AN: I legit almost forgot to post this today oops. Thank you to my beta, shelter.

Her phone rang as she was grabbing breakfast. Teresa.

"Hey, can I call you ba-"

"I'm so sorry, Irene," Teresa interrupted.

Irene frowned, standing up straight. Whatever was about to happen, she knew it was not going to be good.

It's over, Irene. Time to move on. You knew this couldn't last forever.

"Teresa, what do you mean?" she asked slowly, stomach clenching painfully, mind running in circles. For your Crimes against the Organization… She closed her eyes and shook her head. "Sorry for what?"

"You haven't gone outside yet, have you?"

"No, I'm running a little late today. I was just about to leave." She made her way to the kitchen window to look outside. There were at least fifteen people with cameras standing outside her door. "Shit."

"I'm sorry," Teresa repeated, voice pained. "They caught a picture of us kissing outside that coffee shop Tuesday and now it's all over the tabloids. I'm sorry."

Irene closed her eyes and leaned against the wall, trying to keep her breathing calm. So it had finally happened. They had slipped up. It had been inevitable.

No one could hide something like that from the Organization for long...

But no, that wasn't right. They had known this would happen, had prepared for it. They would be fine. They had to be fine.

"Stop apologizing, Teresa," she said. Teresa sounded fearful and nervous, so unlike her normal self, and somehow that gave Irene strength. After all, she did spend her work hours handling financial crises. "We knew this was going to happen eventually."

"I know, but I thought we would have more time." She sighed heavily, the noise crackling over the speaker.

"It's all right. We can handle this," Irene assured her, confident in her words. If they had survived the transformation into silver-eyed witches... "I'm not going to bolt. I promise." She steeled herself and headed for the door, down to the hostile photographers on the street. Despite her words to Teresa, she was not eager to dive into the fray. "I'm about to walk outside, so..."

"Okay. Call me later. I...You still need to meet Clare." They had been planning on having a nice private dinner later that week for that very reason. She was already incredibly nervous, knowing how important it was that Clare liked her, and this added pressure would not help. If Clare ever thought that it was Irene's fault that she was harassed and heckled, that could make things difficult.

"I have no desire to cancel our dinner," Irene said firmly. She paused at the door. There would be no turning back now. But what were a few paparazzi when compared to facing an awakened being? Irene braced herself, as if for battle. "It's going to be okay, Teresa."

"I know. I'll talk to you later. Just...remember, they'll get tired of this soon enough. We just have to endure it for a little while."

"Okay. Bye. "

Immediately after she opened her door, she was bombarded with questions and people shouting her name and cameras being shoved in her face. She held up her hand to shield her face as she pushed through the small crowd.

"Irene!"

"Irene! Have you always been a lesbian?"

"How did you meet?"

"How long have you been dating Teresa?"

"Do you and Clare get along?"

Irene turned around and faced the photographer who had asked that. "Leave her daughter out of this," she growled fiercely. "She's just a kid."

Before any of them could reply, she wheeled around and marched to the cab she had waiting for her.

"You okay miss?" the driver asked.

She leaned back and sighed. "I'm fine, thank you." She told him where to go and rubbed her brow, wondering how long it would take for things to calm down.

There was another mob, bigger this time, waiting for her outside her work. Resolutely, she pushed her way through them and into the building. The security guard asked her if she was all right, and she brushed off his concern, frustrated that she had been delayed even further.

Just when she thought her day could not get worse, Flora walked out to meet her before she could get very far into the office, her face pale and drawn.

"Your father's here."

Irene nearly dropped her briefcase.

"What?" she hissed, pulling Flora aside. "Here? Why?" Instead of answering, Flora held up a magazine with Irene and Teresa kissing on the cover. Their identities were very clear. "Goddammit."

"He's not happy."

"I would imagine not." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Where is he?"

"Waiting in your office. I tried to keep him out, but-"

"No, it's all right. This day is shit already, and it's only eight."

"Should I cancel your meetings?"

"No." She sighed. "No reason for that. I'll just have to handle this."

"I'm here for you, Ms. Winters. Whatever you need."

"Thank you, Flora."

Irene grimaced before bracing herself to walk into her office and face her father.

When she opened the door to her office, he turned from his place by the window, scowling deeply, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Hello, Father," she said stiffly, shutting the door carefully. "It's been a while since you visited me here. How's business? The housing market's up. You must be happy."

He had clutched in his hands the same magazine that Flora had shown her. He held it up, raising a brow.

