DISCLAIMER: This is a work of original fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Jarlel 2011
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
FEEDBACK: To Jarlel123[at]aol.com
SEQUEL: To Drake's Rock

Winter's Role
By Jarlel

It was five o'clock in California when Stephanie and Jessie disembarked at LAX. As soon as they landed, Stephanie was on her cell, calling her agent, Joanie. By the time they'd picked up their luggage at the baggage claim area, Joanie was waiting for them in the loading zone.

"Stephanie!" Joanie called, when she caught sight of the actress exiting the airport. She waved Stephanie over, enthusiastically.

Hugging her when they got close enough, she hit the button on her key, and the trunk lid popped open. "I'm so glad you're back," Joanie told her, helping to load their bags. "The studio's been riding me about getting you back here for days. You wouldn't believe how many phone calls I've gotten from them! You'd think they've never dealt with actors and actresses before…"

Stephanie glanced sideways at Jessie and rolled her eyes, indicating that she was letting the woman go on until she ran out of steam. Finally, when it appeared that Joanie had gotten her complaints about the studio out of the way, Stephanie pulled Jessie a little closer. Holding her hand, she said, "Joanie, I want you to meet Jessica Drake."

Joanie looked at both of them, acting as if she'd never noticed Jessie standing there until that moment. Sticking out her hand and painting on a fake smile, she said, "Of course, Jessie! Stephanie's told me so much about you. It's nice to finally meet you. Although, I must say I'm surprised…I didn't expect you to accompany Stephanie all the way from Ohio."

Okay, just seeing the woman, Jessie could tell she'd been born and bred in California. Dressed in only the finest clothes from the best designers, she was of average height, slim, but carried herself with a haughty elegance that told Jessie that Joanie believed herself to be above the 'common people.' She knew Joanie had noticed her right away, but she ignored the woman's rudeness, knowing how Joanie felt about her. It was going to be her job to convince the woman that she had only the best intentions toward Stephanie. So, pulling a smile from somewhere, she adopted her most professional manner and accepted the offered hand. "It's wonderful to finally meet you, as well. Stephanie's certainly told me all about you, Joanie."

"Oh, I hope it's all been good,"Joanie said, giving Stephanie a look. "For some reason, Stephanie seems to think that I meddle entirely too much."

"That's not true," Stephanie said, climbing into the back seat next to Jessie. Grabbing her hand, she held on tight. Joanie's territorial behavior toward her friends always made her nervous in a weird way and Jessie's presence beside her made her feel better.

"You know how people can be, Stephanie. It's my job to protect you and keep you from getting hurt," the woman said, pulling the car out into airport traffic. "That is what you pay me for."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "That's my professional life, Joanie. Not my personal life," she told the woman, hoping to remind her in the process that they might be friends, but her interference was not always welcome. There had been plenty of times in the past that the woman had interfered to the point that Stephanie had considered firing her. While it was true that she'd known Joanie for years, they were nowhere near the friends that Jessie and Theresa were. For starters, Stephanie would never consider telling Joanie the intimate details of her sexual encounters. She would also never tolerate Joanie walking in on her in the shower, the way Jessie did with Theresa. They simply weren't that close. If she thought about it, Stephanie realized that she wasn't that close with anyone, not even Rachel. Although to be fair, she did tell Rachel 'almost' everything.

"I know. I know, Stephanie," Joanie looked at Jessie, abruptly changing the subject. "So, Stephanie tells me you're a lawyer, Jessie?"

"Yes," she answered right away. "Actually, Mr. Mason…I believe you've met?" At Joanie's nod, she continued, "Well, Mr. Mason assigned Stephanie to me for her internship."

"Ah, I see," Joanie answered, nodding her head and reminding Jessie of a bobble-head doll. "And where did you attend college?"

"The Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, Class of 2002," Jessie answered easily, waiting for Joanie's next question. She knew it would come. Joanie was testing her, to make sure that her answers matched what Stephanie had already told her about the brunette.

"And how long have you worked for Mr. Mason?"

Jessie smiled. "Seven years. I passed the bar in January 2003 and started at Mason, Carnes and Foster in February of that year."

Joanie looked at Jessie through the rear view mirror. "He must trust you if he asked you to train Stephanie?"

Jessie shrugged, but never changed her expression. "Actually, I think he chose me mostly because he thought that being in a band gave me something in common with her." She grew thoughtful before adding, "Although I'm sure it helped that we're almost the same age and…he generally sends all the new hires to me first. They shadow me for a week or two and then move on."

Joanie's eyebrows rose. "Really? So…do you generally end up sleeping with all your interns? Or was Stephanie just special?"

Shocked and embarrassed, Stephanie couldn't contain her irritation with the woman. "Joanie! I can't believe you would say something like that! Jessie…" she turned to face the brunette. "I am so sorry."

Jessie squeezed her hand and smiled calmly at her. She'd been waiting for this, and wasn't phased by the woman's rudeness. "It's okay, Steph." Looking back at Joanie, she answered her question evenly and calmly. "Stephanie is the most special thing in my life, Joanie. So…why don't we just dispense with the rest of the bullshit? I know you worry about Stephanie, so let me put your mind at ease: No, I don't usually sleep with my interns. I have never done that, and I will never do that. I will never cheat on Steph or hurt her. I'm not after her money, I don't expect her to support me, and I don't want her to help me get famous. The ONLY thing I want…is Stephanie. Any other questions?"

Joanie, surprised by Jessie's boldness, felt her mouth fall open. Recovering quickly, she looked back at the brunette again. "No, I think that answers just about everything I wanted to ask. Thank you, Jessie, for understanding my concerns. Now…" she looked at both of them before asking, "Where would you like to go for dinner?"

Tension finally broken, Stephanie sat back and visibly relaxed. The rest of the evening went by quickly, and Joanie finally dropped them off at Stephanie's house in Long Beach around eight thirty. Situated on a quiet, tree lined street, the house was a nice clean two story walk-up, with a full basement. Painted white with black shutters on the windows, the house matched every other house on the street. To Jessie's eye, it was non-descript enough that no one would know that a celebrity actually lived there.

After thanking Joanie for picking them up at the airport, and dinner, Stephanie unlocked the door and punched in the code for the alarm system. Ushering Jessie into the front entry, she made sure the door was locked and the alarm reset. Dropping her luggage, she stood and watched Jessie, who was quietly trying to look around and take in the house without looking curious. Smiling to herself and quirking a brow, she finally said, "Jessie?"

The brunette turned at the sound of her voice and looked at her, surprised when Steph immediately pulled her into a searing kiss. When Steph released her minutes later, Jessie said, "Uh…hi?"

"I've been waiting to do that all day," Stephanie said, smiling back at her and keeping one arm wrapped around her neck.

Jessie leaned in and kissed her back, wrapping her arms around the slim waist. "Mmm, you read my mind."

Come on," Steph said, sliding out of her grasp and taking her hand. "I want to show you around."

"What about the luggage?" she asked, as Steph led her out of the foyer and toward the living room.

"We'll get it after I give you the grand tour," she said, smiling. "I want to show you everything, Jess. I want you to be comfortable here, like I am at your place."

Fifteen minutes later, having given Jessie a tour of the house, Stephanie led her into the bedroom, which she'd saved for last. Like the rest of the house, it was decorated modestly, with light, breezy colors. The furniture was all a natural, solid red oak, including the headboard on the king size bed. "So…" she said, as she flopped down across the bed and looked up at Jessie, her eyelids hooding. "What do you think? Everything's still pretty new, I just moved in about two months before I left for Ohio. I don't think I've even slept in here more than a few times." At Jessie's questioning look, she explained. "Nightmares. I thought I'd gotten rid of them, but they came back with a vengeance right before I left."

"Mmm," Jessie said noncommittally. "They've stopped now, though…right?" At Stephanie's nod of assent, she smiled. "Well then, I think…" Jessie said, licking her lips as she joined Steph on the bed, "that it's high time we break in this bed."

Stephanie shivered as Jessie trailed her hand up her side, leaving her with a pleasant tingling sensation. Propped up on one elbow, Jessie leaned over her. Using her free hand, she used a finger to trace Steph's jaw line, her lips...her nose. "I've been thinking about this all day," she said quietly.

"Tracing my face with your finger?" Stephanie asked, teasing her.

Jessie shook her head, smiling. "You…me…in your bed…memorizing each other. I didn't think Joanie was ever going to leave us alone."

"Mmm, I know," Stephanie answered, relaxing into the brunette's slow caresses. "By the way…I wanted to thank you for the way you handled her questions. I'm sorry she treated you like that."

Jessie shrugged distractedly, intent on memorizing a particular spot on the redhead's neck with her lips. "You'd already told me she didn't trust me, so I was expecting it. Besides, I am a lawyer. I know how to handle people like her." She moved upward slightly and caught Steph's lips with her own. When she pulled away, she added, "She's a lot like my mom, actually."

"Mmm…but I don't think even your mom would have come right out and talked to me like that,"Stephanie said, wiggling under her.

"Probably not, but she does have her moments, Steph,"Jessie acknowledged. Leaning down, she kissed her again, effectively shutting the redhead up.

This time, when they came up for air, Stephanie didn't have anything else to say about Joanie…or Jessie's mother. As a matter of fact, her brain had pretty much shut down under the oral onslaught Jessie had launched.

Kicking off her shoes, Jessie slid over on top of the redhead, planting one knee on either side of her right leg. Sitting up, she was now free to use both hands. Beginning at Stephanie's waist, she caught the hem of her shirt and pushed it up, stopping only when she reached the underside of her breasts. Bending down, she placed her mouth on Steph's stomach and moved down to the waist of her jeans. Using her tongue, she licked everywhere, making sure to spend copious amounts of time caressing every inch of bared skin.

Stephanie's hands drifted down to rest on Jessie's head as she continued covering her entire stomach area with licks and tiny kisses. Writhing under her, Stephanie wrapped her hands in Jessie's hair. Her breathing becoming more and more labored, she began attempting to direct Jessie upward. "Jessie…Jess…more…"

Looking up through a fall of dark bangs, Jessie smirked, "More what, Steph? What do you want?"

"Everything, Jess…I…I want…everything," Stephanie stammered, attempting to keep her brain from drifting away. At the moment, her attempts were failing utterly. On the bright side, she didn't really care. The only thing she cared about or was even aware of, was Jessie's mouth, her hands, her tongue…everywhere all at once. When she suddenly felt her jeans being pulled off, she blinked in surprise. She hadn't even noticed Jessie unbuttoning or unzipping them.

With a broad grin on her face, Jessie simply answered, "Lift up, Sweetheart. I need these off you."

Moving on autopilot, Stephanie lifted her hips off the bed. As she did, Jessie leaned down and planted a kiss on each bared thigh. Then, the jeans were tossed to the other side of the room, and Jessie was at her feet, removing her socks and grinning lasciviously.

"I love you, Steph," the brunette said quietly, as she knelt down and began running her tongue from Steph's toes, all the way up to her knees. Suddenly re-joining her on the bed, Jessie knelt next to her. Still trailing her fingers up Stephanie's body, she stopped, when she reached the underside of her breasts. Drawing circles with her fingers, teasing the redhead, Jessie smiled. Not wanting to torture the other woman, she pushed the shirt upwards.

Breathing heavily and moaning with pleasure, Stephanie swallowed hard when Jessie moved to take off her shirt. Still, she was coherent enough to help. Falling back to the mattress, she was helpless to do anything but plead for more, when she felt Jessie's mouth on her through the silk of her bra. Pressing Jessie's head to her, she tilted her head back, gasping. "Oh, God…Jess…" She slid one hand down to scratch her back and realized that the brunette was still dressed. Tugging at her shirt, she tried to get her to take it off. Suddenly, she realized that Jessie was shaking minutely.

Memories came crashing into her like a tidal wave. The first night she'd stayed at Jessie's, she'd been shaking then, too. Scared of getting hurt again, afraid of falling in love, even though she was already hopelessly drowning, Jessie had suddenly stopped moving when Steph tried to do this same thing. This time…this time, she didn't think that was the problem. They'd moved past that. Jessie had come all the way to California just to be with her. She'd professed her love to her. Why was she shaking?

The question drew her up short, cooling her libido as if a bucket of cold water had hit her square in the face. No longer lost in an erotic haze, she stopped tugging at Jessie's shirt. Instead, she caught her head between her hands.

Quietly, she said, "Jess…Jessie…" When Jessie stopped kissing her and looked up at her, she smiled. "Hey…why are you trembling?"

"Am I?" Jessie asked, averting her eyes briefly, before looking deeply into Steph's green ones. "I hadn't realized."

Stephanie stroked her cheek and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Is there something wrong, Jess? Have I done something…?"

She shook her head. "No. Nothing's wrong, and you haven't done anything wrong, either. I just…" she stopped and licked her lips, considering what she wanted to say. How could she explain what she was feeling?

Stephanie waited patiently. When it looked like Jessie wasn't going to be able to voice what she was feeling, she prompted gently, "You can talk to me about anything, Jess. I love you."

The brunette closed her eyes and nodded. She didn't want Steph to doubt her feelings for her. She certainly didn't doubt that Steph loved her. When she opened her eyes again, she said simply, "I know."

"Then what is it, Sweetheart?" she hugged Jessie close and rubbed her back. When the brunette only shook her head against her shoulder and refused to answer, she said, "Jess, you've helped me, and been there for me so much. But the only way this will work is if we're there for each other. I want to be there for you, too. Please let me?"

Hearing her words, Jessie took a deep breath. Propping herself up on one elbow, she looked into those green eyes again. Grazing Steph's cheek with her finger, she smiled. "I love you. I know you're there for me and you always will be. And there is nothing bothering me." She smiled shyly. "Except, of course, for the fact that you're still dressed."

Stephanie rolled her eyes at that and play swatted her on the rear. "You are so bad, Jess."

"I know, but you seem to like it," she shrugged, smirking.

"I may like it when you're bad, I'd never deny that, but I still want you to be comfortable enough with me to share everything, Jessie," she said seriously, refusing to be deterred by Jessie's efforts.

Jessie bent down and kissed her again. When she finally released those gorgeous, full lips, the look on her face was serious as well. "I am comfortable with you, Steph. I swear. There's nothing wrong…nothing bothering me. If I'm trembling, it's because I love you so much. I guess I just realized…this is all real, isn't it? I mean…before…when you were in Ohio, it was hard to believe…Me, with you. But now…here we are, at your place…in California. And it's all real. It's not a dream. As for sharing everything with you…" she leaned down and brushed their lips together once more. "I'm yours…body, mind, and soul."

Stephanie brushed her cheek with the back of her hand. Satisfied with her answer and charmed by her words, she couldn't help but smile up at the brunette. "Jess…It is real, Sweetheart. I love you so much. Thank you…for coming with me."

"I couldn't let you go if I wanted to, Steph," Jessie whispered, before launching another oral assault on the redhead in her arms.

"Hello?" Rachel's voice came over the phone, sounding a little tired.

"Rachel? I didn't wake you up, did I?" Stephanie asked when her sister answered the phone.

"No, not at all, Sis. I just got in, what's going on? Is something wrong? It's not another nightmare, is it?" Her voice was slightly muffled, as she was busy finishing a bite of pizza. Still, she was unable to hide the slight trace of worry. Stephanie usually didn't call this late at night.

Stephanie, afraid she'd caused Rachel to worry unnecessarily, hurried to say, "No, nothing like that, Rach. I was just up and thought I'd call. We made it into LAX earlier, and I guess I just wanted to say, 'hi.' I've missed talking to you."

Rachel furrowed a brow. Stephanie was still up? Wait a minute…we? She sat up straighter in her chair and pushed the pizza away. "We? Steph, did Jessie come with you?"

"Oh, yeah. I guess everything happened so fast, I forgot to tell you," Stephanie said in answer.

"I didn't think Jessie was going to LA with you?"

"Actually, I didn't either," Stephanie said, biting her lower lip and debating whether she should tell Rachel what had happened. Finally, she made a decision, and launched into the events of the last few days. By the time she was finished, she felt…relieved.

"So, Jessie wasn't going to go with you, and then…you had an argument, which you started, and she decided to go with you after all?" Rachel said, summarizing the story as best she could and trying to keep the confusion out of her voice.

"That's about it in a nutshell, Rach. I really thought I'd screwed everything up, when she wouldn't even talk to me Sunday morning." She took a deep breath and went on. "I couldn't believe it when she showed up at Theresa's, refusing to leave until she'd talked to me."

Rachel sighed and shook her head. "God that is so romantic, Steph. She really told you that you 'unravel her?' I mean…that's just…God." She couldn't think of anything else to say. Why couldn't she find someone like that?

Stephanie laughed. It felt so good to talk to Rachel. It had been a long time since either of them had had a relationship they could talk about with the other. "She really said that, yeah. It was kind of romantic, though."

"God, you are so lucky, Steph. You sound really happy,"Rachel said. And it was true. Stephanie sounded happier than she could remember her sounding in a long time.

"I am happy, Rachel. So, how are you doing?" she said, neatly changing the subject.

"I'm okay. Still working at the pizza place and going to school. I might even graduate one of these days," she answered, stuffing another bite of pizza into her mouth.

"No new romances to report?" Stephanie asked curiously.

"Nah. I've been too busy. Unless you count Jimmy Corsone. He doesn't seem to take a hint,"Rachel answered.

"Didn't you go out with him once?"

"Yeah, but that was a while ago. Can you say boring?" She shook her head, remembering that date. "Anyway, other than that, I'm not dating anybody."

"Well, hang in there, Rachel. You'll find somebody," Stephanie said encouragingly. Glancing at the clock, she noticed the time. "Hey, Rachel? I'm gonna go. I didn't realize how late it is."

"Missing Jessie, are you?" Rachel teased.

Stephanie blushed. "A little," she admitted. "I'll talk to you later. Give everyone a hug and a kiss for me."

"I will, Steph. Bye," Rachel said, hanging up.

Stephanie closed her cell phone and went into the kitchen to set it on the re-charger. Climbing the stairs, she re-entered the bedroom. In the dim light, she could see Jessie, fast asleep. Long black hair fanned out on the pillow, she was lying on her right side, seemingly waiting for Stephanie to join her. She sighed contently and slid under the covers, snuggling up next to her lover. As Jessie's arm wrapped around her automatically, she smiled and closed her eyes. "I love you, Jess," she whispered, as she fell asleep.

When Saturday evening rolled around, Jessie couldn't believe how nervous she was. It had been a while since she'd seen her father, but…he was her father! Why should she be nervous about seeing him again?

"Hey, you about ready to go?" Steph asked, entering the bedroom.

"Yeah, just about," Jessie answered, shaking her head to calm herself down. She turned to look at the redhead, raking her eyes over her appreciatively. "You look gorgeous, Steph," she said, pulling the redhead into her arms and kissing her.

Stephanie smiled. "Thank you. You're looking pretty good yourself," she said in answer, returning the kiss and brushing those perfect lips with her tongue. Then, backing away, she took Jessie's hands in hers. "Come on, Jess. Let's get going before we're late. I don't want your father to get the wrong impression of me right from the start."

"He's going to love you," Jessie said encouragingly. "What's not to love?"

"Did I ever tell you I met him once?" Stephanie asked as they got into her silver Lexus ISC.

Jessie looked over at her, surprised. "No. When did that happen?"

"A couple of years ago." Stephanie shrugged. "It was at some awards show or other. Actually…it was at an after party for some awards show. We were both there and somebody I was talking to knew him and waved him over. I doubt that he'd remember it, though."

"Hmm. Well, I guess we'll find out, won't we?" Jessie smiled at her and squeezed her knee. Half an hour later, they pulled into a parking spot outside a small, 'hole in the wall' little pizza place. JD was already there, waiting on them. Feeling the butterflies in her stomach take up an unnatural fluttering, Jessie took a quick breath to steady her nerves. Shaking her head, irritated with herself, she got out of the car. When Stephanie joined her, she took the redhead's hand and walked over to where he was standing, leaning against his car.

"Jessie!" JD Drake said, pushing himself off the car and wrapping his arms around his daughter when she got close enough.

"Hi, Dad," Jessie said almost shyly, when she found herself enveloped in his arms.

He unwrapped himself and grabbed her shoulders with both hands and held her where he could get a good look at her. "You look beautiful, Jess. You've grown into a gorgeous young woman."

Jessie blushed. "Well thanks, Dad. Umm…"

JD burst out laughing and hugged her again. "I'm so glad you called. I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Jessie said, gasping for breath from his strong hug. When he finally let her go, she caught Stephanie's hand again and pulled her forward. "Dad, I'd like you to meet someone."

He looked over at Stephanie and beamed. "So, this is the new girlfriend? Stephanie Winters isn't it?" he asked, pulling the redhead into a hug of her own. "I believe we met a few years ago at a party, didn't we?"

Stephanie, surprised that he would remember that, smiled and nodded. "Yes, we did. It's so nice to see you again, Mr. Drake."

"No, no, no," JD said, shaking his head. "I'm JD, not Mr. Drake. The last time somebody called me that was in a courtroom. Come on," he said, wrapping an arm around each of them and directing them toward the restaurant. "Let's eat, I'm starving. And you can catch me up on everything, Jess. We haven't talked in quite awhile."

Jessie rolled her eyes, but smiled. She'd forgotten how much fun her father was. In many ways, he was the polar opposite of her mother, and she'd wondered over the years what had attracted them to each other.

Once they were seated and had placed their order, Jessie looked over at JD. "So, how did you know that Stephanie was my girlfriend and not just a friend?"

JD shrugged. "Your mom told me," he said simply, taking a drink of his soda. "And…you were holding hands."

"Mom?" Jessie said in surprise, completely ignoring the comment about them holding hands. "When did you talk to her?"

"I talk to her a lot, actually," he said in answer. "If I'm paying her alimony, she can talk to me. Besides, how else am I supposed to keep up with my kids and grandkids?" He gave her a look that was part mild reprimand and part teasing.

Jessie however, rolled her eyes, properly chagrined. At the same time, she was stunned. As often as her mother complained about her father, she would never have guessed that they still spoke to each other. "Sorry, Dad. It's just that you're always so busy, I don't like to bother you."

"Jess, you're my kid. I'm your father. It's not a bother to talk to you once in a while," he rolled his eyes at Stephanie and shook his head, indicating his frustration with Jessie. "Do you talk to your parents, Stephanie?"

Stephanie nodded. "I try to talk to them as often as I can," she answered. "They worry if I don't call at least once every week or so."

He looked over at Jessie, but didn't say anything else about it. Instead, he turned the conversation around and had Jessie fill him in on everything that had happened recently. "Your mother tells me, quite reluctantly, I might add, that you're in a band, Jess? I get the impression that she doesn't approve of it."

Jessie sighed. She had hoped to keep that information to herself. "I am, and you're right. She hates it."

He nodded in understanding. He was quite aware of Julie's dislike of the music business. "Well…are you going to tell me about it, or do I need to drag it out of you?" he smiled over at her, smirking.

Stephanie, watching the two of them, couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry," she said, when both of them turned to look at her. "Your mom was right, Jess. You two are so much alike." She watched as twin sets of blue eyes looked at each other before dissolving into laughter with her.

Jessie just shook her head, finally reigning in her laughter. "All right, all right. Good Lord, if I'd known the two of you were going to gang up on me, I would have just let the two of you have dinner together and leave me out of it," she groused good naturedly.

Stephanie leaned over and bumped Jessie's shoulder with her own. "Oh Jess, I'm just teasing."

The brunette turned and looked at her for a moment before kissing her. "I know... I just like to whine once in a while."

JD laughed. "Jessie, I'm still waiting to hear about this band of yours," he said, interrupting them.

Jessie rolled her eyes again and launched into a detailed description of the band, each member, and their songs. Much to her surprise, Stephanie pulled a copy of one of their CD's out of her purse and handed it over to JD. 'Just so he'd have something to listen to,' she'd explained when Jessie turned a questioning look toward her. Then, she launched into their plans for the next week, including the martial arts tournament that Jessie had entered for the following Saturday.

At JD's look of surprise, Jessie explained that Stephanie had a friend who was also a martial arts instructor. In fact, he had actually worked with her on one of her films. Once Jessie decided to come out to California, Stephanie had called him up and he kindly invited Jessie to his studio to work out every day. Entering the tournament had been something of a spur of the moment decision, but Jessie had felt like it was a good way to keep busy while Stephanie was at work.

By the time the evening was over, Jessie was glad that she'd agreed to have dinner with JD. Stephanie had been right, of course. It had felt good to get to know her father again, and JD seemed genuinely happy to get together. He even made Jessie promise to call at least once a month to keep him updated on her life. And, anytime Jessie was in town visiting Stephanie, they were definitely getting together. Whether it was for dinner, lunch, a party, or just getting together to watch a movie and talk, JD didn't care. He just wanted to spend time with Jessie. And, much to Jessie's surprise, he even offered to come to the tournament to root her on.

In the parking lot, JD hugged them both goodbye. As they got into Stephanie's car, the redhead asked, "So, did you have a good time tonight, Jess?"

"Actually, I had a great time," the brunette admitted, smiling over at her. "I have no idea why I was so nervous earlier."

Stephanie reached over and took her hand, giving it a quick squeeze. "I knew you'd enjoy seeing him again, Jess."

One week later, Jessie and Stephanie walked into the sports arena hand in hand. No sooner had they taken a seat in the bleachers, than Stephanie heard someone calling her name. Looking around, she easily spotted the source of the voice.

Two rows back and to their left, sat Kate Adams-Morrison, who was now married to Stephanie's ex, Linda Morrison. Rolling her eyes and sighing, she nevertheless waved back. "Well crap," she groaned through gritted teeth and a fake smile.

Jessie looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "Crap?"

Stephanie shook her head. "Just someone I used to know. Don't be surprised if she comes over here and sits down."

At that precise moment, Kate slid down in the seat next to Stephanie, on her left. "Hi, Stephanie! It's been a while."

"Hello, Kate," Stephanie answered, plainly not wanting to talk to the woman.

"So, Linda and I haven't seen you around for a while, how have you been?" She ignored the fact that the redhead wasn't interested in having a conversation with her. Instead, leaning in so that she could be heard better.

Stephanie slid a little closer to Jessie, trying to maintain her personal space. "I've been fine, Kate…just really busy working."

The woman with the short brown spiky haircut nodded, but asked, "You haven't been trying to avoid us, have you Stephanie? We've all really missed you." She was well aware of the fact that Stephanie had been doing just that. Surprised that she'd even see the actress here, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk to her. Then, she seemed to notice Jessie for the first time. Looking from Jessie back to Stephanie, she asked, "So who's this, Steph? I didn't know you were dating again?" She reached across the actress to introduce herself to Jessie. "Hi, I'm Kate, and you are?"

"Jessie Drake. It's nice to meet you," Jessie answered smoothly, quite aware of the fact that Stephanie was uncomfortable with the other woman, but not sure why.

"Jessie…it's wonderful to meet you," Kate said, looking at her appraisingly.

Jessie felt the woman's eyes raking over her body, but didn't let it bother her. Stephanie, on the other hand, had tensed up next to her quite noticeably. Leaning into the redhead slightly and catching her hand to lend her some support, Jessie smiled at Kate. Over the last two weeks, she'd met a few of Stephanie's friends, but she'd never mentioned Kate or Linda before, and it made Jessie wonder why? It was obvious that Stephanie didn't like the way Kate was eyeing her. If Jessie didn't know better, she'd think Steph was jealous. Was Steph afraid that Kate was going to hit on her? It wouldn't matter to Jessie if Kate did just that. She only had eyes for Stephanie, and the redhead had no reason to worry. There was nothing that could tear Jessie away from Steph.

Her attention returned to the woman when she realized that Kate was asking Steph a question. A question that the redhead really didn't seem to want to answer, judging by her reaction. Stephanie's hand had tightened around hers until Jessie thought she would crush it, she was squeezing it with such force. Seeking to calm her down, she began rubbing her arm.

The redhead eased up on her hand right away, but never let go. Jessie breathed a little easier, but continued to rub her arm as the conversation between the two women continued. She really couldn't hear most of it due to the noise in the arena, so she contented herself with watching the matches that were going on.

About fifteen minutes later, she noticed that her match was coming up soon. Standing up, she squeezed Stephanie's hand again when the redhead looked at her, a bit of panic in her eyes. "I need to get ready, Steph. My match is coming up soon," she explained. She felt a little like she was abandoning Stephanie to Kate, but she couldn't help it. Stephanie, noticing the time as well, nodded her understanding and squeezed her hand again.

"Good luck, Jess," Steph said when Jessie leaned down to kiss her.

Jessie smiled and rubbed her cheek with the back of a knuckle. "Thanks, Sweetheart. I won't be long." Then she headed for the locker room to change and warm up. Just as she hit the bottom of the bleachers, her father showed up. Breathing a sigh of relief, now that Stephanie wouldn't be left alone with Kate, she hugged JD and pointed to where the redhead was seated.

Climbing the steps, JD made his way over to Stephanie. When he got close enough, she stood up and hugged him in welcome. "I'm so glad to see you again, Stephanie. I ran into Jessie on the way up and she pointed you out to me."

"I'm glad you're here, JD. Have a seat," Stephanie said, relieved more than she'd like to admit, that she wouldn't have to endure Kate's presence alone.

She turned to Kate and said, "Kate, this is JD Drake…"

"Yes, I know who he is," Kate said, introducing herself to JD. "And how do you two know each other?"she asked curiously.

"I'm Jessie's father," JD answered, smiling to himself at the look of surprise that flashed through her eyes.

"Really?" She looked at Stephanie, her estimation of the redhead rising just a bit. She knew that Steph had good taste. After all, she'd dated Linda. She'd just always thought that Stephanie preferred to date people outside the business. Finding out that Jessie was JD Drake's daughter surprised her and she privately wondered how they'd met. She never got the chance to ask, however.

Their conversation was interrupted, and all three of them turned their attention to the arena when Jessie's name was announced over the PA. She'd entered the Escrima competition, and had just stepped onto the mat. Watching intently, Stephanie tensed again, when she saw Jessie's opponent. Tall and built like a body builder, easily outweighing Jessie by forty pounds, he looked quite imposing to Stephanie. Jessie, however, showed nothing at all, as she waited at the side of the mat and did her own appraisal of her opponent.

Stepping onto the mat, the two bowed to each other and struck a fighting stance. When the official dropped his hand, they attacked each other with lightening speed. Unlike the fight Stephanie had seen with Jing, weeks ago, which was full of anger and pain, this fight was all technique and skill. Thrusts, strikes and parry's happened so quickly…the sticks flowing in patterns too fast for Stephanie to follow. Within minutes, it was over.

Somehow, Jessie had managed to score the winning point, knocking the fighting sticks from her opponent's hands to send them flying to the far side of the mat. The official declared her the winner, raising her hand over her head, and the crowd cheered loudly. Apparently, Stephanie realized, her opponent had been the expected winner of the match. Jessie's win had surprised them all.

Two matches later, and Jessie had won each one, surprising everyone yet again. By the end of the tournament, she'd managed to take first place in the Escrima competition. She'd also taken part in the Staff Demonstration, and earned a third place trophy in that. Stephanie, waiting for her to come out of the locker room, couldn't hide the huge grin on her face. Beside her, JD was grinning from ear to ear, too. Before last weekend, he hadn't even known that Jessie was interested in the martial arts. He was beyond proud.

After hugging both Stephanie and her father, Jessie noticed that Kate was there, too. She was looking slightly uncomfortable, but shook Jessie's hand, anyway. Accepting the woman's congratulations, she was just about to thank her, when a blond little boy with a mop of curly hair about eight years old came out of the locker room and ran over to her.

"Momma Kate! Did you see? Did you see? I won!" he yelled, so excited he couldn't contain it as he flung himself into her arms.

Kate bent down and hugged the little boy to her. "I saw, Tommy, I saw it. You did so well! You're mom's gonna be so proud of you!" With the little boy beaming from ear to ear, she stood back up, clearly trying to keep the boy from noticing them. "Well…I guess we'd better go. Jessie, JD, it was nice to meet both of you. Stephanie…it was good to see you again. Remember what I asked, and please…call anytime. Take care of yourself."

She left then, with Tommy tucked under one arm talking excitedly to her. He had looked over at Stephanie curiously when Kate mentioned her name, but Kate hurried him away before he could say anything. Jessie noticed that Stephanie watched them walk away with an odd, unreadable expression on her face. She wondered what it was about, and made a mental note to ask her about it, later.

Later that evening, they were sitting in Stephanie's living room, watching TV. JD had treated them to dinner after the tournament, and said his goodbye's at the restaurant. Now that they were alone, Jessie figured this might be a good time to talk to Stephanie about Kate. Reaching over, she grabbed the remote and hit the mute button.

Turning to look curiously at her, Stephanie said, "Jess?"

"Sorry Steph, but I wanted to ask you something. If you don't mind, that is?" she said, plainly trying to tread lightly.

Stephanie sighed. How many times had she told Jessie she could ask her anything? "What would you like to know?" She had a feeling she already knew what it was, but she waited patiently for Jessie's question. She didn't want to rush this conversation. In fact, she didn't want to have it at all.

"Well, I've met quite a few of your friends this past two weeks, but you've never even mentioned Kate and Linda before." She stopped and looked at the redhead, trying to gauge how she was going to react. Stephanie wasn't giving anything away, however, so she plunged ahead. "So…I guess I was wondering…why? I mean, it's obvious that she knew you pretty well…and I noticed how you looked at Tommy…"

Stephanie sat up straighter. She'd been leaning against Jessie's shoulder, watching the TV, but she turned now so that she could look her in the eye. Licking her lips, she bit the inside of her cheek, before she finally said, "Kate's married to my ex…Linda."

"Linda…that name sounds familiar, but I can't…" Jessie looked at Steph.

"You remember, I told you…she was my longest relationship?" Stephanie said quietly, hoping Jessie would remember that conversation.

Jessie thought for a minute, before nodding slowly. "I remember, now. You did mention her…but, what about Tommy?"

Stephanie closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. She should have known that Jessie would find out about this sooner or later. She hadn't meant to keep it from her, she just hadn't wanted to deal with it. But Kate and Tommy's appearance earlier in the day had dredged it all up, and she had to tell her now, for better or worse. The idea that Steph had lied to her, or omitted something this important… For all she knew, this could be the one thing that would send Jess packing.

Pulling her legs up to sit cross legged on the couch, she took a deep breath and began her story. "I knew Linda and her husband Tom, in college. Tom had a job waiting for him in LA after graduation, and they headed out here. I moved a few months later, and got an apartment a couple of miles away. For the first few months, everything was great. Then, when Linda was six months pregnant, Tom was in a car accident and died. I gave up my apartment and moved in with her, to help. For the next three months, I went to Lamaze classes, helped her get the nursery ready…everything. When Tommy was born, I was there. I even got to cut the cord…"

She reached over and grabbed her water, taking a drink before continuing. "After Tommy was born, Linda and I became…involved. We'd set up house and were raising Tommy together." She snorted and shook her head. "It was all very…domestic."

Jessie, sorry she'd brought it up, waited quietly for Steph to finish. When the redhead fell silent, she reached over and laid a hand on Steph's leg. "So, what happened?"

"Tommy got sick one day while Linda was at work. I called and told her, and she asked me to take him to the emergency room," she took another drink of her water. "Anyway, I took him like she asked, and the pediatrician came in and checked him out. She said he just had a bad cold, and it was nothing to worry about. In the meantime, Linda had shown up. I saw the way they looked at each other. I should have known then, that something wasn't right, but I was just so young and naï…I didn't want to believe anything could happen." She ducked her head to look at the couch.

"I'm guessing that Kate was the pediatrician?" Jessie asked softly.

Stephanie sniffed. "Yeah. Three months later, I walked into the house one day to find them both sitting there, waiting for me. Linda told me they'd been talking a lot to each other over the last few months, and they'd decided to try a relationship. They hadn't done anything but talk at that point, because Linda didn't want to cheat on me. It was all very civilized, and they were both really nice about it. They wanted me to know that I was always welcome anytime. They both wanted me to stay…involved with…T…Tommy…" No longer able to keep her feelings under control, she broke down and started crying, covering her face with her hands.

Jessie pulled Steph to her and held her. "I'm so sorry, Steph. I didn't know."

"It's okay, Jess…" Steph said, sniffing again. "I know you didn't. I guess seeing them today just…brought it all back."

"Can I ask you…how long you were together?"

"Tommy was four, when I moved out," Stephanie said, her voice a strangled whisper. "I…I practically raised him, Jess. He was like my own son. His first words, his first steps…I was there for all of it. He called me…he called me…Momma Stephie." She started crying again, burying her face in Jessie's shoulder.

Jessie hugged her tighter and let her cry. When she'd decided to ask about Kate, she had no idea how badly Steph had been hurt. Now, she felt horrible, having brought up something so painful. It was obvious that Stephanie still loved Tommy, and missed him terribly.

They'd never talked about kids, other than in reference to John and Lacy's boys or their own nieces and nephews. She'd never bothered to ask Stephanie if she wanted kids of her own, someday. It was just something that hadn't come up before. Now, it was painfully clear that Stephanie would probably love being a mother. Right now, though, was not the time to ask her about having kids of her own in the future.

Deciding that silence would be best for the moment, Jessie leaned back into the couch, pulling Stephanie with her and running her hands through her hair. After a while, the redhead calmed down and seemed to relax. "You okay, Steph?" Jessie asked quietly, trying not to disturb her.

"I'm all right. I think…I think I just need some time," she answered, sniffing and wiping at her tear streaked cheeks.

Jessie nodded, her arms still wrapped around the redhead. "How about if I go on to bed and give you some time to yourself? Would that be okay?"

"You don't have to go, Jess. I wasn't suggesting that," Stephanie protested.

"I didn't think you were," Jessie said, kissing her on the temple. "I just want to give you whatever you need." She slipped out from under the other woman and stood up. "Take your time. You know where to find me when you're ready. And Steph…This doesn't change anything between us. I love you," she whispered, leaning down and kissing her gently on the mouth.

"I love you, too, Jess. Thank you," Stephanie said in answer. As she watched Jessie head upstairs to their bedroom, she smiled sadly. Jessie was leaving tomorrow, and she could already feel the gap in her heart that was the loss of her presence. Sighing, she flopped back into the couch and closed her eyes, allowing her thoughts to meander back over Linda, Kate and Tommy.

It was late, when Stephanie finally made her way upstairs and crawled into bed. Half asleep, Jessie rolled over and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. Snuggling into the other woman's shoulder, she sniffed, and said quietly, "Jessie? You still awake?"

"Yeah," the brunette answered her voice scratchy. In truth, she was always a light sleeper, and when Steph wasn't next to her, she woke up with every single little noise. The feel of the mattress dipping lower under Steph's weight had awakened her the minute the redhead climbed into bed.

"I was wondering…Well, Linda and Kate…they've always been really good about things with Tommy." She sniffed, but never lifted her head, preferring to keep her eyes hidden. "What I mean is…they never shut me out of his life. They've invited me to every birthday party and family get together since everything happened. They even send me pictures and copies of his report cards, so I can keep up with him."

"Is there something coming up, Steph?" Jessie asked, rubbing the redhead's arm. She suspected there was, but waited patiently for Steph to say what she needed to.

Stephanie nodded against her shoulder. "His birthday is next weekend. During your match, Kate asked me if I would like to come over and see him."

"Do you want to go?" Jessie asked, shifting slightly so that she could see Steph's face a little better.

Stephanie looked up at her then, her cheeks streaked with her tears. "Yeah, I think I do. But…" she stopped and bit her lower lip, contemplating something.

"Would you like me to go with you?" Jessie asked, sensing that the redhead wanted to ask, but didn't want to involve her in her problems.

"If you wouldn't mind…"Stephanie answered, too afraid to ask, but hoping Jessie would offer. She just didn't think she could face Linda and Kate alone.

Jessie hugged her closer and kissed her temple. "Of course I don't mind. I'd love to meet your son, Steph."

The redhead breathed easier, hearing Jessie's answer. She'd been afraid to ask her to go with her. It was probably silly, but it really wasn't Jessie's problem, and she wasn't sure how the other woman would feel getting involved. Closing her eyes, she whispered, "Thank you, Jessie."

Jessie caressed her cheek, pushing her hair back, and kissed her again. "You're very welcome."

"You're not mad that I didn't tell you about this before now?" she asked quietly.

Jessie, looking up at her, could see the fear in her eyes. Understanding how hard it must have been for Steph to lose her family like that, she answered her honestly. "How could I be mad at you for that, Steph? You had your family torn away from you. I can't imagine how much that must have hurt. I certainly don't blame you for not wanting to talk about it."

"You're so incredible, Jess. I can't believe I got so lucky." She sniffed again.

"I'm the lucky one, Steph." Jessie pulled her close and held her until she finally drifted off, listening to her breathing softly in the dark.

"So, how was your trip?" Theresa asked, greeting Jessie at the airport Sunday evening.

"It was all right," Jessie answered cryptically.

A light brown brow rose in question. "Just all right? You were in California for two weeks, and that's all you have to say, Jessie?"

Jessie laughed. "I knew I'd freak you out with that answer. Jesus, T! It was great, of course. I was with Stephanie…no matter what we did, it was gonna be a great time."

"So, you're saying you had a good time, then?" Theresa translated.

"Humph. Of course I did. She introduced me to some of her friends, we had dinner with my dad, and I competed in a tournament while I was there…it was great. I can't wait to go again," Jessie said, grinning from ear to ear. "As a matter of fact, I'm flying out next Friday after work."

"What? Next weekend?" Theresa gaped, stunned by the bombshell.

"Yeah, Steph has something personal to take care of. She asked me if I'd help her with it," Jessie explained mysteriously.

"Personal like what?" Theresa asked.

"Personal like…if you want to know, you'll have to ask her." Jessie glanced over and noticed the hurt look on the blonde's face. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Look, Theresa, I'm sorry. It's something personal with Steph. I don't know if she wants anyone else to know, otherwise I'd tell you." Realizing that Theresa might be worried, she rushed to add, "It's not her health or anything, T. You don't need to worry about that. As a matter of fact, it's nothing to worry about at all…really."

Theresa shrugged. "It's all right, Jess. I can respect that."

"Good, I don't want to hurt your feelings, or anything." They had arrived at Theresa's car, and they climbed in after stowing Jessie's luggage in the trunk. "I'll tell you what…She's coming into town the following weekend for the Fourth of July. Why don't you ask her about it, then?"

Nodding her head in agreement, Theresa decided to change the subject. Jessie had never kept anything from her before, but that didn't mean that Stephanie's business was something that Jessie was willing to share. "So, tell me about the rest of your trip?"

Breathing easier, grateful that Theresa was going to let the subject go for the moment, Jessie launched into the details of her trip. By the time Theresa dropped her off at home, she'd told her everything. She did of course, leave out any mention of Kate and Tommy. That was a subject for Steph to deal with when she chose to. Jessie knew the redhead wanted to wait until after Tommy's birthday to see how things went.

On Friday evening, Jessie landed at LAX and Stephanie met her at the gate. Stopping on the way to Stephanie's, they ate a quick dinner and got in around nine. Jessie, after leaving Ohio at seven and sitting through a three hour flight, was exhausted. The band had played two gigs that week, one on Wednesday and then on Thursday and she'd had very little sleep in the past 72 hours. Since she hadn't seen Stephanie all week, she really wanted to spend time with her now. Unfortunately, she just couldn't seem to keep her eyes open any longer.

Falling into bed around ten, Stephanie joined her and they spooned together, falling asleep within minutes. Stephanie had her arm draped over her side, with her hand resting on her stomach. As she closed her eyes, nervous about what tomorrow might bring, Jessie couldn't think of a better way to go to sleep.

Waking up Saturday morning, Jessie rolled over to find that Stephanie was already up. Swinging her legs out of bed, she stood up and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and splash some water on her face. Making her way downstairs, she went looking for the redhead. When Stephanie didn't turn up in the kitchen, she grabbed a glass and filled it from the gallon of orange juice in the fridge. Noticing that the back door was slightly ajar, she headed for the deck.

Sitting in one of the padded wooden deck chairs and reading a book she had propped on the matching table, Stephanie looked up when Jessie opened the sliding screen door. "Hey, you finally wake up?"

"Yeah," the brunette said, pulling up a chair and sitting down across from her. "Sorry I fell asleep on you last night. I guess this week took more out of me than I expected."

"That's all right, Jess. It's incredibly wonderful of you to come all this way just for a nine year olds' birthday party," Stephanie said, reaching over and rubbing her arm.

Jessie got up and moved to stand behind her, reaching out and rubbing her shoulders. "I wouldn't have missed this for the world, Steph."

"But it's such a long way…"the redhead started to protest.

Jessie shook her head. "No place is too far away if you're at the end of the journey, Steph. You're like my own personal pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

Stephanie rolled her eyes at the analogy. "God, Jess. Sometimes you just worry me."

The brunette laughed. "I'm trying to keep you from getting too nervous. Is it working?"

Stephanie tilted her head back and smiled up at her. "Kiss me and I'll let you know."

Jessie leaned down and kissed her. When she straightened up, she asked, "Still nervous?"

Stephanie nodded. "Yeah, but I don't think I'll be feeling better until after this whole thing's over with." She grabbed Jessie's hand and pulled her around to face her. "What if he doesn't remember me, Jess? What if…"

"Shh," Jessie reached over and put a finger to her lips. "You raised him for the first four years of his life, Steph. He called you Momma. He'll remember you." She gasped, when Stephanie leaned forward and kissed the palm of her hand. Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "I can't imagine anyone forgetting you once they've met you."

They pulled into the driveway leading up to Linda and Kate's house at exactly ten minutes to two. Jessie had driven, and when she parked, Stephanie didn't make a move to get out right away. When Jessie looked over at her, about to ask if something was wrong, she smiled nervously at the brunette.

"Just psyching myself up for this," she said reassuringly, squeezing Jessie's hand.

"You sure you want to do this?"

Stephanie nodded. "I'm sure. I've missed him so much, Jess. If I back out now, Tommy will think I didn't want to see him." She sighed. "He might already think that, for all I know."

"Steph, I'm sure he doesn't think that. If he asks why you haven't been around, tell him the truth," Jessie said. She didn't believe for a minute that Tommy was going to be mad at Stephanie. "Just tell him that you were…hurt and confused. It's the truth, and it's something that he can understand. Apologize and make sure he knows that you love him. It'll be okay."

Stephanie leaned over and kissed Jessie on the cheek. "Okay, let's do this." She opened the car door and got out. Jessie followed, walking to her right with a hand on the small of her back. Through the material of Steph's blouse, she could feel the redhead shaking slightly.

When they got to the door, Stephanie didn't even get a chance to ring the bell. The door flew open and a small blond hurricane came flying out, leaping into her arms.

"Momma Stephie! Momma Stephie!" Tommy yelled, wrapping both arms around Stephanie's neck and hugging her. "You came! They said you would and you did!"

Stephanie hugged him tightly to her, sniffing back tears. "Look how big you are, Tommy. I can't believe it!"

"I'm nine now, Momma Stephie. I'm a big boy," he declared, looking at her seriously.

"I know you are, Sweetheart. Happy Birthday," Stephanie said, kissing him on the cheek and handing him a box wrapped in brightly colored paper. She set him down and looked up to see Linda and Kate standing in the doorway smiling at her.

"Look Mom, look Mommy Kate…Momma Stephie's here! You told me she would come and she did!"he said again, overjoyed that Stephanie had shown up, and still clinging to her hand.

"Yes, she did," Linda said, smiling at all three of them. "Why don't you bring Momma Stephie and her friend Jessie inside? You can show them your room." As Tommy led Stephanie away, she stuck out a hand and introduced herself to Jessie as they followed them.

Tommy pulled on Stephanie's hand. "Come on, Momma Stephie! Come see my room."

Stephanie let him lead her into the house, still clinging to her hand. She looked at Jessie to make sure she was following them. She was, and Steph relaxed a bit, knowing that Jess was right there. Linda closed the door behind them and she and Kate followed as Tommy took them to his room. When they got there, he busied himself showing Stephanie his toys and karate trophies.

Jessie stopped in the doorway and watched the boy lead Stephanie around the room, pointing out various favorites. As Stephanie stood gazing at some photographs on a shelf, Jessie noticed Tommy suddenly standing in front of her, looking up.

"You do Karate too, don't you?"the boy asked her. "I saw you at the tournament last week."

"I do," Jessie answered, kneeling down to talk to him. "I saw you, too. You're pretty good."

Tommy beamed at the praise. "Thanks! Maybe we could do some Karate later? I can kick real high, now."

"I bet you do," Jessie said, smiling at him. "You'll have to show me."

"Why don't you take Jessie out back and you two can talk about Karate while Momma Stephie and I talk?" Linda suggested, laughing at how excited Tommy was.

"Okay," Tommy agreed, catching Jessie's hand and leading her through the house to the backyard.

Stephanie glanced at Jessie and saw the look on her face. At the unasked question in blue eyes, she nodded, letting Jessie know that she'd be okay if she went outside with Tommy. There was still unfinished business between Linda and herself.

After the two of them left, Stephanie looked at Linda. She couldn't think of a thing to say, and just stood there, arms crossed, feeling lost. She had really been hoping she wouldn't have to spend any time alone with either Linda or Kate. Unsure of what to say, she finally settled on, "So…"

Linda, understanding that Stephanie was still uncomfortable with this, simply said, "Come on out to the living room, Steph. Let's sit down and talk."

Stephanie followed without saying anything, and Linda left her in the living room long enough to go grab some drinks out of the kitchen. While she waited, Stephanie wandered around the living room. She was surprised to see that things really hadn't changed much since she'd lived there. The couch and chairs were new, but other than that, things looked about the same, even the pictures. Everywhere she looked, there were pictures of her with Tommy. From the pictures of him as a newborn, just home from the hospital, to his first soccer game and his first day of pre-school. Her thoughts were interrupted by Linda, stepping back into the room, and she wiped at her eyes.

"We kept all the pictures of you with Tommy," Linda said as she stepped back into the living room and noticed Stephanie looking at the pictures. "He loves you so much, we couldn't bear to take them away from him," she said softly, coming in and setting the Diet Coke on a coaster for her.

"It's been a long time," Stephanie whispered, surprised by the old pictures of her and Tommy together. She had long ago hidden her copies of those pictures, trying to hide from her feelings.

"Five years," Linda agreed.

"I'm so sorry," Stephanie said, falling onto the couch.

"Stephanie, we don't blame you. We hurt you terribly, and we're both so sorry for what happened." She sat down in the chair next to the couch and said, "We really meant it when we told you we wanted you to continue to be in Tommy's life. He's missed you so much."

"I've missed him, too," the redhead admitted, sniffing.

Kate walked in and sat on the arm of Linda's chair, leaning into her. "We've all missed you, Stephanie. It was quite a surprise to run into you last weekend."

"It was," Stephanie agreed.

"So, how long have you and Jessie been dating?" Linda asked, curious.

Stephanie smiled a little, at the change of topic. "Almost four months."

"Kate tells me she's a lawyer? And she's JD Drake's daughter?"

"Yeah, she really is," she answered, smiling a little now. It almost felt like old times, sitting here in the living room, talking to the two of them. Linda asked how they met, and Stephanie launched into the story, making sure to tell them all about Jessie's band, and her martial arts experience. By the time she was finished, she felt much more relaxed and comfortable.

"Well," Kate said, getting up, "I'm going to go finish getting dinner ready. Why don't you go on out and play with Tommy, Steph? Jessie probably needs rescuing by now." She laughed, as she headed for the kitchen.

Linda stood up and looked at her. "I'm gonna go help Kate. Go on out there and get to know him again, Steph. He's never stopped asking about you."

Stephanie nodded, grateful for the opportunity she was being given, and went out back to join Tommy and Jessie. When she arrived, Jessie was in the middle of giving Tommy some pointers on his kicking technique. As the little boy noticed her standing there watching, he stopped what he was doing and ran over to her.

"Momma Stephie, will you help us? Jessie says you can do Karate, too," he asked, his blond hair falling in his face.

"I'd love to, Tommy," she answered, holding his hand and allowing him to drag her over to where Jessie was standing, watching them.

"Come to join us?" Jessie asked, smiling at her, when she got close enough.

