Paris, France
July 2005

Chapter 6

The front door opened.

"Honey, I'm home!" Bianca called out.

Maggie grinned from her seat on the sofa in the den. "In here," she called back. She heard the door close and looked back over her shoulder to see Bianca coming through the doorway. "Hey. You're home early."

"Hey," Bianca replied. She leaned over the back of the sofa and kissed Maggie on the cheek. "What's up?"

Maggie frowned a bit. "Just watching some soccer while Mini-Me takes a little nap," she replied, indicating Miranda sleeping on her blanket in front of the TV. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You know what. What was with that incredibly poor hello kiss?" Bianca suddenly became very interested in a loose thread on the jacket of her business suit, causing Maggie a moment of unadulterated fear. "Bianca…" Maggie said warningly.

"Maggie…" Bianca began.

Oh, God, here it is, Maggie thought, steeling herself for some really bad news. She reached for her Fischer-La Belle, hoping a swallow of beer might help. Just as she tipped the bottle back, Bianca dropped the bomb.

"Mom, Uncle Jack, Kendall and Reggie will be here any minute."

Maggie choked. Beer spewed.

She sat forward quickly, coughing and wiping her face. "Shit, I think beer just came out my nose." She coughed again while Bianca patted her on the back. "I'm okay, I'm okay," she assured the brunette. "Did I hear you correctly?"

"Um, yeah."

"Kind of sudden, isn't it?" Bianca just nodded. "Oh, my God, this is a test. This is a test by your mother. The Erica Kane emergency warning system." Maggie got up and stepped past Bianca, looking for something – anything – to wipe up the beer with. "I gotta hand it to her, she's a tricky one."

Bianca was enjoying watching Maggie in her flustered state. "What are you doing?" she asked with a grin. Then she got a good look at the blonde as she bent over a pile of Miranda's toys. "My Lord, what are you wearing?"

"Oh, yeah, I found it at the bottom of one of the boxes Reggie packed up for me." Finally grabbing one of Miranda's bibs, she came back to the coffee table to wipe up the mess. "He needs to learn how to fold things, by the way."

'Wow', Bianca mouthed to herself, staring unashamedly at Maggie's ass. She put her hand to her forehead. Am I sweating? she thought. Yeah, I think I'm sweating.

Maggie had on the sexiest pair of Levi's that Bianca thought she'd ever seen, so worn and faded from their original indigo, they were an almost white-blue color. They hugged her every curve so lovingly that Bianca was afraid she'd pass out from the sight of it. Over that, she had on a slightly over-sized New York Rangers hockey jersey, the number 35 and the name RICHTER on the back. She looked so adorable, so sexy and so tough all at the same time that Bianca couldn't take it anymore. She reached up and grabbed the front of the jersey and pulled Maggie onto the sofa next to her.

"What the-," Maggie blurted, cut off by Bianca's mouth covering hers. "Mmmm," she murmured, sinking into the kiss. She pushed Bianca back onto the sofa as their arms went around each other. After several long languid moments, she pulled back a hair's breadth. "You're trying to distract me," she whispered against Bianca's lips.

"Is it working?" Bianca replied, sliding her lips to Maggie's neck.

"You're trying to distract me," Maggie said again, causing Bianca to laugh. Her warm breath on Maggie's throat made her shiver. "Seriously, B, I think you're mother is testing us." She raised herself up onto her elbows and brushed the hair off Bianca's forehead. "She wants to see if we're living in sin."

Bianca chuckled again. "Well, it's not from lack of trying," she said, using both hands to brush back Maggie's hair. Maggie dropped her head onto Bianca's shoulder. "I'm kidding, sweetie. Moving at a comfortable pace, remember?"

"I know." She pulled back to look into Bianca's eyes. "She knows we're seeing each other, though, right?"

Bianca suddenly couldn't meet Maggie's gaze. "Well, of course," she tried to joke. "We live in the same apartment; it'd be hard for us not to see each other."

