AN: Not Mine

Everyone Minds the Ringmaster in a Big Top

Myrtle had been considering what to do about the situation between Zach and Kendall for some time. The only conclusion she could reach that would work without parallel would destroy Kendall and Erica's relationship completely.

Her conscious and guilt over the situation had always held her back, but with Ryan gone and Greenlee looking into fertility options it would only be a matter of time before Kendall either sacrificed herself to Greenlee or Greenlee applied guilt to try to force Kendall into helping her.

And quite frankly Kendall didn't need the heart break that would occur. Myrtle decided to intervene with a well placed lie. Unfortunately she chooses to do it at the same time that Zach executed his own plan of attack. After all, in the circus there is only one ringmaster for a reason…

Zach had information leak to Aidan from an investigator-friend-of-a-friend that clearly showed Ryan spending time with his sister and psycho brother Jonathan. Aidan had panicked upon receiving the information and contacted Jack, Kendall, and Greenlee. He called all of them to his office.

"Aidan, why did you call us in?" Greenlee asked upset; she had to reschedule an appointment with the fertility clinic to meet with him.

"As I told you over the phone this involves Ryan." Aidan began.

Jack cut-in. "Ryan is gone and what ever he did in his life that we don't know about should stay that way."

"Don't say that!' Greenlee cried out getting ready to throw a tantrum. "Ryan is a good person; he just was having problems because of how he was raised. He didn't mean to hurt anyone. He destroyed himself to escape what he was becoming." Kendall held Greenlee's hand as she grew more upset.

"Well apparently he didn't worry so much about that, because he's alive Greenlee." Aidan stated firmly and handed Jack photos of Ryan. The photos were date stamped to show that he was alive beyond the date of his 'death'.

"He wouldn't do this! Not to me!" Greenlee screamed going into full melt down.

"Greenlee, it's going to be okay." Kendall tried to reassure her. "With or without Ryan you still have a family that is here for you and Fusion is going full speed ahead. I can't believe he did this to any of us, but if he feels he has to be away from us then maybe he is just trying to protect you."

"You don't know anything! You can't understand about love, for god sakes you got married as a business arrangement! Ryan needs me now more than ever. I am going to go to him and we'll work this out just like we always do."

"Greenlee, don't do this to yourself! You don't need him." Jack tried desperately to reason with his daughter.

"None of you will ever understand him like I do." Greenlee cried as she stormed out. "Aren't you going to stop her?" Jack demanded of Kendall. "How can you claim yourself apart of Greenlee's family and just let her destroy herself, Kendall. You'll never belong to this family." He parted the room.

"And I for one am glad I don't understand you people's family dynamics…"Aidan said sarcastically.

"AIDAN!" Kendall scolded him. He shrugged. Kendall knew there was no point in admonishing him. Just like there was no point trying to stop Greenlee. Once Greens decided something only she undecided it.

"Seriously, Kendall let me know when you're done trying to make things work with them. Bianca, Lily, and Reggie – definitely your family members. Especially Myrtle loves you. But the rest of that jar of crazy isn't worth it. I didn't fall in love with you all those years ago and stay friends just because your loyalty – you're smarter than this Sheila." Aidan told her gently.

"Thanks for trying to look out for me, Aidan. But really I can handle this myself."

"That must be why you look so exhausted." He said in parting as he hugged her goodbye at the door.

Kendall called Zach as she began entering the parking garage…

Meanwhile across town, Myrtle had met Erica and Opal for lunch. Now normally Myrtle wouldn't lie particularly not to her oldest friend in the world or Mona's daughter. She had already prayed Mona would help guide her through this deuce of a lie. Poor man wouldn't know what hit him, but Slater thought fast on his feet and she knew that he knew Kendall and Greenlee were headed for a collision course regarding Kendall's loyalty.

Myrtle had arranged to meet at the casino's ocean side lounge for lunch under the pretense of trying her luck. As she entered the lounge almost twenty minutes late, Erica looked at her with frustration. She had probably ruined Erica's entrance, oh well – I'll make her exit alright, she thought.

