A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review and follow! I appreciate it. I'm sorry for the late upload. This cold has knocked me for a loop, and the cough medicine I was taking was making me whacked out. You know, this chapter could have turned out really interesting if I had written it while I was under the influence of that medicine. In other news, it was a nail biter and came down to the last second, but my Kentucky Wildcats are headed to the Final Four! Okay, back to work. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!

/

Erica chuckled at the playful interaction between the two younger women. As she did that, the diva was also carefully observing her daughter-in-law. There were some dark circles under her eyes, but that was to be expected somewhat because of the baby. With a newborn, your sleep patterns were disrupted as you found yourself at their mercy. The thing that concerned Erica was that even though Marissa was smiling, it was a smile that didn't reach her eyes like it normally did. There was definitely something weighing on the redhead's mind, and Erica was left trying to figure out how she could help.

"Can I get you something to drink, Erica?"

"Some iced tea would be lovely, if you have some made already."

"We do. Curly, would you like some more?"

"That would be great, Red. Thanks."

"No problem. Erica, keep an eye on this one."

"Danny?"

"No, your daughter. She keeps trying to do things she's not allowed to while my son, the infant, listens better."

Kendall rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Red."

Erica chuckled as she took a seat and placed the large gift bag she had brought with her on the floor next to the sofa. "I'm not surprised. Is it alright if I hold him?" The diva asked as she looked at her grandson who was resting in his carrier.

Marissa noticed the bag but didn't say anything. She had a good idea that it was for her son, and she couldn't bring herself to deny Erica this indulgence. Marissa smiled. "Of course it is. If you haven't noticed, he hasn't taken his eyes off of you ever since you got here."

"Yes, I did happen to notice that." Erica smiled proudly. She was definitely charmed by her youngest grandson.

Kendall grinned. "Yeah, Sparky has Mom wrapped around his little finger."

Erica scoffed but didn't deny it outright. She simply set about lifting Danny from his carrier while Kendall and Marissa snickered.

/

While Marissa was in the kitchen, Erica turned to Kendall as she gently cuddled the cooing boy. "She definitely has something on her mind. She doesn't have her same smile or spark."

"You see it too then. I don't know what to do. Marissa could use a break, but I'm limited at the moment."

"Well, I'm not, and I have an idea."

Marissa rejoined them before Kendall could ask her mother what she had in mind. The redhead placed the drinks on the coffee table and took a seat next to her mother-in-law.

"Thank you, dear. Could I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Marissa knew she couldn't stop Erica if she wanted to.

"When was the last time you got out of the house and just had some time to yourself?"

The question gave Marissa pause. "I'm … I'm not sure. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was just thinking that it's a lovely day outside. Why don't you go out and enjoy yourself for a few hours." Erica held up her hand to stop her daughter-in-law's protest. "Before you say anything, I'm perfectly capable of keeping an eye on Danny and Kendall. You do have bottles made for him, don't you?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Very good. Now, can you think of any valid reason not to take a break? I mean if it's because you don't trust me with your son …"

Marissa eyed her mother-in-law in mild disbelief. "That's not what I was implying, and you know it. Wow. You really don't play fair, do you?"

Erica raised an eyebrow. "Is it working?"

The redhead rolled her eyes. "Yes, it is. Fine, I could run a few errands. Are you sure you about this?"

"I'm positive. This gives me the chance to spend some quality time with my oldest daughter and this handsome little man here. I haven't had the chance to spoil him like I want to and like he deserves to be."

"Okay. Far be it from me to get in the way of you doing that. You'll be okay, Kendall?"

"I'll be fine, Red, and I'll make sure she doesn't go too overboard. Go have a little fun."

"Alright. Let me just clean up."

/

"That was smooth, Mom."

"Of course it was, dear. With Marissa gone, we can talk a little more freely."

"And figure out something more that we can do to help."

"Precisely. I also have the benefit of spending time with Danny and you."

Kendall smiled. "It will be nice to spend time with you too. He definitely is a charmer. Those are some killer dimples he has."

Marissa returned in time to overhear Kendall's last comment. "They really are. I only hope he uses them for good." She went to pick Danny up and began to rock him gently. "I'm only going to be gone a little while and will be back before you know it. You're going to be here with Erica and Aunt K. I need you to keep them in line for me. You're in charge, Danny. I love you." After a few kisses, Marissa reluctantly handed him back to Erica.