"Bianca," Maggie warned.

"No," Bianca sighed, releasing Maggie and dropping her arms onto the sofa. "I mean, she knows we're getting closer, but she doesn't know we've gotten to this stage."

"And what stage is that?"

"The 'making out on the sofa' stage." She reached up her hand and traced Maggie's face with a fingertip. "The 'we love each other more than life itself' stage. The 'we have no trouble laying one on each other in front of her granddaughter' stage." Her eyes met Maggie's. "I wanted to tell her face to face. I need to tell her face to face."

"And I need to be in another room when you do." That made Bianca laugh and Maggie leaned down to kiss her again. "I love you, B."

"I love you, too." Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door. "Oh, God…"

"Okay, baby," Maggie said, sitting up and pulling Bianca up next to her. "Here's your chance." She leaned away when Bianca made a move to kiss her again. "Yeah, you go to the door after you've kissed me and you won't have to tell her anything. She'll just know. I wouldn't be surprised if she figures it out the minute she looks at you anyway."

"Okay, okay," Bianca replied, getting up. She smoothed her hair back as they both went to answer the door. Before she reached out for the doorknob, she turned and grabbed Maggie, hugging her tightly. "I love you."

Maggie gave her a reassuring squeeze. "I love you, too. Answer the door."

Plastering on a smile, Bianca pulled to door open. "Mom…"

"Bianca!" the great Erica Kane exclaimed, her arms open wide. She engulfed Bianca in a hug. "Oh, honey, it's so good to see you!"

"Hi, Mom," Bianca replied, returning her mothers embrace. "Hi, Uncle Jack."

Jackson Montgomery smiled at his niece. "Hello, sweetheart," he said, hugging her once she'd been release from Erica's arms. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "It's good to see you."

"You, too."

"Where's Lily?"

"Oh, B," Reggie interrupted, giving his step-sister/cousin a bear hug of his own. "Man, she's at this really cool camp for autistic kids. It's totally cool, she's doing all kinds of things she's never done before."

"She wanted to go to camp instead of coming with us," Jack explained. "I think she felt more comfortable there."

At this point, Bianca thought to herself, I think I would, too.

Behind her, Erica was reaching out to Maggie. "Hello, Maggie," she said with that world famous Erica Kane smile. "It's good to see you." She embraced the blonde.

You wouldn't be saying that if you'd seen me with your daughter 5 minutes ago, she thought. "Thanks, Erica," Maggie replied instead, returning the hug. "Good to see you, too."

Maggie caught Bianca's eye from her position in Erica's embrace and they traded an anxious look, which Kendall noticed immediately. Hmmm, Kendall thought to herself. What's going on here?

"What brings you all to Paris?" Maggie asked, finding herself in Jack's warm hug.

"You mean what the hell are we doing here, don't you, Mags?" Reggie replied as he

hugged her next.

It was like a revolving door of arms, everyone passed to everyone else. Maggie was sure she'd hugged everyone twice, including Bianca. "Well…" she admitted sheepishly.

"We're here for a little vacation," Kendall told her, still with one arm around her sister's shoulders. "We're going to the Riviera next week."

Bianca looked at Kendall. "Next week?" she squeaked.

"Yeah, B," Reggie replied, rubbing his hands together. "The Tour de France ends Sunday right up the street from here, you know? We wanna see Lance take down his 7th in a row."

"Oh, okay." She searched out Maggie and their eyes locked again. Kendall cocked an eyebrow at the silent exchange. "Well, come on in. You're staying here."

"Oh, thank you, honey," Erica responded with a smile. "Jack, can you and Reggie get our bags?"

Jack grinned. "Of course, dear," he replied in a voice that was unique to Jackson Montgomery when he was humoring Erica Kane. He clapped Reggie on the shoulder. "Let's go"

"Right," Reggie said, turning to the hallway.