"What the hell is this?"

"I believe it's the latest issue of Us Weekly," she said coolly. "I didn't take you for a gossip rag enthusiast."

"I'm not in the mood for your attitude, Irene."

She gritted her teeth against a growl, and stepped behind her desk to put herself in a position of power, something she had learned from him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see why it is that you're trying to ruin your reputation."

Irene sat heavily in her chair, folding her hands on her desk. "And how exactly am I doing that?"

"By gallivanting around with this...this...woman!" His voice was raised now, but she did not flinch, did not think about the fact that all of her employees would be able to hear him, undercutting her authority.

"I hardly see how it's any of your business," she said, voice low. She would not rise to his bait. "It's not like she's the first woman I've ever dated."

She had come out to her parents after her suicide attempt as part of her therapy. They had not handled it as well as she would have liked, but they had not disowned her. Her mother, at least, had eventually come around to it, but her father just pretended that part of her life did not exist. Irene was, in all other aspects, the perfect daughter. Her romantic endeavors had been so few and far between that her father had not felt the need to comment on them.

Now, however, it was out for the entire world to see. And with an actress, too.

"The others were reputable, at the very least," he snapped. Yes, they had been daughters of other elite families, well respected, Ivy League educated. Teresa was nothing like them, and that was why Irene loved her. "This one-" he gestured wildly with the magazine "-is only using you."

"To what end? She has money. She doesn't need mine."

"For publicity, of course."

"Oh yes, the great publicity of secretly dating."

"Stop being so naive, girl." He leaned threateningly over the desk. "I didn't think you would be stupid enough to fall for that."

Irene's nostrils flared as she continued to struggle against her temper. It took quite a lot to get her riled up, but once she was, it took even longer for her to calm back down.

"I'm not a child, so stop treating me like one. I know what I'm doing."

"You're being foolish, Irene. Just look at how your brother threw away his life! We worked so hard to give you everything, and now you're just going to shove it in my face."

"Get out." She stood, her impressive height putting her at eye level with her father.

"Excuse me?"

"I said 'get out.'" She'd had enough. Enough of his judgment, enough of his disapproval.

"How dare you-"

"No, how dare you," she snarled. "How dare you come into the place where I work, undermine my authority with my employees, and berate me about my personal life when you can't even gather up the courage to call your own son to see how he is. Did you even know that Elda is pregnant?" His jaw dropped, answering her question. "That's right. She's due any day now, but you didn't know that because you pushed him away for no other reason than her family wasn't wealthy."

"He didn't tell me."

"And why would he?" Irene was on a roll now. "You don't deserve to know the child. You don't deserve to know Teresa, either, for that matter. I will date whomever I want to, with or without your approval. You can disown me if you like, but I love Teresa, and I will choose her over you any day." He was now shaking with silent anger, mouth opening and closing much like a fish out of water. "So get out of my office before I call security. You have no authority here."

Her father seemed to snap to his senses. "Are you threatening me?"

"I believe I am." Her hand hovered over the call button, ready to summon security if she needed. She had the power here. She called the shots. She wouldn't take orders from men anymore. Not from her father, not from the Organization..."Do not push me. Walk out of here with some dignity left, or I will make you regret it."

"We're not finished here, Irene," he hissed. "We'll discuss this later."

"No, we won't." She was done catering to his whims. "Don't contact me again unless it's to apologize."

His lip pulled back in a snarl before he threw open the door to her office and stormed out, the eyes of her employees following him the entire way.

Irene watched him go, breathing hard, but feeling exhilarated. She had never stood up to him in such a way, and it felt good to tell him exactly what she thought of him.

Flora entered the office carefully and asked her if she was okay.

"I'm fine." Irene shut the door behind Flora and then slumped in her chair, rubbing her temples. "I've never spoken to him like that."

"You were very impressive," Flora said. "And if it's not too bold to say, I think he's wrong. About Ms. Blackwell, I mean."

"I do, too." Irene took a breath to steady herself. "Do you still have the statement we prepared?"

"Of course."

"Release it." She leaned her head back and let out a sigh. "I will only be accepting calls from the board or clients today. Everyone else is to get the canned answer." Flora nodded, jotting down a few notes. "Tell any reporters to refer to our statement until I get a chance to really talk with Teresa. I'll let you know when that is."

"Is that all?"

"For now. Today is going to be awful," she warned. "I appreciate your professionalism, Flora. I just wanted you to know that."

