A/N- Once again, I apologize for the hiatus. I'm done with finals; I think I passed everything (thank heavens). For those of you still finishing up, good luck! For all the other roller derby girls- good luck on your opening bouts (: With any luck, I'll have another chapter up soon, and it won't be so... out-of-season, haha. Thank you!

"I'm the hero of the story/

Don't need to be saved."

-Regina Spektor, Hero

.

Sharon closed her eyes tightly as Cat continued to scream. The man on the other side of the car rental desk winced and glanced towards them sympathetically.

"I have a Jeep, a minivan, and two sedans," the clerk said loudly.

"Whatever gets the best mileage," Sharon replied. Her parents' house in Cody was still a solid two hours away from Billings.

The man nodded, and typed hurriedly into his computer. A few moments later, he passed her a key fob and a paper to sign. She scrawled her name across the receipt, took the keys, and nearabout ran outside with Cat and the luggage.

"Stay right beside me, Ricky." There weren't many cars in the lot, so she quickly found the dark blue car she was looking for. She popped the trunk, threw the bags in, and opened the back door to start buckling Cat's carrier in. She shut the door, and Cat's howls quieted somewhat.

Ricky tugged on the sleeve of her jacket. "Do I have to sit next to her, Mama?"

Sharon sighed. She couldn't blame him, honestly. Cat had spent most of the past hour screaming at the top of her lungs. "You may sit up front."

He shrieked excitedly, and she winced slightly, watching him lug his booster seat around to the passenger side of the car. He had carried his own backpack most of the way from the plane, for which Sharon was glad. She stood in the relative quiet for another moment, before opening her door and helping Ricky into his seat.

The Billings airport was on a cliff overlooking the city itself. There was a single, long road back down from the Rim, as it was called, and she followed the road out to the interstate that would take her towards home.

Home, she thought. My home is in LA, not here. She hadn't felt truly at home in California, not for a the past few years. The realization shocked her slightly. She hadn't ever thought of herself as being unhappy, but she hadn't been happy, in the traditional sense of the word, for a while. She had a steady job, a promotion, two beautiful children, and a roof over her head, but something was missing.

She cleared the thought from her mind. She was getting a fresh start. She had a week of free time with her family, and when she went back to LA, she'd have a new job, a new apartment, and no Jack to be continually patching up.

She flicked the radio on and pressed the scan button. The numbers raced along the tiny screen for a moment, and then settled. Sharon didn't recognize the music; it was country, something she didn't often hear in LA.

She had sold the house. It was sad to see it go; it was a pretty little building in a nice part of town. The apartment she'd found was much smaller. It was still in a good neighborhood, and there was a little quadrangle with a playground in the middle of the complex, but it wasn't the same. She'd called Jack numerous times, but he hadn't picked up. She'd left a couple messages, telling him she was moving and that her number would change, but she hadn't given him the new phone number or address. She wasn't ready to give up the slight edge she kept by withholding the information.

The sale of the house, furniture, and other a few other bits had given her enough enough money to pay the most pressing bills and put a little towards the others. She put the rest of the money in a new bank account she'd started in her own name. In the spur of the moment, she had also frozen their credit card. She rarely used it, and would be able to manage without it. Jack would figure something out, she was sure. She'd felt bad about it a few days later, but Andrea Hobbs had assured her that she was doing the right thing.

Andrea had come closer to Sharon in the short time since they'd met. They were becoming fast friends, rarely going more than a week without seeing each other. It was nice, Sharon decided, to have such a good confidante. She was planning to ask Andrea if she wanted to be Cat's godmother when she returned to LA the following week.

She returned her attention to the road. She'd have to turn on to the interstate soon and pick up speed. Snow was beginning to gust across the road in broad swirls, and it demanded her full attention.

She nosed the sedan over the curb and into the driveway. A motley trio of cars filled the rest of it, indicating that her siblings had already arrived. She parked and slid out of the car quietly; Ricky and Cat were both asleep.

She stood in the silence for a moment, savoring the peace and the clear sky. The sky was one of the things she loved about Wyoming. It was a piercing, clear blue during the day, and like diamond-studded velvet by night. The night was crisp and cold. It would likely snow. She took another breath of air, and opened the car doors to get her children.

