Steffy awoke to Kelly jumping on her bed and laughing, "you slept in mummy," she smiled in delight.
Steffy grabbed her and blew a large raspberry on her neck eliciting screams of delighted laughter from her daughter.
"Okay, I'm up now, come on, what do you want for breakfast?"
Kelly grinned, "pancakes and maple syrup?"
Steffy jumped out of bed and threw on her dressing gown, noting the black storm clouds outside of her window, a summer storm had been forecast, and it seemed to be arriving earlier than expected, along with a king tide.
Steffy couldn't wait for it, she loved to walk just as a storm was coming in, it made her feel alive to feel the wind on her face and the heaviness in the air, as the power of mother nature surrounded her. As far back as she could remember she'd always been attracted to sheer majesty and beauty of rainstorms, especially the usually far more violent summer storms.
But first things first, she turned to her waiting daughter.
"Not on your life kiddo, not after all the sugar that Dee let you and Hayes eat last night! Today is going to be reserved for good nourishing food, and that means no sugar! Now why don't you go out and play in the living room while I get dressed, then I'll come and get you some breakfast, okay?"
Kelly pouted and trudged out the door in obvious disappointment at Steffi's choice in breakfast for her and Hayes.
After getting dressed and feeding Kelly and Hayes, Dee arrived. Steffy laughed to herself, she'd been able to put off her friend last night, but she knew that today she'd be wanting a lot more details, she'd practically been bursting to find out how things went when she'd arrived home last night, and her quick smile and statement of "really good" had had her friend rolling her eyes in frustration, but as she'd just jacked Steffi's kids up on sugar, and they were still up and playing, Steffy was keeping quiet as punishment.
"Oh, hi Dee, what brings you back around so early? Not that I'm not glad to see you because I am, it's Amelias day off and I need a huge Favour"
Dee smiled thinly, "You look . . . well, and you know darn well why I'm here; I need to find out what happened, I'm dyin her Steff – DYIN, I tells ya!" She said whilst clutching her chest dramatically. "So, what it it you need of poor, hard done by, little old me then?"
Steffy smiled, "could you mind the kids for half an hour while I take a walk?"
Dee looked outside, "you still like that moment just before a storm huh? Okay, a half an hour and then I will be getting some answers, deal?"
Steffy smiled and nodded, "Alright, some answers after my walk."
She stood and headed out the door lifting her head as the first cool gust of wind caught her, smiling she went outside.
Meanwhile . . .
John/Finn stared at the wall blinking back tears as a nurse from the hospital, who knew his relationship to Hope and her baby, and who still had a crush on him, filled him in on the latest gossip doing the rounds at the Hospital.
According to the rumours, not only had Hope lost her baby – a fact she'd checked up on to make sure it was true before ringing him - but according to an orderly who was in the vicinity when Hopes family had arrived, he'd heard the argument about Brooke and Liam being caught naked on the couch together by the entire family, and Hope had run outside only to be struck down by a cab.
His hand now almost crushing his phone, Finn mumbled a quick thanks, then threw the offending item at the wall. Broken shards of plastic scattered over the filthy lounge as he stared blindly at its destruction.
His baby, his sweet innocent baby, was gone, and all because of Liam Spencer and Brooke Logan!
Liam Spencer! He raged to himself; he was behind all of his woes.
He turned around and walked over to his now broken phone, as he gazed down at the broken shards his mind swam with rage.
First, he slept with Steffy while we were in a relationship, then he turned out to be the father of Hayes, he never left us alone -NEVER! He punched the wall, leaving a large hole.
He was always making excuses to be near her, to interfere in our marriage, it's just so damn obvious now! Another punch, and another hole.
Then he set his father onto me, it's so clear, he made him make me leave Steffy, he made me destroy our marriage because he still wanted her! And just when I finally get something real again for myself, Punch, just when I finally start to try to move forward with my life, Punch, he takes that from me too!
He killed my baby! His mind screamed.
He began to punch the wall in earnest now, leaving large holes everywhere until finally, exhausted, and with bleeding knuckles, he sank to his knees and began to weep.
He wasn't going to get away with this, he thought angrily, if Steffy knew what he'd done, especially with Brooke, at least she'd have nothing to do with him, at least Liam's plans for Steffy would be ruined forever.
Tears still falling slowly down his face he got to his feet, I have to see Steffy, I have to tell her what he's done, I have to tell her about Bill blackmailing me for him, she'll understand, she'll see what he truly is, what he's done to us. At least I can destroy his life like he's destroyed mine!
