Marissa smiled and leaned back into Bianca's embrace, knowing that her fiancée meant every word. "Thank you."

/

Sunday's weather stood in stark contrast to Saturday's. Thunderstorms had roared through Pine Valley resulting in some minor flooding and wind damage. The storms also resulted in flights being cancelled. Maggie's flight was one of the casualties, and she wouldn't be leaving town as expected. While other travelers scrambled to find a place to stay, she had been fortunate to be able to book a room in her hotel again. Her new flight was scheduled for early that evening, and she now found herself trying to kill some time before heading to the airport. She decided to head to the park and enjoy the day as much as she could. The petite brunette had found herself thinking about how her visit back to Pine Valley went. It did not end well for her, and she was still trying to make sense of what she had done. She found herself lost in her thoughts and not paying attention to where she was walking.

/

The following day was perfect. Where Saturday had been dark and dreary and dominated by thunderstorms, Sunday was bright and clear. The sky was a brilliant blue and nary a cloud in sight. Since it was a picture perfect day and the last one before school started, the Tasker-Montgomery clan decided to have a picnic in the park that afternoon. While Bianca kept the kids and Max occupied in the park, Marissa cut across it and stopped at Krystal's to pick up a lunch of fried chicken and their favorite side dishes. As she was making her way back, Marissa found herself crossing paths with someone she was not expecting to see.