She hefted Ricky onto her hip, and he shifted, but didn't wake. She undid Cat's car seat with one hand and scooped the baby up to her chest. Cat whimpered, and Sharon froze. After a moment, the baby smacked her lips softly and relaxed. Sharon snorted faintly and continued up to the front door. It was late, past eleven, so she didn't ring the bell, instead fumbling for the doorknob with one hand. Just as she had gotten a grip on it, someone turned it from the inside, and the door flew open.

"Sharon!" A dark-haired hurricane burst out the door and hugged Sharon tightly, careful not to jostle Ricky and Cat. Maggie looked up slightly to her sister. "Everyone's still up, we wanted to wait for you." She continued with the same breath. "It seems like forever since I've seen you! It hasn't been since-" she paused. "Since you brought Ricky and Jack up here, I think, and that was, what, two years ago?"

Sharon smiled at her sister. Once she had learned to talk, Maggie Hathaway hadn't stopped. "Sounds about right." She shifted Ricky slightly. "Would you take him?"

"Of course." Maggie eased Ricky into her own arms and paused. "As long as you let me see that baby after I put him down."

Sharon nodded, and her sister finally led the way back into the house. The front door open directly into an open living room. The whole house had wooden floors and slightly off-white walls. The rug, sofas, and chairs were mis-matched, all either wooden or upholstered in some shade of red, but it was homey. Five other people were sitting around the coffee table, sharing mugs of tea, but they looked up as Sharon came in with her sister.

"Oh, Sharon, dear, come here." Her mother stood and hugged her daughter tightly. "We've missed you." Cat squirmed slightly, squished between them, and Leslie Hathaway looked down. "She is the sweetest little thing! Photos don't do her justice."

Sharon had insisted that her parents needn't fly down to LA after Cat was born, seeing as she'd be coming up to see them not much later. She'd also told them that Jack wouldn't be joining the annual Christmas get-together. As far as her family was concerned, though, Jack was unable to get away from a trial, but wished everyone well.

Much to Sharon's relief, Cat didn't start crying when she woke. She merely watched her grandmother with a half-lidded, somewhat curious gaze.

"Sit down, Shar, before you fall down." Her father's deep tones shook her out of her reverie. Jesse Hathaway was sitting on the sofa, and he motioned for her to join her.

She sat next to him and leaned against his shoulder, watching her mother and sister with Cat. Maggie had apparently put Ricky to bed in the guest bedroom down the hall.

"How was the flight?" Connor was a few years older than Sharon, but they were the spitting image of one another. He was a biologist, married to a woman he'd met in the field. Her name was Natalie, and she was a muscular black woman with long cornrows and a wide smile. She was curled up on the other sofa beside him, the older of their two kids sitting next to her, reading a book. Alex was thirteen, and his sister, Sam, was eight.

"Not bad. That one screamed most of the way down from Billings, though." Sharon waved towards Cat. "She's usually pretty good, though. I think the cold surprised her. She's never been outside LA before this."

"She's never seen snow?" Alex looked up from his book in surprise.

Natalie ruffled his hair. "She's only a few months old, bud, and your Aunt Sharon is a busy woman." She glanced up. "Connor said you're transferring?"

Sharon nodded. "The LAPD offered me a raise if I took the transfer."

"You make it sound like it's not a good thing," Jesse said. He watched her carefully, green eyes sharp behind his glasses.

She shrugged. "It's an administrative job, and not really what I was looking for, but the hours and pay are better than what I'm doing now. I figured it'd be nice if I could be home at more regular hours." She said it lightly, hoping no one would call her bluff.

Her father stared at her for another moment, then seemed to accept it. "That's good. They'll have you and Jackson there more often."

"Yes," she said slowly. "I want to be there more often." She sighed and stretched back, listening to her back crackling into place.

Leslie looked up suddenly. "Oh, Shar, dear, do you want anything to eat?" She handed Cat off to Maggie and walked over to her other daughter.

"I'm alright, Mama, thank you. I think I just need a few hours of sleep." She smiled faintly. It had been a long day. They had left for LAX in the early afternoon, just after the last of the boxes had arrived at the apartment.

"Of course." Leslie swept Cat up again. "I'll put my sweetest, tiniest granddaughter to bed. You go get some tea and get to bed as well," she added, looking at Sharon. "You're in the first room up the stairs. Cat's in the office with all the other kids."

