Chapter Eleven

Even with the tensions of the last few weeks still unresolved the whole Ballant clan was excited about the Lewis family barbeque. It fell on Thursday this year making Dani happy since she got approval to go out Friday night to the mall. She was still feeling dubious about Katie's plan to skip their usual routine of seeing a movie and opt for meeting Drake so he could take them to a party. Dani had never lied to her mother and she vacillated against that and the pressure her friend was asserting on her. The fourteen year old was relieved when she had talked with Cindy the day before because the redhead had doubts about Drake even though all of them agreed he was like an Adonis.

As Dani sat on the steps in the hallway contemplating exactly what she should do, the telephone rang. Happy for a short reprieve, she answered it. "Hello?" Pausing only for a moment she then greeted the caller. "Oh, hi, Mark. You wanna talk with Gage, right? Hold on." Dani held the phone away from her then yelled. "Gage! Mark's on the phone."

Lacy took the last step down the stairs right behind her daughter. "Can you yell a little louder? I don't think she heard you."

Dani rolled her eyes. "Oh, mom."

"Who is it?"

"Mark."

Taking the phone from Dani's hand, she directed her daughter. "Go find Gage." As Dani took off back up the stairs, Lacy said. "Hello, Mark. How's Julie?"

"Absolutely wonderful like always." Lacy could hear Mark's smile through the phone line. "And you? How are you and Gage doing?"

Momentarily lost in her own private musings, Lacy finally answered. "Considering everything… fine."

"Lacy, if there's anything Julie or I can do, please let us know." Mark offered sincerely.

"Thank you." Feeling her partner's hand on her shoulder, Lacy said. "Oh, here she is. Don't keep her too long. We're heading over to my mom's for a barbeque."

Realizing that Lacy was just teasing, Mark agreed. "I won't. Just want her to know that Julie and I are leaving tomorrow to visit my grandfather."

"Say hi for me. Here's Gage."

The blonde dropped her hand down Lacy's shoulder then wrapped her arm around her partner's waist. She kissed Lacy on the cheek before taking the telephone. "I won't be long."

Lacy slid out of the blonde's embrace, allowing her some privacy on the phone but couldn't resist wrapping her arms around Gage from behind.

"Hold on, Mark." Gage turned serious green eyes to meet Lacy. "You okay?"

Smiling, Lacy nodded as she squeezed one more time before letting go.

"Hey, Mark. What's up?" The blonde watched her partner ascend the staircase. Her green eyes were mesmerized on the sway of her lover's hips. "What?"

"I said we're leaving tomorrow for a couple of weeks. It would be great if you, Lacy and the kids could come over." Mark overtly hinted.

"Mmm…." Gage thought about that appealing idea for a brief moment. "I'll talk to Lacy about it later today or tonight. Make sure you tell our grandfather hi for me."

"Better yet, Gage. Why don't you do it yourself?" Mark suggested.

Accepting the idea eagerly, Gage cut their conversation short as she looked at her watch. Six hours difference. It'll be late afternoon for him. "Mark, I've gotta go. Call me when you get there okay?"

The astute friend had a fair idea that Gage would be making a phone call overseas. "Sure will. Bye."

Gage punched in a whole bunch of numbers in order to make the international call. She was surprised when she heard her grandfather's voice. "Hey, Samuel. I didn't think you'd be answering the phone."

"Why not? It's mine." The ninety-five year old man teased his granddaughter. "I'm glad you called. There's nothing wrong is there?"

"Nope. I just talked to Mark and thought I'd call. How are you doing?"

Samuel Calico slipped back in his easy chair and pulled a long breath in before he spoke. "More importantly… I want to know how you're doing. You and that beautiful woman of yours." He could hear in the breath Gage took that she was going to protest so Samuel continued. "Doesn't matter how I found out. I have my ways you know." Then his voice turned steely offering some stern and very sage advice along with a warning. "You better do whatever it takes to keep her or… or I'll put on my top hat and tails and steal her away from you."

"You always cut right to the heart of it, don't you?"

"Don't have time to pussy foot around these days. When you get my age, you realize that you have to make the most of it."

Gage countered. "You've always done that."

"Yes, well, more so these days. And let me tell you that a young whipper snapper like you should heed my words." Samuel advised with a hint of playfulness.

"I'm forty-eight. Not many people use that phrasing to describe me anymore." Gage laughed. "But you're right as always. Listen, I'm going to talk with Lacy about maybe coming over soon."

"I'd love it." Samuel smiled. "Should I dust off my tux?"

"No. You keep that thing in the closet. I don't want you as competition. As dashing as you are in that thing… Lacy just might choose you."

"Never." The wise man knew love when he saw it and the bond between Lacy and Gage was eternal. "That woman loves you and even as charming as I am… I could never pry her away from you… nor anyone else. Got it?"

I hope so. "Yeah, I got it." Seeing her family descend the staircase, Gage ended the call. "Listen, I've got to get going but I'll talk with Lacy later and let you know."

"You do that. Before you go, let me talk to Lacy." Samuel requested.

Gage traded the phone for Hayley. "Some old coot wants to talk with you."

Knowing exactly whom Gage was talking about, Lacy greeted him. "Grandfather, how are you? I've missed you so much."

"Then you tell that woman of yours to get her butt in gear and all of you come on over." Samuel smiled.

As much as Lacy would have loved to gather her family and jump on a plane, she hesitated. "That sounds very tempting."

"What can I do to convince you, beautiful?" He flirted mercilessly with her.

"Mmmm…. let me think about it." Lacy twisted around and winked at Gage. "Your granddaughter and I will talk about it. Okay?"

"I guess I'll have to be satisfied with that. Lacy?" Samuel got her attention with the way he said her name. "You take good care of her. She needs you. Gage would be lost without you."

Loving blue eyes fell on the blonde holding their young daughter. "I will." She vowed. "Bye now and take care." After Lacy hung up the phone, she turned to her family. "Ready?"

************************

It was a bright warm summer afternoon and all the family members gathered were having a great time together. Gage treasured these family get-togethers. The whole family was thrilled when Lacy's sister, Lisa and Jason announced they were having a baby. Hank groaned when his wife, Jen, poked him in the stomach and his best friend and construction partner, Jason teased him. "Looks like someone has some catching up to do."

Nate slapped Hank on the back of the head then marked an invisible score card in the air. "Jason one, Hank zero."

He shot an evil glare at his youngest brother. "This is not a competition."

The whole family laughed at that statement before Daniel puffed out his chest and shared his thoughts. "Except for Lacy, the rest of you have a long way to go to catch up to me." The proud older man held up four fingers and a thumb. "Five."

Slapping his belly with the back of her hand, Lynn Lewis teasingly chastised him. "You act like you did all on your own."

Sheepishly, Daniel admitted. "Okay, your mother did most of the work but I was there through all the feedings and diaper changes." Hank chuckled. "Go ahead and laugh Hank. Your turn will come soon enough."

Lynn leaned in toward Hank's wife and whispered loudly. "Jen? Is there something you were going to tell your husband?"

Shocked blue eyes widened as Hank stared at his wife. "You're not… or you?"

Jen smiled but remained silent.

"Honey?" The anxious tall man waited with baited breath.

Jen stepped closer to her husband and said. "Let's just say that I threw out my birth control pills." The short woman placed a quick peck on her husband's cheek before leaving him standing alone.

Hank gulped. "Honey? Maybe we should talk about this. Honey!" He chased after his wife.

Jason stopped his best friend. "Forget it. You might as well give in. I'll take you shopping next week for some baby clothes. Oh, and some diapers."

"Oh, shut up." Hank yelled, hurrying up to catch his wife.

With a full belly laugh, Jason was cracking up until Lisa wrapped her arm in his. "Darling, that's a great idea. We can go shopping tomorrow."

With a shocked smile on his face, Jason knew he was trapped. Oh, well, for her… I'd do anything.

***********************

"Tell me again, Derek. Why'd you jump over the railing?" Nate was amazed at the story of his nephew's brush with death in the toy store.

Derek sighed, wondering why everyone including his mother couldn't understand his reasoning for the daredevil rescue. "They're extinct and they had them trapped in the net."

Both Nate and his father were still confused until Gage clarified the young boy's reasoning. "There was this huge display attached to the underside of the ceiling. The net was filled with all sorts of stuff animals. And a couple of them… well, Derek had just seen a documentary on the animals that are near extinction."

"But they're not real animals." His grandfather quizzed the young boy for more of an explanation.

Derek rolled his gray eyes. "It's the principal of the thing."

Guiltily, Gage admitted. "He got that from me." The blonde had explained to Derek the many ways of helping save the planet and the animals on this earth. She shared with him the various ways that anyone could help and used the same phrase Derek had just used with his grandfather.

"I was trying to rescue them." Derek pouted, now tired of the subject. He didn't want to be reminded of the whole event as he was in enough trouble. Pursing his lips together, Derek asked. "Where's Jonathan?"

Nodding toward his rose garden, Daniel said. "I saw him and Dani playing down by the gazebo."

In a flash, the young child was gone heading toward his sister and cousin.

"He's becoming quite the adventurer. Lacy told me about the jet ski incident." Nate said.

"Hmm." Gage watched Derek leave. "I don't know exactly what's gotten into him."

That was when Daniel asked. "You ever talk with him?"

Immediately, Gage knew that Daniel was referring to the day Derek declared that he was not her son. "No." She sucked in a deep breath. "Lacy thinks I should but…"

Daniel stared directly at the blonde. "So Derek's following your lead?"

Curious, Gage asked. "What do you mean?"

Daniel placed his hand on her arm. "Avoiding the issue."

Nate's blue eyes shifted quickly between his father and Gage, sensing the tension that now filled the air.

Pensive, Gage finally spoke. "I don't think Derek's avoiding anything. He stated very plainly what he thought."

"On the surface, it may seem that way." Daniel wouldn't let Gage voice her objection. "He's confused that's for sure. His way of avoiding things are different than yours. He finally gets his dad's approval…Lynn talked with Lacy." Daniel revealed how he knew the situation regarding his young grandson. "And his feelings for you… don't seem to mesh with that newfound acceptance by his father."

"I don't understand."

Nate intervened. "Maybe I can help. When I was little, I had a cute puppy that I loved. He wasn't even a year old when he was hit by a car. As a ten year old I was devastated so mom and dad got me another one. He was sure cute but…"

"Nate was torn between the new puppy and the one that had died. He didn't want to feel like he was betraying the first one." Daniel placed a caring hand on his son's knee.

Nate nodded.

"So it's like Derek's got two puppies and he doesn't know which one to choose?" Gage surmised.

"Something like that. He doesn't realize that he can have both of them. Especially when one of the puppies is jealous." Daniel explained.

"Me?"

"I think he means David." Nate clarified.

"We all have different reasons for putting off things, Gage." Daniel stood up. "Just think about it. Now…" Daniel rubbed his belly. "You think the food's ready?"

***********************

As it was dinner went smoothly with only a few more jabs between Jason and Hank about the baby issue. Denny, the oldest brother, even joked a couple of times with his younger brother. For Denny's part, his wife, Crystal had him on his best behavior. She had read him the riot act about his refusal to accept Lacy and Gage's relationship. Yet, even Denny couldn't deny the love he saw in his sister's eyes when she gazed at her partner.

Before dinner, Stella and Lynn shared their thoughts about their children and had decided that Lacy and Gage needed some time alone. They conspired to get Lacy alone and make a few suggestions.

When Daniel praised the great tasting meal, that was the sign for the kids to request fireworks. "That's up to Nate." Daniel told his grandchildren. "He's the man in charge this year."

Four of the five grandkids ran toward their uncle, firing a multitude of questions at him. "Nate? Can we? I want to set off the firecrackers. Please?"

Nate ran off with the four trailing behind as Daniel grabbed his youngest grandchild. "Hayley, why don't you come to grandpa for awhile?"

"Hi." The tiny blonde agreed.

"Isn't she cute?" The proud grandfather smiled. "You wanna go see your uncle Nate get bombarded by the other kids?"

When Hayley pointed toward the garden, she said. "Purple."

Lacy interpreted her request. "Dad, I think she wants to see your flowers."

Hayley jumped in his arms. "Hi. Purple, green."

"Finally, someone who can appreciate all the hard work I've done. Come on, Hayley. Let me show you what your grandpa's been up to." He wanted to take advantage of the remaining ambient light before it turned dark enough to set off the fireworks display.

Lynn laughed. "He is mush in her hands."

Stella placed a gentle hand on her friend's arm. "Aren't we all?"

Even Denny smiled a time or two at the young girl's antics. "Guess I'll go help Nate. I'm sure he'll have his hands full."

"Thanks, honey." Crystal kissed her husband.

When the well-behaved Denny left, Lacy leaned over the table and asked. "Got him on a leash this year?"

"Oh!" Crystal waved a dismissive hand. "It's just hard for him to admit when he's wrong."

For some reason when Crystal revealed that about her husband, Gage had for the first time a real understanding of her brother-in-law. After all, she, too, had a hard time admitting that her past was a part of her. A dark past she would rather soon forget. Guess I'm still running away. And Denny and Derek are doing the same in their own way.

************************

After a while, Stella and Lynn seized their chance, cornering Lacy while the rest of the family were intently interested in the firecrackers and sparklers. "Honey, you have a minute?"

"Sure mom." Lacy helped clear the table before sitting down at the table in the kitchen. It didn't take long for the smart woman to realize she was being set up. "Okay, what gives?"

"Nothing." Stella affirmed.

"Uh huh." Lacy had her doubts.

"Nothing." Lynn reasserted then offered a small smile. "That we're not going to share with you."

Preparing for the worse, Lacy propped her hands on her hips. "Okay shoot."

"Stella and I…" The older woman nodded. "Think that you and Gage need to get away. Have some time to yourselves."

Stella scooted forward. "And we'll watch the kids. So you don't have an excuse to say no."

Glancing between her mother and Stella, Lacy took only a moment to collect her thoughts. "Gage and I would appreciate that very much but I'm afraid simply having time alone won't solve… everything."

Lynn looked confused.

"She means Gage won't open up and that's my fault." Stella admitted. "If I was a better mother… what am I saying? Any kind of a mother."

"Stella, stop that. Gage knows perfectly well she has to take responsibility for herself."

"Honey." Lynn took her daughter's hand. "Maybe she needs time."

"Mom!" Lacy was thoroughly frustrated now. "She's had six years. I've been patient and…"

"She's right, Lynn. Lacy has been more than patient with my daughter." Stella agreed with her daughter-in-law.

"Well, are you going to leave her?" Lynn asked to shock her daughter into realizing the depth of her commitment to Gage.

"No!" Lacy shot her mom an aggravated look. "It's just other things, too. Derek and Dani." Both women looked curiously at Lacy. "She's growing up, wanting to be more on her own."

"Dan and I faced those same issues with you kids." Lynn turned Lacy's face so her daughter was looking directly at her. "In the beginning your father thought that all the decision about you kids should be left up to me. But that just doesn't work."

"Gage doesn't feel that way. She's always been there… the two of us talking about what was best for our children." But Lacy had to admit. "Although lately she's withdrawing… especially with Derek. It's like he's a piece of delicate china that might break if she says the wrong thing."

"Lacy?" Stella got her attention. "I know Gage never hesitated before with Derek until his visit with his father this summer. Maybe that has something to do with."

"I'm afraid it has everything to do with it." Lacy admitted.

"Not everything." Lynn countered. When both Stella and Lacy looked curiously at the Lynn, she continued. "There's something in Gage's past that is obviously affecting the way she's reacting to Derek…maybe she sees herself in Derek. Whatever it is…she has to face it."

Lacy blew a puff of air up that made her bangs fly. "You're not telling me something I don't already know. The question is how."

The rest of the night was filled with laughter, fun and plenty of fireworks that blazed through the sky. The only incident that disrupted the evening festivities was when Derek stole a small box of firecrackers and shoved them under Denny's metal patio chair, lighting them. He refused to acknowledge that his cousin Jonathan put him up to it.

All in all, the whole family had a great day together but the shared moments gave many of them pause to ponder an uncertain future.


Chapter Twelve

While Gage dropped Dani off at the movie theater located right next to the mall, Lacy took their youngest children on a walk through their estate. The weather was perfect as Derek pushed his sister in the stroller. "Faster."

"I wanna ride." Sammy voiced his desire.

"You can't." Derek insisted.

"Can to." The five year old scooted behind the stroller, trying to step on the rear axle while he held on to the long handles.

Derek rolled his eyes. "You're not going to last long."

"Am to." Sammy was sure of himself. He had done it lots of times with Stella pushing the stroller.

"Really?" A mischievous glint in Derek's gray eyes forecast his intentions.

"Derek!" His mother warned him. "Walk don't run."

"What's the fun in that?" The dejected boy mumbled.

Lacy mused his short spiked hair then asked. "Why don't we do something fun tomorrow? Just you and me."

Derek was suspicious of his mother's motives. Although she had on many occasions spent time alone with each child doing something special, the last few times he had to face his mother he got in trouble. He remembered all to well the firecracker incident the day before with his uncle. "Maybe."

Cocking her head down toward him, she asked. "Don't you want to spend some time together?"

"Doing what?" He had to be sure.

"We could go to the zoo."

That piqued his interest. "Can we let them all out?" If the driver of the stroller had his way, he would plaster a 'save the animals' sticker on it.

Uh oh! Bad idea. "How bout the Magic House?"

"Me… me, too, momma. I wanna go." Sammy jumped off the stroller. He held up his tiny hand, taking his mother's larger one. "And Hayley, too?"

She remembered their last visit to the Magic House. Her kids got such a kick out of the way her hair sprang out from static electricity when she touched the large globe. "Okay, we can all go."

***********************

Dani was relieved when Cindy showed up first at the movie theater. "Well? What'd you decide?"

"I'll go if you do." Cindy said.

Dani's shoulder's slumped. "Cindy, I was hoping you'd be the one to… I can't."

Relieved, Cindy agreed. "Me, neither. You tell Katie when she gets here."

It was useless to ask 'why me' so Dani posed another hard questions. "What if Katie says she's going anyway?"

"I never thought of that." Cindy acknowledged. "Maybe he won't show up and then we can go to the movie and by the time we get out…"

"What if he does?" Dani reasoned they had to be prepared for every possible scenario.

"But what if he doesn't?" Cindy liked that option better.

When Dani twisted around, Katie got out of her mother's car. "Follow my lead… no matter what."

Nodding, Cindy decided silence would serve her the best.

"Hi, guys!" Excited, Katie ran up to them. "You guys ready?"

"Yep. I've already bought the tickets." Dani declared. "My treat."

Put out, Katie asked. "What are you talking about? We're going to the party. Right?"

"Oh, I forgot." Dani pretended with all the acting skills she had learned from her mother. "Don't know how that slipped my mind. Oh, well, I've already spent the money on the tickets and…"

"So? Drake said he'd meet us at the mall. Come on." Katie insisted.

"I can't go." Cindy yelled.

"Of course not." Katie spat sarcastically at the redhead. "What about you, Dani? Can't go either?"

Dani shifted her feet restlessly. "It's just that I already bought the tickets…"

"What's the matter with the two of you?" Katie jabbed a hand on her hip.

Dani debated for a long time over the decision before her. On the one hand, she really would like to go to the party but then again, the thought of her mother being upset or disappointed in her weighed heavily on her mind.

"Well?" Katie insisted her friends make a decision.

