Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows Chapter 9 PastPresent Collide Part VII, a guiding light fanfic

Title: Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows

Author: Kimberly21570

Fandoms: Guiding Light / All My Children

Pairings: Olivia and Natalia / Lena and Bianca

Disclaimer: The characters of Olivia and Emma Spencer, Natalia and Rafe Rivera, and Frank Cooper, are owned by CBS/TeleNext and Proctor & Gamble. The characters of Lena and Paulina Kundera, Bianca Montgomery, Jackson Montgomery, Maggie Stone, Erica Kane, Greenlee Smythe Du Pres, Myrtle Fargate, Alexander Cambias, Jr. and Sr., Zach and Kendall Slater, and Michael Cambias are owned by All My Children, ABC/Disney.

The song I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas is the property of Interscope Records. The song Paralyzer by Finger Eleven is the property of Wind-Up Records. The song Dancin' in the Moonlight is the property of Perception Records. Additional disclaimers regarding the music in this update are at the end—Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise regarding their karaoke choices… ;)

No copyright infringement intended with regard to Guiding Light, CBS/TeleNext, Proctor & Gamble, AMC, ABC/Disney, Interscope, Wind-Up, Universal Public, Toucan Cove, Warner Brothers, Tamla, Atlantic, Mercury, Perception, or any other entity. Dialogue and story content in these scenes are original. With the exception of the cottage, all of the settings in this update are authentic to Martha's Vineyard. Written for fun, not profit. All other standard disclaimers apply.

Obviously, with regard to Lianca, I haven't followed canon in my story Restoration, which is the foundation for the characters here in Confessions. In my alternate Lianca universe the women's shelter Bianca founded is called Haven of Hope, rather than The Miranda Center, because I decided Bianca was keeping her baby long before the writers at AMC did, and subsequently, I named the child Jordan.

I know absolutely nothing about sports, except that I cannot stand to watch them… I know, I know! Bad Lesbian! LOL But Season's Pub is a sports bar, and thus, I have endeavored to enter into that world just briefly enough to describe the ambiance. I did a little research, and I believe the rivalries and sporting events mentioned actually took place on 4.25.2009… For those of you who are sports fans, and know better, I apologize if I've made any errors in that regard.

Rating: Chapter 9.7 is rated R for coarse language, mature themes, and blatant sexual innuendo—and plenty of it!

Hope you all enjoy the chapter…

Regards—

Kimberly

Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows

"Honor isn't about making the right choices. It's about dealing with the consequences."

Anonymous

"Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences."

Norman Cousins

Chapter 9.7 – When Past and Present Collide:

Saturday, April 25, 2009… Season's Pub, Martha's Vineyard—10:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

Nestled amongst the quaint little shops on Circuit Avenue in the heart of Oak Bluffs, Season's Pub was a place well-known to locals and tourists, alike. It was a lively establishment, where families gathered for afternoon and early-evening meals. And in the late evenings, it transformed into a club-like atmosphere, with live bands, karaoke, and dancing; and strong-tasting amber liquids that flowed like water from a rushing spring.

Just a short stroll from Nantucket Sound to the east, and Oak Bluffs Harbor to the northwest, the distinct smells and sounds of maritime life permeated the air around the pub, infusing it with purpose.

Inside the pub, the ambiance was infused with energy—the bass thumped as the live band rocked the stage with a rousing cover of the Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta Feeling, energizing the crowd in preparation for the weekly karaoke show; and Olivia couldn't have agreed more—it was gonna be a good night. She could feel it in her bones.

She grabbed Natalia's hand, pulling her through the crowd and straight to the dance floor. Bouncing up and down to the beat, she chanted along with the band. "Tonight's the night. Let's live it up. I got my money. Let's spend it up. Go out and smash it. Like, 'Oh, my God!' Jump off that sofa. Let's get—get… Off!" And then she sang, "I know that we'll have a ball, if we get down and go out, and just lose it all…"

Bianca dragged a reluctant Lena to the dance floor right behind them. But Olivia didn't notice them. Her sole focus was Natalia. The woman was an absolute vision, the way the flashing lights caught her long, dark tresses, and illuminated that sparkle in her eyes as she smiled. Olivia felt mesmerized, as she watched Natalia dance. "Fill up my cup. Mazal tov! Look at her dancin'—just take it… Off! Let's paint the town. We'll shut it down. Let's burn the roof, and then we'll do it again." She sang about doing it again and again, and then the song fell into the chorus, and she was singing about that feeling—it's gonna be a good night!

Dancing and laughing together until the song wound to its conclusion, they turned to find Bianca and Lena nearby. The band launched a cover of Finger Eleven's Paralyzer, and awareness came into focus. Olivia's hand fell to its natural place at the small of Natalia's back, as they finally took in the atmosphere in the bar.

Wide-screen televisions flickered from every possible vantage point around the bar, broadcasting various sporting events. Sports fans gathered around their event of choice, snacking on appetizers of mussels, shrimp, and crab cakes—typical fare for a seaside town—and downing pitchers of award-winning microbrews, as they watched their favorite rivals square off. In round one of the NBA playoffs, the Lakers battled the Utah Jazz; though it wasn't much of a battle. And in round one of the NHL Playoffs, the Western Conference number four ranked Chicago Blackhawks were facing off against the number five ranked Calgary Flames. Finally, in baseball, the Cards took on the Cubs in The Lou, while the Yankees battled the Red Sox in Boston. Needless to say, the Yankees/Red Sox game garnered the majority of the attention.

Clearly, it was an atmosphere ripe for competition, and the moment Olivia entered the bar, she felt the pulsing energy, and she was raring to go. And so was Natalia—in a different way, entirely.

Olivia was looking at her that way again; Natalia's body heat rose, as the band launched into the chorus: "Well, I'm not paralyzed, but, I seem to be struck by you. I wanna make you move because you're standing still. If your body matches what your eyes can do, you'll probably move right through me on my way to you…"

If a single smoldering glance from Olivia could turn her entire body into a quivering puddle of molten want, she couldn't even fathom what the woman could do to her if she actually touched her with intent. It was an experience she contemplated multiples times every day. More than anything, she wanted to nudge Olivia into action—she was beyond ready to assuage that incessant ache within her body; that visceral need to be one with the woman she loved.

Settling at a high-top table near the stage, Natalia sat perched on a barstool. Standing closely, Olivia felt the heat of Natalia's gaze on her. A bit self-consciously, her eyes shifted, and she flashed Natalia that sexy grin. "What?"

Leaning forward, Natalia pressed her body into Olivia, hot breath against her ear. "I was just thinking about you," she husked. And damn, was she ever!

An eyebrow arched, and the corner of Olivia's mouth quirked upward. Stepping closer, she wrapped her arms around Natalia's waist. "Oh, yeah?" she said, flirtatiously. "What exactly were you thinking?"

"I really don't think you wanna know…" Natalia grinned. Her hands fell against Olivia's chest, sliding upward, and curling around her neck.

"Try me."

Natalia bit her bottom lip, adorably. "I was thinking about how much this song reminds me of you—the way you look at me, and the way it makes me feel."

The chorus repeated, and Olivia heard the blatant suggestion in the lyrics. Her breath caught, and those smoldering jade eyes were searching deep pools of dark, liquid desire. "How does it make you feel, Natalia?" Her tone was thick and raspy with emotion.

Nuzzling Olivia's ear, Natalia husked, "Like you're touching me everywhere…"

Olivia's body shuddered visibly as a wave of heat suffused her from head to toe; and Natalia quickly asked if she was all right.

Totally flustered, Olivia nodded, haphazardly. "I just, um, yeah…" she gasped for breath. "I need a drink."

A flustered Olivia Spencer was a delightful sight to behold, and Natalia reveled in it. But she didn't allow it to show. Instead, she nodded, acquiescently. She understood—hell, she would be having one herself, if she weren't pregnant. But despite the heightened sense of awareness that pinged between them; or perhaps even more-so because of it, she wasn't ready to relinquish her hold. She pulled Olivia closer, as the music somehow faded into the background. Her fingertips touched flushed cheeks, and then her mouth brushed against Olivia's in a kiss that was light, yet asked for more.

She wasn't disappointed with the response she received. Olivia didn't just kiss with her mouth or her tongue—she kissed with her entire body, and Natalia felt it everywhere. And it wasn't just this time—it was every time. No one had ever kissed her that way before—it overloaded her senses, and made her feel drunk with desire.

And then slowly their lips parted, and Olivia held her close, murmuring softly against her ear. Reality seeped back in, as the music rose to a crescendo, and Olivia shrugged, offering her a knowing grin. One final brief kiss to Natalia's lips, and she turned her attention to their friends, yelling over the din of the music, "First round's on us. What can I get you?"

"Need any help?" Natalia asked, after Olivia had noted their requests. She didn't care for the idea of being separated from Olivia, even momentarily.

"You stay. Let me take care of you," Olivia said, thoughtfully.

Dimples bloomed, and Natalia pulled her close, giving her Eskimo kisses. "You're so sweet to me," she said, affectionately, as her hands gently caressed Olivia's upper back through the smooth cotton of her black button-down shirt.

Olivia reveled in the closeness of her. "I love you," she replied with a shrug. The declaration earned her a real kiss. She quickly decided that if saying those words would get her kisses like that, she would say them a whole lot more often.

And then she was making her way through the crowd toward the bar. She worked the room like a seasoned pro, chatting up everyone she came across, and leaving them with a sense that they were somehow important; even as she accomplished her own agenda. Once upon a time, Lena had been known to work a room in such an efficient manner; but with her, it had always been forced. For Olivia, it came naturally, and Lena simply sat back and marveled at her.

The live music waned, giving way to the jukebox, as the band took a short break. Relaxing, Natalia chattered jovially with Lena and Bianca while they awaited Olivia's return. Their conversation flowed smoothly, as if they had been friends for years. It felt good to Natalia— reaffirming—to establish such a comfortable connection with Olivia's friends. In some ways it felt even better than the connection they had established with Jen and Tracy over the two months prior. Not because of anything inherent in either couple—they had become quite close with Jen and Tracy, and thought the world of them. But with them, Natalia felt as if she was on equal purchase with Olivia; while in meeting Olivia's friends, she felt as though she was seeking acceptance from her partner's extended family; an inner circle she had only known existed for a very short time. The distinction was tangible to her, and she felt blessed to have received such unwavering acceptance from Lena and Bianca, and their family.

Setting the bottles and glasses on the table, Olivia distributed them to their respective owners; receiving thanks in return for the courtesy. "Yeah, just don't get used to it," she said, playing it off as a fluke.

Shaking her head, Natalia grinned as she rolled her eyes. "Don't let her fool you—she's not nearly as gruff as she pretends to be."

"Damn, Spence, she really does have your number," Lena ribbed.

"Tattletale," Olivia accused with an amused grin.

"Just keepin' it real, Honey," Natalia teased. Her eyes sparkled, as she pressed her lips against the corner of Olivia's mouth.

Lena was amused by their banter, and simultaneously struck, once again, by the expression in Natalia's eyes, as she looked at Olivia. It said far more than mere words ever could. She smiled to herself, and turned her attention toward her wife.

Having already chosen her genre, Bianca was eagerly looking over the songbook, as she casually sipped on her wine. She had participated in karaoke at the pub before, so she knew the playlist for the most part, and she was excited to sing with the band.

For Olivia, though, it felt different, preparing to sing with a live band. It wasn't something she had ever done before, and it made her a little edgy. She took the edge off with a boilermaker—a shot of whiskey, dropped into a beer; downed in one long draw.

Olivia swallowed the drink, slamming the empty glass down on the table.

Natalia gasped. "Olivia!" She had waited tables at Farley's long enough to know the effect that concoction could have on a person; especially if they downed more than one.

"What?" Olivia tried to look innocent. "At least it wasn't a Jägerbomb."

Olivia had a point there, Natalia was forced to concede. But she didn't have to concede it out loud. She caressed Olivia's cheek gently. "No more, okay?"

It was a request, not a demand; and Olivia willingly agreed.

Natalia's gaze dropped to Olivia's lower lip, as her thumb brushed across it. And then their eyes met again, as Olivia kissed it tenderly, moving closer in the same breath.

Fingers sweeping into Olivia's hair, Natalia's thumb was replaced by her mouth, as their lips met in another slow kiss. Wrapping her legs around Olivia's thighs, Natalia pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.

Her hands falling to Natalia's waist, Olivia's thumbs tucked into the belt loops on her jeans, as her fingertips dug into the soft, womanly curves of Natalia's hips.

Lena, who had been peering over Bianca's shoulder at the songbook, glanced up, spying the two of them locked in another steamy kiss. Go, Spence, she thought, grinning at her friend. And then, turning her attention back to her wife, she nuzzled against Bianca's ear. "I think they're giving us a run for our money," she murmured; kissing her lightly.

Bianca glanced up, grinning at them, before turning that sparkling smile on her wife. "Then maybe we'd better catch up," she said, suggestively, as she pulled Lena into a smoldering kiss of their own.

Thirty minutes later, they had each chosen their genre and songs, and Olivia rallied the band's lead singer—Jace was his name—to help them out with their little showdown. She managed to get him on board without even the slightest hint of flirtatiousness. Natalia had been duly impressed, and didn't hesitate in letting Olivia know.

That cocky grin toyed with the corners of Olivia's mouth, as Natalia acknowledged the notable change in her. "I told you, Babe, I'll schmooze my ass off to get what I want, but I won't flirt. Not with anyone other than you."

