Krystal flicked on the radio as she turned out of the driveway of her daughter's new house. The rain was falling a little harder now and she wished she had thought to pack an umbrella.

When she pulled up at the next stop sign and realised the car in front was Kendal's. Bianca's sister seemed to have the same attitude towards her as Erica did. It was better disguised, and they were at least able to have a civil conversation without in degrading into back stabbing comments and snide remarks. In truth the animosity between her and Erica Kane was long standing and sometimes she found their little spats more enjoyable then some of her friendships. For their daughter's sake though, if Erica would let her, it was time to bury the hatchet… Although deep down she would still like to bury it in Erica's back!

No, she needed to be there for Marissa. She was getting a real chance to be the mother her daughter had always deserved and she wasn't going to waste it.

Driving along the long sweeping road that took them past the Miranda Centre, Krystal noticed Kendal was slowing down and then pulled in at the side of the road. Had she a broken down?

Krystal realised that maybe this was a chance to begin to build bridges. She pulled in just in front of Kendal's car. Cursing the rain slightly she got out and went to offer her assistance. Kendal didn't open the passenger side door, only lowered the window leaving her out in the rain.

"Can I help?" Krystal asked.

"It's alright." said Kendal. "It's just a flat. I'll call for assistance."

"Don't be stubborn." said Krystal. "Think of the kids. It's late. It's a horrible night! I can give you a ride and you can get the car sorted tomorrow morning."

Kendal looked back at the kids. Spike was watching with worried eyes. He has never really liked the rain.

She sighed.

"Okay," she said reluctantly, "Although we are going to get wet!"

Kendal turned off the ignition and stepped out of the car.

"Can you get Spike?" she asked as she worked at unstrapping Ian.

Krystal already had the door open and was reaching for his seat belt.

"Don't' worry about the car seat." said Krystal, "Jenny's one is still in the back."

Kendal nodded and bundled Ian into her arms ready to race to Krystal's car.

…

Kendal shook herself off as she settled into the passenger seat.

"Thanks for this." she said.

Krystal smiled.

"It's my pleasure."

She turned on the ignition and Garth Brookes' "The Thunder Rolls" blared from the radio.

"Sorry." she said switching it off.

"Appropriate through." said Kendal, the rain was falling heavily now.

…

They drove in silence for a while. Krystal was desperate to begin a conversation but didn't know how to start.

"That house was beautiful." she said, hoping that Bianca and Marissa, the one thing they had in common, would be a good place to start.

"My sister has good taste." said Kendal.

"So does my daughter, I think." said Krystal the double meaning not lost on her.

She felt Kendal's eyes on her for a moment and then the usually frosty young woman actually laughed.

"God, could those two be any more in love?"

Krystal laughed too.

"I don't think so." she said. "You would swear when they looked at each other they were the only two people in the world."

"Did you know there was something between them before they told you?" Kendal asked. "I remember in St. Barts, I saw Bianca at the bar talking to this woman and I they looked so flirty I thought my sister was moving on from Reese. When I found out it was Marissa sitting there I re-evaluated the moment, but when I think back, knowing now what I know, there was definitely flirting going on."

"I think Marissa was just scared. Scared about losing AJ and nervous about admitting the possibility that she was attracted to another woman" said Krystal. "But yeah, you just had to see them together to know it was more than simple friendship. Bianca would be gazing at Marissa and Marissa would take her hand. And you couldn't have a conversation with Marissa without her mentioning Bianca at some point. Opal and I had a secret joke about waiting for the 'beautiful Bianca' moment."

"Not subtle."

"Not at all." said Krystal. "And yet some people were still surprised by it. Scott apparently didn't have a clue."

They shared a smile.

"So I guess we are family now." said Kendal, a little more seriously.

"I would never hurt her, not again." said Krystal, sensing the unspoken accusation.

"I wouldn't let you." said Kendal flatly.

The conversation dried up instantly and the tension returned. Krystal was a little glad of that. She needed to concentrate on the road. The sky was almost black and rain was falling unrelentingly now.

Suddenly there was a crash of thunder and the rain turned to hail.

"Mommy!" cried a nervous voice from the back seat.

…

The hail fell the size of bullets and more thunder rumbled in the distance. Krystal could hardly see the road in front of her.

Just then out of the darkness came a trunk, sounding it's horn like a scream, as it swept past shaking the car.

"That was close!" gasped Kendal.

"This is ridiculous and dangerous." said Krystal. "I'm pulling in."

"Wait," cried Kendal. "We're almost home! It's just the next turning."

…

The sound of the water was terrifying as hail stone ricocheted off of the hood of the car, but Krystal managed to get them safely to Kendal's house, parking as close as possible to the front door.

They waited for a moment but the rain was showing no sign of stopping.

Kendal sighed.

"I say we risk it." she said. With a bit of contortionism Kendal managed to unbuckle a scared Spike and Ian from their seats. She turned to Krystal. "You had better come in as well. It's not a safe night to be driving."

Krystal nodded grateful for the offer.

…

They were all huddled together in the lounge trying to get dry. Kendal had given Krystal a bathrobe to wear while her own clothes were drying. While the storm was raging on and there as no hope of anyone being able to get some sleep. Spike was on Krystal's lap while Ian was curled against his mother chest his hands over his ears as he tried to shut out the noise. At least Kendal could instantly make the storm less frightening for Spike by disconnecting his cochlea implant.

"What is it with Pine Valley and storms?" sighed Krystal rubbing a towel through Spike's wet hair.

Kendal didn't reply.

They shared a look.

"Look just say what you want to say okay." said Krystal. "Now is as good a time as any."

Kendal rocked Ian for a moment before licking her lips.

"I hate what you did to my sister. She was so vulnerable back then, so desperate; so hurt. The only thing she had was her child; her only hope… and you took that from her. I have never seen a person in more pain than the moment when I had to tell her that her daughter was gone, and she wouldn't even have a body to bury, or a scrap of proof that she had even existed."

Krystal sighed as the guilt engulfed her. The same guilt she felt every time she saw Bianca. But Kendal wasn't finished.

"And, oh, the irony of it all, that you can now claim Miranda as a grandchild. That thought sickens me more than any of it!"

"I regret every second I kept Bianca from her child." said Krystal slowly. "There are no excuses and nothing in the world can make up for what I did, but I have tried to make amends every day since. I still don't know how she forgave Babe and me. Your sister is one of the true, good, beautiful people on this earth. A real angel."

Kendal face softened a little as Krystal spoke of her sister.

Krystal gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"I have spent my whole life making stupid mistakes. Actions, which at the time seemed like the only thing to do, later prove to be the worst mistakes of my life. I sold my child! I separated my twins because I didn't believe I could afford to keep them both. It was lucky that Marissa found herself a loving home, but god do I regret missing the chance to see her grow up into the incredible young woman she is now."

Krystal looked Kendal in the eye.

"I know I've built my life on regrets but the two people I hurt the most in the world have found happiness together and I am going to do everything in my power to help them stay that way. Even if I have to humiliate myself; grovel on broken glass and kiss Erica's feet to make peace with her. I will do it for them, because I owe them so much more than I can ever repay."

Kendal didn't speak for a moment as she looked out into the storm, absorbing the older woman's words.

"I'm not saying I forgive you, because I just… I can't." she said at last. "But for Bianca's sake I am willing to start again; a clean slate. Because you are right; my sister is truly happy right now and nothing should be allowed to jeopardise that. "

"Thank you." said Krystal.

"I'm not saying it will be so easy with my mother, though." said Kendal, half-jokingly. "Broken glass might just be the start of what you will be forced to crawl through to make your peace with her!"

…