"Thank you, Ms. Winters." She gave a nod before leaving the office, shutting the door behind her.

Irene groaned and rested her head in her hands. This had not been the way she had wanted her father to find out, but she supposed she only had herself to blame. There had been plenty of time for her to warn him. Still, it was time for him to stop being so damn high and mighty.

Her cell phone buzzed, startling her out of her thoughts. She looked down at the screen. It was her brother.

"Hello, Paul," she said tiredly.

"I saw the news, Ren. How're you holding up?"

"Father came to see me this morning," she replied, knowing that would sufficiently answer his question.

"Damn. I'm sorry."

"It's all right." She grimaced slightly. "I told him about the baby. I'm sorry, Paul. It just slipped out. I don't know if you wanted him to know"

"He would have found out eventually." Paul was so much more laid-back than she was. Almost like they had different parents. "And I'm kind of glad I wasn't the one who told him. Thanks for taking that bullet for me."

"You owe me, then."

"Hey, Ren, Elda and I were talking and...If she's well enough, you know with the baby and all, we'd like you and Teresa to spend Thanksgiving with us." They would not be able to go to Chicago like they normally did because of the baby. It touched Irene that Paul would be willing to open his home to them. She supposed she should not have been surprised. "I know you're not big on the whole family thing, but...we'd love to have you. Both of you."

"You just want to meet Teresa Blackwell," Irene said, trying to cover the lump in her throat.

"Well, that's part of it," Paul admitted. "But I also want you to know that we're here for you."

"I appreciate that, Paul. I'll have to talk with her about it. She usually spends it in Texas with her family."

"Well, you can still come on your own and see your new niece."

Irene smiled, glad to have at least something good happen to her that day. "I would love to. Thank you. How's Elda holding up?"

"She keeps telling me that she looks like a whale, and then gets mad at me when I say she's beautiful," he lamented.

"I've heard that can happen with pregnant women," Irene said awkwardly.

"That's what they tell me," Paul sighed. "I'll be glad when she pops the kid out. Of course, then we'll be getting little to no sleep. A perfect win-win situation."

Irene smirked at the humor in his voice. "Better you than me."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, we're here if you need anything, Ren. Just remember that."

"I will. Thank you, Paul."

"Of course. I gotta run. Love you."

"You too. Bye."

Irene sat back in her chair and sighed. Well at least one person had her back. Besides Teresa, of course. Thanksgiving with Paul and Elda sounded appealing. She doubted she would be able to get Teresa to go, but even alone, it would be preferable to her normal Thanksgiving routine of a frozen dinner and an evening spent going over briefs.

Right before lunch, her phone rang again. This time it was Teresa.

"Hey." Irene felt no need to hide the fatigue in her voice.

"You're coming straight over to my place after work tonight. No arguments."

"Is that wise?" Irene asked. "What about Clare?" This was not the right way to meet the girl, and Irene worried about controlling herself. In this situation, could she be the mature adult who did not show her jealousy over a child?

"I sent her to her father's. I didn't want her to be so exposed to the media."

Her father. Irene cursed silently. Teresa had not told Chris about them before this.

"How is Chris taking all this?" she asked cautiously.

"Better than I expected," Teresa replied. "He was a little miffed that I didn't tell him myself, but he understood the reasons. He's going to take Clare to his parent's house for the weekend. Get her out of the city and away from everything."

"Won't coming over just be taunting the paparazzi?" Irene wanted to spend the night with Teresa. She certainly did not want to be alone. But she worried.

"I really don't care. I mean, it's out there, so why hide anymore? I want to start waking up with you next to me more often."

"That does sound nice," Irene admitted. "Okay then. I'll come over."

"Okay, well I know you're busy, so I'll let you go now. I'll be at home all day, so when you're heading over, call or text."

"All right. I'll call you. Bye."

"Bye."

Early that afternoon, the CEO of the firm stopped by to see her. Irene was apprehensive, but he offered his support. Irene had been good for the firm, and he had made sure the board of directors knew this media attention would not hurt their earnings.

After he left, Irene decided to take a walk around the office, checking in on her employees, making sure they were all able to handle the situation. She knew that it affected them as well as herself. Perhaps not to the same extent, but enough that it could interfere with their productivity. Irene was pleased to find that most of them had supportive words for her and appreciated that she was taking the time to speak with them.

Flora, especially, spent her day running circles around Irene, keeping the phones under control and fielding all sorts of questions. Irene watched her with fond pride. She really was more than just an assistant.