The reminder earned her a sweet, yet transitory kiss.

The regular karaoke junkies were allowed to go first—once Jace eyed the four women, he figured he would save the best for last. And for the next forty five minutes, they were regaled with mediocre performances of the usual karaoke fare—a little Hank, Jr., some Jimmy Buffett, a Neil Diamond tune, a taste of Skynyrd, some Guns 'n Roses, a touch of Barry Manilow by a dude with an equally frightening facelift, and even a little John Denver thrown into the mix. By the time that guy was finished, Olivia thoroughly wished those country roads really would take him home, because he certainly didn't belong on stage. Sharing her wit with the others earned her laughter from her friends, and a roll of the eyes from Natalia, who told her she was incorrigible. That only made Olivia's grin widen.

The "amateur" set, as Olivia called it, finished with a rather impressive performance of the B-52's Love Shack, followed by a stunning rendition of Ain't No Mountain High Enough, both of which were belted out as duets by a gorgeous brunette with rich mocha eyes, and a sassy little redhead in ankle boots, form-fitting jeans and a low-cut bright yellow shirt that did little to cover her midriff.

In most instances, karaoke was good for a laugh, but with these two, it was actually pleasantly entertaining. The brunette was the picture of elegance in her classic black pencil skirt and sheer taupe blouse, worn over a sleek, black undergarment meant to entice rather than conceal. Her hair was swept up away from her face, and her shoes were absolutely to die for, Olivia thought. She made a mental note to ask her where she got them.

The redhead, with a longneck held casually in her left hand as she grasped the microphone in her right, was clearly comfortable on stage. She was enjoying herself, dancing and hamming it up for the crowd, much to the brunette's rapt amusement. She was as sexy-cute as the brunette was gracefully stunning, and together they were impossibly captivating; their styles and voices melding together in a perfect harmony.

There was intense chemistry between them, and Bianca would have sworn by the connection their eyes made as they sang to one another, the subtle ways they touched, that if they weren't already lovers, they certainly would be soon. It always made her a little giddy—and perhaps even a bit nostalgic—to watch new love blossoming, and this time was no exception.

Her attention was drawn back to Olivia and Natalia then, and she smiled to herself, as she watched them. Olivia's arms were around Natalia's waist, as she grinned against Natalia's ear. Natalia laughed as Olivia rocked her back and forth, singing about how nothing would keep her from getting to her Babe. They were clearly having a wonderful time, and that made Bianca's heart full.

After the ladies finished their second duet, and the whistling and applause died down, Jace took the microphone again; carrying on about how fantastic they were. It was his job, of course, but this time he actually meant it—as he would after Olivia and Bianca's performances. He explained their challenge to the crowd, including the extent of what was at stake, and then he turned the mike over to Bianca, who had won the coin toss to go first. Her chosen genre was Pop, and her song was Colbie Caillat's Magic.

It was a slow and sultry, essentially acoustic groove, and Bianca took on the air of a seductress, as she sang about magic inside fingertips, leaking out all over her skin.

Lena's face flushed as she listened; not from embarrassment, but from anticipation. It was deliciously sexy—the husky pitch of her voice, the way she moved on that stage, the fact that her eyes never left Lena for a moment. And those sleek leather boots, giving way to black designer jeans that were cut just right, and that flowing long-sleeved peasant blouse, so sexy and romantic, and cut down to… there… Its lacy overlay and delicate earth-tones accentuated flawless skin, and the thick black belt around her midsection laced up through golden islets, causing that blouse to billow in all the right places, as it hung so perfectly on Bianca's body. And that raven hair, the way it fell in soft waves around Bianca's face and down onto her shoulders. She looked like a heroine from a romance novel, and Lena couldn't wait to get her home, where she could unleash some of that magic in those secret places that only her fingertips knew.

And then there were words about only needing to see Lena's face, to feel her touch, and being awakened with her lips coming from above. Lena was lost in her, with no desire to be found.

The smoldering expression in Lena's eyes told Bianca her wife would be more than happy to oblige. And from the intensity in her gaze, she ascertained that those lips would keep her entire body occupied for a very long time.

And then Bianca sang about Lena dancing easily through her dreams, and how she was crazy gentle in the way she kissed; and Lena's smile softened, as her gaze turned to one of sheer adoration.

Bianca's eyes never left Lena for an instant, throughout the entire performance. And when she finished, she didn't hear a beat of the thunderous applause, as she passed the microphone over to Olivia. Slipping effortlessly into waiting arms, she pressed her body into Lena's, as they fell into a slow, deep kiss that made promises of things to come.

Olivia being Olivia, she made a show of watching the two of them—her animatedly exaggerated reaction drawing laughter from the crowd. Several minutes after taking over the microphone, she arched an eyebrow, and grinned roguishly, as she planted her right hand firmly on her hip. "Ahem!"

The noise burst through the speakers, effectively capturing their attention.

Lena looked a bit flustered, which only made Olivia's grin widen. "If the two of you don't mind…" she said, sounding a bit put-upon, "I'd like to get on with the business of winning this showdown."

Bianca arched an eyebrow. "A little overly sure of yourself, there, aren't ya, Spencer?" she challenged. There was a glint of humor in her eyes. "Some might view that as conceit, and decide you're not worthy of winning."

A corporate "ooh" was released from the crowd at the remark.

Olivia fixed her with a resolute stare, as she arched an eyebrow of her own. "Oh, I'm not conceited, Darling…" Her voice was smooth like butter, "I'm convinced." And she sounded it, too.

The crowd grew louder, and Olivia egged them on.

"Put your money where your mouth is, Spencer," Bianca dared.

Lena and Natalia laughed at their antics, as Olivia squared up for the challenge. "Be careful what you ask for, M-K," she said, defiantly.

Bianca just laughed, and Olivia turned to Jace. "Fire it up, maestro," she directed with confidence. And that he did—and then her body was moving to the playful opening beats of acoustic guitar, setting the cadence of Saving Jane's Butterflies.

She immediately captured the crowd's attention with a lighthearted bounce set to the measured strum and snap of the strings; but no one was more captivated than Natalia. As always, Olivia was impeccably dressed—from the sexy black boots that peeked out from beneath designer jeans that hugged the curves of her hips, and showcased those muscled thighs, as they accentuated that ass, to that crisp black button-up shirt, that wasn't so buttoned up. There was a lacy navy blue camisole peeking out from beneath the shirt, but even that was brazenly low-cut and sexy as hell; and the roguish grin on Olivia's face told Natalia she was quite aware of that fact.

Natalia grinned at the deliberate "peep show," wondering if perhaps that was Olivia's way of "bribing" the audience without breaking the established rules. It was certainly enough to sway her, anyway. Not that she needed swaying—she would have screamed for Olivia until her lungs burned, regardless of the performance.

Olivia's eyes fell directly onto Natalia, as she launched into the first verse. "A million faces, a million names. A million boys but they're all the same," she rolled her eyes animatedly, and Natalia laughed. "And then I set my eyes on you—Ye-a-ah." Her voice held a sense of playful wonder. "And like a moth into a flame, I just could not look away. There's nothing else for me to do… You give me butterflies." She fluttered her fingers over her belly, as she grinned at Natalia. "Tangled up inside." Natalia's eyes were instinctively drawn to the curve of Olivia's hips as they swayed to the music. "I wanna close my eyes and hold on to this feeling. Butterflies. So tongue tied. Here's what I'm trying to say… You give me butterflies." She danced to the beats of the short musical interlude.

As the song dipped into the second verse, Olivia reached for Natalia's hand. Though reluctant to be the center of attention, Natalia went to her willingly, allowing herself to be pulled on stage.

Olivia brought their bodies together, and wrapped her arm around Natalia's waist, moving her to the beat. Her voice was filled with sincerity as she sang, "The way you look. The way you laugh. The way you love and don't hold back. You're everything I've waited for—Ye-a-ah. I have never felt so much. It's like a promise when we touch." She brushed her fingertips across Natalia's cheek. "I could not ask for something more. And I love the way your hand fits in to mine…" Slowing her delivery of that last line, Olivia's eyes were locked onto Natalia's, as she entwined their fingers.

Natalia smiled into the shimmering pools of jade, and squeezed Olivia's hand, as the song fell into the chorus. Again, Olivia sang about butterflies, and that feeling of being all tangled up inside, so in love you can't speak coherently. And then she equated the sound of Natalia's voice with music, "And every word is like a song. Ba dada ba dada ba dada da. And I can't help but sing along… You give me butterflies… Hmm-mm…"

Laughing giddily, she danced with Natalia during the brief musical interlude, and then, dropping back into the chorus one final time, Olivia sang about those butterflies, tangling, and being tongue tied, and finally, the plea came, "Here's what I'm trying to say: Baby, I hope that you stay, and keep givin' me butterflies…"

Their eyes still locked, gently, Natalia touched Olivia's face. "I wouldn't be anywhere else, Honey. I'll be giving you butterflies when you're ninety," she vowed.

Olivia's eyes lit up, and she finished the song with renewed energy. More butterflies, closing eyes, holding onto that feeling, and lots of lighthearted Bada da da's, and finally it came to an end with a soulful, "I wanna close my eyes and hold on to this feeling…" as she leaned her forehead against Natalia's.

The song was light and fun, but with rich overtones of sincerity—an overwhelming display of how Olivia felt, falling in love with Natalia. Olivia worked the crowd like a pro, even as she focused her attention solely on Natalia, and in the end, the applause was nothing short of raucous. They ate Olivia's sexy, flirty playfulness up like ravenous teenagers, copping their first feel—and so did Natalia. She rewarded Olivia with a breath-stealing kiss, and the audience went wild, yet again.

Round two began with the introduction of Olivia's chosen genre: Classic Rock. Again, Bianca took the stage. She knew from past karaoke sparring with Olivia that she had better make this one good, because classic rock was a favorite of the hotelier's, and anything was possible. She had chosen her song accordingly, and with the nod of her head the band fired up the familiar opening to ACϟDC's Shook Me All Night Long.

The moment the electric guitar began, Olivia recognized the intro. That perfectly threaded eyebrow arched, and she mouthed the words, "I'm impressed."

Swaying to the tune, Bianca responded with a decidedly devilish grin. "As well you should be," she mouthed, cockily.

Olivia got the message, loud and clear: She was going to have to step up her game if she intended to win. And winning was exactly what she intended to do.

Watching them was like watching two lionesses circling; acknowledging one another's prowess, as they prepared for battle. Clearly amused by their banter, Lena and Natalia sat back, taking it all in.

And then the drumbeat kicked in, and the crowd as already screaming, as Bianca rocked it all the way into the first verse. "She was a fast machine. She kept her motor clean. She was the best damn woman I had ever seen. She had the sightless eyes, telling me no lies. Knockin' me out with those firm, toned thighs." She had to improvise on a few of the lyrics to make them match Lena—her wife wasn't American, but she certainly had killer thighs.

"Takin' more than her share; had me fightin' for air. She told me to come, but I was already there." She wiggled her right eyebrow, as she grinned roguishly at Lena. "You're so damned good, Baby," she husked between lines.

Lena blushed, and Bianca released that laugh.

"'Cause the walls start shakin'. The earth was quaking'. My mind was achin'. And we were makin' it, and you—" She pointed a finger directly at Lena on the downbeat, shifting her body forward, then back, as she would each time that line repeated, "Shook me all night long." Her eyes twinkled, "Hell, yeah, you did, Baby," she groaned throatily. "Yeah, you—shook me all night long."

It was gritty and raw. Deliciously so, Lena thought; and so unlike her wife. She couldn't get enough.

"Working double time on the seduction line. She was one of a kind. She's just mine all mine." Bianca looked positively possessive, with her gaze fixed resolutely on Lena. "Wanted no applause, just another course. Made a meal out of me, and came back for more."

Lena's face wore an utterly devilish grin, and Bianca couldn't wait to feed her dessert. "Had to cool me down…" she grinned, and fanned herself, "to take another round. Now I'm back in the ring to take another swing."

Glancing around the room, Natalia noted the reaction Bianca was garnering from the crowd. And then she looked at Olivia, as if to say, "You've got your work cut out for you."

Olivia responded with the casual wave of her hand. "Pffft, I've got this covered," she said, self-assuredly.

Natalia looked decidedly amused.

"'Cause the walls were shakin'. The earth was quakin'. My mind was achin'. And we were makin' it, and you—shook me all night long. Yeah, you… shook me all night long. And knocked me out, and then you—shook me all night long. You had me shakin', and you—shook me all night long. Yeah, you shook me. Well, you took me."

As the guitar solo began, Bianca broke out into dance. Flipping her hair like a rockstar, she played air guitar against the lead guitarist, and moved like, well… like nothing Lena had ever seen. She held nothing back, and the more she let loose, the more intrigued Lena became—and the more enthusiastic the response from the crowd. She knew she was winning at that point, and she shot Olivia a satisfied smirk, as she dropped into the final chorus, "You really took me, and you—shook me all night long. Ohhhh, you—shook me all night long. Yeah, yeah, you—shook me all night long. You really took me and you—shook me all night long. Yeah, you shook me. Yeah, you shook me. All night long."

When the final beat played, Bianca took a bow, as the audience went completely wild. She tossed the microphone to Jace, and jumped from the stage, right into Lena's waiting arms; into her kiss.

Smiling into Lena's kiss, she asked brazenly, "You gonna shake me like that again tonight?"

