A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I appreciate it. Like the previous chapter, I have taken excerpts from two of my other stories, tweaked them, and combined them new scenes. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!

/

"Did Erica say if Marissa needed anything?"

"No, Mom said Marissa told her she was okay. Jo and Jessica were already going over today to help so that worked out. Mom had a couple things to wrap up and then she's going to stop over and help a little too. Marissa told her to tell me to stay home because of the kids. AJ, Miranda, and Gabby are excited so she knows the boys are as well, and they probably wouldn't like it if either of us left today. Marissa also said she'll let us know when she hears from Bianca again. I'm guessing it probably won't be for a while though. Bianca doesn't like talking on her cellphone while she's driving normally so I know there's no way she'll be doing that in this weather because she's going to want to keep a close eye on the roads."

"See. Like I said, Bianca's smart. I do know what I'm talking about sometimes you know." Zach said with a smile as he set Lexie's bottle down and began to gently burp her.

Before Kendall could respond, she heard Spike call out for her.

"Mom!"

"I better go see what he needs." Kendall gave Zach a quick kiss and smiled as he made faces at their daughter. Lexie giggled at her father. Zach loved the boys. They were buddies, and he would do anything for both of them. Lexie though had him wrapped around her little finger from the moment he laid eyes on her. She was definitely going to be a Daddy's girl, and Kendall felt sorry for whoever would want to date Lexie years from now. There was no doubt in her mind that Zach would not make it easy on them. Kendall chuckled to herself before she headed upstairs to see what her oldest son needed.

/

Jessica finished washing and drying her hands and turned to Marissa. "Miranda said Bianca is on her way home."

"Yes, she is. She was able to get a rental and is driving home from Philadelphia. I'm not quite sure when she'll be home though, but she is on her way."

Jo leaned in close and whispered to her friend to try and reassure her. "Bianca will be okay. You know that she will take it nice and slow and won't take any unnecessary chances."

"I know." Marissa took a deep breath and sighed thinking this was the first time since they had gotten together that Bianca might Christmas. The redhead shook her head to rouse herself and stop her mood from turning blue. She couldn't let herself go there. Marissa needed to maintain an upbeat mood and attitude for the kids so they could enjoy the day. It's what Bianca would want, and she would too if their roles were reversed. Her thoughts were interrupted by her youngest daughter.

"We're ready!" Gabby announced happily.

The redhead laughed. "Did you wash your hands?"

"Yep!"

"Okay then, let's get started."

Gabby climbed up on a step stool while AJ and Miranda took their usual positions at the counter.

"What kind of cookies are we making?" Jo asked as she finished washing her hands.

"Gingerbread men and women." Miranda said.

AJ answered next. "Sugar cookies with icing!"

"Chocolate chip!" Gabby said excitedly. They all knew that chocolate chip cookies weren't necessarily associated with Christmas, but chocolate was involved so enough said. The Tasker-Montgomery family loved chocolate.

"We have a few others planned too. There will be plenty for you to take home and share with Greg." Marissa paused and grinned. "And Caleb."

Jessica rolled her eyes, but that still didn't disguise the slight blush on face when she heard Caleb's name. "Hush."

Marissa and Jo laughed before the redhead made an announcement. "Let the baking begin!"

/

As Bianca and Eileen continued on their journey, the snow picked in intensity. It made for slow going but at least they were moving and not stuck in an airport in Philadelphia. The women had been on the road for a little over an hour and were chatting amiably when Eileen paused.

"Could I ask you a question, Bianca?"

"Sure. What would you like to know?"

"You've talked about your wife."

A smile spread across Bianca's face. She wasn't sure if it was an involuntary reflex or merely a habit, but it was something she did whenever she thought about her wife. "Marissa. We've been married for a little over a year."

"Congratulations! That's wonderful. Would you mind if I asked you something? It might be a little personal?"

Bianca shook her head. She had a feeling what the question might be about given how Eileen prefaced it. "Sure, I don't mind."

"Thank you. I promise that I don't many any offense. How did your mother react when you told her you were …"

"When I told her I was gay?"

"Yes. I hope you don't take that the wrong way, and I promise I will explain why I want to know."

"Well, I came out to her a long time ago. At first, my Mom had a really hard time with it. She didn't want to believe that I was gay. It didn't fit in with her public image back then."

"Her public image?" Eileen finally put it together. She knew Bianca looked familiar, but she just couldn't make the connection. When Bianca told Eileen her last name, she gave it as Tasker-Montgomery which threw her off as well. It wasn't until she mentioned her mother and public image that all of the pieces fell into place for the older woman. "Oh my, your mother is Erica Kane."

