Here is the final chapter in this story. Thank you to all that read this story and I am sorry it took so long for this chapter. And an open note to "Guest": thanks for the reviews and encouragement. I found this a difficult chapter to write. Let me know what you think.

Emily entered a very quiet house, set her camera bag down and called into the silence, "Anyone home?"

Naomi came out of the kitchen dressed in a business suit her blonde hair tied up in a bun, "Just got home myself." She wrapped her arms around the redhead and shared a kiss that took much of the end of day stress away. "How was your day?"

"Long. Newly weds came in to view the proofs this morning and someone must have told her about digital editing, she now wants the color of the brides maids dresses changed in all 150 images. And the birthday party I shot after lunch was the worst. Five year olds and lots of sugar; ten little blurs, I don't think I got one face. How did your day go?"

"It was just another day. Clients hopping we will represent them for free. A few threats of counter sues. Nothing new. I thought I was going to change the world, I just don't see that happening."

They shared another kiss. This had become ritual for the two of them, a way to keep the other in the events of two divergent careers, and on days that did not go well, a sympathetic ear to vent at.

"Where are the kids?"

"Betha ran past me leaving the house as I came in."

"With Grace?"

"With Grace. She did manage to tell me that Robert was up stairs and that she would be back later. I haven't had a chance to check on him yet."

The two of them started towards the stairs as Naomi's phone rang. Turning back to the table where she had set it, she answered the call, while Emily waited on the bottom step.

"Hello?"

"No she left with Betha a few minutes ago. I think they were heading your way."

"That's very nice of you, just don't let her over stay her welcome. Bye."

"Mini looking for Grace?"

"How did you guess?"

"Her daughter is worse about answering her phone then ours is. Do you wonder about those girls?"

"You mean are they more then friends?" Emily nodded yes in reply. "Maybe. But that's for them to figure out. I want to go change out of these clothes. You want to help?" Naomi asked with a suggestive grin. Emily's response was to run up the stairs.

xxx

Betha returned home long after dinner had ended and the sun had set. She entered the kitchen retrieving two glasses and a pitcher of juice from the refrigerator. She took a seat across the table from Naomi, and poured the juice in the glasses, offering one to her mom. Naomi took a break from the legal paper work spread out before her and accepted the glass.

"I thought mum didn't like you bring work home?"

"She doesn't, but she understands I need to sometimes. Did you eat at Gracie's?"

"Yes. Mini invited me to stay for dinner. I told her I didn't want to overstay my welcome, and she said you had already asked her to send me home if I stayed too long, but that I was more then welcome to stay."

Naomi set the glass down and went back to the document in front of her.

Betha sat and watched her work for a few minutes before disturbing the quiet. "Mom, are you real busy or do you have a few minutes?"

Naomi sat the paper in her hand down and looked a cross the table at the teen. "You know the house rules, 'family first'. What's up?"

Betha looked down at her glass trying out he words in her head. "I over heard Grandma Fitch and Aunt Katie, and Grandma started to say something about my history and Katie told her to drop it. What history was she talking about?"

Naomi knew this was bound to come up at some point, that it had taken 16 years did surprise her a little. She smiled at the teen and started stacking the papers that had been spread out before her. "That love, is not a quick or easy answer, and we need your mum to be part of the conversation."

Betha reached across the table and places a hand on Naomi's to still her actions. "Why can't you just tell me?"

"It's your mum's story to tell." She went back to clearing the table . "Come on Betha, let's go find her." Together the entered the lounge and found her sitting on the couch reading a book.

Naomi maneuvered Betha to the couch so that she was sitting between her mothers. Emily put down the book and looking over at the two of them, "Okay something is up, what is it?"

Finally Naomi broke the silence by prodding Betha into speaking. "Betha had some questions and the answers would be best from you."

Both parents looked to the girl waiting for her to speak. She looked down wishing she had just gone to bed and not started any of this. She took a breath and let it out slowly. "Mum, they didn't know I was in the next room, and I heard Grandma say something about my history, and then Aunt Katie told her to drop it. What was she talking about?"