Lena grinned roguishly. "Oh, you bet your hot, sweet ass, My Love," she practically growled. "It's too bad we have company…"

"Wishing for a repeat of my twentieth birthday?" Bianca's eyes sparkled with mirth, as she recalled that particular night. She had sung an evocative rendition of Dancin' in the Moonlight for Lena at the local gay bar, and it aroused them both beyond words. They hadn't even made it through the door of their house, before Lena's fingers slipped inside Bianca's jeans and sank deep into her wet, waiting warmth. And that was nothing compared to the delicious things Lena had done to her once they reached the floor, just inside the front door. Who said hardwood wasn't for lesbians?

"Oh, yeah," Lena husked. "If we were alone, we'd never even make it to the bedroom."

Bianca leaned in, murmuring something about walls and a door, and suddenly Lena couldn't wait for the showdown to end. She turned to Olivia, snapping her fingers. "Stage. Now," she barked, in a tone that brooked no dispute.

Amused, Olivia laughed at her. She leaned over, planting a firm kiss on Natalia's lips. "I'll be back. I have a contest to win, so my pal here," she tipped her thumb toward Lena, "can go home and get laid." The final part was said loudly enough for Lena and Bianca to hear.

"Damn, straight!" Lena shot back, as she wrapped her arms possessively around Bianca's waist from behind.

Olivia arched an eyebrow at her choice of words, and barked out a laugh. "Straight is the last thing I would call it."

There was humor in Olivia's tone, and Lena laughed. "Touché, Spencer," she shrugged; granting the hotelier's point.

And then Olivia was on stage, microphone in hand. She leaned in, telling Jace what song she wanted, and within moments, he and the backup vocalists were belting out in acapella, "Step inside, walk this way. You and me Babe, Hey, hey!" The crowd shrieked, and then the electric guitar was screaming the intro to Def Leppard's classic, Pour Some Sugar on Me, and Olivia was rocking her way to the first verse—Damn, was she a sight to behold, the way her body moved to that beat.

Natalia's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open, as Lena began to laugh. Bianca instinctively knew she was finished, and the smirk on Olivia's face did little to assuage her rapid descent into reality.

Bianca was beautiful, and she had some serious singing chops, but she was no match for Olivia Spencer. The woman was a Goddess—hot sex on a stick. And this song was the perfect means of expressing her innate sensuality. The expression on Bianca's face said, "You did not just go there."

And Olivia's responding smirk bragged, "Oh, yeah, I sure as hell did!"

Bianca just gave Olivia a knowing smile—the one that said, "I can't believe you went there, yet it doesn't surprise me in the least. I'm beyond impressed," as she shook her head, indicating her acceptance of impending defeat.

Olivia grinned devilishly in response, and then her eyes were searing through Natalia like a laser. "Love is like a bomb, Baby, c'mon get it on. Livin' like a lover with a radar phone. Lookin' like a tramp, like a video vamp. Demolition woman, can I be your man?" Her smirk was priceless, "Now there's an interesting prospect," she said, with an arched eyebrow.

Intrigued, Natalia offered her a sort of come-hither grin.

Responding in kind, Olivia continued, "Razzle 'n' a dazzle 'n' a flash a little light. Television lover, Baby, go all night." Her eyes met Natalia's, smoldering hot; her voice was low and beyond husky. "Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet." There was no disputing the suggestion in her words. "Little miss ah innocent, sugar me, yeah, yeah."

Natalia blushed, as her body heat rose, and Olivia offered her an evocative grin. Briefly, she turned her attention toward the beer bottle in her hand. "Hey! C'mon, take a bottle," she sang, covering the top of the bottle with her thumb, "shake it up," and began shaking it, as her eyes fell back to Natalia. "Break the bubble, break it up." Releasing her thumb, the beer squirted out like a shot, and the crowd went wild as she fell into the chorus. "Pour some sugar on me. Ooh, in the name of love. Pour some sugar on me. C'mon, fire me up." The expression on her face said it was clearly a challenge. "Pour your sugar on me. Oh, I can't get enough…"

Even Lena knew, from the screams that followed the shooting beer, that it was already over. She laughed at Olivia's antics; the obvious sexual undertones were classic Spencer, and she was loving every minute of it—even if it meant her wife's demise.

Bianca wrapped her arms around Lena's waist from behind, and nuzzled against her ear. "Looks like we're buying a trip to Europe," she said, humor in her tone.

"Who is this 'we'? As I recall, this was your bet," Lena teased, emphasizing the ownership.

Grinning, Bianca agreed. "It was… and it'll be money well spent."

"Agreed," Lena said, wholeheartedly. "It'll give us plenty of time to get to know Natalia. Anyone who can get Spencer this fired up is worth knowing better."

Bianca nodded her agreement, and squeezed Lena tight.

Olivia was working the stage and the lyrics like a seasoned pro, plying Natalia with sultry looks that screamed, "I'm hot, sticky sweet, from my head to my feet, yeah."

Swallowing hard, Natalia staggered backward, landing against her barstool. For the next four measures, Olivia shifted her body to the music, pounding her boot down onto the stage with each downbeat.

"Listen!"

One word—Natalia's gaze snapped to Olivia's. She received a flirtatious grin in response.

"Red light, yellow light, green-a-light go!" Olivia's right hand emphasized the positioning of each color light, dropping down in sequence as she named them off. And when she sang "go!" the expression on her face said she was challenging Natalia. To what, Natalia didn't quite know; but whatever it was, she was totally game. "Crazy little woman in a one man show. Mirror queen, mannequin, rhythm of love. Sweet dream, saccharine, loosen up… Loosen up! You gotta squeeze a little, squeeze a little, tease a little more." The smoldering expression in her eyes dared Natalia to do exactly that. "Easy operator come a knockin' on my door. Sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet. Little miss innocent sugar me. Ye-ah! Ye-ah! Give a little more!"

And then laughing, she was shaking that beer bottle again, and the crowd screamed louder. "Take a bottle, shake it up. Break the bubble, break it up." Releasing the pressure, the beer squirted out in long shots, as she practically growled, "Pour some sugar on me. Ooh, in the name of love. Pour some sugar on me. C'mon fire me up. Pour your sugar on me." Those smoldering eyes were piercing straight through Natalia. "Oh, I can't get enough. I'm hot, sticky sweet, from my head to my feet, yeah." Those smoldering jade eyes told the entire bar just exactly how hot and sticky she was, and that Natalia was the reason.

From the very beginning of the song, it was clearly a game of one-upmanship; but when the guitar solo took off, Olivia turned into an absolute force. For every move Bianca had made, Olivia's was wilder. Her body moved more seductively, her air guitar was livelier, more evocative. Bianca's performance was gritty—Olivia's bordered on lewd and lascivious; though not so lascivious that it offended Natalia. On the contrary, Natalia had never been more turned on in her life!

Lena was laughing heartily at Olivia's antics. She had always been up for a good time in the old days, but Lena had never seen her like this before, and it thoroughly amused her.

"Oh, Baby, you got the peaches, I got the cream." Again, those smoky jade eyes were fixed on Natalia, as she grinned roguishly. "Sweet to taste, saccharine. 'Cause I'm hot, hot, so hot, sticky sweet, from my head, my head, to my feet." Her hand slid seductively down her body, as she sang about how hot and sweet she was, and there was no disputing it was all for Natalia. "Do you take sugar? One lump or two?" Hopping on one foot toward the front of the stage as she sang that last line, Olivia drew out the last word, before falling into the chorus one final time. "Take a bottle, shake it up."

And that bottle was being shaken in Olivia's hand again. Natalia wondered how it hadn't run out of beer yet.

"Break the bubble, break it up."

But cleaning it up was the last thing on Natalia's mind, as it began to squirt out all over. And then the song fell into the final chorus, and Olivia ramped up her performance tenfold, bringing it to conclusion. "Pour some sugar on me. Ooh, in the name of love. Pour some sugar on me. C'mon fire me up. Pour your sugar on me. Oh, I can't get enough. Pour some sugar on me. Oh, in the name of love. Pour some sugar on me. Get it, come get it. Pour your sugar on me. Ooh, pour some sugar on me. Yeah! Sugar me!"

On the final drumbeat, the crowd erupted like a volcano, and as loudly as they had screamed for Bianca, their enthusiasm for Olivia was tenfold. They had never seen anything like it in this bar; and given the vast array of performances over the years, that was really saying something.

Taking their screams in stride, Olivia grinned, and tossed the microphone to Jace. Immediately, he began working the crowd, revving them up for the vote, as Olivia jumped down from the stage, into Natalia's waiting arms.

Natalia laughed as she pulled Olivia close. "Mm-mm, my Rockstar is hot!" she teased, pulling her into a kiss.

"Damn, you were playin' to win here, weren't ya, Spencer?" Bianca sounded more than a little impressed.

"I don't play any other way," Olivia said, smugly, as her lips parted from Natalia's.

Natalia nuzzled against Olivia's cheek. "That was one fine performance, Babe." She wouldn't have minded having another one, in private.

There was a raucous roar going on as they talked—Olivia was being declared the winner. She grinned triumphantly, and hopped back up onto the stage; pulling Bianca along with her. They laughed together, as they thanked everyone for playing along. And after another round of applause from their admirers, some of whom were drunker than others, they jumped back down to join their respective partners.

As they were getting ready to call it a night, one of the servers dropped by with another round of drinks—compliments of the gorgeous brunette and the sexy little redhead who had taken the stage just prior to them.

The pair approached their table just as the server was explaining the drinks, and the redhead offered a sexy grin. "Mind if we join you for a bit?" Her soft hazel eyes sparkled in the stage lights.

Olivia offered a welcoming smile. "Not at all," she replied. "I wanted to ask your girlfriend about those fabulous shoes, anyway."

"Oh, she's not my girlfriend," the redhead was quick to clarify. She glanced nervously at the brunette, who quickly confirmed, "No—I'm not. She's uh, she's married, and… I—I have a boyfriend."

Olivia offered a sincere apology for her erroneous assumption, while Bianca sat next to her, with a knowing grin teasing at corners of her mouth. "Please, have a seat," she offered. "I'm Bianca." She extended her hand toward them, shaking each of their hands, in turn. "This is my wife, Lena, and our friends Olivia and Natalia," she explained, pointing everyone out.

Introducing themselves as Cassandra and Tara, they shook hands with the other women, before claiming a pair of empty barstools from a nearby table. The place tended to thin out a bit after karaoke finished for the evening.

"Great set," Tara congratulated, as she sipped on her Bud Light.

Olivia eyed the label, and the woman instantly earned her approval. "Thanks," she said, casually. "We were just having some fun."

"Fun that won you and your partner an all-expense-paid trip to Europe." Cassandra sounded rather impressed, as she raised her glass of red as if to toast them.

Leaning across the table toward the woman, Olivia grinned. "Don't tell her this," she said, clandestinely, as she tilted her head toward Bianca, "but I won't make her pay for it. We both knew the bet was just motivation to ramp up the competition."

Cassandra laughed. "Well, it worked!"

"Always does," Olivia grinned.

"So… you guys do this often?" Tara looked interested.

Olivia glanced at Bianca. "What would you say, once every three years or so?"

"'Bout that," Bianca agreed with an easy smile. "What did we wager the last time?"

"Oh, it was a trip to that ridiculously overpriced resort in Athens," Olivia reminded.

"Oh, yeah," Bianca remembered. "What was it, like fifty grand a night?"

"Yup." Olivia popped the 'p', and Natalia glanced at her, amused.

"Damn, you guys don't play around!" Tara exclaimed.

Bianca sighed disappointedly. "We never did take that trip."

Lena rubbed Bianca's back soothingly. "Maybe we can go next summer, Sweetheart."

"Absolutely," Olivia agreed. "The babies will be old enough to travel by then, and maybe Constance would be willing to go along with us to help out." She was referring to the nanny who had accompanied Lena and Bianca on their honeymoon, to help with Jordan. Constance had looked after Emma on occasion during their previous visits to The Vineyard, and Olivia liked her a lot.

Surprised by the lighthearted mention of both babies, Natalia reached over, squeezing Olivia's hand. It made her feel good that this child so easily made its way into Olivia's thoughts.

The pressure on her hand brought Olivia's attention to Natalia, and she smiled, leaning over to kiss her tenderly.

Smiling brightly, Bianca nodded her head. "I'll bet Katarina would love to take a trip back home!"

Olivia looked confused. "Who's Katarina?"

Eyes brimming with delight, Bianca waved her hand at Olivia. "Omigosh, I forgot you didn't know! She's Constance's wife—the woman she fell in love with as a teenager, and lost because of her family's disapproval."

Lena grinned proudly at her wife. "After Constance told us her story, Bianca hunted Katarina down, and helped them reunite."

Bianca shrugged sheepishly. "I couldn't just let true love go unfulfilled, now could I?" She glanced at Cassandra and Tara—whether they knew it or not, they were next.

"Aw… that's so sweet," Tara said, grinning at Cassandra.

Shaking her head, Lena chuckled. "Watch out: My wife is like Match dot com for Lesbians." There was humor in her tone, as she warned them and teased Bianca, in the same breath.

"Oh, well, we're not… y'know, so—," Cassandra implied that there was no reason for concern.

"Right. Of course you're not. My apologies," Lena acknowledged. She was sincere. "You have a boyfriend, you said?" she asked Cassandra. "And Tara, you're married?"

