A/N: Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! It is much appreciated! This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Oh, there is a favor I ask of you at the end of the chapter, dear readers. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Hope you enjoy this update!

/

That Sunday 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 along with their favorite side dishes. As she was making her way back, Marissa found herself crossing paths with someone she was not expecting to see. From the angles that both women were taking, there was no way to avoid seeing each other. In fact, they would be lucky if they didn't collide.

Maggie hadn't been paying attention to where she was walking. She was so lost in thought that she found herself almost running into someone else, only stopping at the very last second and preventing a collision. Her head snapped up and she readied herself to apologize. Her apology fell silent however when she saw who the other person was. "I'm sor… Oh, it's you. I'm …"

Marissa's eyes met those of the other woman. The redhead gave her a determined look. Marissa knew without question that she wasn't going to back down from the other woman. Her emotions were in check, and she was definitely going to be standing her ground this time, no matter what. The one thing she didn't want to do though was cause a scene where the kids might see. "Maggie. Yes, I know exactly who you are."

"Yeah, I guess you would. I'm, um, sorry for almost running you over. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going."

"So it would seem." Marissa bit back another comment. Not really the first time you've tried to do that to me since you've been back, huh? "I thought you were leaving yesterday."

"I was. My flight was cancelled because of the storm. I've got another one in a couple of hours. I'm just killing some time before I head back to the airport." There was an awkward pause, and Maggie felt compelled to break it. "Marissa, I … I don't know if Bianca told you ..."

"Bianca told me everything."

Maggie sighed. "Yeah, I kind of thought she would. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any problems. It was honestly the last thing on my mind when I came here."

Marissa eyed the other woman curiously. "What was on your mind then when you decided to come back here?"

"Honestly?"

"I'd appreciate it and think it's the least you can do."

"I wanted to see Bianca, see how she was doing. It's been a while since we've seen each other. I didn't mean for anything to happen, not that anything happened. At least, Bianca didn't do anything."

Marissa simply nodded. "I know. I know Bianca didn't do anything. She's not that kind of person."

Maggie caught the inferred 'but we all know that you are' and sighed. I guess I deserved that. "You know, when we were working together, all Bianca could talk about was you and the kids, and I'm not making that up. She bragged about all of you, and she told me how you took on Reese when she tried to take Miranda and Gabby from her."

"That's something I'm never going to allow to happen. Bianca is an incredible mother. Her children are everything to her."

"I'm glad to hear that. Bianca deserves to have someone that fights for her. She's been through a lot, you know?"

"I know she has. She's told me everything that happened to her. I'll do everything in my power to protect her, to keep her safe. The same goes for our family." Marissa stole a glance and couldn't help but smile seeing them. Bianca with a huge grin on her face was pushing Gabby on a swing while their youngest was squealing in delight. Marissa knew that Gabby was most likely telling Bianca to push her higher and higher. Miranda and AJ were kicking a soccer ball between them. Max seemed to think it was an odd game of fetch. The dog would pounce every so often in an attempt to capture the ball. He wasn't having much success though since it was a little too big to fit in his mouth. The ball would squirt loose for either AJ or Miranda to grab. The birthday twins were laughing at their dog's antics and would begin the whole exercise again.

Maggie followed Marissa's eyes and saw the whole scene play out in front of her. She couldn't recall Bianca ever smiling as much as she was at that moment. Happiness seemed to radiate from her.

/

Bianca pulled out her cellphone to check the time. She wondered what was taking Marissa so long. She should've been back by that point.

"Mom?"

"What is it, AJ?"

"Who's Ma talking to?" AJ had noticed his redheaded mother talking to another woman a few minutes ago. It was someone he didn't recognize.

Bianca glanced in the direction her son was pointing. She saw her fiancée talking to Maggie. Bianca couldn't help but worry a little about the two meeting. Marissa appeared to be calm and in control. The redhead had placed one of the carryout bags on the ground next to her. She then placed that now free hand across her belly. It was a habit Marissa had adopted soon after finding out she was pregnant. Before Bianca could answer AJ, Miranda piped up.

"Ma's back! I'll go help her with the bags." Miranda then raced off in the direction of her redheaded mother.

"Mom?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Buddy. Your Ma is talking to an old friend of mine."

"Is that Maggie, the one that was helping you with your paper?"

"Yes, it is."

"We should invite her to our picnic since she helped you."

Bianca smiled at her son. AJ was sweet and thoughtful, but inviting Maggie to join them for lunch was something she didn't see happening any time soon if ever. Bianca would never ask Marissa something like that. Truth be told, the brunette was surprised to Maggie was still in town. "I don't know about that, Buddy. I really don't think that's going to happen."

/

Maggie couldn't deny that she had never seen Bianca happier. She had a family, and from what Maggie could see, it was one that Bianca deserved. "I honestly can't tell you enough how sorry I am. I …"

"Can I help you with one of the bags, Ma?"