She nodded. "Yep. It's been a long time since Tommy and I hung out together, hasn't it, Tommy?" she asked, ruffling his hair.

"It sure has," he agreed, striking up a fighting stance and watching as Stephanie did the same. Suddenly, his expression changed and he looked at her with serious brown eyes. "Momma Stephie, why have you been gone so long?"

Stephanie glanced at Jessie, who gave her a look of sympathy and understanding, before making a strategic retreat to the deck, where she joined Linda, who had just stepped outside and sat down. Looking down at Tommy, Stephanie sighed and sat down in the grass, patting the area next to her. "Sit down here with me, Tommy. I'll try to explain it to you, okay?"

The boy nodded silently, and flopped down facing her, crossing his legs. He waited expectantly, while she cleared her throat and tried to figure out where to begin. As she thought about it, Jessie's words came back to her. 'Just tell him the truth.'

Reaching over and catching both his hands in hers, she looked at him. He'd grown so much over the last five years, she could hardly believe it. It seemed like only yesterday, she'd watched him being born and cut the cord. She and Linda had been so excited that day…Funny, how thing's had changed so much. Shaking her head to clear it, she explained it to him as best she could. As Jessie suggested, she told him the truth, admitting that she'd been afraid to see him again…that she thought he might have forgotten her.

Tommy sat and listened to what she had to say, interrupting her once in a while to ask a question. She answered every question as best she could, making sure that he understood that her absence wasn't his fault. When she finally finished, he crawled into her lap and hugged her tight.

"You're gonna stay now, Momma Stephie?" he asked. "You're not going away again?"

"I'm not going anywhere, Tommy. I promise," she whispered, clinging to him.

"Good, 'cuz I miss you. I'm glad you're back," he said. After a few minutes, he wiggled loose and looked at her. "Is Jessie your wife?"

"Umm, no. She is my girlfriend, though," she answered, surprised by the quick change in topic. "Why?"

He shrugged and stood up. "I like Jessie. She's nice and she knows lots of Karate. And she really likes you. You should marry her."

"I really like her too, Tommy. We'll have to wait and see about the marrying thing, though. In the meantime, I'll make sure she comes with me to see you whenever she can,"she said, standing up and stretching her legs. They wandered back to the deck, to sit down with Linda and Jessie. Just then, Kate's voice came through the open screen door, telling them to come inside and get their plates.

The menu for dinner was chosen by Tommy, and consisted of hamburgers, tater tots and applesauce. For dessert, he'd requested a chocolate cake, decorated with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and vanilla ice cream. Once they'd eaten, the rest of the afternoon passed by quickly. Stephanie and Tommy went back out to play in the yard, and Jessie hung out on the deck with Linda and Kate.

Taking a drink of her Diet Coke, Jessie smiled as she watched Stephanie playing with Tommy. Turning her attention back to Linda and Kate, she said, "I'd really like to thank you both, for this. It's really nice of you to include Stephanie in his life this way. Seeing Tommy again has made her really happy."

"We wanted to, Jessie," Kate said. "We've always thought of her as Tommy's mother, too. We know he certainly does."

"And she's always welcome here,"Linda added, watching the two playing. "We understand though, that we put her through a lot. It was hard for her, the way things happened." She turned her attention to Jessie. "Maybe we should be thanking you, Jessie. Somehow, I think if you hadn't been in that tournament this might never have happened."

Jessie couldn't argue with that. If they hadn't seen Kate and Tommy at that tournament, Stephanie might never have told her about the boy she considered her son. For just a brief moment, she was hurt by that. After all, she had told Steph about her past with Bobby, and the mess she'd been in after he left. Why didn't Steph feel like she could do the same? Then again, she'd never lost her whole family at once.

It was nearing eight, when Stephanie and Tommy rejoined them on the deck. Jessie watched as the redhead flopped into the nearest chair and blew out a breath. "You all worn out?"

"Yeah, Tommy was teaching me how to punch properly. Unfortunately, he's just too good for me," Stephanie teased, reaching over and ruffling his hair.

"You'll get it," he said encouragingly, patting her arm.

Linda and Kate laughed at the way he acted like the parent, encouraging Stephanie. "Come on, Tommy," Kate said, standing up. "It's getting late and your mom and I still need to talk to Stephanie and Jessie about something important. Why don't you go and turn on a video game? You can play one of the new ones that Momma Stephie and Jessie got for you."

They all moved into the living room, and Kate returned shortly, after making sure that Tommy was safely ensconced in his bedroom, playing on his Xbox. Sliding into the empty chair on the other side of the couch, she blew out a breath. "So…before you head home Stephanie, Linda and I had something we wanted to talk to you about."

Stephanie waited patiently until Linda spoke up. "Steph…when Tom and I found out we were having a baby, we had our wills drawn up. We had already decided that if anything happened to us, we wanted you to be Tommy's legal guardian."

Stephanie, hearing that, looked surprised. "What? Linda, why didn't you ever tell me?"

The other woman shrugged. "You moved in with me right after Tom died. You were already his Godmother…it seemed like a no-brainer at the time. But then, after everything changed, I wasn't sure what to do. You were the only one that Tom and I trusted. You know how my parents are…I wouldn't trust them with Tommy. They've never even seen him."

"Never?" she asked, incredulously. "Linda, he's eight…I mean, nine years old!"

"I know," she sighed. "But you know they never liked Tom because he was Catholic. I sent them pictures, but they were always returned unopened."

"That's terrible," Stephanie said, unable to believe that Tommy's grandparents would reject him like that. Her own parents had always treated Tommy as if he were their own grandchild.

"Yeah well…that's just them," Linda said, blowing off her parents' lack of consideration. "Anyway, Kate and I are in the process of updating everything now that we're married," she stopped and looked at Stephanie, unsure of her reaction to that. But when she didn't seem bothered by the announcement, she went on. "Kate's parents are too old to take care of a small boy, and her mom isn't in the best of health. So…we were wondering…if you would still be willing to be Tommy's guardian?"

Stephanie blinked slowly, not quite sure she'd heard Linda correctly. When she recovered her wits, she said slowly, "So…you want me to…take Tommy if something happens to both of you?"

"Yes," Kate answered. "Stephanie," she leaned forward in her chair so that she could see the redhead better. "Linda and I both want you to do this. Tommy loves you. You're still his mother, too, and we can't think of anyone we'd trust more with him than his Momma Stephie."

"Oh, God," Stephanie said, taken quite by surprise. "I…I don't know what to say…"

"Say yes, Steph. It's what Tom and I wanted from the very beginning. Nothing's changed in that regard." Linda slid forward in her chair and reached out to touch her knee. "Tommy loves you. You've been here since before he was born, and I know that despite what Kate and I put you through, you love him. We've always thought of you as his other mother. Please say yes?"

Stephanie swallowed back tears. She couldn't believe that they would ask her to do this after she'd stayed away for so long. "I…" she blew out a breath and tried again. "Of course, I'll say yes. I'd be honored to be his guardian."

Kate and Linda both stood up and walked over to hug her. "Thank you, Steph. Thank you so much," Kate said, releasing her first.

"You don't know what a load off our minds this is, Steph. Thank you," Linda said, hugging her again. "We're so glad you're back. We've all missed you."

"I've missed you guys, too," Stephanie said, hugging them back.

Linda and Kate both pulled Jessie into the hug as well. "Jessie, thank you for coming all the way out here just to support Steph. That's just incredibly generous of you," Linda said.

"Linda and I both want you to know that we hope you two stay together. We really like you, Jessie. And so does Tommy," Kate added. "He took to you right away and he doesn't usually do that."

"He asked if she was my wife," Stephanie said quietly, almost afraid to say anything and glancing at Jessie to gauge her reaction. To her surprise, Jessie didn't even flinch at the words. Instead, she smiled lovingly at her and rubbed her back with her free hand.

"He does have a tendency to just put it all out there,"Linda said, shaking her head. "He knows a good thing when he sees it, though. Jessie, we both think you'd make an excellent mother, too. If anything happened to us, we'd be thrilled if you were in Tommy's life."

"Well, thanks…both of you. I'm uh…not sure what to say," Jessie admitted, surprised by their easy acceptance and inclusion. "Tommy's a great kid, and I'd be honored to help take care of him if the time came."

"Thank you, Jessie," they both said in unison. Then, because the hard part was out of the way, Kate went into the kitchen for a bottle of wine. While she was gone, Linda went to her office to retrieve the legal documents from her desk. By the time she returned, Kate had poured four glasses.

As she passed the papers over to Stephanie, the redhead asked, "You wouldn't mind if Jessie looks over the paperwork first, would you?" She didn't want to appear untrusting, but Stephanie never took chances with contracts.

"No, of course not!" Linda and Kate hurried to say together. "Here," Linda passed the Letter of Guardianship and Medical Power of Attorney over to Jessie instead, who got up and walked over to the dining room table to read over the documents.

While Jessie read through the paperwork, Stephanie went back to spend more time with Tommy. She didn't want to waste a minute of their time together. Linda and Kate kindly left Jessie alone to go over everything, stepping out onto the deck with their wine glasses.

Fifteen minutes later, Jessie joined them on the deck with Stephanie and Tommy by her side. "Well, everything appears to be in order. The only thing left is to sign everything in front of a Notary."

Linda stood up and smiled, shaking Jessie's hand. "I'll call first thing Monday morning and set up a time for us all to meet and sign the papers. Stephanie, you tell me a good time, and we'll work from your schedule."

"Thank you both, so much," Stephanie said. Smiling from ear to ear, she could hardly believe the second chance she'd been given. Not that she wanted anything to happen to either one of them; but she was glad that she'd decided to take the chance and see Tommy again. He was still sitting in her lap, arms wrapped around her neck. When she shifted in her seat, she realized he'd fallen asleep.

"Here, I'll take him, Stephanie,"Kate said, getting up and moving around to help her.

"He's had a long day," Stephanie said, smiling down at him.

"He's excited to have his Momma Stephie back," Kate agreed. "Why don't you come with me and help get him ready for bed?"

"You don't mind?" Stephanie asked, still somewhat surprised at Kate and Linda's willingness to share Tommy with her.

"Of course I don't mind." She grabbed Stephanie's hand and pulled her out of the chair. "Come on."

Following Kate into Tommy's bedroom, Stephanie helped the boy into his pajamas. He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open and crawled under his blanket more asleep than awake. Still, when Stephanie pulled the blanket up to his chin and tucked him in, he caught her around the neck and hugged her tight.

"I missed you Momma Stephie. This has been the best birthday ever," he said sleepily, kissing her on the cheek. "Love you."

Stephanie sniffed, holding back a tear. "Goodnight, Tommy. I've missed you very much and I love you too, Baby." She kissed him on top of the head, not leaving the room until he drifted into sleep.

When she returned to the deck ten minutes later, Jessie and Linda were discussing Linda's photography business. Jessie, looking up at Stephanie's approach, held out a hand to her. "You get him all tucked in?"

"Yeah. He was so tired, I don't think he could have stayed awake any longer if he'd tried,"Stephanie said, stopping to stand next to Jessie and leaning against her.

Jessie glanced at her watch. "Wow, it's almost ten. Linda, Kate, we should probably get out of here and give you two a break."

"There's no need to rush off, guys,"Kate said.

"Jessie's right," Stephanie agreed. "It is getting late, and she still has to catch an early flight back to Ohio tomorrow."

"Well, let us walk you out then," Linda said, standing up and walking with them back toward the front door. Before they left, she and Kate hugged each of them again.

"Thanks again, for coming today, Steph. We're so glad you did," Kate said, releasing the redhead.

"Yeah, Steph. You really made Tommy's day, being here," Linda added.

Stephanie sighed. "I'm so glad I finally decided to do this. Thank you both, for letting me see him."

"Anytime, Steph. Anytime," Linda answered. "And Jessie…you're always welcome here. Don't forget."

The brunette smiled. "I won't. Thank you both so much." Then, taking Steph's hand, they headed for the car.

Neither one of them said anything, as Jessie pulled the car out of the driveway. Stephanie, in the passenger seat, sat and stared silently out the window, not even noticing the passing landscape. Her thoughts were still on the events of the past few hours. She still couldn't believe that Linda and Kate had been so welcoming. Even more surprising to her, was the fact that Tommy had remembered her. He had remembered her and still loved her! And then, they'd dropped the bombshell about the guardianship papers…It was a lot to take in.

Jessie, glancing over at her every once in a while, didn't say anything. She could tell that Steph was struggling to take it all in; to make sense of everything. As she thought about the day, she felt that Linda and Kate seemed like nice people. To Jessie, they seemed genuinely concerned about Stephanie and really wanted her in Tommy's life. Presenting her with the guardianship papers had been proof enough of that.

By the time they arrived back at Stephanie's house, the redhead still hadn't said anything. Jessie pulled the car into the garage and waited until the automatic door was down, before getting out of the car. Walking around to the other side, she opened Steph's door and held out a hand for her.

Looking up at Jessie when she extended her hand, Stephanie smiled and caught the offering with her own. As she stood up, she pulled Jessie to her and hugged her tight. "Thanks Jess…For going with me today."

"Sure Steph." Jessie returned the hug. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world, but…You've been awful quiet. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, just…thinking," she answered, heading into the house and upstairs to the bedroom. Jessie followed, but Stephanie didn't elaborate any further. Instead, she quietly stripped out of the jeans and blouse she had on and went into the bathroom.

Jessie heard the water in the bathtub start running. Believing that Stephanie wanted to be alone for a while, she decided to head downstairs for something to drink. Before she could leave however, Stephanie's voice wafted out to her.

"Jess? Could you come here for a minute?" Stephanie called. When the brunette poked her head around the door, Steph smiled at her. Reaching out with one hand, she pulled her further into the bathroom. "You can come in, Jess. I was actually hoping you'd join me?" the redhead asked shyly.

Jessie quirked a brow. "Really? I thought maybe you wanted to be alone for a while?"

Steph shook her head. "Nope. I just want to be with you, Jess. You're so good to me…You came all this way just to hold my hand through this. Please, stay with me?"

Jessie's mouth turned up in a grin and she reached out and brushed the dark red hair back behind Steph's ear. "Of course I will. I love you."

Stephanie released her hand and started unbuttoning her blouse. "Let me help you, Jess."

Ten minutes and numerous kisses later, they were reclining in the tub. Stephanie had her back to the wall and Jessie was leaning back, relaxing against her. Trailing her fingers down the length of Steph's legs, she closed her eyes and sighed. "Are you happy, Steph?"

Slightly confused by the question, the redhead asked, "Happy?"

"Yeah, with this…us." She shrugged. "With everything, really. You know…Linda and Kate…Tommy?"

Stephanie thought about the question for a second, before taking a deep breath. Tightening her grip on the brunette's waist, she answered honestly. "Yes, Jessie. I am happy." She leaned down and placed a kiss on her neck. "I'm happy with you and me. I'm happy that I finally managed to work up the courage to go see Tommy again. If you weren't in my life, I don't think I would have done that. Why do you ask…you're happy, aren't you?" A slight hint of fear came through in her voice as the words fell out of her mouth.

Jessie moved a little, so that she could look into the green eyes. "Of course I'm happy, Steph. I'd be happier if we could be together all the time, but we'll work that out eventually." She was honest about her feelings. She had promised Stephanie she'd never lie to her, and she meant it. Besides, Stephanie felt the same way about their situation, they just couldn't change things yet. It was simply too soon.

"The possibility that I could suddenly become a full-time mother to Tommy doesn't bother you?" She had to ask. They'd never talked about kids before, and she had no idea how Jessie felt about becoming a parent. "I mean…we wouldn't have time to ourselves like we do now."

"Steph…you love Tommy and he loves you. God forbid anything should ever happen to Linda and Kate. But if it did…it's good to know that Tommy would be taken care of by someone who loves him." She leaned in and nuzzled Steph's neck. "As for not having time to ourselves…" she shrugged. "Being with you is all I've ever wanted. Tommy's your son, and I accept that without question."

Stephanie rested her forehead on Jessie's shoulder, relieved by her answer. "God Jessie…"

Jessie smiled into the red hair. "I love you and I love Tommy. I will always treat him like he's my own, Steph."

"You mean that?"

Jessie sighed, but answered, "Of course, I do."

"And if we decided to have kids of our own?" Stephanie asked.

"Tommy will always have a home with us."

"Really?" Stephanie asked, excitedly.

Jessie rolled her eyes at her. "What have I told you?"

"I know, I know…You never say things you don't mean," the redhead said, a huge smile on her face.

Jessie kissed her on the nose. "Exactly. So, you're saying you want kids? I mean, we've never talked about it before, so…"

"Yeah, I would. Maybe not right away, but in the next couple of years, I think I'd like to have some." She grew thoughtful before a smirk came across her face. "I'm not getting any younger, you know?"

"So is this your way of saying you'd like to start working on that some time soon?" She grinned lasciviously at the redhead and trailed a hand down her left arm, stopping to hold her hand.

"Not right away or anything…But I feel like I'm being dishonest if I don't tell you that I want kids," Stephanie answered. She sighed. She didn't want Jessie to feel pressured, especially when their relationship was so new. But…it would be unfair to the brunette to not mention her desire for kids now. With everything Jessie had done for her, she deserved her complete honesty in this. "I wasn't sure how you feel about it?"

Jessie shrugged. "I've never given it a lot of thought before." She maneuvered around until they were sitting facing each other. Taking Steph's hands in her own, she said, "Steph, before you came into my life…I didn't plan for my future. I just went from day to day doing whatever."

"So you're not opposed to having kids, like a real family?" Stephanie felt her heart unclench just a little. For some reason, she'd half expected Jessie to balk at the idea.

"Not at all. In fact, having children with you would be the greatest accomplishment I could think of." She leaned in and kissed the redhead. "With you as a mother, they'd be beautiful, Steph," she whispered.

Stephanie felt her skin flush at the compliment. "I love you, Jessie," she said quietly.

"I know," Jessie smirked. "Why don't we get out of here and go to bed? I suddenly feel like working on that little project."

Stephanie laughed as she stood up and grabbed a towel. Stepping out of the tub and drying herself off, she said, "When don't you feel like working on that?"

Jessie pretended to think as she did the same. "Uh…never?"

Stephanie shook her head and laughed. "Come on Jess, let's go to bed. I still need to thank you for coming all the way out here to help me with Tommy."

Two hours later, exhausted, but happily so, Stephanie was still awake. "Jess? You still awake?" she whispered, not wanting to wake her partner if she was asleep.

Jessie looked up at her from where her head was resting on the redhead's shoulder. "Yeah. I'm just…enjoying being next to you. I missed this last week."

Stephanie smiled to herself at the words and stroked the dark hair lovingly. "Hey, I was wondering…" she hesitated, before asking. "Do you think you're ready to uh…be introduced to the world?"

"You mean go public with our relationship?" Jessie asked.

Steph nodded. "Yeah, something like that."

"It wouldn't hurt your career, would it?" Jessie asked, genuinely concerned. The last thing she wanted was Stephanie's career in tatters because of their relationship. "Your show's starting in a few weeks, Steph. The publicity wouldn't hurt the show?"

"I'm not worried about the show, Jess. It'll be fine." She reached up and tucked the dark hair behind one ear. "I'm worried about you."

"Me?"

The redhead nodded. "Yeah, you. If we go public, people are going to want to know everything about you, Jess. And if you think Joanie's bad…" she rolled her eyes.

Jessie shrugged and brought her mouth within centimeters of Stephanie's full lips. Brushing them with her own, she said, "I can handle that, Steph. It doesn't worry me." She leaned down and kissed the redhead fully on the mouth. When she felt Steph's tongue snaking out to meet her own, she moaned as they intertwined.

When they separated for air, Steph smiled up at the brunette. "There's a movie premiere in three weeks, Jess. I'd like you to go with me…as my date," she clarified, as if Jessie would have taken it any other way.

Beaming at the invitation, Jessie simply nodded. "I'd love to be your date, Sweetheart."

Stephanie kissed her again. "Thanks Jess!"

"When are you gonna tell Joanie?"

"She's coming by in the morning. I'll tell her then," Stephanie answered. She was already dreading that conversation, but her mind was made up and that's all there was to it.

Jessie woke up to hear voices coming from downstairs. Stephanie had told her Joanie was stopping by early to talk to her about a few things, and so she assumed that's who Steph was talking to. Content to stay in bed and relax, she didn't bother to get up until the voices got a little too loud to be normal conversation.

Rolling out of bed and pulling on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, she went into the bathroom. Two minutes later, teeth brushed and hair combed, she headed downstairs. By the time she made it to the doorway of the living room, Joanie was in full-blown agent mode.

The woman was pacing back and forth in the living room, hands on her hips. "Stephanie, you just can't do this! It's not a good time to go upsetting the status quo!"

"According to you, it's never a good time," the redhead shot back, coming to her feet as well.

"Because it's not, Stephanie. You, of all people, know how something like this could affect your career." The elegant woman came to a halt in the middle of the floor, glaring at Stephanie. "For God's sake, Steph…You have a new series going to air in a few weeks! Do you know the trouble this could cause?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Joanie, I'm tired of living a life full of lies. Besides, the rumors are already out there…especially after the attack. There were pictures of Jessie and me together all over the internet and the news."

"Those pictures were explained away. It was easy to say that you were just her intern…that she was supposed to be escorting you. Do you really think Jessie's the one? You're actually willing to take this chance on her?" she asked sarcastically, standing and shooting daggers at the redhead.

"As a matter of fact, I do…and yes, I am," Stephanie answered, refusing to give ground. She'd just about had it with Joanie's interference in her personal life.

Jessie, standing outside the living room, had heard enough. Striding into the room, she said, "Sorry to interrupt, but I could hear the screaming upstairs." Turning to Stephanie, she reached out and stroked her arm. "You okay?"

Stephanie nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Joanie and I were just discussing the movie premiere."

Surprised at Jessie's appearance, Joanie was taken aback at first. Then, collecting herself, she said, "Jessie…I didn't know you were here. I thought you went home last Sunday?"

"I did," Jessie answered evenly, not allowing the woman's attitude to piss her off. "I came back into town Friday evening."

"For Christ's sake, Joanie," Stephanie huffed. "What? Do you keep track of who comes and goes in and out of my bed now, too?"

"Of course not!" the woman answered, seemingly shocked by the very suggestion. "I do watch over you though, Stephanie. That is my job." She turned to Jessie. "So, what brings you back into town so soon?"

"It's none of your business, Joanie!"Stephanie yelled. Her face was turning red and her hands were balling into fists.

Jessie had never seen Stephanie so upset and angry. Well…with the exception of the argument they'd had right before Steph left to return to LA, she hadn't. Stepping in front of her to block her view of Joanie, she said quietly, "Steph…it's okay. I can handle her. Don't let her get to you."

Green eyes flashing, Stephanie looked at her. Through gritted teeth, she ground out, "You have no idea how often she's interfered, Jessie. I'm sick and tired of this."

"You're right, I don't. But there are ways to deal with this," she reached out and placed her hands on the redhead's shoulders.

"So Jessie," Joanie's sarcastic voice broke through their conversation. "Is it true that you told Nancy you would break up with Stephanie before you let her throw her career away for you?"

Jessie stiffened immediately at the question, and Stephanie looked into her eyes. Blinking slowly, Jessie didn't turn away from her questioning gaze. "Don't let her do this to us, Steph," she whispered. Then, needing to explain, she said, "Your mom came to me that day at the house…after we'd talked about you staying? You were taking a nap, and I was down in the studio. She was worried about you."

Stephanie clenched her jaw, but said nothing. She remembered that day very well. She'd woke up in the middle of the night, Jessie wrapped in her arms. It had been so comfortable in the bed, she couldn't believe how happy and content she was, even with the attack only the week before. She'd been so overwhelmed by everything…It had been a spontaneous confession which prompted her to offer to leave everything and stay in Ohio, waking Jessie in the process. But Jessie had refused to ask her to stay. She'd told her she'd resent the decision, and her, eventually, and she'd been right. Still, she woke up that morning upset, and her mother had convinced her of the rightness of Jessie's words.

Neither one of them had mentioned to her that they'd spoken about it, though. And that irritated her. Still, looking into Jessie's eyes, she couldn't be mad at her for it. She knew her mother well enough to know that Nancy had instigated the conversation. Her mother had simply been watching out for her.

When Stephanie only looked into her eyes, Jessie took a deep breath. Joanie had no business bringing that up. But she didn't seem like she was above something like that. Especially if she thought it had been a secret and it could break them up. Letting her hands slide down to Stephanie's, she gripped them tightly and smiled sadly. When Stephanie squeezed her hands back in support, she turned to face the smaller woman.

"Yes, it's true. She was concerned that Steph would give up everything to stay with me," Jessie answered, looking Joanie right in the eye. "I made sure Nancy understood that I would do whatever I could to keep Steph from throwing everything away for me. I know you don't trust me, and that's fine, Joanie. But I swear to you…I have nothing but Steph's best interests at heart."

She stood looking at Joanie as the woman struggled for something to say. Before she could come up with anything however, Jessie went on. "I'll tell you something else, too. I love Stephanie more than anything else in this world. And if you think, even for a minute, that you're going to change that…Think again. To be honest, I don't care if you like me or not…But Stephanie does. So, we can all get along, or you can continue to try and control every decision Stephanie makes. It's up to you how you want to play this. Personally, I've found that she's quite astute at making her own decisions."

The room fell silent then, as Joanie stood stunned by Jessie's speech. She'd never met anyone who had stood up to her like that before. Stephanie, on the other hand, after chewing on her lower lip for a moment, finally asked, "So, just why were you talking to my mother, anyway?"

Joanie recovered enough to answer. "Oh Stephanie, please! You didn't really think I was just going to take your word about Jessie, now did you? I spoke to your mother and Mr. Mason. I also ran a background check on her."

Jessie's eyebrows rose hearing that, but she didn't say anything. She couldn't really fault the woman. If anything, she was extremely thorough.

"You what? Who the Hell do you think you are? My mom! And Jessie's boss? Mr. Mason wasn't aware of our relationship, Joanie. If you've jeopardized her job in any way…"

"Relax, Stephanie…My God. I'm not that stupid. I actually checked on her before you went out there. Mr. Mason had already told me who would be training you. I got the impression that he likes and respects Jessie quite a bit, but I wasn't about to trust you to some complete stranger. As for your mother," she shrugged. "She understood my concerns, but didn't share them. She seems to genuinely like and trust Jessie, too."

"Well, that's a relief," the redhead said sarcastically.

"Relax…I was only doing it because it's my job."

"Your job…is to look after my business interests. I thought we covered this a few weeks ago?"

"All right," Joanie held up her hands. "I've said all I'm going to."

At the woman's apparent surrender, Jessie turned back to Stephanie. "Well, I think I've done all the damage I can here. If you're okay, I'm gonna go back upstairs. When you're ready to talk, I'll be there." She really didn't expect the redhead any time soon, though. She was all too aware that despite her support, Stephanie was still irritated by the revelation of her conversation with Nancy all those weeks ago.

Stephanie reached over and caught her hand again, giving it a quick squeeze. "Thank you, Jessie. I'll be up shortly." She watched as the brunette went back upstairs before turning back to Joanie.

"Well…she told me, didn't she?" Joanie was still standing in the middle of the room, lips pursed.

Stephanie quirked a brow. "Yes, she did." Sitting back down on the couch, she sighed. "It doesn't have to be like this, Joanie. You could just trust me. I've been around long enough that I really don't think this is going to make a difference. And, if it does, well…I'm prepared for that, too. Other, less established actresses have come out, and they're still working."

Joanie finally sat down, huffing a little. "It just scares me, Stephanie. Those 'other actresses' don't get the parts you do…playing the sexy roles. And, just for the record, I do trust you. But this thing with Jessie? I don't want a repeat of the whole 'Linda' thing," she said quietly, lowering her voice intentionally so as not to give away a secret.

Stephanie shook her head. "There won't be…and you can say her name out loud. Jessie knows about Linda, Kate and Tommy. That's why she's here this weekend, actually. Yesterday was Tommy's birthday. She flew in and went with me to see him."

Joanie's jaw dropped open. "What! She flew all the way from Ohio just to go with you? How did she even find out about them?"

Shrugging, Stephanie said, "Jessie was in the martial arts tournament last weekend. Kate was there with Tommy. She sat down and started talking to me and Jessie noticed that I seemed uncomfortable. She asked me about Kate later."

"And you told her everything? Jesus Stephanie…"Joanie shook her head, amazed at how gutsy her client was. "How did she take it?"

Stephanie licked her lips and smiled. "We don't keep secrets form each other, Joanie. Jessie's so much more than you give her credit for. Not only did she not get upset about it, she encouraged me to go see him. Tommy really likes her, and so do Linda and Kate."

Joanie was still shaking her head, stunned. "I can't believe you finally went to see him. Did Tommy remember you?"

Stephanie nodded, her smile telling Joanie everything. "He did."

"Well, I guess maybe I've been a little too quick to judge things, Stephanie," Joanie said, attempting to smooth things over. "I still don't like what you're planning to do. But if you're both committed…then I'll do whatever I can to keep things running smoothly. This isn't going to be easy on Jessie, you know?"

"We know, Joanie. I warned her, and she's prepared. If you're on board, it will certainly make things easier on both of us," Stephanie visibly relaxed. "Neither one of us expects this to be easy. We both know there's going to be rumors, and we're ready to deal with them."

"As long as you're both sure, Steph. I'll do what I can," Joanie said, standing up. "I should get going. I have a lot to do today." She walked to the front door, Stephanie following.

"I'll talk to you in a few days. If I were you, I'd make sure that the two of you talk to Mr. Mason and let him know about this. He should know that Jessie might have to deal with the press there, too," Joanie warned as she left.

"We'll talk to him next week, Joanie. Thank you," Stephanie said as she closed and locked the front door.

Once Joanie was gone, Stephanie made her way upstairs to the bedroom, but Jessie wasn't there. She heard the water running in the shower, and opened the bathroom door. Steam billowing out as the door opened, she smiled to herself. She'd never met anyone who loved a hot shower the way Jessie did. Making up her mind, she stripped out of the shorts, blouse and underwear she was wearing and opened the shower door.

Facing the wall, water flowing down over her closed eyes, Jessie turned at the sound of the shower door sliding open. She hadn't really expected Steph to be upstairs so quickly. With a look of trepidation, she said, "Steph?"

"Do you mind?" she asked quietly, waiting for the brunette's answer before she stepped into the stall.

"You have to ask?" Her voice held a tinge of sadness to it, knowing that Steph was upset over what she'd said to Nancy.

Stephanie shrugged shyly. "I didn't want to intrude if you wanted some privacy."

Jessie rolled her eyes. "Steph…" She held out a hand in invitation, and Stephanie caught it and smiled. Stepping fully into the stall, she shut the door behind her. As Jessie pulled the redhead to her, she whispered into her ear. "Are you sure, Steph? I thought you might be mad…"

The redhead slid a hand up to push the wet, dark hair behind one ear. Grazing her lips across Jessie's cheek, she said quietly, "Do you really think I'm going to waste our last few hours together being angry about something stupid?"

At the feel of Steph's lips on her neck, Jessie shivered and swallowed. "I kinda hoped not," she confessed, turning to kiss Steph lightly.

"I'm not mad, Jess. A little surprised, maybe…but not mad," she said when she could breathe again.

"It wasn't a secret, Steph. I wasn't trying to keep anything from you."

"I know. I never thought you were," she answered, nuzzling her nose against Jessie's neck. "I wish I hadn't heard it from Joanie, but I'm not mad."

"You mom was just worried, Steph…" Jessie stopped talking when the redhead's fingers touched her lips, shushing her.

"You don't have to explain, Jess. I can imagine," Stephanie said. "I was a mess that morning, and I wasn't thinking clearly. I do want to ask though…Would you have done it? Broke up with me if I'd decided to stay there with you?"

Jessie didn't even hesitate. "No. I know what I told your mom…and I meant it at the time. But…when I thought I'd lost you after that argument…" she shook her head and sighed. "I don't think I could live without you, Steph, and I don't even want to try."

"Jessie…" Stephanie smiled into her shoulder.

Jessie smiled and kissed her fingers, still caressing her cheek. "You know…I never told you that she heard us that night."

"Heard us?" Stephanie asked, her brow wrinkling.

"Yeah, we were apparently louder than we realized when we were uh…"

Stephanie closed her eyes, her skin turning a slight shade of pink. "Oh God. Mom heard us having sex?"

Jessie laughed at her reaction and nodded. "Yeah. I never mentioned it because I didn't want to embarrass you."

"Well…good job, Jess," she said sarcastically. "How am I supposed to face her now?"

"Umm, not to point out the obvious…but you already have, Steph." Trying to make her feel better, Jessie said, "She didn't make a big deal out of it or anything. She understood and didn't really seem to be bothered by it." She hugged Steph close and rubbed her back. "Your mom's really cool. She just wants you to be happy."

Stephanie sighed, relaxing into Jessie's embrace. "I know. I just…Oh God." Was it possible to die of embarrassment? She'd always shared everything with Nancy, but hearing about it after the fact and actually hearing it while it was happening, were two different things. Curious, she asked, "Weren't you embarrassed, Jess? I mean…when she mentioned it?"

Jessie chuckled and continued to rub Steph's back, letting the hot water relax them both. "I was a little. At first, I thought that's what she'd come downstairs to talk about…But that kind of stuff doesn't usually bother me. I mean…I've never talked to my partners' mother before, but…she was cool about it."

Satisfied with the brunette's answer, Stephanie didn't feel the need to keep discussing it. It was in the past, and they couldn't change things now. She'd have to face her mother sooner or later though, and that wasn't something she was looking forward to. Eventually, the water began to turn cold, and Stephanie backed away from Jessie slightly. Never letting go completely, she said, "Why don't we move back to the bedroom? We still have a few hours before your plane leaves."

Jessie reached over and turned off the water, kissing her. "I can't think of a better way to spend the next few hours of our time."

On Friday the 1^st, Stephanie arrived at the airport at 9:30. Jessie was there to pick her up, and they headed back to the house. Not tired, despite the three hour flight, Stephanie was wide awake and ready to go by the time they arrived.

Closing the front door and setting the alarm, Jessie wasn't prepared for what came next. Before she could even turn around, Stephanie was pressed up against her from behind. One arm wrapped around her stomach, she felt Stephanie use her other hand to move her hair from her neck. When she suddenly felt the redhead's lips and teeth on her neck, biting softly, she moaned. "Oh God…Steph…" She was rapidly losing the ability to breathe, let alone think.

Biting her lower lip and breathing heavily, her eyes went wide when the hand that was on her stomach suddenly began unbuttoning her jeans. "Steph?"

"Shh…I missed you, Jess," the redhead hissed out, her breath ghosting over Jessie's ear. "I've been thinking about doing this all week."

"Oh God…" It was the only response Jessie was capable of as Stephanie's hand found its'way inside her underwear. Steph's other hand had somehow managed to plant itself on her right breast, squeezing and tweaking her nipple. Reaching around with her own left hand, Jessie was able to wrap it in Steph's hair, holding her head in place as the redhead sucked at her neck.

Within minutes, Jessie found herself succumbing to Stephanie's hands and mouth. Leaning against the wall for support, she moved with the redhead for what seemed an eternity. Shoving down her ingrained tendency to be in control, she allowed Stephanie to guide their movements…and she wasn't disappointed. As her knees finally gave out, Stephanie held her until she found herself sitting on the floor, wrapped in strong arms.

Catching her breath, she could only say, "Jesus, Steph…Oh, my God. That was incredible."

Stephanie kissed her on the neck again. "I'm sorry I couldn't wait, Jess. I just had to touch you."

Jessie smirked. "I know how ya feel." She closed her eyes and blew out a breath. "Man, you do realize we're gonna have to take a shower now?"

"I'm right there with ya, baby,"Stephanie said, her hot breath tickling Jessie's ear.

On Saturday afternoon, Theresa and Brian arrived at Jessie's around two. Theresa used her key to let them in, and she and Brian waited in the living room while Jessie and Stephanie finished getting ready. Brian had flipped on the TV, but Theresa had noticed some new pictures on one of the bookshelves and had gotten up to look at them.

She recognized some of them as having been taken over the last few months. There was a new picture of Jessie with JD that included Stephanie, obviously taken on her visit to LA. A picture of Jessie and Stephanie in Aspen, and a few others of the two of them together sat on the shelf as well. Next to those, were two pictures of people Theresa didn't recognize, though.

She turned around when she heard Jessie come into the room and toss her shoes on the floor. "Hey Jess, I was just looking at your pictures. You've added some," the blond remarked.

Jessie looked up from tying her shoes. "Yeah, there are a few new ones."

"So…I don't recognize anyone in this picture but Stephanie," she said, looking quizzically at the picture of the redhead standing with two other women and a little boy with blond hair.

"That's my ex, Linda, her wife Kate, and our son, Tommy," Stephanie answered smoothly, stepping into the living room and dropping onto the couch next to Brian.

Theresa and Brian both stared at her, speechless. "You…your son? Stephanie…I…?" The blond stammered, clearly shocked by the revelation. She looked at Jessie, who just smiled and shrugged. "So this was the…"

"They're the personal business Jessie helped me with last weekend," Stephanie confirmed, aware of what Jessie had told the blond. She understood their shock and surprise, too. After all, she'd never mentioned any of this when she'd been here during the spring.

"But I didn't know you'd…had kids?" Theresa asked, still confused.

"I didn't," Stephanie answered her. "Linda is Tommy's biological mother."

"Theresa," Jessie cut in smoothly. "It's getting late. Why don't we fill you in on the way to the party?"

"Oh! Yeah, sure," the blond said, still in shock. How could Stephanie be a mother and never mention that to them? How long had Jessie known?

Heading out the front door, they all piled into Brian's car and Stephanie told them everything on the way. By the time they arrived at John and Lacy's, Theresa still seemed a little stunned, but accepting of the situation. As a matter of fact, she couldn't help but tease Jessie just a little.

"So, you're a step-mom now, Jessie?"

"I think it's a little early for that, T. But yeah, if Tommy wants to call me that, I'm okay with it," She looked over at Stephanie. "As long as his mothers' are okay with it?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Jessie, I don't think anyone would object to whatever Tommy wants to call you."

"Well, I've gotta say it…"Theresa said, her eyes shining with amusement. "I never thought I'd see the day when Jessie Drake was ready to settle down and have something closely approximating a family of her own."

"Really?" Jessie asked, surprised. "So what did you see me doing?"

The blond shrugged. "I don't know, exactly. I guess I never gave it that much thought," she answered as they stepped into the kitchen.

"Gave what much thought?" Lacy asked, turning from her position at the sink when they came through the door. She was in her early thirties, busty and blond. Married to John, the drummer in Jessie's band, she was also an actress, but of the more adult variety. Smiling, she set the pan she was currently washing aside and grabbed a towel, drying her hands.

"Oh, you know…Jessie…settling down…having a family," Theresa said, handing her a huge dish of baked beans and hugging her in greeting.

Lacy looked over at the brunette in question. "I don't know…I always thought she'd manage some day."

Jessie hugged the blond. "Thanks Lacy," she said dryly when she released her.

"And I can only think of one woman who could tame our Jessie," Lacy said, grinning. She grabbed Stephanie and pulled her into a hug. "I've missed you, Stephanie. I'm so glad you could get away from LA to be here today."

Stephanie returned the hug. From the moment she met Lacy, they had hit it off. "Thanks, Lacy. I'm glad I could get back, too. As for taming Jessie…?" she shrugged. "I kinda like taking a walk on the wild side."

Lacy laughed. "I always knew you had it in you, Steph." She threw an arm around the redhead. "Come on, everyone's out back on the deck."

"Hey! How did I get to be the one with the reputation for being so wild?" Jessie called with mock indignation to their backs as they headed out the door, laughing at her expense.

They had eaten hamburgers and hot dogs, played volleyball and talked all day. When the sun went down, they turned out the lights on the deck and sat out in the yard so they could see the fireworks from the small town nearby.

Laying on a blanket and staring up at the night sky, Jessie wrapped an arm around Stephanie and held her tight. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply. "Thank you, Steph…for coming into town for this. I know we just saw each other last weekend, but I've missed you so much."

Stephanie rolled to her left and squeezed Jessie around the waist. "I couldn't wait to get here, Jess. I thought I made that clear last night?"

Jessie had the good grace to blush, remembering their return to the house yesterday evening. Stephanie, never shy in the bedroom, had really made her feelings about their forced separation known last night. Between the tryst in the front hallway, and falling asleep around six in the morning, they'd spent the intervening hours making love all night.

Kissing the redhead on the temple, she smiled. "Your feelings came through loud and clear, Steph. I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, Jess," she whispered back, looking up at the fireworks brightening the sky. How appropriate that they were going off as they kissed. It's how she always felt when Jessie's lips were touching hers.

When the fireworks ended, they all moved back to the deck to hang out. The conversation had died down momentarily, when John announced, "I ran into Alex last weekend."

"Really?" Jessie replied nonchalantly. Why John felt the need to mention that he'd seen Alex was anybody's guess. Jessie wasn't seeing her anymore, and she had no intentions of it, either. Alex still handled all the promotional material for the band, but Lacy actually dealt with her. So, there was no reason to bring her up.

"Yeah, she was at the club Friday night…Had some hottie hanging on her arm, too," he said, taking a drink from his bottle of Bud.

"Well, good for her," Jessie said, not really interested. She was still trying to come to terms with the idea that Alex was in love with her. She had hurt Alex when she started dating Stephanie, even though she hadn't realized it at the time. Alex herself had never said a word…Stephanie had been the one to bring it up. So, if Alex was moving on with her life, then Jessie would be happy for her.

"She wanted to know if we were still going to need her,"he continued.

Lacy looked from Jessie to Stephanie. Only a few weeks ago, Jessie had made a mysterious phone call to her, asking her to cancel the bands gigs for the next few weeks. She wasn't sure what all had happened between the two of them, but Theresa had told her everything she knew about the argument they'd had right before Stephanie left for LA a month ago. What she did know is that Alex had figured prominently in that argument.

"John, why would she even ask you that?" she asked, rolling her eyes at his lack of tact. Sometimes he could be so clueless.

He shrugged, looking at her guilelessly. "I don't know. She said she thought the band might be breaking up now that Jessie was spending so much time traveling back and forth."

"The band's not breaking up,"Jessie spoke up, looking at Stephanie. "We just need to practice some 'creative scheduling.' I have no intentions of breaking up the band."

Stephanie leaned into her, rubbing her arm. "I don't want Jessie to give up anything for me," she said. "Especially her music."

"Well, for some reason, she seems to think that Jessie's moving to LA," John said, taking another drink of his beer.

Lacy, watching the two women, noticed that Jessie fell strangely silent, then. Rather than say anything, Jessie simply leaned her head on Stephanie's shoulder and smiled. It made her wonder exactly what was going on in the brunette's head. She'd known Jessie for more years than she could count. During that time, she'd never seen her so in love or happy, certainly not when she was with Bobby. Since Stephanie had come along, she seemed to have really opened up and let herself 'feel' again. It had certainly been a nice change to see.

Watching her now, she came to a few conclusions: 1) Jessie loved Stephanie more than anything else in her life, 2) if Stephanie asked, Jessie would leave everything behind and move to LA in a heartbeat, even the band, and 3) Within the next year, Jessie would, (despite what she said) be moving to LA and making this relationship with Stephanie official and permanent.

Of course, she had no way of knowing then, that the two of them had already set things in motion. In only two weeks, Stephanie was going to come out of the proverbial closet, and Jessie would be introduced to the world as Stephanie's lover, effectively ending the relatively quiet life she'd been living. Lacy wondered briefly about the smile on Jessie's face, but didn't ask. Instead, she turned to John.

"John, if Alex has any questions, have her call me. In the meantime, I don't think that Jessie needs to hear about what's going on in her life," Lacy said, effectively shutting him up.

"Alex and I are still friends, Lacy," Jessie said quietly, looking over at her. "If she's found someone and she's happy, I'm happy for her." She grew quiet again, still leaning against Stephanie, who was quietly running her hand through Jessie's hair. She couldn't avoid Alex forever, and she knew it. Eventually, during the course of their daily business, she would run into the brunette again. Then, she'd have to decide whether or not she was going to talk to her about what Stephanie had told her. Did it really matter? Nothing was going to change. She loved Stephanie, and that's all there was to it.

Eventually, they gathered up their belongings and got ready to leave. Jessie, while carrying their things to her car, had been corralled by the twins, who were now busy playing drums for her. When Lacy came to rescue her, she couldn't do anything but laugh at the sight. John had bought each of the boys their own drum kits, and they were banging away with abandon, 'auditioning' for Jessie.

"All right, you two," Lacy said, entering the garage with her hands over her ears, "Jessie has to get going. Why don't you boys go on out and say good night to everyone and we'll be out in a minute?"

"Oh, all right," they said in unison, getting up and heading back out to the deck.

Now that they were alone for a minute, Lacy took the opportunity to talk to Jessie. "They're really looking forward to being able to play with the band someday, Jessie," she said, shaking her head at the boys enthusiasm once they'd left.

Jessie leaned against the workbench. "Yeah, they told me."

"So…" Lacy looked at her. "Is there going to be a band to play with?"

"What? Lacy, I already told you guys…I have no intentions of breaking up the band," Jessie said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Lacy shook her head and sighed. "Jessie…I've been watching the two of you all night. You can't tell me that nothing's going on. I can tell." She stood gazing at Jessie, daring her to deny it.

Still standing with her arms crossed, Jessie bit the inside of her cheek, trying to decide how much she wanted to tell the blond. Finally, licking her lips, she said, "I…might be making some plans. You know…for my future."

"Plans? Jessie, I've never known you to make plans before," Lacy said, somewhat surprised. "What kind of plans are we talkin' about?"

The brunette shrugged, still unwilling to share everything. "Well…Stephanie's invited me to a movie premiere in two weeks. So, don't be surprised if you see us on TV. She's about to come out."

"What! Oh my God, Jessie! That's fantastic," Lacy said, totally stunned.

"It is," Jessie said, sounding less than enthused.

When Lacy noticed Jessie's less than enthusiastic response, she asked, "You don't want her to, Jessie?"

"Oh no…No Lacy…It doesn't bother me if she comes out. I'm just worried…you know…about her career," Jessie said, trying to correct Lacy's assumption about her trepidation.

"Oh." Lacy reached out and placed a hand on Jessie's arm and looked her in the eye. "Jessie, I don't think there's anything to worry about. Stephanie seems to know exactly what she's doing."

"That's what she says," Jessie replied.

"You don't believe her?"

"I believe her just fine, but you haven't met her agent." Jessie rolled her eyes. "The woman makes Attila the Hun look like a cute and fuzzy bunny. She's insisting on directing the whole thing."

Lacy started laughing. "Oh, Jessie…I love you. You know that, right?"

Jessie nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"Come on," she wrapped an arm around the brunette. "We'd better get back out there before Theresa starts chomping at the bit." Before they left the garage, Lacy stopped and looked at her. "You will tell me if there's any other big 'plans' coming your way, won't you? I don't want to read it in a magazine."

Jessie laughed. "You have my word, Lacy."

On Tuesday morning, Jessie was fidgeting nervously as she waited for Mr. Mason to call them into his office. Leslie, his secretary, kept glancing over and smiling at her in understanding. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she had a pretty good idea. Everyone at the office did, actually. There was simply no way to keep the news of Stephanie's attack secret. Especially when the man who attacked her worked there at the office. Despite the fact that they'd tried to keep it a secret…well, rumors still circulate. And, if the rumors weren't true, why had Jessie suddenly started taking vacations after six years without one?

Stephanie, sitting next to Jessie, seemed more composed, less nervous. Leslie could understand why. She wasn't in danger of losing her job. To the actress's credit, she was managing to avoid sitting too close to Jessie or touch her, although Leslie could tell it was an effort. She smiled to herself, watching them. They were too cute together.

Eventually, Mr. Mason opened his office door and ushered them inside, shutting the door behind them.

James Mason closed the door and walked over to the bar. Opening a bottle of Scotch, he looked over at Jessie and Stephanie. "Would either of you care for a drink?" When both of them shook their heads, he poured himself a tumbler and sat down behind his desk.

"Ms. Winters, it's so nice to see you again. I have to admit, I didn't expect you to be visiting Ohio any time soon. So…what can I do for the two of you, today?" he asked, leaning back in his chair and smiling at them. He too, had an idea why they were here, but he wanted them to bring it up first.

Stephanie smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Mason. I actually made plans to visit before I left last month," she said.

One eyebrow rose in surprise. "Really? I had no idea."

"Yes," Stephanie said, nodding. "Actually…I came in to visit Jessie."

"I see," he said, nodding.

"Mr. Mason…" Jessie finally said, sitting up straighter and reaching over to catch Stephanie's hand in hers. "Stephanie and I wanted to sit down with you and talk to you about a few things."

"A few things?" He took a drink of his Scotch and looked at their joined hands pointedly.

"Yes Sir," Jessie swallowed. "You see, Sir…Stephanie and I…have um…"

"Been dating?" the man supplied helpfully, smiling.

Jessie nodded. "Yes, Sir." She licked her suddenly dry lips before continuing. "We wanted to tell you before…"

Mr. Mason laughed. "Jessie, I already knew you were seeing each other that day I sat down at Ms. Halloran's with all of you."

"I kind of thought you did, but I didn't want to make any assumptions, Sir," Jessie said, breathing a little easier. "By the questions you were asking, I could tell you had a pretty good idea of the truth."

He nodded. "I did. But, as you probably figured out, I was anxious to avoid any extra publicity for the firm. When Ms. Winters here declined to take the case to court, it was a huge relief."

"I just wanted it all to be over," Stephanie said, feeling better about the situation. She'd been worried for Jessie's job, even when the brunette had assured her everything would be all right.

"I'm sure you did," he said kindly, looking over at her. "So…I'm sure you two didn't come up here just to spring this on me. Surely there's something more?"

Stephanie looked over at Jessie, and the brunette nodded silently at her, letting her know that she could give him the news. Turning back to Mr. Mason, the redhead said, "Yes, there is something else. Jessie and I are getting ready to go public with our relationship. Before we do that, we wanted to warn you in advance."

"Warn me? I'm afraid I…"he began.

"Mr. Mason…" Stephanie said, "Because the show's about to go to air, there's bound to be publicity about our relationship. We wanted to let you know because there's every possibility that the press could show up here…Looking for Jessie,"she clarified.

"Ah…I see," he said, nodding now in understanding. "And you're concerned that this would adversely affect her job here at Mason, Carnes and Foster?"

"Well, that's one concern, but we were actually more concerned with how it might affect the firm itself," Jessie said. "I don't want to cause any trouble, Mr. Mason. That's the last thing I'd want to do."

"Jessie…after all the years you've put in here, and all you've done to help me," Mr. Mason began, looking at her significantly, "I'm sure this shouldn't be a problem. David and Joseph are aware of you and your….preferences. As you know, that's never been a problem. I'll speak to them and let them know what's about to happen. They won't be very happy, but at least this way, we can be prepared."

"Thank you, Mr. Mason. We appreciate this more than you know," Jessie said.

"Don't thank me yet, Jessie,"the man said, taking another drink of his Scotch. "The hard part's about to begin." He stood up and moved back over to the bar. "Now, both of you join me in a drink. I think you'll both need it."

When they left Mr. Mason's office fifteen minutes later, they left hand in hand. Now that they'd talked to him about their relationship, they had agreed to not even bother trying to hide it, anymore. By the time they reached Jessie's office five minutes later, the rumor mill had already beaten them to the punch. As they walked through the office, everyone seemed to stop and congratulate them.

Therese looked up when they walked into the office, holding hands like teenagers. "You two look happy," she said. "Mr. Mason must have taken the news pretty well."

Jessie flopped down in her office chair. "He was all right with it, actually," she said, surprised by the man's reaction to their news. Then again, it wasn't exactly a surprise.

Stephanie pulled up a chair. "I'm glad he wasn't upset. I just hope the other partners take it as well as he did."

"Well, I guess we'll all find out together, huh?" Theresa said, turning around so she could look at both of them. "So what did you tell him, anyway? About how you two got together?"

Stephanie looked at her with a serious look. "I just told him that I came in here, stripped down to my underwear and seduced Jessie. Being sleazy is what I'm known for, after all."