The two of them nodded in unison, and then they launched into a conversation about their lives. How they had met the first day of junior high, and immediately became best friends. After graduation, they ran off to New York City to attend Juilliard together, living together up until Tara was married. And they had worked together in theatre since graduating some four years prior. They were on The Vineyard for some much-needed relaxation in the midst of a grueling run in a popular Broadway musical. Not that they were complaining; they loved it. But sometimes they just needed a break. So they left the guys behind in New York, and landed at The Vineyard for a long, girls-only weekend.

The Broadway connection made perfect sense—that's why they were such stellar performers. Suddenly, Olivia had a newfound respect for them. The pace had to be grueling—two, sometimes three live performances a day. She acknowledged how taxing their schedule must be, and Natalia grinned proudly at her. It was nice to see Olivia connecting with new people in such a way—that seemed to be happening more and more frequently as time passed, and Natalia reveled in it.

They chatted for quite a while longer, as they sipped on their respective drinks, and finally the bartender issued last call. That was their cue to part ways. But before they left the bar, ever the social butterfly, Bianca managed to extend an invitation to Cassandra and Tara to join them for a cookout on the beach the following evening. Nothing fancy, she warned; just burgers and such, and perhaps a little volleyball on the beach. It wasn't something she would ordinarily do—invite virtual strangers to their home; but there was something about the two of them that settled well with her, and she instinctively knew they could be trusted.

Lena shook her head and grinned as she heard the invitation slip from Bianca's lips. Her wife was a force once she set her mind to something. It was one of the things Lena loved most about her. She quickly reinforced the invite, beckoning them to join the festivities.

Much to Bianca's delight, the invitation was graciously accepted, and after exchanging numbers, they headed for their respective abodes for the night.

Sunday, April 26, 2009… The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—9:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time

The following morning after breakfast, Natalia wandered into the family room, finding Olivia standing at the mantle; photo frame in hand. It was a picture of Zach, holding his newborn son, Erick. Olivia knew it was Erick and not Ian, from the other pictures on the mantle. She had studied them in depth.

Wholly focused on the picture in her hand, Natalia startled her, as she wrapped her arms around Olivia's waist from behind.

Apologizing, Natalia rested her chin on Olivia's shoulder, peering over at the picture. "Who's that?" she asked quietly. She had already guessed the answer, but wanted to give Olivia an opening to share her thoughts, if she so desired.

"Alex—," Olivia answered, softly. "And his son, Erick…"

Tightening her hold, Natalia nuzzled against Olivia's cheek, kissing her tenderly. "It must hurt you so much to see him holding his son," she said, empathically.

Tears welling up in her eyes, Olivia nodded. "It does," she sniffled. There was such love and devotion in his eyes as he looked at his baby boy. It broke Olivia's heart to think of all they had missed because of his choices. "I didn't realize how much, until now."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Natalia offered. "Or would you prefer to be alone with your thoughts?"

Olivia reached down, gently squeezing Natalia's arm. "There really isn't much to say," she candidly replied. "But I definitely wouldn't prefer to be alone… I always want you with me."

"I'll always be with you," Natalia quietly vowed, as she turned Olivia's face toward her own. "I love you, Olivia," she whispered, as she leaned in with a tender kiss.

Not realizing anyone was there, Bianca bounded into the room on her way out the back door. "Omigosh, I am so sorry," she apologized, halting in her tracks. "I didn't mean to…"

Natalia grinned against Olivia's lips, before pulling back. "Walk into your own family room?" She finished Bianca's sentence with humor in her tone.

Bianca chuckled at the response.

"Yeah, thanks for killin' the buzz," Olivia said, facetiously.

"Oh, you hush," Bianca teased. "I think you got quite enough buzz last night."

Olivia laughed. "Oh, now, look who's talking! The two of you carried on for hours last night!"

"Olivia!" Natalia was shocked that Olivia would be so blatant.

"What?" Olivia did her best to look innocent.

Grinning roguishly, Bianca didn't deny a thing. Neither did she apologize. "I was just collecting my reward for getting Lena so worked up." Coal black eyes sparkled with mirth. "With the mood she was in, you're lucky we waited until you went to bed."

"Jesus, do you people ever sleep?" Olivia groused. Reaching out, she set the photo back on the mantle.

Natalia gave her a pointed look, and Olivia apologized sheepishly for the blasphemy.

"I would've thought after that little performance of yours last night, you'd have been too busy to notice us." Bianca's smirk was priceless.

Olivia groaned, as Natalia turned her attention back to the photos on the mantle.

Realizing something was a bit amiss, Bianca sought to reconcile it. "I—I didn't mean to overstep my bounds," she said, apologetically.

Before Bianca was even finished, Natalia was shaking her head. "You, um… you didn't overstep anything, Bianca. Really," she assured, with a soft smile. "I think we're both just a little tired from all these late nights."

And then, spotting a photo of Bianca, Kendall and the girls with Erica, Natalia sought refuge in another conversation. "Wow, how do you all know Erica Kane? Did you meet her at a fundraiser or something?" she asked, innocently. She had learned that Bianca personally handled most of the fundraising for Haven of Hope, the women's shelter she had started several years prior.

Bianca walked toward her, and lifted the photo from the mantle. "No," she answered with a light laugh. "You're looking at three generations of Kane Women," she reported. "Erica is my mother."

And with the utterance of four words from Bianca, the mega-rich became the ultra mega-rich.

Blinking twice, Natalia had to reign in her jaw before it hit the floor. "Your uh, your mother?" She was finally beginning to see the whole picture—and it was a daunting one for her. After taking the position as Olivia's assistant, for the first time in her life she hadn't needed to worry about having enough money to cover the bills. And adjusting, even in small ways, to life based upon Olivia's wealth had, at times, been a challenge. But she had no clue how to even conceptualize the kind of wealth that came with being Erica Kane's daughter. And yet, Bianca was probably the most down-to-earth person she had ever met. She thought rich people—especially those as rich as Bianca obviously was, always rode in limos, and had nannies to raise their children, and employed entire staffs to manage their homes. But Bianca and Lena were the polar opposite of that image. It was mindboggling to her how ordinary they were, in the best possible way, of course.

Offering her a soft smile, Bianca nodded, "She's quite the character, my Mom." There was a quiet blend of amusement and affection in her tone.

"Sounds like the two of you are really close," Natalia observed. She had often wondered how it would feel to have that kind of relationship with her own mother.

"We are," Bianca confirmed with a nod, and a wistful smile. "She's always been very 'Erica Kane' when dealing with the public, but when she's with Kendall and me, she's just Mom. And she's wonderful with our children; loves them very much."

"Just don't call her Grandma," Lena said, drolly. Bianca could hear the amusement in her wife's voice as she entered the room.

Natalia laughed softly. "I can't even picture the infamous Erica Kane as a grandmother."

Bianca nodded. "I know what you mean," she concurred. "It was a real transition for her when Jordan was born. And it certainly didn't help that my step-sister Greenlee taught the kids to call her 'Granny'."

It was Olivia's turn to laugh. "Oh, I'll bet La Kane just loves that!"

"Let's just say, she's less than enthused," Bianca said, wryly. And they all laughed.

"It makes sense now," Natalia said, thinking aloud.

"What makes sense?" Bianca asked, curious.

"I knew you seemed… I don't know, kind of familiar to me. Like I'd seen you somewhere before," Natalia answered. "But I brushed it aside, because it just wasn't realistic, y'know?"

Chuckling, Bianca said, "Well, I've certainly been fodder for enough tabloid stories over the years."

"I can't imagine you doing anything worthy of that kind of attention." Natalia was certain of it.

"Well, my coming out was a big scandal, of course. But my tabloid exposure was mostly thanks to my Mom and her countless weddings," Bianca explicated. "The stories are always all about her, big surprise there," she grinned, "but still, somehow my picture ends up on the cover right along with her."

"Must've been difficult, growing up in a world where your very existence subjected you to such scrutiny," Natalia empathized.

Wrapping her arms firmly around Lena's waist from behind, Bianca nodded against her shoulder. "Honestly, that's why we're so focused on keeping our marriage strong," she shared. "We wanna give our girls a normal life. A stable home, you know—one where their parents stay together; and the tabloids stay away."

Glancing up, Natalia met Bianca's gaze. "I really admire that," she said, sincerely.

A soft smile teased the corners of Olivia's mouth, as she moved toward Natalia. She liked the relationship that was developing between the two of them. Mirroring Bianca's move, she wrapped her arms around Natalia's waist, resting her chin on one shoulder. "That's what we want for Emma and Rafe, and for this baby, too," she said with quiet conviction.

Standing there, surrounded by these women, Natalia felt an overwhelming sense of peace wash over her. Dark, expressive eyes pooled with unshed tears, and she bit her lower lip to keep it from quivering. Closing her eyes for a moment, she staved off the emotions, before saying, "I know this is completely off-topic, but… I'm really disappointed that you have to leave today." Being with these women was good for her soul, and she needed more than few partial days with them. "I wish you could stay the week with us."

Olivia's heart skipped a beat. It was like Natalia was reading her mind. "I agree," she said, wholeheartedly. "You should stay."

Lena opened her mouth to speak, but before she could stage a protest, Olivia stopped her cold. "And don't give me any crap about having to work, Kundera," she said, in a tone that brooked no dispute. "I know you take your office everywhere. There's nothing you can't do from right here, if it's that important."

An eyebrow arched in response. "Are you finished?"

"Yes—"

"Good," Lena said, firmly, "because what I was planning to say was, we would love to stay." Her stern expression turned into a warm smile. "That is, if you don't mind sharing your vacation with us…"

"Mind?" The tone of Natalia's voice told Lena she didn't even need to ask.

"We would love it." Olivia finished Natalia's sentiment.

Natalia nodded her avid agreement. "Stay."

And with that one final word, it was settled.

Sunday, April 26, 2009… The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—10:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time

Upon hearing the news, Emma and Jordan hugged, as they jumped up and down excitedly. And then they were busily planning what they would do with the remainder of their week. Barbies were a must, of course, and they would play house with Lexie if she would behave, and Jordan thought her Mommy should give Emma a lesson on building sandcastles, because hers were the best. Emma, being Olivia's child, argued that her Mommy grew up on the beach, so she probably knew how to make better ones.

Not surprisingly, that debate sparked another competition between the two women. Natalia groaned, and Lena just sat back and laughed, as they worked out the terms of their latest wager. She had long-since learned her lesson about engaging the formidable Olivia Spencer in competition. The woman could draw out the competitive streak in even meekest of persons, and Lena wasn't about to get pulled back into a losing situation. Clearly, Bianca had yet to learn.

Crossing her legs, Olivia leaned back in her chair, and casually clasped her hands in her lap. "Terms?"

"Four hours. Ten-by-ten area. Finished castle has to cover at least half, but not more than three-quarters. Regular sculpting tools only, nothing fancy." Bianca began setting the terms.

"Okay," Olivia readily agreed. "Everything I do, I do big, and I don't need fancy to win." She sounded more than certain of herself.

"Actual sandcastles only—no off-the-wall sculptures," Bianca added.

"Afraid I'm more creative than you?" Olivia teased.

"Not at all—," Bianca said, self-assuredly. "We just need to keep it clean for the kids." The smirk on her face was priceless.

"Uh, excuse me?" Olivia feigned offense. "Last night certainly wasn't kid-friendly," she reminded. "I'm pretty sure the two of you knocked all the pictures off your bedroom wall…"

"Olivia!" Natalia was exclaiming, clearly embarrassed.

Bianca's eyes sparkled naughtily as she gazed at Lena. Oh, they most certainly had! It was one hell of a bang-up job they did, rearranging the décor, knocking pictures from the wall, and a few things from other random places. And she wasn't the least bit ashamed of it.

Lena's entire body flushed with heat under her wife's intent focus, and the corners of her mouth twitched into a furtive grin.

Clamping her mouth shut, Olivia allowed the statement to finish itself.

Lena laughed. It amused her to see the hotelier muzzled like that.

"Oh, shut up," Olivia groused at her. Determined, she set her focus on Bianca. "So… what will I be winning this time?" Her confidence was simply staggering.

Sunday, April 26, 2009… West Tisbury, Massachusetts—12:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

With time constraints no longer an issue, they all headed out after lunch to visit Martha's Vineyard Glassworks in West Tisbury. Located between Chilmark and Edgartown, and bordered by Vineyard Sound to the northwest, and the Atlantic to the south, West Tisbury was home to several refuges and reservations, and boasting vast forestation and myriad brooks and ponds, the area was known for its agrarian way of life.

Built on a section of quintessential island farmland, the Martha's Vineyard Glassworks studio was established as a facility for training artisans in the fading art of traditional glassblowing. Over the years, with their reputation for original designs and unique experiences, the gallery had become a popular destination for professionals in the design industry, as well as tourists, alike.

The glassblowing studio was observable from the gallery, which allowed them watch a work of art come to life. Gathering around the observation window, Olivia positioned Emma in front of her and Natalia, Lena moved Jordan in front of her, and Bianca lifted Alex, so that they would all have a clear view.

As the current guest artisan, Liam, began preparations for his next creation, he talked about the fine quality of the hand-blown pieces created in their studio. Not only were these creations beautiful and timeless, but they were positively indestructible, he had said with great certainty.

To prove his point, he approached Jordan, crouching down in front of her. He introduced himself and asked her name, and once she responded, he asked, "Will you help me with something, Jordan?"

"Sure!" Jordan was excited about getting to help. It made her feel special.