Marissa glanced down and smiled. "Yes, you can. Thanks, Mimo."

"You're welcome." Miranda looked at the other woman standing before her. She looked vaguely familiar, but the girl didn't know why. "Hello. I'm Miranda."

"I'm sorry. Miranda, this is Maggie. She's an old friend of your Mom's."

Maggie was a little stunned. Miranda was in front of her, and she was no longer a baby. She was a beautiful young girl. The pictures she had seen in Bianca's office didn't do her quite enough justice. Maggie also noted that Miranda had called Marissa 'Ma'. "Hi, Miranda. It's nice to see you again. I don't know if you remember me or not."

Miranda remembered the name and that Maggie used to see her Mom and had hurt her before. She also knew that the other woman had been spending a lot of time with her brunette mother recently. The girl stepped closer to Marissa taking her hand and nodded. "I remember who you are." The look Miranda gave Maggie was reminiscent of her mother, grandmother and aunt. The girl was too polite to say anything but that look said it all and indicated exactly where her loyalties laid.

That's my girl. Marissa was able to hide her smile and squeezed Miranda's hand pulling her attention from the other woman. "Sweetie, would take this bag to your Mom for me? She can start setting up things for lunch. I'm sure AJ's starving." Seeing the hesitation in her daughter's eyes, Marissa continued. "It's okay. I'll be over in just a few minutes. I promise."

Miranda nodded and smiled softly. "Okay, Ma. You're right. I'm sure he is." She turned back to Maggie, the smile gone. "Bye."

Maggie nodded in return. "Bye." There was no doubt where Miranda stood. "I should get going. I really do hope you accept my apology."

"I do. Thank you for it."

Maggie couldn't help but be surprised. She didn't know if she could be as gracious as the redhead was being right now if the roles were reversed. "You're welcome, and thanks."

Marissa smiled. She knew full well that not only was Miranda still watching her but Bianca was now as well. She didn't want to do anything that might make them worry more than they probably already were. "Before you go, I want to make sure you understand a few things. What you did? It was flat out wrong. It was way over the line, and quite frankly, I don't give damn that you were drunk or remembering old times or whatever lame excuse you want to use. I only care about Bianca and what it did to her, how it made her feel. Do you have any idea of how it affected her? You should if you know her as well as you claim you do. I'll tell you what though. I'll clear it up for you just so there's no misunderstanding. It hurt her. It was a betrayal of her trust yet again. It's the kind of betrayal she's had to endure too many times to count, and I'm not going to stand by and watch it happen without saying or doing something about it. If you ever try something like that again or hurt her in any way, you'll be dealing with me. And we won't be having an accidental meeting because I'll hunt you down. It also won't be within sight of Bianca and our children. I won't do anything to upset them. It comes down to this. Bianca and I are happy and have a great life together. We love each other very much, and we're getting married, building a future together. I will fight for what we have and are building together with everything that I have, with every fiber of my being. Unlike Bianca, I like a good fight every now and then, and I'm really good at them. Maybe it's because I'm a lawyer, maybe it's the red hair and the stereotype that goes with it, maybe it's fighting for the person I'm meant to spend my life. Whatever the reason, I'm not backing down or running away. If you want a fight, a fight is exactly what you'll get from me. Make no mistake about that. I'll give you a free piece of advice before you head out. If you want to keep those lips of yours, keep them away from Bianca and don't ever try anything like that again. That's not a threat. It's a promise. Do we understand each other?"

Maggie nodded. "Yeah, we do. Could I give you a free piece of advice?"

"Have at it."

"Don't do what I did. Cheating on her was the biggest mistake of my life, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't regret it. You'll be the same way if you do. That's just a statement of fact."

"Don't worry, I won't. I could never hurt her like that. You see, unlike you and the others that were lucky enough to have Bianca be a part of their lives and were foolish enough not to realize it, I know exactly what I have and how lucky I am, and there's not a chance in hell that I'm going to blow it like all of you did. I'll be completely honest with you. I think you all were complete idiots and utter fools, and I'm neither. Bianca is everything to me. There's not a single doubt in my mind about that, and each and every day, I do my very best to show her how much she is loved and cherished. I don't have anything else to say. Now if you'll excuse me, my family is waiting for me. Goodbye, Maggie."

Maggie watched Marissa as she walked away. There was no doubt in her mind that the redhead meant everything she had just said. She shook her head, turned and left the park.

/

Bianca watched the exchange nervously as she worked at setting up lunch. A few minutes after Miranda had made her way back to their spot, Marissa finished whatever she was saying to Maggie and walked their way, smiling. Bianca was curious about what was said between the two.

"Mommy!"

Marissa laughed and set down the bag she was carrying. She scooped up Gabby and swung her around. "Hey, Monkey."