Bianca smiled. "Yes, she's my Mom. It was a different time when I came out, and Mom was not only worried about how it would look but also worried about me. It was hard for her to accept, and we had a strained relationship for a while. Eventually though, Mom came around. Now, she's one of my biggest supporters as well as an extremely vocal ally of the LGBTQ community. After Mom accepted who I was, what I had the hardest time with was her thinking that anyone was good enough for me."

"That is a universal problem for all parents. We never think anyone is truly good enough for our children, at least at first. There are exceptions to that sometimes. How does your mother feel about your wife?"

Bianca smiled. "Mom loves her. She's actually one of Marissa's biggest fans now. Rissa is definitely the exception. It's a little disconcerting how well they get along sometimes. The thing with them is that they've always been honest with each other. A lot of people are intimidated by my Mom but not Rissa, and my Mom respects that. I wouldn't be surprised if Mom isn't over at our house right helping her out."

Eileen nodded. She had seen and read Erica's numerous interviews and knew from those about her love and support of her daughter. "What about Marissa and her mother?"

Not wanting to go into the particulars surrounding Marissa's parentage, Bianca answered with Krystal in mind. "She was a little surprised because Rissa had only ever been with men before me, but she has been supportive of our relationship. She actually played a part in encouraging us to admit our feelings for each other."

"So, neither of you had any threats about disowning you or anything like that?"

"No. We've been lucky. I'm sad to say that I know others that have not been as fortunate."

Eileen took this information in. "I owe you an explanation now for my question. My granddaughter came out to our family five years ago. Her mother, my daughter, was furious. I remember her shouting that no daughter of hers could be gay. The things she called her own daughter. It turned my stomach. This war between them went on for several months. My daughter was sure it was just a phase. Then, she was convinced that Lauren had fallen under the influence of some evil lesbian who was doing her best to turn her straight daughter gay. It was ridiculous, and I knew nothing could be further from the truth. You see, I'd seen Lauren and her girlfriend together and how they looked at each other. To me, there was simply no denying that it was love. It didn't matter to me that she was in love with a woman. I didn't care about that. I don't care about that. I only care about her happiness. Finally, my daughter said Lauren was no longer welcome in her home, not as long as she was living in sin with Ashley. That's her girlfriend."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure that put you in a hard position."

"Yes, it did. How do I choose between my daughter and my granddaughter? Lauren and Ashley moved to Center City not long after my daughter issued her edict. I still worked at the time so my life was in Philadelphia. I retired earlier this year. Since I stayed in Philadelphia however, it looked to other people like I agreed with my daughter and chose her. She lives there as well. Lauren and I have tried to stay in touch without letting my daughter know. It's been tough, but she is worth the effort. Two years ago, Ashley gave birth to the twins."

Bianca remembered the picture Eileen had shown her earlier and could tell the girls were only about a year old. "And now?"

"Now, I finally have the courage to stand up for Lauren and her family. I told my daughter that she is wrong and is missing out on not having her daughter and grandchildren in her life. She wasn't happy with me and told me that if that was how I felt that I was no longer welcome in her home as well. I decided that I'm going to Center City to apologize to Lauren and Ashley for not speaking out and standing up for them sooner. I only hope they can forgive me for not doing this years ago."

"Obviously, I don't know your granddaughter, but I've learned over the years that it's never too late to hope or to ask for forgiveness. If you tell Lauren everything you've told me, I think you have a good chance of being in their lives. You're taking a huge step today, and I really think that she'll appreciate that."

Eileen sighed. Talking to Bianca had given her something she hadn't had in a long time. It gave her the hope that just maybe things might work out. "Thank you. Talking to you about all of this has made me feel better."

"I'm glad, and you're welcome."

"You know you're very good at listening."

"Rissa has told me that."

"Tell me about her, if that's okay?"

Bianca smiled brightly again. "It's more than okay. She is definitely one of my favorite subjects. We started out as lawyer/client. She's a lawyer, a very good one, and actually handled my divorce for me from my first wife. We became friends and then best friends during it. Unfortunately, the divorce got ugly, but Rissa was always there for me even when I doubted how certain things should be handled. She was dealing with issues of her own with her ex-husband so I tried to do the same for her. Over time, things changed. Our relationship evolved into something more. Before either of us knew it, we fell in love. Given our pasts however, we were afraid to acknowledge that fact. We finally admitted our feelings for each other on Christmas Eve a few years ago when we realized that we had to take that chance, take that leap of faith that it would work out. Obviously, it did."

"That sounds lovely."

"It wasn't easy to admit it to ourselves, let alone each other. We didn't want to lose our best friend because the friendship we had meant everything to us, and we didn't want to screw that up. But then, we had a rather large nudge from some people. At first, it didn't go according to their plan, but I think that's how it goes with love stories sometimes. It's not always easy, and it can be very messy. The best things in life are worth it though." Bianca then recounted the roles that Kendall, Greenlee, and Krystal had played, and the story had Eileen in tears from laughing so hard.