He smiled and handed her a hand-blown glass lid from a canister. "Break this for me," he instructed.

Jordan responded with a wary expression, and he chuckled. "Really, it's okay, Jordan," he reassured. "You won't get into trouble. I promise."

Jordan grinned. "Okay!" she said, excitedly. And she immediately went to work on her task.

Amused, Liam shook his head, as he sauntered back into the studio. He loved it when kids came to watch—they were always excited about getting to break things. The best part was, he knew they couldn't be broken; but the kids never ceased to amaze him with the lengths to which they would go in trying.

Placing the ball of molten glass on the end of a hollow iron pipe, he began to blow gently on the pipe, as if he were blowing bubbles. Slowly and repetitively, he rotated the pipe, swinging it and controlling the temperature of the piece, as he blew, molding it into the desired shape and thickness. Except for Jordan, who was busy trying to break the glass lid, they were all mesmerized by the process. Even Emma, who had spent the ride over chattering animatedly about how glass was created, stood there in awe.

Jordan tried everything she could think of, trying to break that lid. She slammed it into the ground, jumped up and down on it, wedged it under her right foot for leverage and pulled upward. That only managed to land her on her bottom. Banging it against a wooden beam on the inner wall of the cabin earned her a stern look from her mother, to which she replied innocently, "What? He told me to break it, Mommy!"

"Well, break it a little more quietly, please?" Bianca gently reprimanded.

Pardoned, Jordan returned to her task.

When Liam was finished, he gingerly broke his creation from the pipe, proudly presenting it to them for an up-close examination of his craftsmanship. It was a beautiful pitcher, with blue markings in variegated shades on the handle, rim, and basin. It wasn't finished yet, of course—it still had to go through the annealing process. But from the raw materials and the artisan's vision, to the final creation, they had been given an experience unlike any other. Linking them to the artwork, the experience created a unique relationship between them and the work they had witnessed being fashioned.

As he pointed out the different peculiarities that made this piece unique, Liam explained the annealing process to them—the glass would be reheated and gradually cooled to restore its strength and prevent it from shattering. Given the thickness of the glass, the process would take a few days, he estimated, but he let them know that if they wished to purchase the particular work, he would gladly have it held for them when it was ready.

Before any of them could answer, a loud, inexplicable clatter emanated from behind them, and then Jordan was walking toward Liam. "Here you go, Mr. Liam," she said, sweetly. With a proud grin, she handed him the glass lid—broken into three pieces.

Thoroughly flummoxed, he stood there staring at the pieces in utter disbelief.

Lena grinned sheepishly. "You told her to break it," she said, apology in her tone.

"She always obeys," Bianca added, sounding a bit chagrinned.

He opened and closed his mouth several times, searching for words, as Jordan bounced up and down excitedly. "I did good, huh, Mr. Liam?"

"I—um, yeah." He laughed nervously, and shifted on his feet. "Uh, I've been doing this for twenty years, and this has never happened before." He was clearly floored.

"First time for everything," Olivia said, humorously; an attempt at lightening the mood.

"Yeah—," Liam laughed. It was what he needed to regain his composure. Setting the broken lid aside, he crouched down to Jordan's level again. "You did great, Jordan," he praised, lightly pinching a dimpled cheek.

Jordan let out a loud whoop, and immediately turned to Emma. "I did great!" she excitedly exclaimed.

"That's awesome!" Emma gave her a congratulatory high-five, and then Jordan's arms were around her in the biggest bear hug a five-year-old could muster.

While the girls were busy celebrating Jordan's awesomeness, Olivia and Natalia stepped into the main gallery to look around at the various completed works. Bianca corralled Alexandria and took her outside to avoid a catastrophe—she could see herself buying half the gallery if the child were left to roam. And Lena stepped aside with Liam, apologizing and offering to pay for the damage Jordan had done to the canister lid.

He laughed it off good-naturedly, saying, "No harm done, unless you count my ego. I'm just glad she didn't cut herself. There must've been a defect somewhere in the glass, and I didn't notice it. I'm really sorry she was ever in harm's way." His apology was sincere.

"As you said, no harm done," Lena said, understandingly.

"Thank you." His gratitude was palpable, as he would have understood an angry reaction.

The moment lightened with the appearance of a grin on his slightly scruffy face. "What do you feed that girl, anyway?"

Lena knew he was teasing, and she played along. "She's a spinach girl, just like Popeye."

He smiled, and said something about it paying off for the little girl; she was quite strong. Even a defective piece should not have been so vulnerable in such tiny hands.

Lena chuckled, explaining that her daughter was quite a force when determined; and he readily agreed that she was indeed the most determined five-year-old he had ever encountered.

After they shared a laugh, Lena let him know that they would like to purchase the pitcher he had just made, and he insisted it would be theirs "on the house," as an apology for allowing Jordan to play with the damaged lid. And once an agreement had been reached, they parted ways. She collected the girls, and they headed into the main gallery to find the others.

Sunday, April 26, 2009… The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

Upon their return from the glass gallery, Lena immediately began dinner preparations. As indicated the evening prior, it was to be simple fare—grilled burgers, potato salad, and the like. She invited Olivia to help, but Natalia was quick to quash that idea, warning her that allowing the woman anywhere near their kitchen could be detrimental, not only to the food, but to the structure, as well.

Lena looked appropriately confused by the comment. She glanced at Olivia, who looked a bit edgy. Furrowing her brow, she opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, Olivia cut her off. "No worries, I won't touch anything, Honey. I'll just keep her company," she said to Natalia, as she pushed Lena toward the kitchen. "Would you like me to bring you something to drink?"

Natalia eyed her curiously. Clearly, something was up. "No, thanks." She paused for a beat. "I think I'll go find Bianca."

"Okay," Olivia replied, attempting nonchalance. Quickly, she shepherded Lena into the kitchen.

Immediately upon their arrival, Lena turned to her with an expression that demanded that she spill. "What the hell was that all about?"

Olivia grinned sheepishly, and muttered in a secretive tone, "She doesn't know I can cook."

"What?" It came out as both exclamation and question. "How is that even possible?" She lived with Natalia, for Christ's sake!

And then Olivia was rambling. "Oh, hell, I don't even know. Yes, I do, but I still can't believe it. I mean, I sure as hell couldn't admit the truth to her! Jesus, she was already edgy enough after that kiss, and she would've flipped her lid if I had told her what she was doing to me, with the…"

As she carried on not making much sense, Olivia's hands and eyes were moving up and down, and side to side, erratically as if to indicate some sort of… Lena didn't even know…

"…and the… Damn, I thought I was gonna…" Olivia groaned. "With her standing right there! And then there was smoke everywhere and…"

"Olivia!"

The demanding tone in Lena's voice brought Olivia's incessant rambling to a screeching halt. "What?"

"What in bloody hell are you carrying on about?"

Releasing a long sigh, Olivia leaned her elbows on the countertop, covering her face with her hands. She took a moment to compose herself—the memory still gave her butterflies. It was the morning after Emma's "My Two Mommies" presentation and the kiss that left them both dazed and confused, when Natalia sauntered into the kitchen wearing the purple robe that Olivia had given her for Christmas.

Natalia offered a warm smile. "You made coffee."

Olivia choked down a gasp. "I, uh, yeah…" One look at Natalia that morning, and Olivia had lost the ability to form coherent thoughts, let alone complete sentences. It wasn't that she hadn't seen Natalia in the robe before, because she wore it all the time—it made Olivia happy to see her enjoying it. But this time she was barefooted, and though Olivia knew it couldn't be the case, she looked as though she weren't wearing anything underneath. Making matters worse, were the erotic dreams Olivia had had about Natalia the night previous, and the fact that the robe was short, barely grazing her mid thigh, making Natalia's legs go on for miles.

"And you're making breakfast, too," Natalia observed. Her voice was husky and affectionate, her fingertips brushing down Olivia's arm, as she passed by on her way to the coffeemaker.

It was like sensate overload—the sight of her, the light brush of her fingertips, the husky caress of her voice, those damned dreams. Her heart pounding in her chest—not to mention a few more intimate places—Olivia stifled a moan. She was both shocked and confused by her body's visceral response, and it took every ounce of her willpower to keep from groaning out her desire for the woman standing there in front of her. It seemed surreal.

Natalia was chuckling as she poured her cup of coffee. "Are you okay?" Her voice sounded so far away, like it was trudging through dense fog.

"What?" Olivia responded, grasping for clarity.

Moving closer, Natalia set her mug on the counter, and reached out, gently touching Olivia's face. "I asked if you were okay. Are you feeling all right?"

The world seemed to stop for both of them, with Natalia's thumb gently caressing Olivia's cheek. Those dark, expressive eyes were peering into pools of liquid jade, blocking Olivia's ability to think. Before she could even formulate a response, both the pancakes on the griddle and the sausage in the pan on the stove began to smolder. And then there were billows of dark smoke rising, and the fire alarm was screeching in protest.

Natalia yelped and jumped into action, simultaneously pulling the plug on the griddle and grabbing the skillet, pushing it from the gas flame. She switched the stove off, and began fanning the air to clear the smoke; grateful that nothing had actually caught fire. And then she was teasing Olivia about practically burning the house down and never being allowed in the kitchen again.

"I couldn't very well tell her that the fire I almost caused in the kitchen was nothing compared to the fire she was causing in my pants, now could I?" Olivia said to Lena when her thoughts returned to the present. There was humor in her tone.

"It was that bad, huh?" Lena sounded amused.

"She barely touched me, and swear to God I thought I was gonna explode, Lena," Olivia confessed. "I could feel her everywhere."

"I thought you said she was edgy because of that kiss," Lena wondered aloud. "Sounds like a lot of touching for someone who felt uncomfortable with you."

"I should probably rephrase that," Olivia backpedaled, "I was the one who was edgy—at least the next morning. She was fine." Olivia just hadn't realized it until that moment. A wistful smile teased at her lips. "That kiss was the first time I remember having a distinct physical reaction to her, and then those dreams, and her showing up in that damned robe the next morning..." She groaned. "God, I was a complete mess, literally and figuratively."

An amused grin teased at the corners of Lena's mouth.

Olivia arched a questioning eyebrow in response. "What?"

"You've got it bad, Spencer," Lena teased.

Groaning out her agreement, Olivia said, "Don't I know it…"

"Do you think maybe there was some intent behind her attire that morning?"

"You mean like maybe she was trying to entice me?"

Lena shrugged. "Just a thought."

"That sounds more like something I would pull," Olivia asserted.

"Oh, I don't doubt that!" Lena teased.

"Hey!" Olivia protested. She swatted at Lena's arm.

"Just speaking the truth," Lena grinned, as she pulled the package of thawed ground beef from the refrigerator.

"Oh, shut up." Olivia tried to sound gruff, but her smile betrayed her. "What can I do to help?"

Lena smiled fondly at her. "Potatoes are in a bin in the pantry," she said, tipping her head toward the door just outside the laundry room.

"My skills are a little more advanced than potato salad, y'know," Olivia said, drolly.

"Don't worry. I won't tell the culinary gods you went slumming," Lena replied, teasingly.

"Gee, thanks," Olivia muttered, as she walked toward the pantry.

"I won't tell anyone else you worked your magic on the potatoes, either," Lena added. "We certainly wouldn't want Natalia to get wind of the fact that you're actually useful in the kitchen, now would we?" There was humor in her tone. "Nice play, by the way. It gets you out of all the work."

Olivia made a face at her. "Very funny, Smartass."

Lena laughed. "What did you do to get out of laundry?" Placing a cutting board on the counter, she set about the task of chopping onions.

"Nothing, thank you very much," Olivia said, smugly. "I help with the laundry all the time." She dropped several large potatoes into the sink and tapped the faucet handle to start the flow of water.

Lena gave her a look that said she didn't believe a word of it, and Olivia responded with hands raised in surrender. "Okay, okay, I help with laundry some of the time."

Olivia emphasized the frequency, and Lena laughed in response. "Frankly, I'm surprised you help at all," she teased.

"You'd be surprised about a lot of things," was all Olivia said in response.

Teasing aside, Lena asked, "Have you been tempted to make suggestions, or secretly add ingredients to her dishes?" She knew Olivia's penchant for finding the perfect blend of herbs and spices.

"I would never," Olivia answered forthrightly.

"Why not?" Lena's hands were making quick work of the onions. "How much of this do you need for the potato salad?" she asked as an aside.

"Half of a medium one will do it." Olivia answered the easier question first; then paused to weigh her response to the more difficult one. Scrubbing the potatoes helped her think. "First of all, Natalia is an incredible cook. She doesn't need me interfering," she acknowledged. "The problem is she doesn't realize how amazing she is—not just her cooking, but pretty much everything about her. She's gaining self-confidence, and I love seeing that, but she still doubts herself too much, and I don't wanna do anything to undermine her accomplishments."

"So when are you planning on telling her the truth?" Having finished with the onions, setting some aside for Olivia, Lena dropped the ground beef into a mixing bowl, and began adding in the seasonings—fresh garlic, minced onions, seasoning salt, and Worcestershire sauce—and eggs and breadcrumbs to hold the patties together on the grill.

"Well, at this point, I can't very well just come out and say it, right? I mean, that'll probably make her mad because I didn't tell her sooner," Olivia attempted to reason. "So, I figure I'm better off making her a romantic dinner for a special occasion, you know? She'll be in a good mood, and maybe it won't matter as much."