Finally, Dani simply said. "No."

"That's it? No." Katie was livid for the moment. "He's going to think we're real losers."

"Katie?" Dani objected to her friend's last statement. "If he really likes you, he'll understand."

"Oh, I'm going." Katie announced.

"You can't." Cindy said supporting Dani's lie. "We already have the tickets."

"You think a couple of tickets are going to stop me from doing what I want to do?" The blonde glared at Cindy.

When a blue mini-van swung back through the parking lot of the movie theater, Dani nodded toward it. "Katie, your mom."

Twisting around sharply, Katie was surprised to see her mom pull up to the curb. "Mom, what is it?"

"Honey, your aunt Susan just called and she wants me to come over so I called your dad. He's going to pick you up as soon as the movie's over." Ellen smiled at her daughter.

"But why can't he pick me up when the mall closes like always?" Katie protested.

"Honey, he has to work tonight. He's going to drop you off at your aunt's house before he goes to work. We'll go home from there." Ellen took her daughter's silence as acceptance of the change in plans. "Bye girls."

Two girls were much relieved while the other one fumed. "Fine. I guess we're going to the movie." Thinking that two hours was not enough time to spend at the party, Katie pouted then reached her hand out. "Where's my ticket?"

Shocked blue eyes met the redhead who immediately squinted one of her eyes closed. "Ouch. I think I have something in my eye. Katie, come with me to the restroom." Cindy led Katie to the restroom while Dani rushed off to buy the tickets.

**********************

Later that night, Dani and Lacy were lying on the floor listening to a new CD Dani had bought at the mall. After Katie's father picked her up, Cindy and Dani dashed off to the mall's music store. After selecting a few CDs, they decided to spend the rest of their time at the mall with Nate since they didn't want to run into Drake.

"You like that song, mom?"

"I do. Who's it by?" Dani flipped the case to her mother. "The groups have such weird names these days."

"Sure, mom. Not weird like the Monkeys or the Beatles." Dani laughed.

"That was a little bit before my time but… they had great songs." Lacy insisted. With the laughter and easygoing being shared by the two while listening to the music, Lacy decided to bring up the subject that had been on her mind for a while. "You have fun at the mall?"

"Yes. The movie was good, too." Dani was vague in her response.

"Good. I really want you to have as normal life as you can."

Dani assured her mother for the hundredth. "I do. Thanks for letting me go." When her mother remained silent, Dani added the knowing. "But?"

Sighing, Lacy admitted there was a 'but' on her mind. "It's just that with my job…"

"I know, mom. You're worried about us."

"That and… sometimes people will take advantage of you kids in order to get to me because of my… celebrity." Lacy voiced her concern as she lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.

The very intelligent young girl asked. "You mean for the money, right?"

Lacy nodded. "There are other reasons than money. Some people can get obsessed… and when you're out there alone with your friends… I'm afraid…"

Dani turned on her side, propping her arm under her head and asked. "What are you going to do about it?"

Shifting her eyes toward her daughter, Lacy acknowledged her plans for the present. "First, I want you to be very vigilant in your surroundings. If you notice anything or anyone that seems out of place or not right…"

The image of Drake immediately popped in Dani's mind.

"…then you call me right away. Or if you're at the mall since Nate works there, you can go to him about your concerns."

Dani smiled. "Is that why uncle Nate has been hanging around the food court whenever I'm there?"

"Oh, you…" Lacy tapped her daughter's nose. "Maybe."

"It's okay, mom." On several occasions, Dani was relieved to know her uncle worked at the mall especially when she worried about running into Drake the night before. "Mom?"

"Yes, honey."

"What do you think… theoretically…" Dani slyly slanted her eyes toward her mother. "… about a girl my age dating an older boy?"

Red flags flew up in the mother's mind. "How older?"

Dani turned away from her mother's gaze. "Oh, I don't know five…six years older."

Concern flushed across Lacy's face. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"It's not me." Dani assured her mother. "Katie's got this friend… sorta and he asked us to go to a party that they had last night."

When her daughter refused to meet her squarely in the eyes, Lacy sat up. "Did you…go?"

Shaking her head rapidly, Dani assured her mom. "No. We went to the movies. I have the ticket stub."

Lacy placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Honey, I believe you. You've never lied to me."

Dani gulped. And I hope I never do. "I sorta wanted to and Katie for sure did."

"I see." Lacy realized just how grown up her daughter was and just what kind of decisions that she was going to have to face. "Who is this older boy? Where'd you meet him?"

"At the mall. Katie knew him first. He buys her clothes and things."

Two eyebrows shot up. "So this eighteen?"

"Nineteen."

"Nineteen year old boy is buying things for Katie…and what does he expect in return?" Lacy tried to ask the question in delicate but direct manner.

Dani shrugged. "I don't know. He wanted her to go to a few parties and meet some of his friends. I don't think he's asked her anything."

"Dani. To be honest, I'm very concerned about what a nineteen year old boy wants with someone your age." I can only imagine what he wants. Dani noticed the dark look that crossed her mother's face. "Does Katie's mom know about this guy?"

"No! I'm sure Katie hasn't told her about Drake."

"Drake?"

"I don't know his last name." Dani admitted. "Mom? You're not going to tell Ellen, are you?"

Very tempted to, Lacy agreed that for now she wouldn't. "No. I want to find out more about this Drake character."

In a way, Dani was relieved that her mother was going to investigate the matter but she couldn't let her know that she approved of it. "If you have to."

"I do."

***********************

Before Lacy headed off to the Magic House with her three youngest kids, she placed a call to her brother. Lacy managed to get a vague description of Drake from Dani and relayed that to Nate. Once he assured her he would find out what he could, Lacy gathered the children up and headed out the door. She had forgot all about mentioning to Dani regarding her idea of hiring a bodyguard for the children.

Gage stayed home since this was one of Lacy's special outings with her children but she whined to her mother about it. "When she does this, usually she leaves a couple of them with me."

"She asked if you wanted to go." Stella offered her daughter a grilled cheese.

"I don't think she really meant it." Gage took a big bite of the sandwich. "Besides, the kids laughed at me the last time when they saw me in those weird mirrors."

"Uh huh." Stella joined her daughter at the table. "Dani's upstairs. Why don't you spend some time with her?"

Gage frowned at her mother. "I don't like typing with one hand while I have the other one holding a cell phone plastered to my ear."

Shaking her head, Stella chuckled. "You're just not hip, are you?"

"I believe the word is cool." Gage perched her chin on the heel of her hand and frowned even harder.

*************************

Gage had a restless night after Lacy filled her in on that Drake character. She suspected exactly what that type of guy was up to hanging around the mall buying gifts for young girls. In the past, Gage had run into people offering gifts only to want something for it in the end.

"Lacy?" Gage shook her sleeping partner in the early hours of the morning. "Lacy?"

"Mmm…" Lacy's blue eyes remained closed. "What is it? Hayley?"

"No. Do you think Nate found out anything yet?"

Lacy kissed her partner's cheek and said. "Go back to sleep. He said he'd call when he did."

"Maybe I should go down there next time. I have some binoculars, you know."

Lacy dragged her sleepy eyes open and yawned. "Sweetheart, before we let her go again, we'll make sure we know all about Drake." When she had told Gage about the invitation to the party and the gift buying, Lacy noticed a very dark and sinister glare from Gage. She knew something was swirling around in the blonde's head, dredging up dark memories from Gage's past.

Gage sat up. "Let her go again?" The blonde twisted in the bed, facing her partner. "I've been thinking, Lacy. And I don't think she should be allowed out of the house without us until she's…"

"Twenty-one." Lacy offered teasingly.

"Well, I was going to say twenty-five but I can guess we give a little." Gage found no fault in her reasoning.

"We'll be lucky if we can keep her in the house till she's sixteen."

Gage protested. "We're her parents. We can make her stay here till she's seventeen… maybe even eighteen. I should check the law on that."

"Gage, sweetheart…" Lacy caught her lover's chin, pulling it back around to meet her eyes. "Do we have to talk about it right now? We have a few years." Although even Lacy wasn't convinced of that statement.

"Fine." Gage plopped back down on the bed. "What are you going to do today with the kids?"

Sensing her partner's jealous tone, Lacy asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"No." Then Gage mumbled. "Just don't have any time for me lately."

"What?" Lacy turned on her side, facing her partner.

"I said 'when will I get my time alone with you'?" The blonde wore a definite pout.

"Oh…" The dark haired woman crawled on top of her partner. "Am I neglecting you?"

With a bottom lip pushed out, Gage shrugged. "Maybe."

"We can't have that now, can we?" Lacy dropped her head lower, pressing her lips against that of her lover. She fell into the softness, allowing the passion inside to rise unheeded. "Mmmm…. I've missed you."

"Me, too." Gage ran the edge of her tongue along her lover's lips requesting entrance and soon found their tongues waging a war of dominance.

Four hands covered every inch of naked skin that could be found as the two lovers engaged in some passionate early morning lovemaking. It seemed like forever since they'd made love and determinedly decided to make up for it.

But when the telephone rang, Gage reluctantly answered it. The news she and Lacy heard quickly fizzled the rising fire of passion inside each overheated body.

"Okay, Mark. We'll get the next plane out."


Chapter Thirteen

On the long ride to Stonewood Manor, Lacy voiced her opinion once again. "I still think we should have brought the kids with us."

"Lacy, if Samuel gets through this then we'll fly the kids over but if he doesn't… I don't want them to see him die." Suddenly, a dark memory conjured up in her mind about the time another person was bleeding to death in her arms.

************************

Since Samuel Calico refused to remain in the hospital, Mark enlisted a private doctor and full time nurse to be on hand. "Grandfather, Gage should be here anytime now."

Julie held onto Mark's left hand for support while her husband desperately held on to his grandfather's hand.

"Don't worry. I won't die till she gets here." The ninety-five year old man still full of humor winked at his only grandson.

"I wish you wouldn't say that."

"Why? It's true." Caring blue eyes connected with his grandson's blue eyes, mirrored back at him. "A person has to know when its time and accept it gracefully. Your grandmother did. Besides, Mark, I want to see her again. And that goes for your mom and dad."

Tears filled Mark's eyes at the mention of his grandmother and parents. Julie scooted closer, wrapping her arm around her husband.

"And I'll say hi to Sharon and that you still love her. If you want." Samuel asked his son's permission.

"I'd appreciate that." Mark and his grandfather hadn't spoken of Mark's first wife for years and it still conjured up a bevy of emotions inside to hear her name again.

Sparing a look at Julie before glancing back at his grandson, Samuel said. "I'll tell her how happy you are with your new wife. She'd approve wholeheartedly." Samuel reached his other hand out toward Julie. "Sharon would want him to be as happy as you've made my grandson. And I can't thank you enough."

"Thank you, Samuel."

The old man made a face. "Gull darn it. Is she always that stubborn? I've yet to get her to call me grandfather."

Julie stood up and leaned over the prone man. "I love you, too, grandfather." Then she kissed him.

Smiling, Samuel said. "Been trying to get her to do that all along. Better watch it, Mark. I may just decide to hang around and give you a run for your money with that one. She kisses good."

"First you're after Lacy and now you're going after Julie. What's wrong grandfather one woman not enough for you?" Gage walked around the bed leading Lacy. "Hmmm?"

"Come here you." When Gage leaned down, he kissed her. He waited patiently to receive a kiss from Lacy before he spoke again. "Now your grandmother… that was some woman." He wiggled his bushy eyebrows.

"What's this I hear about you pretending to be sick just to get us here?" Gage teased her grandfather.

"I do what I have to." He winked at her. Then he turned to the matter at hand that he knew both of his grandchildren would balk at. "I want to talk to you about the estate."

"Maybe we should leave." Julie considerately said.

"No…no. It involves all of you. You're all family." Samuel assured them. "By the way, how's those grandkids of mine? Ornery as ever?"

"Ornery? Sometimes, I guess. Mostly sweet." Gage grinned.

With an impish twinkle in his eyes, he smiled. "They get that from me."

"They sure do." Gage admitted.

"Now about the estate."

*************************

The next few days were a blur as Samuel gave a general overview of his estate regarding his wishes for Gage and Mark's families. Resigned to their grandfather's stubborn insistence that it was time for him to go, the two took refuge in their partner's support.

As the four gathered around Samuel, tears waxed and waned the night their grandfather smiled for the last time.

Gage was glad Mark took care of the funeral arrangements while he was grateful for the blonde who offered endless support in his decisions. Actually, there were very few decisions to be made since Samuel had planned everything out to the last detail. It was just a matter of notification.

Once again, Lacy and Gage discussed bringing the children over from the States and once again Gage opposed the idea. Ultimately, Lacy caved still fearing that their children and Gage would regret that decision.

Gage, for her part, wanted their children to remember their grandfather as they had last seen him, full of vibrant life. A picture of a dead person lying in a casket haunted her to this day. That vivid image was not one she wished to carry with her the rest of her life but she had and Gage had hoped to spare her children from that same burden.

There were times during that week that it seemed as if everything was in slow motion. Samuel wanted a private ceremony and his grandchildren held true to his wishes.

Several lawyers met with Mark and Gage regarding the estate and unless it was something that needed immediate attention, the two decided that they needed time to get over the loss of their grandfather and put those issues on hold.

Mark and Julie left first for the States while Lacy longed for a few days alone with Gage. She was anxious to return home to their children but felt they needed some time alone to reconnect. Lying in each other's arms, Lacy relaxed as they fell blissfully into the quiet tranquility that both of them desperately needed.

However, it was another phone call that disturbed their peace.

This time Lacy answered it and said. "Okay, Stella. We'll get the next plane out."

A hiked eyebrow posed the unspoken question to her partner.

Lacy sighed. "David showed up at home."

************************

After a long and tiring flight, Gage and Lacy walked in their home to meet a syrupy smile from a very relaxed David. "Welcome home, Lacy." He leaned in, kissing his ex-wife on the cheek before turning toward Gage. "You, too." He spat sarcastically.

"David." Gage offered him her best scrawl as her jealous green eyes tracked his hand brushing along Lacy's arm. The blonde deliberately stepped between them. With a counterfeit smile, she said. "Can't say it's nice to see you again."

Lacy rubbed the small of Gage's back, comforting her partner. "Gage."

David looked past the blonde to Lacy. "You feel the same… about my presence?"

"The jury's still out on that one." Lacy sighed, moving closer to the blonde. "Seriously, why are you here?"

David's hazy gray eyes bounced off of Gage before he answered. "Maybe we could talk alone."

Leading the pack, Hayley wobbled into the large open entrance with Dani right behind. "Momma?"

On a direct path to his mother, Derek whipped past his younger brother, bumping Sammy out of the way. "Mom? You bring me anything?"

With a steadying hand, Dani prevented Sammy from losing his balance. "He's gonna get it." The little boy huffed.

His older sister paused long enough to assure Sammy. "Yes, he will but don't you want to say hello to mom and Gage first?"

That statement brightened Sammy's blue eyes. Nodding, Sammy smiled before resuming his trek to his mom.

After a quick kiss and a long hug, Lacy passed Hayley to Gage. She leaned down and hugged Derek, which was interrupted by Sammy's arrival. "Move." Sammy shoved at Derek.

"Hey now." Lacy picked up her youngest son.

Sammy rubbed his eye and frowned. "He started it." The angry look on his face turned into a bright smile when his mother kissed him.

"You shouldn't have got in my way." Derek announced smugly.

Before Lacy could respond, David stepped up, placing his hands on Derek's shoulders. "I'll talk to the boy."

"Hi, mom." Dani welcomed her mother before she shot off her all-important question. "Katie invited me to a sleep over this Friday. Can I go?"

It took the tall dark headed mother a moment to process everything that had transpired in the midst of her arrival back home. David's showing up unexpectantly and Lacy could tell he had been drinking. Gage's jealousy when David got a little too friendly. The mother also sensed the conflict between her sons and now Dani was asking permission to go to a sleep over at her friend's house. The same friend that was seeing an older boy. Needing time to address all the issues at hand, Lacy put her daughter off. "We'll talk about that later."

Sammy turned to Gage, pulling at her shirt. "What did you get me? Dani said you got all of us something."

Gage winked at the youngster and nodded toward the nearby bag on the floor. She hoped the presents would off-set the news of their grandfather's death.

Sammy wiggled free from his mother's arms, trying to get to the bag before Derek did. He was too late but his sister decided to help him. Dani grabbed the bag from Derek. "Over here." They followed obediently.

David laughed with a smirk as he shifted his accusing eyes toward Gage. "Buying their loyalty?"

The blonde rolled her eyes and moved away before she lost control of her emotions and hauled off and hit him. Lacy provided a safe barrier between them.

David leaned in closer to Lacy and whispered. "Now that the kids are busy why don't we talk?"

The astute two year old couldn't hear what the tall stranger said to her mother but she didn't like his closeness to Lacy. Reaching for her mom, she called. "Momma?"

As Lacy pulled Hayley into her arms again, the small girl grilled David with a searing glare of her green eyes. She only wanted Gage or one of her siblings to get close to her mother, not some stranger that had recently showed up and acted like he owned the place. Hayley leaned her head up against Lacy's neck. "Love you."

"Oh, honey, I love you, too." Lacy brushed her lips against her daughter's blonde hair.

David couldn't resist. "It wasn't too long ago you said the same thing to me."

Great! I don't need this. Lacy hoped Gage wouldn't fall into David's trap and respond. Her world was spinning out of control and more than anything she needed the support of her partner.

Sucking in a very deep breath, Gage stifled the several smart retorts that came instantly to mind. She took her daughter from Lacy. "Come on, Hayley. I've got something for you, too." Gage kissed a very relieved Lacy before the blonde whispered. "Go ahead, talk to him. The sooner you do the sooner he'll leave."

Lacy welcomed her lover's kiss. Nodding toward the study door, Lacy commanded David to follow. "You coming?"

David caught Gage's warning glare so he stifled the sexual comment that danced on the tip of his tongue, not entirely sure why.

************************

"Want me to get you a drink?" David placed his hand on Lacy's shoulder. "You look like you could use it." He walked to the sparsely stocked bar that housed only a few bottles of wine and one bottle of bourbon.

"What I need you can't provide." Lacy quipped smartly. Upon hearing her own words, she let out a deep sigh. "David, no games please." Lacy moved away from her ex-husband, taking a seat behind Gage's desk. "Well? What's on your mind?"

Rebuffed by the beautiful woman that he had once held in his arms, David walked toward the large window. Taking a long sip from his glass of bourbon, he attempted to buy himself a few more seconds before he laid out his plans.

************************

"You didn't forget me?" Stella lifted her green eyes, trying to see if there were other presents in the bag.

Sitting on the floor in the middle of four happy kids, Gage chuckled. "Me forget? Are you kidding?"

Stella accepted a small package from her daughter. "Lacy remembered right?"

"Oh ye of little faith." Gage smiled, remembering their hurried gift buying at the airport while they waited for their plane. "Okay she picked it out."

Stella stooped down to give her daughter a hug. "Thank you and don't worry. She loves you very much."

The blonde smiled, knowing that her mother was referring to Lacy and to the fact that she shouldn't be upset that Lacy was in the other room alone talking with her ex-husband with whom she had had three children. Feeling reassured at least for the moment, Gage jumped up and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. "I'm hungry. You kids hungry?"