Irene texted Teresa around 5:30 pm to say that she was about to leave and gathered herself to face the herd of photographers that were waiting for her outside the doors of the lobby. As soon as she stepped outside, she was bombarded with questions and flashes in her face, but she moved resolutely forward. The security guard was kind enough to ferry her through, pushing back the photogs and helping Irene into the cab she had called. She thanked him before shutting the door and giving the driver Teresa's address.

As she sat back against the seat, Irene was very glad that Teresa had insisted she come over. It had been a long, hard, exhausting day, and she really wanted nothing more than to just relax on the couch next to Teresa and pretend like nothing was out of the ordinary.

That illusion was shattered when the cab pulled up to Teresa's building, and an army of photographers surrounded her. Resolutely, she opened the car door and pushed her way through, ignoring the questions and hiding her face as best she could until the doorman rescued her.

"Are you okay?" he asked as they stepped inside, shutting out the paparazzi.

"Yes, thank you."

"They're not going to leave now," he said thoughtfully.

"I know. They'll be waiting for me."

Waiting for a slip that would tumble the top two warriors...

Teresa greeted her with a tired smile and a tight hug. Irene practically melted into her arms, molding her body to Teresa's.

"Hey," she said into Teresa's neck, letting her eyes flutter shut.

"Hey." Teresa pressed her face into Irene's hair. "How was the rest of your day?"

"Tiring." Irene sighed and pulled back, letting Teresa lead her over to the couch. "The CEO came by to see me."

"Oh. Is everything okay?" Teresa's voice was spiked with worry. "This isn't going to hurt you at work, will it?"

"No. He said the board was a little concerned, but he was able to appease them when he reminded them how much money I pull in each quarter." She kicked off her shoes and untucked her shirt as she curled her legs under her on the couch. "And, oh my God, my father came by."

She felt Teresa stiffen next to her.

"Did he freak out?"

"I'm still in the will as far as I know, but it was not pretty." She leaned back against Teresa who wrapped her arms loosely around Irene's waist. "He said I was being naive. That you were using me."

"He obviously doesn't know you well," Teresa commented, though she frowned. "You're the one calling all the shots here."

Irene smiled wryly. "No, he doesn't know me at all." She shivered slightly as Teresa's hands ran through her hair. "I suppose I should have told him myself instead of letting him find out this way."

"Would his reaction have been any different?"

"I think he felt humiliated that he had to find out in such a way," Irene mused. "He would still have been angry, but not to the same extent. He wouldn't have been happy unless I was dating someone he hand-picked."

"Well, I'm making lasagna for you," Teresa said. "Does that make it better?"

"It certainly helps." Irene smiled and leaned her head on Teresa's shoulder. "What about your day?"

Teresa sighed. "Well, I lost out on a role to my nemesis."

"You have a nemesis?"

Teresa smiled tightly, and Irene saw for the first time the lines around her eyes. "Yeah. This younger actress who came on the scene a few years ago. Priscilla Rose."

The name tickled something at the back of Irene's mind-a screaming one-horned monster and dead comrades-and she shifted uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry about the role." She rubbed her chest. Why did it ache as if she had been cut? "Was it a good one?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. But it's not important. It's nothing compared to your day." Teresa kissed her neck. "You deserve some relaxation."

Irene was about to stand and get herself a glass of water when the phone rang. "Shouldn't you get that?" Irene said when Teresa made no motion to get up.

"I'll call them back," she said. The phone continued to ring a few more times before Irene looked over.

"It's your mother," she said as she saw the name.

Teresa cursed and struggled to remove herself from Irene. She scrambled over to the phone, picking it up and putting it to her ear.

"Mama? Hey." She gave a little eye-roll for Irene. "Yes, Mama, I saw. Mhm...I know...She's all right. She's with Chris. He took her to his parents' house...Of course he was upset, Mom." Another eye-roll. Irene also noticed that Teresa's accent, which had just an ever-so slight hint at southerness, was becoming more and more pronounced as she talked with her mother. "Yeah, he just found out that his ex-wife is dating women now. Men tend to not take that well."

"You told me he took it fine," Irene protested, but Teresa waved her quiet, pacing around the room.