"I still don't understand why you didn't just tell her to begin with," Lena said, forthrightly. "You could've just told her you were thinking about something else, and got distracted, and that's what caused you to nearly burn the house down." She was highly amused by the very idea of Olivia being a klutz in the kitchen.

"I was thinking about something else, Lena—that was the problem! I wasn't exactly thinking with my brain that morning." Olivia sluiced the excess water off of a potato and began peeling, as Lena worked the seasonings into the beef.

The insinuation in Olivia's voice brought a hearty chuckle from Lena. "Other things were in control?"

"To say the least," Olivia admitted with a light laugh.

"How long did it take after that?"

"To tell her I was in love with her?" Olivia sought clarification. No sense answering a question that hadn't actually been asked.

Lena offered a befuddled expression in response. "Yes—," she confirmed. "What else would I be asking?"

Olivia arched an eyebrow, as if to say, "Oh, please!", and Lena laughed. "Okay, I would ask that, too," Lena admitted. "But right now, we're not talking about sex."

If Olivia had her druthers, they wouldn't talk about it at all! Ignoring the comment, she answered the initial question. "I didn't tell her until Valentine's Day." She knew it was a mistake the second she admitted to that minor detail.

The expression on Lena's face was priceless. It made Olivia groan. "Don't even say it, okay? I know—"

All Lena could do was laugh. Olivia Spencer was turning into a total sap.

"It wasn't like that." She knew exactly what Lena was thinking. "We found out Phillip was back, and I was freaking out, and it just… it happened. I ended up telling her how I felt, and I didn't even realize until after the fact…" She stopped, mid-sentence. "Stop laughing!" she demanded. Her attempt to defend herself was failing, and the goofy grin on her face wasn't helping.

But Lena couldn't stop. Watching Olivia squirm was just too much fun. "You might as well just give it up now, because you're never going to live this one down."

"I know—" Olivia whimpered, ending it with a heavy sigh.

"I can't believe you held out for that long." Lena knew how impulsive Olivia could be when it came to relationships—she preferred instant gratification.

"Oh, you'd be surprised at my level of resolve these days," Olivia commented, wryly.

"Meaning?" Lena looked curious.

"Meaning…" Olivia weighed her words carefully. "I'm just not as impulsive as I was in my younger years." She offered a crooked smile along with her comment, as she swept the potato peelings into the garbage disposal.

"I guess we all have to grow up sometime, don't we?" There was a gentle ease in her tone, as Lena asked the rhetorical question. She knew there was more to Olivia's comment, but she let it go. They had all week now, to get the real issue, so there was no reason to push.

Glancing up at Lena, Olivia offered an affectionate smile, and then she turned her attention to cubing the potatoes.

Natalia walked in unexpectedly, and Olivia jumped, tucking her hands behind her back like a kid with her hands caught in the cookie jar. She looked guilty as hell, and Natalia eyed her suspiciously.

"What?" Olivia said, self-consciously.

Lena just shook her head, and continued pressing the ground beef into patties.

"Nothing," Natalia replied passively, as she gave the abandoned knife the once-over. Her lips curled into a playful smile as she leaned into Olivia's personal space.

Olivia smiled in anticipation, but Natalia pulled back, teasing her just a little, before leaning in again for a brief kiss.

"Can I get you something?" Olivia offered when their lips parted.

"No, thanks," Natalia said, sweetly. "I'm just gonna fix a glass of juice for Alexandria," she reported with a furtive smile. "I volunteered to come in because I missed you," she whispered, pressing her lips against Olivia's again.

The whispered admission reminded Olivia of the soft sincerity in Natalia's voice as they lay in bed the night prior. Spooning her, Natalia's warm breath had teased against Olivia's ear as she whispered, "I miss you when you're asleep."

The quiet confession brought a mist of tears to Olivia's eyes, and she turned in Natalia's arms, kissing her tenderly. Face to face on the pillow, they talked for what seemed like hours then—about everything and nothing. They talked about how much fun they were having together, and about Emma and the way she had bonded with the girls. And then they talked about planning for Rafe's homecoming whenever it might happen, and summer trips to The Vineyard and a European vacation with friends, and Olivia's karaoke performance and how hot and bothered it had left Natalia.

That admission had led to a few lingering kisses, and then they were talking quietly again, this time about more intimate things. Natalia whispered softly to her, telling her how beautiful she was, and how much she loved her, and how loved she felt by her—and her sentiments were reflected back to her, tenfold, as Olivia's emotions threatened to overwhelm.

Natalia quietly confessed how much she enjoyed going to sleep with Olivia so near, and not having to weigh the cost-benefit of falling asleep first. In the past, if she stayed awake, she earned the pleasure of watching Olivia sleep. Those were precious moments that she had treasured. But she would eventually have to tear herself away because it was important to her to honor their agreement. If she happened to fall asleep first, she would miss those moments; but they were replaced with the pleasure of waking up in Olivia's arms, guilt free, because she hadn't purposefully violated the rules. Now, she didn't have to choose. She said it felt… "Intentional" and she wouldn't trade that for anything. Neither would have Olivia.

And when Natalia finally drifted off to sleep, Olivia lay there watching her, the soft moonlight caressing her beautiful face. Fingertips touched where moonbeams kissed, and Olivia leaned in, nuzzling against Natalia's cheek. "I miss you when you're asleep, too, Sweetheart," she whispered, brushing her mouth over Natalia's in a brief kiss. And then she snuggled into Natalia's body, and allowed sleep to claim her as well.

"You missed me, huh?" Olivia's voice was lighthearted, as she pulled Natalia into a bear hug.

Lena felt like she was intruding on a private moment, but couldn't help the smile that teased on her lips.

"Don't let it go to your head," Natalia said, drolly. She buried her face in Olivia's neck, drawing in the scent of her.

Olivia laughed. "Wouldn't dream of it." She squeezed Natalia tighter, loving the feeling of having her so close. And then she released her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Natalia responded with a quiet smile, and turned toward the refrigerator. When she finished fixing the cup of juice, she couldn't resist just one final kiss. And as she was sauntering toward the back door, Olivia could hear the smile in Natalia's voice as she called back, "Don't cut yourself with that knife you're not using."

Grinning, Olivia turned her attention back to Lena, who was laughing softly as she finished up the patties. It was a mental digression of sorts, but she found it perplexing to watch the exotic foreigner performing such a menial task. It just wasn't something she ever thought she would witness. But then again, she was certain Lena could say the same of her—on so many levels.

Picking up the knife, she silently applauded the twists of fate that had brought the four of them to this place. And then she was cubing potatoes again—this time, with an even greater appreciation for her life.

Sunday, April 26, 2009… The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

Being the hopelessly romantic matchmaker that she was, Bianca had called in reinforcements to help her with her latest "project," namely, Cassandra and Tara. The more positive role models, the better; that was Bianca's motto.

Lena had just laughed and shook her head as Bianca dialed Constance and Katarina's landline, hoping to catch them at home earlier that morning. And Bianca's face had worn a satisfied grin as she disconnected the call just a few minutes later. Mission accomplished.

True to their word, the ladies arrived at five o'clock that evening. Bianca welcomed them with open arms, and then they made their way out onto the deck where they greeted the remainder of the family and appropriate introductions were made. They settled in for a chat with everyone then, while Bianca and Natalia went inside to prepare drinks.

It wasn't long before the doorbell was ringing again, announcing the arrival of Cassandra and Tara. Bianca excused herself to go greet them, and Natalia headed out the back door with the first tray of drinks—a pitcher of freshly-brewed iced tea, a pitcher of lemonade, and two cups of milk for Jordan and Alex.

On her way back through with their final guests, Bianca stopped to grab the carafe of coffee and two bottles of red—a Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County. It wasn't expensive wine, not by any means, but it was one of their favorites, especially with simple fare. It possessed a youthful garnet hue and blousy bouquet of cherry and leather, and its tart cherry fruit and spice flavors allowed the sweetness to build in the finish. Yet it closed on a surprising dry note. And best of all, the palate was round and full, leading to a lingering finish—something Bianca knew Olivia would appreciate.

After introductions were made, they gathered around the fire pit on the upper deck, chatting easily as Lena fired up the grill. One by one, each couple shared the story of how they met—a strategic dialogue, instigated by Bianca for the benefit of Cassandra and Tara.

Constance and Katarina shared the story of how they had met during Katarina's visit with an aunt and uncle in France, not long after Constance graduated finishing school. Reaching over, Constance took Katarina's hand into her own. Her eyes were shining as she gazed into deep mocha, "We were seventeen, it was summer in the South of France, and we fell madly in love."

"We sure did, didn't we, Darling?" Katarina's voice was filled with emotion, and dark eyes sparkled with flecks of gold, as she smiled into liquid sapphire.

They shared then, the story of how their families had torn them apart, and forced them into marriages with "acceptable" men. They talked of their children, and the fact even the passage of time, and the joy they experienced in raising their families, never diminished the longing they felt for one another. And finally, they shared the story of how they were reunited—a twist of fate, they called it—the day Bianca hired Constance to care for Jordan during a honeymoon cruise to Spain.

"And thanks to Bianca, we got our happy ending," Constance finished, her voice filled with gratitude for the young woman who had become her close friend and confidante over the years.

It was Lena and Bianca's turn to share then, when Tara asked about their story. Leaving out the bad parts, they talked of meeting in Erica's office, where Lena was interviewing for the position of CFO at Enchantment, and of lunches and afternoon visits to trendy boutiques.

Lena laughed softly, as she spoke of their initial awkwardness, and the fact that their dear friend Myrtle had accompanied them on their first real date. "We've come a long way, haven't we, Sweetheart?" she quietly acknowledged.

"We certainly have," Bianca agreed. Her eyes twinkled as she gazed at her wife. "The smartest move I ever made was chasing you down at the airport that day," she recognized, remembering the afternoon they had shared their first kiss. "Myrtle was responsible for that, as well." It was a bittersweet memory, in the wake of the kindhearted Scotswoman's death the previous December.

Sensing Bianca's disquiet, Lena reached across, gently squeezing her wife's hand. Bianca offered a melancholic smile in response, and Lena took her cue. She picked up the conversation, sharing snapshots of their life, including their wedding, and the births of Jordan and Alexandria, and the news of the impending birth of their third child.

Constance and Katarina were quick to offer their heartfelt congratulations. They had come to love Jordan and Alexandria as much as they did their own grandchildren, and they were excited about the prospect of a new little Montgomery-Kundera. Cassandra and Tara were right behind them, offering well-wishes to the happy expectant couple.

Natalia watched and listened, all the while wondering how the child she was carrying would be received amongst friends and family. She bit her bottom lip, to stifle the hot tears that threatened to spill. There was so much uncertainty, and it threatened to overwhelm.

As the congratulatory chatter continued, Olivia glanced at Natalia, finding tearstained eyes, and a pensive expression on her face. Reaching over, she claimed Natalia's hand with her own, squeezing it gently, as she mouthed the words, "I love you."

Offering a wobbly smile in response to the subtle reassurance, Natalia mouthed the sentiment back to her, prompting Olivia to lean over, pressing a tender kiss to Natalia's cheek.

Catching the tacit exchange between them, Bianca offered a sympathetic smile. Tactfully, she moved the conversation away from news of the baby, by sending a signal to Constance.

And then, as orchestrated by Bianca during their earlier discussion, Constance engaged Olivia in a conversation about how she and Natalia met, thus opening the door for an unsuspecting Cassandra and Tara to hear the story of how two seemingly straight women fell in love. They shared about Olivia's illness, and their rivalry over Gus, and how his untimely death had changed everything for them. And then Natalia shared about that moment with Emma—the moment she knew she had to give Olivia Gus's heart.

Tears welled up in Olivia's eyes as she listened to Natalia recount that emotion-filled moment with Emma—how deeply it had touched Natalia's heart to see that sweet little girl bringing flowers for her Mommy. Natalia had been crying; aching over the decision to be made about Gus's heart, when Emma appeared in the hallway outside his hospital room. And even in the midst of her own sadness and bewilderment, Emma's compassionate heart had shown through when she offered a flower to Natalia, hoping to make her feel better.

"I looked into those sweet, innocent eyes, and that's when I knew," Natalia confessed. "As painful as it was to let go of Gus, I just couldn't let Emma grow up without her Mommy."

Reaching over, Olivia gently brushed the backs of her fingers across Natalia's cheek. They didn't need words—Natalia understood. When the moment passed, they talked about how their grief over his death, while it separated them for a time, ultimately brought them together; made them appreciate one another on a deeper level. And they laughed about the myriad arguments that had lined the pathway from separation to union—from hatred, to tolerance, to grudging respect, to fledgling friendship, to deep admiration, and ultimately, to the love of a lifetime.

There wasn't a dry eye in the group when they finished their story, and just as Bianca had hoped, Cassandra and Tara seemed both intrigued and deeply moved.

Clearly affected, Tara thanked Olivia and Natalia for sharing such meaningful memories from their life together. Soft hazel eyes, washed nearly amber with tears, fluttered closed, as she attempted to collect her thoughts. And then she explained how they had given her a new perspective to consider—a genuine understanding of love after loss, along with a renewed belief in divine intervention, and a deeper appreciation for the concept of soulmates.

Cassandra nodded in fervent agreement, as compassion-filled eyes gently caressed Tara's tear-streaked countenance. She knew how deeply this couple's story had affected her friend, and her heart ached to bring Tara comfort. Reaching out, she brushed the backs of her fingers along Tara's cheek, gently wiping away the tears. It was a simple gesture; yet one steeped in meaning. And as their eyes locked, there was no denying the taut cord of affection that connected one heart to the other.

