Bianca heard the front door close and stepped out of the parlour to find Marissa coming through to hang her coat in the mud room. Bianca was surprised to see her looking a little shell shocked.

"What's happened?" Bianca asked concerned as Marissa walked forward for a welcome home kiss.

"It looks like tomorrow I get to wear my big lawyer's hat!" said Marissa, as if still processing the news.

Bianca grinned.

"That's fast." she said rewarding her with a kiss.

Marissa smiled and frowned at the same time.

"But good news," Bianca concluded, "You are an awesome lawyer!"

"As long as I really remember how." Marissa said.

"What does de facto mean?" asked Bianca testing her; loosening her grip in her crutches to wrap her arms around Marissa's waist.

"De facto? It means 'In truth' or 'actually'." replied Marissa, "Something that exists in fact but not in law."

"What is an affidavit?"

"A written statement made under oath." Marissa said, a smile appearing as she realised what her girlfriend was doing.

"Habeas corpus?"

"A judicial request to produce a prisoner held by law enforcement, and to justify their confinement."

"Is that really what it means?" said Bianca in surprise. "I didn't know that. I thought it had something to do with dead bodies. I think that means you pass the technical side of the test."

Marissa was grinning wider now.

"So is there a physical?" she asked, wrapping her arms around Bianca's waist in return.

Bianca sighed and then placed another soft kiss on her girlfriend's lips.

"You have no problem passing that test."

Their cosy moment was disturbed by a whoop and then thundering footsteps tearing down the stairs as four children rushed past.

Marissa turned her head as they hurried by.

"Hi mom… bye mom." cried AJ as he raced after Spike into the parlour.

Marissa was surprised to see Bianca's nephew's here.

"Kendall is talking to Miranda," Bianca explained, "I said we could watch her boys."

Marissa nodded in understanding.

"Are we feeding them?" she asked, her hands still happily resting on her girlfriend's hips.

"A third dinner party?" Bianca said thoughtfully, they had already had a busy couple of days.

"We could get a take-out." Marissa suggested, "I have been craving Chinese food."

"Mmm noodles." said Bianca. "I think that sounds like a plan. When Kendall comes back we can see if they want to stay."

Suddenly there was a loud thump and crunch from the next door.

"Although first." said Bianca, replacing her grip on her crutches and straightening up, "We had better make sure the kid's aren't destroying the house!"

Marissa quickly headed into the parlour, turning on 'mom mode'.

"Okay I think we need find a quieter game, don't you?" she announced to the suddenly sheepish crowd of children standing around a fallen lamp.

…

When Kendall brought Miranda back from Fusion, Bianca had managed to distract the kids with a game of Clue. Ian and Gabby were on her detective team and so far they weren't doing very well.

"Did you have fun?" Bianca asked her daughter, as she came to sit beside them on the couch.

Miranda nodded and smiled.

"She has excellent taste." said Kendall, "She picked out the one that performed best in our focus groups so it was very useful…"

The make-up testing had of course been a ruse for the real reason for their time alone but Kendall gave Bianca a wink, as if to say that went well too.

"Will you be much longer?" Kendall asked, looking at her watch, "Cara's cooking us dinner tonight!"

"No we are not." said Marissa moving her piece into the Ballroom. "I declare it's Miss Scarlet in the conservatory with the lead pipe!"

She checked the envelope and then spread the cards out for everyone to see that she was right.

"You're too good at this." said AJ sulkily.

"I'm more than happy to give you a rematch." she said.

"But not tonight." said Bianca getting to her feet. "Spike and Ian are off home and we have to think about dinner or I won't get my pills in time."

Marissa ruffled her son's hair.

"Will you pack up?"

"Okay." he said resignedly.

"I'll go and get the take-out menu. Who fancy's some Chinese food!"

That suggestion got a cheer from everyone.

Before she left, Bianca seized the chance to give her sister a big hug.

"Thank you for this." she said.

Kendall smiled warmly back.

"No, thank you. It reminded me what a great sister I have!" Then she waved at the rest of the kids as Spike and Ian said their goodbyes. "Take care!" she called, saving her biggest smile for Miranda, who grinned confidently back. Hopefully their little talk had helped.

…