Grabbing their gifts, the three youngest children followed Gage to the kitchen, leaving Stella and Dani behind. "Okay, I'll fix you all something but Derek no more cookies for you."

Without turning around, Derek mumbled. "Damn it that sucks."

Surprised, Gage paused but decided to remain silent. She didn't want a confrontation with the young boy after just getting back and having to give him bad news about their grandfather.

Dani gently touched Stella's arm. "Don't worry about him. He's just in a mood."

"Oh, I know." Stella wrapped her arm around Dani. "You want something to eat?"

Dani hesitated. "I don't… I think I'll wait to talk with mom about this weekend."

"Honey." Stella offered her grandchild some sage advice. "Lacy just got back and she's got a lot on her mind right now. You've got plenty of time to ask her…. when she's in a better mood."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Dani looked over her shoulder at the closed study door. "Somehow I don't think dad has good news."

************************

David swallowed the last of his drink before slowly moving over next to Lacy. Still standing, he shrugged and said off-handedly. "I talked with Ted Connolly. He's got a wonderful script. Should make a great movie."

Lacy leaned back in her partner's chair. Rubbing her forehead, once again she pondered several looming predicaments. She dreaded dealing with David right now. Running through her mind was the debate… well argument… she had with Gage on the plane ride home. After Samuel died, Lacy wanted to tell their children over the telephone about his death since they had originally planned to stay on for a few more days. Gage argued against it saying they should wait till they got home. Her partner didn't offer any reason for the delay. However, Lacy suspected Gage was trying to avoid it completely. Something was bothering the blonde and that weighed heavily on her mind.

"Lacy? Did you hear me?"

"Is that why you're here?" Lacy straightened, sparks flying from her ice blue eyes. "Because David if that is the only reason I cut short our…" Calming herself, she continued. "That could have waited or a phone call would have sufficed." The frustrated brunette redirected the conversation. "Just tell me why you're here."

The tone in Lacy's voice forced David to reconsider his original approach. He slumped down in the chair in front of the desk and sighed, barely in a whisper. "I think Hayston's leaving me."

"What?" Lacy stood, walking around the desk. As she sat on the edge of the desk, Lacy grinned. "She finally wised up, huh?"

The beaten man shot her a disgruntled hateful and somewhat hurtful glare.

"Sorry David. I couldn't help it." Lacy crossed her arms, having seen David look this way only a few times in her life. "I'm sorry about you and Hayston and I'm sure you'll work it out but what's that got to do with me?"

Angrily, David shouted. "We did have a life together once. I thought you'd care." He grunted. "You're so wrapped up in that… blonde bitch…"

Springing off the edge of the desk, Lacy leaned down with deadly blue eyes glaring at him. "Stop right there. You so much as utter one more even slightly bad word about Gage and you will never be welcome in our home again. I mean it, David."

On the few occasions Lacy had issued an ultimatum to him during their marriage, David easily recognized the strength of her warning. "Fine." He was antsy inside and needed to move.

Lacy watched David come up out of the chair and pace around the room. David desperately wanted another drink to steady his nerves but refused to face Lacy's disapproving look. He had seen it several times before during the last year. It was a look that grated against his fragile superego's foundation, one that he had cultivated for many years at the expense of others. He realized, far too much to his own dissatisfaction that Lacy's approval meant a great deal to him.

He paused briefly before sharing his fears. "Lacy, you know I'm been all about my work… maybe too much but… well, things aren't going like I planned."

"You're not blaming me because I quit the show." Lacy could tolerate hearing her ex-husband's woos but refused to be his escape goat.

Waving his hand about, he denied it. "No, no. That's not it. I know I made a couple of mistakes." He admitted, chancing a glance at his ex-wife. "Hayston's got a new show and it's promising but…"

Lacy sat down on the edge of the desk again. "Is that the one with Griffen? My agent mentioned something about it. It's a sitcom, right?"

That name grated against David. He didn't want to think of his old boss. Ron Griffen was the man David had tried to weasel out of a deal they were working on together. Even though they were still amicable, Griffen refused to work with David on some key projects. "Yeah. Ron's still a little touchy about that, you know, thing that happened."

Lacy did know and was well aware of the lucrative projects that dried up after David's nearly unforgivable betrayal. "I see. David, I've read Connolly's script and you're right. It will be a great part for someone but not me."

Nearly pleading, David moved toward her, too close. "Why not? You're perfect for it." He was almost licking his lips. "If I could bring you to the project…"

"That's your ticket in." Lacy surmised, pushing off the desk and slipping back around the desk. "I'm sorry David. I can't."

Standing straighter, David collected himself and demanded. "You want to tell me why? Is it something or someone?"

"You can get that accusing tone out of your voice. It's not because of Gage. As a matter of fact, she doesn't even know it was offered to me."

David's eyes brightened. "Lacy! That's terrific."

With one look, Lacy effectively killed his enthusiasm. "Did you hear me? I turned it down."

Slamming his eyes shut for a brief moment, David ran over his options and rifled through several strategies that might work. "You said you didn't tell Gage?"

The actress hesitated then took her turn at the window, staring out. "There's been so much going on lately with the kids, Derek…" Lacy thought briefly about her partner. "…and besides what's the point. I'm not doing it."

"Hold on a second." David rushed to her side, grasping her arm lightly. "We can work around this whatever it is."

Turning briskly around to face him, Lacy asked. "I see. You came to be a shining example to your son and help with his… unusual behavior."

"Sure." David piped up. What his ex-wife hadn't informed him about regarding Derek's behaviors, Dani did upon his arrival in St. Troy two days ago. "I'll have a talk with him."

Frustrated that David didn't comprehend the gravity of the situation, she taunted him with a smart comment. "Great. Why don't you spin your magic words and make everything all right."

"I thought you wanted me to have a better relationship with him." David accused her. He saw the debate in Lacy's eyes and claimed a small victory.

Lacy jerked her arm away from his touch as the weight of the world pounded down on the brunette's shoulders, she sighed in deep despair.

Chapter Fourteen

Rubbing his hands together, David strolled into the kitchen with a smile on his face. "Hey guys. What's for lunch?"

Glancing at her daughter first and seeing the frown on Gage's face, Stella walked past the blonde placing a reassuring hand on the writer's shoulder but directed her comment to David. "I've got some grilled cheese. You want one?"

"Uh? Sure. Why not?" David scooted up to the table between his two sons. Bumping Derek lightly, he asked. "You like this stuff?"

Still chomping on his grilled cheese, Derek shook his head. "Uh huh."

Stella placed a sandwich in front of David. "Thanks." He studied it for a moment. Noticing that the older woman was eyeing him closely, David tentatively took a bite. "Good." He munched on the sandwich although it was not his usual culinary fare.

Wondering where Lacy was, Gage made a beeline in search of her partner.

"Ah, Derek." David turned toward his son. "What do you say we… uh, go outside and I don't know… throw a ball around later?"

"Yeah." Derek was excited. "Can we go down by the lake? There's these little baby ducks and one of the raccoons was chasing them and I wanna see if he came back because…"

"Hold on there son." Derek's enthusiasm was a good sign but none of what his son proposed appealed to the city man. "We can go to the lake… just maybe talk about a few things. You know, man to man."

"Me… me, too. I wanna go." Sammy insisted. "I can talk, too."

"No. You can't go. It's just me and dad." Derek taunted his younger brother.

Stella waited to see how David would handle the situation. Awkwardly, David touched his youngest son's shoulder. "Sam, how about when I get back you and I can do something together?"

Crunching his eyebrows together, Sammy wasn't too keen on the idea until Stella got his attention. "That sounds like a good idea, Sammy. In the meantime, you can show me and Hayley your new car."

"Okay." The little boy happily agreed. He looked at his little sister; eyes shined brightly and assured her. "It can go real fast."

************************

Crossing her arms across her chest, the blonde fumed. "Why does he have to stay here?"

The dark headed woman wrapped her arms around her partner as Gage looked out the window. "He's having some problems and he wants to help with Derek." Lacy paused then added sincerely. "He is trying."

"Yeah, I know what he's trying to do." The unfounded jealous thought swept crossed the blonde's mind. Reluctantly, the blonde uncrossed her arms and let them drop.

Lacy held Gage tighter. "Gage, sweetheart, I think he's serious about being a better father. Trying to be more hands on."

"Yeah, well, he better kept his hands off you." Gage huffed, once again crossing her arms tightly.

Lacy leaned in placing gentle kiss on the blonde's neck. Nuzzling the sweet nectar of her lover's skin, Lacy moaned. "Yours are the only hands I want on me."

Quickly, turning into her lover's embrace, Gage pulled Lacy tighter. "We've got our own… things to work out."

Relishing the closeness of her partner, Lacy sighed. "Yes, I know. And we need to tell the kids about Samuel."

Dreading the thought, Gage reluctantly agreed.

************************

"Go ahead, dad." Derek handed his father a flat rock. "You can do it."

David stepped carefully toward the soggy shore. Taking careful aim, he threw the rock side arm as his son instructed.

"See?" Derek pointed at the two ripples in the water. "That was pretty good for a beginner."

David dusted his hands off, refusing another rock from his son. "That's okay. You go ahead." He watched his son throw a couple more rocks skipping them along the water's surface. "That was a good one."

"Yeah." Derek agreed brightly upon seeing his rock skip the surface four times. "Gage taught me. She can do…" The young boy let his words fall upon seeing the slight frown on his father's face. Changing the subject, Derek suggested. "You wanna go look at the jet ski. I can drive it and everything."

Holding onto his son's shoulder, David eyed a nearby bench about twenty-five from the lake's edge. "Why don't we sit and talk a minute?"

Happy to do as his dad suggested, Derek plopped down next to the older man. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Straight to the point, huh?" David mussed his son's hair. "I like that."

Derek smiled, happy to have his dad's approval.

Contemplating briefly on how to start, David sucked in a shallow breath. "Your mom is… concerned about your behavior lately." David twisted toward Derek. "And, frankly, I am too."

"Oh." Derek pursed his lips, not liking the direction of the conversation. In his defense, Derek offered. "You said I should think for myself."

"That I did." David was temporarily at a loss. Now what did Lacy suggest I say. "Let's see. You should be an independent thinker. That's a good thing. It's just that… well, you have to listen to your mom." Happy with his reply, David thought. That should do it.

"But I do." Derek countered then reluctantly added. "Mostly."

"Then it's the 'mostly' we should talk about. You need to listen to your mom and do what she says all the time." David lightly tapped his son's arm. "She only wants what's good for you."

"What about doing what Gage tells me?" Derek asked, waiting curiously to see what his father would say.

"Well… I don't know if…"

"Mom said I should." Derek inserted, adding to his father's dilemma.

Damn. Thinking quickly, David conceded. "I'm sure your mom has a good reason for that… like when she's not there… maybe you should then."

"Okay." Derek thought back to something his father said when he visited him in Los Angeles. "What about being more adversertive?"

"Ad… what?" Derek's father asked before he remembered his own words to his son. "Oh, you mean, assertive." He vaguely remembered having a similar conversation with his son.

"Yeah."

"Absolutely."

Smiling, Derek took advantage of the opportunity that presented itself. "Can I get a tattoo? Dani got her ear pierced and you said it was okay even though mom didn't like it."

Hmmm…. Lacy did warn me that one was going to come back and bite me. "Maybe I should talk with your mom about that first."

"She isn't gonna like it." Derek assured his father. "But I don't think Gage cares if I do."

Surprised upon hearing his son's last comment, David referred to what Derek said about his mother not agreeing to a tattoo for their son. "Maybe." David offered but knew exactly what Lacy would say to that conversation.

"Maybe… dad?" Derek treaded smartly with his next suggestion. "You should be more… assertive."

David chuckled, wrapping his arm around his son. "Maybe." Yet, he knew very well that was not the tact to take with his formidable ex-wife. "I'll talk to her but no promises." He stood up, wondering for the first time what kind of tattoo his son wanted and where that idea first came about. "And besides what kind of tattoo would you want anyway?"


**************************

"A lion? Well, that figures. He loves animals and yellow is his favorite color." Gage surmised as she leaned back in her chair wondering how exactly she ended up in a room alone with David.

Realizing the blonde was correct about Derek's favorite color, David cautiously tried to gain Gage's favor. "So? What do you think?"

Sighing heavily, Gage offered a tight smile. "I think Lacy will go through the roof if we both gang up on her about this tattoo thing."

"Derek indicated that you might be okay with it." David tried to be civil in accomplishing his goal.

"I'm not as opposed to it as Lacy but then again, I have my own reasons for that." Gage admitted, yet even she was not thrilled about a nine year old getting a tattoo.

"That's a start."

Getting up from her chair, Gage leaned forward on her desk. "David, Lacy believes you're here to help and… you really do care about your children."

"I do." David agreed adamantly.

Holding up her hand, Gage confirmed. "I believe you. But I am not getting in between you and Lacy on this. I want what's best for Derek no matter what you think."

David nodded. He wasn't willing to argue that point with Gage and besides it would disrupt his original plan so he remained quiet.

Gage walked around the desk. "I'm not exactly happy that you're staying here… with us. But… I think Derek could really use your help. He has always wanted your approval and, well, I want Derek, Sammy and Dani to have a good healthy relationship with their father."

Pointing to himself, David smiled. "That would be me."

"Yes, that would be you." Sneering, Gage leaned toward David. "But a word of warning. If it looks like even for one second that you are trying to undermine Lacy with the kids…."

"Okay, okay." David stood up. "I get the picture." He turned to leave Gage's office. At the door, David swung his head around. "Believe it or not, I do want what's best for my children, too."

Gage watched David walk out of the room. On the one hand she believed him but on the other, Gage wasn't quite up to trusting him completely. He may want what's best but does he know what's best for them. Of course, Gage had her own doubts about if she knew what was best for their children. Considering my past.

************************

After Nathan picked up Dani, giving her a ride to the mall, Lacy closed the front door leaning against it. She was glad her brother would be working that Friday evening and offered some semblance of a protective eye over her daughter but the worried mother could not keep away a nagging doubt about her decision to allow her daughter to stay over at Katie's house. Lacy was nudged from her dark musings when the doorbell rang.

When the dark haired woman opened the door, Hayston Rawlings greeted a surprised Lacy. "I don't suppose you have a clue as to the whereabouts of my wayward boyfriend?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Lacy's shoulders dropped in a visible sigh. "It's good to see you again, Hayston."

"Yes, well, I wonder if that will go for David." When Lacy raised her eyebrows in confusion, Hayston added. "If he's happy to see me here."

Just then, with drink in hand, David stepped into the entranceway and upon seeing his girlfriend, he muttered. "Oh, fuck." Upon his quick retreat, David didn't see his son standing close by nor did he hear Derek mimic him.

Seeing Hayston at the doorway, Derek echoed his father's sentiments. "Oh fuck." The young boy found refuge before his mother noticed him.

Smiling tightly, Lacy swung her arm down the hallway. "We're going to have dinner in a few moments. Would you like to join us?"

The manicured Hayston swept by her former co-worker. "Why I'd be delighted."

Lacy stood alone near the doorway for the longest time, trying to maintain a civil composure. The pressure was building, cascading around her like a swirling tornado. Under stress and ready to explode, Lacy sucked in a deep, calming breath in an attempt to traverse the inevitable emotional minefield that was begging to detonate.

************************

Nathan dropped Dani, Katie and Cindy at the mall's food court to grab a bite before they were set to see a movie. Dani assured her uncle that once the movie was over she would stop by his store before Dani and her friends left the mall.

Katie's mom was going to pick up her daughter and her friends when the mall closed. But the young girl convinced her mother that Dani's uncle would drop them off at her house before midnight after he got off work. And since Nathan had picked all the girls up to take them to the mall, the unsuspecting Ellen believed her daughter.

When Lane Grayson, the tall blonde sixteen-year-old boy who Dani liked, showed up at the mall, both Dani and Cindy could not be swayed by Katie to forego the movie and instead meet her elusive Drake. It didn't help that Troy, another school friend, showed up.

"This just bites." Katie pulled Dani back behind the group. "We had plans. Remember?"

"About that… I don't think that's a good idea. Besides…" Dani started to explain.

"Besides what?" Katie fumed. "I can see Cindy being a big baby. But I thought you were more… cool with it." The brown-eyed blonde glared at her reluctant friend.

"It's not that… my mother trusts me." Katie rolled her eyes. "And besides… I don't want to go to a party. Not that kind anyway." The talk her mother had with her planted a logical seed of doubt about what a nineteen-year-old male wanted with a fourteen-year-old girl. Dani liked to think of herself as mature beyond her years and many would agree but even Dani admitted to herself that something wasn't right in the rose color scenario that Katie tried to paint about Drake and his intentions.

Hiking her hands on her hips, Katie announced. "Well, I'm going with or without you."

Panic reigned briefly before Dani hastily collected the group's attention. "Hey guys?"

Cindy, Troy and Lane turned around.

Grabbing Katie's arm, Dani announced to the group. "Katie says she doesn't want to go with us."

"Oh, come on." Troy begged. "You can sit by me."

Katie rolled her brown eyes. "Great."

Even though Dani liked Lane, she knew that at one time Katie vied for the cute boy's attention. "Lane? You want her to go with us, right?"

"Sure. It will be cool. Come on." Being pushed by Dani to stand next to her friend, the young man was confused. He thought Dani liked him and he definitely liked the pretty dark haired fourteen year old.

"Grab her hand and bring her along." Dani insisted to Lane before whispering in Katie's ear. "You sit next to him. He likes you."

That perked Katie's attention but that didn't stop brown eyes from searching the parking lot even as her friends pulled the reluctant blonde along.

When a dark van slowed in front of the movie theater, the driver saw Katie go inside with her friends. Pissed, he sped off.

*************************

When Stella sat down at the dinner table, she looked at Hayston and asked politely. "So, will you be staying with us, too?"

Silence dominated the room as everyone froze, waiting on baited breath to hear the latest visitor's answer. Realizing that she had garnered the attention of everyone present and now knew that David was staying there, Hayston allowed a small smirk to prop upon her face. "What a wonderful idea." She reached over, touching Lacy's hand. "That is if you don't mind."

Gage prayed that Lacy would scream out a deafening 'you can't stay and David has to leave, too' but in her heart she knew her partner would be congenial and agree to another unwelcome visitor in their home.

"Of course." Lacy said before offering a guilty looking Stella reassurance that her innocent question did not cause a problem.

It took a reassuring touch from Gage to make her mom allow her remorse regarding the question to ease fully. In support of her partner, Gage added her agreement. "Absolutely, no problem. The more the merrier." The blonde was surprised to see that David had not warmed up to the idea.

Hayston saddled up next to David, purring. "Looks like you have a roommate."

Seeing that his dad wasn't too keen with the idea of Hayston's arrival, Derek protested. "Why don't you stay at a hotel?"

My thoughts exactly. The blonde nodded her head slightly.

Lacy was about to correct her son's outburst but his dad laughed it off. "Now, now Derek. I'm sure Hayston won't scream as loud as she did when you scared her back in L.A."

"David!" Glaring dark eyes warned her boyfriend. She wanted desperately to forget that incident and went about fluffing her hair and straightened her pristine white top.

David played innocent, ignoring the dark daggers sent his way. "Well, it was funny dear."

Hearing his dad laugh, Derek burst out in laughter. That started a chain reaction as Sammy and Hayley joined in. Remembering the incident, Stella, to her credit, stifled a small giggle while both Lacy and Gage turned their heads hoping to stay out of the fray.