Sunday, April 26, 2009… The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—6:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

After making final arrangements with their pilot—moving their return flight back by a few hours so that they could enjoy the evening with the girls and their friends, Alexander and Paulina joined them on the deck. A game of beach volleyball was quickly arranged amongst the younger women. Paulina insisted that Lena allow her to take over the grill, so that she could join her wife and their friends.

A peck on the cheek, and a fondly murmured, "Thank you, Mama," marked Lena's agreement. And then she was sprinting off toward the sand. Paulina chattered with Constance and Katarina as she manned the grill, and the children played on the other end of the upper deck, just outside the master suite.

It was an absolute no-brainer that Olivia and Natalia would face off against Lena and Bianca, and before they even hit the sand Olivia and Bianca were already at it again.

"I haven't even taken you for the sandcastles yet, and you're already engaging me again?" Olivia sounded amused. "Haven't you learned your lesson yet?"

"Apparently, I'm a glutton for punishment," Bianca replied, drolly.

Chuckling, Olivia asked, "What'll I be winning this time?"

Bianca was grinning, as she grabbed the volleyball from the cabinet on the lower deck. "I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you, Spencer." There was a warning tone to her voice. "You've never seen me on the court." She threw the ball unexpectedly at Olivia, attempting to catch her off guard.

Olivia snapped to, and caught the ball with ease. She smirked at Bianca. "You've never seen me on the court, either," she volleyed, clearly challenging the other woman. "I grew up on the beach, remember? Sand is my surface."

Amused, Lena laughed at the two of them, as she retrieved the net, tension straps, court line webbing, and sand anchor plates from the cabinet. Tara, Cassandra, and Natalia offered to help carry the equipment, and Lena graciously accepted.

Shaking her head, Tara chuckled, "Are they always like this?" She stressed the frequency of their competitions.

Cassandra grinned at the question.

"Yes—," was Lena's succinct reply.

All four women laughed, as they descended the stairs to the beach.

Reaching the beach, Olivia kicked her sandals off without preamble, allowing her toes the pleasure of the warm sand. Natalia followed suit, removing her sandals as well. Shaking her head, she stooped down, picking up Olivia's abandoned footwear, setting them neatly near the beach chairs. Four more pairs soon joined theirs, and then they turned their attention to the set-up.

Olivia helped Lena set the net, tightening the tension straps until they were taut. Meanwhile, Bianca engaged Natalia, Cassandra and Tara to help set the boundary lines, explaining that they needed to bury the anchor plates about a foot deep in order to ensure they would stay in place.

Once the court was set up, Cassandra and Tara quickly chose sides—Cassandra opting to play with the Montgomery-Kundera's, and Tara with the Spencer-Rivera team.

Natalia wrapped her arms around Olivia's waist, gazing into her eyes. "I'm not very athletic, you know," she forewarned.

That teasing grin percolated on Olivia's lips. "I have a feeling you're far more athletic than you realize." So many messages wrapped into one seemingly innocuous statement.

The comment wasn't lost on Natalia. "I guess we'll find out soon enough, won't we?" The smirk on her face as she leaned in to kiss Olivia was priceless.

A gentle touch to Natalia's abdomen accompanied Olivia's request that she be careful. "No diving for wayward balls, okay?" she quietly implored. Jade eyes were tender with concern. "You know me—I like to win. But I'd rather eat crow, than risk anything happening to either one of you."

Olivia's words were another subtle reassurance of her acceptance of this child, and they soothed a few more of Natalia's misgivings. But still, something inside her needed more reassurance— both from Olivia, and from herself.

Praying that those reassurances would come, in time, Natalia offered a tremulous smile in return.

Gently, Olivia's fingertips brushed Natalia's cheek, as she leaned in, offering a reassuring kiss.

"So what's the game-plan, Ladies," Tara was asking, as their lips were parting.

Natalia grinned at the question, and then Olivia's competitive side kicked into high gear. Instantaneously, Olivia was plotting and planning the demise of one Bianca Montgomery-Kundera and her little posse.

A coin toss determined that Olivia's team would serve first; and just that quickly, the games began. From the serving line, Olivia held the ball in position. Lena, Bianca, and Cassandra assumed their defensive positions, awaiting the initial serve.

Instead of proceeding, Olivia broke her stance, raising her right hand, as she smirked at Bianca, who was standing opposite her on the other side of the net. "You are goin' down, M-K! Right here. Right now. Goin' down!" It sounded like a battle cry, emphasized by the tip of Olivia's finger taking a nosedive.

Bianca arched a deliberate eyebrow. "Negative, Spencer," she retorted. "The only place I'm goin' down, is on my wife, when I take her to bed tonight."

"Bianca!" Lena exclaimed, thoroughly mortified that something so private had been uttered in front of their guests.

But Tara and Cassandra were laughing heartily, and even Olivia had to give Bianca props for her quick-witted comeback. She grinned, not ready to give up just yet. "Haven't you two had enough sex for one week? Jesus! I thought the walls were coming down last night!"

Natalia leveled her with a look, and Olivia bit her bottom lip to stifle a grin, as she stepped back into serving position.

"Not gonna lie, Lena made every word of that song come true," Bianca taunted. "The walls were shakin', the earth was quakin', and she shook me all night long. Again…" She emphasized the fact that it wasn't the first time.

Groaning, Olivia assumed her serving stance.

"Sorry ya passed on a chance at my Hot Polish Fox?" Bianca teased.

Lena blushed at the reminder of Maggie's nickname for her, and Olivia laughed. "Never—," she answered forthrightly. "I only have eyes for Natalia…" She smiled at the object of her affection, and the love in those sparkling jade eyes told Natalia she meant every word.

Delivered on soft sighs, a unified, "Aw…," fell from the lips of Tara and Cassandra, as they watched the interaction between the two women. And then Tara's eyes met Cassandra's, and they smiled at one another through the net.

The connection between them was palpable, and Bianca couldn't help but grin. She knew she wasn't wrong. It would only be a matter of time.

And then, with a loud grunt, Olivia served the ball, putting it into play. It headed straight for Lena, who tipped it toward Cassandra, setting Bianca up for the return. And thus, the rally began…

Sunday, April 26, 2009… The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—7:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

Forty five minutes later, Olivia was celebrating yet another victory with high-fives to Tara and congratulatory kisses from Natalia, as Lena consoled Bianca on the other side of the net. There had been hard-driven serves and resolute returns, and each time Olivia and Bianca faced off at the net, the rally turned into a relentless battle of the wills. And amongst the battles, there had been laughter and fun, a sense of camaraderie, and kisses and high-fives shared during moments of jubilation on both teams; but in the end, Olivia's beach-dweller prowess had reigned supreme.

There was communal laughter about Lena's extreme lack of coordination, and the fact that Olivia's mere presence seemed to bring out the fierce Kane competitive streak in Bianca. And then Olivia wrapped her arms around Natalia's waist, pulling her close, complimenting her on a job well done. Natalia beamed under Olivia's praise, and Olivia leaned closer, giving her Eskimo kisses. A light, playful nibble on Olivia's lower lip was the prelude to a tender kiss, and then they were smiling into one another's eyes.

Thoroughly transfixed, Tara watched the two of them together. Never in her life had she witnessed a connection so strong, so palpable. From the explosive heat that ignited between them the evening prior, to the gentle reverence in their subtle touches, everything about this couple intrigued her.

Cassandra sensed the pensiveness in Tara, and gingerly approached her from behind.

A near lifetime of close friendship lent itself to a hyperawareness of one another, and sensing Cassandra's presence before she even arrived, a wistful smile teased at the corners of Tara's mouth. And when tender fingertips lightly brushed against curly strawberry-blonde locks, Tara's entire body warmed at the touch.

Moving closer, her chin resting against Tara's shoulder, Cassandra softly said, "They make you question the past, don't they?" It was more observation than question.

"Yeah—" Tara's response was released in a short, self-deprecating laugh. Needing the comfort of Cassandra's touch, she slowly reached for her hand, pulling it snugly around her own waist. "I can't help but wonder if I made a terrible mistake, pushing her away."

Leaning her forehead against Tara's temple, Cassandra hugged her. "All it would take is a phone call to find out…" she gently encouraged.

"There are some things you just can't undo, Cass," Tara said, resignedly.

From the sidelines, Bianca had been covertly watching their exchange, even as she engaged Olivia in a little competitive banter. But before Cassandra could respond, Paulina was calling them back for dinner. And as they returned to the house to wash up, Bianca couldn't help but notice how naturally Cassandra's arm draped across Tara's shoulder, or how Tara returned the gesture, with her arm falling across Cassandra's trim waist with practiced ease.

As the evening sky began its ritual transition from a cloud-kissed sky-blue to cerulean into rich purples, reds, and oranges, hands instinctively linked around the table. The fact that Cassandra and Tara had joined in without question or hesitation, was telling—mealtime prayers were familiar to them. Bianca directed a knowing smile toward them, and then began the blessing.

They chattered amiably, the ten of them, throughout the course of dinner, and though Alexander was the only male in the group, he wasn't left to feel like the odd man out. On the contrary, he thrived in the all-female environment, capturing their attentions with stories of youthful adventures from his formative years in Europe, narrated in that enchantingly accented voice.

After dinner they gathered around the fire pit again, where the conversation continued to flow as easily as the beverages. Olivia and Lena regaled their audience with stories of their lighter moments at Oxford. They laughed about Olivia being an Oxford Belle and Lena joining the rowing team, despite her issues with coordination. And they shared a few chuckles over Lena's failed efforts at seducing Olivia. Lena teased her in return, declaring that Olivia was proof positive that every woman is straight—until she's not.

The comment had a visible effect on both Cassandra and Tara, prompting Cassandra to quickly shift the conversation toward other topics. But the effort was all for naught, when a comment from Olivia about living with Lena during graduate school triggered a funny story about college life with Cassandra. And then they were giggling like school girls, as they shared stories from their childhood and beyond—and the fact that their bodies instinctively gravitated toward one another as they talked, was not lost on anyone else in the group.

Sunday, April 26, 2009… The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—11:15 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

It was late evening when the dinner party finally broke up, and guests began to leave. An hour previous, Olivia had shared a tearful goodbye with Paulina. Thanking her for years of motherly love and sage advice, she promised not to let time slip through their fingers so easily in the future; they would visit again very soon. And then they all bid Paulina and Alexander safe travels.

With all the guests gone for the evening, laughter and light banter were plentiful, as the four women made quick work of the kitchen clean-up. They chattered briefly about plans for the following day, and then said goodnight.

After Lena and Bianca retired for the evening, Natalia wandered back out onto the deck, in search of Olivia. The gas lanterns flickered against the night sky, creating a soft glow across the surface, and she found Olivia at the far end of the mid-level deck, gazing out across the moonlit ocean.

Natalia could sense the pensiveness of Olivia's mood from the muscles that twitched in her upper back and shoulders. Seeking to ease the tension, she easily slid into place beside her, slipping her arms around Olivia's waist. "It's beautiful out here, isn't it?" Her tone was light, as she uttered the words that were more statement than question.

Having sensed Natalia's presence before she even arrived, Olivia relaxed into the embrace. "There isn't much in life I find more beautiful than moonlight on the ocean," she quietly shared. The implication in her words was that Natalia was one exception.

A serene smile tiptoed across Natalia's lips, and she sighed, contentedly. "It looks like candles on the water."

"Hmm, I never thought of it that way, but yeah, it sure does," Olivia agreed.

The levity in Olivia's tone wasn't fooling Natalia. Tipping her head, she met Olivia's gaze. "What has you so pensive tonight?" she asked, concerned.

"What?" Olivia let out an anxious laugh. "I'm not pensive," she denied.

Natalia fixed her with a look, and Olivia grinned sheepishly. "Okay, maybe I'm a little pensive," she admitted, emphasizing the infinitesimal nature of her current state of inner contemplation.

A soft laugh fell from Natalia's lips, and she pulled Olivia closer. They shared a few moments of quiet solitude, as Olivia matched words to her thoughts and emotions.

"You never told me that story before—the one about Emma and the flowers." Olivia's voice was overflowing with emotion, and as her fingertips brushed Natalia's cheek, a single tear slipped down her own.

"No, I didn't," Natalia quietly acknowledged. Tenderly, she wiped the tear from Olivia's face. "But I told you that you were wrong about Emma learning all of her good qualities from me."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Olivia sounded perplexed.

"Her sweetness and compassion that day proved to me that some of her good qualities came from you, Olivia," Natalia clarified. "You were a single mother, raising her virtually on your own. Where else would she have learned them?"

Offering Natalia a wobbly smile, Olivia disagreed, "I told you before, Emma is just innately good, Natalia. And when you came into our lives, you nurtured that part of her. It has nothing to do with me."

Shaking her head, Natalia insisted, "It has everything to do with you, Liv, and even if it takes the rest of my life to help you understand that, someday, you'll believe that it's true."

"I wish I could see myself the way you see me," Olivia sighed, disconcertedly.

Natalia brushed her lips against Olivia's cheek, kissing away her tears. "Someday you will." Delivered on a whisper, Natalia's words held within them an unspoken promise that she would never give up on Olivia, no matter how long it might take. And Olivia held fast to that promise, as Natalia's mouth fell against hers, drawing her into a slow, lingering kiss in the moonlight.

