School is kicking my butt right now which means fewer posts from me. And it's possible that my posts will only be on THIS story; I just don't have time for anything else right now...so once this one's done I'll move on to the next. Anyways, uhm let's see Ryan breakdown coming soon enough. This chapter isn't the best but...it's all i could come up with this past week.

Chapter 13

Sophie paced back and forth in front of the front door waiting patiently for Summer to get there. Well, almost patiently after dragging Ryan from the house and telling him that he wasn't allowed to be there anymore, she had taken to asking Taylor every other minute when Summer would get there.

"Taylor!" Sophie called for the woman again. Taylor peeked her head out of the kitchen.

"Hmm?"

"Is she…" Sophie started but Taylor stopped her.

"Sophie, she'll get here when she gets here, go watch TV or something maybe that will pass the time." Taylor couldn't believe she was pushing the girl off on the television. "On second thought maybe you could come sit with me in the kitchen."

"What are you doing?"

"Want to bake a cake? I mean once Summer and Delaney get here we can all go to the store…I just think it'd be really fun." Taylor twisted her hands together. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous around Sophie. It wasn't like she had never spent the day alone with the little girl but she was more than thankful that Summer would be joining them. Maybe that way Taylor wouldn't so nervous.

"Cake? Can it be chocolate?" Sophie's eyes widened making Taylor giggle at her.

"Of course." She nodded.

"Awesome!"

"So, your idea of a fun day is giving my daughter a sugar high?" Summer walked into the kitchen. "Figured you were waiting on me, just let myself in." She explained.

"That's fine, I'm just surprised Sophie didn't hear you." Taylor grinned walking over to the woman who had become her best friend. She gave her a hug before reaching for Delaney who instantly melted in Taylor's arms. "How do you like being three, Lane?"

"S'okay." She shrugged giving Taylor a wide grin.

"Are you sure she's Seth's child?" Taylor laughed to Summer. Delaney was the most quiet child Taylor had ever encountered. It was strange with her being Seth Cohen's daughter.

"I ask myself that everyday." Summer joked walking fully into the kitchen over to Sophie giving her a tight hug. "Okay, now what did I hear about cake?" Before Taylor could explain her plans to Summer the front door of her house opened and closed.

"Who's that?" Taylor asked confused before walking from the kitchen into the foyer.

"You should really learn to lock your door. Some stranger could just come right in." Kaitlin raised an eyebrow at Taylor who just stood there still feeling a bit confused.

"What are you doing here, Kaitlin?" She hadn't meant for that question to sound so harsh.

"Visiting my family. Why else would I be here?" The 23 year-old rolled her eyes.

"I just figured you'd be in New York seeing as Ryan and I were the ones to drive you to the airport after I had the baby…and why aren't you in New York, Kaitlin?" Taylor demanded. She knew something had to be going on for Kaitlin to come back to California for no obvious reason.

"New York isn't for me, I mean sure it's all bright lights big city you'd think I would fit right in but I'm thinking I'd rather be back in California."

"Uh-huh, there is more." Taylor folded her arms over her chest. Kaitlin shot her a glare.

"Fine! My stupid boyfriend kicked me out of his apartment and I had no where else to go."

"Try again." Taylor smirked knowing full well that Kaitlin had her own place and as far as she knew Kaitlin didn't even have a boyfriend.

"Taylor!" Sophie's voice rang from the kitchen. Taylor turned around slightly to see if Sophie had stayed in the kitchen with Summer. Once she realized that she had she turned her attention back to Kaitlin.

"This conversation is not over, Kaitlin. Does Julie even know you're in town?"

"No, but soon enough she will since you obviously never know how to keep a secret."

"I'm only looking out for you but…like I said we'll talk later for right now you're going to watch Delaney and Sophie while Summer and I go to the store. We're having a girls day and I expect you to participate."

"Sounds delightful." Kaitlin smirked before walking past Taylor and into the kitchen. Taylor took a deep breath before following her.

