A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I truly appreciate your support. I apologize for the delay in updating. I had the trip for work, and the main result of it is that I get to have more meetings. Yay (said with sarcasm). For this upcoming week, I have two full days of training which I'm so looking forward to (again, sarcasm). Another thing I got from the trip was a cold. I started on something right away and seemed to put the brakes on it before it got too bad.

Now, on to the fun stuff. Happy anniversary to "Things Change"! It's hard to believe that just over six years ago I started this story. I will be honest with you, I certainly did not see this story going this long. Six years, over 1.3 million words, and almost 1,600 reviews, "Things Change" is still chugging along and getting new followers. I am truly humbled and speechless. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you. I still have ideas for this story so stay tuned!

This chapter jumps ahead a little. Hope you enjoy this update!

/

Marissa sighed happily as she felt Bianca's arms wrap around her waist from behind and then felt her rest her chin on the redhead's shoulder. She had been working on dinner but was more than happy for this interruption by Bianca. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Good session?"

"Yes, it was." Bianca had been to her therapist a handful of times since her flashback a few weeks ago. It had definitely been a very good decision and had helped her immensely. "In fact, Dr. Blankenship said that this would be my last session for the time being."

Marissa turned and faced her wife. "You're good with that?"

Bianca nodded. "I am, and I agree with her. I'm in a much better place now. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For suggesting I get help."

"B, it was only a suggestion. You were the one who did all the hard work, and I don't just mean talking with Dr. Blankenship. To the surprise of absolutely no one, you came up with a solution for the handling of new cases for the Center, and it's a really good one. You put a lot of hard work into all of this, and I am so proud of you. More than that though, I'm so happy that you're you again. I love seeing your smile and that twinkle in your eyes."

Bianca smiled. It had been hard work, but she did feel like herself again, more centered and more confident. Marissa had been there every step of the way for her, and she had even seen Dr. Blankenship herself a few times to get a better understanding of how to best help Bianca as well as help deal with some of her own issues. What Bianca appreciated the most however was the fact that Marissa never pushed her for details of her sessions. She would ask her wife how her session went but never more than that. Marissa always left it up to Bianca as to whether or not she wanted to share which Bianca always did, maybe not that same day but eventually. The incident had brought the couple even closer together, if that was possible.

"I couldn't have done it without your encouragement and love."

"You will always have both of those, especially the love."

"Good to know, and the same goes for me, always." Bianca leaned in and kissed her wife tenderly. "So, how are the troops?"

"Something is up with our two oldest." Marissa went back to chopping vegetables for dinner. "Do you want to start on the chicken?"

"Sure." Bianca nodded. "What do you mean about the kids?"

"I don't think it's anything bad. It's just that I could tell that something was on their minds when I got home tonight. I was thinking we could ask them about it over dinner."

"Sounds like a good idea. So, tell me about your day."

"I have an update on Tammy."

"You do? What is it? Is it good news? Please tell me it's good news."

Marissa chuckled at her wife's reaction. "It's good news, at least I think it is. We have a deal, and it's … good. To be honest, it's the best we could have hoped for."

"Tammy is going to jail then?" Bianca asked. It was way past time that Tammy faced the consequences of her actions.

"Yes, she is. Tammy's being transferred to the women's section of Statesville next week. She's been sentenced to ten years and will serve no less than six years. If she is granted parole before she has served her full sentence, she will be on probation for the remainder of it. If she violates her parole, she'll serve out the remainder of her sentence back in prison. During that time, Tammy is not to initiate contact of any kind with Amber. If Amber wants to communicate with her, she has to be one initiate. A restraining order is also in place for Doug. Tammy has to leave him alone. Any communication between them will have to be conducted via their lawyers. If she violates any of these conditions, she stays in prison."

"Wow. You're right. That does sound like the best case for Doug and Amber. What does Doug think about it?"

"He's relieved, and as happy as he can be. The whole thing is just so messed up, and the one who has been hurt the most by it all is Amber."

"Yeah. That's just so sad. My heart breaks for her. Amber is such a sweet girl."

"She really is. Doug was going to take her to see her counselor and go over everything with her there. Amber knows about the deal that was being offered to Tammy, but it's different when it's real and not just a proposal."

"That is very smart about having the counselor present, and you're right. It's real now, and it could be hard for Amber knowing that. Doug has really changed through all of this. I'm glad because he's needed to. Amber is only 12, and she needs a parent. For a while there, it was almost like she was being the parent."