"He'll be fine, dear."

"I know he will be. I'll have my cellphone with me so don't hesitate to call …"

"If we need anything. Mom and I both have your number, and I promise we'll call if anything happens which it won't."

Marissa sighed. "Sorry. I'm being the nervous new mom, huh?"

"Yes, you are, and it's perfectly understandable, dear. It is your first time leaving him after all."

The redhead nodded. Her mother-in-law was right. "It is. I really do trust you, both of you."

"We know. Now go."

"Okay, I'm going."

Erica and Kendall chuckled as Marissa gave Danny one more kiss before leaving.

"The first time is always the hardest." Kendall smiled.

"Yes, it is. Now, let's talk about what's going on with Bianca and Marissa while we try these new outfits on Danny."

/

"Come in."

Jan opened the door and stepped inside Bianca's office. "Hi. I'm sorry to disturb you."

Bianca glanced at her assistant and waved her inside. "It's fine. What's up?"

Taking her cue from her boss, Jan closed the door and walked over to the brunette's desk. "There is a woman outside who says you're expecting her, but you don't have anything on your calendar at this time. Her name is Rafaela?"

"Oh, her. Yeah." Bianca sighed not realizing how late it had gotten. "It was a last minute thing, and I forgot to tell you about it when I came in. She's the model that Kendall and Greenlee are hoping to land as a spokesperson for Fusion."

It suddenly dawned on Jan who the woman was. "I knew I recognized her, but I couldn't figure out from where."

"I told her I would give her a tour of the Center. Sorry, I didn't tell you. I know you need to know those things to keep my calendar straight."

"Oh, okay. That's fine. Your schedule is clear for a couple of hours so I won't need to rearrange anything. Do you want me to go get her?"

"Give me like five minutes and then send her back."

"Okay." Jan walked to the door and turned back. "Are you alright, Bianca?"

Bianca dropped her pen on the paperwork she had been trying to work on and sunk back in her chair. "No, I'm not. I screwed up."

Jan walked back over to her boss and took a seat. "What happened?"

"Rafaela's waiting …"

"She can wait. You're the one who is important to me right now, not her."

Knowing she needed to talk to someone, Bianca relented and began relating to Jan some of what she had done. She skirted around the issue of not being able to have sex with her wife for the past several weeks. The brunette considered Jan a friend, but the woman also worked for Bianca and that was information you didn't share with someone who reported to you. For her part, Jan listened and provided the sympathetic ear Bianca needed.

"Wow. You really did screw up."

Bianca chuckled at her assistant's truthfulness. It was exactly what she needed. "Don't sugarcoat it for me. Tell me how you really feel."

Jan smiled. "I call it like I see it. Yeah, you screwed up, but admitting it is half the battle right there. I'll give you some good news because you look like you could use it. Marissa may be hurt and pissed off at you right now, but she knows that you love her just as much as she loves you. You'll get through this. You're just going to have to do some groveling, kinda like she's had to do before with you."

"You're right. I just hate that I did this. I should've known better."

"Look, I hate to break it to you, but neither one of you are perfect. You're human, and humans screw up. So while you're not perfect, you are perfect for each other. I've never seen a couple that fits together better than the two of you, and I'm not just saying that. I really mean it."

"Thanks. I needed to hear that."

"Glad to help. So, what are you going to do to fix this?"

Bianca sighed. "That is the question, isn't it? I have a few ideas, but one of them, getting some time alone, is hard to do with four kids and one of them being a newborn."

"Well, you do have family and friends that are more than willing to help."

"I know, and I'm very lucky. I think this is something I have to do on my own though."

"Alright. I'm here if you need me."

"Thanks. I appreciate that, and just talking to you had helped more than you know."

The two were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Aya popped her head inside. "Um, Bianca, there's someone out here saying that she has an appointment with you."

"Oh crap. I forgot all about her." Bianca shook her head.

"Probably my fault on that one."

"No, this one's on me. I'm coming. Thanks again, Jan."

"Anytime."

Aya looked at her friend after Bianca left. "Is she alright?"

"She's getting there."

/

"Rafaela, I am so sorry. There was something that I had to discuss with Jan, and it couldn't wait."

The model smiled. "No problem. These things happen. Is now still good?"