The look on Theresa's face was priceless as she struggled for something appropriate to say. "Uh…And what did he say to that?"

"He told me he wished he could have seen the look on Jessie's face when I did it," Stephanie said, finally falling over laughing when she looked over at Jessie, who was sitting in her chair with her mouth hanging open.

"What?" she said to Jessie. "It is a lot of work being sleazy all the time."

Jessie shook her head and sighed. "You are so sick."

"You love it, and you know it. Besides, I haven't heard you complaining," Stephanie teased. "I was under the impression that you like it when I'm sleazy?"

"I never said I didn't," Jessie answered, grinning lopsidedly at her.

Stephanie stood up and went around the desk. Bending down, she kissed Jessie full on the mouth. "I'll be here to pick you up at 5."

"I'll be waiting," Jessie said breathlessly, watching as the redhead left the office and walked down the hall.

When she was gone, Theresa turned back to look at Jessie. "So, Mr. Mason really wasn't upset?"

Jessie shook her head. "No. But, they've always been really tolerant here because of Mr. Foster."

Theresa nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But, I still thought he'd be upset because you were basically dating another employee?"

"For some reason, I think he cut me some slack, T. If it hadn't been Stephanie, I think I'd probably be fired, right now," Jessie said, picking up her pen and pulling a file toward her. As she did, she caught herself wondering briefly if perhaps Mr. Mason had purposely put them together. He'd known for years that Jessie was gay. If he'd had any idea at all about Stephanie…

"Mmm, maybe…So…are you really ready to be an instant celebrity?"

"I don't think the focus is going to be on me," Jessie answered. "Everyone's going to be surprised that Stephanie Winters finally confirmed the rumor that she's gay. They won't care about me."

"I don't know, Jess. People will want to know who the woman is that managed to turn her head and capture her heart,"Theresa said, turning back to her own paperwork. For some reason, she had a feeling Jessie didn't realize what was about to happen.

Two nights later, Jessie was on stage with the band at 'The Blue Rose.' They'd just started their second set of the night, when she saw Alex in the crowd and groaned to herself. 'Damn! Why did the brunette have to show up tonight?' It had only been two days, and she was already missing Steph terribly. Seeing Alex just wasn't going to help things. On the other hand, she did need to talk to the brunette about what she and Stephanie were planning.

By the time they'd finished the set, Jessie had decided that she was glad Alex was there. She hadn't spoken to her since June, when Stephanie had walked in on them and assumed the worst. It hadn't been true, of course, and they'd had a terrible fight. Now, Jessie couldn't believe how nauseous she felt. After taking a fortifying drink, she forced herself to leave the backstage area. Making her way through the crowd, she managed to arrive at the table Theresa had saved for the band earlier, with a minimum of difficulty.

"Hey, Jessie," The brunette said in greeting when she arrived at the table.

"Hi, Alex," Jessie answered reservedly. She noticed right away that the woman kept her distance and didn't offer her customary greeting of a hug, kiss on the cheek, and a 'Hi Beautiful.' She also noticed that she didn't miss it.

"So…" Alex said, obviously a little nervous, "it's been a while. How's Stephanie?" she asked, attempting to keep the conversation normal. She wasn't exactly looking forward to talking to Jessie, either. Not since the incident in June. She liked Stephanie and didn't want the actress upset with her.

"She's really good. I'll tell her you asked about her," Jessie said, picking up her glass and taking a drink. As she did, she glanced at Theresa. She knew what was going on in the woman's head, just by looking at her.

The blond was watching both of them with interest, probably worried that she was going to go right back to her old ways and take Alex home with her. Mentally shaking her head, she sighed. That would never happen again. She was through with Alex…through with sleeping around…and nothing would change that. Still, considering her reputation, she could understand why Theresa might be worried.

After taking another drink, she sucked up her courage and looked Alex directly in the eye. "Actually Alex, I have something that I need to discuss with you. If you wouldn't mind, that is?"

"Sure Jessie, what's up?" She set her bottle of Bud down on the table and looked expectantly at the singer. To be honest, she was expecting Jessie to tell her the band was breaking up and they wouldn't need her services anymore. It wouldn't surprise her at all, really.

"Um, well…Stephanie and I are getting ready to umm…"

"Oh for crying out loud, Jess." Theresa said, huffing dramatically. "Just tell her that you two are getting ready to announce your relationship to the world!"

"What!" Alex looked at Jessie more closely in the dim light of the nightclub. "Stephanie's actually going to come out? I can't believe it, Jessie. That's so great!"

"Yeah, it is," Jessie agreed. "But, there's a downside, too."

"A downside? I'm not sure I know what you mean?" She picked up her beer and took another drink.

"Well, she's not just coming out. She's also planning on letting everyone know that we're dating. When she does, there's every chance that reporters will be hanging around, asking questions and being nosy. Stephanie's agent asked me to…"

"Talk to me and make sure that I don't go blabbing to the press?" Alex asked, hitting the proverbial nail on the head. "She afraid I'll ruin your stellar reputation?"

Jessie nodded. "Something like that, yeah."

Alex fell silent for a minute, looking at Jessie. Finally arriving at a decision, she said, "Jessie…We've been a lot of things to each other over the years. Despite that, we're still friends. I would never say or do anything to hurt you or Stephanie."

"I know, Alex. Sorry I even had to bring it up," Jessie said, truly regretting that she'd made the brunette feel like they didn't trust her.

Alex smiled. "Jessie, I'm in advertising. I understand what can happen with a little publicity."

Jessie blew out a breath, grateful that Alex understood. "Thanks, Alex. I know, with everything…what I did to you…" trailing off, she shook her head, frustrated with herself.

Alex knew where Jessie was going with this, and she didn't think she could handle it tonight. She hadn't really intended to even see Jessie, let alone talk to her. And dammit all to Hell anyway! Stephanie had told Jessie that she, Alex Winters, was in love with her! Trying to keep her emotions under control, she shook her head at the singer. "Jessie…don't go there. I'm sorry Stephanie told you that. She shouldn't have."

"Yes, she should have, Alex." She stared right into the other woman's eyes. "You should have told me, yourself."

"It wouldn't have made a difference,"she almost whispered, feeling her control slip just a little.

Jessie shrugged. "Maybe not, but at least I would have known. Maybe I wouldn't have hurt you so bad. I certainly didn't mean to."

"I know that," the brunette said, taking another drink of her beer. "You love her, Jessie. You always have, and I've always known it. If I got hurt, it was my fault for allowing myself to hope."

Mike came over and tapped Jessie on the shoulder. Turning her head to see him tapping his watch, she nodded and then turned back to Alex within moments. "There's nothing wrong with hope, Alex. I'm just sorry that I hurt you."

Stuffing her emotions deep down inside, Alex bit back what she wanted to say and opted for, "You'd better get going, Jessie. They're going to start without you."

Nodding, Jessie turned to head back toward the stage. After two steps, she turned around and came back. Surprising the brunette, she pulled her into a hug. "This is from both of us, Alex. Thank you."

As Jessie walked away through the crowd, Alex whispered, "You're welcome."

Theresa, having sat in silence through the entire conversation, finally felt compelled to say, "You're a good friend, Alex. I'm really sorry it didn't work out the way you wanted."

"Thanks, Theresa," Alex said, hugging her briefly before saying, "I think I should get going. I'm not really in much of a party mood right now. I'll see you around."

"Yeah…bye Alex," Theresa said, watching the brunette as she headed for the exit, her shoulders slumped in defeat. As she watched Alex, she couldn't help but feel bad for her. She'd known that Alex was in love with Jessie. In fact, pretty much everyone around them did. Alex may never have said anything, but it was pretty clear if you were paying attention. It made her wonder how Jessie had never figured it out.

On Friday, July 15^th, Jessie flew out to LA for the world premiere of 'Lonesome Moon.' She'd gone shopping with Stephanie weeks ago, in anticipation of this weekend and now, Saturday evening, she was nervously getting ready for the big event.

"Hey," Stephanie said quietly, stopping in the bedroom doorway to watch. When Jessie glanced at her in the mirror, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Jessie's waist. "You look fantastic, Jess."

The brunette was dressed in a pair of black Oscar De Laurenta dress pants with a matching black wrap around jacket, white camisole top and black pumps. She grinned at Stephanie in the mirror. "Thank you. You're looking pretty hot yourself," she said, staring at the black dress slacks, maroon colored fitted silk blouse and black high heeled boots, she was wearing. She turned in her arms and kissed her. "I love this color on you," she said, fingering the lapel of the blouse. "It looks great with the lighter color of your hair."

"Thanks, I was hoping you'd like it." Stephanie had lightened her hair only a few days ago at the request of the director. She had told Jessie about it, but she'd still been nervous, afraid that Jessie wouldn't like it.

"Steph, I'd like the way you look even if you shaved your head," she said, running her hand through the strawberry blond tresses. "Not that I want you to do that…but…you know what I mean."

"I do," Stephanie nodded. "And, just for the record…I don't want to shave my head, either." She smiled and slid out of the brunette's arms. Opening a drawer on the dresser, she reached in and pulled out two small boxes.

Jessie watched curiously as Steph stepped back over to her. "What'cha got?"

Stephanie looked at her shyly as she opened each of the boxes and showed her the contents. "Matching earrings. If we're introducing you to the world tonight, I want everyone to know we're serious."

"Oh God, Steph…They're gorgeous," Jessie said, taking the box Stephanie offered her and looking more closely at the contents. Inside, was a pair of exquisite ¼ carat hoop diamond earrings. Removing them, she put them on as Stephanie did the same with her matching pair. When they were both done, she pulled Stephanie to her again.

"Thank you, Steph. They're so beautiful."

"They don't outshine you, Jess,"Stephanie whispered, leaning in and kissing her.

Jessie crooked an eyebrow. "Somehow I think you're biased."

"Just a little," she said, holding up her hand and using her fingers to indicate a space about a quarter of an inch wide. She was still smiling as she dropped her hand to grab Jessie's. Leading her toward the door, she said, "We'd better get downstairs. Joanie will be here soon."

Jessie sighed quietly at the mention of Stephanie's agent. The woman had made no secret of the fact that she didn't trust Jessie. Ever since Stephanie had told the overbearing woman about her, she'd made it her mission in life to ride Steph about her at every turn. She certainly wasn't happy about the fact that Stephanie was ready to make their relationship public. The argument three weeks ago was proof enough of that. Still, Joanie had finally agreed to accompany them to the movie premiere tonight, if for no other reason than to run interference for them with the paparazzi.

Thirty minutes later, their limo pulled up to the front of the theater. Stephanie, sitting next to Jessie and holding her hand, squeezed it tightly. Looking into her eyes, she said, "Well, here we are. You ready for this?"

Jessie squeezed back, never looking away from those amazing green eyes. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Stephanie smiled and kissed her. Taking a deep breath as the car door opened, she said, "Well, here we go." Plastering a smile on her face, she climbed out of the limo, pulling Jessie with her. Joanie and her husband Carson, who'd ridden in the limo with them, followed.

Jessie clung to Stephanie's hand as they stepped out onto the red carpet. She'd believed herself prepared for the cacophony of sounds and the flashing of cameras. But she quickly found that she wasn't as prepared as she'd thought. Stephanie, sensing her discomfort, held tightly to her hand, keeping her close to her side.

"Just keep smiling, Jess. We just have to make it inside," Stephanie whispered out of the side of her mouth. At that moment, they stopped in order for the photographers to snap some pictures in front of the studio backdrop. Ahead, Jessie could see the correspondent from the TV show 'Entertainment America,' interviewing another celebrity.

"When we get up there," Joanie whispered, leaning forward and indicating the correspondent, "Let Steph answer the questions. Don't say anything. She already knows what to say and what not to say. Trust me. We want this to go smoothly."

Jessie nodded and swallowed hard, trying to keep calm and relaxed. She couldn't remember being so nervous; not even her first day in court had been this nerve wracking. Still, for Stephanie, she could do this. 'Just keep smiling,' she kept reminding herself.

Four more steps and they were in front of the correspondent. As Stephanie stopped to answer his questions, she pulled Jessie a little closer. Jessie could tell she was nervous too, because she kept squeezing her hand. Steph never stopped smiling though, even when the microphone was shoved in front of her face.

"And here we have Stephanie Winters, star of LAW Network's upcoming series 'Green's Conviction.' Stephanie, what do you have to say about the new show? What's your character's name? When's the premiere?" He shoved the microphone toward her, waiting for her answer.

"It's gonna be great, Bob!" Stephanie gushed. "I play Sara Green, a litigation attorney. The series premiere is August 17^th, 9pm!"

"Can't wait to see it, Stephanie,"he said enthusiastically.

Stephanie started moving slowly to her left, but he wasn't finished with her yet, apparently. Glancing to her right, he noticed the way she was holding on to Jessie's hand. Taking a chance, he asked, "Stephanie, rumor has it that you're dating someone new. Care to make a comment?" The microphone swiveled back toward her again.

"Actually," she said, licking her lips and smiling broadly, "that one's not a rumor."

Taken by surprise that she would actually give him any kind of answer, he said, "Would you care to elaborate?" He looked significantly at their joined hands.

"Mmm, not right now," she answered him, smiling and pulling Jessie with her, leaving him standing there speechless for a span of seconds. Behind them, Joanie and Carson followed silently.

Jessie noticed as they moved on toward the entrance to the theater, that Bob had recovered his ability to speak and moved on to his next celebrity victim. Smiling to herself, she thought Steph had handled that rather nicely.

"Don't get too excited just yet,"Joanie's voice sounded drolly from behind her when they finally made it through the door into the theater. "There are plenty of other reporters here drooling for a chance to get the big scoop. And trust me…the way she's clinging to your hand and hanging on you, the news will be out by the end of the night. I really hope you're prepared for this, Jessie. By tomorrow evening, your name and picture's going to be splashed all over every rag mag from her to Timbuktu."

"Well, I'm glad I decided to wear something besides jeans and a t-shirt, then," she responded sarcastically, tired of the woman talking in her ear. It was more than obvious from her tone that Joanie was none too happy about the way Stephanie was purposely making sure people saw them. She just kept reminding herself that Joanie really was looking out for Stephanie's best interests.

Ten minutes later, after weaving through a mass of other celebrities and people in the industry, they managed to find their table and took their seats. Relaxing slightly as they sat down, Stephanie leaned toward Jessie. "You doing okay?"

"I'm good," she answered, smiling confidently. "My dad actually brought me to one of these things years ago."

"Speaking of your father," Joanie interjected. "I just saw him come through the door."

Jessie looked to the entrance and sure enough, JD was making his way through the crowd. As she watched, he wove through the crowd expertly, making his way toward their table. "Dad!" Jessie said when he got close enough that he could hear.

"Hi Jessie!" JD said, pulling her into a huge hug. When he let go, he hugged Stephanie too. "Well, it looks like we'll be sitting here this evening. Everyone, I'd like you to meet my production assistant, Robin Craig," he said by way of introduction as he took a seat and got comfortable.

"Good evening," the 50'ish Robin said in greeting, taking a seat between JD and Joanie. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Jessie. JD's told me all about you."

Jessie smiled at her, shaking her hand. "Thank you, Robin."

Just then, a waitress came around and took their drink orders. While they waited, JD leaned over to talk to Jessie. Taking advantage of all the noise in the room, JD said, "I admire what you're doing Jessie. I just hope you know what you're in for."

"I have a pretty good idea, Dad. But, I have to ask…how did you manage to get seated with us?" She thought she might already know the answer to the question, but she asked anyway.

JD took a drink of his Scotch. "Joanie set this up. If the two of you are determined to go through with this, she's going to make sure things go her way. In other words, she's doing damage control." He looked at Jessie pointedly. "You do understand that this could hurt Stephanie's career?"

Jessie nodded. "We've considered that, Dad. I was willing to wait, but this is what Steph wants. Not that I don't want it, too…I just don't want her to hurt her career."

"Well…let Joanie handle things. Trust me. She does know what she's doing." He set his glass back on the table.

"She said my name and picture are going to be everywhere by tomorrow evening," Jessie said, looking for confirmation from JD.

Her father nodded. "She's right. But that's because she's going to make sure that anything anyone hears about you is what she wants them to hear." He looked at Jessie, taking her measure. "You're sure you're ready for this, Jess?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, Dad,"Jessie said, taking a drink of her Vodka.

JD smiled and slapped her on the back. "Spoken like a true Drake! That's why Joanie made sure I was sitting here tonight. She's hoping that people knowing that you're my kid will make this whole 'coming out' thing more acceptable."

"That makes a difference?" Jessie asked, not quite understanding why anyone would care who her father is.

"Jessie," JD sighed. "This is Hollywood. It makes a difference. You're dating Stephanie Winters now. She's not an A-lister, but she is a pretty well known celebrity. People will want to know why you think you're good enough to be a part of this world."

"What? That's just stupid and ridiculous," Jessie said, disbelieving.

"It may be," JD agreed. "But it's true. It's another reason you're mother never allowed you or your brother around this part of my life."

At that moment, the lights blinked, and everyone in the theater found their seats. Two minutes later, the director of 'Lonesome Moon' took the stage to thank everyone involved in the making of the film. Then, when the applause died down, he introduced the movie.

As the lights dimmed and the film began, Stephanie reached over and grabbed Jessie's hand. Leaning into her shoulder, she whispered, "When the movie's finished, this is going to turn into a big party. There will be photographers and reporters everywhere, so be prepared for questions."

At Jessie's sudden look of near panic, Stephanie took pity on her. "I'll be right here with you, Jess. I won't leave you."

"Joanie thinks you're hanging on me already," she said, looking into the green eyes.

"She's right, I am," Stephanie said, her eyes becoming smoky and her voice lowering. She leaned in and kissed the brunette, not caring who was watching. "I want everyone to know how much I love you, Jess."

"Joanie's going to kill us," she said between kisses.

"And you think I care?" Stephanie said, kissing her again.

"God, I hope not," Jessie answered, getting caught up in the moment.

By the time the film was over two hours later, Joanie was glaring at both of them. JD, who really didn't care for Joanie, found the entire thing quite amusing to a certain degree. He had only agreed to Joanie's request because it would benefit Jessie and Stephanie. Watching them, he had to smile. They were obviously in love, and he'd never seen anyone so brazenly defy the woman before. He had to hand it to Stephanie, she certainly had guts.

When the lights came up, the director and actors came back up on stage to applause and thanked everyone again. Then, holding up a glass of champagne, he yelled, "Let's party!" Music suddenly sounded through the room and everyone was getting up from their tables to enjoy the rest of their evening.

When the music started, Stephanie grabbed Jessie's hand. "Come on, let's go refill our drinks." Pulling Jessie out of her chair, they made their way to the bar at the side of the room.

As they stood in line, Stephanie was approached by a few people; most of whom she'd worked with on various movies or TV series. As their eyes tracked to Jessie, since Steph was holding her hand, the actress introduced her to each and every one of them as her girlfriend. There were a few raised eyebrows from those who had never suspected that Stephanie was gay, but most just accepted her declaration with a smile, congratulating them both.

Catching up with the two women, JD introduced Jessie and Stephanie to some friends of his from the recording industry. After listening to the CD that Stephanie had given him, he'd called his friend Cliff, and spoken to him. He was fairly certain that Jessie would never accept his help getting any sort of recording contract, but he had to try. Jessie was good. Really good. And it would be unfair for her to work so hard and never get the attention for her music that she deserved. Or at least that's the way JD saw it. Julie, he knew, would see things differently if she ever found out he'd done this.

So, when Cliff showed up, he promptly introduced them. They talked for quite a while about songwriting, Jessie's influences, what the music business was like…and the state of modern music.

Stephanie, listening intently at first, found herself becoming lost in the more technical aspects of the recording industry. When she realized that her glass was empty, she decided to get a refill. Slipping out from under Jessie's arm, which was firmly wrapped around her shoulder, she was about to get a fresh one, when Jessie caught her hand.

"Hey, where ya going?" she asked quietly.

"Just to refill my drink," she answered, smiling at the brunette. She grabbed Jessie's empty glass. "I'll be right back," she said, kissing her.

"You promise?"

"On my life," she replied, kissing her again.

"I'll be right here," Jessie replied, her eyes lingering on the woman as she walked away.

Cliff and JD, watching them, smiled at each other. When Jessie finally turned her attention back to them, Cliff said, "She's a beautiful girl, Jessie. She's lucky to have you."

"I'm the lucky one," Jessie replied.

"Jessie's still traveling back and forth from Ohio to LA every couple of weeks," JD told Cliff.

"Mmm, well…if she's not reason enough to move out here full time, I might be able to come up with another one," Cliff said.

"She is…more than enough reason, I mean," Jessie answered quickly. "We're just trying not to rush things."

"Jess…" JD interrupted. "What you're doing tonight is about as far from 'not rushing things' as you can get. By tomorrow, everyone's going to know that Stephanie Winters is dating you."

Jessie sighed. "I know, Dad. I've been informed of this numerous times over the last few weeks."

Cliff laughed. "Do you want another reason to move out here, Jessie? Besides Stephanie?"

Jessie shook her head. "It certainly isn't necessary, but it might help. She's more than enough reason, like I said. But I don't want her supporting me or anything."

"Let me talk to a few people…you have a business card?" Jessie pulled one out of a pocket and handed it over. "I'll call you when I have more info and we'll set something up." He shook both their hands. "JD, we'll talk."

"Thanks, Cliff. I'll see you later,"JD said as Cliff walked off to talk to someone else. Turning back to Jessie, he looked at her seriously. "So…what do you think?"

Jessie shrugged. "I don't know, Dad. It's a long shot, don't you think?"

"Jess, you need to have a little more confidence in your abilities," JD said. "Cliff wouldn't make an offer if he didn't think he could deliver. Trust me."

"I do, Dad. I just don't want to get my hopes up. Not after what happened before…" her voice trailed off, thinking about the recording contract she'd lost years ago. She'd told her father about it weeks ago, during one of their now, weekly phone calls.

Before JD could reply, Stephanie walked back up to them, drinks in hand. Passing one to Jessie, she kissed her on the cheek. "Miss me?"

"Always," Jessie whispered, looking into her eyes.

From their right, a camera flashed. Turning toward it, Stephanie wrapped her free arm around Jessie's waist at the same time she pulled JD closer. "Smile Jess," she said quickly. "This one's for People."

Completely taken by surprise, Jessie managed to smile right before the photographer snapped his picture. When he was done, he thanked them and wandered off to harass another group.

"That really was a photographer for 'People' magazine?" Jessie asked as the man disappeared into the crowd.

"Unless he's changed jobs in the last few months, yeah," Stephanie answered, almost laughing at how surprised Jessie seemed.

From behind them, Jessie heard Joanie say, "Congratulations, you two. Your spokesperson has just confirmed to 'People' magazine that you are a 'serious' couple. You're out now, Stephanie."

Following Joanie's announcement, they fended off numerous requests for impromptu interviews about their relationship. Stephanie, following Joanie's advice to the letter, spoke only about her upcoming TV series. Jessie, ever at her side, remained silent, answering no questions other than to confirm her name and occupation.

By the time the evening was over, even Joanie seemed to be pleased with the way things had gone. Climbing into the limo, she waited until Stephanie and Jessie were seated across from her. "Well, all things considered, I'd say this evening went rather well. Of course, there's still going to be a round of interviews now, but…"

She shrugged and looked over at Jessie. "I have to admit, you did better than I expected, Jessie."

She raised a brow at the compliment, but accepted it gracefully. "Thanks, Joanie. I did try."

"Mmm, you did great, Jess," Stephanie added, leaning into her and holding onto her arm. "I knew you would."

Jessie turned and smiled at her, kissing her on the cheek. "Thanks, Sweetheart."

Across from them, Joanie rolled her eyes and shook her head. These two were going to be the death of her yet. On the other hand, of all the celebrities she'd worked with, Stephanie was by far the least demanding. If this was the most difficult thing she ever had to do for the redhead, she could do it. Besides that, even though she was still leery about Jessie's motives, she did like the woman. If nothing else, she obviously loved Stephanie. And…she made her really happy. Either that, or Jessie should be the actress.

"Well…you've got what you wanted," Joanie said, looking at Stephanie over her glass of wine. "After tonight, everyone's going to know about Jessie…and the fact that you're a lesbian." The two women were currently seated in Joanie's living room. After the premiere, they'd all gone back to Joanie and Carson's house for a night cap.

"It is what I wanted, Joanie," Stephanie said. "Thank you, for everything you did tonight."

"Oh, the fun's just starting, Steph. You do realize that every time you go on the late night shows to talk about the series, you're going to be bombarded with questions about Jessie?" She raised an eyebrow and looked over at the actress pointedly.

Stephanie nodded. "Yes, I do realize that. I also realize that there are certain things I can't say. I'm not going to say anything to embarrass her or cause her any problems. The last thing I want is Jessie dealing with this on her own when she's at home."

"We'll need to coach her on certain things," Joanie agreed. "She can't just go talking to the press whenever they ask her a question."

Stephanie rolled her eyes at the woman in irritation. "You really think she'd do that, Joanie? My God…Jessie's a lawyer! She understands the power of the media."

"I know, I know…I'm just trying to impress upon you the importance of being careful. I don't want Jessie answering a seemingly unimportant question and have it blow up in our faces," Joanie said, feeling the need to explain herself. "I also don't want her answering personal questions. You know…about her past, especially this Alex woman…or about her addiction to drugs, or about your sex life…"

"Now Joanie, do you really think I'd do that?" Jessie asked, walking into the room with Carson. Smiling broadly at Stephanie, she sat down on the couch and slid next to her, kissing her. "Hey…"

"Hey yourself," Stephanie responded, kissing her back and leaning into her. "You two enjoy yourselves?"

"Yeah. Carson has some really nice guitars in his collection," Jessie said, catching her hand.

Joanie huffed at them, acting like teenagers. "We were discussing the importance of your answers to questions from the press and how they could affect Stephanie's career."

"Oh, so…what you're saying, is that if anyone asks…I shouldn't tell them about all the little noises she makes when we're…" she was cut off by Stephanie's hand clamping down across her mouth.

"That's exactly what she means,"Stephanie said, rolling her eyes at Jessie and shaking her head. She knew the brunette was just kidding…just to irritate Joanie. Still…

Jessie laughed. "I know…I'd never talk about anything like that." Growing serious, she said, "I mean…that's for me and me alone. I'd never, ever, talk about that with anyone. I've never even talked to Theresa about us."

"Really?" Stephanie asked, slightly surprised. For some reason, she had just assumed that Jessie told Theresa everything.

Jessie turned and looked at her. "Steph…I'd never tell her any of the intimate details about us. I know that I've always shared everything with her in the past…but none of that mattered. It was just sex. But you…what we have…it's not for public consumption. It's not for anyone but us and I'd never do anything to damage that."

Stephanie felt her heart melt. "Oh Jess…"

"And, as for Alex…I've already spoken to her. She won't say anything to hurt Stephanie or me," Jessie reassured Joanie as Stephanie wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

In the chair across from them, Joanie rolled her eyes again. The two of them were so in love it was making her sick. Watching them made her glad that she and Carson had never had any kids. She didn't think she could take raising teenagers. These two were bad enough, what with all the hand holding, secret smiles and kissing. And yet, at the same time, Stephanie was really happy with Jessie.

That alone made all this worth doing. She'd been there when Linda and Kate had broken Stephanie's heart. She knew exactly what they'd put her through and how much pain she'd been in. She'd spent a lot of sleepless nights listening to Stephanie and holding her while she cried. Losing Tommy had nearly killed her. So, if supporting her in this made her happy, Joanie would do it. Even if she didn't think it would help her career any. Sometimes, having someone to love was more important that a successful career.

Hours later, having left Joanie and Carson's house earlier, Stephanie was getting ready for bed. When she finished, she stopped in the bathroom doorway. Looking at Jessie lying in bed, she sighed. Tonight had been absolutely perfect. Joanie had, despite her reservations, done an excellent job of helping her come out, and introduce Jessie to the world. Now, looking at the brunette lying on her side reading a book, she couldn't believe how lucky she was.

Jessie heard Stephanie sigh and turned over. "You coming to bed?" she asked, smiling at her and closing the book, setting it on the bedside table. She threw the covers back and patted the bed in invitation.

"Yeah, just admiring the view," Stephanie said, flipping out the light and crawling in beside her. She snuggled up next to Jessie and threw an arm over her stomach.

"Satisfied with the way things went tonight?" Jessie asked quietly, nuzzling Stephanie's hair with her nose.

"Everything was perfect, Jess. Thank you, for doing this with me." She kissed her neck and felt the brunette shiver.

"I'd do anything for you, Steph. Anything," she whispered quietly. "I love you so much."

Jessie's words wound their way into her heart, making her feel so safe and loved. And yet…no matter how good the words made her feel, there was still something more that she needed. She knew she was being selfish…wanting more. It made her feel like she was betraying Jessie in a way. Jessie had overcome so many fears to love her…to allow Stephanie to love her…And yet she couldn't ask Jessie for the one thing she really wanted. More than anything, she wanted Jessie to move to LA and live with her. She knew all the reasons why she couldn't, and she understood them. Still, that didn't change the way she felt.

She knew Jessie would never let her pay her way until she found a job out here. Even though she'd do it in a heartbeat if it meant they could be together all the time. She missed Jessie when she wasn't there, holding her while she slept…her lips on hers…her hands…

She took in a deep breath, bringing herself back to the present. Jessie was here…now. For tonight, she could hold her…kiss her…

On Monday, August 8^th, Jessie was busy reading over a deposition, when her phone rang. She picked it up on the second ring. She'd been expecting Stephanie to call, and was disappointed when she heard Joanie's voice come over the line. Recovering quickly, she said, "Joanie? I wasn't expecting you. What can I do for you?"

"Jessie," the agent drawled, obviously aware of the fact that Jessie would rather not be talking to her. "I was actually just calling to ask a favor of you."

"What kind of favor could I possibly do for you, Joanie?"she asked genially, wondering just exactly what the overbearing woman was up to.

"Well…you do know that Stephanie's been scheduled to appear on the Late Night LA Show tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, she told me about it. I'm still not sure what…" she started to say, but Joanie cut her off.

"Tom called me and asked if I'd be able to get you on the show too," she said by way of explanation. "He wants to surprise Stephanie by bringing you out when he's ready to talk to her about her coming out."

Jessie shook her head and twirled her finger in the air in the universal 'crazy' sign, looking over at Theresa, who had turned to watch her when she heard Jessie say Joanie's name. Worried that the woman was trying to wrap her up in some scheme to make Stephanie angry, Jessie wasn't sure she liked the idea. On the other hand, they had known going into this that Stephanie at least, would be called to do these kinds of interviews. She didn't relish the idea of talking about their relationship on national TV, but it was part of the game.

Jessie sighed, before answering her. "You're sure he isn't going to ambush her or anything? I don't want to be a part of embarrassing her or hurting her, Joanie," she said, warning the woman. She didn't think Joanie would do anything that would hurt Steph, but she still didn't trust her implicitly. The woman didn't like her that much and she might try to make her look bad in front of Steph.

Pleased that Jessie was thinking about Stephanie and not herself, Joanie smiled when she answered the brunette. "I swear to you, Jessie. Tom Westcott's a friend. I would never expose Stephanie to an interview that would hurt her or her image. If nothing else, you should believe that."

"I do believe you, Joanie. I just don't always trust other people and their motivations. If you say he's trustworthy, I'll take your word for it. When do you want me there?"

"You'll do it?" She tried to hide the surprise in her voice, but wasn't quite as successful as she wanted.

"Of course, I will. Anything to help Steph get through this," Jessie said. Honestly, how many times did she need to reiterate that for Joanie?

"Okay then! I'll have your plane ticket waiting for you at the Delta Desk. Your flight leaves at ten tomorrow morning. I'll meet you at the airport when you arrive and take you right to your hotel room. There will be a car to pick you up and take you to the studio at seven."

Jessie wrote everything down and repeated it, to make sure she had it correct. When Joanie confirmed the details were right, she said goodbye and hung up the phone. Leaning back in her chair, she looked over at Theresa, shaking her head.

"So…what was that all about?"Theresa asked curiously. Jessie had told her all about Joanie, and she didn't think she liked the woman on principle.

"You're never going to believe this…" Jessie said, launching into the story. By the time she was done, Theresa was sitting there with her mouth hanging open.

"So you're leaving for LA tomorrow morning and coming back the next day?"

Jessie nodded. "Yeah, I guess so." She stood up. "I should probably go talk to Susan and fill out the paperwork for two vacation days. Jesus…who ever thought I'd be on TV with Tom Westcott…" her voice trailed off with disbelief as she left to find the human resources director.

Theresa watched Jessie walk down the hall, shaking her head. "I sure hope you know what you've gotten yourself into, Jess," she said out loud to no one in particular. It worried her, how fast Jessie had fallen for Stephanie. It seemed like Jessie was ready and willing to do anything for Steph at the drop of a hat. Thinking back to their conversation one fateful Saturday night, Theresa shook her head again. 'Why couldn't I just keep my mouth shut and not encourage her?' She sighed, resigning herself to the fact that Jessie was deeply in love and very probably going to stay that way. When she thought about it, she knew Jessie had been in love with Stephanie for years. Neither of them had ever believed that it could be anything more than a fantasy, though. It wasn't that she didn't want Jessie to be in love. On the contrary, Stephanie was the best thing to ever happen to Jess. She just worried that her best friend might be moving faster than wisdom dictated. Stephanie was one of the nicest people she'd ever met though, and Jessie couldn't hope for better. Neither of them could, actually. Theresa sighed, realizing that the two women were absolutely perfect for each other.

They spent the rest of the day digging through paperwork and preparing for a new case. After work, Jessie invited Theresa to eat dinner with her, and then they went back to Jessie's house. They spent the evening talking while Jessie packed a few clothes into a carryon bag. "So…I'll be back Thursday evening. If anything important comes up, call me."

"Jess, nothing's going to come up. And if it does…I'll take it to Mr. Mason or Dave. He's always got your back."

Jessie snorted. "That's because I always have his."

Theresa nodded, remembering some of the reasons Jessie had helped Dave in the past. Covering for him in court when he had a hangover, was one of those ways. "You're right, you do. Anyway, have a good time and say 'hi' to Stephanie for me." She hugged the brunette.

"I will, T. See you Thursday, and be careful going home," She hugged the blond back. Once Theresa left, she went back into the bedroom and picked up the phone, calling Stephanie.

Two hours later, Jessie finally hung up the phone. They had talked the entire time, about Steph's day at work…what the weather was like in both, LA and Columbus. It didn't really matter what they talked about. It was hearing each other's voice that made all the difference. Saying good bye was always hard, regardless, and Jessie hated doing it. Still, when she hung up at midnight, she breathed a sigh of relief, happy that she'd managed to keep her secret trip to LA a 'secret.' Joanie would kill her if she slipped up and mentioned it to Steph.

On Wednesday, Jessie got off the plane at LAX and met Joanie as planned. As the blond led her out to the short term parking lot, she filled Jessie in on the details of the day. They rode to the hotel in near silence, as neither one of them really knew what to say to the other. Joanie did manage to make some small talk however, asking Jessie how her job was going. Then she asked about the band and Jessie's family. Jessie answered each and every question, wondering just what Joanie was really up to. For some reason, she had the feeling the blond was planning something.

When they pulled up to the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Joanie dropped her off with a promise of returning by seven. She would pick Jessie up and they'd have dinner, before driving to the studio for the interview. Nodding her head, Jessie thanked the woman, grabbed her bag and headed into the hotel to check in.

Once in her hotel room, Jessie tossed her bag onto the bed and started hanging up her clothes. With nothing to do for the next four hours, she decided to kill some time by going for a run. There was a park only two blocks away from the hotel, so she changed into her running clothes, grabbed her ipod, locked the door behind her and left.

Returning to the hotel two hours later, Jessie jumped in the shower. At seven, she answered the door to find Joanie standing in the hall. Smiling at the blond agent, she opened the door further and let her in while she finished getting ready. "I have to admit, Joanie. I thought you'd just send a car for me. I'm surprised that you'd drive me yourself."

"Well, I thought about it. But I need to be there too, and Stephanie decided she would drive herself to the studio. So, I decided to give you a ride." She sat down in a chair to wait for Jessie, who was busy pulling on her shoes. "You look nice tonight, Jessie. But…you look a little too much like a cop on a TV show." She said, indicating the black dress pants and fitted blouse the brunette was currently sporting.

Jessie looked at herself in the mirror. Joanie was right. With the black dress pants and fitted blouse, belt and black dress boots, she looked like she'd just stepped out of an episode of 'Criminal Minds.' Sighing, she said, "You're right, Joanie. I guess I'm just not sure what would be appropriate for a TV interview? I mean…I was torn between a business suit, casual, or something with more of a rock and roll flair to it."

"Hmm. I think I like the idea of the 'rock flair.' It's more 'you'…And we want the world to get to know the real 'you.' We want them to see what Stephanie sees in Jessica Drake."

"Okay," Jessie said, grateful for Joanie's help. "Let me try something else." She grabbed a different pair of pants and blouse out of the small armoire and stepped into the bathroom to change. When she came out a minute later, she looked over at Joanie, waiting for her to say something.

"Stephanie's going to love that outfit on you," Joanie said as she eyed the brunette critically, appraising the deerskin colored leather pants, white blouse that she wore untucked and brown leather jacket. The brunette looked every bit the rock and roll singer in the outfit and Joanie approved. She especially liked the way Jessie had styled her hair. Just a little mussed, with heavier than usual black eyeliner, two long dangly necklaces and the earrings Stephanie had given her in July, Joanie definitely liked the ensemble. It wasn't too 'rock and roll,' but it wasn't all 'stuffy lawyer,' or 'TV cop,' either.

Unused to compliments from the woman, Jessie blinked twice before answering. As she bent over to pull on the brown leather boots, she said, "Thanks, Joanie. You're sure it's not too much?"

Joanie nodded her approval. "I'm absolutely positive. It's perfect. Now, let's get going so we can get dinner. I'm starving."

Jessie took a deep breath, grabbed her purse, and followed Joanie out of the room. After dinner, she found herself sitting in a dressing room at the studio, being readied for her first TV interview. She'd never imagined there would be so much preparation just to sit down and talk to someone. At the moment, a young man was busily re-doing her makeup. Before that, he'd seen fit to work with her hair some more, because he didn't think it looked mussed enough.

Sighing, she just couldn't figure out how Stephanie could possibly sit through this every day. Getting up before six didn't appeal to her to begin with. Tack on the fact that she rarely got to bed before midnight, and that made it even harder. Then, to sit through an hour of someone else primping on you…She shook her head. Plain and simply put, she hated having anyone mess with her hair and makeup. It was annoying and bad for the ego. She had to admit though, when he pronounced himself finished, she looked great.

Within minutes of the young man stepping out of the room, Joanie came in with none other than Tom Westcott. The TV host introduced himself and took Jessie's hand, shaking it vigorously.

"I'm really glad you could make it for the show, Jessie. After seeing you two in 'People,'I knew we had to get both of you on the show," he gushed, smiling brightly at her. "Now…Stephanie has no idea you're here. I want it to be a complete surprise when we bring you out. I'm going to spend the first fifteen minutes talking to her about the new show. Then, I'm going to bring up the movie premiere. Right after we show some pictures of the two of you together, I'm going to introduce you."

Jessie nodded, listening as he spelled out what she was supposed to do. "It sounds great, Tom. But, you are sure that Steph isn't getting ambushed here, right? I won't be a part of dragging her through the mud," Jessie said, letting him know that she wouldn't tolerate anything that would hurt Steph.

He shook his head, understanding why the brunette would ask him something like that. "Jessie, I swear to you…I would never hurt Stephanie. She's a good friend, and I respect her far too much." He looked down at his watch and then back to her. "It's just about time. Just follow Joanie, and she'll walk you to the stage. Wait for my introduction, come on over and greet both of us, and then have a seat. It's that easy."

Jessie highly doubted it was going to be 'that easy,' but there was no turning back now. Thirty minutes later, she was standing at the side of the stage behind a curtain, effectively hiding her from view of the stage and audience. Tom had, true to his word, kept the interview on the topic of 'Green's Conviction.' At the moment, Steph was setting up a clip of the show and then they played the trailer. After that, they went to a commercial break.

Joanie stepped over to where Jessie was standing and said, "They're about to come back from commercial, Jessie. Tom's going to start asking her about her decision to come out, and then mention you. When he introduces you, that's your cue."

Jessie nodded silently, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She hadn't been nervous about this until the last few minutes. Now, it seemed like the butterflies in her stomach had morphed into bats. When she re-opened her eyes, she felt calmer, less nauseous. Trying to forget what she was about to do, she turned her attention to the interview. They had come back from commercial, and Tom was asking Stephanie about her decision to come out. Then, he mentioned the movie premiere, and pictures of Stephanie together with Jessie were shown on the huge flat screen TV situated behind their seats.

"So, you decided to come out at the premiere of 'Lonesome Moon?' Not only that, but you also decided that it would be a good time to introduce your girlfriend to the world. Was there any reason you chose to do this now, Stephanie?" Tom asked, pointing toward the pictures currently up on the TV screen behind them.

Stephanie looked at the pictures and nodded. "First of all, let me say that I didn't choose that particular premiere to come out. I'd been thinking about it for a long time, but it just never seemed like the timing was right."

"So why now?" he asked, nudging her some more.

She shrugged. "I'd just begun this fantastic relationship with a woman who doesn't live her life in the closet. I didn't feel right, asking her to hide, and be someone she's not."

"And is it safe to say that you're still in this relationship?"

Stephanie smiled a mysterious little smile, as her thoughts drifted to Jessie. "Absolutely. We're 100 percent committed to each other."

Tom nodded, smiling. "And yet she still lives in…" he shuffled his notes around a bit, before coming up with, "Ohio?"

"For now, yes. We hope to change that eventually, but we're making it work," Stephanie answered. She hated trying to explain this to people. Everyone seemed determined to tell her how hard long distance relationships were to maintain.

Tom looked out toward the audience and then back at Stephanie. "Well Stephanie, before I ask you anything else, I have a surprise for you." The actress looked at him curiously, preparing to ask him what he was talking about. He never gave her the chance however, as he said, "Ladies and Gentleman, Stephanie…Would you please all join me in welcoming…All the way from Ohio! Stephanie's girlfriend, Jessica Drake!"

Jessie, hearing the introduction, took one last deep breath and stepped out onto the stage. As she did, she put on her game face…the one she used when she was performing…and smiled, waving to the audience as she walked over to join Tom and Stephanie. As she approached Stephanie, she caught the redhead's eye and winked.

Stephanie, stunned at the introduction, couldn't believe it when Jessie strode onto the stage. Dressed in her brown leather pants, white shirt and leather jacket, she looked stunning. She stood up and greeted Jessie with a hug and a kiss on the cheek as the brunette arrived.

Jessie hugged Stephanie and kissed her chastely on the cheek, taking the opportunity to whisper in her ear as she did. "Hey Sweetheart, surprised?"

Stephanie nodded, still stunned. "Yeah, I am," she whispered back. "How did you…?"

"Later," the brunette answered, releasing her. Jessie reached over and shook Tom's hand in greeting. "Tom…"

"Jessica, or…May I call you Jessie?"he began.

"Jessie," the brunette stated.

"Jessie…First of all, I want to thank you for agreeing to fly all the way out here for the show," Tom said, sitting back down.

"I was happy to do it, Tom."

"So…now that you're here, I'd like for the two of you to tell me how you met," the TV host said, waiting for their reply.

Stephanie, thrilled that Jessie was actually there with her, reached over and caught the brunette's hand. Squeezing gently, she began the story with walking into Jessie's office that Monday morning. Together, they took Tom and his audience through the first few months of their relationship, ending with the movie premiere. By the time they were finished, there wasn't a person in the studio audience that didn't envy them. True to his word, Tom only focused on the good things. Unlike most TV hosts, he never asked them really personal questions. He also never acted in a negative or derogatory manner, treating both women like well respected royalty.

After the show, Tom invited them both back to his dressing room. Pouring each of them a drink, he sat down and thanked them again for agreeing to the interview. He particularly wanted to thank Jessie for flying all the way out to LA for an hour long show. Interviewing Stephanie was great, but Jessie showing up had made the show even better. Seeing the two women together made it easier for people to understand why they'd fallen in love. And, Jessie's presence had certainly made the evening easier on Stephanie.

Two hours later, Stephanie slid the key card into the door of Jessie's hotel room. Joanie had waited around to give Jessie a ride back to the hotel, but Stephanie had insisted that she would do it. Now, as they entered the room hand in hand, Stephanie was positive that her idea had been the better one. She couldn't imagine going home to an empty house knowing that Jessie was in a hotel room only a twenty minute drive away.

She smiled at Jessie as she shut the door and locked it. The brunette hadn't stopped touching her since they'd gotten into Stephanie's car at the studio. All the way to the hotel, Jessie had held her hand, rubbed her thigh or caressed her cheek, kissing her every time they had to stop at a traffic light. "Jess, what's gotten into you tonight?"

The brunette leaned in and kissed her softly before answering. "I've missed you so much, Steph." She stepped into the redhead's personal space, forcing her to back up against the wall. "I've wanted to be with you since we parted last time. God, you're so fucking beautiful…" She whispered into Steph's ear, nuzzling her neck. "The only thing I've wanted to do all night is kiss you."

Stephanie moaned when Jessie's breath whispered across her neck and ear. "Kiss me? That's the only thing you've wanted to do?" Stephanie arched a brow and looked at the brunette. Then, reaching out, she slid her hands under Jessie's leather jacket and pushed it off to fall to the floor.

"I could probably be convinced to do more than kiss you,"Jessie said, smiling lasciviously.

Stephanie smiled back and pulled Jessie to her, taking control of her mouth. Using the element of surprise, she turned them around until Jessie was pressed against the wall. When she came up for air, the redhead whispered, "This is me convincing you, Jess." She slid her hands from Jessie's shoulders down to begin unbuttoning the blouse. When she unbuttoned the final button, she pushed the shirt off Jessie's shoulders and began kneading her breasts through her bra.

Hands tangled in Stephanie's hair, her head tilted back to rest on the wall, Jessie barely managed to speak. "Jesus Steph…with convincing like this, I'll do anything."

"I don't want you to do just anything, Jess. I want you to do it all," Stephanie growled, pressing herself into the brunette's body and taking control of her mouth again. This time, she only let Jessie go long enough for them to move over to the bed. Reaching down, the redhead slowly unlaced Jessie's brown leather pants. Then, ever so slowly, she slid them down. Pushing Jessie down onto the bed, she pulled them off and tossed them into a corner.

Hours later, satiated, Stephanie lay with Jessie in her arms. The brunette was dozing off and on, barely able to stay awake. Nuzzling into the brunette's neck, Stephanie whispered, "Jess? I've been wondering…would you be interested in going on a vacation? A real one, I mean. Not just a few days away?"

Jessie, almost asleep, took a deep breath before answering. "A real vacation? Where would you like to go, Sweetheart?"

"Mmm," Stephanie planted a series of small kisses down Jessie's neck. "I was thinking about Greece."

"Greece?" Jessie moaned at the sensations Stephanie was currently causing. "I've always wanted to go to Greece, Steph. When would you like to leave?"

"I was thinking about two weeks from now?" she wrapped her arm tighter around Jessie.

"I'll talk to Mr. Mason as soon as I get back," Jessie said, smiling into Stephanie's next kiss.

"Fantastic. Now, shut up and make love to me, Jessie,"Stephanie said, rolling to her right and pulling the brunette over on top of her. Jessie, suddenly feeling more energetic, was happy to oblige.

Nancy Winters picked up the phone on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Mom? Hi, it's me, Stephanie,"her oldest daughter's voice came over the phone.

"Stephanie! I'm so glad you called, Sweetheart. What's going on?" Nancy asked, wondering why Stephanie was calling this evening. She was under the impression that Stephanie was preparing to go away on a vacation.

"Oh, I'm just trying to get ready for this vacation, and decided to take a break. I thought I should call now, because I probably won't have time to call tomorrow," Stephanie answered.

"You sound tired, Steph. Are you okay?" Nancy asked, noticing the exhaustion in her voice.

"Yeah, I've just been running around, trying to get things ready," she said, attempting to reassure her mother.

"So, are you getting excited? I can't believe you're going to Greece! I've always wanted to go there," Nancy said enthusiastically.

"I can't either, actually. I'll just be glad when I finally get on the plane and we're on our way."

"How's Jessie doing? Is she excited, too?"

Stephanie smiled when her mother mentioned the brunette. "She said she hasn't been able to sleep for days. She's never been to Greece, either."

"And she's meeting you at the airport in Columbus?" Nancy asked, confirming details of the trip.

"Yeah, she's meeting me and we're flying to New York from there, and then to Europe," Stephanie answered. "I sent you an e-mail with our itinerary, Mom. Did you get it?"

"Yes, I've got it right here, Sweetheart," Nancy said, looking over the printout. "You two are going to have so much fun, Steph. I want you to just forget about everything going on here, and not worry about anything for the next two weeks. I know things have been hard on you since the premiere," Nancy said, referring to Steph's coming out six weeks ago. Since then, there had been interviews, articles in magazines and pictures of Stephanie and Jessie together. Not all of them had been supportive, and she knew that Stephanie had been hurt by some of the less than favorable comments. Both women had been hurt, actually, but Jessie seemed to handle the pressure better. Either that, or she was just really good at hiding how stressed out she was.

Stephanie sighed. "Mom…we knew what we were getting into when we did that. It's nothing we haven't been able to handle," Stephanie said, reassuring her.

"I know, Sweetheart, but it's still hard for me to watch you go through all that. No one should have to endure questions about their personal life the way you two have the last two months."

"It was our choice, Mom. It's okay. Besides, the studio's been behind me all they way, and Mr. Mason's been great to Jess," Stephanie said, grateful for that, at least.

"Well, that's a relief," Nancy said. "I'm glad they've been supportive of you, Sweetheart."

"Actually Mom, it's my personal business I wanted to talk to you about," Stephanie said, biting her lower lip. She didn't really want to talk about this at all, but she felt like she needed to.

"Oh?" Nancy's voice rose a bit, not sure what Stephanie might be referring to.

"Yeah. Jessie mentioned something a while back that I wanted to talk to you about. Well…apologize to you is more like it," she said, growing more hesitant.

Nancy was confused, now. "Apologize for what, Steph? You haven't done anything to apologize for."

"Remember the night we went to dinner with Julie…when you came to visit us in Ohio?"

"Yes." She was still unsure where Stephanie was going with this.

Stephanie was sure she was blushing. Her face was turning so red, she could feel it. "Well…apparently, you overheard us that night. You know…um…having sex?"

Understanding dawned, and Nancy hurried to say, "Oh! Stephanie, you don't have to apologize for that, Sweetheart. It's not like I was unaware that you were sleeping together. I am an adult, you know?"

"Regardless, it was still kind of rude of us to be so loud. Especially when we knew you were right downstairs. I'm really sorry we put you through that, Mom." She was regaining her equilibrium, now. Her mother had always made it easy for her to talk about things like this, and for that, she was grateful. Especially right now.

"Stephanie…"

Stephanie cut her off. "Mom, I know I tell you everything. But…hearing it while it's happening and hearing about it after the fact is two different things. Especially when it's your own child. I can't imagine what was going through your head, hearing us." She was mortified, thinking about it. Her mother had heard them…that was bad enough. She couldn't remember everything about that night. She just hoped they hadn't been too wild, screaming things that no parent should ever hear coming out of their child's mouth.

Nancy had heard enough. "Stephanie, I am the mother of four children. I'm very aware of what happens between adults in the bedroom. I understand that you're embarrassed, but you don't need to be. I'd actually forgotten about it until you brought it up. Or at least, I've tried to forget about it. You love Jessie and she loves you. I trust and love both of you. Your happiness is more important to me than anything, and Jessie makes you very happy. I didn't need to overhear the two of you to know that. I see it every time I see the two of you together or you mention her name."

"Oh, Mom…"

Nancy wasn't finished yet, and didn't allow her daughter to derail her thoughts. "You're both young and beautiful with fantastic bodies. It's nice to know that you enjoy each other so much. That's the way love is supposed to be, Stephanie. Don't you ever apologize for that."