"You're right about that. I talked with Doug about something else."

"What?"

"Turning his case over to Brian."

Bianca knew Marissa had been considering doing this. It would free up time for her wife, and Brian was more than capable of handling the case since he had assisted on it. If Brian needed her, Marissa would still be around to consult. She was simply stepping aside. "What did he say?"

"He understood and agreed."

"Good. I'm glad."

"Me too. So, how was your day?"

"It was pretty good. We're really close on finally being able to implement Jessica's plan."

"That's great!" Marissa knew this was big. The Center had been working on Jessica's brainchild for quite some time and couldn't wait to see it come to fruition for both Bianca and Jessica. "When do you think you'll be ready for the unveiling?"

"It's slated for three weeks from today so clear your calendar."

"Do me a favor, B, while we're talking about it and put it in the calendar in my phone? I don't want to forget it. I want to be there for both you and Jessica. I'm so proud of both of you."

Bianca smiled and washed her hands before picking up her wife's cellphone and adding the date. "Done. I wish I could take credit, but I just can't. This is all Jessica. Honestly, it's something we should have thought of before. I can't tell you how glad I am that Jessica came up with it though. I believe that it's truly going to change lives."

"I think you're right. Don't sell yourself short though. It may be Jessica's idea, but you believed in it, recognized it for what it is. More importantly, you're implementing it. Before you say that I'm being biased, I'm here to tell you that Jessica would tell you the same thing. It's nice being surrounded by brilliant and caring women."

"Well, you're pretty brilliant and caring yourself there, Counselor." Bianca gave her wife a quick kiss. "The chicken is ready when you are. If you don't need anything else right now, I'm going to go change and say 'hi' to the kids."

"I'm good. Go get comfortable. I'm thinking everything will be ready in about 15 minutes."

"I'll be back in 10 minutes to set the table."

/

Bianca studied the couple's two oldest children. Both AJ and Miranda had been quiet ever since they had sat down at the table. Marissa had been right. Something was up, and it was time to find out what. The couple had decided that Bianca would start off the questioning with AJ.

"Is everything okay, AJ?"

The boy glanced up. "What do you mean, Mom?"

"Well, you seem like something is on your mind. If you tell us, maybe we could help."

AJ thought for a moment and sighed. It was worth a shot. "You know the spring dance is in a couple of weeks."

"Oh, that's right. The Spring Fling is coming up."

"Yeah, and I … I …" AJ took a breath. "I was thinking of maybe asking Amber to go with me. Would I be allowed to do that?"

Marissa and Bianca weren't really surprised to hear this. It was no secret that AJ liked Amber, but asking her to the school dance was kind of a big deal. The couple exchanged a knowing glance and silently reached an agreement.

"Yes, you have our permission." Bianca smiled gently.

"Really?"

"Really."

AJ sighed in relief. "Thanks. Could I ask you something?"

"You can ask us anything, Buddy."

"Do you think Amber would want to go with me?" The thing that scared AJ the most was asking Amber and then her turning him down.

"Well …" Before Bianca could answer, Miranda chimed in.

"I think she would, AJ. Amber likes you, a lot."

"Yeah?"

Miranda nodded confidently. "Yeah. Trust me."

AJ smiled at his sister. "I do. Thanks, Miranda." The boy paused. "Mom, Ma, how should I ask her out?' AJ was nervous. He had never asked anyone out before and wasn't really sure how to go about doing it. AJ really didn't want to mess it up.

"Well, your Mom was the one who asked me out on our first official date."

"You did?" Gabby asked.

Bianca grinned. "I did, and it just so happened to be to a dance."

"Was it the fundraiser at the Yacht Club?" Miranda knew the couple had gone to that dance not long after getting together.

"Yes, it was."

AJ was definitely interested and hoped he would get an idea from his Mom. "How did you ask her? Were you nervous?"

Bianca nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I was pretty nervous. I hoped she would say yes and thought she might, but I wasn't positive. There was a chance she could say no."

"Like I could ever say no to you." Marissa and gave Bianca a quick kiss.

"I didn't know that at the time, and by the way, same here where you're concerned." Bianca winked at her wife before continuing. "Anyway. I was nervous, and it's perfectly normal if you are. How did I ask her? Well, we were talking about the fundraiser, and I just asked her if she would want to go with me. Luckily for me, she said yes."