Realizing that she was the butt of the joke, uncharacteristically Hayston allowed her anger to dissolve and joined in with a small smile of her own. "Yes, I guess it was quite funny." She refused to allow anyone to know the anger she felt.

When she squeezed David's arm, he tensed. Seeing the evil glint in his girlfriend's eyes, the man knew that he would never hear the end of it but for now he was safe. Changing the subject, he complimented Stella on the dinner. "Your grilled cheese was great… really. But this…" David nodded toward the remaining food on the table. "…was spectacular. I don't think I could eat another bite."

Standing to clear the table, Stella thanked him. "Now let me just get this while all of you go in the other room."

Lacy stopped Stella from proceeding with her offer. "No, you go. I've got it. Gage can help me."

"Me… I get to help, too." Sammy offered happily. He jumped down off his chair and looked at Gage. "Give me a little help, will ya?"

Gage winked at the cute five year old. "I'm at your command."

"Here momma." Hayley held up her small plate. "Take it."

Derek grabbed his father's arm. "Come on, dad. Let's let the women clean up."

When Lacy turned toward her son, David intervened again. "I already know what you're thinking, Lacy. I'll take care of it." Much to Derek's dismay, Hayston followed them out of the kitchen.

"Well, that was interesting." Stella said to break the tension. "Are you sure you don't want me to help?"

"No, thanks. Gage and the kids will take care of it." Lacy assured her mother-in-law before seeing if her partner agreed. "If that's alright with you, sweetheart?"

"Oh, let's see." Gage picked up Hayley from her highchair and put her down. "Washing dishes with you and two of my favorite people." Gage winked at Hayley and Sammy. "Or entertaining David and Hayston." Shaking her head, Gage teased. "Hard choice." The blonde leaned over and kissed Lacy on the cheek. "I'll always choose you."

Smiling, Lacy tossed the dishtowel at her partner. "Good decision." As Lacy happily cleaned the kitchen with her helpers, she temporarily forgot her worries regarding what Dani was doing about now.

Chapter Fifteen

Earlier in the evening Nathan had watched his niece enter the movie theater along with her friends and now stood near the mall waiting for the group to come out of the theater. From what his sister had told him and the little he found out about Drake, the protective uncle's gut feeling was demanding this extra bit of precaution. Nathan noticed now for the second time the same dark van pass slowly through the parking lot.

When a large crowd crossed the lot, Nathan watched the van slow to a stop near a darken area where they collected the mall's trash. He then saw his niece and her friends break from the larger crowd and head toward the mall.

It was then a tall young man slipped from the van, heading toward the small group. The man watched the small group enter the mall while one of them hung back. Swinging his head around a few times to case the surrounding area and finding nothing out of the ordinary, he approached the lone figure. "Hey."

With a bit of hesitation in her voice, Katie greeted her friend. "Hi. I was looking for you. Sorry about tonight. My friends insisted on going to the movie."

"It's alright but you owe me." Drake smiled, wagging his eyebrows and reached for her.

Being led by her arm, Katie reluctantly followed Drake. "I should get back to my friends. Maybe you could come with me."

"Nope." He yanked at her. "We've got a party to hit."

"But…" Katie stumbled as he led her along toward the van. "I shouldn't… maybe next time."

Twisting around sharply, Drake glared at the blonde. "You don't get it, do you?"

Shaking her head, she was unable to verbalize any response. Katie felt the pressure he was exerting on her arm.

"You owe me." Drake demanded.

Nathan used his cell phone to call the mall's security before rushing up behind the man. Tapping the man on the shoulder, Nathan asked. "Excuse me. What do you think you're doing? Let go of her."

"Huh?" The dark haired man jerked around. "Who the hell are you?"

Cruel blue eyes glared at Katie's evil friend. "I said let go of her." Nathan inserted himself between Katie and the tall aggressor.

"Yeah. Says who?" The young man shoved at Nathan, primed for a fight. But when the security vehicle rounded the corner, the angry young man lost interest in an altercation. He sneered at Nathan then Katie before he hurried back to his van. They'll be other opportunities.

Nathan listened to the security officer radio the police, requesting they run the plates on the van. And not to his surprise a certain young man by the name of Drake Henson was listed as the owner. "Mike, thanks for your help."

Nodding, the security man said. "No problem. I'll keep an eye out for the van and pass the word along."

Nathan walked back to the mall doors with a shaken Katie by his side, gently holding her arm. Nearing tears, she turned away from Dani's uncle.

"Hey, you alright?"

Katie refused to answer.

************************

Since Dani was preoccupied with saying her goodbyes to Lane and Troy, she hadn't notice Katie leaving the group. "Where's Katie?"

Cindy shrugged her shoulder. "I don't know. Maybe at your uncle's store."

Sighing, Dani grabbed the redhead's arm. "Come on."

They arrived to see Nathan embrace their upset friend. "Uh oh." Cindy was worried about Katie.

Dani touched her friend's arm. "You okay, Katie?"

She sniffled a bit before answering. "I guess.

************************

After settling the kids to sleep, Lacy headed to bed. It had been an exhausting day and she was more than ready to fall into her partner's arm and find some comforting peace.

"Come here." Gage held the cover up so Lacy could slip under them and snuggled up against her.

Lacy laid her head on the blonde's shoulder, bending her long leg up and over Gage. She draped her arm across her lover before inhaling a deep breath. "At last."

Gage brushed her lips against her dark haired lover just before a searing scream echoed through the house. "What the…" Gage jumped out of bed with Lacy close behind.

In the hallway, they met a white powdered covered ranting female yelling at the top of her lungs. "You little bastard. Where are you? When I get my hands on…"

Gage slapped a hand over the upset woman's mouth. "Hayston, just calm down."

Struggling to get away, the heated woman spat in a voice now slightly less than a roar. "That's the last time that little…"

Again a hand cupped her foul mouth but this time it was Lacy who stopped her. "Not one word. Do you hear me?"

The sun-streaked blonde's glaring brown eyes that were shooting daggers barely controlled her rage. Pursing her lips tightly together, she gestured wildly as her fisted hands sought something to hit.

Calmly, Lacy spoke. "Tell us what happened."

"That… he…" Hayston was losing all control and nearly erupted again when she saw the smirk on David's face. "You bastard. That stupid son of…"

When David saw Lacy's hand cocked and ready to slap his girlfriend, he stepped between them. "Hayston, calm down. It's just a little powder."

"Just a little… oh, you son of a bitch." Hayston pushed him away. Wiping the white stuff from her face and trying to shake the powdery substance from her hair, she gave David an ultimatum. "If I find out you put him up to this. Oh!" She grunted in anger. "That's it. I'm leaving. I'm tired of your drinking, feeling sorry for yourself because you can't get a job and fucking up my life." The venting woman turned quickly, leaving a dejected David standing behind with Lacy and Gage nearby.

David jerked when he heard the door slam.

Gage placed a hand on Lacy's shoulder. "I'll check on the kids."

Lacy placed her hand on Gage's before the blonde hurried off. When David turned toward her, Lacy sighed again for what now seemed like the twentieth time that day. "One question, David. Did you?"

"No!" But David did have to admit his part in what happened. "When Derek was in L.A., he had found a small spider. It wasn't harmful. At least that's what he told me and Mason agreed." David was referring to his butler. "Well, Hayston uses this special face powder. You know the kind that comes in that round case and… well…"

"You encouraged our son to put it in the case." Lacy concluded.

"And we sorta mixed and matched some of her make-up." Reluctantly he admitted but David couldn't contain a small chuckle. "It was funny."

"Now Derek thinks it's okay to toy with her because you in effect gave him your approval and…" Lacy sat down at the top of the staircase. "You're supposed to be a good example instead of using him for your kicks."

"Come on, Lacy. She'd been bugging me about my drinking and lack of work. Accusing me of not being able to provide for her. I didn't mean to use the boy. He found the spider and there was the case and the next thing you know… scared the hell out of her." He attempted some humor as he plopped down next to her. "Come on." He nudged Lacy. "She did look funny, didn't she?"

With her hair drowned in the white powdery substance and white face, the ever perfectly made up woman was a sight for sore eyes. Lacy found herself laughing even though she knew she should maintain a mature composure.

"See." Laughing harder, he bumped the dark haired woman. "I told you it was funny."

"David stop. We shouldn't." However, Lacy could no longer contain herself. The unnerving stress she had been holding came bellowing out with a hardy laugh.

"I wonder how he did it?"

"That's a good question and you can be the one to find out." He offered her a questioning look. "And I'll be there to make sure he knows what he did was wrong."

The seriousness of Lacy's statement hadn't stifled the small chuckles from them.

Gage walked up just in time to see Hayston with a small bag march deliberately down the hallway. She glared at the two laughing hyenas sitting at the top of the staircase then she stepped past them. After descending a few steps, Hayston twisted around. "David! When you get your act together, you know where to find me." Sneering at him, she added. "Or maybe not."

Even as his world was crumbling down around him, David couldn't keep the smile off his face. He watched the woman he truly did care about walk out the front door and maybe out of his life forever. It was then a sudden sadness covered him. The only thing that kept David's fragile world together was Lacy's comforting hand, rubbing his back.

Standing behind Lacy and David, the blonde scratched her neck as she watched her partner comfort the confused man. "Ah… the kids are still asleep… considering. Except Derek. He's pretending but I know he's awake."

Getting up, Lacy hugged Gage. "I'll go talk to him."

"You want me to go with you?" David asked.

Shaking her head, Lacy sucked in a deep breath. "No, I'm just going to tell him we'll talk with him tomorrow." And that I love him no matter what.

Left alone with David, Gage wondered what to do next. Finally, she asked. "You want to help me clean up the mess?"

"Nah." David stood. Without looking at Gage, he admitted. "It's my fault. I'll do it." He took a few slow steps then turned back around. "Don't let Lacy be too hard on Derek."

The near pleading in his gray eyes that matched Derek's was nearly the blonde's undoing. She saw sincere remorse in them and a sense of something lost perhaps forever. "Right."

When Gage arrived at Derek's room, Lacy was talking gently to her son. She overheard him admit he had perpetrated the stunt. "I was just having a bit of fun."

"What if it had happened to you?" Lacy reasoned with her son. The concerned mother hadn't intended to discuss the incident tonight, however, Derek knew he was in trouble and didn't want to wait till the morning.

Derek shrugged his shoulders. "I don't mind getting messy."

"Okay." Lacy thought a moment before she continued. "What about your racetrack and cars?"

"What about it? Did Sammy do something to it?" Derek started to get out of bed, pushing back the covers.

Gently pushing him down again, Lacy assured him. "No, but what if he did? How would you like that?" He frowned. "You wouldn't because it's one of your favorite things and Hayston's make-up, her personal things are her favorite things."

"And she doesn't like to get messy." Derek added, remembering the ghastly look on her face all too vividly when she found the spider.

"No. She doesn't." The tired mother confirmed.

"But you don't mind, do you mom?" Derek stated assuredly.

Tapping him on the nose, Lacy smiled. "Most of the time, no."

Gage wanted to join Lacy but was reluctant, not knowing if their son would be receptive to her suggestions. The blonde hung just outside the door being as supportive to her partner as she could at the moment.

Rubbing her temple, the concerned mother advised Derek. "Honey, I know that there's been a lot going on and I guess you think I haven't been open to some of the things you want or have done lately but…"

"It's okay, mom. I still love you." Derek assured her, patting her hand.

Lacy smiled. "Oh, I never doubted that for a moment."

"Mom?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can I go to sleep now?" His gray eyes drooped.

Tucking him in, Lacy agreed. "Sure." Lacy kissed him on the cheek and brushed her fingers through his short brown hair. "Goodnight."

Gage met Lacy at the door. "Come on." The blonde wrapped her arm around her distressed partner. "There's always tomorrow. Things will be better. I promise."

Leaning against her partner, Lacy reluctantly nodded. "I hope."

*************************

The next morning after breakfast Gage drove over to Katie's house to pick up Dani. Hayley and Sammy insisted on riding along in hopes of their blonde buddy stopping by the ice cream place.

The first thing out of Dani's mouth was the whole story about Drake and what happened between him and her uncle. After hearing the story, Gage hesitated about telling Lacy since she knew her partner was near an emotional perilous edge with everything else going on. But the blonde reasoned that Lacy would be more upset finding out about it later rather than sooner. I just gotta figure out some way of telling her without adding to her already overtaxed emotional state.

When Gage drove up to their house, she saw Stella and Lacy's mom putting a few bags in Lynn's car. Derek was helping them. Pulling the car to a stop, Gage opened the backseat door to get Hayley out while Dani assisted her younger brother. "Hey, what's going on?"

Lynn pulled Gage aside as Stella gathered the children around the car. "Nate told me about last night and I came over to see how Lacy was doing. When I called earlier, she was pretty shaken up."

"Why? What happened?" Gage moved toward the house in search of her partner.

"Hold on a minute." Lynn stopped the blonde. "When I called, Stella answered and I guess Lacy picked up the phone right when I was telling your mom about last night with what happened."

"Where is she? Where's Lacy?" Gage demanded.

"David's inside with her." Lynn turned the blonde's head back around. "Stella and I thought it would be a good idea to take the kids over to my house for a few days. Stella will come too. That will give you and Lacy time alone together."

Gage stared at Lynn with a puzzled look on her face.

"Gage. I love you like my own. And you've brought so much happiness to Lacy and the kids." Lynn said sincerely.

Waiting for the hammer to drop, Gage now looked petrified, fearing Lacy was about to leave her.

"I've known my daughter longer than I have you but I can tell with Lacy and even with you something's… not right." Lynn wrapped her arm around the woman her daughter pledged her life to and smiled. "Whatever it is I know you two can work it out."

"Did she say anything… about me?"

"No. She needs you." Lynn pulled Gage closer. "So be there for her. I think you know what I'm talking about."

Gage did know exactly what her mother-in-law was referring to and the blonde so much wanted to open the floodgate and unleash all of the pent up dark memories from her past but fear was the key that held them in check. "Okay." The blonde walked slowly toward the house. She stopped to kiss each of her children goodbye and told them she loved them. Gage nearly broke into tears when even Derek hugged her back, squeezing tightly and proclaimed he loved her too.

Dani wanted to assure her mother that she wasn't going to go to any parties without Lacy knowing about it and that they only went to a movie. Gage consoled the young girl when she let her know that her mother knew Dani had never lied to them. And I never will. Reluctantly, Dani climbed in their grandmother's car with the rest of her siblings.

Stella kissed her daughter on the cheek and whispered. "You are the strongest person I know." She kissed Gage again then added. "Besides Lacy that is."

That made Gage smile. "That she is." I only pray she's strong enough to love me even after she knows the truth about me. In that moment, Gage steeled her will to demand entrance to all of her buried past and open the curtain for Lacy to see everything about her.

*************************

Lacy paced across the floor finding some comfort in Gage's writing room. Several times she slid her hand lovingly over her partner's leather chair. Wishing that Gage were home, Lacy looked up when David walked in.

"Your mom and Stella just left with the kids." David announced.

"Good." Lacy crossed her arms, pacing the floor like a wild caged animal. "I don't want them to see me like this." At first Lacy refused to accept her mother's plans because she desperately wanted to ensure that Dani was okay. After hearing her mother tell Stella about that Drake character, she went into emotional overload. When her mother heard the strain in her voice, Lynn announced she was coming right over. Stella and her mother insisted on taking the kids for a few days. The frantic mother finally agreed when Lynn pointed out how shaken her daughter was at the moment. "Did you see Gage?"

"No. Her car's outside but…" Lacy rushed past him but he stopped her. "Wait a minute."

"What?" Lacy practically shouted. "I need to see Gage." The determined woman had every intention of scarfing up her partner and going over to her mother's house.

Turning the shaken woman toward him, David tried to calm her. "Take a few deep breaths first. Okay?"

Wanting to collect her thoughts, Lacy reluctantly did as instructed.

"Why don't we sit down over here?" David steered her toward the couch but Lacy refused.

Instead, she compromised by leaned up against Gage's desk.

It was David's turn to pace. "Lacy, I know this isn't the right time but…"

"David? What is it?" His fidgeting temporarily took her mind off of her own troubles. But she was losing patience with him fast.

He stopped directly in front of her. "What should I do about Hayston?"

Lacy just glared at him. I can't believe this.

David wrongly thought that by getting Lacy to help him with Hayston, he could take some burden off the already over stressed woman. "Really. I could use your advice."

Exhaling a frustrated breath, Lacy lit into him. "I am so fucking fed up with having to deal with your problems when I have problems of my own. Derek acting out. Lots of help you've been there. And some oversexed man
stalking my daughter and her friends. Then Gage won't… " Lacy grabbed his arm when he turned away, forcing him to face her. "David, stop drinking so much. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Get a job and for heavens sake…"

"You could help with the job part." David insisted, standing straighter. "If you only took that role in Ted Connolly's new movie."

Neither David nor Lacy saw Gage at the cracked door.

"I already told you. I turned it down." She forced herself to steady her overwrought nerves.

"It's because of Gage. She's selfish, right? And you are putting her feelings first like always." David truly didn't want his talented ex-wife to give up her lucrative career.

"Oh, David. Come here." Lacy wrapped her arms around the man she had once loved. Shaking her head against his, she said calmly. "You are amazing."

Seeing Lacy embrace David was the blonde's undoing. From the center of her core like an erupting volcano that refused to stay contained, Gage shook as tremors of emotional fragments overflowed unrelenting through her shattering veneer. She could no longer function yet somehow her feet did as they had done many years ago, running as fast as they could in order to get away from the haunting scene that had just played out before her.

Holding him close, Lacy's whispered words spewed pure venom, countering his accusation. "So fucking amazing that you think you're always right. Yes, it's because of Gage that I want a life more than just making movies. It's because of Gage that my life is now complete and even at my worst… even now with everything going on… I am the happiest I've ever been in my life. And, yes, it's because of Gage that I am free to be me, do what I want, when I want and how I want. And Gage is everything I want." An evil smile formed on Lacy's face before she finished. "And it's because of Gage and the mean words you've spoken about her that I'm going to do this." Lacy cocked her leg back and kneed him.

"Oh fuck Lacy." Grabbing his crotch, David fell down. "Was that necessary?"

Slapping her hands together, Lacy grinned. "Apparently." She deliberately headed toward the door but turned briefly and ordered. "Pack your bags and go home, David. Now!"

With the slamming of the door, the man was still on the floor, squirming with pain. "I'm gonna need a minute." He moaned loudly.


Chapter Sixteen

When Lacy entered their bedroom, Gage looked up with scared green eyes. Quickly turning away, the nervous blonde fidgeted with some clothes in her hands before she determinedly marched to the closet and pulled out a travel bag.

Confused and exceptionally concerned, Lacy demanded. "What are you doing?"

Gage refused to look at Lacy as she stuffed a shirt into the bag. Torn as what to do, the blonde paced back and forth wanting to speak but unable to find the words. A million turbulent thoughts bombarded her mind vacillating over staying or leaving. The blonde chanced a hastily look toward Lacy before heading to the dresser.

"Gage." Lacy chased after her anxious partner. Grabbing Gage's shoulder, Lacy yanked her around and pulled the bag from the blonde's hand. Lacy tossed it behind her. "What's going on?"