"Did you get the cookies?"

"Cookies? What cookies are those?"

"Mommy, you know." Gabby pouted slightly.

"Oh, you mean the chocolate chimp cookies! Of course I did. Would I let you down like that?"

Gabby rewarded Marissa with a hug and kiss. "Nope! Thanks, Mommy!"

Bianca laughed at the exchange. Ever since Gabby had told them a certain joke, chocolate chip cookies were now referred to as chocolate chimp cookies and the same went for chocolate chip pancakes, at least between the two of them. Miranda and AJ simply rolled their eyes at the two. Bianca could tell they were amused by them though.

Marissa sat Gabby down and picked the bag back up. When she got to the blanket she handed it to Bianca's outstretched hand. The redhead smiled at her love seeing the unspoken question in her eyes. "I'm good, and I'll tell you everything later. I promise."

That was enough for Bianca, for the moment. She noticed hazel eyes were sparkling though, a sure sign that she had a chance to say her piece, and Bianca could tell she felt good about it. "Alright, you can tell me later."

/

"So, now will you tell me what happened earlier?" Bianca and Marissa were settled on the sofa enjoying some well-deserved quiet time. Tomorrow was the first day of school, and it was going to be a big day in the Tasker-Montgomery home. The kids had been bathed, read a bedtime story and tucked in after a fun-filled day in the park and continued later on at home. Lunches had been packed as had backpacks. Max had been let out to take care of his needs and was settled in his bed by the fireplace. Now, the couple was taking a breath and enjoying a few minutes before heading back to bed. Bianca had waited patiently all day for them to be alone and away from little ears to find out what was said.

Marissa chuckled. "Yes. You've been very patient. Maggie apologized, and I accepted it."

"There's more though, isn't there?"

The grin on Marissa's face answered that question easily enough. "Yeah, there is. I told her that there was no excuse for what she did. It was over the line, and if she wanted to keep her lips, she better keep them away from you. If she tried something like that again, I wouldn't be so nice. I also called her and your other ex's complete idiots for not knowing what they had when they had you. I have to say that their loss is definitely my gain."

Bianca laughed seeing the grin on Marissa's face and hearing what she said. "You did, huh?"

"Yep! I meant every word of it too."

"You feel better?"

"I do. I wish I would've done it the other day, but I got to do it today. It was something I needed to do."

"I'm glad you feel better and got to say your piece."

"No lectures or anything else?"

Now, it was Bianca's turn to grin which she did right before she kissed her fiancée and pulled her into her arms. "Nope. I got nothing to add. I think you covered it all." There really was nothing left to say. In Bianca's mind, Marissa had every right to say what she did, and the brunette was not going to begrudge her that.

Marissa laughed at Bianca's amused expression and leaned into the brunette's embrace. She was extremely thankful that her hormones were back in check, at least for today.

"What did Miranda say when she went over to you and Maggie in the park?"

The redhead sat up with a huge grin. "It's not so much what she said, it's what she did. Don't worry, she was polite. Then, she remembered Maggie."

"Really?"

"Yep. Miranda grabbed hold of my and then gave Maggie the pint-sized version of the Kane death glare."

Bianca chuckled. "Well, I'd say that it's pretty clear whose side she's on."

"Uh huh, that's my girl!"

"Yes, it is."

Marissa settled back into her previous position. Just as she started to relax, Marissa felt Bianca suddenly start to shake. The redhead sat up and turned to see what was going on. Bianca had tears in her eyes, and Marissa was immediately concerned. "What's wrong?"

Bianca shook her indicating there was nothing wrong. She wasn't able to hold it in any longer. The brunette burst out laughing. After about a minute, she had collected herself enough to finally talk. "I'm sorry. Everything's fine. I was just thinking of something AJ said earlier when he saw you talking to Maggie."

A copper eyebrow rose in question. "What did he say?"

"When he found out who she was, he thought we should invite her to join us for lunch."

"Seriously?" Seeing Bianca nod, Marissa started laughing.

"I told him I didn't see that happening."

"Uh, yeah, you would be right. There's not a snowball's chance in hell of that. My hormones may be a little out of whack right now, but they are definitely not that out of whack." Marissa smirked as she leaned in for a tender kiss.

/

A/N: A couple of you thought Marissa might invite Maggie to join them. In my mind, I never really saw that happening, messed up hormones or not. Now for the favor, any thoughts of what can be done for their bachelorette party? There has to be a party of some sort since Greenlee and Kendall are involved, but Marissa is pregnant and only Bianca knows. Drinking is out of the question for her. I do have an idea, but I am definitely open for suggestions. Oh, any thoughts on their honeymoon destination? They have three kids and it is during the school year so I don't think them taking a long one is in character for them. What do you all think? Help is appreciated! See you soon!