"Yes, let's get started, shall we?"

"Lead the way. I have a question, if that is alright?"

"Of course."

"How did you come up with the name?"

Bianca paused for a moment and crafted her answer carefully. She was unwilling to divulge certain personal information with someone who was a relative stranger. "The Center is named after my oldest daughter Miranda. At the time of her birth, the idea of creating a safe place for abused individuals to come to help them heal physically and emotionally and to learn skills that will help them rebuild their lives, came to me. It's grown from there."

"It's very admirable and impressive."

"Thank you, but I can't take all of the credit. There a great many people without whose help this would not be possible. I have a wonderful staff who make me look good."

The tour continued with Bianca fielding questions and explaining the many services the Center offered. At the end of it, the two women found themselves in Bianca's office.

"I noticed you have a lot of security cameras."

Bianca nodded. "We do. Security is necessary given why most of our clients are here. There have been incidents, and the security measures we've implemented are a result of them. Again, it's absolutely essential that our clients feel safe. That's why the locations of our safe houses are kept private."

"That makes sense." Rafaela glanced around the office and saw a number of photographs. "And who are they?"

Bianca smiled brightly. "These are my children, AJ, Miranda, Gabby and Danny. And this is my wife, Marissa. She recently gave birth to Danny. Marissa is a partner at the largest law firm here in Pine Valley and is quite brilliant if I do say so myself. I'm very lucky."

"I think she is lucky too." Rafaela noted the time. She wasn't quite ready to end her time with Bianca. "Would you like to have lunch with me? We could continue our talk."

Yesterday, Bianca might have been a little tempted to take Rafaela up on her offer, but that was yesterday. Today, Bianca was thinking clearer. She was back to herself, and her need to please others was pushed aside in lieu of the need to put her needs first. Bianca shook her head. There were things that were much more important to her that she needed to do. Things that couldn't wait, wouldn't wait. Things that she just simply refused to delay one moment further. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I have a lot of work that I need to do, some things that need my attention."

"I understand. Perhaps another time." Rafaela knew when to back off. She stood and gathered her jacket and purse. "Thank you for today. I had a good time, and this was very informative."

"You're welcome."

/

Bianca watched as Rafaela left and sat back down. Gazing at the picture on her desk of Marissa, her mind immediately went back to their present situation. An idea of a small gesture came to her, and she grabbed her purse and cellphone. Work could wait. She needed to take care of this right away. As she passed Jan's desk on her way out, Bianca spoke to her assistant.

"I'll be back. There's something I need to take care of."

"For Marissa?"

"Yes."

"Good. Take your time. I'll take of things here."

"Thanks."

/

After running a few errands, Marissa found herself in the park. It was a beautiful spring day, and the redhead was taking a minute to literally stop and smell the roses. She took a seat on the couple's favorite bench and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun.

"Marissa?"

The redhead opened her eyes and smiled. "Brian, hi. What are you doing here?"

"Mind if I join you?"

"Please do."

Brian took a seat next to his friend. "I decided to have lunch outside today and enjoy this beautiful weather. What about you? Where's my godson?"

"Danny's back home babysitting Kendall, with Erica's help."

The man laughed. "Ah, so he's charge, being the most responsible one."

"Exactly. Erica came over and kind of kicked me out."

"Making you take a break, huh? Good for her." Brian studied his friend. "Is everything alright, Marissa?"

"You don't want to hear my sob story."

"The hell I don't. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to. You're my friend, and god knows that you've heard mine before."

"It could take a while."

"Well, it just so happens that I don't have any meetings for a couple of hours so I'm all yours. Spill it."

Marissa sighed and finally relented. She told him pretty much everything that had happened and had to admit that she was a slightly embarrassed when she told him about being a little jealous of Rafaela.

"Wow, Rafaela. She's gorgeous. Ow!" Brian rubbed his arm from where Marissa had punched him.

"Seriously?!"

Brian gave her a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry. I'm a guy. It slipped out. You're gorgeous too you know."

"Right." Marissa rolled her eyes.

"I'm being totally serious. You are. If I wasn't completely head over heels in love with my wife and you weren't completely head over heels in love with yours, I would've asked you out. Of course that's out of the question now because of Stef and Bianca. There's also the fact that I kind of think of you like a sister now. That would take it to a whole other creepy factor."