Breathing heavily, Gage's green eyes looked everywhere except at her partner. Backing away, the blonde tried to pull loose. "I… I…" Gage glanced around Lacy, trying to see where her bag landed. She pushed past the upset dark haired woman, picked up the bag and threw it on the bed.

Drawing in a deep breath, Lacy saw Gage stuff a pillow in her bag. It was obvious the blonde wasn't paying any attention to what she was doing. Lacy stepped up next to Gage. "I don't think you need that." Lacy retrieved the pillow and threw it on the bed but it fell off the other side. When Gage jolted across the bed, Lacy grabbed her. "Oh, no, you don't." Lacy flipped the blonde over, effectively holding Gage in place. "Now you're going to talk to me."

Gage refused to meet her partner's concerned eyes.

Brimming with such emotional upheaval, Lacy demanded. "Gage, talk to me. Damn it."

The blonde's breath quickened when Gage fought against Lacy's hold. "Why?" Gage nearly screamed.

"Because this can't go on any longer." Lacy held the twisting blonde by her wrists. "We need to talk and this time I'm not letting you go until we do."

"Why?" Gage insisted again. "What the fuck difference does it make?"

Shocked, Lacy leaned back but she was still perched over Gage. "What difference does it make?" She repeated softly. "I don't matter to you anymore? We don't matter? Is that what you're saying?"

Green eyes squinted. "You lied to me."

"I lied to you? You lied to me." Lacy accused her lover.

"You want me to leave? Is that it?" Gage pushed up against Lacy. "Well, that's what I was doing until you stopped me."

Lacy let the blonde up and watched Gage begin to pace the room again, running her hands through her short hair. "Is that what you want? I mean so little to you? The kids… that you would leave us?"

Gage was so close to opening up and taking that final step by revealing her past to Lacy but that all changed when she saw the woman she loved embrace David. There wasn't one rational thought in the overwrought blonde's head at the moment. "You want him? Go ahead. Then you can accept that part in the movie that you so…" Gage glared at Lacy. "…conveniently forgot to tell me they offered to you."

"The same way you so conveniently forgot to tell me about your ex-lover Gail?" Lacy shot back. "I know I asked you about that and don't you dare deny it."

"There are some things a person fights to forget." Gage mumbled, glancing at the door then she searched for something, anything to grab hold of but instead paced the room. "Ohgrrrr… damn it."

Trying desperately to collect herself, Lacy fought against the angry words fighting to lash out against her partner in retaliation for the times Gage retreated when Lacy needed her most.

Scrambling off the bed, Lacy confronted Gage. "I'm not going to let you leave." Lacy pressed Gage's face between her hands. "It's time to stop running."

But that's exactly what Gage wanted to do. However, the determined touch of her lover's hands held the blonde in place. Gage sucked in several deep breaths as if building up a head of steam, waiting to be unleashed against an onslaught of dark memories that flooded against the long held gate. In a small voice, Gage simply acquiesced. "Fine." Gage knew that the only chance she had of holding on to what she treasured most, Lacy and their children, then she would have to let go. Let go of every fucking thing that happened in my fucking life.

Lacy gently caressed her lover's face. "Do you want to sit on the bed… with me?"

Shaking her head, the blonde eased away from her partner. Breathing hard, she summoned every wonderful memory she had shared with Lacy as an anchor to steady her resolve.

Sensing Gage needed some space, Lacy backed away and calmly sat on the edge of the bed. Though she had the foresight to place herself in a position between Gage and the door. "Will you tell me now?"

Rifling her hand though her hair, Gage stretched her neck and closed her eyes as if to say a silent prayer. The immediate future popped into the blonde's head and she was sure once Lacy knew about her Gage would be left alone. Like I've been most of my life. Facing away from Lacy, Gage admitted. "You deserve to know. And I won't blame you if… you want me to leave after…"

Lacy jumped off the bed, embracing her lover from behind. "I will never leave you." The dark haired woman whispered then brushed her lips against Gage's head. She could feel the blonde trembling. Lacy wanted desperately to continue to hold Gage but knew her lover expressed herself best when she was moving. It was the same when Gage was coming up with ideas for her stories. She was constantly on the move, walking around, pacing the room until the idea percolated out. Hugging Gage tightly once more, Lacy stepped back. "Go ahead."

It seemed like hours before Gage turned around and faced Lacy. "You want to know why I backed away when Derek started acting out?" The blonde asked and Lacy nodded. "Because I am Derek. That was me years ago." Unfocused green eyes stared off into space recalling a very unhappy memory.

"Gage, sweetheart, I know we have problems with Derek but we can work them out… together. They're not that major. Don't you think?" Lacy assured her lover.

"Oh, I started out innocently, too. Just little things just like Derek… that turned into a nightmare." Gage started to turn away but instead chose to remain facing Lacy. "That's why I'm the last person to help Derek."

"You're wrong." Lacy insisted, nervously grinding her hands together. "I think you're exactly the person to help him."

"Lacy, you don't know." Gage began pacing through the room again. "Like I said in the beginning it was small things. Cussing. Playing tricks on the other kids or the foster parents. You know hiding things. Doing things to scare the other kids." A dark memory crashed against the forefront of her mind. "Did I tell you about Johnnie?" Lacy recognized the name of her partner's childhood friend, Gage laughed. "Not everything." I've kept so much from you.

"Will you tell me now?" Lacy coaxed her reluctant lover.

Nodding, Gage leaned against the dresser. "He was… my best friend. I remember the first time I scared him." Gage chuckled, relieving some of the tension. "I told you about that."

"Gage, sweetheart, what happened wasn't so bad. My brothers and
tried to scare each other all the time and sometimes it doesn't turn out the way we planned." She briefly recalled the cave incident.

Sadly, Gage revealed. "That was the first time I ran."

Lacy walked over to Gage and rubbed her arm. "They sent you away, didn't they?"

"And Johnnie, too. We didn't get to see each other until a few years later. By then we were… fourteen, fifteen. And hell raisers." Gage glanced at Lacy. "We smoked a little… drank a lot." The blonde squeezed Lacy's arm then moved away, needing some distance as she prepared to tell the rest of the story. "We got into all sorts of trouble. Fighting, stealing. At first, it was a pack of cigarettes, beer, food… things like that then it… well, got worse."

"Gage, I can't say I understand completely but considering the kind of life you had, I'm not surprised you had problems." Lacy wanted to be as understanding as she possible could but she had to admit that her childhood was much different.

"With Derek, Lacy." Gage took a quick breath when she started to explain the connection between her and their son. "When our foster parents… anybody told me I couldn't do something. Well, that made me want to do it all the more. It was my little way of being free from them. It just pushed me further away. Not that we were close but… I began hating them, resenting them."

"And that's why you distanced yourself from Derek. You thought he would want to do whatever it was even more and end up hating you." Lacy surmised. She could never believe that would ever be the case but knew that was what weighed heavily on her partner's mind.

"After the things I did, who was I to try and tell him what to do?"

"His parent." Lacy stared directly at Gage.

"Yes, but…"

"Gage, I know you had a hard childhood and I wish things would have been different for you but… Derek has us, parents that love him and would do anything for him."

"That's not true, Lacy. I didn't." Gage took full responsibility for her failure as a parent.

Shaking her head, Lacy marched over to Gage. "You have shown our little boy so much love and dedication. You, Gage…" Lacy lifted the blonde's head so she could look into Gage's green eyes. "When Derek was shy and afraid, you were the one that got through to him. Not me and certainly not David. It was you." Lacy wrapped her arms around Gage. "We are so lucky to have you."

Gage welcomed the embrace but felt she didn't deserve it. "There's more."

"Okay." Lacy backed up and assured her partner. "But it won't change the way I… we feel about you."

Gage had her doubts as she proceeded. "Johnnie and I pretty much lived on the streets by that time. We ran away from every home they put us in. We were our own little gang. Nobody messed with us. We each had a knife but… we liked to use our hands. We fought a lot." Gage paused as if to consider whether she should proceed.

"I'm here. Go on, sweetheart." Again, Lacy struggled to stay in place, allowing Gage the room she needed.

"We needed some money and… there was this little store." Gage ran a hand through her hair, dropping it down to scratch her neck. "We waited till just the clerk was inside. I figured we go in and demand the money or beat him up. Maybe brandish a knife just to let him know we meant business…" Gage chanced a glance at Lacy. "Like we had before when we needed money."

Lacy shifted on the edge of the bed but offered her partner a reassuring smile.

"We went in, demanded the money. Johnnie was behind me watching for anybody coming in. I flashed my knife. The clerk just stood there for a minute and I thought he had froze but… all of a sudden I got this bad feeling. Then out of nowhere there was this shotgun in my face." The blonde's body squirmed a bit as she remembered the details. "From that point, it was all a blur and I wanted Johnnie and I to get out of there as fast as we could. And I swear to God I don't even remember hearing the shot but…" Gage swallowed hard. "The clerk… his eyes just stared off in space and that's when I saw the blood."

Lacy's hands covered her face in shock. "Gage." Lacy raced toward her lover but Gage pushed her away, not wanting any sympathy from her partner that she knew she didn't deserve.

"Johnnie had a gun. I didn't know it." In her mind, Gage was reliving the horror of moment. "There was bleeding all over the place and I… when I turned around Johnnie was covered with blood, too. Both of them must have fired their weapons at the same time."

Lacy stood firm, holding an unwavering small smile on her face to ensure her partner knew she would always be there for Gage. But the blonde refused to look at Lacy.

"I looked back at the clerk and he was holding his chest. That's when I heard the door slam. When I turned back around, Johnnie was gone, leaving a trail of blood. And the gun was lying on the floor. I… for the longest time I couldn't move." Gage backed herself up in the corner of the room, leaning against the wall from the bloody images stampeding in her mind. Her voice trembling, Gage continued to relay the horrific story. "The man tried to say something but blood was gurgling out of his mouth and I just stood there. I knew he needed help, Lacy. But I just stood there… watching him bleed to death."

Lacy watched a shaken Gage slide to the flour as tears flooded the blonde's eyes. The dark haired woman had tears of her own.

As the memories of that day relentlessly bombarded the stunned Gage, she crawled up in the corner, tucking her legs up close to her chest in the fetal position as waves of emotion welled up inside pouring out in streams of tears. The blonde's body shuddered with each expelled breath.

Lacy rushed to her partner and cradled the blonde in her arms. Brushing her short hair, Lacy soothed Gage as tremors shook the blonde's body. "Oh, Gage, sweetheart. Please, it's okay. Everything will be all right."

The crashing onslaught of memories pounded at the fragile emotional wall, breaking it, shattering and penetrating through until it came crumbing down around the broken woman in Lacy's arms. With tears draining from her eyes, Gage conceded to what she knew was true. "I'm evil. I don't deserve you or the kids. Don't you see, I'm not good enough. I knew it all along but I was selfish." Gage pounded her fist against the floor. "Selfish because I wanted so much to… if just for a little while know what it was really like to be loved. But now you know… you know what I did… what I was. Who I am."

Lacy hugged Gage even tighter. "I know who you are. You're the woman I love."

Gage tried to push Lacy away. She knew the truth and she didn't want Lacy to feel sorry for her either. "How can you love someone who left her best friend to bleed to death?"

Lacy was confused. "Johnnie? What happened to him?"

"After I ran out of the store, I… I don't know I don't remember where I was running to. I ran till I couldn't run anymore. Later, I went back to where Johnnie and I were staying… and he had managed to get back there somehow." Gage tried to pull away from Lacy but she would not relinquish her hold. "I was afraid but found myself holding him in my arms after he called my name. He was smiling at me. Smiling? Can you believe it? Blood all over his body and he's smiling." Gage wiped the tears from her face. "We were like that for a long time. I knew he needed help but… I was scared." The blonde sucked in a deep breath. "When I heard the sirens, I looked at Johnnie one last time. His eyes were closed and his body limp but I knew he was still alive. Barely."

"Sweetheart, it's okay. I'm here."

"I left him and ran." Gage chanced a quick glance toward her partner. "Lacy, I left him there to die. Just to save my own butt." The blonde let out a harsh laugh. "They caught up with me before morning and locked me up."

Lacy brushed her lips against her lover's blonde head.

Trying desperately to collect herself, Gage wanted to simply evaporate from the loving arms of her partner that encased her. "You should leave me. David wants you back anyway and that would be better for your career… and the kids."

Seething from hearing the ugliest words Lacy had ever heard, she twisted Gage around to look squarely at the crying woman. "Damn it, Gage." Lacy said with determination. "I'm a woman in love. You are the one. The only one. You just don't give up on the other half of your soul. I can't walk away. Do you hear me?" Lacy shook Gage. "I have to have you. You're everything to me. I… I would die without you."

"But I saw you with David downstairs…" The blonde whimpered, trying to erase the memory of that embrace.

"No!" Lacy commanded the blonde to be quiet. "You're what's best for the kids and me. You're what's best for all of us."

Trying to hold back the tears, Gage argued. "Lacy, didn't you hear me? What I've done? I left Johnnie bleeding to death and the clerk, too. I could… should have helped them. No, I ran and I've never stopped running."

"None of that matters. I love you Gage Ballant." Lacy brushed back a tear of her own. "And all I want to hear from you now is that you love me, too."

"I…" When Lacy glared at the blonde, Gage relented, speaking the absolute truth. "You know I do."

"Then say it." The heaving brunette demanded, needing to hear the words herself.

"I love you Lacy Levine Ballant." Gage mustered a small smile on her tear stained face. "And I love all of our children." Still feeling unworthy, Gage took comfort that the women she loved was still there by her side.

"You better." Lacy insisted, pulling Gage even closer. "Because you have us and you have to keep us… forever."

Nodding, Gage relished her partner's touch. "Lacy?"

"Hmmm…." The dark haired woman brushed her lips against Gage's blonde hair.

"About Gail…"

"You don't have to explain."

"I think I want, too. And I didn't lie on purpose. I just never wanted to remember." The hurt was too much for the blonde to bear so she had buried that part of her life forever or so she thought.

Lacy shifted Gage in her arms. "Okay but first let me tell you about that movie role."

Finding comfort in her lover's arms, Gage waited.

"Art did call me about the part and yes I turned it down. I've turned down a few other parts as well. Not because of you… well, not entirely and not because of what you think." Lacy assured her lover, sweeping her hand over Gage's arm. "It would have taken me away on location and I didn't want that. Derek had been acting out and you were…"

"I'm sorry." Gage knew she had contributed to the problem by distancing herself from Derek.

"I know and I can understand why now." Lacy kissed Gage lightly on the lips. "And Dani wanting to be more independent… when Art asked about the role, I didn't even consider it. My family… you and the kids are my world and besides, I've decided that I only want to do projects with you and Mark. So we can be together."

"Lacy, you'll pass up some wonderful roles."

"I thought about that and you know what?" Gage shook her head. "My greatest role is being your wife and mother to our children. Now I ask you what can be better than that?"

Gage smiled, happy to feel some of the tension ease. "You, me and the kids piled in bed watching a movie on a rainy morning."

Lacy laughed. "Well, there is that." The younger woman leaned her head against the blonde. "So tell me about this Gail."

For a moment, Gage didn't know if she was strong enough to traverse that emotional minefield. But Lacy deserved to know everything. "We met when we were both nineteen. We were working at the same place and became friends. I had no idea I was attracted to women… anybody actually. Johnnie and I were close but there was never any romantic attraction. Gail had an apartment and asked me to be her roommate."

"So you were friends first?"

"Yes. I think we lived together five or six months before anything happened. We just got closer and closer. I didn't have any family and she sorta became mine."

"What about Johnnie?" Lacy asked, wondering what happened to him.

Gage dropped her head. "He died."

"I'm sorry."

"I should have tried to help him more." Gage confessed.

Sensing that the memory of her best friend's death was too much for Gage to talk about, Lacy returned to the subject of the woman she knew hurt the woman in her arms. "So you and Gail became lovers?" Even saying that word left an ugly taste in her mouth as she thought of Gage with someone else.

Lacy was surprised when Gage laughed. "If you can call it that. You see, neither one of us knew what we were doing. It was more fumbling than lovemaking."

"What happened then?" Lacy didn't want to hear the intimate details between her lover and the woman that she was very jealous of at the moment.

"We were together about a year and half when her sister came to visit. Well, it was hard not being together… you know while she was there. And I thought we hid our feelings pretty well but…" Gage let out a heavy breath. "It wasn't two days after her sister left that Gail's parents called demanding that she come home for a visit. They lived a couple of hours away."

"I take it they didn't approve." Lacy said, happy to have such loving and caring family that accepted Gage and their love from the start.

"It was a long time ago and things were different. I know that there are people who don't accept two women loving each other even today but back then it was harder. So Gail went home and when she came back, everything had changed." Gage rubbed her temple, remembering the distance Gail put between them. "She announced she was moving back home and that was the end of our relationship."

"You must have loved her a lot." Lacy really didn't want to hear the answer to that question but she was trying to be understanding to her partner's needs.

Gage scooted up to look directly into Lacy's beautiful blue eyes and decided to be totally honest. "She meant the world to me…" Seeing Lacy drop her head, Gage propped it back up. "…back when my world was small. The love I had for her was like… a river. What we have…" Gage pointed between herself and Lacy. "…this between you and me, our love is an ocean. With Gail, it never meant nearly as much as what we have. You and me." Gage leaned in, kissing Lacy tenderly with as much love as she could show in that one kiss.

It must have conveyed all the love Gage held for Lacy because the younger woman shed a few tears of joy. "Thank you."

"No, thank you, Lacy." Gage wiped her partner's tears away. "The unconditional love and support you give me still to this day shakes my very core. I never thought I deserved it but craved it all the same."

Lacy sprayed a few sweet, delicate kisses along Gage's cheek and her lips found their way to the blonde's neck. "I don't deserve you."

"No, I don't deserve you." Gage countered.

"Gage, sweetheart…" Lacy moaned, still placing small kisses on Gage's neck. "Let's call it a stalemate and accept that we both deserve each other."

Feeling slightly faint from the tantalizing lips staking their territory, Gage acquiesced easily. "Oh, God yes." Wanting nothing more than to take her woman to bed, Lacy reluctantly halted her sexual assault on her lover when Gage suggested. "I should tell you the rest." She wanted Lacy to know exactly why she tried so desperately to bury that part of her life forever.

Fanning her overheated body, Lacy relented for now. "Okay."

"The one thing Gail did say to me before she left was that…" The blonde nearly broke into tears again. "…that if we were on a deserted island then she could be with me."

Thinking that Gail's love only existed when no one else knew about it and that Gage's ex-lover was not proud of the blonde, Lacy fumed. "Why that…"

Gage cut Lacy off, placing a single finger to her lover's lips. "I was in love and took that statement at face value then. I never thought she meant it any other way than in a good way. I knew how hard it was for her to face her parents about our relationship. It was probably the most difficult thing she ever had to do up until that point. I didn't want to think that she meant it in a bad way."

"Uh huh." Was all Lacy could come up with but a silent thought ran though her mind. If I ever see her again, I'm going to strangle that bitch.

"A year later we happened to run into each other at a party. Well, actually I saw her first and went over to talk with her. Just as I had approached, a friend of hers said she had seen me come in and asked about the rumors about Gail and I. Gail laughed and said that I was after her but she had no interest in me at all and as a matter of fact Gail told her friend that she had told me about maybe if we were on an island, she would think about it but basically I would be the last person on earth she would be with. She laughed again saying that I was foolish enough to believe her and that her being with me would never happen."