While the men took everyone save Kendall's bags up to the spare bedrooms, the women made their way into the living room. Erica seated herself regally on the formal sofa and smiled at Bianca.

"Honey, you don't mind sharing a room with Kendall for a few days, do you?" she asked sweetly.

Kendall caught another look that passed between Bianca and Maggie as the silence grew. She smiled to herself. Well, well, well, she thought, I think my little sis and the Magster are an item. Interesting…

Suddenly, there was a cry from the den.

"Oh, Miranda must be awake!" Maggie exclaimed, just a little too loudly for it to be a natural response. She jumped at the opportunity to vacate the area. "I'll just…" She pointed back over her shoulder, suddenly very nervous. "I'll… Let me go… I'll get her." And she bolted from the room.

"Let me help," Kendall called after her. She gave Bianca a knowing wink, then followed after Maggie.

Bianca watched her sister go, a confused look on her face. She shook her head and sat down in the armchair adjacent to the sofa. Suddenly very nervous, she looked at her mother and smiled.

"So, Bianca, honey," Erica said, taking her daughter's hands in hers. "You never answered me. You'll share your room with Kendall for a few days, won't you?"

Bianca gulped.

Maggie was picking Miranda up off her blanket when Kendall entered the den behind her.

"Okay, Maggie," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Spill it."

"Spill what?" Maggie replied innocently, turning her back to Kendall. She made a face to herself, then gave Miranda a reassuring kiss on the top of her head. The little girl giggled and looked up at her, urging Maggie to kiss her again.

"What's going on between you and my kid sister?" Kendall walked over to where Maggie stood with Miranda on her hip. "Come on, Mags, even a blind man can see something's up with you two."

Maggie spun around in shock. "Is it that obvious?!"

"Ha!" Kendall exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I knew it." She took Miranda from Maggie's arms. "Tell me."

"Well…" Maggie began.

"Well, Mom," Bianca began.

Erica looked at her expectantly. "What, honey?"

Oh, what the hell, Bianca thought "Kendall can stay in Maggie's room."

"Oh, okay-." Erica stopped suddenly. "Oh… Oh!"

"So, I guess you could say we're dating," Maggie said, wrapping up her story to Kendall, "but that sounds so stupid since we already live together."

"Are you sleeping together?"

"Kendall!" Maggie exclaimed, blushing bright red, from her neck to the tips of her ears.

"Okay, I'll take that as a 'no'." She looked at the blonde. "But you have kissed each other, right?"

Maggie couldn't hold back her grin. "You could say that, yeah."

"Don't you dare hurt my sister, Maggie Stone," Kendall said in warning, although her tone belied her happiness at these turn of events. "Or I will hunt you down and kill you." Then she looked Maggie up and down. "Nice look, by the way."

"Bianca seemed to really like it," came the smooth reply.

"Bianca," Erica said softly. "Are you and Maggie…"

"Mom," Bianca replied in warning.

"Are you two-."

"Okay!" came Jack's slightly uncomfortable voice from the vicinity of the stairs. He clapped Reggie on the shoulder, something he seemed to be doing an awful lot of lately. "Come on, Reggie, let's go check out some sights."

Reggie gave him a look. "No way, J, I want to hear this."

"Reggie," Bianca and Jack said simultaneously.

The kid held up his hands. "Okay, okay, I'll go." Jack started pushing him towards the front door. "Just let me say," he shouted as he disappeared down the hallway. "Way to go, B! It's about time!"

Bianca smiled as she blushed bright red.

The door shut behind them and Erica turned back to her daughter. "Bianca," she began, "Are you sure about this?"

Maggie moved closer to the door so she could hear what Bianca was saying to Erica. She'd already heard Reggie's thoughts on the matter, as had half the building. The minute Erica starts to get on Bianca about this, Maggie thought, she won't know what hit her…

"Mom," Bianca said softly. "Don't start."

"I just don't want you to be hurt."