"I love you, Mom."

"I know. Now, I'll tell you what…I'll pretend I never heard anything that night if you promise to never mention the incident to your father. I don't think he could take knowing that you're having sex with Jessie."

"Mom! How could he not know? I mean, my God! I'm almost 31 years old. He has to know that I'm not his innocent little girl, anymore. Jesus, I was living with Jessie while I was in Ohio and she's staying with me when she's here."

Nancy laughed. "He does, Sweetheart. He knows. He just chooses to pretend that you're not. For now, we should just humor him."

Stephanie, rolling her eyes, and not understanding the logic of what her mother was saying, finally agreed. "All right, Mom. If it will make him more comfortable, we'll just pretend I'm still his innocent little girl."

"Thank you, Dear. Now, you'd better get off here and get busy. You're plane's leaving early tomorrow, isn't it?"

Stephanie sighed. "Yeah, it is. Thanks, Mom…for the talk. I'm really glad you're my Mom."

"And I'm glad you're my daughter. I love you, Stephanie. Give Jessie a hug and kiss for me,"she said. "And have a great time on your trip."

"I will, Mom. Bye," Stephanie said, hanging up the phone. Setting it down next to her on the bed, she looked over at the suitcases on the floor. How did she manage to get so much stuff together for this trip? Sighing to herself, she got up and went over her list again. She was certain she'd packed things she didn't need.

It was late evening when they finally arrived at Athens International Airport in Greece. After disembarking from their flight, they were met at the security gate by their tour guide, Anieli. Leading them to the baggage claim area, they picked up their luggage and followed him to a waiting car.

Within thirty five minutes, he had brought them safely to their hotel, The Athens Ledra Marriott, in the heart of Athens. After they checked in, he followed them to their room, where he promptly went over their itinerary for the next few days. They had chosen to begin with a private half day walking tour the following morning, allowing for their jet lag. After that, Anieli had scheduled a full day tour of all the historic sites, including the Acropolis, The Temple of Zeus and The Changing of the Guards.

Once Anieli had left for the evening, Stephanie called room service to order something to eat. The last meal they'd had was at Heathrow almost eight hours before and both of them were starving. By the time room service knocked on their door fifteen minutes later, they'd both changed into sweats and t-shirts. Jessie answered and tipped the young man as he left.

Their room had a balcony which overlooked the street, and Stephanie was already seated at the small table outside. Jessie carried their salads out and set them down, noticing the bottle of wine that Steph had already opened and poured out for each of them.

When Jessie sat down next to her, Stephanie handed the brunette one of the wine glasses. "It's so beautiful here, Jess. Thank you, for coming with me."

Jessie accepted the wine and took a small sip. Stephanie had excellent taste in wine, and this one was no exception. "It is beautiful, Steph. But it's not the city that takes my breath away." She was staring into the green eyes again, as she picked up the other wine glass and handed it to Stephanie. "I'd go to the ends of the earth for you, Steph."

Stephanie accepted the glass and took a drink, smiling at the brunette's sweet words. "I'm so glad to get away from home, for awhile," she said, relaxing back into the chair and closing her eyes. "I know I said I was prepared for everything that would happen when I came out, but…I just feel so exhausted."

"Well, on the bright side, things seem to have calmed down some," Jessie said.

"True…I was getting tired of being asked the same thing over and over again," Stephanie said, glancing over at the brunette, who was busy watching her.

Jessie took in a deep breath and reached over to catch Stephanie's hand with her own. "We have two weeks to decompress, Steph. Let's just forget about home for awhile and enjoy this."

"I think I can do that," Stephanie said, squeezing her hand. Her eyes lighting up, she reached over and pulled Jessie into a slow, deep kiss.

Two days later, Stephanie managed to talk Jessie into a shopping trip through the Old Agora Market. She loved the atmosphere of the marketplace and really enjoyed talking to the shop owners. Around two, they found a small tavern and had lunch, before shopping some more. Jessie thought they must have hit every jewelry store, pottery store and every other store known to man that day, they'd shopped so much. She wouldn't have traded it for the world, though…because it made Steph smile. Nothing made her happier, than to see Steph smiling. By the time they arrived back at their room around seven, they were both tired. All the walking had made them both grateful they'd opted for sensible walking shoes for the day, instead of trying to look fashionable.

Before going out for dinner, Stephanie decided to take a shower and wash off the dust. Jessie waited until she was sure Steph was in the shower. Then, pulling a business card out of the pocket of her jeans, she made a call. When she was finished, she rang for the concierge. Within moments, there was a knock on the door and Jessie answered.

Stepping into the hall, she gave the man her instructions and he nodded, promising to follow her instructions to the letter. As she shut the door, she heard the water in the shower turn off and she headed for the bedroom to get ready for her own shower. By the time she had finished, Stephanie was dressed and ready to go. Wearing a small black dress and heels, her hair pulled back and pinned up showing off the diamond earrings she'd bought for the movie premiere, she was stunning. Or at least, Jessie thought so. Then again, Stephanie was stunning no matter what she was wearing, Jessie thought to herself. Then, rolling her eyes at her own libidinous thoughts, she finished getting ready herself.

Anieli had recommended a wonderful restaurant along the Ilissus River, and Stephanie had made reservations for 9:30. When they arrived, they were seated almost immediately and a waiter appeared to take their drink order right away. Seated on a balcony overlooking the river, they sat quietly and watched the lights of the ancient city play off the water. The rippling effect of the waves lapping the shore gave the scene an almost surreal look as they held hands and just enjoyed the city at night. They were lucky, their waiter had commented as he poured the wine, that it had been an especially rainy season. The river was usually dry most of the year, and was rarely flowing as it currently was.

Stephanie relaxed back in her seat and looked over at Jessie, who appeared to be deep in thought. "I'll give you a penny for 'em," she said quietly.

Jessie snapped out of her reverie and looked at her. "I'm sorry, Steph. I didn't mean to ignore you."

"I didn't think you were, Jess. You just seemed kind of far away," she said.

Jessie smiled that lopsided grin that Steph loved so much. "I was just thinking about us."

"Us?"

She nodded. "Yeah. It's crazy, isn't it? How we managed to find each other?"

"I like to think that it was meant to be," Stephanie replied, reaching over and rubbing Jessie's arm.

"Bau Yu said it was our destiny," Jessie said, catching her hand and fixing her with a penetrating look. "Do you believe in destiny, Steph?"

"I've never thought about it before, really. I guess…" she shrugged. "I don't know. If I hadn't agreed to do the show…we never would have met."

"Then I guess I'm grateful that you took the job," Jessie said, squeezing her hand and turning it over to look at Steph's fingers interlaced with her own. She marveled at the way they just seemed to fit together perfectly. Stephanie's fingers were long and slender, soft and strong, all at the same time. She remembered those fingers sliding down her stomach last night and shivered slightly.

"Get a chill?" Stephanie asked, noticing the way Jessie trembled.

The brunette shook her head. "No. Just thinking of you."

She smiled. "I hope it was a good thought, since you're trembling?"

"I never have anything but good thoughts about you, Steph."

Before the actress could reply, the waiter brought their dinner, and for the next hour, they ate and talked about various things. Jessie, aware of how much pressure Stephanie had been under since she'd come out, kept the conversation light and fun. They were on vacation, and she didn't want the other woman to worry about anything while they were away.

As dinner wound down, Jessie finished first. Relaxing back into her chair, she sat and sipped at her wine, content to watch Stephanie. When the now, strawberry blond set her fork down, Jessie smiled at her. "You know, I realized something earlier."

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"It's September 6^th. Today's your birthday, isn't it?" the brunette asked, a slight mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Oh my gosh, it is. There's been so much going on, I'd forgotten," Stephanie said, surprised that she could forget her own birthday. But, the truth was, the small firestorm she'd begun by coming out and introducing Jessie, really had worn her out. She simply hadn't had the energy lately to think about something so simple.

"Well then, I'm glad I didn't forget," Jessie said, looking at her shyly. Looking to her left, she beckoned a young man over, who promptly passed Jessie two things. The first was a single red rose, which she presented to Stephanie. The second was a small jewelry box, which she set on the table in front of the actress.

Stephanie, accepting the rose, didn't know what to say. If she hadn't been able to remember her own birthday, how had Jessie managed to do so? She felt a smile break out across her face, looking over at the brunette. "Jessie…you didn't have to get me anything…"

"Of course I did, Sweetheart. You didn't think I'd forget, did you?" She watched as Steph picked up the box and opened it.

When she opened the jewelry box, Stephanie could do nothing but stare. A full minute passed, before she finally looked back up at Jessie, who was waiting patiently. "Jess…it's absolutely beautiful! Thank you." Inside the box, was an Everlon 1/4 Ct. Diamond Knot Pendant set in 14k White Gold.

Jessie stood up and came around the table. Taking the necklace out of the box, she asked, "Would you mind if I help you put it on?"

"Of course not," Stephanie answered breathlessly as Jessie fastened the necklace for her. Before the brunette could move away from her, she caught her hands with her own. Pulling Jessie down slightly, she kissed her. "Thank you, Jess. Thank you, so much."

"Happy birthday, Steph," Jessie said quietly, kissing her back. Before sitting back down, Jessie signaled for the check and their waiter hurried over. As they waited for him to return with her credit card and receipt, they finished their wine.

Jessie signed the receipt for the waiter and returned her credit card to her purse. Standing up, she pulled Stephanie's chair out for her and took her hand as they left the restaurant. "Would you mind if we walk for a while, Steph? The night's still young, and it's so beautiful here…"

"I'd love to, Jess," Stephanie agreed, allowing the brunette to lead her as they walked the ancient streets. Everywhere, the streets and shops were lit up and people were walking, taking in the atmosphere. They stopped for a while, on a small stone bridge and looked toward the Acropolis. Lit up with golden lights, it truly looked like a palace, shining toward the heavens. Stephanie leaned into Jessie as they stood there, and Jessie slid a hand over to rest at the small of her back.

Turning slightly, Jessie bent and kissed the bare shoulder, moving upward until she was nibbling at Stephanie's right ear. "I'm so glad we came to Greece, Steph. Are you…about ready to head back to the hotel? Your birthday's not over yet, and I have something else for you."

"Mmm, yeah, we probably should," Stephanie replied, enjoying the sensation of Jessie's lips on her ear and wondering what else Jessie could possibly have gotten her for her birthday. As far as she was concerned, just agreeing to this vacation was gift enough. "It's getting late, and our ferry to Santorini leaves at 7:30 in the morning."

Stepping back and smiling, Jessie again took Stephanie's hand and hailed a cab to take them back to the hotel. Within fifteen minutes, they were standing outside the door to their room. Jessie fumbled nervously with the door key before the electronic lock finally flashed green and she opened the door. Flourishing a hand, she ushered Stephanie into the room first.

As Stephanie stepped into the suite, her hand flew to her mouth in astonishment. Around the room, a dozen bouquets of red roses had been placed. On the table, sat a bottle of wine, chilling in an ice bucket. Turning to Jessie, she couldn't say anything but, "Jess? When…how did you…?"

Jessie chuckled as she finished locking the door. Pulling the woman to her, she said simply, "I made a phone call…the concierge took care of everything while we were out."

"God, Jess…You're amazing," Stephanie said, wrapping an arm around the brunette's shoulders and pulling her into a kiss. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Jessie replied, as she guided the other woman backward, toward the dining table. When Stephanie stopped with her rear against the table, Jessie kissed her again. Moving one hand up to let the strawberry blond locks free, she ran her hand through Steph's hair when it fell loose around her face. With her free hand, she tossed first, her purse, and then Stephanie's onto the couch. Then she moved the hand back to its place at the small of Stephanie's back.

"I wanted to make your birthday special for you, Baby,"Jessie whispered in the other woman's ear as she nibbled at it gently. "It's the least I could do since you made mine so perfect."

"God, Jess…any day is perfect as long as you're with me," Stephanie managed to say between gasps of pleasure. Jessie always seemed to know just where to touch her to bring out the most sensation. It was the most amazing thing, really.

As Jessie moved her lips down to the perfectly shaped throat, she said, "I love this dress, Steph. Is it new?"

Stephanie nodded. "I uh…I bought it for…this trip," she said breathlessly. "It reminded me of…your…leather pants."

Jessie stopped kissing her neck long enough to pin her with a look of curiosity. "My leather pants?"

Stephanie nodded, smiling at her. "Yeah, the one's John and Lacy got you for your birthday?" When Jessie didn't appear any closer to understanding, she added, "Easy access?"

Jessie laughed then. "She did say that, didn't she?"

"She did," Stephanie answered seductively, wrapping her hands around Jessie's neck and pulling her back to her. "I kinda like those pants, actually."

"I kinda like this dress," Jessie said, sliding her hands down to the woman's thighs. The hem of the dress stopped about mid-thigh, and Jessie caught it with her thumbs. Moving her hands upward, she began sliding the hem of the dress up with them, until she'd managed to reach Stephanie's matching black lace underwear. Leaning closer, Jessie kissed her. When she felt Stephanie's tongue against her lips, she opened them eagerly, allowing her own tongue to intertwine with the other woman's.

As they kissed, Jessie began sliding her hands down, taking the lace underwear with them. Somehow, Stephanie had managed to kick off her heels, and not lose her balance when Jessie suddenly lifted her onto the table. Jessie then pulled the underwear all the way off, tossing it to the side. When the panties were out of her way, she leaned down and began dragging her tongue up one leg and then the other, stopping each time at Stephanie's thighs. The redhead, Jessie noticed, was panting and sitting with her head tilted back, eyes closed and biting her lower lip. She smiled at the sight, marveling over the fact that she could be the cause of such pleasure.

Then, suddenly changing tactics, Jessie reached around behind Steph and slowly unzipped the dress. Moving her hands back to Stephanie's shoulders, she simply stroked them as she languorously kissed those full lips, using her tongue to maximum effect. As she continued the kiss, she slid her hands back down Stephanie's sides to those long, slender thighs. Trailing first one finger, then another, upward, she finally managed to find the redhead's center and began stroking her slowly.

"Oh God! Jessie…" Stephanie whispered when the brunette's hand finally touched her. Jessie had the most skillful hands she'd ever had the pleasure of being touched by, and Stephanie made sure that Jessie knew it. Pushing herself forward to increase the pressure from Jessie's hand, the brunette pulled her toward her at the same time that she slid a finger inside.

Stephanie wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and pulled her to her, taking control of her mouth. "Jesus, Jess…oh God…" She was gasping and moaning between kisses, barely able to breathe, her legs wrapped around the brunette's waist, keeping her locked in place.

Suddenly, the hand that was on her back was pulling at her dress. Somehow, Jessie managed to slide the dress down to her stomach and was now unsnapping her matching black lace bra. Within seconds, the bra was gone and the brunette's mouth had attached itself to her left breast, almost making her scream. Jessie was driving her wild, and she wasn't going to last much longer.

Two hours later, they'd finally managed to make it to the bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind them. They were really going to have to get up early in the morning to pack everything for the ferry to Santorini. Then again, if they didn't sleep at all, that would be okay too, Stephanie thought as Jessie found yet another hyper sensitive spot with her tongue. The movement brought her out of her thoughts and back to the present immediately.

Stephanie had never met anyone who had the oral skills that Jessie seemed to possess. Over the last few months, the actress had experienced ever new and interesting sensations, and she'd wondered where the brunette had learned that particular set of skills. Then again, considering Jessie's history, sometimes she thought she didn't really want to know at all. Although, the brunette had told her that the knee buckling trick she'd used on her in the shower one night was something she'd learned from a book. She had then proceeded to show her the book, because Stephanie hadn't believed her. Regardless of where Jessie had learned it, Stephanie could personally attest to the effectiveness of the technique. She'd found herself on the floor of the shower, held in Jessie's strong arms, weak in the knees and unable to remember how she'd gotten there. It had been one of the

most mind blowing orgasms she'd ever experienced.

At the moment however, she was unable to contemplate much of anything; preoccupied as she was with Jessie's sudden desire to lick every inch of her body. When she had, between gasps and groans of pleasure, asked the brunette what she was doing, Jessie had simply answered, 'memorizing you.'

At this particular moment, Jessie was busying herself by trailing her tongue from her ears, all the way down to the tips of her toes. How she could possibly find her feet and toes sexy, much less lickable, Stephanie would never know. But…considering what it was doing to her…she really didn't care.

They arrived at the ferry dock at 7:10 that morning, checked their luggage, showed their tickets and boarded. With directions from a crewman, they found the forward observation lounge and sat down. The chairs, like those on a plane, reclined making it easy for passengers to sleep while on longer trips. Still wound up from the night before, neither one of them was ready for sleep just yet. At exactly 7:30, the ferry pulled out of Piraeus Harbor and headed for Santorini and both of them watched from the window as the mainland coasted from view.

Eventually, the sleepless night caught up with them and they both managed to doze off within an hour of leaving the harbor. By the time they arrived at Tirsa Port, six hours later, they were both wide awake and feeling refreshed. After disembarking, they picked up their luggage, hailed a cab and headed for their hotel. That evening, they ate dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Aegean Sea and watched the most beautiful sunset either of them had ever seen.

For the next week, they spent their time taking short day trips to some of the smaller islands. They also went hiking, visited the local wineries, and spent time on some of the more secluded beaches. By the time they were scheduled to head back to Athens, they were both tanned, totally relaxed and re-energized. Before they left Santorini, Stephanie had practically begged Jessie to go with her on a boat ride around the island. She was quite aware of the brunette's fear of fish, but hoped that she would agree anyway. All they really had to do was sit on the boat and enjoy the sun anyway, wasn't it? Or at least, that was the argument she used to convince Jessie they should do it. The logic worked; or maybe it was the pleading look in her eyes. Either way, Jessie gave in, and Stephanie managed to find a private yacht to rent out for 24 hours. Jessie found herself to be pleasantly surprised and impressed that Stephanie knew how to handle a boat. Apparently, her parents had taken the family boating every summer when she was young and all four of the kids had learned how to handle one.

Now, two hours after leaving the dock, the small yacht was anchored offshore so that they could enjoy both, the water and the island view. Jessie was lying on deck on a towel, sunbathing. While never her favorite pastime, she was really enjoying the feeling of the sun on her skin this morning. To her left, Steph was lying on her stomach, reading. The redhead seemed more relaxed than Jessie had ever seen her, and it warmed her heart. The last few weeks at home had been sheer misery for the actress, as she'd fended off personal questions and detractors alike. They had both expected it, of course, but that hadn't made it any easier. Stephanie had put on a brave face, acting like she wasn't bothered by it, but Jessie knew better. No one could possibly take all of that negativity without some ill effects. The redhead had, over the last few weeks begun to look tired and worn out. When she'd suggested they take the vacation to Greece, Jessie couldn't pack fast enough. Now, looking over at Steph, she was happy to see that her lover was beginning to look more like her old self.

"You could just take a picture," Stephanie said, smiling. She'd noticed the brunette watching her out of the corner of her eye a few minutes ago.

"Why take a picture when the real thing's right in front of me?" Jessie sat up and leaned over, checking to make sure Stephanie's back wasn't starting to burn. Reaching behind her, she grabbed the bottle of suntan lotion and poured some onto her hands. Then, moving closer, she started rubbing it into Steph's skin.

When Jessie started applying the lotion, Stephanie dropped her head down to rest on her book. Closing her eyes, she sighed. "God that feels good, Jess. You want me to put some on you when you're done?"

Jessie shook her head. "Nah. I don't really ever burn. I think it must be the native in me."

Stephanie looked sideways at her, cracking an eye open. "The native?"

"Yeah, my dad's parents were both part Native American. Didn't I ever mention that?" She dropped some more lotion onto her hand and began rubbing Steph's shoulders. "Dad's family came from England, I'm not sure when. One of the original immigrants was a mountain man who married an Indian girl and lived with the tribe. They eventually moved into a small town somewhere out west. They always stayed connected with the tribe and her family, though."

"I've never heard you talk about JD's family before," the redhead said, biting on her lower lip to keep from groaning in pleasure at the sensations Jessie's ministrations were causing.

"Grandma and Grandpa Drake died a couple years ago,"Jessie answered quietly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Jess. I didn't mean to…"

"You don't have to apologize,"Jessie said quickly. "They were both older, and not in the best of health. My grandfather was a diabetic and had some heart problems. Grandma lived a few years after he died, but…" She shook her head. "I think she just kinda gave up after that."

"Jess, I'm sorry. Were you close to them?" Stephanie sat up so that she could see the brunette better.

Jessie smiled when Stephanie sat up, leaving her black bikini bra lying on the deck. "You're going to give anyone watching a show," she said, looking around to make sure they really were alone.

"You didn't answer my question,"Stephanie said, ignoring the comment. Right now, she didn't care if there was a boat right alongside snapping pictures every chance they got. She'd just pull off the bikini bottom and walk around naked if it got Jessie to answer her question. Besides that, it wasn't like she hadn't bared her breasts for the public before.

Jessie shrugged, giving in and answering the redhead. "I spent a lot of time with them when I was a kid. My brother and I traveled between their house and Mom's parents every summer. They both died before I graduated college, though."

"Mmm, so they never saw you graduate from law school or perform on stage?" the redhead asked, starting to feel bad for Jessie.

Jessie leaned close and brushed the backs of her fingers over Stephanie's cheek. "Why are we talking about this? It's old news."

"I just don't hear you talk much about your family. I like it when you do." She caught the hand as it drifted down toward her bare chest and redirected it to rest on her thigh. "I feel like I'm getting to know you better…like you're letting me in. That's all."

Confident that no one else was around, Jessie leaned forward and captured her lips in a slow, sweet kiss. "Mmm, I can think of better ways to get to know each other and…letting you in?" she said, backing away and wiggling her eyebrows.

Stephanie shook her head when Jessie released her from the kiss. Rolling her eyes at the brunette, she laughed. "Jess…You're really great at being intimate on a physical level. But sometimes, I feel like you're deliberately shutting me out on an emotional one." She let go of the brunette's hand and caught Jessie's face between both of hers. Pulling her into a kiss before she could protest the comment, she made sure there was no doubt in Jessie's mind about her feelings for her.

When she finally released her lover, leaving her breathless, she said, "I feel like I know every inch of your body, Jess. All the little things that turn you on…your favorite places to be touched…You certainly know mine. You are by far, the most beautiful, fantastic lover I've ever had."

Jessie smiled crookedly at that, feeling just a little uncomfortable. She'd never liked talking about herself. It made her feel weak and vulnerable. Looking deep into those green eyes, she breathed out, "Steph…"

"Shh," Stephanie reached up and put a finger to her lips. "Let me finish, please?" At Jessie's nod, she continued. "It's hard to talk about yourself when you're not used to it. I get that. But if we're serious…really serious…about each other...and I believe we are…I think it's time we took this relationship to a higher level."

Jessie took a deep breath and forced herself not to get angry over Stephanie's doubts about her sincerity. "Steph…I am serious about our relationship. You know that. I wouldn't have done all the things I've done over the past few months, if I wasn't. I certainly wouldn't have tolerated Joanie's little snide comments and insinuations…Or all the TV and magazine interviews, either."

"I know that, Jessie. It's just that…" she licked her lips, trying to come up with a way to say what she was feeling. "I want to know Jessica Elizabeth Drake…the woman. Sometimes…I feel like…like I'm only getting Jessie, the emotionally closed off lawyer, or Jessie, the hard drinking, 'all sex, all the time,' rock and roll singer. Call me selfish, but there's more to you than that, and I want all of you…Not just the parts you're comfortable sharing." She stopped talking then, and waited for Jessie's reaction. She knew she was pushing the brunette, but she couldn't help it. She loved Jessie so much. She just wanted to share everything with her. And she wanted Jessie to feel the same way. Now that the news about Tommy was out of the way, Stephanie had nothing to hide. All her secrets had already been exposed.

Jessie listened to what Stephanie said, chewing at her lower lip, and tried not to panic. She didn't want to lose Steph. She couldn't! When the redhead fell silent, waiting for a reply, Jessie looked at her. Staring into those incredible green eyes, she tried to find the right words. "Steph…I'm trying. I swear to you, that I am. It's just that…" she stood up and began pacing back and forth in front of the redhead. "I've spent a lifetime not getting close to anyone. The last time I let my guard down…"

"That's not going to happen, Jess. Not this time. I would never hurt you like Bobby did," Stephanie said, her voice full of understanding. She stood up as well, and caught Jessie by the arm, stopping her from pacing. Brushing the dark hair behind an ear, she said quietly, "I love you, Jessie. I'm gonna go below now, and grab some lunch. You don't have to join me if you don't want to. Take your time." She released the other woman then, and went below, leaving Jessie on deck alone.

Unable to say anything, Jessie watched her go until she disappeared below deck. Closing her eyes, she held back the tears that were threatening to fall. Damn it! She felt trapped, unable to breathe properly. What she really needed to do right now was go for a run, to clear her head and process what Steph had said. Unfortunately, being anchored so far off shore made that impossible. And…she smiled wryly to herself…She'd be damned if she was getting in that water for a swim. There were sharks in there! So, bending over, she grabbed her towel and went to the bow of the boat to sit with her feet dangling over the front. If she couldn't attain the seclusion of a run, at least she could isolate herself here for a while.

When Stephanie arrived below deck, she leaned against the wall of the small cabin to steady herself. She was shaking, afraid that she'd just pushed Jessie too hard…that when they returned home, the brunette would decide that their relationship was too much to deal with. Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths to center herself. Grabbing a t-shirt, she pulled it on. Then, she went to the fridge and grabbed a beer. Sitting down, she popped the top and took a long drink.

She understood Jessie's fear of letting anyone too close. After all, she'd gone through something similar when Linda had dumped her for Kate. As a matter of fact, she'd spent years keeping everyone at arm's length. By the time she met Jessie, she'd given up on ever finding anyone. She couldn't even say what it was about the brunette that had caused her to want to open up and give a relationship a try. It could have been the blue eyes. Jessie's eyes were so blue, she'd only ever seen that shade once before; when she was filming in the Caribbean. Or maybe it was the fact that Jessie hadn't fallen all over her the moment they met? It could have been the air of mystery that Jessie always seemed to project. Even now, months later, the brunette seemed to exude some exotic, mysterious aura sometimes that Stephanie found irresistibly intoxicating. Or….maybe she was just tired of being lonely? She sighed. The only thing she was sure of was that she'd fallen for Jessie the first day they met.

She sighed again and shook her head. Did it really matter…the reason? The bottom line was that she was in love with Jessie Drake. There was no denying it, and no going back. All she could hope for now was that Jessie would finally let her in all the way and accept the love she was offering. Taking another drink of her beer, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. If Jess chose to close herself off, how would they continue? Could they?

Forty five minutes later, her butt tired from sitting in one position, Jessie stood up and stretched. Even though she hadn't been able to go for a run, the time alone out here on the water had been wonderful. With the fresh air, the gorgeous blue water, and the occasional dolphins playing in the water nearby, she felt better than she had in a long time. Allowing her mind to work through Stephanie's words at it's own pace had been rejuvenating. She'd come to a few conclusions about her life during the last hour, and she needed to talk to Steph. Grabbing her towel, she dropped it on the deck next to Stephanie's and then went to find the redhead. When she entered the cabin, she stopped and smiled at the sight before her. Stephanie was sitting at the table, her head fallen to the side, mouth hanging open slightly, dozing. Calling her name quietly, Jessie reached out a hand to shake her shoulder. It was unnecessary, though, because the redhead opened her eyes immediately when she heard her name.

"Jess?" she asked hesitantly, rubbing her eyes.

Jessie smiled and reached out a hand, pulling Stephanie up and into her arms when she caught hold. Kissing her softly on the lips, Jessie said, "Let's go back on deck. I want to talk to you." When the redhead nodded nervously, she led the way back up the stairs.

Spreading their beach towels out next to each other, Jessie pulled Stephanie down to sit across from her. Still holding her hands, she looked directly into Steph's eyes. "I love you, Steph. More than anything in this world, I love you. And there is nothing…nothing, I wouldn't do for you. I'm sorry…Maybe I haven't been very clear about my feelings. And I'm sorry that you've felt the need to doubt me and my sincerity…"

"Jess…I never doubted your sincerity," Stephanie began, but was interrupted.

"No. It's my turn, now." When Stephanie nodded silently, she went on. "You're right, you know. I'm not very good at allowing myself to get emotionally invested in people. But I really, really, want you to know who I am. You've given so much of yourself…I feel horrible, always holding back. I don't mean to…it's just become a habit over the years. So…I'd like to tell you…" she swallowed hard, before continuing, trying to work up the courage to drop her walls and let Steph in. She squeezed Steph's hands slightly, and Steph returned the gesture, encouraging her to continue. "The first thing I can remember is how safe I felt, when Mom and Dad used to let me sleep with them. I was only about three or four, but I remember it like it was yesterday…"

They spent the rest of the afternoon talking. Sitting on deck, caressed by the sun and a slight breeze, Jessie told Stephanie everything about her life. From the time she was small, until right before they met. She didn't leave out a thing, no matter how hard it was to talk about. It was difficult sometimes, finding the words to explain certain things, but somehow she managed. For Stephanie, she could do anything. It was just the way the redhead made her feel.

Stephanie, stunned by Jessie's willingness to open up, listened to every word. When Jessie broke down crying about a particularly difficult subject, she would hold the brunette until she stopped, rubbing her back and kissing her on the head. When Jessie told her about something funny, they would laugh until they were wiping tears from their eyes. When Jess finally got around to talking about their relationship, and how it made her feel, they made love.

Hours later, they ate dinner up on deck and watched the sun set over a glass of wine. Eventually, they laid back and looked up at the stars, shoulder to shoulder, holding hands. Jessie told her then, about spending nights on her grandparents' farm, doing this same thing. When they finally made their way to bed, they were both emotionally exhausted. Crawling into the bunk, Stephanie wrapped her arms around Jessie and held her tight as the brunette drifted off to sleep.

Stephanie woke up sometime during the night. Jessie was still snugged up against her, breathing deeply, and fast asleep. After dinner last night, she'd moved the boat to a small fishing village on the other side of the lagoon. The gentleman she'd rented it from had given her directions and told her the villagers wouldn't mind if they anchored there for the night. It was a safe harbor, he'd promised, away from the open water and passing ships. She'd felt reasonably safe taking his advice, as Anieli had directed her to him before they'd left Athens.

Lying there now, comfortable in the small cabin, she could feel the gentle rocking of the boat. The sound of the waves lapping against the hull was comforting in the darkness. When they'd gone to bed, she'd left the curtain covering the small cabin window open, and she could see the moon shining high in the sky. Its light falling through the small window to drench the cabin in varying shades of gold.

As she lay there, she watched Jessie sleep and marveled, not for the first time, at how lucky she was. Kissing the brunette lightly on the temple, so as not to wake her, Stephanie whispered, "Thank you, Jess, for opening up today and trusting me with your heart. You have my word that I'll never betray your trust in me or hurt you, Baby. I love you so much…there's nothing that could tear me away from you…Nothing you could tell me about yourself would scare me off. You told me once that I was your dream come true," she smiled at that and reached over to tuck a strand of hair behind one ear. "I may be your dream come true, Sweetheart, but you're mine, too. I dreamed of you every night before we met, but I never believed you really existed."

She stifled a yawn. "I love you, Jessica Elizabeth Drake. And I'm so glad we found each other." Kissing the brunette once more, on the cheek this time, she relaxed back into the pillow and fell silent, content to watch Jessie sleep. Eventually, the moon slid too low and the cabin was bathed in darkness once more. Only then, when she could no longer keep her eyes open, did Stephanie allow herself to fall asleep. It was rare, the nights that she could lie there and hold Jessie like this, and she'd wanted to make the most of it. As she drifted off, she could swear she heard Jessie mumble in her sleep, 'Love you too, Steph.'

"Have I told you today how much I love you?" Stephanie asked, lying with her chin propped on her arms, which were resting on Jessie's stomach.

"Mmm, yes…but you can tell me again, if it makes you feel better," the brunette said, stroking her hair with her right hand. It was raining outside, and they'd chosen to spend their last day in Greece just lounging around, watching TV. So far though, they hadn't managed to do much TV watching. Instead, they'd spent the morning lying curled up in the bed, holding each other and dozing off and on.

"I don't think I want to go back home," Stephanie said, her voice a little sad.

"We're gonna have to go back sometime, Steph. Unless of course, you want to give up your career and move here permanently?" She looked at the redhead, the green eyes reflecting something she couldn't quite read.

Stephanie sighed and closed her eyes, enjoying being held. When she opened them again, there was a serious cast to them. "Would you be willing to do that, Jess? Just give up everything and move here with me?"

"Steph…I told you months ago…I'd give up everything for you." She caressed the smooth cheek. "The only thing I really need is you…except a job, of course. I'm not independently wealthy."

Stephanie knew she'd probably upset the other woman with her next question, but she had to ask. Since she'd gone back to LA, they'd been traveling back and forth every other weekend to see each other. But the only thing she really wanted was for Jessie to move to LA and live with her. She'd been trying to shove her feelings down and pretend it didn't matter, but it did. She didn't want Jessie to think she was being selfish, but she couldn't help it. She was selfish. She loved Jess and she wanted the brunette with her all the time, not halfway across the country.

"So…why don't you move to LA and live with me?"

Jessie sighed. "Steph…I want to." She saw her about to say something else and stopped her. "I do, Steph. Believe me, I want to go to sleep with you every night and wake up with you every morning. But I do need a job. I can't just move in and let you take care of me."

"Would that really be so bad, Jess?" She frowned.

"It wouldn't be bad at all, Baby. But I don't want to be a burden…and I'd get bored, not working or anything," she said, trying to explain. "Besides…do you really want the media printing stories about how I let you support me and call me a 'kept woman?" I mean personally, I wouldn't mind being your own private sex toy, but I don't think that's something you want to see in print."

Stephanie ducked her head. "I'm sorry, Jess. You're right. It's not right of me to be so selfish and want you with me when I know you can't." Then, remembering what the brunette said about the media, she licked her lips before saying, "This hasn't been easy on you either, has it? I shouldn't have expected you to be ready to deal with the media so soon."

Jessie shrugged, blowing it off, but she recognized the regret in Stephanie's voice and sought to calm it. "It's been all right, Steph. I think it's been worse on you though, than me. Reading those articles about you, and seeing you on the late night shows when I wasn't there with you…and the questions they asked you about us…I wanted to rip their heads off, sometimes. I could see in your eyes how much it hurt you, and it killed me that I wasn't there." She pulled Steph up and hugged her close. "I've tried to be there for you as often as I can to help you through this. It hasn't been my favorite experience, but I don't regret doing this with you. I love you."

"And I love you. You've been so good about everything. I'm sorry I even brought it up. I know you can't just give up the band and leave the guys hanging. You have obligations, too. It's incredibly selfish of me to expect more from you…I mean, you give and you give and I…"

Jessie put a finger to her lips. "Shh…don't Steph. I don't think you're being selfish at all." She kissed her lightly and played with her hair, twirling it around a finger. "Just give me some time, Sweetheart. I'm working on a few things. I promise you won't be disappointed. I want this too."

"Jessie…I could never be disappointed in you," she said, afraid that she'd hurt her feelings. She was pushing Jessie too fast, and she knew it. She just wanted this so bad!

Jessie kissed her again, smiling at her when she let the redhead go. She looked into those green eyes and said, "Steph…I swear to you…things will fall into place. And when they do…it's going to be perfect. Please just trust me?"

"I trust you, Jessie. I'm just…impatient, I guess," Stephanie said, resting her head on the brunette's chest.

Jessie looked down and lifted her chin up with her fingers. With her free hand she caught the delicate chain of the necklace she'd given Stephanie for her birthday the week before. "Steph…do you know why I picked this particular necklace for you?"

Shaking her head, the actress joked, "You thought it was pretty?" She knew Jessie meant something else, she just wasn't sure what.

"It is beautiful, and you look gorgeous wearing it…but I meant the other reason," she said, giving her a peck on the nose.

"Oh, then…no," she answered, playing along for the moment.

"I picked this one because it's my promise to you, Steph. It's my love for you, wrapped up in a knot for you to carry with you everywhere." She kissed her again, this time on the lips. When she let the redhead up for air, she continued. "This necklace is my word that we will work this out. I guess I've been just a little…I don't know…scared, isn't really the right word. But, after everything with Bobby I just…I just don't want to rush into anything."

Stephanie sighed. She couldn't ask the brunette for more. Jessie had already opened herself up more than she'd ever expected. That day on the boat, she thought she'd ruined everything when she'd pushed Jess for more…But Jessie surprised her by telling her so much about her past. The day was a turning point in their relationship, and they'd grown closer than ever, after that. Resigning herself to the situation for now, she said, "You are so sweet, Jessie. And I'm so lucky to have you. If you need time, you've got it. All the time you need." She leaned down and kissed the brunette, long and slow. When she finally broke the kiss, she smiled at her dangerously, arching a brow. "Just don't take too long."

"You're wearing my word, Steph. We're tied together, you and me." She reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Mmm, that sounds kinda kinky, Jess. I didn't know you were into that," Stephanie said, grinding her hips into Jessie.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me yet, Sweetheart. And…" she flipped her over until Stephanie was underneath her. "We have all day and night to discover new things about each other. You just tell me if I get too kinky."

"You have a 'safe word' for me to use, Jess?" Stephanie whispered, smiling crookedly up at her.

Jessie stared down at the redhead, wishing she had the guts to do what she wanted. Her mind strayed momentarily to the small box hidden in her luggage, and then back again, to look at Steph. Then, making a decision, she said, "Fucking beautiful…" and bent to kiss her again.

Eventually, they'd gotten up and gone out to take one more walk around Athens. They'd done some last minute shopping and eaten at a wonderful little tavern close to the hotel. When they returned, they packed everything they could so they wouldn't have to rush in the morning. Then, falling into bed, they'd spent some more time 'discovering new things' about each other before finally falling asleep.

Sometime around three, Stephanie woke up suddenly. She'd been pulled out of some dream where Jessie was walking away from her and she was chasing the brunette, calling her name. Jessie didn't look back though, giving no indication that she'd heard Stephanie at all. Bathed in sweat, Stephanie got up and went into the bathroom. Grabbing the handle of the water faucet, she turned on the cold water and splashed her face, drying it off with the hand towel.

As she walked back out to the bedroom, she stopped and just stood there, watching Jessie sleep. The brunette looked so peaceful, she didn't want to wake her by crawling back into bed. She knew she would, too. Jessie was a light sleeper, and always woke up when she got into bed. Still, it felt so good when she wrapped her arms around her…even when she was half asleep and unaware that she was doing it. It made Steph feel so loved. Watching her lover brought the dream back to her though. Remembering it now, she realized it wasn't the same as the old nightmare she used to have. This one hadn't seemed so real, once she woke up. The old one had always seemed so real she was afraid to open her eyes sometimes. It clung to her like a shroud, making her feel dark and depressed.

For years, she'd had the same nightmare that she was walking down some foggy street, someone walking behind her, stalking her like prey. It had gotten so bad at one point, that she'd even taken sleeping pills to help her sleep. Then, a couple of months before she went to Ohio to work with Jessie, they stopped. She had believed they were gone for good, but they returned with a vengeance right before she arrived in Ohio. She realized now in hindsight, that the nightmare had been some sort of premonition. While she was there, one of the men in Jessie's office attacked her in her hotel room, attempting to rape her. If it hadn't been for Jessie and Theresa walking in and catching him, he would have succeeded.

She sighed, and decided to go out and sit on the balcony for awhile. If nothing else, the fresh air might blow the last remnants of the dream out of her head. On her way, she grabbed a bottle of water. Sitting down, Stephanie sighed again. Their conversation earlier in the day must have been running through her head to cause her to have such a stupid dream.

On the other hand, she had been pushing Jessie to move in with her. What if she got too scared and decided to end their relationship? Logically, she knew Jessie wouldn't do that, but after everything with Linda…she shook her head. No, Jessie wouldn't do that to her. She'd promised she'd never leave her. She'd given her word, quite literally, when she gave Steph the necklace for her birthday. She'd said so earlier today. Since she'd moved back to LA, Jessie had gone out of her way to be available for her whenever she needed her. She'd said it herself. They would practice 'creative scheduling.' It had worked so far, but it wasn't perfect, and they both knew it. And yet…she couldn't get the fear out of her head, which just irritated her more. She hated dwelling on things…especially her fears; but for some reason, she just couldn't stop worrying. Every time she pushed Jess a little bit, she'd spend the rest of the day worrying about what Jessie was going to do. She really needed to start having more faith in her.

Staring out at the city, she thought back over the last few months. She had fallen for Jessie from the moment she met the brunette. She hadn't realized it at the time, even though she'd been attracted to Jessie from the start. She'd had no intentions of getting involved with anyone, when she met the lawyer/singer. Her experiences with romances like that had been poor, to say the least. Instead, she'd decided to pretend that she wasn't interested. And then, she'd seen Jessie perform at The Blue Rose, and that had been it.

Jessie had strutted out onto that stage dressed in those tight black leather pants, the black leather boots and the white pirate shirt, and all hope was lost. By the time that evening was over, she was hopelessly, deeply in love and unable to hide it. Jessie had invited her to a party after the show, and by the end of that weekend, she'd practically moved in with the brunette. Since then, the only nights they'd spent apart were after she moved back to LA and Jessie had to be in Ohio.

Now, thinking about it, she could see that the whole thing had moved pretty fast. She'd known all along that it had. She just hadn't wanted to think about it until now. To be honest, she didn't really want to think about it now, either. But it appeared her mind had other ideas. She knew that Jessie had been afraid of falling for her. The brunette had told her everything that had happened in her last relationship, and Stephanie had understood. She hadn't told Jessie at the time that she'd been hurt, too. Nor had she mentioned how badly.

When the brunette finally found out, she didn't even bat an eye. She simply held her and listened to everything she had to say. The revelation about Linda, Kate and Tommy hadn't spooked the brunette or upset her. In fact, it only seemed to bring them closer. She shook her head. How could she ever think that Jessie would leave her? Jessie was everything she'd ever wanted. Kind, considerate, accepting, strong, independent, talented, and absolutely…fucking gorgeous.

She heard a noise and turned her head. Jessie was there, checking on her. She knew the brunette wouldn't bother her though, not if she thought she might disturb her. Smiling to herself because she loved Jessie so much, she called her name quietly, "Jessie?"

Jessie rolled over reaching for Steph as she did. Feeling nothing but the sheet under her hand, she came fully awake. At first, she thought the other woman might have just gone to the bathroom, but then she realized that Steph's side of the bed was cold. She'd obviously been gone for a while. Getting up, she pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts, before going to look for her.

Checking the bathroom first, she headed for the living room of the suite. She was just about to flip a light on, when she noticed a slight breeze. Squinting her eyes in the dimness of the room, she could see that the balcony door was open. Looking a little closer, she could see Stephanie sitting in one of the chairs, looking out over the city. She appeared to be lost in thought, and Jessie chose not to join her. It was obvious that Stephanie wanted to be alone, or she wouldn't be out there by herself. Instead, convinced that her lover wasn't hurt or sick, she turned around to go back to bed. As long as she knew she was all right…that was the important part. When she turned to leave, she must have made a noise though, because she heard Steph call her name.

"Jessie?" Stephanie called softly. She'd heard something from the living room, a footstep…a whisper of a breath…she wasn't sure.

Cursing herself for disturbing the other woman, Jessie answered, "Yeah, it's me." She walked to the balcony door but didn't step outside. "I'm sorry I bothered you. I woke up and you weren't there. But if you're okay…" She turned to leave.

Stephanie wrinkled her brow and reached out a hand. "You don't have to go, Jess. You're not bothering me."

"I thought maybe you needed some time alone," Jessie said quietly, shrugging. She caught the hand with her own and squeezed. They had, after all, spent every waking hour of every day with each other for almost two weeks. She knew that could be overwhelming for some people and she understood. She'd felt that way from time to time. Never with Stephanie, though. She was an exception to everything.

Stephanie shook her head, worried that she'd upset Jessie without meaning to. "No. I'm all right. I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. I didn't want to wake you up, too." She pulled the brunette onto the balcony and Jessie allowed it, needing to make sure Stephanie was okay.

Jessie stood behind the chair and rested her hands on Stephanie's shoulders, the redhead's left hand still on top of hers. "You're worried that you're pushing me, aren't you?" she asked quietly, instinctively knowing the answer.

"I don't mean to, Jess," she said, a hint of sadness coming through in her voice. "I just miss you so much when you're not with me. And before you say anything, I know you can't just uproot your life."

Jessie squeezed her shoulders. "You're not pushing me, Steph. I told you…I want this too." She kissed her on top of the head and moved to sit on her knees in front of her. Looking up into Steph's eyes and holding her hands, she said, "Steph, this…what we have…it doesn't scare me anymore…not since that first night we made love to each other. You know that I didn't enter into this relationship lightly. This is what I want…you and me…the kids…everything. Hell, I might even consider getting a dog." Stephanie laughed at that, and Jessie went on. "You're not pushing me too hard, and I will never leave you. Please stop worrying that I will. I couldn't leave you if I tried."

Stephanie gazed into the blue eyes which, at the moment, reminded her of the waters of the Aegean, and tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. She sighed. "Jess…" Jessie's face was open and honest, allowing Stephanie to see the love that lay beneath the layers. How could she have ever thought that this beautiful woman would ever leave her? "I love you."

Jessie smiled. "I know." Standing up, she leaned in and kissed the redhead. "I'm going back to bed. Take your time…I'll be there when you're ready."

Stephanie didn't release her hand. Instead, she held her in place. "Jess…will you stay out here with me? Just for a while? I don't want to miss a moment of Greece with you."

The brunette smiled at the gentle request and pulled the other chair up next to her. Sitting down, she continued to hold Stephanie's hand. Neither one of them said anything else as they sat there, taking in the cool Aegean air. Eventually, Stephanie started to nod off, and Jessie convinced her that it was time to go back to bed.

When the redhead made a trip to the bathroom before crawling into bed, Jessie took a moment to look in her suitcase. Tucked in the small bag she used to carry her make up and toothbrush was a small jewelry box. Opening it, she stared at the contents for a moment before closing it gently and replacing it in its hiding place. Sighing, she blinked back a tear. Now wasn't the time, although they couldn't be in a more beautiful spot in the world. Things just hadn't fallen into place, yet. When she heard the toilet flush, she hurriedly hopped into bed and waited for Stephanie. When the redhead joined her, she turned out the light and wrapped herself around her once more, biting her lip. God, she wanted this to be forever!

The flight home left them both fighting jet lag, and Stephanie was glad that she'd agreed to stay with Jessie one more night before flying on to LA. Theresa was kind enough to pick them up at the airport, and was waiting when they disembarked.

"Hey you two, you guys look great!" the blond said, hugging each of them in turn. Taking in their relaxed appearance and the tanned skin, she asked, "How was Greece?"

"Greece was gorgeous," Stephanie answered her, returning the hug. "How have things been here?"

Theresa shrugged. "The same…Nothing much changes here, you know. Lacy asked me to have you call her though, Jess. She said she has some 'business' to talk to you about."

"I'll take care of it tomorrow,"Jessie said. "Right now, I want to grab something to eat and lay down. I can't believe sitting on a plane could make me feel so tired."

"Yeah, jet lags sucks," Stephanie agreed. They arrived at the baggage claim, and she quickly located her suitcases, loading them onto the cart. Jessie did the same, and within ten minutes, they were loading everything into the trunk of Theresa's car.

Stopping at 'Wild Panda' on the way back to Theresa's, they were seated immediately by Bau Yu. "Welcome home, Jessie…Stephanie," the older Chinese woman said, giving each of them a huge hug. "What can I get for you to drink this evening?' she asked as they took their seats.

"Umm, just water tonight, I think," Jessie said. She'd been nursing a headache since leaving London, and thought the water would be better than wine. Stephanie agreed, ordering water for herself, and Theresa asked for a bottle of Bud Light. As the woman went to get their drinks, a waitress came by and took their dinner orders.

Fifteen minutes later, they were busy regaling Theresa with stories about their trip. "God T, you and Brian have got to go. You'd both love it," Jessie said, taking another bite of her Vegetable Cheiu Salad and showing the blond yet another picture of Athens.

"It's got to be one of the most beautiful, romantic places on earth," Stephanie agreed, digging into her own Vietnamese Papaya Salad with gusto.

Theresa noticed as she looked over at the actress that she had a faraway look in her green eyes. Glancing at Jessie, she saw the same look reflected in her blue ones and wondered what they were thinking about. It was obvious that neither of them was really 'there' at the moment. But, as quickly as the look had come, it was gone again, and neither woman seemed inclined to share what was on her mind. Shrugging to herself, she dug into her Panang Beef Curry, and resolved to ask Jessie about it later.

It was getting late, by the time they finally finished dinner and headed back to the blonde's for the night. At first, they had planned on going back to Jessie's for the evening, but Theresa had talked them into staying at her house instead. It would be silly, she argued, for them to go all the way to Jessie's for one night. Her house was closer to the airport and therefore easier for everyone. Especially since Stephanie would be getting on another plane tomorrow, to head on to LA.

Once back at Theresa's, Stephanie excused herself right away. "I hope you're not upset, Theresa, but I don't think I can hold my eyes open any longer."

"Of course not, Steph. Please, go on and get some rest." She hugged the actress good night. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll be in shortly, Steph," Jessie said, watching wistfully as the strawberry blond walked down the hall toward the guest room.

"Your headache finally ease up?" Theresa asked as the brunette finally turned her attention back to her.

Jessie nodded. "Yeah, I think it was just being on that damn plane for so long." She went into the living room and sat down on the couch and Theresa followed her.

"So? How was your first real vacation in what…seven years?" Theresa asked, flopping into her favorite chair and looking at the brunette.

"It was the best time I've ever had in my life," Jessie answered quietly.

Something in her friends' voice prompted her to ask, "Did something happen in Greece, Jess? You haven't seemed like yourself…Both of you had a faraway look in your eyes earlier. I thought maybe…"

Jessie shook her head. "No. Nothing happened. I just wish…" she sighed. Wishing was stupid and a waste of energy and she knew it. Still…she swallowed. "I just miss her already. Stupid, huh?"

The blond shook her head, smiling at her. "It's not stupid, Jess. You love her and you want to be with her. That's all. I imagine that two weeks in one of the most beautiful, romantic places on earth didn't help any?"

"I had the best time, T. You can't even begin to imagine…" she trailed off, letting the thought hang.

"Did she like the necklace?" Theresa asked, referring to Stephanie's birthday present.

"She loved it," Jessie said, smiling shyly, remembering that evening like it had been yesterday.

"I knew she would. It's beautiful,"the blond agreed, smiling at the look in Jessie's eyes. The brunette had shown her the necklace right before she'd left on her trip. Theresa couldn't believe how beautiful it was, and had been surprised at how shy Jessie seemed, showing it to her. For some reason, Jessie had been afraid that Stephanie wouldn't like it. Theresa had assured her at the time that Steph would love the necklace. She was glad to hear that she'd been correct.

Just then, Jessie stifled a yawn. "Jess, why don't you go on to bed? You're exhausted, and Steph's leaving tomorrow."

The brunette stood up. "I know." She bent down and hugged the blond. "Thanks T, for coming to pick us up. I'll see you in the morning."

"Sleep in, Jess. Spend as much time as you can together. We don't have to be at the airport until six," Theresa said, hugging her back.

Jessie didn't say anything else, just nodded, and left the room. When she got to the guest room, she opened the door quietly, to keep from disturbing Stephanie. Shutting the door behind her, she went into the bathroom and got ready for bed quickly. Once she was finished, she went back out to the bedroom. Stripping down to nothing, she slid in next to Steph and snuggled close, spooning her from behind. Draping her arm over the other woman, she whispered, "I love you, Steph," before drifting off to sleep.

By the time she returned to LA, Stephanie was totally, completely relaxed. The stress of coming out and introducing Jessie to the world seemed to have faded into the background, as yet another celebrity 'scandal' rocked Hollywood. It seemed as if the media might finally have decided to let her go back to living her life while she'd been in Greece. The feeling didn't last long, however. On Wednesday, Joanie came to the set to visit her during a break from filming.