Oh, I am going to hunt you down and with my bare hands…

"Lacy?" That brought the younger woman out of her vindictive musing. "I was devastated. I thought no one could ever love me or want me. That I wasn't worthy enough to be loved. But you did."

"And I still do… always." Lacy kissed the blonde. "And not that I really want to bring him up but Mitch was very interested in you."

Gage shrugged that comment off. "It was always friendship between us. Even Mitch would admit that. We were both lonely and needed to feel like somebody cared. But you, you were different. The unwavering love and devotion you so easily give to me. It's hard to believe I could have gotten so lucky. Even though I don't deserve…"

"Not that again." Lacy moved up over Gage. "I am going to kiss you so hard that you will never again think that way." And true to her word, Lacy did just that. The younger woman's hands traced the contours of the blonde's body as Lacy deepened the kiss.

"Lacy?" Gage gulped for air. "Can we take this to the bed?"

Lacy paused momentarily, winked then kissed the blonde hard once again. "Gladly." She stood up, pulling a dazed Gage with her.

The next thing Gage knew she was on the bed under a determined woman, having her way with the blonde. But Gage stopped Lacy if only for a moment because there was one vow she wanted to make to the woman she loved. "I will never, ever withhold anything from you again."

"Mmmm…" Lacy growled. "I'm going to hold you to that."

Gage smiled at the woman on top of her. "Hold me to anything you want… just hold me."

Lacy wrapped her arms around Gage, turning them over so that now the blonde was on top. "You've been there for me and the children all these years, Gage, and I wanted to be there for you, too. I need to be there for you." Lacy kissed her lover. "Thank you for sharing your story with me."

In between heated kisses, Gage barely got out the nagging thought. "What about David?" The blonde wanted to know why Lacy was hugging David.

"Fuck David." Lacy pulled back her hungry lips reluctantly before gazing sensually into Gage's concerned eyes. "Not that way." She assured her lover then smiled. "And I don't think he'll be doing that kind of thing for a while anyway."

"Uh oh." Something told Gage that her protective lover ambushed the poor man and the distant sound of a slamming door echoed David's departure.


Chapter Seventeen

Upon having cleansed her soul to her mate, Gage needed reassurance from Lacy that the woman belonged to her completely. Lacy was only too happy to convey the depth of her love for Gage.

Gage took advantage of her position, leaving a trail of kisses down Lacy's sensitive neck. She paused briefly sucking the luscious skin that eagerly invited the blonde to feast upon. "God, Lacy. I want you."

The brunette moaned.

With a sense of great urgency, Gage felt an overwhelming desire to take her woman and savor every touch, caress and moan from her lover. "Lacy?"

"Mmmm…." The younger woman relished her lover's touch and soft lips, devouring her.

"I need you."

"You have me."

"Always?"

"Forever."

The blonde's hand drifted up and down Lacy's arm before coming to rest on her lover's cheek.

Lacy reached around her lover and pulled her close. Blue eyes stared into green, each melting with desire. When Lacy kissed her lover, Gage responded with desperation as their tongues battled in harmony. The torrid kisses shared fueled the hunger between them.

Breaking from the heated kiss, Gage slid her tongue down Lacy's neck, pausing at the necklace her lover proudly wore. "I love you."

"Me, too." Lacy responded breathlessly under her lover's careful and tender caresses she was receiving on her neck from Gage's soft lips.

Gage's hand slowly traveled down Lacy's body, coming to rest on her lover's left breast. "Beautiful." She murmured between the tiny kisses she gave Lacy.

"Don't stop."

"Never." Gage eased her body up against Lacy, forcing her lover's legs to spread. The blonde found a familiar home between the long legs of her partner. Gage thrust her hips against Lacy several times, causing the brunette to let out a long hungry moan. I love it when I make her moan like that.

Lacy ran her hands over Gage's backside, producing the predicted and erotic moan from her lover. I love it when I make her moan like that.

Both women needed the lovemaking they were embarking on. They needed to reconnect and share the depth of the love they had for each other. The needy craving both women shared for each other overtook every emotion in their overheated bodies.

Gage lifted up and hurriedly pulled off Lacy's top. "I have to have you… now!"

Lacy assisted her lover then immediately clawed at Gage's shirt, ripping it off. There would be no denying the need they had for each other and nothing was going to stand in there way. "Lift up." Lacy had already unbuttoned her lover's jeans and pushed them down.

Gage finished taking them off before dropping down on her lover who noticed that the blonde was not wearing panties. The kiss was intense and filled with a fiery passion that nearly forced both women to come together.

Barely conscious from the dizzying kiss, Lacy shoved her pants down and her lover was astute enough to give them one final yank and pitch them across the room along with her lover's panties. "I need to feel you."

The blonde sank down again on her lover as Lacy wrapped her long legs around Gage and automatically thrust her hips forward. That elicited another languid moan from the blonde. "Again."

Both women moved in tandem, moving in a rushed rhythm against each other. When Gage devoured the nipple before her, Lacy again squeezed her lover's backside. They shared another groan that only served to heighten the burning hunger, demanding to be quenched.

Gage suckled feverously at her lover's breast and her hands moved unimpeded across the sensitive body of her partner. Breathing heavy, Gage begged. "Lacy, I want… I need… all of you." There was no denying the intensity of the need the blonde had for Lacy. Gage poured all of her love into every kiss, every touch and every breath they shared.

Lacy had not been wearing a brassiere but Gage was and the dark haired woman wanted no more of it. She unhooked the bra and ripped it off of Gage. The quick move did not halt her lover as she continued to suckle Lacy's breast.

Gage's tongue swirled around the tasty nipple several times then she nipped at it before swallowing the breast greedily. Her hand found favor with Lacy's left breast ensuring that it was not left unattended.

Lacy for her part was delirious with a starving yearning to be taken completely by her lover and she encouraged Gage to consume her. "Gage, sweetheart." When the blonde sucked hard on Lacy's breast, the younger woman under sensual assault yelled. "Oh God, sweetheart…"

"Yesss…." The blonde looked up only briefly to see what her lover needed. Her busy hands never paused as they traversed her lover's beautiful body. Gage ran her hand over Lacy's hip and down her thigh then slipped between her partner's legs. Feeling the heavy dew of moisture pooling between her lover's legs, Gage nipped at Lacy's nipple once more before she kissed her lover on the mouth again.

With Gage's hand firmly placed between her legs, Lacy fell into a vortex of need as Gage played mercilessly with the most sensitive part of her body.

"God, sweetheart, that feels so good." Lacy husked, moving her hips against the insistent hand.

"You feel good." Gage moved back to Lacy's breast. This time suckling on the left one that tasted like heaven.

Lacy's breath labored under the continued hot and heavy sexual attack that rained down on her and she wanted to touch her lover. "Gage, let me…" Lacy's own insistent hand found her way to Gage's center, refusing to be denied the savoring silky feeling that her fingers enjoyed every time they found themselves playing between the blonde's legs.

Feeling her own breathing increase rapidly, Gage continued to devour Lacy and still wanted, needed, no, craved more. "Baby, I want to taste you."

Reluctant to lose contact with the fire she felt burning between the blonde's legs, Lacy allowed Gage to scoot lower. The younger woman's hands found their way to the soft, supple skin of her lover's strong back. "Yes."

Gage savored every taste of her lover's skin as she moved lower. She kissed and licked and sucked every inch within reach of her mouth as her hands ran slowly up and down the shapely curves of Lacy's body. When Gage's tongue dipped into the brunette's navel and ran her hands over Lacy's highly sensitive breasts, the younger woman moaned loudly. "Gage, sweetheart, God that really sends me."

The blonde was well aware of how that maneuver affected her lover and used it often. As she wanted to linger there longer drawing more delicious moans from her lover, Gage was selfish since she could no longer deny what she craved. Moving lower, Gage stopped at the apex of her lover's legs. Green eyes looked up to meet dazed blue and in a knowing silence, she asked permission.

"God yes!"

With an urgency that equaled no other, Gage dropped down and partook of the delicious treasure that was being offered up to her without reservation. She greedily licked, sucked, kissed and smoldered her lover's beauty with her tongue, lips and mouth.

Lacy pushed her lover's head deeper between her legs. She spread her legs and looped one over Gage's shoulder, falling to rest on the blonde's back.

Gage wrapped her arms around her lover's hips as she continued to consume what she couldn't ever get enough of. God, I need this. Baby, please… please let me have you. Gage begged silently since her mouth, lips and tongue were much too busy enjoying the feast before her.

Lacy thrust her hips into the blonde's face, demanding satisfaction. "Gage, oh God baby… I need you. Make me…" When Gage used her tongue to swipe the length of Lacy's center, she screamed. "Oh, God, yes!"

The older woman buried her face deeper in the nether valley and explored the depths of each silky fold and cavern. Gage slipped her tongue inside Lacy which brought of series of hurried thrusts from her lover's hips. Gage could feel the wetness spring from her overheated body and pool between her own legs. God, baby, I'm going to come. The pleasure the blonde delivered to her lover always brought on this desired response. Lacy's moans and eagerness for her lover's attention served up such emotions within Gage that she inevitably shared the climax of their lovemaking time and time again even without direct stimulation.

Lacy wanted to touch more of her lover but knew Gage would not relinquish the reserved spot between Lacy's legs that was meant only for her. She instinctively knew her lover needed to take her, body and soul. And Lacy was letting her and enjoying it immensely. Gage continued her highly arousing assault with such strength and passion that Lacy's felt a deep crescendo building that would not go unheeded before she burst into a powerful and earth shattering climax.

With wild abandon, Gage again devoured her lover's gift and she worshiped the taste, feel and wetness that Lacy offered her in return. Only pausing long enough to suck in a deep breath, Gage dove back in. She had to possess the woman below her completely and meld the rift between them once and for all. When Gage felt she was near the edge herself, there was no stopping the fevered blissful offering that she greedily tasted.

Finding that very sensitive spot of her lover, Gage's tongue flicked, teased and sucked until the woman below her exploded over the pinnacle and sailed beyond anything they had ever experienced before. Both women shared the magnitude of this moment as they held each other desperately.

Long moments passed as each woman fought to regain an even breath. Gage used the last of her strength to crawl back up her lover's body. When the frenzied climatic blast dissolved back to some sense of normalcy, their bodies molded together in each other's arms.

"I love you." Gage barely whispered.

"Sweetheart, I've never known such love." Lacy lounged back; weary from their exhaustive lovemaking. Closing her eyes, Lacy bask in the love her partner gave to her and she would only rest a few long moments before the younger woman turned the tables and devoured Gage… all night long.


************************

"Oh God, Lacy. I don't think I can move."

Wrapped over her lover, Lacy smiled in contentment. "Good. I don't want you to."

Gage ran her fingers over Lacy's bare back. "I love to touch you. You are so beautiful."

"Mmm…. thank you. So are you."

"Ha. You need your eyes checked." When Lacy popped her head up to stare at Gage, the blonde added. "As beautiful as they are."

"If I say you are beautiful then you are." Lacy leaned over and kissed the blonde. She lay her head back down on Gage's shoulder.

"Lacy?"

"Mmmm?"

"What you said about only working on movie projects with Mark and I?" The blonde brushed her lips against her lover's temple. "I don't guess you'd considered playing the part of Marta in our movie."

"Ryan put you up to that?" Lacy reached up and kissed her lover's neck.

"No, well not lately." Gage fessed up. "But I was thinking that we could… it would be nice to get away. Just the two of us." When Lacy looked up at Gage, the blonde continued. "That is after we've talked with Derek and Dani and… are we having any problems with Sammy or Hayley?" Gage added as an afterthought.

"Thank goodness no." She smiled and considered Gage's proposal. "I think that's a great idea. And you know what?"

"What?" Happy that Lacy was receptive to her plan.

"I meant it when I said that you were the one that could help Derek most now. Especially after what you told me about your teen years. You can relate to him about what he's going through." Lacy explained, hoping Gage would agree. She desperately wanted the two to reconnect.

"Yeah, I think you're right." Gage thought for a minute. "As a matter of fact, there's this guy I know. Fred MacKavey. After the robbery and the clerk… I thought the guy died. I got locked up and Fred was a youth specialist at the place I was at. He kinda took me under his wings and when I got out, gave me a place to stay. Later when I was old enough he gave me a job at a youth facility for young males. He was my group leader. Now he heads up the Division. Maybe I could talk to him about Derek and I visiting the place. You know, if that's okay…"

"Whatever you think is best. Why don't we both talk with Derek and then you can share with him what you want about your past. Okay?" Lacy was happy when Gage nodded. She rubbed her hand along her lover's bare side, hesitating on broaching the thought that came to her mind. "Gage, sweetheart?"

"Hmmm?" Gage fell easily into the soothing hand of her lover that had free reign to explore any and all parts of her body and the blonde hoped that same hand would do exactly what she had in mind.

"I think, too, that you should talk to Gail."

The blonde's eyes popped open. "What? Why?"

"Trust me, I'm even surprising myself at this suggestion but I think it would be good for you. To get some kind of closure or understanding between the two of you. My guess is that Gail didn't show up at the book signing accidentally. Maybe she wants to make amends." Lacy hoped this idea wouldn't backfire in her face. "We could stop by New York on our way to Africa."

"I don't know, Lacy." Gage puffed out a breath of frustrated air. "Don't you think I've been though enough emotional turmoil? Both of us?"

"You're probably right." Lacy let it drop.

Squeezing tightly the woman draped over her, Gage shook her head. "I'll think about it." Gage realized she would like to resolve that whole affair once and for all.

"Now that just leaves dealing with Dani."

"Come here." Gage ordered her lover.

So Lacy scooted up closer so they were face to face.

"I never got to tell you but after I picked up Dani from Katie's house that morning. It was yesterday, right?" It seemed like such a long time ago and after their nightlong ravishing of each other, both women had lost complete track of time. "Anyway, she went on and on about how she was glad she listened to you about what Drake might be after and how wise you were." When Lacy hiked a questioning eyebrow at that last statement, Gage assured her partner. "That was her word. She said you were one wise woman."

"Uh, huh." Lacy wasn't convinced.

"Believe me or not, she did." Gage pecked Lacy on the lips. "I think you are her hero. And she was glad she had the kind of relationship where she could talk with her mother not like Katie and her mom."

"You think I should talk with Ellen?"

Gage shrugged. "Ask Dani. See what she thinks."

"Good idea."

Gage waggled her eyebrows. "I've got another good idea."

"Really?" Lacy dropped her lips close to the blonde's mouth. "Is it the same great idea you had last night? Five times."

"Only if you want it to be." Gage was hopeful of her lover's answer.

The only answer Gage received was a hungry kiss from her lover that threatened to devour the blonde. Happily, Gage was prepared to be her lover's breakfast.

Chapter Eighteen

By Sunday evening, Gage was eager to pick up their children who were staying with Lacy's mom. She reasoned that since they were going to New York then Africa by the end of the coming week, the blonde wanted her family back together. And it seemed that Lacy couldn't wait another minute to talk with Dani about what happened Friday night at the mall.

Even though Lacy rolled her eyes when Gage asked the children if they wanted to stop and get some ice cream before heading home, the blonde reasoned that their children deserved a treat for being such wonderful kids.

Stella decided to stay another night with Lynn and her husband, giving Lacy and Gage some alone time with their children. Lacy protested, assuring her mother-in-law that that wasn't necessary. Yet, the wise woman knew it would be better since Lacy told Stella and Lynn about Gage finally opening up. Stella still felt responsible for what happened to Gage and needed time alone to resolve her own issues. Lynn assured Lacy that she would help Gage's mother.

Lacy and Gage sat close together on the couch as the Disney movie ended. When the blonde tossed a kernel of popped corn at Hayley's open mouth, Lacy nudged her partner. "Didn't you get on Derek about doing that to Sammy earlier?"

"Yeah, but that was during the movie. Now it's over." Gage argued with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, mom. We can play now." Derek chimed in and grabbed a handful of corn.

"Give me some." Sammy grabbed at the bowl of popcorn Dani held in her hands. "I've got some popcorn."

Dani jumped up from the floor, shoving the bowl at Gage. "You started it."

Lacy placed a quick kiss on her partner's cheek. "And you can handle it." She stood. "Dani? Why don't we have our girl talk now?"

Ready to escape the brewing popcorn battle, Dani hesitated when she looked at Hayley. "Should we take her along with us?" After all, technically she is one of us although she acts like Gage sometimes.

Watching Hayley crawl up on Gage's lap, trying to pick up the pieces of corn off the blonde, Lacy shook her head. "No. Gage is going to need all the help she can get." Lacy didn't miss Derek sneaking around the back of the couch with both hands full of popcorn as he headed for her partner. Lacy held out her hand to Dani. "Let's go."

In the meantime, Derek hit his target behind as Sammy pounded Gage with popcorn from the front. Hayley smiled happily, picking up the pieces and stuffing them in her mouth.

"Hayley?" Gage grabbed her little hands, removing some of the popcorn. "That's enough."

The tiny blonde's mouth was full. "No!" Hayley turned her head away, clamping her mouth shut.

"Okay, guys. That's enough I said." Gage announced, knowing she was the instigator. "Hayley, open up."

Shaking her head wildly, the stubborn little girl refused.

Derek climbed over the couch and commanded his little sister. "Hayley, do as you're told."

Gage shot the young boy an inquisitive look. Like you do all the time?

"What?" Derek asked innocently as if he always obeyed his parents.

It was Sammy who finally coaxed his sister to open her mouth. Gage barely caught the expended munched up popcorn after Hayley spit it out.

Holding the clump of chewed popcorn in her hand, Gage looked around the room. "Okay, guys. End of playtime." Gage looked for a place to dispose of the gob of food.

When the blonde put Hayley down, the little girl surveyed the room and spread her arms out wide proclaiming in a clear voice. "Dis is a mess."

Sammy, Derek and Gage looked around and agreed. Derek was the first to move. "I'll get the vacuum cleaner."

"Me, too." Sammy offered his help. "I can vacuum."

But Gage stopped him. "Sammy, why don't you go get the dustpan and brush."

He crunched his eyes together thoughtfully. "The little broom?"

"That be the one." Gage patted his head. "Hayley, come here." She sat her on the couch. "I want you to sit here while we clean up."

But once again, Hayley protested. "No!"

"She wants to clean, too." Derek said as he unwound the cord to the vacuum clearer.

Jacking her hands on her hips, Gage relented. "Fine. What do you want to do?"

Hayley pointed at the vacuum cleaner.

"It's too big for you." Gage attempted reason with the two year old.

"Gage?" Derek got the blonde's attention. "She can hold the cord for me. Right Hayley?"

The small blonde bounced off the couch and made a beeline for her brother.

"Fine." Gage wasn't going to protest.

When Sammy came back from the kitchen, he started sweeping the floor with the brush.

"Sammy, why don't you use that to get the popcorn off the couch instead of the floor? Derek can get that."

But the five year old kept working diligently, brushing up the popcorn into the dustpan from the floor.

Realizing she had lost all control of the situation, Gage shook her head as she spoke to Sammy. "Or you can keep doing that." The blonde chuckled, knowing full well it would take twice as long to clean up than if she did it alone. However, as Gage looked around the room at her three children, she knew she wouldn't change a thing. Without another word, the blonde dropped to the floor and happily began picking up the popcorn pieces.