"She'll be up again," Sharon replied.

Leslie waved carelessly. "If she wakes them up, they won't be as excitable tomorrow. I'm perfectly alright with that."

Sharon watched her mother disappear up the stairs. Her siblings and father began talking again, but she missed most of the conversation. She jumped slightly as Maggie's hand brushed her shoulder. Her sister leaned over, her breath warm on Sharon's ear and coppery hair shielding her face. "You're falling asleep. Go to bed." She didn't leave any room for argument, instead slipping her hand under her sister's elbow and half-dragging her up the stairs. "Your room's here."

Sharon flicked the light on in room and found that her bag had already been brought up. She rummaged through it until she found her toothbrush and pajamas. When she stood up, Maggie was still leaning against the doorframe. "Ye-es?" She managed to stretch the word into two syllables.

"You and I need to have a talk," Maggie said. One eyebrow was raised, and she reminded Sharon of herself, just a few years younger and several wrinkles less. She turned to watch Sharon walk to the bathroom.

"Are you going to keep watching me?"

"Until you talk to me, yes."

"What do you want me to tell you about?" Sharon kept her tone light. Maggie had always been quick to read people, and she had apparently turned her sights on her sister.

"How have you been?"

Sharon picked her words carefully, trying to speak at a normal pace as she squeezed toothpaste out. "The same. Jack's been busy at work- some big cases. I got the transfer. I'll start when I get back from leave. I'm just tired. Cat's up all the time, and moving-" She cut herself off. The word had slipped out. She jammed her toothbrush into her mouth.

"Moving?"

Sharon kept scrubbing her teeth until the foam filled her mouth. She spit into the sink.

"What do you mean, 'moving?'"

"We wanted a change of scenery, that's all."

"Bullshit." Maggie said the word softly, so their mother wouldn't overhear.

"That's bullshit, Jack. I'm not stupid."

"Sharon, Sharon, Sharon. Baby, I was just out with Andy and some of the guys." He reached for her, and one hand brushed her cheek softly. "You know Andy, don't you? He's a cop, too."

"The LAPD employs thousands upon thousands. I don't know them all."

He grinned at her. "You'll have to come with me sometime. I'll introduce you."

"Mmm." She pulled away. "You know, I don't really care where you were. I'm tired, Jack. I'm going to bed."

"Yeah? I'll come with you." He reached for her again.

She sighed. When he was home late, this drunk, he always tried to get in bed with her. Sex was the only thing on his mind at two AM, she thought.

"Jack!" She wrenched her arm away. "I'm really not in the mood. It's been a long day, and I just want to sleep." She shot him a dark look. She wanted to give him a chance to explain, but it truly had been a long day, and she was foggy with exhaustion.

Jack watched his wife pull away. "Sharon!"

"What, Jack?"

He followed her down the hall, past Ricky's room and the office. "Look, I'm sorry. Really. I'll leave the other guys early next time, okay?"

"That's what you said last time." She hung the robe on the back of the door. She turned to glance at him before dropping onto the bed.

"Last time?"

"Mmm." She looked at him and smirked wickedly.

He faltered slightly. The smile wasn't one of her friendly ones. It reminded him of a lioness, all teeth and predatory instincts.

""Better three hours too soon than a minute too late." The Not-So Merry Wives of Windsor, Jack."

He snorted. "You've been waiting for that all evening, haven't you?"

She shrugged again and pulled the covers up.

Maggie had always been able to read Sharon. She could read her older sister even when their parents couldn't.

"Not now, Mags."

"Then when?"

Sharon sighed. "Give me five minutes to change into my pajamas." She closed the bathroom door on Maggie. When she re-emerged, the light in the hall and her bedroom were off. Maggie wasn't waiting against the wall. She padded into the bedroom and crawled into bed.

"So." Maggie's eyes gleamed slightly in the moonlight that came in between the curtains. They had done the same thing often enough when they were younger, but it was usually Sharon listening and her sister crying over high-school boyfriends.

"You have to promise me you won't tell anyone."

There was an aggrieved sigh. "That was the rule since we started doing this."

"Just making sure it still stands."

Maggie snorted. "I promise, Sharon," she said after a long pause.

"Jack's gone."

"Jack- what?"