"Stephanie, I wanted to talk to you," the woman said, sitting down next to her. "I'd like to take you out for lunch, if you don't mind?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Joanie, this can't be good, if you're offering to take me to lunch."

"Well…I did say I needed to talk to you about something," the blond said, relaxing back into her seat. "I'll just wait here until you're ready. It's only another fifteen minutes or so."

It was actually thirty minutes before Stephanie was ready to go, but Joanie didn't seem to mind the extra time. They hopped in her car and she drove them to a small coffeehouse near the studio. When they arrived, they were seated right away and the waitress took their order immediately.

As the waitress came back with their drinks, a Fiji Water for Stephanie and a Double Mocha Latte for Joanie, the blond said, "Well, tell me everything, Stephanie. How was Greece?"

"Greece was gorgeous and relaxing," the strawberry blond answered, taking a drink of her water and smiling broadly.

"Are you sure you're talking about Greece, and not Jessie?" Joanie asked, arching a brow. "I mean, that's not much of a description, Stephanie. Surely it was more than just gorgeous and relaxing?"

Stephanie nodded, still smiling. "It was. We shopped, we hiked, we swam…it was absolutely fantastic. I can't remember ever having a better vacation."

Joanie was getting frustrated. Stephanie was being purposely obtuse, and it was irritating. Rolling her eyes, she said, "Steph…you had your birthday while you were on vacation, did you two do anything special?"

"Jessie took me out for dinner," the actress said, not adding any further details.

"Did she get you a birthday present, or did she just take you for dinner? And, while we're on the subject…was it a 'fast food' kind of dinner, or a 'real' dinner?" Joanie asked, adding the finger quotes in the air for emphasis.

"Actually…it was a really romantic dinner, and she did get me a gift," Stephanie said, blushing slightly, remembering that night.

"Well, are you going to tell me what she gave you, or do I need to guess?" Noticing the blush that had come over the other woman's cheeks, she gasped suddenly, half teasing, "She didn't propose to you, did she?" The truth of the matter was...she wouldn't be surprised if Jessie had done just that.

Stephanie rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Joanie…no, she didn't propose. She did, however, give me the most beautiful diamond necklace I've ever seen." She leaned over and showed it to the woman, whose eyes widened in appreciation.

"Oh! Stephanie, that's beautiful. Jessie has great taste," Joanie said, genuinely impressed.

"She does," Stephanie agreed. "She told me that this is her promise to me that we'd be together all the time, soon."

"How's she planning to do that, Stephanie? It doesn't seem to me like she's been doing much to find a way to move out here with you," Joanie pointed out.

"She hasn't told me anything, Joanie. But I have a feeling she's working on something. When I brought it up, she said…when things come together, we'll know."

"Well, that's kind of mysterious,"the blond said, taking another drink of her latte. "Stephanie, I know you think I overstepped my bounds before…but are you sure you don't want me to check her out a little deeper? I could hire a private detective?"

"Joanie! No! Absolutely not," Stephanie said, surprised at the offer. "Jessie's not doing anything to hurt me, for crying out loud!"

Joanie held her hands up in front of her face. "All right, all right…I'm sorry, Steph. It just seems kind of odd, is all. I mean, she won't tell you what she's planning."

"Maybe she wants to surprise me, Joanie. I told you, I trust her. Let's just leave it at that." She sighed. "She's done everything you've asked…why can't you just trust her too?"

"Because I've had things happen to my clients before, Stephanie. I don't want to see you hurt again."

"She's not going to hurt me, Joanie." She took another drink of her water.

"She's hurting you every day by not agreeing to move out here with you, Steph." She eyed the actress dubiously.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it. Besides, do you really want her to give up her job…her career…to move in with me and have me supporting her?" She knew that was exactly what the other woman didn't want. "Jessie doesn't want to be a burden to me, Joanie. And she does have obligations to other people, too. She can't just quit her job today and come out here. And, I'm not going to pressure her into it, either."

Joanie sighed and held up her hands to signal that she was giving in. "All right, all right, I give up. You're right, Steph. I don't want you supporting her. And I most certainly don't want that in the papers, magazines, or on the internet."

Stephanie shook her head, slightly irritated. "So…you said you needed to talk to me?"

The blond nodded. "I do. It's about your plans for this weekend, Stephanie." She already knew how the other woman was going to react to her news, and it wasn't going to be good.

Stephanie clenched her jaw. "Joanie…" she said in warning.

"I know what you're going to say, Steph…but this is business," Joanie said, trying to keep her from getting upset.

"You always say that," Stephanie said, sliding past slightly, to really, irritated. It seemed like every time she made plans, Joanie came along and made her change them. "You know this is my weekend to see Jessie." She was whining and she knew it. And…she didn't care.

"I know Stephanie, and I'm sorry." She was sorry, too. She may not completely trust Jessie, but she didn't want to hurt Stephanie, either.

"So, what is it this time?" Stephanie asked resignedly. Sometimes she hated her job.

"It's an art show, Steph…for Bradley Santoka."

Stephanie groaned. She disliked art shows. She always found them to be boring…and the people attending them were boring, too. Boring and pretentious. "Why do you need me to attend this 'art show,' Joanie?"

"It's a personal favor, Steph. For the gallery owner," Joanie replied. "He's a huge fan and he loves your movies. And…Bradley likes your work, too."

Stephanie sighed and closed her eyes, counting to ten. 'Think Zen thoughts, think Zen thoughts,' she repeated to herself, before finally opening her eyes. "All right…I'll do it. But after this, Joanie, I'd appreciate it if you'd check with me ahead of time."

"I'll do what I can, Steph. But you know how this works. You pay me to get you recognition, and this…is recognition," the woman said, finishing up her latte. "Look, if it will make you feel better, call Jessie and ask her to come here for the weekend. I don't care if she shows up with you."

"She can't do that, Joanie. She has a gig this weekend," Stephanie said, shaking her head. She'd actually been looking forward to seeing Jessie perform and hanging out with their friends, this weekend.

"Well, maybe some other time, then," Joanie said, paying for their lunch. She dropped the subject then, asking Stephanie more about her trip to Greece. They talked all the way back to the studio, where Joanie dropped her off to finish filming for the day.

By the time she returned to the set, Stephanie's mood had darkened considerably. Three more hours, and she was finally done. It was a good thing, too…Since she'd returned, her concentration had been off. She was forgetting her lines and her marks, which was, in turn, irritating the director.

After work, she drove to the gym. She really wasn't in the mood to work out, but she hoped it would burn off some of her irritation. Two and a half hours later, she'd managed to survive Yoga and Kickboxing. In the locker room, she took a quick shower, changed clothes and headed home.

She really needed to call Jessie, but it was ten in Ohio, and she knew the brunette was at band practice. Not wanting to ruin her day either, Stephanie decided to eat dinner before she finally broke down and called her. As a matter of fact, waiting until Jessie had eaten dinner might be better. There was no need for both of them to lose their appetites.

When Jessie's voice came over the phone on the second ring, Stephanie felt her mood lighten a bit. Then, thinking about the news she had to give the brunette, it fell through the floor again.

"Hi gorgeous," Stephanie said when Jessie answered. "I missed you today."

"I missed you, too," Jessie answered, a smile creeping over her face when she heard Steph's voice. "You're calling earlier than usual, something up?"

Stephanie cringed and scrunched her eyes shut. "Well…actually, I do need to tell you something…"

Jessie pursed her lips and cursed to herself. "You're not going to be able to come this weekend, are you?"

"Jess…I'm so sorry," Stephanie began apologizing immediately. "Joanie just told me today…She scheduled an art show opening for me this weekend. She's friends with the owner, and he asked her if I could be there. Apparently he's a big fan…"

"Yeah, I get it," Jessie said, unable to hide her disappointment.

"Jessie, I'd rather be there with you, Baby. I've asked her to check with me from now on…"Stephanie said. She was more than a little disappointed herself. In fact, she was pissed off. But, Joanie had been correct when she'd reminded her that Stephanie paid her to do just this sort of thing.

Jessie closed her eyes and bit her lip. She felt like crying…She missed Steph so much. It was crazy, really. They'd just spent two weeks together, and she felt like they'd been apart forever. This wasn't Steph's fault, and she knew it. Besides, this was Steph's job. She couldn't just blow off things that would give her good publicity…especially after all the stories that surfaced after she came out. Her career needed this, even if Steph didn't want to admit it.

Blowing out a breath, she pulled on her big girl pants and tried to act like an adult. Inside, little Jessie was kicking and screaming and holding her breath, wanting things to be different. "Steph, I understand…it's your job. I don't like it…but I understand. We'll just…I don't know…"

"Maybe we could try for next weekend?" Stephanie offered hopefully.

"The band's playing out of town that weekend," Jessie responded flatly. "I'd cancel in a heartbeat, but it's a huge festival and we're the featured act."

"Well you definitely can't do that. The rest of the band would kill you."

"Yeah, they wouldn't be very happy with me," Jessie agreed. "So…"she sighed. "Why don't we talk about something else? I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Stephanie answered back quietly, almost whispering. "Jess?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe we could…I don't know…I've missed you so much, and I really want to feel you touching me…"

Jessie quirked a brow, surprised at what Stephanie seemed to be suggesting. "So…where are you right now?" the brunette asked seductively as she walked down the hall to her bedroom.

"I'm sitting in the living room at the moment," the actress answered.

"Mmm, I'm in our bedroom," Jessie said, crawling onto the bed and propping her head on the pillow.

"And what are you doing in 'our'bedroom?" Stephanie asked, playing along.

"Well…you'll just have to join me in the bedroom and find out," Jessie answered, almost laughing at the sound of the redhead getting up off the couch and taking the steps up to their bedroom two at a time.

Theresa walked into the office Thursday morning and noticed Jessie's bad mood right away. "Jess? Something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh…Sorry, T. I'm just…distracted," Jessie answered, rooting through a pile of papers on her desk. "Where the Hell's that pen? Oh, here it is…" she mumbled to herself, oblivious to the way the blond was looking at her.

"What's wrong, Jessie? You're never this distracted and irritated unless you've had a bad night…" Theresa looked at her more closely. "Did you and Stephanie get into an argument?"

"No," Jessie answered, shaking her head. "Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know. You just usually aren't in such a crappy mood for any other reason," the blond answered, tucking her purse into a desk drawer and sitting down at her desk. Turning to look at Jessie, she asked, "So…if you didn't have an argument with Steph, what happened?"

Jessie blew out a breath and gave up on the pile of papers. She wasn't getting anywhere with them, anyway. "Steph called last night. Something's come up and she's not able to make it into town this weekend."

"Jess…I'm really sorry," Theresa said, sympathizing with the brunette. "Did she tell you what it was?"

"Some art show…the gallery owner asked Joanie if she could get Steph there. Apparently he's a big fan of hers and wants to impress the artist," Jessie said, only a small hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Well…it is kind of her job, isn't it, Jess? You two have been lucky so far. I mean, this was bound to happen sooner or later," Theresa said carefully, not wanting to piss Jessie off. Her mood was already hanging on the edge of irritated and severely pissed. And a severely pissed off Jessie Drake made for one really bad day at work.

Jessie looked at her, biting the inside of her cheek. She knew Theresa was trying to help, and what she said was true. One of them cancelling on the other was bound to happen once in a while. It was the nature of their jobs, after all. Still, she had to really work to bite back a sarcastic remark. "I know that, T. I was just really looking forward to…" she trailed off, realizing how whiny she sounded.

The blond didn't say anything for a minute, watching Jessie carefully. She had been friends with Jessie since they were ten years old. In all that time, the brunette had never, ever, fallen so hard for anyone. She also knew that if Stephanie wasn't an actress…if she lived here in Ohio, and they'd met…Jessie would have already asked her to marry her. At the very least, they'd be living together. There was no doubt in her mind about that. So, taking a deep breath, she got up and walked over to Jessie's desk. Sitting down on one corner, she looked Jessie right in the eye. "What do you want to do, Jess? Right now…what are your instincts telling you to do?"

Jessie didn't even hesitate. "Fly to LA to be with her this weekend."

The blond shrugged. "Then do it. Your gig's been moved to tomorrow night. You can fly out after the show and get there late Friday."

Jessie shook her head. "I don't want her to think I don't trust her by just showing up unannounced, T."

Theresa rolled her eyes. "Jessie, I swear to all that's holy…Stephanie would never think that. For crying out loud…go to her." Before she could say anything else or Jessie could reply, the phone rang. Getting up, she went back to her desk and started on her own pile of paperwork. Sighing, she opened up her Diet Coke. It was going to be one extremely long day.

It was Six o'clock Saturday evening, and Stephanie had just finished getting dressed, when there was a knock on her front door. Going downstairs to answer it, she found herself not in the least bit happy to find Joanie on her doorstep. She'd been expecting her…she just wasn't happy to see her right now. After all, it was Joanie, who had forced her to change her plans and cancel on Jessie this weekend. To say the very least, she was unhappy.

"Stephanie, you look wonderful, dear," the blond said as the actress let her in. Dressed in a pair of dark gray dress slacks and a black fitted blouse, Stephanie was wearing the necklace Jessie had given her for her birthday and the earrings she'd bought for the movie premiere.

"Let me grab my purse and I'm ready to go," Stephanie said, ignoring the compliment.

Joanie sighed. Stephanie was obviously still upset about cancelling her weekend trip, and the actress wasn't likely to forgive her any time soon. It was going to be a long night. Taking a deep breath, Joanie waited while Stephanie grabbed her purse and set the alarm. Then she led the way out to her car. The trip to the art gallery was tense, to say the least. Stephanie steadfastly refused to engage in any sort of conversation, so Joanie spent the time filling her in on what she knew about the artist, Bradley Santoka. By the time they arrived, Stephanie's mood hadn't improved, but she managed to plaster a smile on her face as she exited the car.

The gallery itself was located in an upscale neighborhood in Santa Monica full of small galleries and expensive craft stores. At one time, it had been a rundown area, but a group of young investors had gotten together and revitalized the neighborhood. Coffeehouses, hand-made craft stores, small art galleries and book shops graced the street now. Stephanie recognized this particular gallery immediately as one she'd visited years ago with Linda. The memory did not elicit anything good, as it had been one of their last trips together before they broke up.

As they walked into the gallery, Joanie took control right away, steering her through the small crowd. The blond had spotted the gallery owner in a far corner and headed his direction.

"Garret! It's so good to see you, Dear," Joanie gushed at the man, hugging him lightly and kissing him on the cheek. "You know Stephanie Winters?"

"Of course, of course," he answered, falling all over himself to take Stephanie's hand in his and kiss the back of it elegantly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Winters. I must say, I've been a fan for a long time."

Stephanie wanted to roll her eyes and snort. This was just the type of person she couldn't stand being around. Instead, she put on her best smile and said, "Thank you, Mr. James. It's a pleasure to meet you, as well."

"Oh! Please, call me Garret," he said, blushing at her like a little girl.

She nodded. "Okay, Garret…"

He smiled broadly at her, taking her hand and leading her around the gallery on an impromptu tour. As they walked around, he introduced her to some of the other guests in attendance and the artist, Bradley Santoka, himself. Within ten minutes, Stephanie found herself caught up in a conversation about government support of the arts, and she groaned inwardly. Not only did she hate politics, but it seemed that half of the attendees were people she had known when she dated Linda. To make matters worse, Joanie was nowhere in sight. This was going to be a really bad night.

Half an hour later, having finally extricated herself from Garret, Stephanie was able to find a corner to hide away in for a few minutes when her cell phone rang. Looking at the display, she was pleasantly surprised that it was Jessie calling. With a genuine smile playing over her features, she answered right away. "Jessie, hi!"

"Hey Sweetheart, how's your art show?" Jessie's voice came over the phone, sounding a bit muffled.

"Oh, you know…boring, full of pretentious people who think they know about art…bad food."Stephanie joked, feeling her mood lighten considerably just hearing the other woman's voice. Then she remembered that Jessie was supposed to be performing tonight. "Jess…why are you calling? Aren't you supposed to be on stage, right now?" she asked, checking her watch.

"Oh, we don't go on for a while yet,"the brunette explained, smiling as she walked through the door of the small building. "I just wanted to call and say hi. I missed you."

"Jessie, you are so sweet," Stephanie said, wondering for the millionth time how she'd managed to find someone so…perfect, for lack of a better description.

Making her way silently through the crowd, Jessie made her way toward a small window alcove and took a seat, watching the people milling around. She could see everything from this vantage point. "So…what are you wearing tonight, Steph?"

"What am I wearing? That's kind of an off the wall question," she said, wondering what had gotten into Jessie tonight.

"Just humor me, Babe."

"Well…okay," the actress agreed, giving a full description of her outfit, complete with shoe and jewelry choices.

"Mmm, you're making my mouth water,"Jessie said, grinning madly. Stephanie's description had been so complete she could, in fact, envision her. "Okay, so…what underwear are you wearing?"

"Jessie!" Stephanie hissed into the phone. "What's gotten into you this evening?" She could feel her face turning red and looked around, making sure no one else had noticed.

"Nothing's gotten into me, Steph. I just want to be able to see you, that's all," Jessie explained as she stood up and moved around the room, watching one particular person very closely.

"I'm not going to tell you that,"Stephanie said. "At least not right now. Why don't I call you and tell you all about it when this thing's finally over?" Memories of Wednesday evening played in her head, and she hoped that a phone call later would answer all Jessie's questions. Maybe the brunette would tell her what underwear she was wearing, too? Better yet…maybe she wouldn't be wearing any?

"Mmm…no. I want to hear about it now," Jessie said, teasing because she knew Steph was turning red.

"Jessie…" the actress practically pleaded. What the Hell had gotten into Jessie tonight? She wasn't usually this lascivious on the phone. Not when Stephanie wasn't alone, anyway.

"Stephanie!" a woman's voice interrupted suddenly.

Stephanie turned to look at the woman calling her name and recognized her immediately. The tall blond walking toward her was none other than Michelle Masters, Linda's agent. Sighing, she said into the phone, "Jess, I'm going to have to let you go."

"Oh? Something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No. Just…somebody I don't really want to talk to is coming toward me."

"Ah. Well…" Jessie said, sliding up behind the person she'd been watching and dropping the call.

Stephanie suddenly felt someone's hands on her waist and a kiss on her neck. "Maybe you'd like someone to show up in the nick of time and rescue you?" She heard Jessie ask as the brunette brushed her lips against her ear.

"Jess!" Stephanie almost squealed in delight when she turned into Jessie's welcome embrace. When she finally released the brunette's lips, she asked excitedly, "What are you doing here? I thought you had a gig tonight?"

Jessie laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist. "The club owner called Wednesday evening after I talked to you and changed the date. We played last night, instead. So, I caught the first plane I could and headed here…To rescue you," she said, running her free hand through the long hair and kissing Stephanie again.

Stephanie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "God Jess…I'm so glad you're here." She couldn't stop smiling, looking into those blue eyes.

"Stephanie?" the tall blond said again, dragging Stephanie's attention from the brunette she had just been kissing.

Stephanie sighed and turned around to greet the blond. "Michelle, hi! It's been a long time."

"Yeah," Michelle agreed. "I haven't seen you in a while, Stephanie."

"Well, you know…I've been keeping busy," Stephanie said as nonchalantly as possible.

"So I've heard," the blond said, eyeing the brunette standing with one arm wrapped possessively around Stephanie's waist.

Stephanie smirked slightly, pleased that Michelle was checking Jessie out. And, considering the way Jess was dressed, who could blame her? The brunette had shown up at the gallery wearing those tight black leather pants she liked so well and a maroon fitted blouse unbuttoned one button too low allowing her matching bra to show, with her black leather boots. She wore her long dark hair a little wild, along with the dark black eyeliner. To Stephanie, she looked for all the world like she'd just strutted off a stage somewhere.

"Michelle, this is Jessie Drake," Stephanie said, introducing them. "Jess, this is Michelle Masters, Linda's agent."

Jessie smiled politely and stuck out a hand in greeting. "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Masters. Linda speaks highly of you."

Michelle crooked a brow. "You've met Linda?"

"We stopped by for Tommy's birthday,"Stephanie said in explanation. She really didn't want to talk about Linda and Kate right now.

"Oh! I didn't realize you'd started talking again," Michelle said. Knowing better than to pursue the subject of Linda, she let it go and focused on Jessie. "So, Jessie…I hear you're a lawyer?"

Jessie nodded, and the three of them spent the next fifteen minutes talking about everything and anything. Michelle turned out to be kind and polite, and Jessie decided that she liked the woman. She seemed unpretentious and genuine enough. Michelle of course, like everyone else, had seen Jessie in pictures with Stephanie, and was well aware of their situation. She didn't dwell on it, however, which seemed to help Stephanie relax. They talked for a few minutes longer, until Michelle suddenly excused herself, having spied Joanie headed their way.

"Stephanie, was that…Jessie?"Joanie asked, surprised to see the brunette this evening. "I didn't realize that you were going to be here, tonight?"

Jessie smirked. She loved surprising the normally in control blond. "Steph didn't either. It was a surprise."

"Well…just between you and me,"Joanie said, fully aware that Stephanie could hear every word, "I'm glad you're here. Maybe Stephanie will pull herself out of the bad mood she was in when we got here."

"Always happy to help where I can," Jessie said, squeezing Stephanie's waist. Changing the subject, she asked, "So, where's this Bradley Santoka? I'd like to meet him, I really like his work."

Both women looked at Jessie, stunned. Neither of them had any idea that Jessie enjoyed art. "He's over there, standing with Garrett," Joanie said. "Come on over and I'll introduce you to him, Jessie."

Jessie grinned and followed Joanie, taking Steph's hand in hers. "Did I improve your mood, Sweetheart?" Stephanie nodded. "You're not mad that I just showed up out of the blue?"

"Why would I be?" Stephanie asked, genuinely confused.

"I don't know. I just don't want you to think that I didn't trust you, or something," Jessie said quietly.

"The thought never crossed my mind, Jess." She squeezed the brunette's hand. "I'm just glad you're here."

Jessie squeezed back. "Wild horses couldn't keep me away, Steph. If I hadn't bought the plane ticket myself, I think Theresa was going to."

Stephanie laughed. "You driving her crazy?"

Jessie just rolled her eyes at the question, giving Steph her answer. The truth was, that after finding out Stephanie wasn't coming, all she could do was sit around and think about how much she missed her. Theresa was getting irritated at her for being so irritable, and Jessie couldn't really blame her. When the club owner had called and asked if they could switch dates, Jessie had jumped at the chance. She'd actually been ready to cancel on him and head to LA anyway. It would have pissed off the guys in the band, but she really needed to be with Steph.

Two hours later, Joanie dropped them off at Jessie's hotel. By the time the elevator door opened on Jessie's floor, Stephanie already had the brunette's shirt unbuttoned. Having trouble focusing on anything but the redhead's lips, which were currently attached to her collarbone, Jessie almost didn't realize the door had even opened. Just as they began to slide closed again, Stephanie stopped kissing her long enough to grab her hand and pull her out of the elevator. Reaching into her pocket, Jessie managed to extricate the key card and, hands shaking, unlock the door. As soon as the lock changed to green, Stephanie pushed them both inside.

Locking the door behind them, Stephanie turned to face Jessie. Her eyes burning a fierce green, she pushed the brunette up against the wall. Brushing the maroon shirt off Jessie's shoulders, she leaned down and attached her lips to Jessie's right breast, kneading the left through the matching maroon bra. Within minutes, Jessie was panting with need.

Through the haze Jessie was in she could think of only one thing. This…the beautiful woman currently tugging at her leather pants…was the reason she'd hopped a plane and flew all the way to LA. The very thought of seeing Stephanie again was reason enough. The very real ache she felt every time she thought of the redhead drove her to the edge and threatened to drop her off the precipice into…Shit, she didn't even know where…And it didn't matter, either. The only thing that mattered was Stephanie. And she was here, touching her…kissing her…

Hours later, Jessie woke up to Stephanie's face hovering over hers. "Hey," she said softly. "Did I fall asleep?"

Stephanie smiled at her, the love in her eyes a palpable thing Jessie could feel to the very depths of her soul. "Actually, I think you passed out," the redhead said in answer, smirking down at the brunette and proud of her own skill. She'd never driven Jessie to such heights before. It was, to say the least, a powerful feeling.

Jessie grimaced. "Sorry about that, Baby."

The redhead shrugged. "It's okay, Jess. Turnabout is fair play, after all. Besides," she said, wiggling against the brunette and causing her to groan. "I've been enjoying myself…just lying here watching you."

Jessie wrapped her arms around Steph's waist, holding her close. "I wasn't drooling, was I?" Jessie asked playfully.

"No. You only do that when you sleep on your stomach,"Stephanie answered, smiling down at her. Growing serious, she reached down and stroked the tanned cheek. "I love you, Jess,"she said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

Jessie tilted her head into the caress. "Love you too, Steph." She grew thoughtful for a minute, lying there, holding the redhead. Then, biting her lower lip, she asked quietly, "Hey, Steph? Can we…just for a little while…pretend like we're running away?"

"Running away?" Stephanie repeated, not sure what Jessie meant.

"Yeah, just you and me…running away and leaving everything behind? I'm tired of the world getting in our way." She reached up and tangled her hand in the long curly strawberry blond hair. "We could maybe be the only two people in the world?"

"The only two? How about Room Service, Jess?" the other woman asked jokingly. "We might get hungry, eventually."

Jessie nodded. "Okay…You, me, and Room Service."

"You're so good to me, Jessie. You give me everything I could ever ask for. What did I do to deserve you?" She leaned down and kissed the brunette, allowing her tongue to linger on the full lips.

Jessie, not satisfied with only the tip of Steph's tongue, snaked out her own and pulled it into her own mouth. Flipping her over, Jessie was now on top, rocking her hips against the other woman's thigh. "You're gorgeous, Steph. My dream come to life," Jessie whispered, leaning down and taking control of her lips once more.

Jessie's sudden appearance at the art show that Saturday evening had settled Stephanie's nerves. At least for a while. For the next few weeks, they managed to continue their schedule of seeing each other every other weekend. Between daily phone calls and long weekends, they managed to make it through the month of October without too much trouble.

Joanie, for her part, finally began checking with Stephanie before scheduling weekend engagements for her. After the art show, she was loathe to irritate the actress again. She hadn't been kidding when she'd told Jessie she was glad she'd shown up that evening. Her sudden and unexpected appearance had lifted Stephanie's mood to a level one could call tolerable. And, Joanie had to admit, Jessie had been absolutely stunning dressed in her rock and roll clothes. Even though she herself had never been attracted to women, she could certainly see what had set Steph's heart afire. Everyone in the room had turned to watch the two women together that evening. It had been obvious to everyone watching them that they were in love.

And, as she'd spent more time with the brunette, Joanie finally decided that she actually kind of liked Jessie. As a matter of fact, she was beginning to trust her, if only a little bit. In the time she'd known her, Joanie had never seen Jessie do anything that would suggest that she had anything other than the actress' best interests at heart. For that matter, she'd gone out of her way more than once, to make herself available for Stephanie for the smallest things. From Tommy's birthday to the art show, Jessie had proven herself over and over. Still, she had no intentions of letting Jessie know she liked her. She kind of liked keeping the confident brunette on her toes.

Now, sitting in the coffeehouse with Stephanie, waiting for their lunch, she asked, "So Steph…any plans for the holidays? The show's going on hiatus pretty soon."

The redhead looked at her over her salad and smiled. "Actually, I'm hoping Jessie will agree to go home with me to New York."

Joanie's eyebrow rose toward her hairline. "Oh? Taking her to meet the family?"

"Well, she's already met Mom…you know, in Ohio, when she came to stay with us after the attack,"Stephanie said. She hadn't thought about the attack in months, now. It was kind of strange to think about. Even though she knew it had happened, it seemed like something out of a bad dream, more than anything else, now. She smiled to herself, remembering how instrumental Jessie had been in helping her through that time in her life.

"They're going to love her, Steph,"Joanie said, surprising the redhead.

"Really? You think so?"

Joanie nodded. "I do. And, before you go thinking I'm just saying that, I'm not. Over the last few months, she's grown on me, Steph. I have to admit…I think I was wrong about my original assessment of her."

Stephanie set her fork down and swallowed before taking a drink of her water. "You know…I don't think I've ever heard you say you were wrong, before."

Joanie shrugged. "There's a first time for everything, Steph. But if you tell her I said that, I'll deny everything."

To her credit, Stephanie just laughed and didn't dwell on the subject. If Joanie could admit she'd been wrong, far be it for her to rub the woman's nose in it. Instead, she turned the conversation toward other subjects. By the time they'd finished lunch, she found she was missing Jessie all over again.

Jessie's cell phone buzzed and she looked down to check the caller ID. Smiling, she picked up and answered. Whispering, so she wouldn't interrupt Mr. Mason, she said, "Hey. Yeah, my meeting's about to wrap up. I'll call you back in about fifteen. Okay, bye." Closing the phone, she turned her attention back to the meeting.

Theresa looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. She knew who it was without even asking. No one made Jessie smile quite like that but Stephanie. Checking her watch, she noticed it was almost lunch time. That would make it around ten out in LA. Stephanie must be on a break from filming right now if she's calling this early.

Ten minutes later found them back in their office. "So, was that Stephanie calling?" Theresa asked with a knowing smile. She already knew the answer. She just wanted to see Jessie smile that shy little smile. Stephanie's voice always did that to her.

Jessie nodded and smiled, not disappointing her friend. "Yeah. She was on break. I'm calling her back right now." She dialed the number and waited for the actress to pick up.

"Hello?" Stephanie's voice came over the phone.

"Hey Steph. Sorry I couldn't talk when you called. Mr. Mason called a meeting this morning to go over a new account we're getting."

"That's okay, Jessie. I wasn't calling for anything really important," Stephanie said. "I was just…well...I talked to Mom this morning. She wanted me to tell you that she's expecting you at their house for the holidays."

Jessie nearly dropped the phone in surprise. "She is? She wants me to come to New York with you?"

"Well, she called a couple days ago and told me to invite you. If you don't believe me, I guess I could have her call you herself," she teased, knowing Jessie did believe her and was just surprised.

"I do believe you. I'm just…happy, is all," Jessie said, grinning from ear to ear. "And I'm…glad that your mom wants me to be there. It makes me feel really good."

Stephanie could hear the truth of what Jessie was saying, but she could also hear the slight hesitation in her voice. "Jessie? Is there…a problem? You don't have to go if you don't want?"

"Oh, Stephanie, no! Of course I want to go with you,"Jessie said honestly, not wanting to upset her. "It's just…well…my brother's coming into town for Thanksgiving."

"Oh," Stephanie said, disappointed. "Now that you say that, I do remember you mentioning he'd probably be coming home with his family."

"I'm so sorry, Steph. I'd rather go with you. There's no place I'd rather be. I hope you know that?" Jessie felt horrible. She'd gotten a sudden bout of the stomach flu right before she was supposed to go to LA last weekend, which caused her to cancel their plans. She hadn't seen Stephanie in two weeks now, and the separation was killing her. She really, really, needed to see her: to touch her, to kiss her… "Maybe we could work something else out? I really need to see you. I miss you, Steph." She was whining, and she knew it. And yet, she found to her surprise that she didn't care. Ever since their trip to Greece, she didn't mind being vulnerable and admitting that she needed Steph. She'd finally allowed herself to trust the other woman completely, and it felt great.

"I miss you too, Jessie." Her voice became wistful, as she said, "I really miss you."

Jessie laughed. "I can hear it in your voice. Maybe we just need to schedule a little get together for this next week? I miss you so much."

"How about this weekend? I can be there Friday night if you don't mind picking me up late?" Stephanie asked. She was glad Jessie had suggested they get together. She was so desperate to see her it wasn't funny.

"Really? You'll come out this weekend?" Jessie asked, surprised that she'd fly in so soon. "I guess you're saying the phone thing isn't working for you?"

"Is it for you?" She laughed sarcastically. "I can't touch you through the phone, Jess. And I really, really, need to touch you. My plane leaves Friday at six."

"You've already bought the ticket?"she asked incredulously.

"I told you I missed you." She laughed. "I'll head to the airport right from the studio and get in around one."

"I'll be there waiting for you at the gate," Jessie promised, excitement at seeing Stephanie again rushing through her system. "We'll talk about the holidays when you get here."

"It's a deal," Stephanie answered back, feeling better knowing she'd be seeing Jessie in two days. "And Jess…don't make any plans to leave the house until Monday," she said seductively, intentionally making her voice husky. "I have plans for you."

Jessie swallowed hard, her face turning red and her mouth going dry. "You've got it, Babe."

In the background, she heard someone talking to Stephanie. A second later, the redhead said, "They're calling me back to the set. I've gotta go. I'll call you tonight. And Jessie?"

"Yeah?" she said breathlessly.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." She closed the phone and sat staring out the office window. God she missed Steph! They were going to have to make some changes in this arrangement and soon, or they were both going to go crazy.

"What'd she have to say?" Theresa asked, standing behind her at the desk. She could tell by Jessie's skin color that she was thinking about Stephanie. When she didn't answer right away, she said, "Jessie!"and pounded on the desk lightly with the flat of her hand.

Snapping out of the daydream she'd been caught up in, Jessie turned the chair around. "You need something, T?"

"I was asking how Stephanie's doing?"the blond said, smirking at her. "But I can tell by the blank look on your face that she's probably doing about as well as you are."

Jessie laughed. "Is it that obvious?"

Theresa nodded, sitting on the corner of the desk with one hip. "Uhh yeah, just slightly. Why don't you guys just make this thing official, Jess? I mean, it's obvious you want to be together…"

"Yeah, but we both have careers to think about, too. I could never ask her to give hers up, and she'll never ask me, either," she said, sighing in frustration. They were stuck in limbo, both of them wanting the same thing but afraid to ask the other for anything more. It really sucked, although she had taken a few steps in what she hoped was the right direction.

"Jessie, you can be a lawyer in LA. As a matter of fact, I hear they have plenty of them out there," the blond said, watching Jessie for her reaction.

"Exactly, so why would they need one more?" Jessie asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well…you could pursue your music a little better out there," Theresa suggested carefully. She knew Jessie wanted a music career. She also knew she was scared to death to take a chance at a recording contract again. Then again, she'd been afraid to take a chance on Stephanie, and so far that had worked out all right.

Jessie gave her 'the look' at her suggestion. "Theresa…I don't think…"

"Oh, come on, Jessie. I know you want a recording contract. Go out there and get one," Theresa said, trying to encourage her. "And I already know what you're going to say…but…Why don't you talk to your dad? Maybe he could help you out."

"Theresa…" Jessie said in warning. They'd had this conversation before, and Theresa was well aware of the fact that she didn't want to use her dad's name to get ahead. On the other hand, JD had been more than helpful over the last few weeks. She just hadn't told many people about the plans she was making. She wanted it to be a surprise. Although she had a sneaking suspicion that Theresa's feelings might be hurt a bit when she finally found out what she'd been up to in her spare time.

"Jessie, shut up. Good God, you want this. You want Stephanie, and the recording contract. Give up the lawyer gig and go for it,"Theresa pressed. Sometimes, she just got so tired of listening to Jessie's incessant whining about using her father's name. JD Drake had offered more than once over the last two months to help Jessie out, and Jessie kept turning him down.

"I can't just go out there," Jessie explained. "Besides, I don't want Stephanie to feel like she has to support me while I try for something that might never happen. On top of that…" she ducked her head down to suddenly stare at something fascinating on the desk, avoiding looking at the blond. "She hasn't asked me to go out there and live with her." Technically, that wasn't true. Stephanie had asked once. When they were in Greece, Steph had asked her to move to LA. But Jessie didn't want to tell Theresa about that…not yet, anyway. She didn't know why she didn't want to tell her, she just didn't. Maybe it was because she already knew what Theresa would say?

"I'm sure she wouldn't be opposed to your being around more." She leaned over the desk and got in Jessie's face. "I can tell by the way you two were talking that she's getting tired of the phone sex, Jessie. And so are you, if I'm any judge."

Jessie's face turned bright red. "I…we're not…I never said we were doing that!" Jessie exclaimed, attempting to deny it.

Theresa rolled her eyes. "Jessie, please. I'm not stupid. First of all, you've never been shy when it comes to talking about sex with me. Since Stephanie's come along, getting details out of you is damn near impossible, so I know something's up. Second, it's pretty obvious what's going on when you disappear every evening when she calls."

"Maybe I just want some privacy?" Jessie suggested, grasping at any excuse.

"Jessie…" Theresa eyed her dubiously. "I walked in on you and Alex having sex in the shower, and the only thing you did was tell me to either join you if I wanted to talk, or wait in the living room. You never blinked! You and I both know that privacy isn't something you've ever been worried about. So…I can only conclude…"

"All right! Jesus! You caught us. Are you happy, now?" Jessie was more than flustered. She was irritated, frustrated, and in desperate need of Stephanie's hands touching her all over. Talking with Theresa right now was so not what she needed.

Theresa sat back and smirked. She knew she was right! "So? What are you gonna do about it?"

Jessie blew out a breath. "Actually, she's coming into town Friday night," she said, grateful for the chance to get Theresa off the subject of moving to LA. "And…Nancy's invited me to New York to spend the holidays with the entire family."

Theresa's brows rose toward her hairline. Not because Nancy had invited Jessie to New York…she'd been expecting that. She was surprised because Jessie seemed genuinely surprised by the invitation. "Really? Well, it sounds to me like you're already considered part of the family, Jessie. I know Nancy really took to you when she was here. She did tell you then that she was expecting you for the holidays."

"Well, let's just wait and see what happens." Jessie sounded defeated when she said, "David's coming into town for Thanksgiving with Beth and the kids, and I'm not able to go with her. I am going for Christmas, though," she said, perking up slightly. "I don't care what's going on…I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Theresa laughed. "You are so whipped, Jessie."

The brunette smiled crookedly, her face turning red yet again. "I know. But as much as I hate to admit it: I just don't care. I love her so much, Theresa. If I could spend every waking minute of every day with her for the rest of my life, it would never be enough time." She looked at Theresa, noticing the way her best friend was staring at her. "What's that look for?"

"It's just nice…seeing you so in love." Theresa smiled, her voice turning wistful. I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again…I never thought I'd see that from you, after…everything."

"It's nice being so in love,"Jessie agreed.

"And…I have to say this," Theresa began, knowing she was risking making Jessie mad. "I think you're handling this whole thing really well, Jess." At Jessie's questioning glance, she explained. "I was really worried about you when you got back from LA that first time. I mean, you seemed so lonely…I thought…well…and then you went back out there the next weekend…" she shook her head. "It doesn't matter what I thought. You've impressed me, Jessie."

Jessie knew what she was going to say. And she couldn't say that she disagreed with the blond. Theresa was surprised that Jessie hadn't gone back to falling into bed with just anybody, when the mood struck. She had to admit, she'd surprised herself. When she'd first gotten back from LA, she was afraid to see Alex again. Especially after Steph had told her that Alex was in love with her. She wasn't worried that she'd end up in bed with Alex….She just didn't know what to say to her, now that she knew how Alex felt. The only woman she could think of was Stephanie, and there was no way she'd ever cheat on her or hurt her…Not after the way she'd freaked out the day before Steph left. She'd damn near blown everything and she'd sworn to herself that day that she'd never do anything to risk losing Stephanie ever again.

"Theresa, I know what you were going to say. You thought I'd call Alex the minute I started missing Steph, didn't you?" She watched the emotions play over the blonde's face, knowing she'd hit the nail on the head. Before Theresa could answer, Jessie took pity on her. "It's okay, T. I kinda wondered about that myself, at first. But you know, between flying back and forth, and the phone, we're coping. It's not a permanent arrangement, but it works for right now."

"So you do want this to be permanent?" Theresa asked.

Jessie nodded. "More than you can know, T. I'm just not sure if…Well, Stephanie and I haven't talked about making it more permanent yet. The necklace was my promise to her that I'd eventually move out there, but…I was actually thinking this weekend would be a good time for discussing that."

Theresa smiled and hugged her. "You finally ready to settle down, Jessie Drake?"

Jessie nodded and smiled shyly. "Yeah, I guess maybe I am."

As promised, Stephanie arrived at the airport around one in the morning. Jessie was there, waiting for her at the gate, when the plane touched down. When her eyes landed on the brunette, Stephanie felt a sense of completeness come over her. For the last two weeks, she'd been craving something, though she couldn't quite put a name to it. Now she knew. The 'something' she'd been craving was Jessie. Specifically, Jessie's hands and mouth. Smirking to herself at the direction her mind had wandered, she greeted the brunette with a deep, hungry kiss, when she got close enough.

As they finally broke apart, Jessie smiled at her and said, "Wow! I missed you, too, Steph!"

Stephanie threw back her head and laughed. "You want me to come through the gate and re-run that scene?"

Jessie shook her head. "Uh uh. I think I'm ready to move on to the next one. Let's get your luggage and get out of here. I think you said something about having 'plans' for me?"

The redhead laughed at her enthusiasm and grabbed Jessie's hand. "I most certainly do. Let's get going."

Arriving at the car, Jessie placed Steph's luggage in the back and went around to the driver's seat. Climbing in and shutting the door, she looked over at Stephanie once more. "I'm so glad you came into town, Steph. God, I've missed you."

"Come over here, Jess," the redhead said, her eyes becoming a deeper shade of green. She watched as Jessie slid a little closer and she pulled the brunette into another soul searing kiss when she was close enough. As the kiss grew deeper, she tugged at the waist of Jessie's jeans, pulling her even closer.

Jessie, realizing what Steph was attempting to do, maneuvered over until she was sitting on Steph's lap, facing her. "Is this okay, Steph?" she asked breathlessly, leaning in to take control of her lips once more. At Stephanie's nod, she did just that.

Of their own accord, Stephanie's hands moved to the front of Jessie's shirt. As they kissed, she began unbuttoning the blouse, until she could push it off the brunette's shoulders. When Jessie's chest was exposed to her, she began kneading both breasts through the black lace bra. At the first touch of her hands, Jessie arched into her, throwing her head back and inhaling deeply, trying to keep from crying out.

With one hand, Stephanie reached around and unsnapped the bra. She slid it down the tanned arms, exposing Jessie's breasts to her. Taking one into her mouth, she began nipping at it gently. The other hand slowly slid down to begin unbuttoning Jessie's jeans at the same time. Within minutes, she had one hand inside Jessie's underwear. The brunette was now writhing to the rhythm of her hand, moaning with pleasure.

Her hands tangled in Stephanie's hair, Jessie was past the point of coherent thought. The only thing she was aware of was Steph's hands and mouth everywhere. Struggling, she managed to gasp out, "God Steph! Oh, my God…" she felt her muscles contract, and she shuddered in the redhead's arms with her release.

Stephanie smiled as Jessie let go and fell into oblivion. She loved to watch the brunette in the throes of passion. She was so beautiful…head thrown back, eyes closed, calling her name. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. As the brunette relaxed, she pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her and rubbing her back until she was more coherent. "You okay, Jess?"

Jessie nodded against Stephanie's shoulder. When she finally caught her breath, she whispered, "My God, I can't believe we just did that in the car!"

Stephanie laughed out loud. "I told you I had plans for you."

She backed away and began pulling her shirt back on. "That's a Hell of a welcome," she said, smiling at Stephanie as she buttoned her shirt.

"Wait till we get back to your place," Stephanie said, looking at her with lust and raw need in her eyes. "That was just the beginning."

Jessie slid back into the drivers' seat and started the car. As she pulled out of the parking lot and headed for home, she said, "God help me, it's gonna be a long weekend." Stephanie just laughed and leaned over to rest her head on the brunette's shoulder.

When Jessie found out Stephanie was coming into town, she had called Jing and told him she was going to be unavailable to teach classes that weekend. She had also told everyone, with the exception of Theresa, that she was going to LA for the weekend so they wouldn't be disturbed. They spent the next two days at Jessie's, never leaving the house once. As a matter of fact, they rarely left the bedroom, except to eat and take a shower. By the time Stephanie caught her plane Sunday evening, they had talked out their plans for the holidays.

For Stephanie, Thanksgiving week was going to be busy. She was flying from LA to New York to visit her family on Tuesday, the 22^nd. Then, Friday afternoon, she was catching a plane back to Ohio, to spend the weekend with Jessie. John and Lacy were having a Thanksgiving dinner at their house on Saturday for the band and their families and friends. Then, on Sunday, they were expected at Jessie's grandparents' house to spend the night.

Jessie rolled over, her arm flailing for the phone. Answering it on the third ring, she was surprised to hear Stephanie's voice on the other end.

"Jessie? I'm sorry I'm calling so late…" she said, instinctively knowing that she'd woken the brunette up.

Blinking rapidly and inhaling deeply to wake up, Jessie looked at the clock. The LED display read 2am. She knew it was only 11 in LA, but Steph never called this late, allowing for the time difference. She sat up immediately. "It's okay, Steph. Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no…no, nothing's wrong, Jess. I just…well, I need to ask you something about Thanksgiving." she said, stumbling over the words. "I wasn't going to call you until tomorrow, but…"

"Steph, it's all right." Never able to sleep well without Stephanie next to her, she was wide awake now. "What's going on? You are still coming, right?"

"Oh, yeah. Yes, absolutely. I was just wondering…would you mind, if I brought someone with me?"

By the tone of her voice, Jessie could tell she was biting the inside of her cheek, nervous about asking her. "Like who?" she asked curiously.

"Umm…well…Linda called me a few minutes ago. Kate's mother isn't doing very well, and they need to go to Texas," she explained hesitantly.

Understanding immediately, Jessie said, "Steph, Tommy's more than welcome to come with you. I'd love to see him again."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Stephanie relaxed. "You're sure it's okay, Jess? I know you were looking forward to it being just the two of us?"

She shook her head, wondering why the redhead still felt like she had to ask again. "Steph…it's fine. I told you before…I love Tommy and I will always treat him like he's my own. If they need us to help out with him, I'm more than willing. And…the twins will love having another kid around to play with."

"Oh, that'd be great, Jess. I hadn't even thought about that." Her voice had risen with happiness at the suggestion. Then, she remembered their plans for the weekend. "Hey Jess…how do you think your Mom's going to feel about him? You did tell her about Tommy, didn't you?"

"Of course I told her about him," Jessie said. She didn't blame Steph for asking her about her mother. Julie wasn't exactly known for her patience and tolerance for some things. She was, to say the least, hypercritical at times. To set Steph's mind at ease, she said, "I told her about Linda, Kate and Tommy a while ago, Sweetheart. She'll love meeting him."

"And your grandparents?" Stephanie asked.

"They'll love him, Steph," Jessie reassured her.

"Thank you, Jess. I feel better now that I've talked to you," she said, relaxing. "I am sorry I called so late and woke you up, though."

"Don't be, Steph. I just lay here and doze when you're not with me, anyway."

"Well…I'll talk to you tomorrow. Please try to get some rest. I love you," Stephanie said.

"I love you, too, Sweetheart," Jessie said, hanging up the phone and turning out the light. As she lay there in the dark she rolled her eyes at herself. She was never going to get back to sleep, now. Eventually, she got up and went downstairs to work in the studio until she had to get ready for work.

Stephanie waited while the phone rang. She was just about to give up and try later, when her mother answered the phone.

Hello?" Nancy Winters voice came over the line, sounding rushed.

"Mom? Is everything okay, you sound different?" Stephanie asked, noticing the change in her mother's voice immediately.

"Oh, Stephanie! No Dear, nothing's wrong. I was just downstairs in the laundry room." Nancy answered, sitting down at the kitchen table. "Has something happened?"

"What? Oh, well…" Stephanie stammered slightly. She didn't really want to talk to her mother about this. She already knew that her parents were worried about her reacquainting herself with Linda, Kate and Tommy.

Nancy noticed her daughter's hesitation. "You are still coming for Thanksgiving, aren't you? Your plans haven't changed?"

"Oh! No, Mom…I'm still coming. It's just that…well…I need to ask you something."

"Okay…" Nancy said, wondering what Stephanie could possibly have to ask her that would cause her to hesitate like this.

"Well…I need to bring someone with me, and I wanted to make sure you're okay with it," she said, chewing at her lower lip.

"Has Jessie changed her mind?" Nancy asked. "Because you know…"

"No…not Jessie. Actually…Linda called. Kate's mom isn't doing well and they need to get to Texas. They asked if I could watch Tommy while they're gone," Stephanie finally managed to blurt out before holding her breath for her mother's reaction. Nancy and Bill Winters had accepted Tommy as their grandson without question from the day he was born. When she and Linda separated, it nearly broke their hearts, losing him.

"Tommy? Stephanie…of course you can bring Tommy. We'd love to see him again," Nancy said. "Your father and I have missed him so much."

"Thanks, Mom. I wanted to ask you before we just showed up. I know losing him was hard on you and Dad."

"It was difficult, Steph, but I think it was harder on you," Nancy said quietly, trying to ask Stephanie how she felt about it without really asking.

Stephanie sighed. She had called and talked to her mother about seeing Kate and Tommy at the karate tournament that Sunday, after she'd returned from the airport when Jessie left for Ohio. She'd told Nancy everything that had happened, and then had told her that she was going to go see Tommy for his birthday. Her mother hadn't exactly supported her decision at first, believing that Stephanie was setting herself up for more heartache. However, when she'd called her mother and told her about the Guardianship and Power of Attorney, Nancy had been quite surprised.

"Mom…it was my choice to stay away. I just couldn't bear to see them together," Stephanie tried to explain. "Linda and Kate never excluded me from his life. That was my doing, not theirs."

"I know, Steph. So…have you already talked to Jessie about this?" her mother asked, changing the subject slightly. "I assume you're still intending to spend the weekend with her?"

"I called her last night and asked if it would be okay,"Stephanie answered. "She's looking forward to seeing him again and introducing him to Julie," Stephanie said, the pride she felt for Jessie's reaction unmistakable in her voice.

"Well, I guess it's all settled then," Nancy said. "We'll meet the two of you at LaGuardia on the 22^nd, at two in the afternoon."

"Thanks, Mom," Stephanie said, relieved that her parents were so accepting. "I love you both, you know that?"

"I know, Sweetheart," Nancy said, smiling. "I'll see you in a few days, bye."

"Bye, Mom," Stephanie said, hanging up the phone.

Stephanie woke up that night in a pool of sweat. Rolling to her left, she reached out for Jessie only to realize that the brunette's side of the bed was empty. Reality slapped her hard in the face, when it dawned on her that she'd been dreaming. Jessie wasn't really here with her. She was in Ohio…in her own bed.

Closing her eyes, she tried to fall back into the dream. It had been so real…She could still feel Jessie's hands gliding over her, touching her everywhere. In her dream, they had been moving together effortlessly. So in tune with each other that they could literally feel the other's thoughts.

Sleek muscle sliding over strong bone…Smooth skin on fire with the brunette's every touch. The touch blending into sensation, into emotion, turning into flame until they were both consumed by the other's love. Passion, desire, hot and wet and slick. It was all Stephanie could do to breathe, the dream was so real.

Finally, with a growl of frustration, she threw the covers back and got out of bed. It was already three thirty in the morning, and there was no hope of going back to sleep now. Going into the bathroom, she splashed some cool water on her face. Looking in the mirror, she shook her head and sighed. Something was going to have to give soon. She needed Jessie so bad, she almost couldn't stand it.

Closing her eyes, she could hear Jessie's voice in her head repeating the words 'I love you,' like a mantra. Her hands…so strong, passionate, gentle, warm and loving. Re-opening her eyes, she shook her head again, to clear it. When she felt a little calmer, she moved back into the bedroom and dug through a drawer until she found another t-shirt to sleep in. Pulling off the old one, she tossed it into the corner and then pulled the dry one on. Just as she was turning to go downstairs to the kitchen, her cell phone rang.

Hurrying across the room, she grabbed the phone and answered right away. Who could be calling this time of night? No one ever called her this late unless there was an emergency, especially knowing that she had to get up at five.

"Hello?" she said into the phone, hitting the 'Accept' key.

"Steph?" Jessie's voice came over the line sounding slightly hesitant.

"Jessie? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Her mind began coming up with all kinds of awful things that might have happened, even before the brunette was able to tell her why she was calling.

Jessie, hearing the panic in her voice, hurried to put her at ease. "I'm sorry, Steph. Nothing's wrong. I didn't mean to call you this late, but I…I just…needed to hear your voice."