***********************

In Dani's room, Lacy sat on the bed as she watched her daughter change into her pajamas then begin to comb her hair. "You're growing up so fast." Lacy didn't realize she had said it out loud.

Concerned, Dani replaced her brush on her dresser. The fourteen year old placed her hand on her mother's shoulder. "You okay?"

Running her hand over Dani's arm, Lacy smiled. "I should be asking you that."

"Oh, sure. I'm perfectly fine." Dani sat down next to her mother.

"Really?"

"Really." Dani confirmed then pursed her lips in quiet reflection before speaking again. "I wasn't going to go with Katie, mom."

Relieved to hear that, Lacy hugged her daughter.

"I will admit… I've been a bit of a pain about hanging out with my friends." Dani wanted her mother to know she never meant to cause her mom any worry or hurt her. After Dani heard how upset Lacy was from her grandmother with regard to what happened at the mall, the young girl felt bad.

"No. Never a pain." Lacy winked, kissing the top of Dani's head.

That made Dani smile. "And I did think about it but…" The young girl let out a deep breath. "Even before you talked with me about Drake, I kinda felt something wasn't right."

"You have good instincts."

"And I'm glad Uncle Nate was there to help Katie." Dani pursed her lips in thoughtful repose. Finally, looking at her mother, Dani admitted. "You have good instincts, too. You were right about him."

"Dani… it's natural to want to do things with your friends more and more. You'll want to start making decisions on your own and wanting to be independent. It's a part of growing up." The mother hesitated before she added. "I just don't want you to stop wanting to be around your family."
"Never." Dani perished the idea that would never ever happen. She loved them way too much.

Making sure Dani was looking directly at her, Lacy made it clear her intentions. "I want you to always feel like you can talk with me about anything and know this… I'll do my best to listen and understand. Okay?"

"Okay, mom." It was what Dani wanted to. "Besides, we have to set an example for the rest of them. You know, Derek is already causing more problems than I ever did."

"Well…" Lacy couldn't argue that point but with Gage's help, she had definite plans to rectify that problem. "Yep, you were always a perfect angel." Lacy teased her daughter.

"I do try." Dani said seriously. She rose off the bed and grabbed her robe. "I think Derek will straighten up and Sammy listens to me pretty well but Hayley…" Shaking her head, Dani turned toward her mother "…she's something else. Just like Gage."

Smiling, Lacy agreed. "Yep, just like Gage." And I wouldn't want her any other way.

*************************

Lacy crawled over her lover and snuggled up close. "Did you get the room cleaned up?" Gage nodded. "Really clean?"

"Oh ye of little faith." Gage frowned. "Of course, we did. Did you and Dani get things settled?"

Lacy's hand ran up under her partner's sleeping shirt to caress the smooth skin underneath. "Yes."

"Then I guess Derek's next." Gage enjoyed the attention her lover was giving her.

The dark haired woman placed a kiss on the blonde's cheek. "What's the plan?"

"I'll call Fred and see if he can arrange a visit for me and Derek. If that's okay with you?" Lacy agreed. "But I thought maybe that both of us should talk with Derek first and… I was thinking that maybe Dani should be there, too."

"Any particular reason?"

"Well, if I tell Derek about some of my past, he'll just tell Dani anyway and… she deserves to know about me, too." Gage was already beginning to fear what Derek and Dani would think of her but if she were to be any kind of a parent then it had to be done. Her past could no longer hold her hostage and perhaps one day sacrifice the ones she loved by not being there for them.

"Okay if you think so." Lacy pulled Gage's face around to meet her own. "I'll call mom and ask if she can watch Sammy and Hayley for a while tomorrow. What about your mom?" Lacy knew Stella was placing all the guilt on herself with what Gage had to deal with growing up.

Gage shrugged. "It wasn't her fault. Parents make decisions that they think at the time are best for their children. Just like I thought that avoiding Derek's behavior, letting you take care of all of it and backing away was better for him. We're not perfect."

"Then you should tell her that." Lacy suggested.

Gage kissed Lacy. "Yes, dear. Anything else you want me to take care of?"

"Well…" Lacy wrapped her hand around the blonde's wrist. When she guided Gage's hand between her own legs, Lacy purred. "There is one thing."

Happily, Gage acquiesced to her lover's request.

***********************

With Sammy and Hayley in Lynn's care, the very reluctant blonde cleared her throat as she began another painful journey into her past. Lacy placed a comforting hand on Gage's leg. Dani and Derek had been listening carefully as Gage recounted the story from her past.

"Like I said, I was locked up and Johnnie was too after he got out of the hospital. We were sent to different facilities because of us robbing that place but at least…" Gage swallowed hard, glad she wasn't responsible for a man's death. "But this guy at the facility decided that one way for me to face up to what I'd done was by going to see the guy Johnnie shot."

"What kind of gun did he have?"

"Dani!" Lacy scolded her daughter.

"I only wanted to know because it could make a difference on how bad he was hurt." When her mother glared at her again, Dani mumbled. "At least it did on your cop show."

Gage blew out a breath, having a short reprieve from telling her story. "It was a small handgun which is more than enough to kill…" Gage didn't want to get into all the details about the blood and cold look in the man's eyes. "Anyway, Fred, that's the guy I talked with about visiting the youth facility with you, Derek. He drove me over to a rehab facility where the man… his name was Mr. Cooper. Apparently, the bullet severed an artery and several nerves. He was having to relearn how to use his left arm again."

"Was he mad at you?" Derek asked seriously.

Shaking her head, Gage looked down. "No. I wish he had been though. I felt even worse when he was nice to me." Digging her fingers into her legs, Gage continued. "I found out he had two kids." Gage looked up. "One of them was about your age, Derek. A boy and a little girl about five."

Leaning in to kiss her partner on the cheek, Lacy wrapped her arm around Gage and whispered. "It's okay. You don't have to go on."

"Because of me those kids came close to not having a father." An unshed tear threatened to fall from the blonde's eye. Quickly wiping it away, Gage forced herself to continue. "There I was so angry about not having my own mom or dad around. I almost took their father away from them… and I… I knew then and there I had to straighten myself up."

Seeing Gage so vulnerable for the first time in her life, Dani wanted to cheer her up. "You have. Look how good you are with us. You take real good care of all of us. Right, Derek?" Dani elbowed her brother.

Lacy was proud of her daughter's caring words.

"I can speak for myself." He glared at his sister before turning to Gage. The young boy knew he had been distant with Gage lately but never forgot how she had been there for him for the last six years. And he remembered vividly how he felt when he first saw Gage on the shore near the lake where they were vacationing. He trusted her then. He loved her now and she would always be his hero. "Dani's right."

Gage moved from the couch where she was sitting next to Lacy and dropped on her knees in front of her two children. She wrapped her arms around them, pulling them close. "I thank God everyday to have you both in my life. I love you." The tears that had threatened to fall throughout her relaying the story now dropped unheeded.

Lacy joined her family in the hug, thankful to have them all in her life.

***********************

Derek held Gage's hand tightly as they walked through the locked door of the Benton Treatment Facility. He noticed the tall curved inward wire fence around the place and numerous cameras located in various places. "Is this where you stayed?"

"No. But a place like it." Gage helped Derek pass through the metal detector and talked with the security officer about their visit. They waited until another one of the facility staff arrived to escort them.

Derek and Gage followed the staff down the long hallway. The man pointed to several rooms. "These are our classrooms. We have three cottages where the residents live and each cottage has about ten boys in them."

After the man unlocked the door, Derek moved closer to Gage as they walked in the cottage. There were ten young men ranging from the age of twelve to sixteen walking around the common area. Derek saw a couple of the boys watching TV and was caught off guard when one of the resident's greeted them.

"Hi." The shorthaired boy about sixteen said. "Who are you here to see?"

"They're just here for a visit. Focus up!" The staff person yelled to the residents. All ten boys stopped what they were doing and looked at the staff person standing a few feet in front of Gage and Derek. "We have some visitors today." The staff person introduced everyone before continuing. "Nick? Why don't you show them around?"

"Okay." The boy who had greeted them agreed eagerly. "Over here is my area."

There were three individual rooms and two open areas where Derek could see several twin beds placed. He didn't see many pictures on the walls and noticed that beside each bunk was a wooden locker.

"I've got a room of my own." Nick stated proudly.

"Where's your door?" Derek asked, still holding on to Gage's hand.

Looking at the staff person, Nick asked. "Stepping in?" When staff nodded, Nick walked in and dropped on his bunk. "Don't have one. We don't have much privacy here but I do have a few personal things." Nick showed Derek his CD player and a couple of puzzles he had.

"Derek, you're not allowed to have everything you want here. There are rules about what you can and can't have." Gage explained.

"They have rules about everything." Nick said smartly. "Come here." Again he addressed staff. "Stepping out?" When he got the staff's approval, Nick walked out of his room and pointed to the wall outside his area. "See. Rules about what you can do in your areas, restroom expects, line expects…"

Derek was confused until Gage explained. "It's what staff expects you to do when you line up to go to eat or to school."

"You have to get in a line all the time?" Derek asked Nick.

"Sure do. Heck, sometimes we have to line up to take a stand up." Nick scratched his temple.

"What's a stand up?" Derek crunched his eyebrows.

"Huh? Oh." Nick pointed to the bathroom and said. "When you gotta go number one. That's what we call it here."

"Oh." Derek pretended he understood fully.

Nick led his small tour around to see some of the other areas when Derek noticed a familiar drawing posted on one of the lockers.

"What's that?" Derek inquired.

Nick looked to where Derek pointed. "Hmmm… Jason?" When a blonde resident turned his head, Nick nodded for him to come over where he was standing. "You better take that down."

Unhappy with Nick's confront, the blonde boy glared at him. Jason pulled off the drawing and placed it in the only drawer the locker had. "Happy?" He said as he passed Nick on the way back to his chair in front of the TV. But the nasty young man spared the time to give Derek the once over. "What you in for?" He sneered.

"Go on, Jason." Nick glared at the blonde before returning his attention to Derek and Gage. "Don't bother with him. And back to your question. Jason was in a gang on the outside and that was a drawing of their sign."

Remembering the same design on Jett's arm, Derek said. "I saw a tattoo of one before."

Gage didn't like the way this conversation was going but decided to address the issue head on anyway. However, Nick spoke first.

"I got one." Nick lifted his sleeve, revealing an unfinished tattoo. "They fucked…" Glancing at Gage when she cleared her throat, Nick apologized. "Sorry." He pointed to the tattoo. "I used to belong in a gang but not anymore."

"Why'd you get out?" Gage asked. Back when she was locked up, they had gangs too but now the gangs seemed more violent.

"What good are they doing me now?" Nick said off handedly. Deciding to share part of his story, the sixteen year old crossed his arms and looked directly at Derek. "I guess you want a tattoo."

Not sure how to answer, Derek remained silent. He liked how cool Jett's was but didn't want to get in trouble from his mom about it.

"My old gang… they didn't really care about me. Pretty much left me hanging to take the blame alone." Nick remembered how quickly they ran when he hurt himself during the fight and was left behind to face the police. "Don't get me wrong I was… not a very nice guy. When I joined the gang, they treated me like family but when it came down to them or me…. like I said…. they disappeared like a ghost. That's how I got tattoo being a part of the gang."

"Can you get it off?" Derek asked.

Nick snorted. "Not unless you got money and I don't. Since I've been here I realized that my family were the only ones that really care. They come to visit me and we got family therapy going. Haven't heard from one of my old friends." The dark haired boy dropped down to his knee so he could stare straight into Derek's eyes. "This ain't the place you want to end up. You get out of line here and they put leather restraints on you or stick you in the isolation room."

With eyes wide open, Derek nodded his head in agreement. He stepped back against Gage and was comforted when she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Thanks for the tour, Nick."

He winked at Gage. "Sure thing." Nick was only two weeks away from leaving the facility after a nine-month stay and had offered to talk with Derek when one of the staff mentioned the visitors coming.

As Gage led Derek out of the cottage, Jason took one last opportunity to taunt the young nine year old and yelled. "You can be my bitch."

Without missing a beat, Nick called to the group. "Circle up." The rest of the group members stopped what they were doing and sat down on the couches that formed a circle in the middle of the common area. After Nick waved to Gage and Derek one last time, he turned his attention to the rude blonde and proceeded to give him some good information on how to change his ways or else Jason would be in for a long stay at the facility.

Derek was glad to climb back in the car and buckle his seatbelt.

Seeing that her son was somewhat shaken from the experience, Gage asked. "How bout some ice cream?"

Derek nodded and as he shifted in his seat, he said in a small voice. "Gage, I'm sorry."

The blonde reached over and hugged Derek. "Why are you sorry?"

"Because I've been so mean." He held back the tears that were threatening to overflow. Derek realized his behavior was a way of proving himself and in the end he had hurt the ones he loved.

"Hold on a second." Gage fussed his hair. "Compared to me, you're an angel… and that's the truth."

"But…"

"Derek." Gage lifted his down turned chin. "I know that it's been hard on you. And I know how much you love your dad… and me. That's why you were acting out. You see, if you get one puppy and then you get another puppy because you no longer have the first puppy then you…" What did Nate say about the puppies?

Derek scrunched he eyebrows not sure why Gage was talking about puppies. But he listened intently.

"Anyway, I think you were having a hard time knowing that you could love both of us and not betray the other one. Me and your dad… not the puppies." Gage tenderly touched his cheek. "You have enough love in you to love many people in your life. It's not a competition and I'm sorry if I ever made you feel that way."

Derek wiped a tear that ran down his cheek. "Mom's mad at me."

Gage's chest fell in despair. She blamed herself for Lacy having to take all the heat where Derek was concern as she distanced herself. But never again. "First of all, your mother loves you and we both know that. And second, she's not mad at you. Neither am I. We both want what's best for you and, Derek, sometimes that means that if you act out or hit people or say mean things to others, there will be consequences."

"What are consequences?" Even though he didn't know what that meant, it didn't sound good.

"Disciplined…. like if you hit Sammy then you would have to apologize and go to your room for a while. Or if you make a mess, you have to clean it up. Things like that." Gage smiled at Derek. "Remember when you broke your mom's lamp."

Derek frowned, recalling that he lied about it. "Yeah."

"Derek, like everything in life there will be natural consequences to your actions. For every action, there is a reaction."

"Like when I hit Kevin in school and he hit me back."

"Yep. Just like that." Gage took the opportunity that presented itself. "Why'd you hit him anyway?"

Derek shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, tell me who does know and I'll talk to them." Gage grinned at the young boy.

"Huh?"

Sucking in a deep breath, the blonde continued. "If you don't know, who does? Derek, you have to take responsibility for what you do. I didn't and you know what happened to me. I lucked out though because someone cared and forced me to see that I was the only one who could make changes in myself."

"That man you talked about… who let you stay with him after you got out of that place." Derek's gray eyes shifted back to the fenced encircled facility as they sat in their car.

"Yes, Fred. He told me once that it was natural to want to fit in but just don't get sucked in." Sending a silent thank to the man who turned her life around at that time, Gage grinned. "Use words instead of your fists. If something is really worth fighting for although the sword may be mighty, the real power is with the one who wields the pen."

"You want me to write it down?" Derek was perplexed as Gage reminisced a moment about her old mentor.

"No. That's not exactly what I mean. You don't have to fight all the time, you can talk it out or walk away. That's another option." Gage offered some more sage advice she learned from her former caretaker.

Unexpectedly, Derek asked. "How did Johnnie die?"

That question brought back dark memories. I guess when the cleansing starts there's no turning back. "I told you he was locked up in another place. They had the girls in one and boys the other. He didn't have to stay locked up as long as I did. I was really upset when I found out he was going home before me but… in the end that was what saved me. And I owe that to Fred. He wouldn't let me out because he knew I was just working the program… not really getting the message."

Derek waited patiently for the rest of the story as Gage fidgeted with the steering wheel, obviously in deep thought.

"He convinced the staff at his place he was ready to leave and within two weeks Johnnie was shot… trying to hold up another store." Gage rubbed her eyes, recalling the moment she heard the news. "I was really angry. They had to restrain me because I charged at Fred. I didn't care and I blamed him for keeping me there. All I could think about was that if I was out then I could have stopped Johnnie."

Derek reached over and placed his hand on her arm.

"Fred did take me to his funeral though. I kept thinking about how it could have been me. It should have been me." Gage squeezed Derek's hand.

"Not me. I'm glad you didn't get hurt."

Gage took a few moments as she recalled seeing Johnnie's dead body in the casket. It was a memory she wished she could erase from her mind forever. It devastated her. It meant her only real friend when she was growing up was really gone from her life forever. That was the main reason Gage didn't want her children to go to Samuel's funeral. When Lacy and Gage finally told their children about the death of their grandfather, they took it pretty well. Gage tried to concentrate on all the wonderful memories they had shared with him. "I'm glad I didn't get hurt, too."

Thinking of never having Gage in his life, Derek was on the verge of crying again.

Gage realized she had a few tears in her eyes, too. Mussing his hair, she grinned. "Boy, aren't we both a mess?"

That made Derek smile. "Uh huh."

"Well, to make the longest story in my life short…" Gage chuckled and Derek joined her. "I wouldn't do anything differently because it led me to Lacy and you… and Dani… and Sammy and Hayley."

"And Stella." Derek added.

"Yes, back to my mom." Gage let out a relieved breath. "Derek, we are the luckiest people alive, aren't we?"

He nodded. "Because we have each other, right?"

"Right." Gage winked at the boy she proudly called her son.

"Gage?" He looked at her with such love and devotion.

"Yeah?" In that moment, the blonde was willing to answer anything he asked.

"Did you say we could get a puppy?" Derek cocked his head, waiting patiently for the answer that would make him smile.

The blonde's eyes popped open. Uh oh.


Chapter Nineteen

Prior to boarding a plane for New York City, Gage talked with her mother about her life and shared some of the same aspects she had previously revealed to Lacy. Their exchange helped both women to accept their past decisions and experiences.

Lacy pulled her lover down on the their hotel bed. "Well, are you ready?"

Smiling, Gage nodded in agreement but said. "No, not really."

The younger woman quirked an eyebrow in question as she continued running her hand in a soothing motion over Gage's stomach.

"But I will." Gage enjoyed her lover's ministrations. "Because to tell you the truth, Lacy." The blonde turned to her partner. "Coming to terms with my past gave me a sense of freedom. And I owe that to you."

Lacy kissed Gage. "You were the one that found the courage."

Shaking her head adamantly, Gage countered. "No, it was your strength that I drew from… having the patience to put up with me all these years. I would have kept running if it hadn't been for you."

"Right into my arms." Lacy teased.

"Yep, and you refused to let go." Gage pulled her lover's head down in order to share a tender kiss.

The brunette sighed slightly after the kiss.

"What's wrong?"

"I wish we could laze around here the rest of the day in each other's arms but you have a date."

"It's not a date." The blonde huffed. "And I would prefer that you came along with me to see her."

Lacy laughed. "Yeah, I can see that. She will really open up and talk with you about the past with me there staring her down if she even looks at you the wrong way… or comes too close to you."

Her lover suddenly attacked Gage and the blonde enjoyed all of the attention. The blonde rasped. "I like your idea about staying in bed."

**********************

After meeting Gail Randall at the restaurant both women agreed they weren't really that hungry so Gage suggested they take a walk in the park. "I'm surprised you live here now."