/

"Erica, it's really good to see you. Come on in." Marissa motioned her mother-in-law into the house and took her coat once inside.

"How are you doing, dear?"

"I admit I was a little frazzled earlier, but Jo and Jessica have been awesome. Thanks to them, things are a lot better."

"I'm glad to hear that. Where do you need my help?"

"Let's go into the kitchen. Cookies are cooling and will need to be iced soon. While we're waiting for that, we started on prepping some of the food for tomorrow. Oh, I haven't heard from Bianca since I talked to you earlier."

"I was just going to ask."

"Yeah, I figured. To be honest, I don't expect to hear anything for a while. She's going to be focused on the road and won't want to be on her cellphone."

"As well she should. My daughter is very smart. Bianca knows there are many people here who love and need her. She won't take any unnecessary chances. Are you holding up okay?"

"Like I told you earlier, I'm worried and won't stop being that way until she's home. I'm trying not to focus on it though. I don't want the kids to worry and take away from their excitement. Talking to you, Jo, and Jessica has helped a lot. I can't thank you enough for that."

"You're welcome. I'm glad I can help in any way. Kendall said to tell you she is available to help as well, even though I told her what you said."

"I appreciate her offer, but the kids need her home today. I'm sure they're like mine and starting to bounce off the walls just a bit. And as good as Zach is with them …"

Erica chuckled. "We both know that Kendall is the one that is usually the bad cop. Thank you for thinking of her." The diva knew there was another reason. While Kendall was doing well, she had undergone major surgery earlier in the year when she was given a pacemaker. The Slater family had been through a great deal and deserved a quiet holiday or as quiet as one could have in Pine Valley.

"You're welcome. She would do the same for me. Okay. Are you ready to ice some cookies?"

"I am indeed."

"Excellent! Don't forget to take some home for Jack."

"Trust me, I won't. He would pout and wouldn't let me hear the end of it if I did."

/

"Are you sure you don't need us to do anything else?" Jessica asked as she put her coat on. She, Jo, and Erica had been at Minx Manor for a couple of hours helping Marissa get ready for the next day as well as help keep the kids occupied.

Marissa lowered her voice so the kids couldn't hear her response. "The only thing I have left to do is put out their presents which I can't do until they're asleep." With a quick glance to make sure little ears hadn't heard her, Marissa then continued in her normal tone. "I'm positive. Everything that can be done tonight for tomorrow is done. Besides, the snow is starting to come down more out there. I want the three of you to get home safely."

Jo looked at her friend. "You'll be okay?"

"We'll be just fine. I promise. We're going to have dinner in a little bit, watch some Christmas movies, put out our cookies and hot chocolate for Santa and carrots for his reindeer, and then, after a story, go to bed."

"Okay. She's right. We should go, Mom."

Jessica reluctantly agreed. She hated leaving Marissa when she knew that the redhead was still worried about Bianca, but she would do as asked. "Okay, but call if you need anything."

"I will. Thank you for all of your help today. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Erica hugged her daughter-in-law. "You're welcome. On behalf of Jack, thank you for these cookies."

Marissa chuckled. "You're welcome. As soon as I hear from Bianca, I promise I will let you know."

"Thank you. I do hope this lets up soon. Everyone is looking forward to coming over tomorrow."

"I know, and the kids are really wanting to see everyone. According to the weather reports, it's supposed to slow down overnight. Be safe getting home, and let me know when you get there."

"We will. Oh, thanks in advance for Greg on the cookies too." Jo assured her friend as they exchanged hugs before Jessica hugged the redhead as well.

"As will I." Erica promised as she hugged her daughter-in-law again. The diva then called out to the children who were on the sofa. "Be good for your Ma, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye! See you tomorrow!"

"Don't forget to put cookies out for Santa!"

/

Marissa closed the door and turned to the kids. "I'm going to start on dinner. How do homemade pizzas sound?"

"It sounds awesome!" AJ said.

"Good. I need someone to take Max out."

"I'll do it, Ma." AJ jumped off the sofa to retrieve Max's leash.

"Thanks, Buddy."

"Do you need some help with the pizzas, Ma?" Miranda asked.

"That would be great, Mimo. Thank you."

"I'll keep an eye on Danny, Ma." Gabby offered.

"Thank you, Monkey. Okay, Mimo, let's get to work."

/

"Okay, minions, I think it's time for baths." Marissa said as she gathered up the pieces of the game they had just finished playing. After dinner, the family decided to play a couple games including Pie Face which was a big hit.

"Do we really have to?" Gabby said with a slight whine.