He stumbled to the door, grabbing his car keys as he went, he was now filled with an unholy rage, coupled with a soul deep need for revenge, and telling Steffy was only going to be the start, after that would come the tabloids.
I'll burn everything of his to the ground! By the time I'm finished, Liam Spencer and Brooke Logan won't be able to show their faces in public again!
The voice of his mother cackled in agreement.
Back at Steffi's . . .
Steffi raised her face to the wind as she looked up at the dark storm clouds rolling overhead. The sound of distant thunder echoed across the water, warning her it was time to return, the storm was almost upon her.
She smiled as she retraced her steps back up to the house, the incoming tempest was exactly how she was feeling after last night. Marius had awoken something inside of her, a wildness she had thought was dead, yet just like with the approaching storm, she was revelling in it. She didn't know where it would lead, or even if it would lead her anywhere, but she had made up her mind, she was going to enjoy every last second of it while it lasted – and to hell with what anyone may think! And all it had taken for her to change her attitude on life was an afternoon of mind blowing sex with a dark haired Italian god -who knew! A peel of delighted laughter escaped her lips as she continued her assent.
She reached the fence line beside the cliff and walked a little way along it before once again stopping and turning to look out to sea.
It's all in the way you look at, she mused, an unconscious smile curving her lips. I may not be in love – as yet, but lust can be a very powerful first step, and if it gives me more of what happened yesterday, then I think I might need to see where this thing with Marius leads!
"Steffy?"
She turned to see Liam walking towards her, "Liam? What are you doing here? I thought you weren't going to see Kelly until tomorrow," she asked in surprise.
Liam walked up to stand beside her, his face drawn and upset.
"What's happened?" she asked in immediate concern.
Liam sighed before slowly telling her about the events of yesterday afternoon, and of what had followed with Hope losing her baby.
Steffy gasped, tears springing to her yes, "Oh my god, I know she did something horrible and unforgivable to me, but Liam, losing her baby, I'd never wish that on anyone! Have you heard anything else? Is she alright? Has anyone told Finn?"
Liam shook his head, "Deacon rang me this morning to thank me for paying her medical bills for her, he said she was doing alright so far. As for Finn, I have no idea, I guess that will be up to Hope to decide, I do know she hadn't spoken to her mother as yet, and we both know that's going to be beyond tough."
Steffy frowned, "What is wrong with that woman? She is beyond disgusting. Oh god, I'm going to have to tell dad, he'll be devastated!"
She looked up at Liam, "How are you holding up after everything that happened, I know this still must have been tough on you, especially your ex mother-in-law putting the moves on you."
Tears sprang to Liams eyes and started to slowly fall down his face, just as big fat raindrops began to splatter across their faces.
He looked at her beseechingly,
"It made me realise what I've done, and that this mess is all on me! I'm so sorry for everything Steffy, for everything I've done to you, to the kids, to us! I'm to blame for everything, if only I'd listened to you! If only I'd stayed true to you, none of us would be where we are now! We'd still be married, we'd be happy, our family would be together! You never would have gone through your accident or met Finn, because we still would have been together. God Steffy, everything could have been so different, we would have still been happily married! And it all started with me listening to everything Hope was telling me, I let her manipulate me, I let her make me doubt you, I let her make me doubt us. I'm so sorry Steffy, I'm just so god-damned sorry for all of it!"
Steffy moved forward, pity for her ex-husband in her eyes as she saw the pain he was in, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close to comfort him.
"It's okay Liam, you'll get through this, I promise," she said gently as he clutched at her for support and comfort.
Finn/John had just arrived, he talked his way past the gate guard who still knew him as Steffi's husband, and walked around the back, he knew Steffy loved to watch the storms roll in so he figured she'd still probably be outside. He'd just reached the side of the house when he saw them. Liam - his lips lifted into a feral snarl - he was bent over talking to Steffy, she moved a step forwards and took him into her arms, and the last vestiges of sanity that Finn had clung to – left!
A crack of lightning, followed closely by a boom of thunder sounded far to near to Steffy and Liam, it was almost, but not quite, enough to mask the scream of undiluted rage coming towards them.
Both Steffy and Liam looked up in surprise at the sound, as both saw Finn running towards them at top speed, his arms spread wide, Steffy took half a step away, all while Liam stood rooted to the spot in shock. Finns' eyes were wide, his clothes and hair filthy and dishevelled, but worse was the look of madness on his face, that seemed to compete in intensity with the scream of primal fury coming from deep with-in his body.
Before either of them could react further he reached them, ploughing straight into them at full force, his arms stretched wide.
Steffy screamed, as the force of the hit sent all three of them backwards over the cliff fence, where they disappeared from site.