Relieved beyond measure that nothing was wrong, the redhead then asked, "If nothing's wrong…"

"I just…I had this crazy dream…" Jessie tried to explain, but stopped talking when she realized how odd she sounded. A dream? She was calling Steph because of a dream?

"You know, I had the strangest dream myself," Stephanie said, smiling and feeling her face turn red, remembering what they'd been doing in that dream.

Jessie bit her lower lip. "You didn't by chance wake up in a pool of sweat and turned on like Christmas, did you?"

"Uhh…yeah, you could say that,"she answered, her smile growing bigger. Some small part of her felt like she should be embarrassed by the admission, but she just couldn't bring herself to feel that way. This was Jessie after all, and they had shared everything over the last few months. When she thought about it, Stephanie couldn't think of another human being she'd ever been on more intimate terms with. Jessie had already touched her everywhere. There wasn't an inch of her body that the brunette hadn't already explored, memorized and claimed. There was simply nothing that Jessie didn't know about her. "Jess, did we…have the same dream? That's not even possible, is it?"

Jessie shrugged at the question. "I don't know if it's possible, but it sure sounds like we did." She smirked, thinking about it. Curious now, she asked, "Would you mind telling me what we were doing in yours?"

"Only if you tell me about your dream, too," the redhead replied, unwilling to share without getting something in return.

Jessie closed her eyes in anticipation. "Mmm, I'd love to share it with you, Baby," the brunette answered, already beginning to breath heavily. Just hearing Steph's voice over the phone turned her on. Getting to hear the redhead describe a sexy dream, in detail, would no doubt push her over the edge. "If you don't mind, I'm going to close my eyes and envision your hands touching me while you talk. I want to feel it happening."

Stephanie licked her suddenly dry lips and started telling Jessie about her dream, only for Jessie to begin adding details. It appeared, after several more interruptions, that they had indeed shared the same dream. By the time they were done telling each other about their dream, both women were panting heavily and about to explode. They had both awakened from their respective dreams before the explosive ending, and were in desperate need of release.

An end was provided when Stephanie, no longer able to wait, told Jessie in no uncertain terms exactly what she wanted to do to her. "Right now Jess, I want to rip off every last stitch of clothes you have on, throw you down on the floor and make love to you until you're screaming my name."

"Then do it, Steph. Do it, now," Jessie managed to breathe out, imagining the feel of her lover's hands all over her body, making love to her. Within moments, both of them were screaming each other's names and spasming uncontrollably.

Stephanie's plane landed at 7:30 Friday evening, and Jessie was there to meet her at the gate as promised. She watched as the redhead came through the gate and smiled to herself when she saw her. Her hair hidden under a baseball hat, she was walking with Tommy by her side, clutching her hand. His wild blond curls had been cut shorter since she'd seen the boy last, but he looked healthy and happy.

Sighing as she watched them walk toward her because she had just realized; this is her family…for all intents and purposes, her wife and son. She smiled and pulled Steph into a hug when she got close enough. "Steph, I'm so glad you're here. I've missed you so much." She kissed the actress and then bent down to hug Tommy. "Hey Tommy, I'm glad you're here, Buddy. Did you enjoy your flight?"

"Hi Jessie. Yeah, it was kinda scary, but Momma Steph told me a story and I wasn't scared anymore," the boy said, hugging her back.

"Your Momma Steph's good at keeping the scary things away," Jessie said, standing back up and glancing over at Stephanie lovingly. "She always takes the monsters away for me, too." She turned her attention back to the boy. "So, you hungry, Tommy? I thought we could go for pizza on the way to my house?"

Tommy nodded. "Can we get extra cheese and pepperoni?"

"Sure, we can get whatever you want," Jessie answered, ruffling his hair.

Stephanie caught Jessie's hand, smiling at the way she dealt with Tommy. Jessie just seemed to have a connection with the boy that she couldn't quite explain. It made her extremely happy to see them together. "Let's grab our luggage and get going. Pizza sounds great, I'm starved."

"Right this way, my lady," Jessie said, heading for the baggage claim area. Tommy reached up and caught her left hand, and she suddenly felt her heart go all warm and fuzzy. She wanted this, she realized. She wanted the whole package; the wife, the kids…everything. She'd said so when they were in Greece, now…She just had to make it happen.

Two hours later, they'd finished dinner and arrived back at Jessie's. After watching the movie 'How to Train Your Dragon,' they had Tommy get ready for bed. After tucking him in and making sure he was comfortable on the couch, Stephanie joined Jessie in the bedroom.

As she climbed in next to the brunette, Jessie rolled onto her right side. "So, it's Momma Steph now? What happened to Stephie?"

Stephanie leaned in and kissed her. When she backed away, she answered, "He said 'Momma Stephie' sounded like something a baby would say. Since he's a big boy now, 'Momma Steph' sounded better."

"Well, it makes sense to me," Jessie agreed, laughing. She changed the subject slightly. "How's your family doing? Did they do okay with Tommy?"she asked, playing with Stephanie's hair.

"Everybody's good. They missed you, though. Everyone was looking forward to meeting you," the redhead answered, staring into her eyes. "Mom said to tell you that you'd better be there for Christmas."

"I wouldn't dream of missing it,"Jessie said, leaning down and kissing her. "You still didn't answer me, though. How did they do with Tommy?"

"They did great. It's been even longer than five years since they'd seen him last." She reached up and caressed Jessie's cheek with the back of her hand. "Mom's still worried, though. She thinks I'm setting myself up to get hurt, again."

"Well…it was hard on them too, losing him. I'll bet they had a good time getting to know him again though, didn't they?" Jessie asked.

Stephanie nodded. "They did. Dad took him to the store and had him helping just like he does all my brother's kids. They all seemed to have a good time."

Jessie smiled. "I knew they would. It'll take some time, but I think this is gonna be great, Steph."

"I hope so. They always loved Tommy, and I think it broke their hearts too, when Linda and I broke up," Stephanie said, sounding a little sad.

"Trust me," Jessie said, kissing her again. "It's gonna be wonderful. So…when were you planning on leaving for New York for Christmas?"

Stephanie shrugged. I'd like to get there a few days early, if you don't mind. Maybe the 22^nd? I thought we could take a day and go into New York City and go shopping?" She reached up and tucked some hair behind Jessie's ear.

Jessie nodded in agreement. "That sounds good to me. I've never been to New York City before."

"In that case, we definitely have to go. I want to take you to Central Park. It's one of my favorite places,"Stephanie said, getting excited about the prospect of sharing it with Jessie.

Jessie kissed her again. "Mmm, I can't wait, Steph. Spending the next two months with you sounds like absolute heaven."

Stephanie wrapped her hands in the dark hair and pulled Jessie to her, kissing her again. Even though they'd just seen each other, she'd missed her so much. It seemed like the longer they were together the more she needed to be with her. She had really been hoping to spend the entire week with just the two of them, but she couldn't turn Linda and Kate down when they'd asked her to take Tommy. Not willing to waste a single minute of their time together, she kissed Jessie again.

Sometime around three, Jessie woke up. Stephanie, lying next to her, had her arm thrown over her stomach, her head resting on her shoulder. Desperately in need of something to drink, she carefully slid out from under her arm, trying not to wake her up.

Heading out to the kitchen, she heard an unusual noise coming from the living room. Making a detour, she heard the noise again and realized that Tommy was crying quietly. "Tommy?" she bent down next to the couch. "Hey…you okay, Bud?"

The boy sniffed and nodded. "Yeah…"

"Are you having a hard time sleeping out here?" Jessie asked, understanding that a new place can be pretty scary; especially if you're a nine year old boy.

Tommy nodded again. "It looks like there are things moving outside," he said, his lower lip quivering.

Jessie glanced back at the front window and saw the shadows of tree branches swaying with the breeze. "I'll tell you what…why don't you come and sleep with me and Momma Steph tonight? Would that make you feel better?"

"Could I really?"

Even in the darkened room, Jessie could see the brown eyes light up. She smiled. "Of course you can, come on." She took hold of Tommy's hand and led him through the house, stopping in the kitchen first, for a glass of water. "Did you know…your Momma Steph is magic, Tommy?" she asked, as she passed a glass over to him.

"Magic? She's not magic,"he said, obviously doubting what Jessie was telling him.

"She is too," Jessie insisted, taking the now empty glass and putting it in the sink. "When she gives you a hug, it takes away all the scary things."

"It does not," Tommy said, clearly not believing her. "Nobody can do that."

"Really? That's funny," Jessie said. "Because every time she hugs me, I'm not afraid of anything anymore." She ushered the boy down the hall. "Come on, I'll prove it to you."

When they got to the bedroom, Jessie opened the door quietly. With Tommy by her side, she sat down on Stephanie's side of the bed. Shaking her gently on the shoulder, she whispered, "Steph?" When the redhead didn't wake up right away, she tried again. Stroking her hair this time, she said a little louder, "Steph?"

Stephanie drew in a deep breath, opening her eyes and blinking slowly. "Jessie? Is something wrong?" she asked, trying to sit up.

Jessie caught her on the shoulder again, rubbing it with her thumb. "Shh, it's okay. Nothing's wrong. But umm…Tommy was having a hard time sleeping out there. I told him he could sleep in here with us tonight."

She looked past the brunette to see Tommy standing to her left. "Oh! Tommy…of course you can stay in here." She flipped back the covers and patted the bed next to her.

As the boy climbed into bed, Jessie smiled and stood up, moving back to her own side of the bed. Climbing in, she pulled the covers back up and got comfortable, keeping a safe distance from Stephanie. "I told him about your magic hugs," she said, looking over at her.

"What?" she asked, crinkling her nose and looking at Jessie.

"You know…I told him how every time you hug me all the scary things just disappear," Jessie said, giving her a loving smile and a peck on the cheek.

"Oh…" Stephanie said, wrapping her right arm around Tommy and hugging him to her. Sometimes Jessie could just be so sweet…saying things she never expected. Reaching out with her left arm, she said, "Come here, Jessie. I have two arms."

Jessie hesitated, not sure that Linda and Kate would appreciate them letting Tommy sleep in their room. "I don't know, Steph. Maybe we shouldn't…"

Stephanie rolled her eyes, reading her mind. "Jess, it's okay. They won't mind. Now, come here."

Giving in, Jessie slid over and rested one hand on Steph's stomach. Laying her head on her shoulder, she closed her eyes and sighed. She really didn't mind Tommy sleeping in here. It was only for one night. Still, she didn't want to give up touching Steph while they slept. They got so little time together, that missing any chance was a tragedy as far as she was concerned.

Smiling, Stephanie kissed Tommy on top of the head. "All better, Tommy?"

The boy wiggled against her side and nodded. "Yeah. Jessie was right, Momma Steph."

"Right about what?" she asked, perplexed.

"Your hugs are magic," he said, drifting down into sleep.

Stephanie smiled and hugged him tighter. "Love you, Tommy," she said. With her left arm, she pulled Jessie closer. "And I love you, Jess. Thank you."

"Any time I can be of service, Love," Jessie said, falling asleep as well.

Thanksgiving dinner at John and Lacy's had been a fantastic time. Lacy had pulled out all the stops, preparing a traditional Thanksgiving feast fit for royalty. By the time dinner was over, everyone was stuffed, and they spent the rest of the evening playing games and talking. Tommy had made fast friends of Aaron and Jason, and the boys had spent the day playing Airsoft and tossing the football around with the guys in the band. By the time they headed back to Jessie's for the night, Tommy was passed out in the back seat.

Sunday morning, they swung by and picked up Julie on the way to Jessie's grandparents' house. When Julie climbed into the back seat of the Xterra next to Tommy, Jessie said, "Mom, I'd like you to meet, Tommy…Stephanie's son. You remember, I told you about him?"

Julie's brow rose toward her hairline. She did indeed, remember. Jessie hadn't mentioned anything about the boy coming with Stephanie for the holiday, though. Turning to Tommy, she said, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Tommy. I've heard all about you."

"You have?" the blond boy asked, wide eyed.

"I have," Julie said, smiling at him. "Jessie told me that you take Karate. She said you're really good, too."

"She did?" the boy asked, taking to Julie right away. Within minutes, the two of them were chatting away like best friends.

In the front seat, Stephanie smiled at Jessie, reaching over and taking her hand. She'd wondered at first, about Julie's reaction to Tommy. Jessie, however, had reassured her that her mother would get along with him just fine. Listening to their conversation, she couldn't help but feel good about the decision to bring him with her. The more caring adults he had in his life the better, as far as she was concerned. Especially considering the fact that Linda's parents refused to have anything to do with him.

Jessie, watching her mother in the rear view mirror, couldn't help but be a bit surprised. When she'd first told Julie that Stephanie had a son, the woman had, in typical fashion, had more than a few snide comments to make. She had been particularly upset that Stephanie had neglected to tell Jessie about her 'son' when they first got together. She had been under the false assumption that Stephanie was looking for someone to help her take care of him. But, after listening to the entire story, she had calmed down and been more agreeable, apologizing to Jessie for her behavior. In fact, she had even felt bad for the redhead.

Now, Jessie felt a huge grin come over her face as she listened to them talking in the backseat. Squeezing Steph's hand, she smiled over at her and breathed a sigh of relief. She knew her mother would like Tommy. Despite what she may have thought at first, Julie always managed to rise to the occasion.

Driving through the Ohio countryside, they arrived at the farm by ten thirty, just as Jessie had promised. Pulling up to the house, they were greeted by Jessie's grandparents, Michael and Marion O'Rourke. As they climbed out of the SUV, her grandparents hugged Julie first, and then Jessie. "So, is this the young woman who's captured your heart, Jessie?" her grandmother asked, looking toward Stephanie when she released her from the hug.

Jessie stepped back and caught Stephanie around the waist, smiling as she did. "Grandma, Grandpa, I'd like you to meet Stephanie Winters."

"Well, it's nice to finally meet you," Marion said, pulling Stephanie away from Jessie and into a hug as well. "Jessie's told us all about you." Her eye caught Tommy standing next to Stephanie then. "And who might this adorable young man be?"

"Grandma, this is Tommy Morrison…Stephanie's son," Jessie said, introducing the boy to her.

Marion's brow rose slightly. Neither Jessie nor Julie had mentioned a son, but she bent down and hugged him too. "Welcome, Tommy. I'm so glad to meet you," she said.

When she released him, Tommy remembered his manners and replied, "I'm pleased to meet you, too, Mr. and Mrs. O'Rourke."

Jessie's grandparents smiled at the boy in unison. "Tommy, you don't have to call us Mr. and Mrs. Anything. We're Grandma and Grandpa." He reached out a hand and waited for the boy to take it. "Come on. Let's head out to the barn. I've got some horses out there needin' some attention."

Tommy looked up at Stephanie, an excited sparkle in his eyes. "Can I, Momma Steph?"

Stephanie looked to Jessie briefly, who nodded. "Sure, Tommy. Just do what Grandpa says, okay?"

"All right!" he said in answer, clasping the old man's hand and following him to the barn.

"Well, now that that's settled, let's head on into the house for some girl talk," Marion said, wrapping one arm around Stephanie and the other around Julie. "Jessica, you're bringing the bags in?"

It took her a second to realize her grandmother was talking to her, because she'd called her 'Jessica,' but Jessie finally did catch on. "Yeah, Grandma. I'll get them," she said, opening up the back of the SUV and grabbing their bags. Heading into the house, she went on upstairs to the spare bedrooms, dropping the bags off. When she came back downstairs, her grandmother had already talked Stephanie into helping with lunch, and the three women were currently sitting around the kitchen table getting things ready.

She stepped into the kitchen and glided up to Stephanie. "Hey, if you all don't need me, I'm going out to the barn with Grandpa and Tommy. You wanna come?"

Stephanie shook her head. "Not right now, Sweetheart. I'll meet you when we're done here."

Jessie bent down and kissed her, her hand lingering on the smooth cheek. "We'll be down at the riding ring," she said softly. As she left out the back door, she called, "Don't let these two interrogate you too much!"

She laughed. "I won't, Jess."

Marion turned and swatted at her as she left out the door. "Go on, you insolent little cuss! We're just gonna have some girl talk!"

Jessie laughed and dodged her hand and headed for the barn. When she arrived, her grandfather was giving Tommy a tour of the barn, introducing him to the horses. She leaned against the barn door and watched, as the boy followed her grandfather around, taking everything in. Tommy had grown up in the city, and had never been around horses before. As she watched, he seemed to be fascinated with the barn and horses.

While they waited for Josh, the stable boy, to saddle Molly, a twenty year old mare for Tommy, Jessie's grandfather talked to the boy, asking him what he knew about horses. When he realized that Tommy didn't know anything about them, he took the boy and sat him on a bale of straw. Then he sat down next to him and talked quietly about how to treat them…explaining the right and wrong things to do around horses, etc.

Jessie smiled to herself, listening to her grandfather with Tommy. The old man had given her the same lecture when she was a little younger than Tommy was now. Every summer, Jessie and her brother spent their break from school traveling between her grandparents homes, working on their farms. Just then, Josh finished saddling the mare and led her out to the riding ring. Her grandfather followed them out, holding Tommy's hand.

Jessie trailed behind, following them to the ring, watching as they led the mare in. Once there, Josh and her grandfather spent a few minutes letting Tommy and Molly get to know each other. Once Michael was satisfied, Josh lifted Tommy into the saddle. Jessie had come over to join them by then, and checked the cinch to make sure it was tight. "Okay Tommy, just hold on to the saddle horn, here," Jessie said, standing next to him and making sure he was comfortable.

Tommy nodded. "I will, Jessie." He was a little nervous, but followed instructions well, and Jessie was impressed when he didn't seem afraid as Josh began leading them around the ring.

Her grandfather caught Jessie's arm and led her back to the outside of the ring, where they could watch without getting in the way. As they leaned against the fence, he looked over at Jessie. "He's a good boy, Jess."

"He is," she agreed, nodding.

"You never told us she had a son, Jessie. Why not?" He asked, never accusing, more curious than anything. It didn't bother him that Jessie hadn't mentioned the boy before this. Knowing Jessie as well as he did, it wasn't surprising.

"I just found out a couple of months ago myself, Grandpa. Actually, I'm surprised Mom didn't tell you. She was pretty put out about it when I told her," Jessie said in answer.

Michael thought about that for a minute. Finally, he said, "Jess, I know how your mother is. I raised her, after all. She can be a little over critical, but she loves you. I'm sure she just doesn't want to see you hurt. So…you wanna tell me about Tommy now?"

Jessie shrugged. "There's not much to tell, really…" she launched into the story, telling her grandfather everything about Linda, Kate and Tommy, including the Power of Attorney and the Letter of Guardianship. When she was finished, she fell silent, waiting for the old man's reaction.

A reaction never really came, though. Instead, her grandfather asked, "How did you react when you found out?"

"I held her while she cried and told her I loved her. When we talked about Tommy, I told her I'd always treat him like he was mine. I love them both, Grandpa. I'd never let anything happen to them if I could help it," Jessie said, her voice growing quiet and introspective.

Before her grandfather could say anything else, Stephanie slid up next to Jessie. "Hey, Sweetheart," she said, kissing the brunette on the cheek and wrapping an arm around her waist.

A smile broke over her face at Stephanie's touch. "Hey," she said, returning the kiss. "Mom and Grandma finally let you escape?"

Stephanie laughed. "Yeah, they sent me down here to get everyone for lunch." She glanced toward the ring and saw Tommy on the horse. "Jess, is he…?"

Jessie squeezed her hand where it was resting on the fence next to her. "He's fine, Steph. Josh is a great trainer, and Grandpa's been a breeder and trainer since he was born. He taught all of us to ride when we were kids."

Trusting Jessie's judgment, she relaxed into her side and watched Tommy ride for a few minutes more before Michael finally waved Josh over. "Bring 'em in, Josh. It's time for lunch. We'll keep Molly saddled and we'll all go for a ride after we eat."

When Tommy dismounted, he walked out of the ring like he'd been taught. As soon as he was out of the gate, he ran to Stephanie and Jessie. "Did you see, Momma Steph? I was riding!" he said excitedly.

Stephanie hugged him. "I saw, Tommy. You did real well!" Stephanie said, letting him go.

He turned to Jessie. "Did you see, Jessie?"

"I did," Jessie said, reaching down and squeezing his shoulder. "You were ridin' like a real cowboy out there, Bud."

Jessie's grandfather laughed. "Come on everybody. I don't fancy havin' Marion yellin' at me for being late for lunch." He wrapped an arm around Stephanie's shoulder and caught Tommy's hand, talking to both of them as they headed back toward the house.

Jessie followed along behind, happy to see how well her grandfather had taken to both of them. She'd never brought anyone to meet her grandparents before, and she was thrilled to see how accepting they were of both, Stephanie and Tommy.

Half an hour later, having eaten a lunch of sandwiches and fresh salad, Tommy was ready to go riding. Michael took him back down to the barn to get ready, and Jessie and Stephanie followed behind. They walked hand in hand, as they headed to the barn, talking quietly as they went.

"I really like it here, Jess. It's beautiful," Stephanie said, breathing in the fresh air of the mid-Ohio countryside.

"It is nice here," Jessie agreed. "I've always liked coming out here. I used to go out on all day rides and let the air clear my head…back when Mom and Dad were in the middle of their divorce." Her voice turned wistful. "I didn't do it much after Bobby, though."

Sensing the brunette's mood change, Stephanie asked, "Why not, Jess? It might have helped to get away from town for a while."

"You think I might not have become so…caught up in drugs and fucked up?" Jessie looked at her, waiting for an answer.

Stephanie shrugged. "I don't know. You seem pretty close to your grandfather. Maybe talking to him might have helped?"

Jessie sighed and stopped walking, turning to look her in the eye. "I think I was just…ashamed…of the way I was acting. I was already so deep into drugs and alcohol…" she shook her head. "I wasn't raised to be a drug addict or a whore, Steph. I didn't want them to be disappointed in me."

Stephanie reached out and caressed her cheek. "Oh, Jess…They love you. I don't think that would have happened. And…while we're on the subject…I've never thought of you as a whore."

"Steph…"

"Don't Jess…don't ever put yourself down. I'm not exactly an innocent you know," Steph said, putting a finger to her lips to shush her. "I've done some things I'm not exactly proud of, too."

Jessie smiled. "We don't ever need to visit that, Baby. I don't need to know about your past. What matters to me is here and now…and our future. Right now though, there is something that I need to tell you." She looked at the redhead seriously. "I should have told you before we ever…"

"Jess?" Stephanie wondered what could possibly make her hesitate. Jessie had already told her so much about her past. She couldn't imagine anything that would cause the other woman to worry.

Jessie shook her head. "It's nothing to worry about. I just wanted you to know…I umm…Well, I get tested every year and I've always come up negative."

It took a minute, before Stephanie realized what she was talking about. "Teste…Oh!" she said, blinking. "That's it? Jess…I never worried about that."

"Still…I wanted you to know,"Jessie said. "It's important that you know everything about me, Steph."

"Jess, I have never worried, or even thought about that. I trust you enough to know that you'd never put me in danger," Stephanie said, smiling at the brunette and shaking her head. "Still…I'm glad you told me."

Jessie reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're right about that, Steph. I wouldn't…put you in danger. I would have told you that night in your hotel room, if I was positive. I wouldn't have wanted you to think I was turning you down because I wasn't interested. Because I most definitely wanted you." She smiled and kissed her.

"Hey! Are you two comin' or what?"Jessie's grandfather called as he and Tommy rode up to them.

"We're coming, Grandpa. Go on ahead and we'll catch up," Jessie answered, laughing. "And don't think he's funny," Jessie said to Tommy teasingly, pointing to her grandfather. The boy was sitting on Molly next to the old man and laughing.

"Okay, Jessie," Tommy said, trying to suppress his giggles but failing miserably.

"Come on, Tommy. Let's get goin'," Michael said, heading in the direction of the woods.

"We're right behind you," Jessie said to their retreating backs. "Come on, we'd better get moving, or he'll be back here looking for us," she said, turning back to Stephanie.

Ten minutes later saw them catching up with the older man and Tommy. Josh had already saddled the horses, and they were standing ready to go when they got to the barn. As they rode the wooded trail, Jessie felt herself relaxing and her strange mood of earlier was gone. For as long as she could remember, the combination of the woods and the fresh air always had that effect on her. She smiled over at Steph, reaching out and taking her hand. They rode like that for a while, until Michael stopped them at a bend in the creek.

"Dismount and come on down here, girls." He helped Tommy down from his horse and they sat down on the bank of the creek, using a downed log as a bench. Pulling off his boots and socks, the old man stuck his feet in the cold water. Tommy did the same, and he proceeded to tell the boy stories about growing up on the farm. Then, he started telling stories about Jessie and her brother when they were kids.

"Don't embarrass me too much, Grandpa. He needs to have a little respect for me when we leave here," Jessie said, dangling her own feet in the ice cold water.

"Don't you worry none, Jess. I'll save all the embarrassing stuff for Stephanie, later," Michael said, teasing her.

"Great," Jessie said sarcastically, groaning and rolling her eyes.

Everyone laughed at her then, and they spent the rest of the afternoon lazing by the creek and riding around the property. They arrived back at the barn in time for dinner, which consisted of grilled chicken, fresh new potatoes, green beans and cornbread. Jessie's grandmother had made a fresh pumpkin pie, and after dinner they all headed into the living room to eat dessert and watch TV.

By the time 8:30 rolled around, Tommy was getting tired. Marion showed him to the bathroom, where Stephanie insisted he take a quick shower and get ready for bed. After tucking him in for the night, Stephanie came back downstairs.

"Tommy go to sleep all right?" Jessie asked as the strawberry blond sat back down next to her on the couch.

"Yeah, he was out within minutes," Stephanie replied, leaning against her shoulder and holding her hand.

"He had a big day," Jessie agreed.

"Well," Jessie's grandfather said, standing up. "I don't know about all of you, but I'm headin' to bed myself. I'll see you all in the morning."

"Night, Grandpa," Jessie said, watching the old man walk down the hall to the bedroom.

"I think I'll turn in, too," her grandmother said, standing up as well. "Jessie, would you clean up the dishes, Dear?"

"Sure, Grandma, I'll see you in the morning," she agreed easily. They watched a few more minutes of TV before Julie got up and excused herself, too. It had been a busy few days for all of them, and Jessie and Stephanie were both beginning to wear down as well.

"Steph, why don't you go on up, and I'll be there in a few minutes?" Jessie suggested.

Stephanie shook her head. "I'll help you clean up the dishes first, Jess."

"No, go on. It'll only take me a few minutes. It's only a few plates and forks." Jessie kissed her on the forehead.

"Are you sure, Jess?"

"I'm absolutely positive," Jessie said, pulling her off the couch. "Go on, I'll be there in a few."

Fifteen minutes later, she stepped into the bedroom. Stephanie had already showered and crawled into bed by the time she got there. "Whew!" she said, shutting the door behind her.

"Rough day?" Stephanie asked, watching her get ready for bed.

"Mmm, I haven't ridden for a while,"the brunette said, rubbing her rear end. Grabbing her toothbrush she headed for the bathroom. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be waiting," Stephanie said, her words a promise of warm arms and soft kisses to come.

They woke up early the next morning rested but hungry. When they arrived downstairs, Marion was already in the kitchen, preparing to make breakfast. "Here, Jessie," she said when the two younger women walked into the kitchen. "Grab a spatula and get working on frying up these eggs."

"Sure, Grandma," she said, jumping over to the stove and handily scrambling the eggs in the huge skillet. She smiled when her grandmother put Stephanie to work making enough toast for a small army.

Over breakfast, they talked about their plans for Christmas. After all, her grandmother said, it was right around the corner. Jessie explained in detail what they were planning for the holidays. The office was actually going to be closed for Christmas beginning mid-December, so she had taken the rest of the year off using her vacation days. When Stephanie was ready to head back to LA to take Tommy home, she was going to go with them and spend a few days out there. Stephanie had been invited to a few parties, and they were going to try to get to as many as they could.

Then, they were flying back to Ohio to celebrate Christmas with Jessie's family and friends the week before the holiday. Stephanie had already told her family to expect them on the 22^nd, so they'd be in New York for Christmas. Then, they were back in Ohio for New Years Eve. All in all, it was going to be a busy few weeks.

Jessie's grandparents seemed pleased to hear that she was actually going to New York to meet Stephanie's family. Julie, however, didn't have much to say, which was unusual for her. Jessie didn't think much about it though, as her mother rarely seemed interested in her affairs.

Once breakfast was over, Jessie offered to clean up the kitchen and Stephanie pitched in. It didn't take them long before they had the place sparkling, and they headed out to the barn to re-join everyone else. When they got there, Tommy and Julie were both in the ring. Julie had saddled up Molly for him again, and was now teaching him to give the horse leg signals for different gaits.

He noticed Stephanie and Jessie when they leaned on the fence and waved at them, then turned his attention back to Jessie's mother, whom he'd taken to calling 'Grandma Julie' at her insistence. Stephanie smiled, watching them working together. She had been worried at first, about Julie's reaction to Tommy, afraid that she wouldn't accept him. But Jessie had reassured her that Julie would be just fine with him, and she had been correct. Julie seemed to genuinely love the boy.

"Go on in there and have Josh saddle one up for you,"Marion said, watching the younger woman watching Tommy.

"It'd be okay?" Stephanie asked hesitantly.

"Of course, Dear. Go on, now," she said, pushing Stephanie gently toward the barn.

"You want to come, Jess?"

Jessie shook her head. "Nah, not today. My butt hasn't recovered from yesterday." Stephanie laughed and went on into the barn. Jessie watched her go and sighed when she turned back to watch what was happening in the ring.

"You're happy, aren't you?" her grandmother asked. She watched Jessie with a sly smile in her eye.

"I'm ecstatic, Grandma," Jessie answered, unable to contain the smile she felt every time she thought of Stephanie.

"You're content," her grandmother added in return. "It's been a long time, Jess. We've been worried about you."

Jessie looked at both of them. "You didn't have to worry about me. I've been okay."

"You weren't okay, Jessie. You're mother told us you had a hard time after that Bobby left you the way he did," her grandfather said, looking at her seriously. Jessie had never officially introduced them to Bobby, but they had met him once at a festival the band had played at. They hadn't exactly cared for him and the way he treated their only granddaughter.

"Mom told you about that?" she asked in disbelief. She'd been under the impression that her mother basically ignored what was happening in her life. She'd had no idea that Julie knew she'd had problems after Bobby left.

"She is your mother, Jessie. She loves you, too,"her grandmother said. "I realize you were unaware of her concern, but she called and talked to me about you quite often."

Jessie groaned. "Great…so you know how screwed up I've been?"

"Everyone has a hard time once in a while, Jessie. You could have come to us," her grandfather added.

"I didn't want to bother you,"she said, shrugging. "Besides, I was so messed up…nobody could have helped me back then." How could she tell them that she'd been a drug addict and a drunk? On top of that, she'd slept with anyone who would give her the time of day!

Michael shook his head at her. "Jessie…that's what family is for. You have a problem...you go to your family. We may not have been able to fix anything, but we could have at least listened." He looked toward Julie, still working in the ring with Tommy. "You know…your mother would never talk to us either. Not even when she took up with your father and ran away to go on the road with him. We didn't hear from her for almost a year. When she finally came home, she had you on her hip."

"What?" Jessie had never heard this before.

Marion looked at him and rolled her eyes, sighing. "Mike, you shouldn't have told her that."

"She's an adult now, Marion. It's high time she found out her mother wasn't always the 'perfect person' she wants everyone to think she is," he said, ignoring her protests. Turning back to Jessie, he said, "JD came back a few days after that, and they got married a couple weeks later. Then, he started getting famous, and your mother had a hard time of it. You know the rest of the story, Jess. But my point is…she could have talked to us before she decided to run off with him. We might have been able to come up with a solution that wouldn't have involved running away."

"Thank you, Grandpa. You're right…I should have talked to you. I just…" she shook her head and let the words trail off.

"It's okay, Jess. You're here now, and that's what's important. You seem to be doing all right now, though," he said, his green eyes sparkling. "Could it be the love of a good woman?"

Jessie blushed. "You could say that."

"We thought as much," her grandmother said, looking over at her and smiling. They had been thrilled to hear that Jessie had finally found someone she deemed important enough to introduce to the family. They'd waited a long time for this.

"So…you plannin' on asking that girl to marry you, or what?" her grandfather asked, looking directly into Jessie's eyes.

"Grandpa! You do know that…Well…there are special circumstances that kind of…" Jessie stammered, not sure what to say.

Michael rolled his eyes. "Jessie…you do love her, don't you?" At Jessie's nod, he went on. "Okay then…She's beautiful and you love her. That much is clear…and you love Tommy."

"Yes, I do…but…" she took in a deep breath. "Why can't you guys just give me a hard time about being gay?" To her mind, she'd be more comfortable with that, than the way they were acting. She was glad they were happy for her, but…she just expected them to have a hard time with it. For what reason, she couldn't say…she just thought they would.

Her grandparents heaved a collective sigh. "Jess…we may be old and set in our ways…but we're not blind. It's hard enough to get through life without turning love down when it's offered. We could tell the minute you introduced Stephanie that you love her. Anybody with half a brain and blind could see that. Now…we understand all the 'special circumstances' you're talkin' about, but they don't mean nothin'. If you love her Jess, you just need to do what you feel is right. Now, are you plannin' on marrying her?"

Jessie smiled at both of them, grateful that she had such fantastic and loving grandparents. "As soon as I get everything in place."

"What's to get in place? You love her, you marry her," the old man said, looking at her like she was crazy.

"Grandpa…" Jessie shook her head. "I can't just go moving out to LA. I need a job," she explained. "I don't want people thinking that I'm taking advantage of her celebrity and all that."

"Have you been looking for one?" her grandmother asked.

Jessie nodded. "Of course, since July."

"You still plannin' on doin' something with your music?" her grandfather asked.

"I'm working on that, too," Jessie answered.

Michael nodded. "Your father helping you?"

"Yes sir," Jessie answered. She had always disliked talking about JD around her grandparents and didn't do it often. Since the divorce, she avoided the topic; afraid that they felt the same way her mother did about him. After spending so much time with JD over the last few months, however, she understood that it was never a lack of love that had kept her parents apart, but a lack of acceptance on her mother's part. So she was surprised at her grandfather's next words.

"He's a good man, Jessie. Always treated you two right…even when your mother was being difficult," Michael said. "Don't look at me like that, Jess. I raised your mother, and I know how she is. Always selfish, she was. Never let him be his own man. But she never listened to me." He shook his head and sighed. A minute later, he looked at Jessie again.

"Have you talked about marriage at all with Stephanie, yet?" her grandmother asked.

"No. When we were in Greece, I almost asked her once, but decided against it." She twisted her mouth, chewing on her lower lip. "She woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep. I know it was because I'd refused to move to LA with her earlier in the day. She was afraid I'd leave her if she pushed me too hard. But, I just want everything to be perfect when we do this, and it wouldn't have been the right time…"

Michael smiled and wrapped an arm around her. "It sounds to me like you're taking things slow and trying to do them right, Jess. No one can fault you for that. You two better get on the stick, though. Your grandmother and I ain't gettin' any younger, you know. We want more grandchildren before we die."

Jessie felt her face growing hot. "Grandpa!" She'd never discussed having children with her grandparents before. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

"What? We know you have Tommy, and he's a fine boy, Jess. He loves you and he's always gonna be welcome here. He's gonna be your son, too. That makes him ours. But we'd still like to see you have some of your own, too." He knew he was making her uncomfortable, but they both wanted Jessie to know they approved of Stephanie.

Jessie shook her head. "Grandpa, you do both know there's a little thing called biology that we need to deal with, right? I mean…we can't just have babies the 'normal' way."

Michael shook his head and waved his hand at her to dismiss the concern. "Biology's nothin' to worry about, Jessie. Doctors these days are like God. They can do anything."

"That's a tall order though, Grandpa," Jessie said, rolling her eyes at both of them. Her grandparents were incorrigible. How was she just now finding this out?

They both laughed and hugged her. "You know Jessie, when you got out of the car yesterday…I thought to myself, what a beautiful family you have. A wife…a son…things don't get much better than that, Sweetheart," her grandmother said.

"I love you guys," Jessie said, hugging them back and sniffing back a tear. She pulled away from them when Stephanie rode out of the barn and joined Tommy and Julie in the riding ring.

"Go on, Jessie," her grandmother said, watching her. "Go saddle up a horse and take Stephanie for one more ride around the farm before you go."

Jessie took a deep breath and turned toward the barn. "Thanks, Grandma. I think I'll do that," she said, as she turned and headed for the barn.

Jessie emerged from the barn a few minutes later, ready for a ride. Riding up to the gate of the riding ring, she called Stephanie over. "I changed my mind about the ride," she said in answer to the redhead's questioning look. "Come on. Let's take a ride together."

"Okay, Jess," Stephanie said, a grin splitting her face. She had hoped Jessie would change her mind. She rode out of the ring and joined the brunette when Michael opened the gate for her.

"Remember to get back in time for dinner," Marion said, waving to them as they rode out of the yard.

"We will, Grandma!" Jessie said in answer, waving back. Once they were out of earshot, she looked over at Stephanie, riding beside her. "Where would you like to go?"

"You're in charge, Jess. Lead the way," the redhead said, comfortable with whatever Jessie chose.

Half an hour later, Jessie stopped her horse and dismounted in a small clearing in the woods. "Let's take a break, Steph," she said, holding Steph's horse for her as she also dismounted.

"It's nice here, Jess. Your grandfather didn't bring us this way yesterday," Stephanie said, getting down and looking around at the clearing. As she wandered around, she noticed the remains of an old building half hidden in the trees off to one side. "Jess, what's this?"she asked, pointing toward the tumble down building.

Jessie finished tying the horses up and looked over at where Steph was pointing. "Oh." she said, joining Stephanie. "That's what's left of the house my great great grandfather built when he first came here."

Stephanie looked at her. "Really? When was that, Jess?"

Jessie shrugged. "I'm not sure of the year. Some time around the early 1900's, I guess. He came here with my great great grandmother and built this place."

Stephanie was surprised. She'd had no idea that Jessie's family had actually owned the farm that long. "So, where did they come here from?"

Jessie caught her hand and they walked around the remains of the old cabin. "Great great Grandpa and Grandma O'Rourke were straight from Ireland. He was a horse trainer, and always dreamed of being a breeder some day. Grandpa always said his grandfather saved every dime he could to come here and start his own farm."

"That's so cool, Jess. I had no idea your family's roots were in Ireland," Stephanie said, completely fascinated. Knowing that Jessie was part Native American and part Irish, gave her a whole new perspective on the brunette's personality.

"Yeah, Grandpa used to tell us stories abut them when we were kids." Her voice grew wistful as she said, "I've always wanted to go there and track down my relatives. You know, just to see what happened to the other side of the family."

Stephanie smiled. "Maybe we could go there together? I've never been to Ireland, Jess."

"I'd like that, Steph."

"So, are you going to tell me what you're grandparents were talking to you about when your grandmother hustled me off to the barn a while ago?" Stephanie stopped walking and turned to look at the brunette. "And don't tell me 'nothing,' because I know better."

Jessie smiled and kissed her gently on the mouth. Shaking her head, she said, "They just wanted to tell me how much they love you and Tommy. I've never brought anyone home to meet them before, and they're happy to see me happy."

"That's it?" Steph asked, raising one brow, clearly believing there was more to the story than that, but not pressing the issue. If Jessie wanted to elaborate, she would.

"That's it," Jessie answered. "Now, come here and kiss me." She pulled Stephanie closer and wrapped her arms around the slim waist. When the kiss ended long minutes later, Jessie whispered, "I'm so glad you and Tommy came out here with me, Steph."

"I'm glad we could," Stephanie agreed. "I've really enjoyed meeting your grandparents, and they really seem to like Tommy."

"I told you they'd love him, Sweetheart. I knew they would."

Stephanie closed her eyes and rested her head against Jessie's shoulder, her arms draped around her neck. "I like it out here, Jess. Maybe we could buy a cabin in the woods somewhere. You know...a place we could use as our own private retreat?"

"I'd love that, Steph. Any place in particular you'd want it to be?" Jessie asked, tightening her grip around the redhead's waist.

"Any place you are, is fine with me," the other woman answered, kissing her again.

After dinner, Jessie, Stephanie and Julie helped clean up the kitchen, while Michael took Tommy out to the barn to say goodbye to the horses. An hour later, their bags had been loaded into the back of the SUV.

"Remember what we talked about, Jess," Michael said, hugging her goodbye.

"I will, Grandpa. And believe me when I tell you it can't happen soon enough," Jessie said, hugging the old man back.

Marion hugged her next. "You take care of them, Jessie. We'll see you all in a few weeks for Christmas. And Jess…"

"Yeah?"

"We really, really like them," Marion added as she let Jessie go to hug Julie.

"Thanks Grandma, I will. Thanks for everything," she said, climbing into the drivers' seat and starting the car.

They hugged Julie next, and then Stephanie. "Stephanie, it's been wonderful meeting you and Tommy," Marion said, giving her a hug, too. "We're looking forward to seeing you again soon. Take care of Jessie, now."

Stephanie hugged her back, glancing back to Jessie, before saying, "I will, Grandma. You take care of yourselves." She hugged Michael next. "Grandpa, thank you for spending so much time with Tommy. He had the best time. We both did."

"He's a good boy, Stephanie. You bring him back anytime you can," Michael said, with a twinkle in his eye. He looked over at Tommy, who was waiting silently by the car. "Tommy, come over here and give me a hug goodbye."

Tommy smiled and took the two steps required to hug the old man. "Bye Grandpa Mike. I had a really good time. Thanks, for teaching me to ride horses."

Michael hugged the boy tight. "Happy to do it, Son. You come back whenever you can and we'll ride some more."

Marion caught him next, hugging him to her. "I'm so glad you came to meet us Tommy. We love you. And you and your Momma Steph can come back to visit us whenever you want."

"Bye Grandma Marion. I love you guys, too," he said, hugging her back.

"Okay, Tommy," Stephanie said, her hand on his back. "We need to get going, hop in the car." He did and Stephanie hugged each of them again. "We'll see you in a few weeks. Thanks again!" She went around to the passenger side of the SUV and climbed in.

Once everyone was in the car and had their seat belts fastened, Jessie pulled out of the driveway. It was a two hour drive back to the city, so she turned on the radio to keep them company. Five miles down the road, Tommy was already passed out in the back seat. He was leaning against Julie, and she had her arm around him. Jessie, looking in the rear view mirror, smiled and shook her head. It had been a really good weekend.

Over the next couple of days, they settled into something of a routine. Every morning, they'd get up, eat breakfast and then go for a run. So that Tommy could keep up, they deliberately slowed their pace a little. He had been thrilled to run with them, especially after Jessie had explained to him how important it was for martial arts conditioning. Once they finished their run, they would get cleaned up and dressed for the day.

Each afternoon, they would take Tommy some place different. One day, they visited the zoo. On another occasion, they took him to the Natural History Museum. They even managed to find the time to take him to the nearby Air Force Museum. Every evening, they would head over to Jing's school, and Jessie would give Tommy a martial arts lesson. Some evenings, Jing and Stephanie would join them as well, making it something of a family affair.

Before their first workout with Jing, Jessie gave Tommy a new karate uniform and t-shirts with the name of Jing's school on them. Stephanie had found it necessary to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing at how proud he was of the uniform. When Jessie presented him with it, Tommy had immediately put it on, strutting around the house proudly. Jessie, watching him, wrapped an arm around her waist and hugged her.

On Friday evening, Julie knocked on their door at exactly five o'clock. "Well, I'm ready to go if Tommy is," she said when Jessie answered and let her in.

"I'm ready, Grandma Julie," Tommy said, running over to her and giving her a hug.

"Tommy," Stephanie said, looking him in the eye. "We expect you to behave tonight, okay? You do whatever Grandma Julie asks you to, all right?"

"I will, Momma Steph. I promise," he said, hugging her tight.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Tommy,"Jessie said, leaning down and hugging him. When she stood up, she looked at her mother. "Mom, thanks for watching him tonight. We appreciate it."

"It's not a problem, girls," Julie replied. "Tommy and I are going to have fun tonight. We're going for pizza, and then we're going to see the new Pixar movie."

"Well, have a good time. We'll be by to pick him up around noon tomorrow, Mom. Thanks again," Jessie said.

"You don't have to rush, Jessie. Have a good show tonight, and take your time tomorrow."

"We will, Mom. See you guys," she said, shutting the door as Julie picked up Tommy's bag and walked with him out to her car.

"Well," she said when her mother had pulled away. "We should probably start getting ready if we're going to meet Theresa and Lacey for dinner before the show." Walking hand in hand, they headed back to the bedroom to get dressed.

They met Theresa and Lacy at the restaurant at 6:30, and were seated right away. A waitress came by and took their drink orders and disappeared, returning quickly, drinks in hand. "Jessie," Lacy began, turning to look at the brunette, "Would you mind if I talk to you about something? You know…business?"

Jessie understood what she meant immediately and nodded. "Sure, Lacey. Let's step outside for a minute." She stood up and leaned over, kissing Stephanie on the cheek. "We'll be right back, Sweetheart."

"Take your time, Jess," the redhead said, stroking Jessie's cheek before she went outside with the blond.

"So…what's that all about?" Theresa asked, looking after the two women as they went out the front door of the restaurant.

"I have no idea," Stephanie answered honestly, shrugging. "Band business, I guess."

"Mmm, must be," Theresa agreed, taking a drink of her wine.

Jessie followed Lacy outside and they sat down on a bench on the front porch of the restaurant. "So…you have some news?" she asked the blond.

"Yeah, John's been working with your dad, and they think they've found the perfect place."Lacy said, grinning from ear to ear. "With Cliff's help, we should be ready to set up sometime shortly after the New Year."

"That's fantastic, Lacy. I knew things would fall into place eventually. Now we just have to talk to the rest of the band and find out if they're up for this," Jessie said, hugging her.

Lacy laughed. "I think they will be, Jess. It's what they all started playing music for, isn't it?"

"Supposedly," Jessie answered. "But you know how life can get in the way of things sometimes."

Lacy shook her head at the brunette. "Jessie…don't be a doomsayer. Everything's working out just the way you wanted. Trust me, the guys will go for this. You'll see. I'm figuring they'll all be on board and ready by mid-June, at the latest. Of course, none of this would be happening without yours truly."

Jessie laughed at her friend. "You're the best, Lacy. You have no idea how much I appreciate all you're doing for us." She stood up. "Well…we'd better get back in there, before they get suspicious." Both women stood up and went back inside to re-join Theresa and Stephanie. Their meals were delivered minutes later, and they talked and laughed as they ate.

When Jessie and Lacy came back to the table, Stephanie leaned over and asked Jessie about the little impromptu meeting. Jessie, however, apparently didn't feel like sharing. Her only answer was a shrug and the words…'band business.' Annoyed at the lack of a real response, Stephanie let it go for now. There would be plenty to time to discuss the subject with Jessie later.

By the time the band started their first set, Jessie was in a great mood. Everyone in the band, including Mike, had agreed to her proposal. Now, as she prepared to take the stage, she almost couldn't contain her excitement. There was only one more thing to take care of, and she'd be prepared to meet her future head on. Hopefully, she'd be able to address that, when she got to LA with Stephanie next week.

As the lights went up on stage, Jessie made her way up the steps. Taking a moment to mentally prepare herself, she pulled her 'rock persona' on and took a deep breath. Suddenly, the guitar began strumming the muted strains of the first chords and she strutted out into the spotlight. As she walked across the stage, she began singing the words to the Adele song, 'Rolling in the Deep.' It was one of Stephanie's favorites, and she'd had the band working on it ever since she found out the redhead liked it. As she hit the high notes in the chorus, she glanced toward the table that was reserved for the band and their friends and family. Stephanie was there, sitting next to Theresa and Jill, a huge grin on her face, singing along.

Jessie's heart swelled with love as she watched Stephanie. For the first time in her life, she had no doubts…no fears. She could finally see her path clearly and was prepared to walk it through fire and death, barefoot, if necessary. For the next forty five minutes, she guided the band through a veritable jukebox of hits. When it came time for the last song of the set, the lights on stage dimmed until Jessie was the only one not hidden in shadow.

"Before we take a break," Jessie said into her headset mic, "We'd like to do one more song for you." She picked up her acoustic guitar and put it on. "It's a song that I've always loved, by one of my favorite country artists, Terri Clark. I'd like to dedicate this one to you Stephanie Winters…Because now that I've found you, I know there's perfection on earth. You've given me everything, Steph. I love you, Sweetheart." Over the crowd, their eyes met and Jessie fell in love all over again as she began to sing.

Stephanie heard Jessie announcing that the band was preparing to take a break and was surprised to hear her say they were doing one more song. She was even more surprised when Jess dedicated the song to her. Theresa leaned over and said something to her, but she couldn't, for the life of her, repeat it. Jessie's words drove right into her soul and made her swallow hard when the singer proclaimed her love out loud. Even though the room was full to capacity…As far as she was concerned, the only two people that existed at that moment were her and Jessie. Stephanie never took her eyes off the brunette, looking directly into those blue eyes.

Jessie finished the song and, after thanking the audience, headed backstage. As she got to the steps leading down to the backstage area, Stephanie was there waiting for her. The look in her eyes spoke volumes, and Jessie handed her guitar to Mike before descending the steps. No sooner had her feet hit the floor, than Stephanie had flung herself into her arms. Lavishing Jessie with kisses, the brunette thought she would explode before Stephanie finally let her up for air.

"God, Jessie…That was beautiful! Thank you," she said, slowly regaining the ability to breathe. Her hands in the dark hair, she pulled Jessie into another kiss. "I love you, Jess."

When the redhead released her, Jessie was grinning like a fool. "Wow! If I'd known you'd react like that, I'd have done that a long time ago," Jessie said, grinning at her and holding her tight. "And…just for the record, you're welcome."

When they emerged from backstage heading for their table, it was to cacophonous applause from the crowd. Since the movie premiere and Jessie's introduction to the world, the band had been thrust further into the spotlight. As a result, the bar was packed to capacity.

"Jesus Jess!" Theresa said when they finally made it through the crowd to their table. "That was just so…gorgeous. Wow!"

Lacy hugged her. "I have to agree, Jessie. It was a beautiful thing to do." No matter the fact that she'd been working so closely with Jessie the last few weeks, even she hadn't been privy to the dedication to Stephanie. It had certainly been a beautiful surprise.

"Thanks guys," Jessie replied, accepting their compliments. "It feels really good to be able to stand up in public and say how much I love her."

"Jessie," Brian said, grabbing her hand and shaking it, "Theresa's gonna get jealous if you don't stop being so romantic."

Jessie laughed. "Just follow the instructions in that book I gave you, Brian. She'll be thrilled, trust me."

"Oh, I've been doing that, and I have to tell you…" he said conspiratorially into Jessie's ear. "Things have been really, really, good. As a matter of fact, we were wondering when you two were planning another trip to Greece."

"Actually, we haven't talked about it, but I can ask her," Jessie answered, turning to see Stephanie standing next to her when she felt her hand on her back. She wrapped her arm around Steph's waist and pulled her close. "Hey," she said, looking into her green eyes.

"Hey yourself," the redhead answered. "Mike's trying to get your attention. I think it's almost time for you to go back."

Jessie looked over to where Mike was standing, chatting with a fan. He noticed Jessie looking and pointed at his watch. Nodding, Jessie turned and kissed her. "I've gotta go, Babe. I'll see you shortly."

"Mmm, and I can't wait till we get home," Stephanie whispered into her ear. "I have something special for you, Jessie Drake."

"Well, I'll be sure to hurry, then,"Jessie said, smiling and kissing her again before heading back to the stage for their last set of the night.

After Jessie left, Theresa leaned over. "Steph, I can't tell you how happy I am you two found each other. Jessie loves you so much. I never believed I'd ever see her happy and settled."