Kendall snuck past Maggie to stand just in the living room, obviously listening intently, but completely unnoticed by either Bianca or Erica. She wasn't going to miss a minute of this.

"Mother," Bianca said in warning.

"Oh, Bianca, darling, you know what happens when you fall in love with your best friend. Do you really want to be hurt again?"

"Mom, would we really be having this conversation if Maggie's name was Mark and she was a 6'3", 250 pound linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles?"

"Bianca," Erica replied. "You know this has nothing to do with your sexuality."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am very sure."

"Then it's because it's Maggie. Am I right?"

She shoots, she scores! Maggie thought from the den.

After a long moment of silence, Erica started to speak. "Honey, Maggie is a wonderful young woman, and I love her as if she were a daughter. She's been so very good to you, but I'm just afraid-."

No way, Maggie thought, you're not going to get started on this. You're not going to start in on Bianca. And with that, she made her determined way out of the den.

Bianca looked up from her mother and caught sight of Maggie. The blonde was casually walking through the living room, like her only thought was to cross the apartment to the kitchen. Oh, no, Bianca thought. I know that look.

"Oh, relax, Erica," Maggie said, not stopping on her stroll across the room. "We haven't even slept together yet."

"Maggie!" Bianca exclaimed, leaping to her feet as Erica's mouth dropped open.

La Kane speechless, Maggie thought. Mission accomplished. "What?" she answered Bianca sweetly.

"Boathouse," the brunette ground out through gritted teeth, pointing at the balcony. "Now."

Kendall, who was still holding Miranda and grinning from ear to ear over the whole scene, looked up from the baby, confusion wrinkling her brow. "Boathouse?" she asked, perplexed. "It's a balcony."

"Long story," Bianca replied, propelling Maggie through the French doors onto the balcony with a gentle shove.

"Ooo, I'll clear my schedule," she said, watching the door close behind her sister. Then she hurried over to watch them through the glass.

Outside, Bianca marched right up to Maggie, causing Maggie to retreat back against the railing. Okay, the blonde thought to herself. Maybe I went a little too far this time.

"Alright, Stone," Bianca said, stopping mere inches away from the smaller woman. "You want to tell me what that was all about?"

"Okay," Maggie admitted. "Maybe I went a little too far-."

"You think?" Bianca interrupted.

"But I love you. Erica needs to understand that. Everyone needs to understand that. I love you and I'm not going to hide it anymore. I'm going to make sure everyone knows it."

"Maggie," Bianca said softly, pointing into the apartment. "That's Erica Kane."

"Yeah, I know. We've been introduced."

Bianca struggled not to chuckle. Maggie had an amazing ability to ease the tension and make her laugh. "Stop it," she admonished, failing to fight back a grin. "You know what I mean, Mags. My mom only wants what she thinks is best for me."

"I'm what's best for you," Maggie stated firmly, reaching up to touch Bianca's cheek. "Whether she thinks so or not."

"Honey," Bianca replied, leaning into Maggie's touch. "You don't need to convince me."

"You think she'll ever be convinced?"

"Oh, I think she'll come around eventually." Bianca leaned down and gave Maggie a quick, sweet kiss. "Basically, she won't have any choice."

"She's going to be a typical mother-in-law-type, isn't she?"

Bianca laughed. "Probably, yeah."

"Okay, I promise not to bait her anymore."

"Thank you."

"But-," Maggie said quickly, "I'm not changing anything to suit the great Erica Kane's sensibilities."

"I wouldn't even think of asking you to."

"Good." Over Bianca's shoulder, Maggie caught sight of Kendall standing at the French doors with Miranda in her arms, shamelessly eavesdropping. "Kiss me," she said suddenly.

"What?" Bianca asked with a laugh. That was the last thing she expected to hear at that moment.

"Kendall's eavesdropping. Kiss me."

Bianca just grinned. "Man," she said, shaking her head. "You sure love to push buttons, don't you?"