The dark haired woman cast a glance at her former lover. "For the last five years but… I'm considering moving back home."

"Really?" Gage felt awkward talking with Gail after so many years.

Taking a moment before she answered, Gail briefly closed her eyes. "My husband's promotion brought us here but my… our children still live back home and I miss them."

"How many kids do you have?"

"Three. Two girls and a boy."

"Lacy and I have two girls and two boys." Gage said quickly.

"They're grown now. Our youngest is in college."

Gage smiled at Gail. "I know what you mean about missing them. Lacy and I've only been gone a couple of days and well… we both miss them terribly."

The other green-eyed woman looked away. "Sounds like you really love her."

"More than I ever knew I could." Gage admitted.

Spying a bench, Gail asked. "Do you mind if we sit down?"

"Sure." Taking Gail by the arm, the blonde directed the brunette to the closest bench. "It's beautiful here."

They both sat there in silence for a long time until Gail finally said. "I take it you asked to talk with me for a reason."

Oh boy. Looking everywhere except at the dark haired woman sitting next to her, Gage summoned the courage within her as she thought about Lacy's words to her right before she left. You are the strongest person I know. "Yeah, right." The blonde said more to herself.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, I… yes, I'm… I'm glad you stopped by that day in the bookstore."

"Really?" Gail gathered from the reception she felt that day especially from the dark haired jealous actress that her appearance was not well received.

Gage thought about it for a moment. "Yes, I am. It brought back a lot of memories and… well, I'm just glad." Because I was able to traverse that part of my past with Lacy. Gage coughed. "Actually, there's been a question I've always wanted to ask you."

Fearing what that question would be, Gail remained silent.

The blonde twisted toward Gail. "You remember when you… Gail, did you ever love me?"

Surprised by the question, Gail assured her former lover. "Yes." Gail turned away and sucked her bottom lip in thought before she reluctantly admitted. "I think I still do."

Uh oh. "I'm in love with Lacy. Absolutely and totally in love with her." Gage wanted Gail to know exactly how she felt.

Gail placed her hand on the blonde's thigh. "Yes, I saw it in your eyes that day and that same love mirrored in hers."

"Good. I mean I glad." Her words stumbled then Gage sucked in a deep breath. "What I mean is that I'm… relieved actually to know that you did."

"Why do you ask?"

Gage turned her eyes down to stare at the ground. "Because of something you said."

When the blonde didn't say anymore, Gail prompted her. "What was it?"

"You know… about being on a deserted island." The blonde admitted, feeling scared at the moment.

Cocking her head to the side, Gail suddenly remembered. "Oh, I know it wasn't what you wanted to hear but I meant it." When she saw the look of horror on the blonde's face, Gail felt the need to explain further. "Gage, when my sister found out about us and I went home. I don't know… my parents were upset and went on about how unnatural it was. I guess it was just easier to give in… give you up." There was a hitch in the brunette's voice upon remembering how her parents bombarded her with demands about coming back home. "But I did love you."

Shaking her head, the blonde was very confused. "But I heard you… at the party telling your friend that you would never be with me."

"What are you talking about?" Gail asked, confused herself now. "I told you that if it wasn't for my parents and society and… if it was just us, Gage, I wished it was just us and to hell with everyone else."

"Speaking of that, Gail. It wasn't just us in the bookstore that day. I was surprised to see you and even more surprised that you kissed me in public." Gage admitted, knowing that when they were together Gail would never had done that.

"Oh, that." Gail sighed. "Through the years I've learned to… not care as much about what other people think. It cost me too much."

"I see." Understanding how Gail felt, Gage said. "About a year later after you left, I saw you at Mike Merrick's twenty-first birthday party." Gail nodded, remembering the party. Merrick worked with both Gage and Gail for a while.

"I didn't see you there."

"Well, I was… and I heard you talking to that blonde. You know the one who dated Mike for a couple of years."

"Rhonda?"

"That's the one. You told her you… I liked you but you would never had anything to do with me." Gage shrugged. "I figured what was the use to stick around and left the party. But I was happy to see you there and wanted to talk with you again. See how you were doing. Well, when I heard that I thought that you never really did care about me… not like I did you and that's why you left."

Gail took the blonde's hand in her own. "No. I cared a great deal. Like I said… still do. I've realized that I gave up someone very special."

"But why did you say that?"

"Gage, after I moved back home, my parents had me on every blind date they could scrounge up. Not too long after that party, I became engaged to my husband and Rhonda was a distant relative of Larry… my husband." Gail explained. "She had heard the rumors about us and I just didn't want to go though all of that again. Besides, I thought I had lost you forever."

"You did. But I still remember very fondly all the good times we had. You were the first person I loved that way." Gage held the brunette's hand. "I didn't know if I was capable of loving someone till I met you."

"Guess I was good for something." Gail turned away, feeling depressed.

Gage pulled the brunette's head back around. "You were the best thing in my life… back then." Hoping that would bring a smile to Gail's face but it didn't so Gage quietly asked. "Are you happy?"

"Yes, at first and my children have brought such joy to my life. I wouldn't trade them for anything." Gail finally smiled. "Now, since the children have grown and Larry is caught up in his work." That thought turned the smile into a dark frown. "I'm kinda at a loss right now."

Gage hugged the woman she at one time cared so much about. "I don't know what exactly to say… but there's still a special place in my heart for you."

Upon hearing those works, Gail let loose a deluge of tears.

"Hey, it's okay." Gage was at a loss of what to do next. She didn't expect for this reaction.

After gaining some semblance of composure, Gail mumbled. "Thank you."

Gage suggested they walk back toward the restaurant. On the way back, the blonde felt Gail needed confronting and wrapped her arm around the brunette's shoulder, giving her a short hug.

That's what Lacy saw as Gage returned with Gail by her side. Lacy smiled when her eyes met those of her lover. She turned to Gail when they approached. "So, how did your talk go?"

Gail stepped from under Gage's strong arm toward Lacy. "You have a very special woman here."

"I know."

Even though things between Gage and Gail had not been discussed completely both women were happy to have spent this time together. "Gail, here's my business card. If you ever need anything or want to talk…"

Gail chanced a look to Lacy requesting silent permission. When Lacy nodded, Gail accepted the card. "Thank you."

The next moment was awkward until Lacy offered. "I'm a little hungry but I imagine you two already…"

Gage looked at Gail and then spoke for both of them. "Actually, we haven't eaten yet."

"Good then let's go." Lacy took her partner's hand and led her and Gail into the restaurant.

**********************

"Gage?"

"Mmm….." The blonde eased back in her first class airplane seat.

Lacy grabbed her lover's hand. "I like her."

Gage plopped her head to the side, staring at Lacy. "Who?"

"Gail." Lacy smiled. After Gage explained why Gail said what she did, Lacy could understand what the then nineteen old must have been going through. "But I like you." The dark haired women kissed the blonde and punctuated each word with a kiss. "A…" Kiss. "..lot…" Kiss. "..more."

Gage scooted closer and waggled her eyebrows, giving her lover a 'come hither' look. "Wanna join the mile high group?"

It started from her core and quickly erupted into a hearty laugh.

The blonde shot Lacy a counterfeit glare. "I didn't think it was that funny."


Chapter Twenty

From the first moment the two love birds showed up on the movie set, Lacy and Gage could not keep their hands off of each other. Today, Lacy was dressed in a red dress with a slit up the side. The actress acquiesced to everyone's insistence that she play Marta in the movie.

Happy eyes ran the length of her partner's seductive body. "God, Lacy, you look..." Gage sucked in a panting breath. "Gorgeous, sexy, beautiful. Come here."

Lacy fell into her lover's embrace as the blonde's quick hands teased her partner by tugging on the zipper located on the back of the slinky dress.

"Alright, break it up." The director yelled. "Can't you see we're shooting a movie here?"

Gage winked at Ryan White. "Can't you see I'm working on something myself?"

"Yeah, trying to get my dress off." Lacy ducked in for a brief kiss.

Shaking his head, Ryan laughed. "Ready for your scene?"

"I suppose." Not really wanting to leave her lover's embrace.

"Michael? We ready?" Ryan called to his assistant director. When the young man nodded, the director walked over to the camera with Lacy and Gage in tow. "Shanti, Richard. Let's take one." He turned to Lacy. "Ready?"

The Oscar winning actress nodded, walked on set and slid in the booth next to Richard Long while Shanti James took her respective place on the set.

When Ryan called action, Lacy saddled up to the lead male actor, Richard, who was playing Chas in the movie and delivered her line. After the scene concluded, the director yelled. "Cut. Okay, that was great." He turned to another actor on the set and said. "Your turn."

The new actor replaced Richard Long in the booth alongside Lacy as she took over the lead role of Chas. Taya Jennings was excited to work with Lacy and a bit nervous. "I've never…played a love scene with another woman."

"Just sit back and relax." Lacy encouraged her fellow actor. "Follow my lead."

When Ryan yelled action, the actors replayed the same scene Shanti and Lacy had just played before with Richard Long except now Taya Jennings played the role Richard had.

It was Gage's idea to shoot 'Heart of Africa' from two different perspectives. While Shanti played Ally Breedlove in both versions, Richard Long and Taya Jennings would play the other lead part. It would be the same movie but one version would have two females opposite each other and the other with a female and male acting out the lead romantic roles. They would distribute both versions, targeting their specific audiences. Gage hoped that this novel idea would go over well and she would structure her other screenplays to use the same format.

"Cut!" Ryan moved forward and took Lacy's hand. "See. What did I tell you? Wouldn't take much of your time at all." He leaned in and whispered. "Now you can get back to that blonde of yours and enjoy your second.. or is it third honeymoon?"

"Very funny." Lacy was glad she had accepted the small part and was enjoying her time in Africa with Gage immensely.

"Michael? That's a wrap for the day." Turning back to Lacy and Gage who had just joined them. "Can I take you two to dinner tonight?"

Both women shrugged. "Why not?" However, Gage was only willing to share a small part of their time together in the wilds of this dark continent as she had plans for her love that only included the two of them.

"Great. I'll meet you at the hotel… say seven?" When Lacy nodded in agreement, Ryan headed off to take care of a few last minute things before the following day's shooting schedule.

Lacy spotted Shanti heading their way. "You were wonderful. This film is really going to be great."

"Thank you but it's the material that's great." Shanti smiled at Gage.

"I agree." Lacy tugged at the writer's arm.

Gage wanted to protest, at least make a show of it but the two women struck up another topic so she just relaxed and enjoyed the smile on Lacy's face.

"The studio's ready whenever you and…" Lacy's eyes searched the set for Michael Jessop and Kathy Griffen. "Your cohorts are ready."

"Thanks. We've got lots of footage for the documentary and shooting some of it inside a studio will be perfect. However…" Shanti pursed her lips. "It would be a lot better with graphics added because some of it might not make sense unless we use it."

"Tell me when you guys are ready to shoot what you need and I think I can get you someone who would be perfect to help with the graphics." Lacy walked slowly back to the trailer with Shanti and Gage as they talked.

"Nate?" Gage quizzed Lacy.
"Who's Nate?" Shanti asked.

"Lacy's brother." Gage grunted, thinking of how he would add fuel to the already volatile trio of Shanti, Griff and Michael.

"Cool. Is he cute?" Shanti asked the rhetorical question, knowing that any brother of Lacy's would be absolutely gorgeous.

***********************

When Gage relayed to Ryan White at dinner that Lacy wished to work exclusively with them on any further projects, the director proposed an idea. "Lacy, since your kids are still young and will be in school, how about doing a sitcom? It wouldn't take as much time to do."

"That's a great idea, Ryan." The writer was excited.

Both Ryan and Gage waited to hear what Lacy thought of it.

"Lacy, think about it. It would be on a set that doesn't have to be changed all the time. No location filming. St. Troy's big enough to bring in a live audience if you want and… the kids can have a permanent place at the studio to come and go when we work there. After they get out of school, I mean."

When Lacy sighed, both the writer and director thought she would oppose the idea. "On one condition." Her two dinner companions waited patiently. Lacy turned to her partner. "You write it."

"Done." Gage was happy.

Lacy turned to Ryan. "Make that two conditions. You direct it."

Both Gage and Ryan beamed at the prospect of all of them working together for hopefully several years on the same show. "You don't have to ask me twice. I'd love it." While Ryan enjoyed many aspects of living and working in Hollywood along with the various location filming that was required, he thought it would be a good change of pace to settle down for a while.

Each of them raised a glass and toasted their new venture together.

"Who's going to tell Mark?" Gage laughed.

***********************

Over the next few days, Lacy and Gage found pleasure in the time they were able to spend alone. They took a two-day overland trip with White Elephant Safari and the blonde tour guide set them up with her uncle for an aerial view of the Moola River.

That night under the Tanzania sky, Lacy and Gage sat on the ten-foot wide wooden deck at the White Elephant Safari compound. "It's beautiful." Lacy said after she stood and moved to the railing.

"It's just a sky filled with stars, Lacy." The blonde walked up behind Lacy and wrapped her arms around the taller woman. "Now you on the other hand are beautiful."

Lacy turned in her lover's arms and preceded to give Gage a tantalizing kiss that threatened to stop the blonde's heart.

Recovering from the sensual assault, Gage sucked in a deep breath. "Wow."

Lacy leaned in seductively. "There's more."

"More?" Gage gulped.

The younger woman's lips wandered down Gage's neck, sucking every inch of it as she sighed in delight. Lacy's hand slid over the blonde's breast and after spending a few luxurious moments there, she slipped her hand lower, pulling at Gage's shirt.

Gage grabbed Lacy's hand and moved it away, bringing her hand back to the blonde's breast. Gage moaned.

The brunette mumbled between kisses. "I want to touch you." Lacy's hand returned on her original quest to feel her partner's skin.

The blonde stepped back meeting the disapproving blue eyes of her lover. "Trust me. I want you too but… not out here."

Lacy scanned the empty compound, seeing nothing except the land and trees blanketed by the moon's glow. "Why not?" The actress captured the blonde's lips again in a deep and probing savage kiss.

Nearing a frenzied peak of sensual feelings that landed squarely at her center, Gage kissed her lover hard. "Take me."

"Here?" Lacy's tongue and lips never halted their advance.

Breathless, Gage begged. "Here… anywhere. Just take me."

Moving back from her lover, Lacy easily guided the overheated blonde across the porch and to the front door. "Come with me."

The blonde swallowed hard. After Lacy led her through the doorway, Gage took charge, whipping pass her partner and yanked Lacy to their bedroom. The writer pushed through the entrance to their room and shoved her lover on the bed. Gage perched her body over Lacy's and stared deeply into the bluest eyes on earth. "Mine."

Nodding, Lacy agreed. "All yours."

The blonde wagged her eyebrows and slowly dropped down to place a gentle, loving and affirming kiss to her lover that Gage belonged to Lacy and Lacy alone. No words were needed to state her claim. The kiss was filled with such intensity and passion that both women knew they would be together always throughout time.


Epilogue

Back in St. Troy, a week after school started in September, Hayley looked sad because her siblings were sent to school during most of the day. "Oh, honey, come here." Lacy picked up her daughter. "Gage will be…"

"Mimi?" The green eyed toddler gleamed.

"Yes, Mimi." Lacy shook her head, knowing Gage wasn't all that keen on the name. "Will be back with your brothers and sister in a little bit. You want to wait outside?"

"Hi." The tiny blonde smiled.

When Lacy took her youngest daughter outside, she saw her brother, Nathan drive up. "Hi." The dark haired woman waved to Nate.

"Hi." Hayley echoed and this time it really meant 'hi' instead of 'yes'.

Nathan slammed the door and walked over to his oldest sister, giving both Lacy and Hayley a kiss. When his niece held out her arms for Nate to hold her, the young man stalled. "Hold on a minute." He hurried back to his vehicle and reached through the front window and pulled out a bundle.

Hayley bounded in her mother's arms, with outstretched arms.

"Do you like her, Hayley?" Nate showed the young girl the ruby colored Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy.

Shaking her head furiously as she grabbed for the puppy, Hayley exclaimed. "Hi."

"I think she's happy." Lacy smiled as she laughed.

"Happy!" Hayley echoed.

Nate allowed Hayley to hold the puppy. "After Gage told me about her talk with Derek, I thought I would surprise him with the puppy."

"He won't be the only one surprised." Lacy shook her head, wondering what her partner would think of this new addition to their family.

Concerned crossed his face. "You're okay with it, aren't you?" Nate had given Lacy's children a puppy several years ago named Racuzzi but he died.

"Not at all. Actually, I think it will make all the kids happy especially Derek." Lacy assured her brother.

"Happy!" Hayley petted the puppy and the Cavalier in turned licked the little girl on the face.

"So where are the rest of your gang?"

"Gage went to pick them up and Sammy wanted to go along. This one would have gone too except that she was sleeping." Lacy studied the puppy for a moment. "They don't get very big, do they?"

"Nope." Nate grinned. "You can keep her inside."

"Great." Lacy nodded toward the puppy. "But you're the one that's going to tell Gage that."

"Maybe I can just leave her here before they get home." He laughed but seriously asked. "I thought they'd be home by now."

Lacy put Hayley down on the ground along with the puppy. "Dani had dancing practice and Derek had gymnastics today."

The young man squatted when he saw the puppy move beyond his niece's reach. "Let me get her for you."

Hayley frowned when the puppy took off and she was intent on following it but her uncle retrieved the puppy and handed her back to the toddler.

Nathan looked back up when his sister thanked him. "Now Hayley won't be so lonely in the mornings since Sammy is in pre-school."

When Gage drove down the driveway, she noticed Lacy gathered with her brother and looked intently at her daughter playing with some moving object. "Okay, guys, nobody gets out before I stop the car completely."

Her children had observed the activities outside their home and were excited about something. "Hurry." Derek ordered.

After turning off the motor, Dani jumped out and ran toward Hayley with Derek right behind. Gage was on the other side of the vehicle and had to help Sammy out of his seat. "Hold on there, little guy." Gage was a bit concerned when she heard both Dani and Derek scream. Holding Sammy in her arms, Gage hurried around the jeep and that's when she saw it.

The puppy and three happy kids eagerly playing together while the one in her arms kicked and demanded. "Let me down. I wanna see the puppy."

Sammy plopped down next to Hayley and tried to pull it on his lap. The four children vied for the puppy's attention as it ran in and out around them.

The blonde walked up to Nathan and offered a dismal grin. "You just had to go and do it, didn't you?"

With the blonde glaring at him, Nate decided to remain silent and moved closer to his sister for protection.

If the blonde was upset about Nathan getting the children a new puppy, any concern soon dissolved when Derek ran up to Gage and hugged her. "Thank you, Gage, for getting us the puppy."

The happy glint in his eyes and the gleeful noises the other children were making sealed the decision that the puppy was here to stay.

Lacy wrapped her arm over Gage's shoulder after Derek ran back to play with the puppy. "Sweetheart?"

"Mmm…." Gage loved the touch of her woman.

Lacy watched her children play then spared her brother an appreciative look before turning to her partner and brushed a kiss on Gage's temple. "Never a dull moment, huh?"

Gage thought about the last few weeks after sharing her life story with Lacy and smiled. Those sleepless nights filled with nightmares that began at the start of the summer had turned to beautiful happy dreams as she lay each night in her lover's arms. The blonde's smile grew wider and Gage wrapped her arm around Lacy, pulling her closer. "Nope, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

The End