A/N: This update has taken longer then I expected to get up. Sorry about that. Finals are coming up so studying and projects have become a proirity. I still plan on updating the stories I've written on my own and with Chris as reguarly as I can. Anyhow...here's the next update.

Part 23

-------(Present) 5 Hours later---------

Kendall was sitting in the living room of Greenlee's apartment waiting for Greenlee. Melissa had called her almost an hour after she had left Erica's house saying she had found a safe place for Kathleen, Anna and her. Kendall hadn't wanted to let Melissa take Anna but she did and helped her sister get their things and dropped her off at a bus stop that would take her to where ever she was going to go. Greenlee had staid to be with Maggie, Kendall had wanted to stay but Anna was causing a fuss and she wasn't sure she could handle everything she was being told. Kendall felt for Maggie but she also felt for her sisters and had her own problem to solve. If what Anna was saying was true there were a few things that had to be taken care of by tonight. That's what Greenlee was doing at that very moment.

Greenlee had left to go catch Molly Hart, Kendall's cousin, the one she had forbidden her sisters from going near. It seemed the woman wouldn't take care of Melissa, Anna and Kathleen because Melissa was Anna's mother. Kendall had wanted to throttle the woman and knew if she was given the chance she actually might, so Greenlee went instead. It seemed Molly had the papers that Kendall needed to sign to become Melissa and Kathleen's legal guardian. Kendall had signed the papers and now all Greenlee was doing was bringing them in front of a judge with the help of one of Roger's old business partners.

Once Greenlee came back Kendall would officially be Melissa and Kathleen's guardians and until Dixie and Tad could bring up a custody hearing she would be their caretakers no matter what they tried to do. Legally Kendall would be their parent and she was okay with that, only until she could convince Melissa to come forth as Melissa Kane Hart. Kendall knew it was a long shot but if she could convince her sister to tell their mother who she really was then Erica could rightfully take custody of Melissa and help Melissa fight for custody of Kathleen.

Kendall sighed, these next few months were going to be hell and she knew it, and not to mention her due date was in 12 weeks. Kendall ran her hand through her hair; these next few months were going to be long indeed.

Kendall jumped up from the couch when the phone rang. She rushed over to the cordless and picked it up, not even looking at the caller ID.

"Melissa?" Kendall asked hopefully.

"No, dear its me." Erica said and sat down. "Still no word?" Erica asked concerned.

'Wonder how concerned she'd be if she found out who Melissa really is.' Kendall thought as she fell back down to the couch, her free hand moving to her ever growing stomach. "She's left town..." Kendall answered honestly.

"Left town...without Anna?" Erica asked now sitting up straighter then she had been before.

"No...she has Anna." Kendall said and closed her eyes.

"Then...Kendall that would mean she came to you." Erica said trying to comprehend why her daughter would let her sister leave.

"She did come to me...she got all their things and she got on a bus with Anna and said she'd get in touch with me when she could." Kendall answered dejectedly.

"Why didn't you stop her from going?" Erica asked.

"I couldn't." Kendall whispered into the phone. "She loves Kathleen and she wasn't going to see her be taken from her just like everyone else."

"Kate isn't hers..." Erica said gently.

"Kathleen isn't Dixie's either!" Kendall retorted. "Kathleen isn't Tad's, JR's, Ryan's anyone but Alice's daughter and Melissa's sister."

"Alice's daughter..." Erica said nodding. "Alice is...Kendall they need a mother...a parent to take care of them. How is Melissa going to provide for Anna and Kathleen?"

"She won't have to on her own." Kendall said. "I adopted them mother. They're my responsibility no one else's. Not Dixie's not Tad's not JR's or yours. Mine...they are my sisters and they are not going to be taken from me by anyone else!" Kendall said and hung up on her mother.

"They're not going to be taken away from me!" Kendall said firmly trying to convince herself.

"You're right..." Greenlee said as she stepped into her apartment, the door closing behind her. Greenlee walked over to the couch and sat next to Kendall, and put her hand on the taller woman's knee. "They wouldn't be taken away from you again, because you're now they're adoptive mother." Greenlee said as she pulled out the adoption papers, signed and filed away, this was just they're copy.

Kendall smiled and felt the back of her eyes burn and knew she couldn't help the tears that were about to fall. "Thank you." Kendall whispered. Kendall took hold of Greenlee's hand and held it in her own.

Greenlee smiled and looked down at their hands and then up into Kendall's face. When Greenlee saw the tears, a sad smile took over her features and she moved her free hand up to Kendall's face and cupped the taller woman's cheek, her thumb brushing away Kendall's tears.

"Don't cry..." Greenlee whispered and leaned her head forward so her forehead was pressed up against Kendall's.

"I can't help it..." Kendall said as she continued to cry.

Kendall closed her eyes for a moment trying to stop the tears, but realized they weren't stopping anytime soon so she opened her eyes. When her eyes opened Kendall's breath was taken away. Staring deeply into her own eyes were Greenlee's open brown eyes. Open as in completely open, not just because her eye lids were up and her eyes were showing, but really open. Open as in the sense of letting her in, seeing right through those eyes and into the soul, Greenlee's soul. Kendall wasn't sure if what she was seeing was really there but she prayed it was. The love she could feel coming from just one look into Greenlee's eyes would forever be enough to sustain her for the rest of her life, that she was sure of. No one had ever looked at her like this, no one until now.

Greenlee wasn't sure what optted her to do what she did next but all in all she really didn't care. Greenlee moved her hand from Kendall's cheek down to the brunette's jaw line and turned Kendall's face to meet her own perfectly. Greenlee closed her eyes when she felt Kendall's breath glide across her face; their lips were centimeters apart. Greenlee felt Kendall's deep in take and heard it as well.

"Please..." Greenlee whispered once again not sure if she was asking Kendall not to cry or begging her not to pull away. Either way it didn't matter because within a few seconds of whispering the word she captured Kendall's lips with her own in a tentative kiss.

The kiss didn't stay that way for long. Kendall wouldn't let the kiss stay like that. She wrapped her arms around Greenlee's neck and pulled her best friend closer to her. Her hands locked behind Greenlee's neck and she moaned when Greenlee's hand moved to her waist. Greenlee was really trying to keep her weight off of Kendall's stomach and their child. That sounded so right...their child.

"We need to talk." Kendall whispered panting as she pulled away from the kiss, her eyes still closed.

"Yes...we do." Greenlee whispered, her eyes still closed as well.

"But not now..." Kendall said shaking her head before she pulled Greenlee's lips back to her own...and leaned Greenlee back against the other arm of the couch, and slowly followed the brunette.

"Right..." Greenlee said her lips moving against Kendall's as she spoke. "...not now."

TBC...