Maggie waggled her eyebrows. "Oh, you betcha."

Still grinning, Bianca dipped her head and kissed Maggie full on the mouth. From inside the door, they heard a happy little shriek and when they finally parted and turned to look, the doorway was empty. At least Kendall had actually given them some privacy, but not before they had given her something to see.

"I'm going back in there," Bianca said softly. She kissed Maggie again. For luck. "You're staying right here until I come and get you. Okay?"

Maggie looked like she wanted to argue, but the look on Bianca's face made her think better of it. "Okay. But you yell if you need help."

"You'll be the first one I call."

"Okay. Go."

Taking a deep calming breath, Bianca re-entered the apartment, pulling the door shut behind her. She was really tempted to lock it to insure that Maggie stayed outside, but thought better of it when she realized that doing so wouldn't deter Maggie at all if she thought Bianca needed her.

She smiled at her mother. "Where were we?"

"Well," Erica replied, smoothing down her unwrinkled skirt so as to avoid looking her daughter in the eye. "A lot has changed since my last visit."

"Mom, your last visit was 8 weeks ago."

"But Bianca-."

Bianca held up her hand. "No 'buts', Mom. Maggie and I have spent the last 5 months talking. A lot. We've both managed to heal. We've healed each other. We love each other." Bianca sighed. "Mom, you know I've always been in love with Maggie."

"And I love Bianca!" Maggie shouted from the balcony.

Bianca lowered her head so Erica couldn't see the little smile she was fighting. So protective, she thought. I think the whole building heard that. "Mom, I know you love me and you only want what's best for me. Well, Maggie is what's best for me." Now she smiled so Erica could see it, realizing she was repeating Maggie's exact words to her from out on the balcony. "She's what's best for me and Miranda."

Erica looked her daughter in the eye. She could see the depth of conviction there, the love Bianca felt for Maggie. Oh, how she wanted her little girl to be happy. She'd been through so much in her 20+ years on earth, she so deserved some happiness. If Maggie made her daughter happy, then who was she to stand in their way? Slowly, Erica nodded.

Bianca took her mother's silence and slow nod to be a grudging acceptance of the situation. "Can Maggie come back inside now?" she asked.

Erica smiled. "I'll get her," she replied, rising from her seat and heading toward the balcony.

Oh, crap, Bianca thought.

Oh, crap, Maggie thought, watching Erica making her way toward the balcony door. She backed up against the railing again. The one person in the world actually shorter than Maggie Stone scared the ever-loving shit right out of her.

Erica opened the door, stepped onto the balcony and shut the door behind her. "Maggie."

"Erica." Oh, man, she closed the door, Maggie thought in a panic. I think she's going to kill me.

The indomitable Erica Kane moved to Maggie's side, enjoying the fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower. "Do you love my daughter?" she asked softly.

"More than I ever thought possible," Maggie honestly replied.

"How do you love my daughter?"

The question took Maggie aback. "Excuse me?"

Erica looked directly at Maggie. "Is this the love someone feels for the best friend they've ever known or something more?"

Maggie met Erica's gaze steadily, not flinching and not ducking the question. "It's something more. It's so much more. And it always has been."

"You two have been through an awful lot together."

Maggie smiled. "How do you think this love got so strong?"

Erica finally returned Maggie's smile. The same look of conviction and love she'd seen in Bianca's eyes were reflected in Maggie's right now. "Just don't hurt her, Maggie."

"Honestly, Erica, I think she's got the power to hurt me more than I could ever hurt her."

"Let's not find out, shall we?"

Maggie grinned. "Deal."

"If you hurt her, I'll have you killed. And I'll get away with it."

"Erica, I have no doubt that you would."

"As long as we're clear on that."

"Very."

"Good." They started for the balcony door. "The jeans are a good look for you, by the way."

Maggie almost tripped trying to step over the threshold.

TBC-