EPILOGUE

I am home now, home now
I've been waiting for forever to find you, find you
I'm not alone now, alone now
Cause you've taken in my heart from the cold
All I know is every time I look into your eyes
I'm home, I know

You're where I belong
I belong with you
You're where I belong
And I know it's the truth
You're part of my heart
There's nothing I can do
Oh you're the one who keeps me warm
My baby you're where I belong
-You're Where I Belong, Trisha Yearwood

The sun shone through brightly Bianca's bedroom window, its rays hitting her face at just the right angle to lull her out of sleep. Slowly opening her eyes, she heard the pitter-patter of tiny footsteps coming towards her bedroom. She turned over in bed and within seconds saw her door open, a brown-eyed little girl rushing inside.

Bianca watched as Miranda ran toward her, the child bundled with sheer excitement. Pulling her up onto the bed, she brushed aside a lock of light brown hair and kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday, sweetie."

A grin spread across Miranda's face. "I twee!" looking down at her small hand as she attempted to hold up three fingers. "One, two, twee!"

"Yes, Miranda. You're three," Bianca laughed.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Go see Maggie?" Miranda tugged her mother's hand.

Smiling, Bianca set Miranda down on the floor and got out of bed. "Come on, let's go wake up Maggie."

They quietly walked across the hall, Bianca letting her daughter knock on the door, then pushing it open. When Miranda looked up at her, she gave the child an approving smile, granting permission to run to Maggie's bedside to wake her up. She stood at the doorway and continued to smile, watching as the little girl peeked under the blankets. What followed was an eruption of giggles, Maggie sitting up in bed and scooping the little girl into her arms.

"Someone wanted to wake you up. It seems she has some news to share," Bianca spoke.

"Oh, really now?" Maggie raised an eyebrow, bringing her attention to Miranda. "Okay, Munchie. What's your news?"

Miranda scrunched her forehead and looked down at her hand. She struggled to hold up three fingers, now giving the blonde a toothy grin. "I twee! It's muh bersday, Maggie!"

"Happy birthday, Miranda!" Maggie pulled her in for a warm hug.

Bianca was still standing at the doorway reveling in the sounds of high-pitched giggles leading to all out laughter. The smile spread across her face, watching Maggie frolic in bed with Miranda, tickling her until they were both nearly out of breath. And then it would start again, this time Miranda going on the assault, trying to find Maggie's ticklish spots.

"Tickle monster!" Miranda shrieked, diving through the barrier of pillows Maggie had set up.

It was only recently that Maggie moved back into the penthouse, both of them confident and ready to reestablish close quarters. To say the past three months were easy would be a lie, their lives seemingly empty at first as they both adjusted to a life apart from one another. Only this time it was with purpose and not used as a form of escape.

Maggie moved in with Anna for the duration, living a life independent of Bianca while still keeping close contact for the sake of Miranda. Not wanting to disappear completely out of the child's life, she made an effort to see Miranda when time permitted, more so spending every other weekend with her.

There's a common belief that time heals and for Bianca and Maggie it did more than that. It strengthened them, both as individuals and as a couple working their way back to one another.

Awkward at first, neither was sure how to approach one another, let alone where the line of intimacy was drawn between them. Deciding it was best to start fresh, Bianca invited Maggie out to dinner their second week back in Paris, a first date in some sense and perhaps another step toward each other's hearts.

Subsequent dates would follow, some planned while others, completely spontaneous. On the rare chance that Maggie got out of class early, she made her way over to Cambias Industries and waited outside in hopes of walking Bianca home from work. Other occasions included when Bianca's board meetings were cancelled, Bianca taking the opportunity to surprise Maggie with lunch in between classes, regardless if it was a limited amount of time.

Like every couple working things out, they still had their share of disagreements. But instead of walking away angry or hurt, they talked it out, learning that patience and compromise were two key aspects in their relationship, one they'd never came to realize before or simply had taken for granted.

Bianca and Maggie would always lead different lives. Bianca being the one with the business mind while Maggie kept her focus on academics, with the goal of one day being able to put the initials, M.D. after her name. And while it could have been the source of where their conflicts arose in the first place, they vowed to be open with one another this time around, instead of harboring the frustrations of their day to themselves.

As the weeks unfolded, a new kind of closeness developed between them. One would say it was newfound appreciation, when in reality it was a rekindling of love. Bianca and Maggie growing closer, the bond between them strengthened as they fell in love with each other all over again.

When Miranda's birthday neared, Maggie thought it was time to take the step to reestablish a physical closeness, in terms of sharing living space once again. Not quite ready to share a bedroom just yet, Maggie moved into the guest room, maintaining a physical sort of distance and still close that she was now near them. For Maggie though, this was somewhat of a huge step, leading her to a make a decision she knew would affect both their lives, one she would share with Bianca on the evening of Miranda's birthday.