"He's gone. He just up and left," Sharon whispered. She kept her voice low. Everyone was either in bed or downstairs talking, but she didn't want to take any chances.

"When?"

"Shh. Two weeks, three weeks. I don't know exactly." She did know, precisely. It was a day over three weeks.

"That rat bastard!" It came out high-pitched and louder than Sharon wanted.

"Maggie, hush!"

"Why?" It was softer this time, referring to Jack.

"I don't know." Sharon rolled onto her back. "I wish I did, but I don't. I thought he was getting better. He was getting better. When Cat was born, and for about a month after, he was there all the time. And then. . . something happened, I guess. I don't know what. But he came home late one night," she paused. "We argued, and when I came back to the room, he was gone and he left-" her voice caught.

Maggie frowned. Sharon never cried. Not ever. She had seen her sister cry once, when they were small. The tears had been the most terrifying thing she'd ever seen, and the cause had been something simple, like a skinned knee. Unlike knees, relationships couldn't be healed with a band-aid.

"Sharon?"

There was a muffled whimper, and Sharon threw her arms around her sister, burying her face in Maggie's shoulder.

"Oh, honey. Let it out."

Sharon said something, but the words were said into Maggie's shoulder.

"What?"

"He left all his bills on the bed, Mags." Sharon turned her head slightly. "That's the worst part. I could deal with him leaving." Her voice cracked again on the last word, but she continued. "The bills, they're the real thorn in this. Thousands and thousands of dollars."

Maggie stared at her sister in horror. Jack, from the little she knew of him, seemed like a decent sort. Charming, somewhat cute, and maybe a little too smart for his own good, but nice enough.

Sharon seemed to have detached herself from the situation. She was still whispering, but her tone was cool and calm now. "I don't know how I'm going to pay it all back. I sold the house-"

"You what?" Their house was three bedrooms, and in a nice neighborhood.

"It costs too much for me to keep." Sharon shrugged. "And I'm getting a lot from the sale. It'll pay most of it back-"

"MOST?"

"Maggie, hush!" Sharon sat bolt upright and set her hand over Maggie's mouth.

"What the hell, Sharon?" she whispered hotly.

"I didn't know!" Sharon's voice was strained.

"Okay, okay. Sorry."

"It's fine." They both sighed deeply, together, and laughed at their synchronicity.

After a long minute, Maggie spoke. "What are you planning to do now?"

"I don't know, exactly. What I always do, I suppose. Carry on."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I don't think so, not now. I can pay for everything we need off my salary, I think. I'll just pay the bills off as we go."

"The financials are all well and good, dear, but what about you?"

There was another long silence, and Maggie was beginning to suspect her sister had fallen asleep when Sharon spoke.

"I'm alright." She paused. "I will be alright. Cat is too little to care and I reckon Ricky understands somewhat. He's a bright kid and I think he knows more than I think he does."

"He is smart."

"Maggie?"

"Yeah?"

"Promise you won't tell Mama or Dad?"

"Yeah, Shar. I do. But if you ever, ever need anything, call me. I don't care when or why. I'll fly out to LA."

"You can't fly out of New York at the drop of a hat."

"I paint backdrops. Actually, I tell other people to paint backdrops and join them when the fancy strikes me. I can let my assistants take over for a week or two. They can't mess anything up too terribly." Maggie worked as an art director for the Met in New York City. "Call me."

"Okay."

"Promise."

"We're using that word an awful lot tonight."

"Promise."

"I promise, Mags, I will call you if I feel like disrupting your work schedule."

Jesse Hathaway turned around and walked down the hallway as quietly as he could. He had heard more than enough. He would have never guessed that his eldest daughter's marriage was going to turn out so badly. If he wasn't sure Sharon would turn him in herself, he'd fly out to LA and break Jack's nose himself. Put a dent in that pretty face.

He'd let her keep her dignity and secrets. For now, she didn't want him involved. If she needed him, she'd let him know, he hoped. It was Christmas, and he wanted to let her spend her vacation peacefully, without any additional troubles added to her wide-ranging collection of them.

A/N- Whatever will we do if Sharon's daughter isn't really named some version of Katherine? We'll be so confused, haha. Hannah? Who's that? Mackenzie? What? (; Also, what did all y'all think of the promos that just came out? (;

Also important- do you want the story to continue directly from here, or do you want to skip ahead a little?