Marissa laughed. "You are so not right."

"I know. That's why we get along."

"Yeah, it is, and you are kind of like the pesky little brother I never had or wanted."

Brian laughed. "Gee, thanks."

"Just returning the favor."

"Seriously, you're beautiful, and more importantly, Bianca thinks so. After she had Jamie, Stef felt the same about herself that you do now. I didn't notice at first because we had a lot going on. When I finally did, I wanted to kick myself. Yes, she had gained some weight, but it didn't change how I felt about her. She's still the beautiful, amazing woman that I fell in love with. I just wish she would've told me how she felt, what she was going through sooner so I could've helped her earlier. Of course, I have no room to talk. Remember when I went through my hat phase?"

Marissa nodded. "I do."

"Well, I was doing it because I noticed my hair was starting to thin, and I was pretty damn freaked out about it. I thought Stef might not be attracted to me anymore if I lost it all and became bald. She finally made me sit down and tell her what was going on. After she called me an idiot for thinking that, she told me that she didn't love me because I had headful of hair. She loved me because of who I was. Even if I am idiot sometimes, I'm her idiot. I was just as insecure about myself as she was about herself after she had Jamie. These things happen. You just need to talk about it before it spirals out of control."

"I need to talk to Bianca, calmly."

"Yeah, you do, and you need to tell her how you feel not only about all the time she's been spending helping out Kendall and Greenlee, but also about how you feel about yourself right now. I mean, I can tell you how gorgeous you are, and you are, but it won't mean anything because she's the one who matters most to you."

Marissa shook her head. "How did you get so smart?"

Brian laughed. "By screwing up several times."

"Stef is very lucky to have you, and so am I."

"Thank you. I have to admit that I'm pretty lucky myself. I've got a great wife and a great work wife. Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, I am. Thank you. I'm starting to get a good idea of what I need to do."

"Can I help?"

"No, not on this part. Besides, you've already helped more than you know."

"Good. Alright, I'm going to get back to work. Even though my boss is on maternity leave, word is that she keeps tabs on us."

"Rightfully so, I'm sure." Marissa smiled and hugged Brian. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Call me and let me know how things go?"

"I will. Tell Stef and Jamie 'hi' and everybody else in the office."

"Don't worry. This stays between us." Brian winked and headed back to work.

Marissa sat back. Her friend had given her a lot to think about.

/

"Hi, Mrs. Tasker-Montgomery. I mean, Bianca."

"Hi, Nolan. How's business?"

"Pretty good. We've got a big wedding coming up next week, and they want a lot flowers. It's definitely keeping us busy."

"Well, that's good to hear."

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"I need to get some flowers."

"Hi, Bianca."

"Hi, Michelle. How are you?"

"I can't complain. How about you?"

"I need some flowers."

The florist raised an eyebrow, instantly picking up the hidden meaning of that statement. "Nolan, the orders in back are ready to be loaded onto the van."

"Okay, I'm on it. Bye, Bianca."

"Bye, Nolan."

"So, you need flowers. Any kind in particular?"

"Ones that say I screwed up, and I'm really, really sorry. I promise to do my best not to do it again."

"Ah, those kind." Michelle smiled. "Those are one of our specialties. Follow me. We just got something it that might do the trick."

Bianca did as asked and knew the florist was right as soon as she saw the flowers in question. "Oh, these are beautiful. Could you make a bouquet for me and have them delivered today?"

"For one of my best customers? Definitely. Where to you want them sent?"

"Home and to Marissa."

"Alright, let me start working on this, and I'll let you write the card."

After writing out a card for Marissa, Bianca glanced around the shop while she waited for Michelle to return. Through one of the shop's windows, she happened to see Brian walking away from a familiar looking redhead who was sitting in the park.

"Are you done with the card?" Michelle asked when she returned.

"Oh yes, I am. Could I add one rose to my order?"

"Sure. Do you want that delivered as well?"

"No, I'm going to take it with me."

"Let me ring you up then, and I'll get that rose for you."

/

"Hey."

Marissa was jolted from her thoughts when she heard her wife's voice. She glanced in the direction it came from and found Bianca standing next to the bench.

"Hey, yourself."

/

A/N: Yes, I left it there. I'm going to blame it on me still getting over my cold and my evil side taking advantage of my weakened condition. Anyone buying that? See you soon!