Emily looked at her daughter and tried to find the word for a conversation she did not want to have. "Betha," she started out slowly, "I want you to know we both love you so much, and we regret none of the choices that got us, as a family, to this point. We have never discussed this because there was never a reason to. It is not something we were hiding from you it was just a very private and painful time, and we didn't feel the need to relive the pain or want you to have any guilt about it." She tried not to think about the event. It had been pushed so far from her every day world it was almost as if it never happened. But just the idea that she might have to speak of it started to bring back the horrible feelings.

"Is this about my father, or lack of?"

"I told you she was going to be smarter then either of us."

Emily's head nod agreed with Naomi's statement, but the look in her eyes warned not to be flippant or make lite of this.

"That is what this is about, but I am not sure he even gets the title of father."

"I understand most families have a mom and a dad and not two moms."

Naomi bit her lower lip rather then add a comment to the exchange, as Emily looked over warning her to guard her words. Betha finally looked up and saw the silent conversation going on between her moms. "What? What are you trying not to tell me?"

"When I was 18 I was out one night and was attacked. I had never seen the guy before and have never seen him since."

Betha just sat and tried to process the words. No one in the room so much as moved for several long moments. Betha finally broke the silence, "Are you saying my father raped you?"

"That is why we didn't talk about this."

"So we just don't talk about it? I wasn't just unwanted. I'm worse then unwanted, and we'll make it all better by not talking about it. What am I some sort of punishment for being a victim?"

Before Emily could respond Betha stood and ran from the room.

They both just sat and watch her go, and continued to look towards the doorway until they heard the door to her room close.

"Well that could have gone better, but I guess it could have also gone a lot worse."

"Naomi, how can you joke about this? What are we going to do?"

"We are going to give her some space, and some time."

"But we need to fix this. It's our little girl, we can't leave her world broken like this." She wasn't crying, but her eyes were so full of tears she was having troubles seeing.

"She is our little girl, but I remember another beautiful girl, only two years older, who told me I couldn't fix things for her. That she knew what was broken and it was on her to fix it."

"It's not the same!"

"It's not?" Naomi reached over and pulled a reluctant Emily into a hug. "She may not have bruises, and may not be pregnant, I hope, but her view of the world has been messed with. She needs to redefine the view of herself. And regain control. Sound familiar?"

Emily held her wife and dissolved into tears. "How could I do that to her? How could I hurt her so?"

"That was hard for both of you, but so much better then it coming from someone else. If she had thought we were hiding it from her, she would never trust us. Give her a little time, to understand what you went through and what we ALL did for each other."

"How do know this is the right thing?"

"I been through this, remember? Several years and a lot of tears, yours and mine. Now come on, lets go to bed, I need to hold someone."

"Lucky for you I need someone to hold me."

xxx

Betha entered the kitchen, looked over at or maybe through Robert, then moved to pour herself a cup of coffee. Before she could turn and sit the door to the garden opened and in bounced Grace. "Nice of you to answer my texts last night." She dropped into a chair at the table and smiled at Robert, who blushed and tried to continue eating his cereal while watching Grace, without anyone seeing he was watching Grace. It didn't work that well. "I sent you a billion messages, not one answer."

"It was closer to 3 and I was tired and wanted to go to sleep. And stop flirting with my brother."

"But he's so cute," she drew out each word, making Robert squirm uncomfortably.

"That may be but he is sitting right here and doesn't need to hear that. The other two women in this house tell him that too much now."

"But it is so true..." Grace let the last word trail out as she made eyes at the boy.

Robert's face had now gone from a light pink to dark red and could take the attention no longer, he bolted from the room leaving the half eaten cereal behind. Grace held her laugh until he was out of the room and then pulled the bowl across the table and finished his breakfast. "Too easy."

"You are so evil."

"That's why you love me."

Betha just looked at the strawberry blonde girl for a moment, as if she needed to say something, and then changing her mind, turned away and poured a second cup of coffee setting it in front of Grace. As she was about to join her at the table Naomi and Emily entered the kitchen.

Naomi headed towards the coffee, as Emily greeted the girls. "Good morning Betha, Grace."