Monday, April 27, 2009…Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts—2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

After lunch on Monday, they headed to Oak Bluffs to visit the Flying Horses—the oldest platform carousel in the nation. Housed in an antiquated barn of sorts, the old carousel was one of the Island's most prized possessions, and a place where Lena and Bianca had often visited during their first stay on the Vineyard. Together, the group admired the beautiful, meticulously crafted horses, made with real horse hair, and then the girls picked their favorite horses for a ride. With Olivia and Lena's help, Emma and Jordan tried their hands at a lost tradition—grabbing for the brass ring to win a free ride. Much to their delight, they succeeded in winning two each.

Natalia and Bianca found a chariot, and settled in with Alex for the duration of the girls' rides. Thankfully, the motion of the carousel lulled Alex to sleep in Bianca's lap, allowing the women an opportunity to talk.

Reaching over, Natalia tenderly stroked those downy-soft curls, as she admired that perfect olive skin. "She's such a beautiful baby," she complimented.

Bianca offered an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Natalia," she said, sincerely. She kissed the baby's forehead. "She's the spitting image of her Daddy." There was a sense of fondness in her tone as she spoke of the man.

"Really?" Natalia sounded surprised.

"Yeah," Bianca chuckled. "She has her Daddy's dark complexion and strong facial features. And these curls…" she said, gingerly rolling a lock of them around her index finger, "all him."

"Well, when I look at her, all I see is you and Lena," Natalia stated. "She has your eyes—they're darker than Lena's—and your nose. And she has Lena's dimples and angular face. I can't decide who she resembles more." She knew how weird that sounded, given that the child couldn't have inherited genes from both women, but it was the truth. "I see the same resemblances in Jordan."

Bianca smiled. It made her happy to hear that. "That's kind of what we were hoping would happen," she admitted. "Our family has always said Jordan looks as much like Lena's daughter as she does mine, and we're very happy about that because we don't have people speculating about which one of us is her 'real' mom—at least not out loud. We didn't want that for our children, so I'm glad you see both of us in them." She paused for a beat; then said in a wistful tone, "I hope the same is true for the new baby."

Natalia smiled and nodded. She understood how Bianca felt—at least to some extent. She would give anything to have the child she was carrying remind her of Olivia, rather than Frank. She pushed the thought aside. "You seem awfully young to have three children," she observed. There was no judgment in her tone, only a sense of admiration.

Gracefully crossing her legs, Bianca shifted Alex in her lap, as an introspective smile percolated on her lips. "I was young when I married Lena," she quietly shared. "I wasn't even old enough to drink the champagne at my own wedding reception." There was humor evident in her tone as she shared that piece of information. "But we were in love, and we had been through so much just to be together, so we figured, why wait, y'know?" She shrugged, emphasizing the rhetorical question. "We both wanted a stable family life—it was something we valued, for ourselves, and for Jordan."

"So you had Jordan before you were married?" Natalia sounded surprised, though she realized she shouldn't have, given the information at her disposal.

Bianca cast a sideways glance at Natalia and smiled. "Yeah—" Confirmed on an emotion-laden whisper, her eyes shifted to focus on her sleeping daughter. "She was seven weeks old when Lena and I were married," she wistfully reported. "Thanks to my Uncle Jack, the adoption paperwork was finalized that day, as well, legally making Lena Jordan's other parent, and we christened our daughter together, as part of our wedding ceremony."

Natalia smiled softly at her new friend. "That sounds beautiful, Bianca," she said, sincerely.

Bianca showed off her dazzling smile. "It really was," she wholeheartedly affirmed. "It was a perfect day; the perfect way to celebrate our life together." The memories of that day brought tears to her eyes, as they always did, and she daintily dabbed them away with the tip of Alex's fuzzy blanket.

"What made you decide to have a baby when you were so young?" Natalia knew it was none of her business, but Bianca intrigued her. She was so much younger than Natalia, and yet she seemed so poised and in control of her life—the exact opposite of what Natalia was feeling at the moment.

Caught off guard by the question, Bianca stumbled over her answer. "It was, um… it was… an unplanned pregnancy."

Compassion filled Natalia's dark expressive eyes, and she reached over, gently squeezing Bianca's arm. "You must've been really scared," she empathized.

"I was terrified," Bianca admitted, with a humorless laugh.

"So that's why you understand what I'm going through right now," Natalia realized aloud.

Bianca offered a lopsided smile as she nodded her head. "I understand, probably better than anyone, how it feels to be scared of losing the woman you love, because of an unplanned pregnancy."

"You were with Lena when you got pregnant?" Natalia sounded perplexed.

"Yes, I was," Bianca said, affirmatively.

Natalia was completely confused. "I don't understand." Her tone begged for clarification.

Biting her bottom lip, Bianca formulated her words with measured intent. "I was, uh… I was raped, Natalia." Her voice was low and shaky as she divulged her truth. She had grown accustomed to hearing other women say those words, tell their stories; but she had never grown comfortable with telling her own. And even after all these years, sometimes just saying the words could bring latent emotions to the surface. She drew in a deep, calming breath, steadying her emotions, and quietly added, "By a man from Lena's past, who was trying to settle a score with her and with my family."

Natalia sat there, stock still; stunned by the sheer vileness of the words she had just heard spoken without even a hint of anger or resentment. In her most vivid imagination, she couldn't conjure up a creature so vile that he would violate this kind, gentle-spirited young woman in such a way. She couldn't imagine anyone hurting Bianca at all! She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do! It had been difficult enough finding the proper way to respond to similar words, spoken by Olivia. But at least with Olivia, she could reach out to her, pull her close, hold her and comfort her. She didn't feel as though she had that option with Bianca, and that made her heart ache.

Silently, she petitioned God for wisdom, and quickly received a response. Bianca's wounds had long-since been healed, and though she still had moments such as this, where her emotions felt raw and exposed, those moments were few and very far between. Just as God had healed Natalia's heart by giving her Olivia to love, He had pressed His healing touch upon Bianca's heart by giving her the gift of life—her daughter, Jordan. And in this moment, Bianca didn't need Natalia to save her, or even to comfort her; she simply needed her truth to be acknowledged with compassion.

"It's amazing, isn't it—how something so beautiful can come from such a vile act?" Beneath the calmness of Bianca's tone there was an audible tremble.

With renewed confidence and a deep sense of compassion, Natalia turned to face Bianca. Their eyes met, as Natalia gently clasped Bianca's hand between her own. Receiving a wobbly smile in response, Natalia took a breath. "What's amazing, is you, Bianca," she quietly acknowledged. "I mean, how did you do it? How did you work through a trauma like that?" She was in sheer awe of this woman.

Lena's name fell from Bianca's lips like a prayer, in response to Natalia's question. "And Jordan…" she added. "They were my saving grace."

"Lena supported you, but… Jordan healed you, didn't she?" It wasn't really a question, but rather a statement of fact; something that she could feel in her spirit.

Bianca's eyes brimmed with tears, as her smile shifted into one of certainty. "Yes—yes, she did," she answered, softly. "And she healed Lena, too. Not only from the trauma of my rape, but from the trauma of her own past. God always knows exactly what we need—even when we don't know it ourselves."

Natalia's smile was soft, as she squeezed Bianca's hand again. "Like He gave me Olivia and Emma to love, after Gus died," she said, knowingly.

Bianca nodded. "And perhaps this baby, too?" Her words were a gentle suggestion.

Her gaze dropping to their clasped hands, Natalia gave a tentative nod. "Perhaps…" she said, softly. She needed time to process that notion. And then her thoughts turned back to the toddler in Bianca's lap. "Alexandria's father is a part of your life?" The tone of her voice asked the question; and it also told Bianca her response was important.

"He's very involved in our lives," Bianca answered, straightforwardly.

Natalia nodded, and a pause ensued. Then she asked, "And that works out all right for everyone?"

"It does," Bianca answered affirmatively. She studied Natalia for a moment, as she pieced things together. The picture was becoming increasingly clear to her. "Is the baby's father of concern to you, Natalia?"

"I just… I don't know how he's going to react," Natalia answered honestly. "He hasn't taken very well to the idea of me being with Olivia, so I can't imagine he'll be too happy about me raising his child with her."

"Do you think he'll try to fight you?"

Natalia shrugged. "I really don't know what to expect," she answered. She looked helpless, and she hated that she felt that way, too.

"Well, he'd be a fool to wage a fight against Olivia," Bianca said, forthrightly.

"So true," Natalia agreed, with a hint of a smile. "Honestly, I'm more concerned about him interfering in our everyday lives, than I am about a court battle. He already tends to just show up at our house uninvited. He just walks right in without even knocking." She sounded annoyed. "I shudder to think what he'll do once the baby is born."

"Boundaries, Natalia," Bianca said, wisely. "You need to establish boundaries, and then enforce them, no matter how much he balks." There was a pause, followed by a teasing grin. "And locks," she added. "Deadbolt locks."

A husky laugh erupted from Natalia's lungs, and with a sideways glace at her, Bianca joined in. The laughter was exactly what Natalia needed, and she thanked Bianca for bringing a moment of levity to the conversation.

The expression in Bianca's eyes told Natalia she understood the value of laughter in the midst of uncertainty. She squeezed Natalia's hand, reassuringly. "Everything's gonna work out." She sounded confident of that.

Natalia offered a tentative smile. "Thank you, Bianca," she said, with sincerity in her voice. "I really needed to hear that right now."

A comforting smile graced Bianca's face. "Anytime, Natalia," she said, softly. And the tone of her voice told Natalia that she meant it.

Then, catching a glimpse of Olivia and Lena with their girls, Bianca couldn't help but grin. "Look at them," she said, fondly, drawing Natalia's attention toward their family.

Side by side, Emma and Jordan chattered, giggled, and squealed together, as their horses moved up and down. Protective as always, Lena was planted at Jordan's side, ensuring that she didn't fall off. Bianca chuckled and shook her head.

"I have real horses at my house in Pine Valley," Jordan reported to Emma. "Now that I'm five, Mommy says I get to learn how to ride." She sounded excited. Lena looked ill at ease.

"Wow, that's really neat!" Emma exclaimed.

Jordan grinned. "I know, right?" she chirped. "I have my own pony, too. His name is Beau's Pride, 'cause my Mommy's horse, Beau, is his daddy."

The expression on Lena's face drew a laugh from Olivia. "Feeling all right?" she teased. She knew Lena's apprehension about the horse without even asking.

Lena just glared at her, which only caused Olivia to laugh harder.

"She's gonna have a heart attack when I put Jordan on a real horse," Bianca was commenting to Natalia.

"Doesn't like them, huh?" Natalia presumed.

"She's just really protective of our girls," Bianca answered. There was a sense of understanding in her tone. "She thinks horses are too dangerous."

Natalia nodded. She understood Lena's concern.

"She felt the same way about a swimming pool, but we have a gorgeous in-ground water sanctuary in our back yard now," Bianca reported, with a proud grin. Oh, the delicious things she had done with Lena to win that argument. "It's surrounded by a ten foot privacy fence, and a gate that's guarded with a half-dozen locks, but… we have it." She chuckled at Lena's need for such extreme precautions—and her complete inability to resist Bianca's "suggestions."

The humor in Bianca's tone drew a soft laugh from Natalia, as well. And then her focus was drawn back to Olivia. Standing upright next to Emma's horse with one boot in a stirrup and a hand loosely grasping the pole, Olivia's face wore a goofy expression, as she feigned falling off. The girls were laughing at her antics, and Emma declared that her Mommy was silly.

Today was for fun—lighthearted times shared with ones they loved. And they wisely savored every breathtaking, memory-making moment. For with the morning's dawn, truths, and clarity, and yes, even moments of heartbreak, would come. Not just for Olivia and Natalia, but also for those they held dear…

Like a finely-tuned dance, up and down, the horses moved in perfect synchronization, as the carousel continued to turn; time and again bringing them back to the place where they began. And even as their laughter and conversations continued, the metaphor about all of life's ups and downs, those inevitable twists and turns, bringing them full-circle, was not lost on any of them…

Coming up…

Tensions rise, as that inevitable collision approaches like a runaway train…

Truths revealed… Whose lives are changed when long-held secrets and surprising facts come to light?

Clarity attained… Sometimes seemingly irrational fears turn out to be exactly that—Irrational. Sometimes, they turn out to be intuitive wisdom in disguise. In the wake of clarity, will it be happiness or heartbreak that reigns? Or will it perhaps be a smattering of both?

All of these questions and more will be answered, as Chapter 9: When Past and Present Collide, continues…

Additional Disclaimers: Rights to the song Magic by Colbie Caillat belong to Universal Public Records. Rights to the song Butterflies by Saving Jane belong to Toucan Cove. Love Shack by the B-52's is the property of Warner Brothers Music. Ain't No Mountain High Enough is the property of Tamla Records. The song Shook Me All Night Long by ACϟDC is the property of Atlantic Records. The song Pour Some Sugar on Meby Def Leppard is the property of Mercury Records.

Hope y'all enjoyed!

Regards—

Kimberly

P.S.: As many of you may know, Friday, September 23, 2011 was a sad day for fans of All My Children, much like Friday, September 18, 2009 was for all Guiding Light fans. I have two things to say about that: First, Goodnight, Pine Valley—we'll miss you while you're asleep, and anxiously await your awakening with morning's dawn in January, thanks to Prospect Park…

Oh, and second, FUABC & Brian Frons!

That is all…