"That's it? You didn't do anything special? I see stories about promposals where someone gets a marching band to play and other things like that."

Marissa smiled at her son. "AJ, her simply asking was special to me. I didn't need or want any of that other stuff. It's fine if other people want it, but that's just not me. Your Mom asking me was everything." Marissa turned to see the goofy grin she loved so much on Bianca's face before she turned back to her son. "I think if you just ask Amber that will work out pretty well for you. Besides, we're not paying for a marching band. You're a little on the young side for that."

AJ sighed in relief. He was glad to hear that he didn't have to do something over-the-top. AJ was a little shy and wasn't really ready for something that bold and out there. "Okay. That stuff's kinda big, and I'm not sure how to do something like that. You know, how to plan it. Plus, I don't think that Amber would like something like that. She's a little shy, and with everything that's been going on with her mom, she doesn't like to draw extra attention to herself."

Bianca nodded. "That's understandable. Your Ma and I are very proud of you for taking her feelings into account. You're being very considerate and thoughtful, and that's not something we're surprised about at all."

AJ ducked his head as he blushed. The fact that he made his Moms proud meant a lot to him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Buddy."

Marissa turned to Miranda. It was time to find out what was going on with her. "So, Miranda, what's up? You seem a little distracted today."

Miranda sighed. She really shouldn't be surprised that her Moms picked up on her mood. They didn't miss much. "It's the dance. Kinda. Maybe. Not really. I don't know."

"Care to run that by me again?"

"You know how AJ wants to ask Amber to the dance?"

"Yeah. Did someone ask you?"

"Tommy Jenkins asked me if I wanted to go with him. I told him I had to check with you and Mom first. The thing is, I don't think I want to go with him, but a lot of the kids are going with dates and I kinda feel I should too."

"Mimo, if you don't want to go with him, you don't have to. It doesn't matter if others are going with dates. If you don't want to, you shouldn't feel obligated or pressured to. Do you want to go to the dance?"

"Yeah, I do, but I think I would rather go with my friends. Jessica, Molly, Taylor, and I were talking about going together."

"Then, that's what you should do. You should be honest with Tommy though and tell him you just want to go with your friends."

"Okay, I will. I know it's the right thing to do. Thanks, Ma." Miranda nodded. There was still something on her mind, and it was big. "Could I ask you something else?"

"Of course."

"Part of the reason I don't want to go with Tommy is because I don't like him. I mean, I like him, but I don't like him."

Marissa chuckled. She knew the difference between liking someone and liking someone. "Gotcha."

"The thing is that I feel confused. There was one boy I kinda liked last year, but his family moved to Llanview so I don't see him anymore. When we toured the middle school, I met this older girl there that I kinda liked a little too. So, I don't know if I like boys or girls. I know that Mom only likes girls. I mean, how do you know which? How did you know?"

Bianca glanced at her wife, and she immediately understood why Miranda asked Marissa that particular question. She gave her wife a nod of encouragement.

Marissa thought for a moment to collect her thoughts. "First of all, it's okay if you're confused. There's nothing wrong with that. You're 12. I remember that age. You have a lot of stuff going on inside, and it's very confusing. Here's the thing. It's okay to feel the way you do. I will also tell you that there are a lot of adults in your same situation, and they are just as confused as you. Just because you become an adult doesn't mean you have everything figured out, that you have all the answers. Far from it. Trust me on that. When I was your age, I only liked boys. I was never really attracted to girls. As I grew up, that stayed the same." Marissa turned to Bianca and smiled before turning back to Miranda. "When I met your Mom though, things changed. We were friends for a long time, and then, without either of us realizing it, our relationship changed. I started seeing your Mom in a different light. I fell in love with her. Now, you know that I don't like labels, but if you need one, I suppose I would be bisexual."

"Meaning you like both men and women." Miranda stated.

"Yes. Until your Mom though, I had never had any romantic interest in a woman. You see, I didn't fall in love with her because she is a woman, and the fact that she is a woman was never really a deterrent either. I fell in love with Bianca the person, with who she is, and she is a remarkable person. She's smart, funny, kind, caring, loving, and as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. I really mean it when I say how could I not fall in love with her. It took me awhile, but I finally got it right."

"But how did you know? You both were in relationships that didn't work out and where you got hurt."