Grace managed a mostly understandable "Good morning," with a mouth full of cereal. Betha simply set her cup down without looking at either parent and turned towards the door.

While the words were for Grace the dismissive tone was for the adults, "Let's go."

In a voice and tone that could have been mistaken for her mother Naomi stopped both girls in their tracks, "Betha, sit down." She did not yell, but it was clear this was not open to debate. Betha moved back to the table and sat. "We need to talk."

Grace looked over at Naomi and asked, "Do I need to be somewhere else?"

"No, you're practically family," Emily and Betha both looked at Naomi with concern, not sure where the conversation was headed. "Besides later when Betha tries to tell you how unreasonable we are, you will already know the truth." Turning towards Betha she continued, "What is the number one guiding rule in this house?"

Betha simply looked into the dark liquid in her cup wishing she was anywhere else. She had no desire to talk to either of the adults in the room, so she jut let the silence draw out. Grace finally could take it no longer, "Respect for all?"

"Thank you Grace. Betha is there a time that wouldn't apply?"

Betha continued to look at her coffee, and finally gave in with a sullen "No."

"Then do you think you could respectfully acknowledge the greeting from your Mum?"

Without looking up, "Good morning Mum. How did you sleep?" The words were not very heart felt, but they were there and Naomi considered that a start.

"Just fine thank you."

Naomi could just barely hear Betha mutter something under her breath. The meaning was lost but she was sure she heard "respect" and "father", and acted before everything went sideways. "Grace, you should go apologize to Robert for teasing him and stealing his breakfast. And please remember he is only 10, and you might be the first girl he likes, present company included."

Grace understood when she was being dismissed, and rose without objection to exit the room. Naomi waited until she could hear the girl climbing the stairs to continue. "Would you please repeat that for us all to hear?"

Still looking down at her cup, "I said, you wouldn't show respect for my father."

The blonde took an open seat at the table, so as not to talk down to the girl. "If he was here I would show him more respect then he was do. But, based on the hurt he put your mum through and what that hurt did to all those around her, there is very little chance he would have made it through the front door. Did you know we still don't let your Aunt Katie go to Cambridge by her self? For the safety of every 30 to 40 year old male with green eyes, we just can't allow it.

"Now I need to go make sure your girlfriend, or friend who is a girl..."

"MOM!"

"...It's none of our business until you include us, regardless I need to make sure she is not teasing or seducing my son. You should talk to your mum about her story, or as much of it as she can tell you. I don't think you know how important you are."

The two women sat across the table and looked at each other. Neither knew where to start, so the silence just kind of hung in the room. Betha replayed her mom's words in her head until her curiosity got the best of her.

"What did mom mean, that I was so important?"

Emily thought about the question for a moment, and got sidetracked by the words Betha had used. Mom and Mum had been something they had started from the beginning; a way to identify who was being spoken to or about. Even as upset or confused as her daughter might be, that part of her family identity was still intact.

"After IT happened I didn't want to talk or be with anyone. Your mom wouldn't have it. She made sure I knew I had a place and someone who cared. But there was only so much she could do, or rather I would let her do. She kept on trying even when I pushed her away."

"Why would you have pushed her away? I mean you loved her didn't you?"

"Oh yes! More then anything. But I felt like something was wrong with me. And I didn't want the badness to get on the person I loved most in the world. I thought I could work through all the hurt on my own, that I would be okay and all would go back to being like it was before. But that's not the way things worked. I got mad at the world when things didn't go my way. And then this person came into my life. I didn't think I could love anyone as much as I loved your mom but I found I could. You and Naomi gave me something to live for. You two made me want to be happy again, and saved me from becoming a dark and bitter person."

"What made you want to keep me? Not that I am complaining."

"To be totally truthful with you, I don't know. Your grandma had me convinced that abortion was wrong, but I can't say that was the reason. And between you and me I think she might have reconsidered those beliefs. I guess I just couldn't bring myself to blame you for what had happened. You were not what he intended. He was drunk and thought he could turn a gay girl straight. A part of me wanted to wipe it all a way and pretend it never happened." The look on Betha's face made Emily realize what she had just said and how it sounded. "Sorry, that came out wrong, I didn't mean you, I meant the attack."