"I love her too, Theresa," the redhead said. "You can't even begin to imagine how much…"

The sadness in her voice was unmistakable as her words trailed off, and Theresa looked at her closely. She knew that Stephanie had been a bit perturbed at Jessie's lack of a real answer about her conversation with Lacy at dinner. Still, she felt sure that Jessie had told her the truth, and her next words were spoken to put the redhead's mind at ease. "Stephanie…whatever they were talking about, I'm sure it was band business, just like Jess said. She'd never lie to you. And…for some reason, I think she's planning something big for you for Christmas." At the redhead's questioning gaze, she went on. "I don't know anything specific…It's really more of a feeling than anything else. Trust me…I don't think you'll be disappointed."

Stephanie smiled at the blond. Theresa may have been Jessie's friend since childhood, but they had become great friends as well, and she trusted the other woman. Theresa would never back Jessie if she thought the brunette was doing something wrong…especially, if it would hurt Stephanie. "Thanks, Theresa. I do trust her…and to be perfectly honest, the idea of a Christmas surprise hadn't crossed my mind." She breathed easier. Of course, Jessie would plan something for Christmas without telling her. She turned her attention back to the stage, where Jessie was once again baring her soul. As green eyes met blue over the crowd, she knew without a doubt that Jessie loved her with all her heart and soul.

At the end of the evening, Theresa caught Jessie backstage. "Jess, you got a minute?"

"Sure, Theresa. What's up?" the brunette asked, looking at her friend. She was busy putting her guitar in the case, but stopped at Theresa's next question.

"Well…" Theresa hesitated slightly. "When were you planning on telling me you're moving to California?"

Jessie set the guitar gently in the case and stood up to look Theresa in the eye. "What makes you think I'm moving, T?"

"Jessie…I've known you for a long time," the blond said quietly, keeping her voice down so the rest of the band wouldn't hear her. "You're planning something…I can tell. You've been talking to Lacy more than usual, which tells me you're working with her…probably figuring out how to book the band when you're living out there. Then of course, there are all the mysterious phone calls you've been getting at work. And don't tell me it's Stephanie, because she couldn't possibly be calling you so often throughout the day."

"Theresa…" Jessie began, but the blond wasn't finished.

"Jessie, what are you planning? Stephanie was a little irritated with your answer at dinner, you know." Theresa said, looking at the brunette with a look in her eye that plainly said, 'please don't be lying to either of us.'

Jessie grabbed Theresa's hand and pulled her down the steps, down a short hallway, and into the band's dressing room. When they got there, she shut the door behind them. "Sit down, Theresa," Jessie said kindly. It was time to be honest with her best friend.

"Jessie…" Theresa began, shaking her head.

"T…sit…down,"Jessie said, indicating the couch. She sat down with the blond and looked her directly in the eye. "You're right, Theresa. I am planning something. Lacy's been helping me with the logistics."

"But Jess, the band…"

"I told you all…the band isn't breaking up, T." Jessie took a deep breath. "We're relocating…all of us…to LA."

"What?" Theresa practically yelled, she was so stunned. "The whole band, Jess?"

Jessie nodded. "Yep. I was waiting to tell you until I had a confirmation from everyone. That's what Lacy and I were talking about at dinner. Things are falling into place, and she was just filling me in."

"Oh God, Jess. Does Stephanie know any of this?" Theresa asked, looking at her.

Jessie shook her head. "Not yet. It's part of her Christmas surprise."

"Part? You mean there's more?"

"Well, yeah. But that's not all worked out just yet," Jessie said, smiling at how stunned Theresa looked. It was amazing really, how a human being could do such a great impersonation of a fish without even trying.

"Actually T, there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about. I was just waiting for the news I got this evening." She waited until she had the blonde's full attention, before continuing. "I have a business proposal for you, if you're interested…"

Jessie leaned back against the headboard of the bed, waiting for Stephanie to join her. Their bath had been relaxing, and more than a little erotic. Stephanie had outdone herself, setting lit candles around the bathroom…making sure the water was hot enough. It had been a slow and nearly silent hour they'd spent in the bath. Punctuated only by the sighs and moans of both of them as they explored each other thoroughly.

Eventually the water had grown cold, and they had gotten out to prepare for bed. Jessie had finished first, and Stephanie had sent her out of the bathroom, claiming she had one more surprise for her. When she re-entered the bedroom, Jessie busied herself lighting candles and turning on the satellite radio to an eighties station. Heading into the kitchen, she returned moments later with a chilled bottle of wine and two glasses. Filling the glasses, she crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to her waist to wait for Stephanie.

Stephanie stopped in the doorway to the bedroom to look over the scene. Things couldn't be more perfect if she'd wanted them to be. Looking at Jessie, she closed her eyes and sighed. Here was everything she wanted all in one package, waiting patiently for her. Opening her eyes again, she called quietly, "Jessie?" and walked slowly into the room.

Jessie turned when she heard Steph say her name. There was something in her voice…Her mouth went dry instantly at first sight of the redhead. Instead of her usual raggedy t-shirt and underwear, Stephanie had opted for different sleepwear. As she walked across the room toward the bed, Jessie couldn't help but admire how beautiful the chemise was. A cross back design in dark green satin, the chemise complimented Stephanie's eyes perfectly, making them appear a deeper green than usual. Jessie swallowed hard and licked her lips. "Steph…"

"Shh," the redhead said, putting a finger to the brunette's lips as she reached the side of the bed. She picked up the two glasses of wine and handed one to Jessie. "Don't say anything, Jess." She climbed onto the bed and leaned in facing Jessie, taking a drink from her own glass. When she was finished, she set the glass down on the bedside table. Leaning back toward Jessie, she reached over with one hand and caressed the perpetually tanned cheek. "I love you, Jessie…so much. What you did earlier…the song? That was the most beautiful thing…"

Jessie tilted her head into the caress. "I want everyone to know how much I love you, Steph."

Stephanie leaned a little closer until their foreheads touched. "Do you like my new night wear, Jess?" She had a naughty little grin on her face that made Jessie lick her lips again, before answering.

"I love it, Baby," Jessie answered, desperately trying to breathe. "When did you get it?"

The redhead moved just enough that their lips met in a slow, lingering kiss. "A few weeks ago…before I knew Tommy was coming with me."

"It's absolutely gorgeous on you,"Jessie said quietly, reaching up with one hand and trailing her fingers from the spaghetti strap down the redhead's arm. She noticed when she did, that her touch left goose bumps on Stephanie's arm in their wake. Still in awe over the fact that her touch could cause such a reaction in the redhead, she maneuvered around until she was on her knees facing Stephanie. "You're beautiful, Stephanie…the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," she said breathlessly, leaning in and capturing those full lips with her own.

Stephanie reached out and tangled her hands in Jessie's hair, pulling her as close as she could. When they finally parted, she smiled and said quietly, "Make love to me, Jessie. I need to feel you moving inside me tonight."

Jessie smiled lovingly at the request and slid her hands down to the bottom hem of the chemise. She captured Steph's lips with her own again, and moved her hands upward, bringing the chemise with them. When Steph lifted her arms, she pulled the green satin over her head and set it to the side. Then, turning her full attention back to the woman in her arms, she took a moment to look at her.

Stephanie sat still as Jessie gazed at her, drinking her in. She watched, as the blue eyes roamed over her body. Just the way Jessie looked at her could make her orgasm sometimes. When she thought about those hands roaming over her body, those lips touching her in the most intimate places…she closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "Jess…"

The brunette smiled at her. "You're wearing my favorite panties, too."

"I know you like them," the redhead whispered breathlessly.

Still on her knees, Jessie leaned forward and kissed her again. "Thank you, Steph. But I think I'll be needing you out of these," she said as she placed a hand on either side of Stephanie's hips and pushed the green silk underwear down. When it fell to her knees, Stephanie slid down on the bed and Jessie pulled them the rest of the way off.

"Jess, I think you might be just a bit, umm…overdressed," Stephanie whispered, looking pointedly at the t-shirt and underwear the brunette still had on. At the same time, she slid her hands down and began pushing Jessie's underwear down. When she was successful at removing them, she started work on the t-shirt. Within minutes, she was staring up at a gloriously naked Jessie. As the brunette lowered herself onto her, Steph moaned deep in her throat. God, Jessie felt good!

Hours later, they were still awake. Stephanie was lying on her right side, with Jessie spooned up behind her. The brunette's right arm was tucked up under her and Jessie was currently busy playing with her hair with one finger. Jessie's left arm was draped over her, holding her tight and Stephanie had her left hand on top of Jessie's where it rested on her stomach.

"Steph?" Jessie whispered quietly, unwilling to wake the redhead if she'd drifted off to sleep.

"Yeah, Jess?" her voice wafted softly back to her in the dark.

Jessie hesitated slightly before saying, "Umm, Theresa mentioned something last night that I wanted to talk to you about."

Stephanie wiggled against her to get more comfortable. "Okay, what would you like to talk about?"

"Well…she mentioned that you seemed kind of irritated by my answer about my conversation with Lacy," she nosed Stephanie's shoulder and then kissed her, waiting for her answer.

Stephanie sighed when she heard the question, which changed to a shiver and a moan when Jessie's lips grazed her shoulder. The minute Jessie had dedicated that song to her, she'd stopped worrying about the dinner conversation…mostly. And…Theresa had been right. They probably were just talking about Christmas gifts. So, she tried to blow it off. She really didn't want to dwell on it now. "Jess…it's okay. You don't have to tell me everything. I shouldn't even have asked. If you'd wanted us to know, you wouldn't have left the table."

"Steph…" she kissed her shoulder again. "I never meant to make you feel like I'm keeping secrets from you. I'm sorry. If you really want to know what we talked about, I'll tell you."

Stephanie shook her head. "Jess, no. It was about Christmas, wasn't it?"

Jessie was busted, and she knew it. She really didn't want to tell Steph any of her news yet, but if the redhead insisted, she would. Deciding that honesty was definitely the way to go, she answered, "Yeah, it was about part of your Christmas gift," she admitted quietly. "I'll tell you, though…if…"

Stephanie cut her off. "No, Jess. I don't need to know. I'd rather wait for Christmas." She shivered when Jessie's breath ghosted over her ear with her next words.

"Good, because I could tell you, but it would kind of ruin the rest of the surprise." She kissed the bare shoulder again. With her left hand, she began tracing small circles on Steph's stomach.

"I…I want it to…stay a su…surprise," Stephanie gasped out. Jessie had now slid her hand upward, and was currently alternating between squeezing her breasts and tweaking her nipples. For some reason, her current position seemed to be intensifying the sensation, and Stephanie pressed back, attempting to feel Jessie's bare skin against her own.

The small kisses continued along her shoulder and Jessie suddenly removed her left hand from her breasts. Just when she thought she would go crazy from the lack of Jessie's touch on her skin, she felt Jessie's hand on her butt. Trailing slowly, barely touching her at all, Jessie's touch was sending a jolt of fire through her body.

Jessie couldn't help herself. With Stephanie so close and pressed naked against her, she was overwhelmed. All she wanted to do was run her hands over every inch of the redhead's body. Some part of her was aware that they'd just spent the better part of the night making love, but she wanted more. She could never get enough of Stephanie…the woman was like an addiction to her. Trailing her fingertips lightly over Stephanie's bare butt, she could feel the tiny shivers her touch elicited in the other woman. Eventually, she made her way to the inside of Steph's thighs and reveled in the gasps and moans coming from her lover.

Gently, attempting to bring even more sensation to Stephanie, she pulled the redhead's left leg up until it was draped back over her own legs. With her hand still between herself and Steph, she was now able to rub Steph's center from behind until the redhead was moaning deep in her throat and begging for release. Unwilling to torture her any longer than necessary, she slid first one, and then a second finger inside her.

When Jessie pulled her leg back to hang over her own, Steph was confused. 'Just what the Hell was Jessie planning?' But then, that clever hand was touching her everywhere and her hips bucked of their own accord. "Oh God, Jess!" she screamed. "You feel so good, Baby. Don't stop…oh, don't stop…"

"I'll never stop loving you, Steph,"Jessie whispered into her ear as she screamed Jessie's name. "I'll love you forever, Sweetheart."

As she lay there trembling with aftershocks (she had no other words to describe what she was feeling), Stephanie couldn't think of a thing to say besides, "I love you, Jess. I love you…I love you…"

Jessie pulled her tightly to her and held her close. "I love you too, Steph…More than I could ever say."

Jessie called Julie around eleven, to tell her they were going to be a little late picking Tommy up. They hadn't fallen asleep until almost six that morning, and had failed to wake up with the alarm. To her surprise, Julie didn't seem to mind. As a matter of fact, she told them to take their time. She and Tommy were enjoying themselves, and Jessie and Stephanie should just show up when they were ready. She would have dinner ready for them later.

"Was your mom okay with us being a little late?" Stephanie asked when Jessie hung up the phone.

"Yeah," she answered, a bewildered expression on her face. "No snide comments, no smart remarks, nothing." She looked at the redhead. "Do you think she could be sick?"

Stephanie laughed. Jessie was perpetually irritated by her mother's constant guilt trips and snide comments about the way she lived her life. "Maybe she just likes spending time with Tommy?" She reached over and tucked the dark hair behind an ear. "Or…maybe she just wants to give us some alone time?"

"Mmm, alone time sounds good to me," Jessie said, rolling over and wrapping Stephanie in her arms.

"Jessie…we just spent all night having some 'alone time.' Aren't you tired?" Stephanie asked, enjoying the chance to lie around regardless of what she said. Sometimes Jessie was just insatiable, and she wondered where the brunette got the energy.

Jessie shrugged. "I got some rest. Besides, we haven't had that much 'alone time' this past week. Not that I mind…I've enjoyed having Tommy here, Steph. I'm really glad you brought him. I've just missed…you know…the chance to get all loud and crazy whenever we want."

Stephanie rolled her eyes and laughed at Jessie's description of their lovemaking. "When have we ever gotten all 'loud and crazy,' Jess?"

"Uh, hellooo…That night your mom heard us?" Jessie said, raising an eyebrow, and knowing that Stephanie was still a little embarrassed that her mother had heard them.

The redhead play slapped at her arm. "Thanks for the reminder, Jess."

Jessie kissed her on the temple. "Anytime I can be of assistance, Love."

"You're nuts," Stephanie said, returning the kiss.

"Mmm, but you like it," Jessie said, rolling over until she was on top of the redhead.

"Shut up and kiss me, Jess," Stephanie said, wrapping her hands in the dark hair and pulling Jessie down into a slow, lingering kiss. Within minutes, all thoughts of getting up for the day had disappeared…Replaced by long, slow kisses, moans and gasps of pleasure.

They finally managed to make it to Julie's by three. When they arrived, Tommy talked Jessie into a game of 'Assassin's Creed II' on the Xbox 360. Stephanie, shaking her head at the two, (really, Jessie was just like a child, sometimes), offered to help Julie with dinner. By the time dinner was on the table, Jessie and Tommy were so deep into their game that Stephanie had to threaten to turn off the game system, in order to get them to the table.

Once dinner was over, Jessie did manage to act enough like an adult to help clean up the kitchen with Stephanie. When all the dishes were washed and put away, they walked back out to the living room, where Julie and Tommy were waiting for them. Tommy wanted to watch a movie, and Julie had agreed. Apparently, Jessie thought, her mother must be under the influence of some strange creature, because she seemed not only happy, but easy to get along with. They'd been there for hours now, and not one snide comment or smart remark had fallen out of her mother's mouth. It was so strange.

They all agreed to let Tommy pick the movie, and Jessie couldn't contain her delight when he chose "Shrek." She absolutely loved the Gingerbread Man…he was so funny. And…more than that…she loved to drive Stephanie crazy repeating the line, 'Not my cute little gumdrop buttons,' over and over again in a silly voice and tickling her. It cracked her up every time she did it. Tommy, listening to her repeat it, started laughing too, and pretty soon, all of them were holding their sides.

By the time the movie finished, it was almost ten. Jessie stood up and stretched, and then said, "Well, it's getting late and we still need to get some packing done."

"What time does your plane leave tomorrow?" Julie asked.

"Noon," Jessie answered. "We need to be at the airport by ten, to get through security, though."

"Well, I'll let you all go, then,"Julie said, standing up. "I have something for Tommy before you leave, though." She left the room and came back a moment later, a rather large size package wrapped in brightly colored paper in hand. She handed it to him. "Here you go, Tommy. This is for Christmas. I hope you like it."

"Can I open it, now?" the boy asked them all excitedly, eyes wide as he accepted the package from Julie.

Stephanie shrugged. "Sure Tommy, it's okay with me."

He started ripping the paper off, setting it to the side. Opening the box, he was so excited when he saw the contents. Inside the box, Julie had placed the entire DVD series of 'Avatar, the Last Airbender,' the movie of the same title, and a t-shirt with a picture of Bruce Lee on the front. When he saw what she'd gotten him, he practically yelled with delight. Flinging himself at Julie, he hugged her tight. "Thanks, Grandma Julie! I love this show! And Bruce Lee's my favorite, too!"

Julie laughed and hugged him back. "You're very welcome, Tommy. You take care of your Mom Linda, Momma Kate, and Momma Steph now, okay? I'll see you again in a few months."

"I will, Grandma Julie," the boy said, letting her go. "I can't wait to come back."

Jessie, watching the scene, rolled her eyes and shook her head in amazement. How did her mother even know what to get him? For that matter, why did she feel like she needed to? It was really nice of her to do it, but Tommy wasn't her grandson. Inordinately proud of her mother at that moment, Jessie cleared her throat, "Well, we should probably get going."

Stephanie agreed, standing up from the couch where she'd been watching Tommy unwrap his gift. "We should get going. I have a lot to get packed before tomorrow morning. Julie, thank you so much for watching Tommy for us. And for…everything else."

Julie smiled at the redhead and pulled her into a hug. "You're very welcome, Dear. It's been my pleasure hanging out with Tommy. I mean it, by the way, when I tell you to bring him anytime."

Jessie hugged her next. "Thanks Mom, for everything. We appreciate it."

"Anytime, Jessie. I'm just glad I could give you two some time to yourselves," she said, hugging her daughter. "I remember what it was like trying to have some adult time with kids in the house."

Jessie had the good grace to blush at the statement. "We really enjoyed it, Mom. Thanks again."

Later that evening, after making sure their bags were packed for their morning flight, Jessie went downstairs to work in the studio for a while. Since she was going to be gone for the next few weeks, she thought it might be a good idea to get as many songs ready to be mixed as she could. There was no real deadline for the band's CD but, considering her plans, she wanted their next CD ready to roll as soon as possible.

An hour later, Stephanie stepped into the studio quietly, trying not to disturb Jessie while she was working. The brunette must have seen her out of the corner of her eye though, because she hit the 'Stop' button on the mixing board right away. When she turned and looked at Stephanie, taking off her headphones, Stephanie immediately began apologizing. "I'm sorry, Jess. I wasn't trying to interrupt you. I just…like watching you work."

Jessie shrugged and smiled. "You didn't." She reached out and caught Steph's hand with her own and pulled the redhead to her. "Tommy finally asleep?"

Stephanie smiled. "Yeah. He had a really good time with your mom." She ran her hand through Jessie's hair, enjoying the feeling of it flowing through her fingers. "We've both had a really good time this week."

Jessie wrapped her arms around the slim waist, pulling the other woman down into her lap. "Good…because I've really enjoyed having you both here," she said, kissing her.

"Maybe we could make it a regular thing? What I mean is," Stephanie said when she saw the look of confusion on the brunette's face, "Maybe I could bring Tommy with me once in a while. It would give Linda and Kate a chance to have some 'adult time,' if he's with me."

Jessie smiled and rested her chin on Steph's shoulder. "I think that would be great, Babe." Nuzzling the redhead's ear, she whispered, "Right now, I'd like a little 'adult time,' if ya know what I mean?"

"Oh, I know what you mean, all right," the redhead replied. "I'm just not so sure we should do that with Tommy right upstairs. He doesn't need to hear us, too."

Jessie shook her head, laughing. She remembered all too well the night that Steph's mother had heard them having sex upstairs in the bedroom. She wasn't exactly excited about a repeat performance of that embarrassment, either. "We can use the studio? It is soundproof, you know."

"And what if he wakes up and starts looking for us?" She looked at Jessie out of the corner of one eye.

Jessie shrugged. "I can set up a mic so that we'd hear him, if you like?"

"You can do that?"

"I can do anything," Jessie said, knowing that she'd already roped Steph in. Besides, Tommy had slept through the night every night since he'd arrived, except the first one. The chances that he'd wake up and come looking for either one of them was slim to none.

Stephanie appeared to waver for a moment, before finally giving in. "All right, Jess. But I swear…if he wakes up…" She really wanted to feel Jessie's body moving against hers right now. God, how she wanted it.

"I promise you. He'll never know what we're doing down here, Sweetheart." Jessie leaned in and captured those perfect lips with her own. Within minutes, she had unbuttoned Steph's blouse and her hand had found its way inside, massaging one perfect breast.

They never quite managed to move into the studio itself before they got started. Stephanie, unable to wait any longer, stood up and shut the door to the recording booth. Then, lighting a candle, she flipped out the lights. Dropping her shirt to the floor as she stepped back over to the brunette, she straddled Jessie as she sat in the office chair, knees on either side of her. Drawing her into a searing kiss, she pulled the brunette's t-shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor when she finally released her.

Backing away slightly, Stephanie stared down into Jessie's eyes for long minutes. Nothing in her life had ever prepared her for what she felt every time she looked into those baby blues. Wrapping her hands in the long dark hair, she pulled Jessie to her again and rested her chin on top of her head. The feel of the brunette's breath leaving hot trails on her chest was intoxicating. Biting her lower lip, she was beginning to have a hard time breathing, and smiled when Jessie slowly slid her hands up to unsnap her bra.

When Jessie began sliding the straps of her bra down her arms, Stephanie backed up a little so that she could watch. She loved watching Jessie looking at her. The raw need and desire she saw on the brunette's face turned her on more than she'd ever been turned on in her life. When Jessie succeeded in removing her bra, she tossed it to the side and buried her face in Stephanie's chest. She pulled Jessie as close as she could. "God, Jess…I love you, Baby. Please…please…I know you don't care for the term, but would you please…Fuck me tonight? I'm in the mood for something a little more…shall we say…adventurous?"

Hearing the request, Jessie almost faltered. Steph was correct. She hated the term 'fuck.' Hearing it in a situation like this always brought back bad memories for her, and yet…Wasn't that what she'd been doing for the last few years? Fucking everyone who would fall into bed with her? She could dress it up all she wanted by calling it 'sex,' but the bottom line was, she was just fucking. No one she'd been to bed with since Bobby left had meant anything to her. Well…maybe Alex did. They were friends, after all. Still…at the end of the day, they were just fuck buddies. And…truth be told, Bobby was a loser. He always had been, she'd just never felt like she deserved better back then. He hadn't loved her, and she knew now that she hadn't loved him, either. How could she possibly have confused what she'd had with Bobby for love? After their trip to Greece, she and Steph were closer than ever. She never could have opened up and talked to him the way she had with Steph. Plain and simply put…Stephanie knew every part of her.

Now, sitting here with her face buried in Stephanie's chest…those strong, supple arms holding her tight…It was all she could do not to break down and cry. She had told Steph once that she could never 'fuck her.' She could never do anything less than make love to her. And yet…the love that Stephanie felt for her was so strong. She could literally feel how much Stephanie loved her every time the redhead whispered her name. When that word fell from Stephanie's lips, the connotation wasn't crude or foul, the way Jessie had always come to think of it in the past. When Stephanie said it, it was one of the sexiest things she'd ever heard and she couldn't deny Steph anything.

So, shoving the ghosts of her past out of her mind, she took one perfect breast into her mouth and bit down. She didn't bite hard…Just hard enough to cause Steph to hiss from the combination of pleasure and pain. Then, before the redhead had time to recover, she covered the breast in tiny kisses. "Anything you want, Steph. All you have to do is ask, and it's yours," she whispered breathlessly between kisses. When Steph didn't answer, simply guided her mouth toward her other breast, she smirked.

Scratching her nails down Stephanie's back, Jessie moaned when the redhead arched into her mouth. Keeping one hand on Steph's back, she slid the other one around and began unbuttoning her lovers' jeans. Deftly sliding the button through the buttonhole, she unzipped them without any problem.

Stephanie, still on her knees straddling her, shifted so that Jessie would have better access. When Jessie slid one hand into her jeans and began rubbing her through her panties, she groaned out loud. "Oh God, Jess…!" A moment later, she groaned in protest when the brunette suddenly removed her hand and planted both hands on her butt.

Smiling at Stephanie's frustration, Jessie stood up, lifting Stephanie with her easily. The redhead may have been an inch taller, but she was still very slim and easy for Jessie to pick up. Having moved her mouth from Steph's breast to her gorgeous lips, Jessie continued to kiss her even as she brought them to the door of the studio. She didn't stop until Stephanie's back was placed firmly against the door, her legs wrapped tightly around Jessie's waist. Leaning in to take control of Stephanie's mouth once more, Jessie kissed her hard. When she let the redhead up for air, she smiled dangerously. "I love you, Steph. You know you can trust me, right?" she asked, looking directly into the green eyes, dark with desire and need.

Stephanie nodded, her gaze never faltering. "Of course I trust you, Jess. I love you, too." She knew she was asking a lot of the other woman. Jessie had never told her why she didn't care for the term 'fuck,' but she was sure that it had to do with Bobby and the way he had treated her. For that reason, she made damn sure that Jessie knew how much she loved and trusted her. No matter what Jess did, Stephanie trusted the brunette not to hurt her. Therefore, she was confused by Jessie's next move.

"Let go of me, Steph. I want you to wait here and I'll be right back," Jessie said, releasing the redhead when she unwrapped her legs from Jessie's waist and stood up. Jessie kissed her gently on the mouth. "Trust me, I'll only be a minute."

Stephanie nodded silently, watching as Jessie left the studio. Within two minutes the brunette had returned as promised. Noticing the items in the brunette's hand when she returned, Stephanie felt her eyebrows rise toward her hairline. They had joked about tying each other up when they were in Greece, but Stephanie had never figured Jessie would actually do it. Now, seeing the bandana and scarf in Jessie's hand, she wasn't so sure.

Jessie watched Stephanie's face carefully as she stepped back into the studio and closed the door behind her. She was quite aware of the fact the her lover had almost been raped only months before. Bearing that in mind, she approached Stephanie carefully, setting the scarf and bandana on the work table behind the redhead for the moment. "Steph…if anything makes you uncomfortable, please tell me. I don't want to scare you or…hurt you."

Stephanie felt her mouth go dry. Never taking her eyes off Jessie, she said quietly, "Jess…I trust you completely, Baby. I swear, if anything you do scares me I'll tell you right away."

"Then you're okay with this?"She picked up the scarf and caught one of Stephanie's hands, slowly wrapping the scarf around the wrist. "I don't want to bring back any bad memories for you."

"You won't, Sweetheart. I want this," Stephanie answered breathlessly, holding her hands out for Jessie to do with as she pleased. As she waited for Jessie to tie her hands together, she realized that she did, indeed, want this. She'd never been tied up before, but she had always wanted to try it. After Bob, well…she wasn't so sure. Still…with Jessie, she felt safe and loved. It would be okay.

Jessie leaned in and kissed her slowly. "I love you," she whispered, as she carefully moved both of Steph's arms behind her back, tying them together. Then, satisfied that the redhead couldn't break free too easily, she grabbed the bandana. Kissing Stephanie again, she wrapped the bandana around her eyes and tied it so that she couldn't see. Now blindfolded and hands tied behind her back, Jessie led the redhead into the recording booth. Shutting the door behind them, Jessie stopped and stared at Stephanie for a moment. She marveled at the fact that Steph trusted her so much and felt an unwanted tear slip from her eye. Blinking rapidly, she wiped at her eyes and then reached over to trail her hand lightly over Steph's belly. When the redhead quivered at her touch, she slowly slid her hands down her hips, taking the jeans and panties with them.

"Step forward, Baby," Jessie said, holding onto Steph's arm as the redhead followed her directions, stepping out of the jeans and underwear. "Now, I want you to sit down."

Stephanie took two steps backward with Jessie's help and sat down, expecting a cold metal chair. Instead, she was pleasantly surprised to feel soft material under her. Jessie had apparently moved an upholstered chair into the small room since she'd been here last. Then, Jessie was on her knees between her legs, pushing her back to recline in the chair.

"Spread your legs, Steph," Jessie said, pushing the redhead's legs open wide as she spoke. Turning, she ran her tongue from Steph's left knee up the inside of her thigh and back down to her knee again. Repeating the process on the other leg, she grinned when the other woman thrust her hips forward. "Not yet, Baby. I want you wet and begging for it," she said, looking up at Stephanie, who was biting her lower lip and panting.

Hands on the redhead's hips, Jessie leaned forward and began placing tiny kisses on Stephanie's stomach. The truth was, the redhead was already so wet, she was practically dripping. In order to prolong this for as long as she could, Jessie moved away from where she knew Steph wanted her. Instead, she spent copious amounts of time rubbing her own breasts against Steph's body and sucking the redhead's breasts into her mouth and swirling her tongue around her nipples until it seemed Steph would hyperventilate. Then, when it seemed like Stephanie couldn't take any more, Jessie began alternately kissing and biting her neck.

Under her hands, Stephanie was writhing in the chair, moaning and begging Jessie to just finish her. When she noticed the stomach muscles quivering, Jessie slid down onto her knees between Steph's legs again. Again, she licked from the redhead's right knee up to the neatly trimmed patch of hair between her legs. Then, she repeated the process with the left leg. This time, when she reached Steph's center, she slid a finger inside and Stephanie's hips bucked forward.

Practically crying, and unable to take anymore, Stephanie was begging for Jessie to finish her. When the brunette finally slid one finger inside, she couldn't hold back any longer. "Jessie, please! Please, Jess…more. More, Baby." Jessie complied, sliding another finger into her. This time however, she added her tongue into the mix and Stephanie moaned loudly. Writhing uncontrollably as Jessie continued to thrust in and out, Stephanie felt her muscles contracting and she came hard when Jess finally clamped down on the bundle of nerves at her center with her mouth.

Jessie stayed put, loving Stephanie with every ounce of her being until the redhead was completely worn out. When Steph finally stopped jerking spasmodically and started to breathe a little easier, Jessie reached up and pulled her forward into her arms. Holding her tight, she used one hand to untie the scarf binding her hands together. Then, she pulled Stephanie out of the chair and onto the floor so that she could hold her.

Stephanie fell into Jessie's arms, exhausted and totally satiated. She had never experienced anything like that before. When Jessie pulled the bandana off her eyes, she wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and pulled her into a searing kiss. "Thank you, Jess. My God…That was…My God, that was good, Baby. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Sweetheart." Jessie swept the long strawberry blond hair back behind one ear and kissed Stephanie again, holding her tight.

Hours later, they were lying on a blanket on the floor of the studio. Stephanie, completely full of Jessie's love and pleasantly sore, was playing with Jessie's hair. When the brunette took in a deep breath and sighed, she looked directly into the blue eyes. "Are you okay, Jess?"

"I'm fine, Steph," the brunette answered, smiling. "I'm ecstatic, in fact. Nothing makes me happier than being with you, Sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too, Jess." She sat up slightly and looked at the clock on the desk. Cringing slightly, she said, "Geez…we've been down here for a while. We should probably head upstairs…Just in case Tommy wakes up."

Jessie smiled and caressed her cheek with one hand. Nodding, she said, "Okay, but we should probably pull our clothes on first, though."

Stephanie looked down at both of them, naked as the day they were born, and laughed. "You're probably right. I don't want to traumatize him by walking through the house naked."

"I doubt you'd traumatize him, Steph. But it would certainly cause him to set the standard pretty high when it came to finding a woman for himself as beautiful as you." She leaned over and kissed the redhead passionately. "You're the most gorgeous, sexy woman I've ever met. I love you so much."

"And you've got to be the most silver-tongued woman I've ever met," Stephanie said, rolling her eyes and returning the kiss. "But I love you for it. Before we go though, I wanted to make sure that you're okay with this."

"This?" Jessie asked, slightly confused.

Stephanie reached over and tucked a lock of dark hair behind Jessie's ear. "Jess, I know you don't care for the term 'fuck.' I don't know why, and I won't ask. You don't need to explain anything to me. I just don't want to push you into doing something that makes you uncomfortable. Promise me that you'll tell me if I ever ask for more than you can give?"

"Steph…" Jessie shook her head and kissed the redhead tenderly. "There is nothing that you could ask for that I wouldn't give you, or die trying to, anyway. What happened between us tonight…what we did…that was beautiful, Baby. I…Thank you, for trusting me."

"Jess…I've always trusted you. I know you would never do anything to hurt me."

"Logically, I know that. But…" she was struggling to find the right words to explain how she felt. Why was it so hard? Taking a deep breath, she finally said quietly, "You let me blindfold you and tie you up. After what Bob did to you…Well…that couldn't have been easy for you."

Stephanie smiled. "What Bob did is in the past, Sweetheart. To be honest, I don't even think about that any more. And…It was you, that helped me through that. The way you held me and made love to me that night…" She fell silent, watching the brunette lying next to her. Chewing on her lower lip briefly, she finally asked, "Jess…you umm…you wouldn't think less of me if I told you that I really, really enjoyed what we did tonight, would you?"

Jessie sat up and looked at her lover. With a slightly confused look on her face, she answered her as honestly as she could. "I could never think less of you, Steph. My God…" Her face flushing a bit in embarrassment, she went on. "I was the one who tied you up. If anything, I was kind of worried that you might think I was a little too BDSM for you."

Stephanie laughed at that. When she finally stopped, she sat up and pulled Jessie to her. "Oh Jess, I love you so much. My God…too BDSM? While I'll admit I've never been tied up or blindfolded before…I was so turned on, Baby."

"Well…I'm glad to hear it. Because that was the sexiest thing I've ever experienced in my life," the brunette stated, returning the hug. "Jesus, if you could only see how gorgeous you looked…spread wide and so wet. God, I love you."

"Well," Stephanie said, releasing her and standing up. Holding a hand out, she pulled Jessie off the floor. "Maybe I'll return the favor some time. I love it when I know you're wet and waiting just for me." She laughed again, at the expression of surprise on Jessie's face. She loved surprising the brunette.

Twenty minutes later, they had straightened up the studio, returning the blanket to the guest bedroom and blowing out the candles. Making sure they were dressed, they made their way quietly, hand in hand through the darkened house. Stopping by the living room to check on Tommy, they were reassured to see that he was still asleep. Still holding hands, they made it back to the bedroom. Changing into their usual sleeping attire, they threw back the covers and crawled into bed, falling asleep in each other's arms.

They were only in LA for three days, when Linda called. Kate's mother was doing better, and they were planning on arriving in LA on Friday, the 9^th. "Would it be okay with you Steph, if we came by and picked Tommy up on the way home from the airport?"

"Sure, Linda," Stephanie answered. "My place is on the way, so it would be easier for you. Unless, of course, you'd like to have some time together before you pick him up. Jessie and I wouldn't mind if he stays another night. We could bring him home on Saturday, if you want?"

Linda thought about it for a minute, before answering. "That's okay, Steph. Thanks anyway, but we both miss him. It's been almost three weeks already, and we don't want to take advantage."

Stephanie accepted her answer easily. "Okay well, we'll be expecting you and Kate on Friday, then. We'll have dinner ready when you get here, so you don't have to eat out."

Linda sighed with relief. "Thanks, Steph. You think of everything."

"Would you like to talk to Tommy?"

"Yeah, if he's not too busy,"Linda answered. They'd actually talked to him every day since they'd left for Texas, but she and Kate still missed him terribly.

"I'll get him for you. He's out back with Jessie…having a karate lesson,"Stephanie said, heading out the back door onto the deck. When Tommy arrived to take the phone from her, she said goodbye to Linda and let him take over the phone.

Jessie had come up on the deck too, grabbing her water bottle and taking a drink. "They on their way home?"

Stephanie nodded, a little sad at the realization that her time with Tommy was almost over. "Yeah. Kate's mom is doing better. She's home from the hospital now, and her dad's able to take care of her on his own. Kate managed to convince him that they could use the help of a home health care nurse to make things easier, though."

"Good idea," Jessie said, taking a seat in one of the padded deck chairs. "I'm glad she's doing better."

"Yeah," the redhead agreed, though it sounded only half-hearted to Jessie's ears.

"Steph," Jessie said, getting her attention. "He's had a great time with us. You'll get to see him again soon."

"I know," she smiled at the brunette, trying to cheer her up. "I've just…really enjoyed this. I never knew I'd like being a mother so much. And you've been so good with him…"

"Well…we can always have our own, you know?" Jessie said, reaching out and taking hold of her hand.

"I know…" Stephanie trailed off, chewing at her lower lip. "I just…well, I don't think now would be a good time." She really didn't feel like getting into a discussion about the two completely different lives they were leading. Everything was great right now, but after the holidays, they'd both go back to work and they wouldn't see much of each other again. She loved Jessie more than anything, but as long as they were living apart, there was no way she could think about having kids together.

"Mmm," Jessie said noncommittally, nodding. "Because of our schedules." It was a statement, not a question. Jessie knew what Steph meant. She also knew that Stephanie wasn't trying to push her for anything else. She still felt like crap though, for not moving as quickly as Steph would like. Still…she had a feeling that things were going to change real soon. Shaking off her mood before it got too dark, she stood up. "Come on, Steph. Let's go inside and get started on dinner."

The next two weeks were spent in a dizzying flurry of activity for both women. Jessie had rented a car when they arrived in LA so that she could run her own errands without borrowing Stephanie's. In between, they had spent time shopping for Christmas gifts for Jessie's family, which they would be stopping in Ohio to see on the way to New York. Then, there were the parties they'd been invited to.

Stephanie's co-workers had invited them to no less than four different parties over the next two weeks. It had taken some really 'creative scheduling' to squeeze them in, but somehow they'd managed. There was also the matter of celebrating the holiday with JD. He had insisted on seeing them before the holiday, and they'd made sure to fit him in, as well.

There was one party in particular that Stephanie wanted to get to, and they made sure to make that one a priority. One of the first movies she'd been in had been produced by David Metcalf, and they had become good friends during the shoot. So when he sent an invitation to his Christmas party, she couldn't think of any reason why she would miss it. She'd actually been thinking of him a lot in the past few months, and missed him. Explaining it to Jessie, the brunette had agreed and told her they'd make that party the first on their list. She had smiled then, at Jessie's understanding and kissed her for good measure.

They pulled up to the producers' house in the Hollywood foothills and Jessie left the keys to Stephanie's Lexus with the valet attendant parking the cars. The actress led Jessie into the party holding her hand. She was nervous, though she wasn't sure why, and she knew Jessie could feel her hand shaking as they walked through the door. David's house was huge, and he had apparently invited everyone involved with his latest movie to the party. From the director, actors and actresses, down to the bands on the soundtrack and the production crew. Everyone was there. There was barely room to maneuver, as she led the brunette over to the open bar to get drinks.

Jessie placed their drink order with the bartender and watched Stephanie as they waited. She heard someone call Steph's name, and turned to see David Metcalf walking towards them, his arms outstretched.

David Metcalf pulled Stephanie into a hug when he got close enough and kissed her on each cheek for good measure. "Stephanie! I'm so glad you could make it!"

"Merry Christmas, David!" she replied, returning the greeting. "It's been a while."

"It has," he agreed. "So, how are things? I've been hearing a lot about you, recently."

She caught Jessie's hand and pulled her close. "Things are great. I'm sure you've heard the news?"

"That you're gay and dating…Jessie, isn't it?" he said, stretching a hand out in greeting to the brunette.

Stephanie nodded. "Yeah."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Metcalf," Jessie said, shaking his hand firmly.

"It's David. And I'm very glad to meet you, Jessie. Stephanie and I go way back and I'm glad to see she's finally decided to be herself. And, she's found someone who makes her happy."

"Well thanks, David," Jessie said in reply. "I'm glad I make her happy, too. She's the best thing to ever come into my life, that's for sure." She smiled at the redhead and then added, "I wanted to tell you that I really enjoy your work, by the way. Your last movie was fantastic!"

David grinned. "Thanks, Jessie! Hey, why don't you two come on out to the patio and we can talk. Stephanie…I might have some work lined up for you, if you're interested?"

She nodded. "Let's talk," she said, catching Jessie's hand and following him toward the patio, drinks in hand.

The patio was crowded too, but it wasn't quite as loud as inside the house, making it easier for them to hear each other. Grabbing some chairs, David waited until both women were seated before taking his own seat. "So…you finally came out to the world, Steph? I never thought you would."

The redhead shrugged. "I got tired of living behind lies. Well…that, and the fact that I wasn't about to ask Jessie to live in the closet with me."

He nodded sagely. "A wise decision. It's tiring, pretending all the time."

Jessie looked at him a little more closely as she listened to their conversation. She hadn't realized that he was gay. Truth be told, she'd never thought about it before. "You sound like you know," she said to him, taking a drink of her Vodka.

"It was a long time before I finally quit trying to hide who I am. As a matter of fact," he took a drink from his own glass. "I tried to encourage Stephanie years ago to come out. She just wouldn't be convinced." He smiled at both of them.

"It wasn't the right time, David. You know Joanie would have killed me if I'd done that,"Stephanie said, rolling her eyes. This was an old conversation for them.

"I know. But she never appreciated how hard it is to live a lie. But it looks like she finally gave in…or did you finally fire her?" He had never cared for the overbearing woman, but he did agree that she was good at her job.

"She's still my agent. We just…came to an understanding…" Stephanie said mysteriously.

"I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that conversation," he said, setting his drink down.

"So…you said something about some work?" Stephanie said, changing the subject as smoothly as possible. She really didn't feel like talking about Joanie tonight.

"I did," David agreed, nodding. "Actually, it's a lead part…Something I'm working on for Sundance next year."

Stephanie's brow rose a little. "Sundance? Really?"

"Yeah, like I said, it's a lead role. Nothing that will win you an Oscar or anything, but I think you'll like it."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. She never expected to win any big awards, so it didn't really matter. She just wanted to work. "What's the part?" the redhead asked, curious.

"A musician. The character's name is Casey, and she's an up and coming rock singer. She has a troubled background…bad relationships, drugs, alcohol…you name it, and she's probably done it. The movie's about her journey to redemption through her music." He stopped and waited for her reaction.

Stephanie didn't need to think too long, about the offer. She'd never portrayed a musician before. But she could certainly understand the character. She looked over at Jessie, who was still sitting next to her, silently watching them and drinking her Vodka. A slight tilt of Jessie's head was all she needed to see, and a slow smile spread across her face. "I'd love to do it, David. Thanks for thinking of me."

"My pleasure, Steph." He looked at Jessie. "I've heard through the grapevine that you're a singer in a band as well as a lawyer, Jessie. Is that true?"

"It is," Jessie answered, nodding.

"I'd like to hear your stuff, sometime. I'm looking for a rockin' soundtrack for this movie. Maybe we could get together and I could give your stuff a listen?"

"I'd love to, David. Thanks!"Jessie said enthusiastically. She could hardly believe this was coincidence, but she'd take it. What kind of fool would turn down an opportunity like this? "How about we set something up for after Christmas? I can clear my schedule for a meeting."

Before David could respond, a tall Latina woman in her mid fifties walked up to them. "Stephanie? Stephanie Winters? It is you!"

Stephanie stifled a groan when she realized who was talking to her. Lydia Sanchez had been a pain in her butt ever since she'd made the mistake of going on one date with her years ago. Plastering on a fake smile, she turned and looked at the woman. "Lydia, it's nice to see you again."

"Oh, you don't have to be so nice, Stephanie. We both know you'd rather not run into me,"the woman said, pulling up a chair and inviting herself to sit down with them.

"As long as we both know where we stand with each other Lydia, I'm fine running into you," Stephanie replied, taking a long drink from her glass. Why did she have to see Lydia now?

The brunette's attention turned to Jessie then, smiling at her broadly. Sticking out her hand, she introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Lydia Sanchez, and you are…?"

Jessie had known right away that Steph didn't like the brunette who barged in on their conversation. The redhead was gritting her teeth and clenching and unclenching her fist as she talked to the woman. But in the interest of not causing a scene, she smiled and said, "Jessica Drake."

"Ooh, Stephanie's newest conquest. It's so nice to meet you." She looked over at Stephanie to gauge her reaction as she said, "You know…when you get tired of white bread, you should try something a little darker, and perhaps spicier. I can guarantee you'll never get cold out there in…where is it, again? Ohio?"

Jessie tried not to be rude or sarcastic, she really did. But…really? This woman had some nerve, hitting on her with Stephanie sitting right there. Before she said anything, Jessie took her time formulating her response to the proposition. Finally, after taking a deep breath, she said, "That's a truly interesting offer, Lydia. However, I'm afraid I'll have to decline. I tend to like my bread white and a little less stale and…unfortunately, spicy things tend to give me heartburn. And…just so you know? I've got someone hot to keep me warm, thanks."

The look on Lydia's face was priceless as she processed Jessie's reply. No one had ever turned her down before, and she was decidedly stunned. Mustering some manners from somewhere, she managed to remain polite, however. "Well…if you ever get bored," she gave Stephanie a scathing look, "give me a call. A little heartburn never killed anybody." She got up then and left the table rather hurriedly, not bothering to look back.

David, who had been sitting back watching the exchange quietly, whistled when Lydia stalked off. Shaking his head, he said, "Jesus, Jessie! I've never seen anyone shut her up so fast!"

Jessie grinned and shrugged. "I don't like people who try to mess with me or someone I care about. If she hadn't known Steph and I were together, I could forgive her for hitting on me. But she knew and she did it anyway."

"You've probably made an enemy,"the producer warned her.

"I couldn't care less. I've got all I need right here," she said, catching Steph's hand and kissing the back of it lightly.

Stephanie blushed at the compliment and squeezed the brunette's hand. "Thanks, Jess. But David's right. Lydia won't take being turned down very well."

"Would you have preferred I took her up on the offer?"she asked, teasing the redhead.

Stephanie pretended to think about the question for a minute before answering. "Uhh, no?"

Jessie smirked. "I didn't think so."

Stephanie play slapped at her arm and leaned into her. 'You're nuts."

"Just the way you like it." She turned back to David. "So, since we were so rudely interrupted…any ideas on a date to get together?"

David shook his head and laughed. "I'm thinking some time in February would be good. The deadline for re-writes on the script is the end of January, and I need to go over it first. I'll forward a copy to each of you as soon as I've got the rough draft."

"Sweet! I'll go over it and start working on ideas," Jessie said. She handed the producer a business card for the band. "Here's my card. We have clips of our originals and videos of our live performances on our website. If you have any questions between now and our meeting, you can call or e-mail."

"That'll be great, Jessie!"He accepted the card and tucked it in his wallet. Standing up, he said, "Well, I've monopolized enough of your time, and I should get back to the party. Thanks, both of you, and I'll be talking to you soon."

"Bye, David. We'll see you later," Stephanie said as he left to mingle with the other guests. She leaned back in her chair and looked at Jessie. "So…what do you think?"

"About what?" the brunette asked, smirking at her. "The job offer or Lydia?"

"Oh, Good Lord, Jessie! The job offer, of course!"Stephanie answered, rolling her eyes at the other woman.

Jessie laughed at her reaction. "I think it sounds great. It could be a great opportunity. So, is he good for the work?"

Stephanie shrugged. "He's always been good to me, Jess. David's a good friend. As a matter of fact, he's one of the few that I've trusted over the years with my personal life."

"That's good enough for me, then."

The redhead stood up and extended her hand. "Come on, Jess. Let's get another drink and mingle for a while. There are a few other people here that I'd like for you to meet."

Jessie took her hand and allowed Stephanie to lead her back into the heart of the party. For the next three hours, they shook hands, mingled, and smiled so much the brunette thought her face might be frozen. In the end, Stephanie managed to drag her out onto the dance floor, and they spent a considerable amount of time staring into each other's eyes. To make the evening even better, Steph saved the day by kissing her long and soulfully while they danced. She relaxed immediately, not realizing until that moment how tense she'd been.

"You all right, Jess?" Stephanie asked, both arms wrapped around Jessie's neck loosely.

They swayed to the music as the brunette answered, quietly. "I'm fantastic, now that you've kissed me. You're touch is like magic to my soul, Sweetheart."

"Mmm, I love hearing that, Baby." She nuzzled the brunette's neck and kissed her ear before whispering, "Take me home, Jess. I'm in the mood for making some real magic tonight."

"Anything you want, my love," Jessie responded, licking her lips at the sensation of Stephanie's breath on her skin. When the song ended, she took the redhead's hand and led her toward the door. Stopping to say goodbye to David, they both thanked him again for the invitation to the party and his other offer.

When they stepped outside, Jessie handed the ticket to the valet driver and waited while the young man brought Stephanie's Lexus around. He handed the keys to Jessie, and she opened the door for Stephanie, waiting until the redhead was seated before shutting the door. The ride back to the house was uneventful, and Jessie pulled the car into the garage and waited for the door to go down before getting out. Stepping around to the passenger side, she opened the door and held out a hand for Stephanie.

As Jessie drove them back to the house, Stephanie relaxed in the passenger seat, watching the brunette silently She'd had quite a bit to drink, and was feeling pretty good. As a matter of fact, the last time she drank this much, Jessie had driven her home then, too. She closed her eyes, remembering: It was the first time she'd seen Jessie sing. Theresa had invited her to the bar, and when Jessie strutted out onto the stage, Stephanie knew then and there that she was in love. The brunette had been so different than the woman she'd been working with in the law office the last two weeks, she couldn't believe the difference. Then, when Jessie invited her to the party later that night…she was overjoyed.

She'd drank more than necessary at the party, and Jessie had chivalrously escorted her up to her hotel room, making sure that she was safe. By the end of the evening, Stephanie had managed to embarrass herself by coming on too strong. Jessie really didn't seem too put out about it, though. When Stephanie woke up the next morning, she found that she was draped across the brunette, wearing nothing more than a t-shirt and her black silk panties. Wrapped tightly in Jessie's arms, she'd known then that she'd found what she wanted for the rest of her life. Now, months later, she closed her eyes and thanked God that Jessie was here with her.

The next week found them cramming in errands of all kinds. In between shopping trips and working out, Stephanie had decided to throw a small dinner party for a few of her closest friends. So, after spending the early hours of Wednesday morning at the outdoor market buying fresh fish and vegetables, Stephanie got busy in the kitchen.

Up until that moment, Jessie hadn't realized what a fantastic cook Stephanie actually was. Over the last few months, they had taken turns cooking dinner for each other, but those meals had been simple ones. They each enjoyed simple things like salads and easy to prepare meals. So, when Stephanie took to the kitchen and began preparing a gourmet meal, Jessie was stunned, to say the least.

When she asked the redhead about it, Stephanie simply shrugged and said, "I've spent a lot of my down time hanging out with some friends who are chefs. They've taught me quite a bit about cooking and eating healthy. Besides, I love to eat. I guess I just figured that if I was going to eat, it should be healthy for me. I do need to keep my figure, ya know."

Jessie stepped closer and pulled the redhead into her arms. "Your 'figure' looks great to me, Steph. So…why didn't you ever mention that you could cook before?"

"I don't know. It just never came up, I guess." She kissed the brunette and then pushed out of her arms. "You need to let me go, or dinner's going to burn."

Jessie sighed, but released her lover. "All right, since you put it that way. What are we having, anyway? It smells delicious." She leaned over the stove and sniffed extravagantly.

Stephanie smiled and shook her head at the brunette. "To start, we're having Arugula and Kale salad with eggs, red onion, bacon and avocado. For the main course, I'm preparing Blackened Mahi Mahi, Jumbo Sea Scallops seared with fresh garlic and capers in a brown butter sauce and steamed asparagus."

"Jesus, that sounds good. Are we having dessert, too?"

"But of course, my love," the redhead said, leaning over the stove to check on the asparagus.

"Well?" Jessie asked impatiently when Stephanie didn't seem ready to elaborate.

The redhead laughed. "I made Chocolate Mousse. I know how much you like chocolate, even though you deny it and don't eat it often."

Jessie's stomach growled at that moment, causing both of them to crack up laughing. Grinning sheepishly at Stephanie when she was finally able to stop laughing, Jessie said, "So…when's everybody getting here? I'm starved."