"I know, I know." Teresa nodded a few times despite the fact that her mother could not see her. "It's not like I asked for this...Yeah." She glanced back at Irene. "I think she's doing okay, too." Irene realized that they were talking about her now, and she was touched that Teresa's mother cared enough to ask about her. "No, it's a relief kind of to not have to hide it anymore... Yeah... Hopefully some starlet will get caught with cocaine or something, and they'll forget about us." The timer on the oven beeped. "Hey, Mama, can I call you later? Like, tomorrow? ...Because I have to get dinner out of the oven..." Whatever her mother said in reply made Teresa blush. "Yes, she's here." Teresa sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before looking back at Irene. "She says 'hello.'"

"Tell her I say 'hello' back," Irene replied awkwardly.

"She says 'hello'...God, Mom. I'm not telling her that." Teresa's blush deepened, and Irene felt a smile spreading across her face. "Mom, no... Because that's embarrassing!...Fine." She sighed, frustrated, and faced Irene. "She says that the jacket you were wearing in the picture has a loose button and that you should probably get that fixed."

Irene raised a brow. "Well, tell her I appreciate that. I really love that jacket, and I would hate it if I lost that button." She grinned at Teresa's scowl.

"Well, aren't you two just BFFs now." She sighed before returning to the call. "She says 'thanks.' No, you can't talk to her...No, Mom!...Because I actually want her to stick around, and you'll just scare her off...I have to go, Mama...I have to get the food out of the oven...No, I'm not just saying that to get you off the phone...You'll just have to trust me...Bye, Mama...Love you, too." She hung up and let out a frustrated growl. "That woman will talk your ear off." Teresa put her phone on the counter and walked into the kitchen to pull out the lasagna.

"Why didn't you let her talk to me?" Irene asked.

"Believe me, I was sparing you," Teresa called from the kitchen. Irene got up to join her, pulling out dishes and silverware. "She would have never let you go. I think she likes you."

"She's never met me."

"That doesn't matter to her. She thinks that she's best friends with Martha Stewart because they met once at a charity event I did," Teresa explained as they sat. "She talks about her like they hang out everyday. Her and Judge Judy. God." Teresa shook her head and smiled.

"Well, I'm just glad she's handled this all so well."

"That's true," Teresa agreed. "It could have been a lot worse."

"Oh, um...I meant to ask you," Irene began, getting Teresa's attention. "Paul called me today, and well, you don't have to say yes, or anything, but they're having Thanksgiving at home this year because of the baby and all...and he invited us to spend it with him. Both of us."

"That's very kind of him."

"I told him you probably couldn't come, you know, because you'll be in Texas, but...yeah." Irene did not know why she felt so nervous about Teresa's answer, but she fidgeted with her napkin while she waited.

"I want to, Irene, but my mother would be devastated if I skipped out this year," Teresa said gently.

Irene nodded and looked down at her plate, not terribly surprised, but still disappointed.

"I understand." She gave Teresa a small, only slightly strained smile. "I thought as much."

"Hey, Irene, I really do wish I could," Teresa said sincerely. "I want to meet your family. Or at least the part that approves of me. Please let Paul know how much I appreciate the invitation."

"I will." Her smile became more natural as Teresa reached across the table to take her hand.

They settled back to the couch after dinner for a movie, Irene's body slowly letting out the tension of the day as Teresa stroked her side gently. She had changed into the spare set of pajamas that she kept in Teresa's room, and she and Teresa were curled up under a blanket with the lights dimmed. Irene felt no need to do anything but just sit together, enjoying each other's company. Despite everything going on, she felt more at peace than she had in a long time. The fears that had plagued her for so long seemed dim and distant now.

"Hey, Irene?" Teresa asked quietly as the credits started rolling.

"Hmm?"

"I want to tell you something."

Irene twisted her head around to look at Teresa. The other woman was biting her lip, a little apprehensive.

"I love you."

Irene blinked twice before leaning up to kiss Teresa.

"I know," she said after pulling back, echoing Teresa's words to her. She was teasing, but it was true. She knew it the same way she knew which way was up. Instinctively and completely.

"Oh, do you?" Teresa raised a brow.

"Mhm. I've just been waiting for you to say it." She shifted so that she could face Teresa better. "You do so much that makes it so obvious, but I know the words are hard for you to say."

"I should have said them before all this crap happened," Teresa said apologetically. "You've been so patient with me. I know how hard it must have been to have said it to me without hearing it back."

"I understand," Irene told her. "And now we're even." She kissed Teresa again, letting her hands rest on Teresa's neck as the other woman's arms came around her waist. "I love you, Teresa," she whispered against her girlfriend's lips.

"I love you, too, Irene." She felt Teresa's lips pull into a smile against her own, and was content to spend the rest of her night in Teresa's arms.