"How did I know? I just did. It felt right. Something just clicked. I … I couldn't imagine living my life without her in it. I still can't. For the longest time, I felt like I was missing something. It turns out that it was your Mom. Now, you're right about both of us being in relationships that didn't work, and yes, we did get hurt. Unfortunately, that happens. Sometimes, you have to go through that to get to the good stuff, and sometimes, you don't. I would love nothing more than to tell you that you won't get hurt, but I can't. I can tell you though that you can't let your fear of being hurt stop you from finding your happiness."

Bianca nodded. "Your Ma is right. For the longest time, I did that. I was afraid of being hurt again so I decided to protect myself by holding myself back, not putting myself out there, not dating. It turns out that I was just hurting myself. I was letting my past dictate my future, and that is no way to live."

"And as to whether you like boys or girls or both, it doesn't matter to us. Your Mom and I only want you to be happy and to be true to yourself." Marissa glanced around the table to AJ, Gabby, and Danny. "The same holds true for the three of you."

"Yes, it does. All that matters to us is that you're happy. The last thing your Ma and I want is for you to feel pressured to be one way or the other. Don't rush yourself. Take your time. I didn't know right away. It was something I had to think about."

Miranda thought for a moment. "What did Grandma say when you told her you were gay, Mom? And Ma, what did Krystal and Jessica say? Do you think your Mom and Dad would be okay with you being married to a woman?"

"I'll go first, B." Marissa knew Bianca would want a minute to consider her response regarding Erica. "Krystal actually kind of helped me realize that I was in love with your Mom. Kendall and she came up with a plan that kind of backfired a little, and Greenlee helped the two get things back on track. When I told Jessica about your Mom, she was a little surprised because I only dated boys when I was growing up. After that though, she was fine. It didn't matter to her or change her feelings. She still loved me and supported me. As for my Mom and Dad, they would be okay with it. Like with your Mom and I when it comes to you, they would want me to be happy, and it would be easy for them to see that your Mom makes me really happy."

"It's a little more complicated when it comes to your Grandma. When I came out to her, it was a different time. Being gay wasn't as accepted then as it is today. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people still have a problem with it, but it's better. It took my Mom a little time to accept it, but she did eventually come around. Now, she is extremely proud and supportive, and she has done a great deal for the LGBTQ community. I'm really proud of her and of how far she's come. If you're worried about what she or Jessica or Krystal would think, don't. They love you and would support you no matter what. The same goes for your Aunt Kendall, Uncle Zach, Aunt Greenlee, and Uncle Ryan."

"As well as Jo and Greg, and everyone else that loves you. Will everyone feel that way? Unfortunately, no, they won't, but the people that really know and love you, the ones that really count, will be there for you. Your Mom and I will be at the front of that line."

"You can count on me too, Mimo." Gabby added proudly.

AJ nodded. He had an idea about Miranda's sexual orientation because the two were very close and shared a great deal. "Same goes for me. I'll always have your back, Mimo. I'm pretty sure Danny will too."

Miranda smiled. She still wasn't sure what her sexual orientation was, but the one thing she was sure about was that she would have the support of her family, no matter what. After talking with her Moms, she felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Miranda should have known talking with them would help because it always did. "Thanks."

"How do you feel? Any better?" Marissa asked.

"Yeah, I feel a lot better. I'm going to tell Tommy that I don't want to go with him, and it really doesn't have anything to do with him. I just want to go to the dance with my friends. Hopefully, he'll understand."

"I think he will. Tommy's pretty cool." AJ assured his sister.

Miranda nodded. "Yeah, he is. If you need help with how you want to ask Amber, just let me know. Between the two of us, we'll come up with a plan."

AJ sighed in relief. "Thanks. I can really use the help."

"Like you said before, I'll always have your back." Miranda grinned.

Bianca and Marissa shared a relieved look. While it could not be considered exactly a crisis with either AJ or Miranda, what they were both going through was still big and was important. They remembered going through puberty, and it was not fun. The couple had helped their children work through the issues they had that day. Miranda especially would need their guidance and support to help navigate what she was and would be going through as she went forward, and Bianca and Marissa would be there for her every step of the way. The same held true for AJ, Gabby, and Danny.

/

A/N: So, I still haven't decided what Miranda's sexual orientation will eventually be. She's only 12 and has time to figure things out. As for Gabby, she's 8, and when you're that age, you really don't think about it one way or the other. I've had the idea of AJ liking Amber for quite some time. Tammy being Amber's mom definitely throws a wrinkle into things. See you soon!