--

Maggie pushed open the door to the penthouse, stepping aside so Bianca could push Miranda's stroller inside. The child was sound asleep, completely tuckered out after spending the day at Disneyland Paris, riding any and every ride she pleased, Bianca and Maggie unable to deny any request. Yes, Bianca even rode "It's a Small World," despite her fear of the ride, due to a traumatic experience at Disney World back in the States (to which Maggie got total amusement out of.) Thankfully, Maggie held her hand the whole time, reassuring the brunette that it was not possible for the same kind of incident to happen to an adult.

"We should bring Miranda upstairs and put her into bed," Bianca whispered, gently lifting her daughter out of the stroller. As they walked up the stairs and down the hallway toward Miranda's room, Bianca noticed Maggie go left. "Hey, you're not going to join me in tucking her in?"

"I will. There's just something I need to do. Why don't you change her into some pajamas and I'll be in there shortly, okay?" Maggie replied, hoping the look on her face wasn't giving anything away.

"Okay."

Once Maggie was sure Bianca was occupied inside Miranda's room, she pulled open her drawer and reached for a small velvet box. Tiptoeing across the hallway, she entered the master bedroom, completely taken aback at the work she had Anna do for her while she, Bianca and Miranda spent the day at Disneyland Paris. She went around and finished all the minor details Anna had left for her to do. After marveling at the sight before her once more, she hurried over to Miranda's room.

"Wanna go again, Mommy," Miranda said sleepily as Bianca laid her in bed.

Bianca smiled. "We will, sweetie. I promise, we'll go again."

Maggie entered the room and approached the child's bedside. "And next time, Mommy won't be so scared riding 'It's a Small World,'" earning a nudge in the side by Bianca. "Oof! Okay, I deserved that."

"Yeah," Bianca leaned down and kissed Miranda's forehead. "Good night, baby."

"Nighty night, Miranda. Sleep well," Maggie whispered, fixing the stuffed Lilo doll so it was lying right next to her, while the stuffed Stitch doll sat at the corner of the bed.

Bianca followed Maggie out of the room, leaving the door slightly open behind them. They both stood in the hallway and looked at each other for a long moment.

"So…" Maggie broke the silence, giving Bianca a nervous smile. "I had a great time today."

"Yeah, I did, too," Bianca smiled back, followed by a small yawn. "Wow, I must be tired. It's been quite a day. I guess I'm going to head on to bed."

"Okay," Maggie replied. Instead of going into her room, she followed Bianca into the master bedroom and waited for her reaction.

Bianca pushed open her bedroom door and walked inside, at first wondering why the room was so dim. Venturing in further, she stepped into what looked like a romantic oasis. Candles were lit in almost every corner of the room, white rose petals scattered all over the floor and on the bed. She closed her eyes for second, thinking it was all a dream but upon reopening them, she realized it wasn't.

None of it was a dream. It was real.

Feeling a pair of arms wrap around her from behind, Bianca leaned into them, knowing that this was all Maggie's doing. "It's beautiful, Maggie," she whispered, completely overwhelmed. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Maggie whispered back. She took her by the hand and led her toward the bed. Standing near its edge, she pulled Bianca close and leaned in, their lips meeting for a sweet kiss. "I'm so glad we never gave up on each other because these last three months caused me to fall in love you with all over again."

"God, Maggie. It did the same for me, too. I love you more now that I ever have and I'm so sor…" Maggie pressed a finger to her lips.'

"Shhh…" Maggie smiled lovingly. "No more apologies. What's happened in the past, stays in the past. We're here now and it's all that matters. Just you, me and the future we are going to spend together."

"Future? Together?"

"Yes," Maggie brushed back a lock of Bianca's dark brown hair, her hands lingering on her face. She lost herself in Bianca's eyes, her heart feeling like it was going to burst out of her chest. Pulling out the velvet box she kept in her pocket, she opened it for Bianca and held it out.

"Oh, my God, Maggie…" staring at the set of rings.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Bianca. Loving you and raising Miranda together as a family, the one we're meant to be," Maggie's voice was filled with deep emotion, continuing with her words. "I love you so much. You are the last person I want to see before I go to sleep at night and your face is the first thing I want to wake up to every morning. Please tell me that you'll spend the rest of your life with me."

Bianca smiled through the tears that were streaming down her face. "Yes, Maggie," pulling the blonde into her arms and capturing her lips for a searing kiss. "Yes."

Maggie's forehead was pressed against Bianca's. Reaching up with her hand, she ran her fingers along Bianca's cheek. "I want to move back into the master bedroom with you, Bianca. I want to come home."

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to hear those words from you," Bianca held onto Maggie, pulling her onto the bed. "You're already home, Maggie. This is us," kissing her passionately. "Forever."

They would revel in each other's embrace for the duration of the night, a love rekindled as they gave into their passion. The moon shone brightly outside their window, while inside each candle extinguished itself one by one, their room bathing in moonlight. Neither of them seemed to notice the change, as they made love for the first time in months. A romantic, slow, freeing love, one filled with rediscovery and reconnection.

Bianca and Maggie, together again, joined as one for the rest of their lives.

-fin-