"Did mom change your mind?"

"No... she and Gina made me make the decision. They just helped me see what I had already decided; that it wasn't your fault. That you were a victim too. And together you, I and Naomi were stronger. That no mater what anyone said or thought we were a family."

"I still don't see what I did, or how I was important."

"It was not always easy to be a lesbian couple. There were those that hoped we were not serious about the relationship."

"Grandma Fitch?"

Emily nodded her head and continued. "You made us not just a couple but a family, and you gave me a purposes in life that was so big I didn't have time to be angry at the world. I don't want you to ever think you were not wanted. I didn't want to be attacked. But I always wanted you in my life."

Betha looked down at the table, "I am sorry for the way I acted."

"Betha I understand what it is like to change your view of your self and where you fit in the world. Don't think you have it all worked out. It takes some time. And don't be afraid get help from those that love you; me, your mom, Robert... Grace?"

"I don't think I am ready to have that conversation."

"That's okay. When you are ready let me know. Until then remember we don't care if you like boys or girls or both, we just want you to be happy with your self. Anything else we need to talk about?"

"No."

"Then you might want to go rescue your mom and brother, my guess is they are outnumbered."

"Okay." Rising from her seat she moved around the table and put her arms around Emily. "Thanks. Love you."

"Love you too."

Emily watched her walk away. She let her mind wander, trying to piece together the path the baby girl they had brought home had taken to become the young woman now climbing the stairs. As a parent she was pleased there had not been too many wrong turns or missteps.

She was still sitting there reminiscing when Naomi came back into the room. "How did it go?"

"Okay I think. She didn't say anything about packing to leave. And I even got a hug and a 'Love you', so I feel like all is good for now. How about you? Did you save our youngest from the clutches of that 'older' woman?"

"When I got up there they were sitting, having an adult discussion about school and teachers. I thought I was in the wrong house. After breakfast what would you like to do with your day off? You still have it off don't you?"

"I have been thinking about taking a bicycle ride to a pond I know of, maybe a picnic, interested?"

"Most definitely."

"I sure hope the water is warmer this time."

Over the course of breakfast the kids came through the kitchen to convey their plans and announce their departure. After the meal had ended and the last of the coffee was cold Emily rose and took her dishes to the sink. "Since we are the only ones here I guess we have to do the dishes. Wash or dry?"

"Wash." Emily continued to collect dishes as Naomi filled the sink. Emily walked over with a last spoon and added it to the sink with a practiced movement that splashed Naomi. The mischievous looks passed between them took both back to a time many years ago.

"You know..." Naomi started as she turned to face Emily.

"HEY!" The water was warm, and while it was not enough to make a big mess it more then soaked Emily's shirt.

"... you still look good in a wet t-shirt." Naomi pulled the now wet redhead into an embrace. "Thank you for being my friend, my lover, my wife and co-mom to our children. I Love You Emily Fitch-Campbell."

"And I Love You Naomi Fitch-Campbell." Lost in the moment Naomi did not notice the cup of water Emily picked up and dumped down her back soaking both of them.

"HEY! That one was cold! Now we are going to have to go get out of these wet things."

"I was kinda counting on that."

"What about the dishes?"

"What dishes?" Emily pulled Naomi into a kiss that ended all talk of chores.

I would like to thank all of you that read this story. For those who are curious I had intended this story to be a mostly based on canon with a few small changes here and there. As it all takes place after their season ended, it is AU. The time line gets a little shifted here and there, and it drops 2 hours of canon that rhymes with "ire". I consider "Wandering in the Dark" as the first part of their story, and then "Green eyed monster dressed in Blue", and finally "self". The biggest shifts were removing Lara and making Betha and Grace the same age. Depending on how much time Emily and Naomi traveled and when JJ was starting uni, Betha could have been a year or more older, but I wanted to include Grace so I placed them in the same year of school.

All reviews are welcome. Let me know what you liked or didn't like, and if I miss-stepped anywhere.