"Oh Erica! I am so happy for you." Myrtle gushed. Both Opal and Erica looked at each other in confusion. "Oh stop it! We can tell Opal. I was so happy when Kendall told me this morning. A brand new grand baby is such a miracle!"

"What?" Erica asked faintly in complete shock. "Absolutely NOT. I refuse to believe that Kendall is…NO!"

"Mam, is everything alright?" the bartender and a security guard came over to see what was wrong.

"Where is Zach Slater? I insist on seeing him right this minute!" Erica cried out hysterically.

"Ladies?" Zach asked in confusion, although he was already thinking out damage control methods assuming that Erica had heard that Ryan was alive.

"YOU, …you MONSTER!" Erica screamed at him. "That you have the audacity to marry Kendall is bad enough but to try to force her to have your child! I will not allow her to go through with this pregnancy. This is not what my baby wants; you're not what she wants."

The absolute confusion that penetrated his mask for a moment froze when he saw the guilt in Myrtle's eyes. Kendall walked into the lounge. "Mother what is going on! I can hear you from over half the casino away." Kendall whispered fiercely at her.

"You can't do this Kendall, oh my god you can't." Erica moaned in desperation. "He is a Slater."

"Really, I have been married to him for almost a year, IF we HAVE to argue about this again can we at least do it in private – MY GOD." Kendall hissed at her in utter frustration.

Zach felt the sudden urge to laugh hysterically over the confusion. Kendall thought she was coming to crash her mother's lunch and give her the news about Ryan. Not fend off Myrtle's fib that they were pregnant.

Opal just watched the drama with absolute shock, it was better than daytime reality shows. Her bridge club was going to LOVE this recant.

"I think we should wait and talk about this tonight. Kendall, your upset, your mother is upset. We should hold off take a break and meet tonight at the condo with her and Jack." Erica went to intervene. "Erica, the stress of the last few weeks is enough; I don't want to see Kendall fall ill from anything we say to each other rashly." Zach said firmly. Kendall turned back to look at him with confusion.

"I agree honey." Opal said, "With Ryan dying and everything, that's a lot to take in. Kendall's lost a few pounds too many over the last few weeks. I think it would be prudent to hold off for a few hours and then discuss it for both the welfare of her and you."

"There is NOTHING to discuss. Kendall I want you to come over tonight. I will have all the arrangements ready for us to go to Switzerland. When this nightmare is over we'll stay and have a spa week." Erica stated with absolute upset.

"What?" asked Kendall completely confused? "We'll be there at six Erica." Zach said as Erica stormed out.

Kendall looked at them absolutely bewildered. "Oh Honey! I am so Happy for you two. You and me will do lunch next week, but all this excitement and I am late for my bridge club. It's my turn to host you know and don't worry a fig about Erica – she'll come around." Opal jabbered hugging Kendall in the process and making her leave.

"A word, Ms. Fargate?" Zach asked politely with complete amusement.

"Oh dear, ….it was never my intention to cause that." Myrtle began to apologize.

Zach cut in. "You did jump us by a few days, Kendall still is in some shock of course but I can't figure out how you knew." Zach told her.

Kendall was beyond confused at this point. "Zach?" "Your right, we shouldn't keep Ms. Fargate. Not only that I think your about ready to rest – the last week has been pretty hard on you." He said in concern.

Myrtle was shocked. Kendall IS pregnant?…another one of her girls was pregnant. Myrtle thought happily." Absolutely, honey you need your rest. We can catch up tomorrow morning. I will personally handle your mother if necessary, but we won't think anything of it unless we have to." Myrtle said hugging Kendall to her and then kissing Zach's cheek. "And you, here I was thinking I had to tell a little fib but this is such a blessing!" Myrtle floated out to the main casino floor on cloud nine.

Kendall looked at the table and then at Zach, "What the HELL just happened?"

Zach laughter exploded.