"Yeah, you really have to, especially after that incident with the icing earlier today and the Pie Face game. Plus, it's one less thing you have to do tomorrow by doing it tonight. Go get your baths and put on your pajamas. While you're doing that, I will give Danny his bath. We'll meet back here when everyone is done for hot chocolate, popcorn, and a movie. Maybe a Christmas cookie too. Sound like a plan?"

The kids smiled and nodded before they headed upstairs. Marissa picked Danny up after she finished boxing up the last game they played. She sighed as Bianca crossed her mind again. Marissa closed her eyes and said a silent prayer to keep her wife safe.

"Okay, Danny, time for a bath. Hopefully, Mommy will be home soon."

/

Marissa chuckled as she saw Gabby try and hide a yawn. The credits for 'A Christmas Story' were scrolling on the television's screen, and Marissa glanced at the clock on the mantle for what was probably the umpteenth time that evening. She had let the kids stay up later than normal. It was Christmas Eve after all, and they had been too wired earlier to go to bed at their usual time. Now, it looked like they were finally ready to go to sleep or would be shortly.

"Go on up and brush your teeth. We'll do our story in Gabby's room."

"Ma, we have to put out Santa's cookies and the carrots for the reindeer."

"You're right, Monkey. I almost forgot. Let's go get everything together."

/

Once she was back downstairs in the family room, Marissa glanced at the mantel clock yet again before walking over to the bay window and looking outside. It was snowing pretty hard now, and the redhead pleaded silently for her wife to be safe. With that done, she headed down the hallway to the couple's home office. They had stashed the kids' presents in there and kept the door locked so no one could snoop around for a sneak peek. A few still needed to be wrapped so she retrieved wrapping paper, bows, gift tags, tape, and scissors and set about wrapping the remaining items. The redhead then retrieved her presents for Bianca from their hiding place and wrapped them. Marissa then transported the carefully wrapped packages from the office to the Christmas tree. With that done, the redhead began to fill the stockings as she hummed along with the Christmas carols playing softly in the background.

/

After several hours on the road, Bianca and Eileen slowly made their way down the streets of Center City. Because of the weather, what was normally around a five hour drive from Philadelphia had turned into one that was close to 12 hours. It was after midnight when they finally pulled up in front of Lauren's home. They could tell the lights were still on as they came to a stop.

Bianca could see Eileen was nervous and hesitant about getting out of the car. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not sure, but this is something I have to do. Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome, and thank you for keeping me company. Marissa will be relieved to know that I wasn't alone."

Eileen got out and retrieved her suitcase.

"I'll wait here until I know that everything is okay." Bianca assured the woman. She was not going to leave until she knew that Eileen was welcomed. If she wasn't, Bianca would take Eileen home with her. She knew Marissa would understand.

The older woman nodded. "Thank you. Don't forget to text me and let me know that you got home safely. Merry Christmas, Bianca." The women had traded numbers on their journey.

"I will, and I want you to call me tomorrow and let me know how things went. Merry Christmas, Eileen."

Bianca watched and waited as Eileen knocked on her granddaughter's front door. A moment later, a young woman opened the door with a surprised expression. A very brief conversation took place between them before the younger woman smiled, stepped forward, and hugged her grandmother tightly. After a moment, they separated, and Eileen pointed in Bianca's direction. The young woman smiled and waved before taking the older woman's suitcase and pulling it inside. Eileen turned and waved to Bianca with a huge smile on her face. The brunette returned the smile as well as the wave before she slowly pulled away to make her way home.

/

When she saw the exit sign for Pine Valley on the highway, Bianca released a small sigh of relief. The brunette knew she was inching closer and closer to her home, but she couldn't fully relax just yet. While it wasn't as heavy as it was further north around Philadelphia, the snow was still falling at a pretty good clip, and she still had a little ways to go. Bianca rolled her shoulders some in an attempt to relieve the tension that had settled in them during her drive. That helped ease them a little bit but not much. A huge yawn escaped. The drive had left her exhausted, but Bianca was not going to give up just yet, especially not when she was so close to home. She could do this.

Bianca turned on her blinker and slowly made her way onto the exit ramp. There was a large curve to the ramp so the brunette made sure to take her time. It wasn't like there was anyone behind her trying to get her to go faster. Thanks to a combination of the weather, the late hour, and it being Christmas Eve the roads had been fairly deserted. At the end of the exit ramp, Bianca put her blinker on again and said a silent thanks that the light was green so she didn't have to come to a complete stop. Suddenly, something darted out in front of her. Instinctively, Bianca slammed on her brakes instead of pumping them like you're supposed to in weather like this. She struggled to maintain control of the SUV, but Bianca hit a patch of ice and spun out.

/

A/N: Yeah, I had to do it. My evil side hasn't had a good cliffhanger in a while, and she was pretty much screaming for one. The fact that it's the week before Christmas doesn't matter to her. See you soon!