-

"What's Kaitlin doing in town?" Summer questioned once she and Taylor were at the grocery store picking up items for their girls day.

"She didn't say, unless you count the little lie she said about her boyfriend kicking her out and not having anywhere else to go. She doesn't even have a boyfriend." Taylor said pushing the cart down an aisle.

"Something's going on. She's done this before. Like when she left boarding school and every time someone asked her why she would lie, I mean besides her having winter break or whatever. Ryan was the one to get the truth out of her. I don't know how he does it but Kaitlin actually talks to him." Summer spoke

"I'll talk to him later. Let him enjoy his time with Seth before he comes home and maybe has to deal with drama concerning a Cooper…" Taylor sighed.

-

"How long are you staying?" Sophie swung her legs back on forth while sitting on a stool at the counter. "I don't want you to go 'way again." Kaitlin gave the young girl a slight smile before walking over to her and sitting on the stool next to her. She glanced quickly over to Delaney who was sitting on the floor playing with her dolls.

"What if I told you I was going to stay here?"

"Like…forever?" Sophie's face lit up.

"It's possible." Kaitlin just shrugged taking a deep breath. She had a secret. A huge secret that could possibly change everything in her life. A secret she wasn't sure that she wanted anyone to find out about, at least not yet anyway.

-

Taylor put her hands on her hips looking around her insanely dirty kitchen. It had taken them two hours to get almost the entire kitchen covered in flour, chocolate and whatever else that was supposed to go into the cake they had planned on making. Instead it had turned into an all out war. Kaitlin, Summer and Delaney against Taylor and Sophie. All in all the five of them were all a mess once it was over.

"How exactly did we manage this?" Taylor muttered taking in the large kitchen. This was going to take hours to clean up. Summer was upstairs giving Delaney and Sophie baths while Taylor was supposed to be trying to find a way to clean the mess. Kaitlin had disappeared soon after they were finished throwing the ingredients at each other.

Taylor ran her hand through her hair before stopping to realize that she egg yolk in it. That's when she decided maybe a shower would be better before she cleaned.

-

"Delaney's napping and Sophie's watching a movie; let's get this place cleaned up." Summer walked into the kitchen an hour later to find Taylor mopping the floor with her wet hair plastered to her back. "At least it was fun."

"It sure was, but I'm just…I'm worried about Kaitlin, Summer. She just left out of nowhere after she got that phone call…"

"I'm sure everything is fine." She shrugged before started to wipe the down the countertops.

"I sure hope so, there's just so much going on right now and knowing Kaitlin she'll dump this on us. Ryan can't handle another problem, he's already about to break." Taylor sighed stopping what she was doing and looking at Summer.

"He's still not talking?"

"Ha, Ryan, talking? Now that ones funny."

"Everything will work out, Taylor. It just how he handles things."

"I know that but it's not always the best way to." Taylor pointed out.

"True." Summer nodded. "Just give it time." She gave Taylor a smile before busying herself with cleaning again.

Taylor just stood there. She really wanted to give everything time but it was beginning to take far too long. She wasn't sure how much longer her family could handle all of this. Plus, she was really hoping that Kaitlin would figure her mess out on her own and try to not get her husband involved. It was really the last thing he needed. Probably the straw to break the camels back.

-

Taylor found herself snuggled up with Sophie on the couch soon after the kitchen was spotless. Sophie was sitting there explaining to her everything that was going on in the movie. Taylor of course knew everything Sophie was saying but it was nice to have the little girl talk to her so freely like that.

"Today was fun, Taylor." Sophie grinned at her.

"I'm glad you had fun, baby." Taylor kissed the side of her head.

"Mommy would be happy that I had fun, wouldn't she?" Sophie questioned.

"She sure would."

"Good, because I did…and I still miss Mommy and Daddy but…I like living with you and Ryan." She confessed looking up at Taylor with such confidence. Tears instantly caught in Taylor's eyes as she stared at the seven year old in front of her.

"We love you living here, Sophie."