Stephanie rolled her eyes, but answered. "In about half an hour. Why don't you start setting the table?" She shook her head as the brunette exited the kitchen enthusiastically. Jessie was the only woman she knew who could eat whatever she wanted and not gain a pound.

Dinner had been a total success. For the last five hours Stephanie and her friends had kept Jessie entertained. Story after story had been told about some of the actress' wilder moments on set, and Jessie had laughed until she almost cried. It had been a very enlightening evening for the brunette, who had seen an entirely new side of her lover that evening. By eleven, their guests had departed, and Stephanie locked the front door and set the alarm. Turning around, she leaned against the front door frame. "Whew!"

"Glad it's over?" Jessie asked, watching her from the doorway to the living room.

The redhead nodded. "A little. I love entertaining, but it can be so tiring." She pushed off from the front door, heading for the living room. As she stepped into the room, she gathered up the wine glasses scattered around.

"Here, Sweetheart. Let me help you with these,"Jessie offered, taking half of the glasses out of Steph's hands. Leading the way into the kitchen, Jessie set the glasses down on the counter and began running dish water. As she waited for the sink to fill up, she looked over at Stephanie, who was busily gathering up the dirty dishes.

"Steph, why don't you go on up and get ready for bed? I'll clean up and be there in a few minutes."

"Jess…you don't have to do that," Stephanie replied, not wanting to leave the mess for Jessie to clean up on her own.

The brunette stepped over to the table and wrapped her arms around the other woman from behind. "You cooked, I'll clean up," she whispered into Steph's ear.

Closing her eyes when Jessie's breath wafted across her ear, Stephanie sighed. "Okay, Baby. I am kinda tired."

Jessie kissed her on the temple. "That's my girl." She released Stephanie then, and watched as the redhead left the kitchen. Then, turning her attention back to the kitchen, she took a deep breath and dove in. With a little effort, she could have the mess cleaned up and be upstairs in bed within half an hour.

The rest of the week flew by quickly, and by the time they arrived in Ohio and finally fell into bed at Jessie's house on the 16^th, they were both exhausted. As a matter of fact, they were so tired, that neither of them wanted to do anything but sleep. Theresa, as always, had picked them up at the airport, and they'd stopped on the way to grab some dinner. They both begged her forgiveness though, when they arrived at Jessie's house. They simply couldn't stay awake much longer, and asked if she'd mind just dropping them off.

Theresa didn't mind, of course. She could see how tired they were, and wondered just how long they could keep up this frenetic pace. After saying goodnight, she watched to make sure they made it in the house okay, and Jessie called to tell her they were locked in for the night. She pulled out of the driveway and headed home then. She and Brian had their own small holiday trip to start getting ready for.

Stephanie and Jessie got off the plane at LaGuardia, and stepped into the unloading area. As they made their way through the doorway, Nancy's voice rang out. "Stephanie, Jessie!" She was waving her arms, trying to get their attention. When she got close enough, she grabbed both of them, pulling them into a hug. "I'm so glad you made it! This snow is just awful," Nancy said, releasing them.

Stephanie laughed. "Mom, I swear…you get so excited over the snow. You'd think it never snows here."

"Oh Stephanie, you know I love it," Nancy replied. Turning to Jessie, she said, "Stephanie's always been a big fan of snow, too. Don't let her fool you, Jessie."

Jessie was grinning, watching Nancy hug on her daughter. She was so excited to see them, it was almost comical. "Nancy, it's good to see you again," she smiled at her, hugging her again when the older woman wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh Jessie, we're so glad you could make it," Nancy said. "Bill? Bill, come here and meet Jessie. Jessie Drake, this is Bill, Stephanie's father."

Jessie stuck out a hand in greeting. "It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Winters."

"Mr. Winters? My fathers' not here, is he?" Bill asked turning and looking around behind him.

"Dad," Stephanie whined, rolling her eyes. "Don't mess with Jessie until she's been here a while. Please?"

Bill laughed, shaking Jessie's hand. To Stephanie, he said, "Relax, Honey." Then, turning to Jessie, he said, "Jessie, you can call me Bill. Someone says Mr. Winters, and I look for my father. Come on. Let's get you two out of here."

Jessie laughed easily. "I know how it is. My dad doesn't like being called 'Mr. Drake,' either."

As he led the way to the baggage claim, Nancy chatted about everything from the weather to what she was making for Christmas dinner. Finally, bags loaded in the back of the car, they headed toward home. It had been snowing for days in New York, and yet Jessie was amazed to find that the roads were still fairly passable. It was a huge change from the way things were at home. When it snowed there, even if it was only an inch, the roads might be impassable for a day or two before they got cleared, depending on where you lived.

Still, they made good time, and arrived at the house within an hour. As they pulled up, Jessie smiled when she saw the house for the first time. Stephanie had grown up in a nice, upper middle class neighborhood. The house was a two story brick, with four bedrooms and a finished basement. Painted white with black shutters and decorated for the holidays, it looked as warm and inviting as Jessie could have hoped for.

Grabbing their bags and following Nancy and Bill into the house, they were stunned when they were immediately bombarded by voices and kids all at once. "Aunt Stephanie! Aunt Stephanie!" Three kids came running out of the other room and surrounded Stephanie, wrapping themselves around her legs before she could even get through the door.

"Kids! Settle down and let them in," a tall man a little older than Stephanie said from the doorway. His hair was darker than Stephanie's and he looked more like their father, but Jessie could tell they were related. He had the same chin, nose and eyes as Stephanie. Smiling at them, he walked up to Jessie and extended a hand. "Let me help you with these. You must be Jessie," he said, picking up a bag. "I'm Steve, Steph's older brother."

"Nice to meet you, Steve," Jessie smiled back at him.

"Mom's got you two in your old room, Sis," Steve said. Indicating the stairs, he said, "Lead the way."

Stephanie headed up the stairs and took the second room to the right. On the door, was a bicycle license plate that read 'Stephanie's Room.' Jessie smiled again, when she saw it, because it just seemed so 'normal.' She had to keep reminding herself that Stephanie might be a celebrity now, but she grew up with a regular family just like she had, herself.

The bedroom itself had been redecorated a bit by Nancy some time after Stephanie moved out. She'd kept the furniture and the bed, but had long ago removed the teen heartthrob posters and anything else that made the room look like it belonged to a teenage girl. Still, it had Stephanie's personality, and Jessie decided she liked it right away.

Setting the bags down, she looked at Stephanie dubiously for a minute. "Uh…Steph?"

"Jessie?" the redhead answered, noticing the look she had on her face. "Is something wrong?"

Jessie shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. I just…" she shrugged, not wanting to say anything in front of Steve.

"I think Jessie's surprised that Mom and Dad would have the two of you sharing a bed," Steve said, understanding right away what Jessie was thinking.

Stephanie blushed. "Oh! Jessie…they already know we're…practically living together. It doesn't bother them for us to sleep in the same bed."

"Just don't get too loud and keep them awake," Steve added, causing Jessie's face to turn bright red.

"Steve!" Stephanie said, slapping him on the arm.

"What? You know it's true, Sis. They always heard everything," he said, putting up only a token resistance and laughing.

"Stop it! You're going to embarrass Jessie!" Stephanie said. Pretty soon their argument had degenerated into a tickle fight. Jessie found herself suddenly drawn in when Stephanie, running from Steve, put her between them.

"Jessie's not immune," Steve yelled, wiggling his fingers in the air at both of them. "She can't protect you!"

"What the Sam Hill is going on up here?" Bill's voice boomed through the room. He was standing in the doorway looking at all of them. Even though his arms were crossed, he had a huge grin on his face. Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, he said, "Can't you wait until your sister's been here more than five minutes before you start in? You're gonna scare the daylights out of Jessie and make her think we're all crazy!"

"Aw Dad," Steve said, looking chagrined. "Jessie's been around Stephanie and Mom for more than one day at a time. She's gotta know by now we're all nuts."

Bill's shoulders were shaking with laughter. "Regardless, you should get downstairs. Your mother's excited to see you all together."

"All right, all right. Come on, Sis, Jessie." Steve turned and walked out of the bedroom, following Bill down the stairs.

Stephanie looked at Jessie, who was standing there looking for all the world like a lost puppy. "Are you okay, Jess?"

Jessie turned and looked at her, pulling her into a hug. For some reason, she felt like she needed the connection at the moment. "I'm fine, Steph. Your brother's fun. He always tease you like that?"

"Yeah, he's always liked to pick on me. Vince does the same thing, only not quite as bad," she answered, wrapping her arms around Jessie's neck. "But watch out when they get together. When Rachel shows up, it'll be boys against girls."

"Should I be worried?" she asked, smiling.

"Nah. You're included, though. No one gets left out when they get going," she said, smiling at her. She let go and pushed away from the brunette. "We should get down there before they come looking for us again."

Jessie rolled her eyes. "I'm afraid to hear what they'd say, then."

"You should be."

As they got downstairs, Steve's kids attacked Stephanie again. Unable to withstand them calling her name and begging to be hugged, she got down on her knees and let them jump on her. When she finally emerged from the pile a few minutes later, she was looking decidedly the worse for wear, but smiling all the same.

"Whew! You guys are getting so big, you're wearing me out!" Stephanie said, picking herself off the floor.

"Who's this, Aunt Stephanie?"her nephew David asked, pointing at Jessie, who was standing to the side watching the melee and laughing.

Stephanie looked at Jessie. Reaching over and grasping her hand, she pulled her over to stand next to her. "This is my friend Jessie," she said, introducing each of the kids to her.

"Is she your wife?" Katherine, the youngest asked, her green eyes all innocence, looking up at her.

Stephanie shook her head. "No, not my wife."

"She's her girlfriend, silly,"Danny piped up, poking his sister.

"I'm not silly!" Katherine protested.

"Okay, you two," Gina, the kids mother said, gathering them up. "If you're going to argue, you can go in the other room and leave your Aunt Stephanie and Jessie alone."

"But Mom!" Danny protested. "Aunt Stephanie isn't around much. We have to drive her crazy when we can!"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "You're just like your dad."

Jessie was laughing, taking it all in. Her own family wasn't so open and friendly, and she was enjoying this immensely. Suddenly she felt a tug on the leg of her pants and looked down to find Katherine looking up at her. Smiling at the little girl, she bent down and asked, "Katherine? Did you want to ask me something?"

The little girl nodded, her curly auburn hair, the color of Stephanie's bobbing up and down. "Do you love my Aunt Steph'nie?"

"Very much so," she answered almost shyly, nodding.

"Are you going to marry her?"

"Katherine!" Gina interrupted, embarrassed. "We don't ask people things like that! I'm so sorry, Jessie," she said, her face coloring.

"It's okay, I don't mind," Jessie assured Gina, and smiled at the girl. She looked directly into Katherine's big green eyes and answered her as honestly as she could. "If I could spend the rest of my life with your Aunt Stephanie, I would love to marry her. It's the one thing I'd like more than anything in the world."

Katherine's face split into a huge grin. Throwing her arms around Jessie, who was still down on her knees facing her, she yelled, "I like you, Jessie!"

Jessie laughed, trying to keep her balance. "I like you, too," she said, hugging the little girl. When she felt Stephanie's hand on the back of her head, she looked up into green eyes and noticed a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"All right, everybody!" Nancy yelled, getting everyone's attention. "Get in the dining room and let's eat!"

Jessie stood up, releasing Katherine and watched her join her brothers in the dining room. Turning to Stephanie, she wiped the tear off her cheek with her thumb. "Crying?"

Stephanie shrugged. "Just happy."

Lacing her fingers with Stephanie's, she let the redhead lead her into the dining room as well, and took a seat at the huge table between her and Katherine. She smiled, when Stephanie leaned over and whispered in her ear, "I think you have a fan," referring to Katherine, who was happily attacking her dinner and chatting to Jessie like old friends.

By the time dinner was over, Jessie felt like she'd been adopted. Everyone had joined in asking her questions about everything from what Ohio was like, to what it was like singing with a band. She was feeling really good about her decision to come to New York with Steph for Christmas. This was definitely more fun than hanging out with her mom and her brother's family. They were just too uptight sometimes. Of course, they'd had a great time with her grandparents at Thanksgiving. Both of them had accepted Stephanie into the family without question, and Jessie was thrilled. Their acceptance meant more to her than she could say.

Once everyone was full, they moved into the living room, where Bill had already lit the fireplace. The kids were sent downstairs to play, except for Katherine, who absolutely refused to leave Jessie's lap. By nine, she had fallen asleep with her head on Jessie's shoulder and Steve took her off Jessie's hands to carry her upstairs to bed.

"Sorry about that, Jessie," Steve said when he came back into the room.

Jessie shrugged. "It's all right. She seemed pretty content."

"Well," Steve said, looking over at Stephanie, who was sitting next to Jessie on the couch and holding her hand, "she has Katherine's approval, Sis. And I can't argue with that. Jessie, welcome to the family."

Jessie beamed. "Thanks, Steve."

Stephanie woke up around one. Unable to get back to sleep, she slid out of bed, careful not to wake Jessie. The brunette mumbled a bit as Stephanie pulled the covers back up to cover her, but otherwise didn't wake up. Grabbing a pair of slippers, she slid them on and left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

Making her way downstairs, she headed for the kitchen. The light was on when she opened the door, and she saw Steve and Rachel both sitting at the table. They had a plate of cookies between them and each had a glass of milk.

"Hey, Sis," Steve said, watching her walk through the door.

"Hi Steph!" Rachel said brightly, obviously just getting in from her job at the local pizza place.

"Hey guys," she answered them both, reaching into a cabinet and taking out a glass. Walking over to the fridge, she took out the gallon of milk and filled it to the brim.

"Couldn't sleep, Steph?" Rachel asked, watching her sister moving sleepily around the kitchen. When Stephanie was still living at home, this had been a familiar scenario for the younger girl.

Stephanie shook her head as she pulled out a chair and took a seat next to her. "Huh uh. I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep."

"Mmm. So…where's Jessie? I thought she came with you?" Rachel asked innocently, grabbing another chocolate chip cookie and breaking it in half. In truth, she was dying to grill Steph about the new girlfriend. She'd heard so much about her from both, her sister and her mother, that she almost couldn't contain herself.

"She did. She's still asleep." She grabbed a cookie and took a bite.

"I think Katherine wore her out," Steve said, smiling at the way his daughter had clung to Jessie.

"Yeah, she's Jessie's fan club of one," Stephanie said, laughing at the way her niece had latched onto the brunette. It made her feel good…the way Jessie had fit right in with her family. She'd been worried at first, knowing that Jessie's family wasn't as close as her own. But she'd opened right up to them like she'd known them all her life.

Rachel leaned over and bumped into her with her shoulder. "Steve said she's really hot. So…how'd you get her?" The question dripped sarcasm, and Rachel couldn't contain the smirk that crossed her face. They'd all seen the pictures that Stephanie had sent via e-mail, and in the magazines, so she was already aware of how pretty Jessie was. They'd also seen the TV interviews and video clips. Still, seeing a picture wasn't the same as seeing her in person. And, she couldn't resist teasing Stephanie.

Stephanie looked at her, feigning a lack of amusement. She knew Rachel was teasing her. It was par for the course in their family. Deciding to shock them both, she smiled sweetly and said, "When I saw her on stage for the first time, I ripped off my shirt and bra and waved them in the air."

"Oh? And…you really think Jessie hadn't seen those before, Steph?" Rachel asked seriously, referring to Stephanie's breasts. The entire family loved to tease Stephanie about the topless scenes in her films. It didn't bother her though, she was used to it.

Stephanie gave her 'the look.' Reaching for another cookie herself, she said, "At least I get paid to take my clothes off."

"Ooh, a war of wits between two unarmed women,"Steve said, breaking up the banter before they got too loud and woke the whole house.

Both women looked at their oldest brother then back at each other. Silently deciding that it wasn't worth waking everyone in the house, they let his comment go. Instead, Rachel ignored him and turned to Stephanie. "So, I want to hear everything about Jessie. What she does for a living, where she lives, who her friends are…everything." She'd heard it all before, of course, but she'd missed talking to Steph and wanted to hear it all face to face.

Behind her, she heard Steve say sarcastically, "Geez, do you want to know her shoe size and what she's like in bed, too?"

"I'll reserve those questions for when you're not around," she answered, hushing him. Then, turning back to Stephanie, she grabbed her hand and waited expectantly for the answers to her questions.

At that moment, Stephanie was so glad she'd decided to come home for the holidays. The last two years, she'd had to stay in LA for work, and she realized now what she'd missed. Smiling at both of them, because Steve was paying attention, even though he pretended to ignore them, she answered all of Rachel's questions.

Eventually, Steve got tired of listening to all the 'girl talk' and went back downstairs to bed, leaving Stephanie alone with Rachel. When she was sure he was gone, Rachel turned back to her. "Okay, now…what is she like in bed?"

Stephanie blushed. When they were younger, she and Rachel had talked about everything. She couldn't count how many hours they'd spent over the years talking about their boyfriends, and later, girlfriends. Rachel had been the first person she'd told when she realized she preferred women, and her biggest supporter. Still, Rachel's boldness took her by surprise. Or, maybe she just missed having someone to share this stuff with. She had friends in LA, but no one as close as Rachel.

The blush didn't prevent her from telling Rachel everything, though. She started with meeting Jessie for the first time, and went on from there. Nancy apparently hadn't mentioned to her younger daughter that Stephanie had been attacked while she was in Ohio, and that surprised her somewhat. Then again, her mother probably didn't think that Rachel needed to know that. Or, maybe she thought Stephanie wouldn't want her to know?

By the time Stephanie finished her tale, Rachel was hanging on every word. "I can't believe Mom and Dad are actually letting you two share a bed," she said, slightly jealous. Their parents had never let her boyfriends spend the night, much less sleep in the same bed with her.

"Well, I am a little older than you," Stephanie said, referring to the fact that she was 31 to Rachel's 23 years. "Besides, Mom stayed at Jessie's when she was there and I was sleeping with Jessie then. It's not like it's a secret or anything."

"Yeah, but still…" Rachel shrugged. "Oh well. I'm happy for you, Steph. You seem really happy with her."

"I am," Stephanie agreed. "I've never felt like this with anyone, before."

"Is she planning on moving to LA with you anytime soon? It's got to be hard…the long distance thing," the younger woman said, flipping an errant strand of dark brown hair over her shoulder.

Stephanie licked her lips and ducked her head. When she looked back up at her sister, she said, "We've talked about it off and on…sort of. Jessie has her own life, and I've been…kind of afraid to ask her for more."

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Steph…if you love her and she loves you…"

"I know," she said miserably. Looking at Rachel, she asked, "Did you hear what Katherine asked her?"

"About marrying you? Yeah," she nodded. "Steve told me. He also told me what Jessie said. It was really sweet." Watching Stephanie as she ducked her head again, she asked, "Steph? You don't think she meant it?"

"Jessie never says anything she doesn't mean," Stephanie answered adamantly. "So yes, she meant it."

"You bet your beautiful ass I do," Jessie's voice said quietly from behind them. There was no recrimination in her voice, just a matter of fact tone that let Stephanie know how much she really did mean what she'd said. Standing in the doorway, she had her arms crossed and had obviously been standing there for the last few minutes. Smiling, she dropped her arms and crossed over to stand behind Stephanie, automatically reaching out and massaging her shoulders.

At her touch, Stephanie let her head relax back, enjoying the feel of Jessie's strong hands on her shoulders. "Mmm, that feels so good, Jess."

Jessie leaned down and kissed her on top of the head. Looking over at the brunette next to her, she said, "You must be Rachel?"

Rachel nodded, suddenly feeling shy. "Yeah, I'm Stephanie's sister." She frowned to herself, hearing how breathless she sounded.

"It's good to meet you. Steph told me all about you before we got here," Jessie said, smiling at her even as she continued to massage Stephanie's shoulders.

"She's been telling me about you, too," Rachel said in answer. As she studied the brunette, she thought to herself, 'Steve was right. Not only is Jessie hot, her pictures don't do her justice.'

"Yeah, I kinda caught on to that," Jessie said, finishing the massage and sitting down on Stephanie's other side. As she sat down, she pulled Stephanie to her, wrapping her in her arms and nuzzling her hair. "Couldn't sleep?"

As Jessie's breath ghosted over her ear, Stephanie shook her head, leaning into her. "Too excited about being home. I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, so I came down here for something to munch on. Steve was down here talking to Rachel and I got caught up. You?"

"Actually, I woke up to find we had a small visitor,"Jessie said, smiling as Stephanie turned a questioning look her way.

"A mouse?" Stephanie asked quizzically.

In explanation, she said, "Of the two legged, no-tail variety. Katherine found her way into our room. I woke up when I realized I was either being attacked by a midget with really cold feet, or your feet had shrunk. One of the two." When both sisters laughed at her description, she went on. "I didn't think I should be with her alone, so I surrounded her with pillows so she wouldn't fall out of bed, and came looking for you."

Stephanie laughed. "She really likes you, Jess."

"So I gathered," Jessie replied wryly.

Glancing at the clock on the stove, Stephanie stood up. Taking Jessie's hand, she pulled her up as well. "Come on, Jess. I'll get her and take her back to her room."

Rachel got up too. It was getting late, and she still needed to get ready for bed. "I'm heading up, too. Why don't I get Katherine for you?"

"You don't have to do that, Rachel," Stephanie protested. "I can do it."

Rachel waved a hand to dismiss the suggestion. "I'm gonna be up for a bit, yet. If she won't go back to her bed, she can stay with me for a while."

Stephanie gave in. It was late, and she was getting really tired. "Okay, let's go."

When the three of them made their way back to Stephanie's old room, Katherine was still lying in the middle of the bed, surrounded by pillows just like Jessie had left her. Stephanie rolled her eyes and sighed, as Rachel went over and picked the little girl up.

"I'll see you guys in the morning," Rachel said, backing out of the room, the sleeping Katherine in her arms.

"Night, Rach," Stephanie said, shutting the door behind her sister as she carried their niece back to her own room for the night. Turning back to Jessie, she sighed again. "Well, shall we try this again?" As Jessie kicked off her own slippers and crawled into bed, she flipped out the light and joined her.

Turning over onto her left side, Stephanie snuggled up to Jessie. Resting her head on the brunette's shoulder, she threw her arm over her stomach. Tucking her head under Jessie's chin, she closed her eyes. It was almost three, and the excitement of seeing her family again was beginning to wear off, leaving her feeling decidedly exhausted.

Wrapping her right arm around the auburn haired woman, Jessie pulled her in tight. There was nothing better than holding Stephanie in her arms, and she reveled in the feeling of lying there, now. Still, she could tell that Stephanie had yet to relax, and she couldn't help but wonder about the conversation she'd overheard between the two sisters. It mirrored the conversation she'd had with Theresa right before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, life had gotten in the way, and the conversation she'd wanted to have with Stephanie about a change in their arrangement never happened. She'd meant it when she told Katherine she'd be happy to marry her Aunt Stephanie. In fact, she already had the ring. Hearing her tell Rachel that she was afraid to ask Jessie for more, almost broke her heart. She didn't want Stephanie to be afraid to ask her for anything. But then again, wasn't she afraid of the same thing? She'd been putting this off, not wanting to rush things for months.

Finally making a decision, she cleared her throat. "Steph? Could I ask you…?" she stopped, not sure how she wanted to phrase her question. Blowing out a breath, she licked her lips and tried again. "Are you happy? With…us, I mean?"

Stephanie raised her head and looked at Jessie in the dark, clearly seeing the outline of her features. "Jessie," she said quietly, "Of course I am. I love you. Why would you ask me something like that?"

She shrugged. "I heard what you said to Rachel. And I saw the look on your face." She reached up and moved the auburn hair back behind one ear. "I did mean what I said, Steph."

"I know that," she whispered. "I just don't want you to feel pressured, or anything. I don't want there to be any doubts."

Jessie smiled at her. "I haven't had any doubt about the way I feel since I met you. There's never been anything more clear to me in my life, Steph."

"I just meant that I didn't want you to doubt me. I know you were worried, when we first…"

Jessie cut her off with a kiss. "Stop. I never doubted you. I was afraid of getting hurt again, and that's not the same thing. I was afraid of what would happen when you left. You could say I had a bad case of the What If's." Cupping her face in both hands, she looked directly into those deep green eyes. "I have never doubted your love for me. Not once."

"You better not." Leaning down, Stephanie kissed her. "You've got to know, I wouldn't tolerate the weeks of separation and phone sex for just anybody," she teased.

Jessie rolled her eyes and groaned, agreeing with her. "I know. This hasn't been easy. But, on the bright side, it's given us something to look forward to every few weeks." She looked up at the redhead. Staring into her eyes, she felt like she could stay there forever. Every time she looked at her, the world just fell away. Jessie had felt like that the first time she gazed into those green eyes, and she felt like that now. She knew without a doubt she'd feel like that forever. Blinking suddenly, shaking off the spell she'd been under, she pulled Stephanie in and kissed her again. "I think it's time we start looking for a way to change this arrangement. There's got to be a way for us to have more time together."

"Mmm, would you mind if we work on it in the morning, Baby? I don't think I have the energy to think anymore tonight," Stephanie asked. She was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Of course not. Go to sleep, I've gotcha." Jessie smiled to herself as Stephanie's head once more tucked under her chin. With her right hand, she stroked her hair as she fell asleep. Then, she felt Stephanie's breathing even out and she relaxed into her, falling asleep herself.

Nancy served breakfast promptly at seven the next morning. This of course, meant that Stephanie, Jessie and Rachel, all had to hurry to get ready for their shopping trip in New York City. Having been awake till all hours of the morning, not one of them had managed to wake up as early as they'd planned. After shoveling their oatmeal and toast in, they hurriedly ran back upstairs, showered and dressed within half an hour. As they all reappeared, Nancy and Gina pulled on their coats and they all headed out the door together.

Piling into Gina and Steve's Town and Country mini-van, Katherine insisted on sitting between Stephanie and Jessie. Parking at the Forest Hills Train Station, they boarded the train and rode the rest of the way into the city. All the way from Long Island, Katherine jabbered away, telling Jessie all about her letter to Santa and what she was hoping to get. By the time they arrived at their stop, Jessie had a comprehensive list of everything Katherine had asked for.

Making a mental note to check with the girls' mother and grandmother, she made sure to add Katherine and her brothers and cousins to her shopping list. Moving from store to store, shopping with Stephanie's family lent new meaning to the words 'shop till you drop.' Exhausted by lunchtime, she was relieved to sit down, and enjoyed their lunch of true New York style pizza immensely.

After lunch, Stephanie managed to separate Jessie from her mother, sister and sister in law, and headed to Central Park. When Jessie had told her she'd never been there before, Stephanie had insisted on visiting. It had always been one of her favorite places in New York growing up, and she wanted to share it with Jessie. Agreeing to meet everyone back at the train station at five, they hailed a taxi and headed over to Manhattan.

Arriving at Central Park, they climbed out of the cab. Stephanie grabbed Jessie's hand and pulled her toward the park entrance excitedly. "Come on, Jessie. Let's get a horse drawn carriage and see the park that way. It's one of my favorite things to do."

Jessie laughed, seeing her so excited. She was glad she'd agreed to come with her for Christmas. Seeing Stephanie so happy, spending time with her family, made her feel good. There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for Steph if she could, and she knew it. So, catching a carriage, they climbed aboard and sat back to see the sights. Stephanie pulled the provided blanket over them both and sat holding Jessie's hand and leaning against her as they rode, chatting all the while about her favorite things in New York City. Riding through the park in the carriage, Jessie found herself reminded of their sleigh ride in Aspen. With the snow covering the ground and the jingle of tack, Stephanie sitting close under the blanket…She loved it.

All in all, they had a wonderful time, even enjoying a hot chocolate during the carriage ride. When they met everyone at the train station at five as promised, Jessie wasn't surprised when Katherine greeted her with a huge hug.

"I missed you, Jessie," the little girl said, hanging onto her leg for dear life.

Stephanie, happy that her niece had taken to Jessie, was still a bit jealous. After all, Katherine was her niece. Bending over, she asked, "Did you miss me too, Katherine?"

"I missed both," the girl asserted, reaching over and wrapping her free arm around Stephanie's neck.

Gina shook her head, watching her daughter with them. "We're never going to get her to want to go home, again. I think she'd go live with the two of you, if you asked."

"Well…maybe we could arrange to have them visit with us over the summer?" Stephanie suggested, looking up at Jessie questioningly.

The brunette nodded. "Sure, we could do it over our vacation."

Gina smiled. "That's really nice of you guys, but are you sure you want to be saddled with three kids for a couple of days?"

"Sure, why not? Jessie asked. "It could be fun. There's plenty we could do to stay busy."

The train arrived just then, and they got on board, heading back to Long Island. On the way, they made another stop, 'just to hit a few more shops,' as Nancy put it. By the time they finished shopping Jessie had managed to get gifts for each of the nieces and nephews, Rachel, both of Steph's brothers and their wives, and Bill and Nancy. Stephanie had told her she didn't need to get gifts for everyone, but she'd wanted to. It was their first Christmas together, and she wanted to do it right. Needless to say, she was exhausted. Still, it had been a good day. When they arrived back at the house around nine, Bill had ordered delivery from their favorite Chinese place, and they all ate like they were starved.

Afterwards, Jessie helped with the cleanup and then Rachel brought out the board games. Steve poured drinks for everyone while Vince sent all the kids, except for Katherine, who refused to leave Jessie's lap, downstairs to watch Disney movies with Bill and Nancy.

"Jessie, if you want, I can send her downstairs,"Steve said, not wanting his sister's girlfriend to think he was using her for a babysitter. "You don't have to let her take up all your time."

Jessie just shrugged. "She's fine, Steve. Besides, she's my best buddy, aren't you, Kat?"

The little girl looked up at Jessie with wide green eyes and nodded. "Kat and Jessie best friends," the little girl agreed, proud of the newly bestowed nickname.

Rolling his eyes, Steve just laughed. "Well, all right. But if you get tired of her, let me know and I'll send her downstairs with Mom and Dad."

Taking a drink of her beer, Jessie just smiled and rolled the dice. After a while, she gave Kat her own dice to roll, and she contented herself believing that she was playing along with the adults. Eventually, her energy wound down, and she fell asleep.

As they played, they talked about anything and everything. They all wanted to know about Stephanie's latest side projects…interviews and TV guest appearances, and Steph filled them in as best she could. Vince asked Jessie more about her work at the law firm and then Rachel asked about the band and their CD's. Indulging their curiosity, Jessie took the time to explain exactly what she did for Mr. Mason. Then she promised to play some of her CD's for them the next day.

During the conversation, Stephanie got up to go to the bathroom. Once she'd left the room, Rachel looked at Steve and Vince, before she asked her next question. "So, Jessie…"Rachel said, grinning over at the brunette over her beer, "You're a musician… Do you have any tattoos?"

Jessie nodded as she threw the dice. "Yeah, I've got two." This was obviously a topic that Rachel had been waiting to bring up. She wondered why she'd waited until Stephanie left the room though.

"Really? I've been thinking about getting one," Rachel said, getting excited. "What have you got? Can I see them?"

"Well, one is a yin yang symbol with dragons. It's on my shoulder." She dropped her shoulder down a bit and pulled the collar of her blouse down so the younger woman could see the tattoo in question.

"Oh , that is so cool! Steve, Vince, look at this,"Rachel said, dragging them over to give it a look.

"Yeah, that's a pretty cool one,"they agreed appreciatively.

"So, what's the other one? Where's it at?" Rachel asked.

Jessie licked her lips as she straightened her shirt up. "Uhh…well…that one's…"

"That one is reserved for me," Stephanie said, walking up behind the brunette and rubbing her shoulders.

Rachel looked up at the sound of her sister's voice. "Reserved for you…? Oh! Oh, Steph…I…Well where is it, anyway?"

"I told you," Stephanie said, sitting back down. "It's only for me. You don't get to know."

"Aw, come on! Won't you guys even tell me what it is?" Rachel begged, reverting to the behavior of a ten year old not getting her way. It really was quite charming.

Stephanie smirked and shook her head. "Ummm…No."

Steve and Vince started laughing at their petulant younger sister. "Give it up, Rach. She's not going to tell you," Vince said, laughing so hard he was holding his sides. To his right, his wife Lisa was blushing slightly, obviously imagining what the tattoo in question could be.

Rachel glared over at him. "It's not funny, Vince. Geez, we're all family. I thought we were supposed to share everything?" She looked back over at Stephanie, but she knew when Steph was being serious. She'd never find out about Jessie's second tattoo now.

Stephanie rolled her eyes and smirked at her sister some more. She wasn't about to tell them about Jessie's most recent tattoo. She wasn't kidding when she told them it was only for her. Before they'd left to go to LA in June, Jessie had taken the gift card that Mike had given her for her birthday and had the new tattoo done.

Jessie had actually made a day of it. They'd gone into the shop a week earlier and looked through the designs for what seemed like hours. When they couldn't find exactly what they were looking for, Jessie explained it to the artist and he called a friend, who promptly came over. The friend was another tattoo artist who specialized in Kanji, and knew exactly what they wanted. Jessie made an appointment, and a week later, they got up early and spent the morning at the park jogging and enjoying the beautiful sunny morning. Next to the tattoo shop, was Jessie's favorite local Irish pub, and they'd stopped in for lunch. Then, they proceeded to the shop. The work took slightly less than an hour, and when they left, Jessie had a small Kanji style tattoo on her right hip bone. Just for Stephanie, she'd picked one that read 'Eternal Love.' Underneath the symbol, were the letters 'SRW,' Stephanie's initials.

Grateful when Rachel let the subject go, she sat back down and re-joined the game. Half an hour later, she looked over and noticed that Jessie seemed to be uncomfortable. "You okay, Jess?"

Jessie looked over at her. "Yeah, but I think my arm's going to sleep. I'm gonna take Kat upstairs and put her to bed." Holding the little girl tight, Jessie got up to take her upstairs.

Gina started to get up, saying, "I'll take her, Jessie. You don't have to do it."

"It's okay, Gina. I'm getting tired, anyway. I think all that shopping wore me out," Jessie said, smiling over at her. Katherine really wasn't a burden, and she didn't want Steve or Gina to feel that she was.

"I'll go with you, Jess, and help tuck her in," Stephanie said, standing up as well.

"You don't have to, Steph. I've got it," Jessie said, not wanting her to stop playing if she wasn't tired. Stephanie didn't get to spend a lot of time with her family and she didn't want the redhead to cut it short for her.

"Actually, I'm getting really tired. I was thinking about going up soon anyway," the redhead said. As they left, they said goodnight to everyone. Walking next to Jessie, they headed upstairs to the bedroom the kids were sharing. Danny and David were still downstairs watching movies, so they carried Kat in and Stephanie found her pajamas.

While Jessie turned down the bed, Stephanie got her dressed. Then, pulling the covers up over her, they each gave her a kiss on the cheek. As they left, they flipped out the light and made sure to keep the door open a crack, so she could go to the bathroom if she needed to. Then they headed for their room.

When they were both ready for bed, Jessie crawled in beside Stephanie and wrapped her arms around her. "I'm really glad I came with you, Steph. Your family's great."

The redhead settled in, reaching up and kissing her on the mouth. "I'm glad you came, too. They really like you, Jess."

"I like you best, though," Jessie said, kissing her back and tracing her eyebrows with a finger. "I know I say it a lot…but, I love you, Steph. You're gorgeous and the most perfect thing in my life."

"Mmm," Stephanie hummed, leaning in for one more kiss. "You can say it as often as you like, Jess. I love you, too." She was tired, and finding it hard to stay awake. Jessie had pulled her in close and was holding her tight, making her feel warm and safe. Giving the brunette one last kiss…this one on the temple, she drifted off to sleep, her hand unconsciously drifting down to rest on the tattoo they'd been talking about earlier.

Two hours later, Steve knocked on Bill and Nancy's door quietly, so he wouldn't disturb everyone else on the second floor. When Nancy came to the door tying her robe at the waist, he asked, "Mom, have you seen Katherine? She was in her room when we put the boys to bed, but she's not there now."

A look of concern immediately crossed her face. "No, I haven't seen her since I came upstairs. Did you look in the bathroom?"

"Yeah, but she's not there, either," he answered, obviously worried.

"What's wrong?" Bill's voice came from the bedroom.

"Steve can't find Katherine,"Nancy answered.

He jumped up and pulled on his robe, too. "Let's go look for her," he said, joining them in the hall. Making a second check of the bathroom, and finding it empty, they headed downstairs.

"Hey, what's going on?" Rachel asked, when they all came hurrying into the kitchen. Used to coming in from work late, she was still sitting at the kitchen table perusing a magazine and eating cookies.

"Katherine's missing," Nancy said. "You haven't seen her lately have you?"

Rachel shook her head. "No, I haven't seen her since Stephanie and Jessie went upstairs hours ago." She set the cookies aside and stood up. Opening the refrigerator door, she set her glass inside. "I'll check upstairs for her," she said.

"I've already looked up there,"Steve told her.

She shrugged. "I'll look again. It can't hurt." She left the kitchen and headed upstairs as Steve headed for the living room and Bill and Nancy went to check the sunroom and the attached garage.

Two minutes later, Rachel came back downstairs. "Steve, I think I've found her."

"What? Where is she?" he jumped up from looking behind the couch in the living room.

"Get Mom and Dad, and I'll show you," his younger sister said, with an air of mystery. Another minute and she had led them, and Gina, who'd been searching the basement, back upstairs. Stopping in the hallway, she pointed at the door to Stephanie's room. "Notice anything unusual about this picture?"

"The door's not shut all the way," Nancy answered, noticing the irregularity right away. Since Stephanie was young, she'd always slept with her bedroom door closed all the way, claiming she couldn't sleep with the light from the hallway shining in her room.

Rachel nodded, smiling. "Exactly. Look inside." Not wanting to disturb Stephanie and Jessie's privacy, Nancy was about to object, when Rachel reached over and pushed the door open a little wider. "It's okay, Mom. Really."

"Well…" hesitating slightly, Nancy finally pushed the door open until all five of them could see into the room. One look at the scene and they couldn't help but smile.

Jessie, sleeping on the side of the bed closest to the door, was lying on her back. Stephanie, to her right, was sleeping with her head on Jessie's shoulder, her right arm draped across the brunette's stomach. On Jessie's left, tucked up under her free arm so she wouldn't fall out of bed, lay Katherine, fast asleep. Curled up against Jessie's left side, she was mirroring her aunt. She had her head resting against Jessie's shoulder and her arm flung across her stomach. Apparently, after Stephanie and Jessie had tucked her in, she'd awakened and found her way into their room, crawling into bed with them.

Rolling his eyes, Steve took a step forward, intent on taking her back to her own bed. Nancy, noticing the movement, caught his arm. "Leave them be, Steve. She's okay, and this is just too cute. Besides, they're all asleep. There's no need to wake them up."

"Ooh, we should get a picture of this," Rachel said, smiling and rubbing her hands together. She'd never dreamed she'd see her sister like this; curled up in bed with her wife and kids. Well…okay, Katherine wasn't her kid, and Jessie wasn't her wife…yet. But it was still cute. She pulled out her cell phone and was about to snap the picture, when her mother smacked her hand.

"Don't you dare, Rachel,"Nancy whispered, pulling the door shut quietly and fixing her youngest with a mock glare. "Since we know she's in good hands, let's all just go back to bed."

When Steve looked like he was about to protest, Nancy smiled. "I know you'd prefer she sleep in her own bed, but she's so attached to them. It'll be okay for one night. Besides, it's Christmas."

Recognizing the wisdom of not waking the six year old up, Steve gave in, and he and Gina headed back downstairs. It really wasn't hurting anything, allowing Katherine to sleep in their room just this once. And, his mother was right. Katherine had grown so attached to Stephanie and Jessie that he knew she'd cry if they made her leave, not to mention waking everyone in the house up.

Bill walked into the kitchen, grabbing a cup of coffee as he sat down at the table. "So, anybody want to ride over to the store with me this morning?" he asked, looking around at everyone and waiting for an answer. He didn't really expect one. His kids all knew he was going to put them to work.

Jessie looked around, waiting for someone to volunteer. When no one seemed willing to do it, however, she seized the opportunity. Truth be told, she'd been looking for a reason to get Bill alone since they'd arrived. "I'll go with you, Bill."

Bill, and everyone else at the table, looked at Jessie in surprise. "You sure, Jessie? I'm going to put you to work for a couple of hours? That's why none of these heathens will volunteer anymore."

Jessie nodded. "That's fine, Bill. I was just thinking last night…I got to spend a lot of time with Nancy back in the spring. It would be nice if you and I got to know each other a little bit."

"Well…if you're sure? That would be fine with me. Steph? You don't mind if Jessie goes to work at the store with me for a few hours do you?" he asked his daughter, not wanting to take Jessie away from her. He was quite aware of how little time they got to spend together.

Stephanie, who was busy with a piece of wheat toast, looked over at both of them. Shaking her head, she said, "I don't mind, Dad. It sounds like a good idea, actually…You and Jessie getting to know each other."

"Well, I guess it's settled. Jessie, I'll be ready to leave in about ten minutes. I'll meet you at the front door," Bill said, standing up and grabbing his cup of coffee. Leaving the kitchen in search of Nancy, he smiled to himself at the thought of spending time with Jessie. He'd wanted to talk to her, too.

After Bill left, Jessie noticed that everyone was looking at her. "What? Did I do something wrong?"

It was Steve who answered. "No, Jessie. It's just…Dad only opens the store for about four hours on Christmas Eve. He doesn't really need anyone to help. He just likes to get a head start on things, like sweeping the floors and dusting the shelves."

"Oh. So…what you're saying is that he wasn't kidding when he said he was going to put me to work?" Jessie asked, catching the joke.

"Pretty much, yeah," he answered, trying to contain his laughter. They'd all learned years ago to never volunteer when Bill asked them to go to the store.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I'll go with you, Jess. I don't mind helping out for a few hours."

Jessie almost panicked. She really needed the time alone with Bill. Trying to keep it casual, so Steph wouldn't suspect anything, she shook her head. "That's okay, Steph. I mean, didn't you promise your mom that you'd help her with that candy, today?"

Stephanie shrugged. "She'll understand."

"No. It's okay, really. I really would like to spend some time getting to know your dad. Just…me and him," she said, hoping that Steph wouldn't become suspicious.

"Well…okay," Stephanie agreed easily. Jessie seemed to be going out of her way to get to know her family, and that made her insanely happy. Giving her time with her dad was no big deal.

Jessie smiled as she stood up to get her coat. Leaning down, she kissed Stephanie on top of the head. "Thanks, Babe. It'll only be a few hours, I promise."

Stephanie looked up at her and caught her hand before she could walk away. "I love you, Jess. Have fun."

Jessie squeezed her hand and smiled. "I love you, too. And…I will."

It was Christmas Eve, and Stephanie's entire family was gathered in the living room. Dinner, consisting of lunch meat sandwiches, cole slaw and chips was over, and all the dishes had been cleaned up. The kids, all five of them, were running around, practically bouncing off the walls. They were so excited that Christmas had finally come, they couldn't sit still.

After helping Stephanie, Rachel, and her sister's in law clean up the kitchen, Jessie had wandered out to the living room. Sitting down on the couch, Stephanie squeezed in between her and Rachel a few minutes later, and sat as close as she could, holding her hand. It felt really nice, Jessie thought to herself, to just sit and watch the festivities with Stephanie. It reminded her of when she was a kid and her parents were still together. Her grandparents, both sets, would come over on Christmas Eve and they'd hand out presents and eat till they couldn't eat anymore. Then, her parents would send them off to bed. When they woke up Christmas morning, there would be more presents from Santa all over the living room.

When Nancy and Bill came in and sat down, Steve began passing out the presents. He gave the kids their gifts first, knowing how excited they were. Then, he passed around everything else. Before everyone could begin opening their gifts, Bill raised his wine glass and began to propose a toast. But, as luck would have it, the doorbell rang at that precise moment. Nancy, who was sitting closest to the entry foyer, got up and went to answer it.

A few minutes later, Jessie was absolutely floored to see not only Theresa and Brian, but her mom and dad, walk into the living room. Jumping up, she waded through the crowd to hug all of them. "Oh my Gosh! What are you guys doing here?"

"It was Stephanie's doing,"Julie said, releasing Jessie so that JD could hug his daughter next. "She called me weeks ago and set this up. Nancy and I have been talking back and forth, working out the logistics."

Turning to look at Stephanie, who was now standing next to her, Jessie hugged her, too. Shaking her head in amazement, she asked, "What did you do?"

Stephanie shrugged shyly. "I just wanted us all to be together this year. I thought it would be nice if your family could be here, too."

"You don't know how hard it's been to keep this a secret," Theresa said, hugging her and then Stephanie. "You almost caught me on the phone with Steph a few times at the office."

Jessie shook her head in amazement. "I'm so glad you're all here."

Vince came in from the dining room with four more fold out chairs. "Here you are, everybody have a seat."

As they all took their seats, Lisa handed each of them a wine glass, and Bill, looking around the room, began his toast again. "This year, I'd like to make a toast to family. We're especially blessed this year to have five more members to add to our joy. Merry Christmas, everybody."

"To Family," the group said together, sharing their drinks.

Then, the gift opening frenzy commenced. Everyone took turns opening their gifts, so that everybody could see what they'd received that year. Jessie had been wondering what Stephanie could possibly do to top inviting her family here. She really didn't think that anything else was necessary, but apparently, Stephanie didn't agree.

When it came her turn, Stephanie turned to look at her. "Jessie," Stephanie said, reaching behind her for a small box wrapped in red paper. "This year has been…absolutely wonderful. I started a new show, and just when I thought I was going to spend my summer being bored out of my mind, studying for my role…you shook my hand and introduced yourself and my life changed forever. You have no idea how much I love you, but I was hoping that this might…be a start?" She handed over the box shyly and waited as Jessie opened it.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Steph. Bringing them here…You've already done enough." After unwrapping the box, Jessie pulled the top off and gasped when she saw its contents. Inside, was an exquisite sterling silver and diamond bracelet, made of interconnecting hearts. "Oh God, Stephanie…it's beautiful. Thank you." She pulled it out of the box and put it on.

Stephanie, who was blushing slightly, relieved that Jessie liked it, said, "It's called an Infinity Bracelet. It's my promise to you that I'll always love you Jess. Forever."

Jessie smiled and leaned over to kiss her. "Thank you, Stephanie. I love it." As she released the redhead, she grabbed an envelope off the table next to her. "I guess it's my turn." Licking her lips nervously, she handed Stephanie the envelope. "This is something I've been working on for a while. I've been waiting to tell you about it so that I could do it in front of everybody."

Accepting the envelope, Stephanie looked at her curiously as she opened it up. Inside, were two pieces of paper, each a different color. She pulled both out and said, "Jess?"

"Read them," was all Jessie said encouragingly, nodding and watching her intently.

Stephanie opened the off-white piece of paper first. As she read the letter, she looked back up at Jessie in wonder. "Jessie, this is…this is a job offer? From a law firm in LA?"

Jessie nodded. "Yeah. I haven't accepted it, yet. I have until the second week of January to give them my decision. I wanted to talk to you, first…you know, to make sure you're okay with…my moving out there?"

"Well of course I'm okay with it, Jess. I've been hoping you'd decide to do this, Stephanie answered enthusiastically.

Jessie smiled at her and said, "Go ahead, open the other one."

Still in shock, the redhead opened the light green piece of paper next. Reading this one, she reached over and hugged Jessie. "Oh my God! You…you're starting a record label? Jessie…!"

Jessie laughed as Stephanie grabbed her. "Yeah, an independent one."

"Jess, this is fantastic!" Stephanie said breathlessly. "When did you do all this?"

"I've been looking for a job for a while. As for the record label, Dad and I came up with the idea. He called a friend…you remember Cliff?" When Stephanie nodded, she went on, "Well, they flew into town to see the band play a few weeks ago. We sat down and talked and decided to make it happen. Cliff has a studio and equipment, Dad and I are going to help as producers, and the band is going to be the first one on the roster." She shrugged as if it were no big deal.

"The band? Jess…the entire band's moving to LA, too?"

"Yeah, that's what Lacy and I were talking about that night at the restaurant…the location for John's studio and our rehearsal space." She smiled at how excited Stephanie seemed to be. "Lacy's retiring from movies and becoming our booking agent for the label."

"God Jess…this is fantastic!"Stephanie said, hugging her.

"So, you're finally going to move in with my sister, Jessie?" Steve couldn't resist asking.

"Actually…" Jessie blushed, biting the inside of her cheek. She hadn't intended to do this in front of her parents and Theresa and Brian, too…But…the time had come, and she wasn't going to let anything stop her. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I have one more thing." She turned to look into Stephanie's eyes. Swallowing hard, she focused on the gorgeous woman in front of her. "Stephanie, this past year has been the best of my life. Nine months ago, Mr. Mason assigned me to baby sit the lead actress in a TV show he was producing. I really didn't want to do it, believing that she was going to be some spoiled rotten little girl. But then, one Monday morning, you walked through the door of my office and everything just…clicked into place." She reached over and brushed Stephanie's hair back from her face. "Before I met you, I never had a direction…no plans. I just…floated. I can't, for the life of me, imagine my world without you in it, now." Sliding off of the couch, she landed on one knee. "I spoke to your dad this morning, and he gave his blessing…" Reaching into the pocket of her jeans, she pulled out a small ring box. Opening it, she held it up for Stephanie to see. Looking into those beautiful green eyes, she said, "I'm not sure if it's legal in California this week, but…Stephanie Renee Winters…would you do me the great honor and privilege of agreeing to be my wife?"

Stephanie was stunned. Looking at the ring, her hand flew to her mouth, shaking. "Jessie…this is the ring. The one we saw in…in Greece?" The ring was a carat and a half Princess cut center stone diamond with pave-set diamonds and two Princess cut side diamonds, all set in a white gold band. She'd fallen in love with it from the start, but it wasn't something you bought for yourself. And she hadn't felt right, buying it for Jessie. Truthfully, she'd never brought up the subject of marriage, because she was afraid it would scare Jessie off. Living together, yes…but marriage?

Jessie nodded, smiling at her. "Yeah."

"But…how did you? When did you?"

"It was the only thing you mentioned more than once that you liked. I called the store and spoke to the owner that afternoon, while you were shopping," Jessie explained patiently.

Tears of happiness running down her face, Stephanie gasped, "Oh, Jessie…yes. Oh God, yes." She hadn't expected this. In all the time they'd been seeing each other, Jessie hadn't given her any indication that she was really ready to change things beyond what she'd said two nights before. They'd talked about it, but Jessie just kept saying 'when the time was right, they'd know.' At the time, Stephanie had thought it was Jessie's way of stalling. But now…Looking into her blue eyes, she could do nothing more than repeat herself. "Yes, Jessie. I'll marry you. But…what about your house, and…?"

Jessie pulled the ring out and, her hands shaking, slid it on Stephanie's left hand ring finger. "I love you," she said, as she kissed her. When she released her, she smiled and shrugged at the question. "I told you…the band's taken care of and I'm still the lead singer. We'll worry about the rest later." She reached up and brushed Stephanie's tears away with her thumb. "I get you for the rest of my life and that's more than I ever hoped for. I told you before…I'd give up everything I have if it meant I could spend the rest of my life with you."

"But…"

She shook her head. "No buts. I love you and that's all that matters."

"God, Jessie…I love you so much. I would be proud to be your wife," Stephanie whispered into her ear. Wiping her face with a tissue that had appeared out of nowhere, she sniffed and looked around. Her mother was crying, too. As were Julie and Rachel. "I've wanted this since I met you."

"I know," Jessie whispered back. "Sorry it took me so long."

"It doesn't matter now."

Suddenly, Katherine was by their side, tugging on Jessie's sleeve. When Jessie turned her head to look at the girl, she asked, "You gonna marry Aunt Steph'nie now?"

Jessie laughed and hugged Katherine with her free arm. "Yes, Sweetheart. I'm gonna marry your Aunt Stephanie now."

Katherine jumped up and down and clapped her hands. "Yeah! Now I got Aunt Steph'nie and Aunt Jessie!"

Everyone laughed at Katherine's obvious excitement over having Jessie join the family, and Jessie kissed Stephanie one more time. Still shaking, she stood up and pulled Stephanie up off the couch too. Before they knew it, they were both engulfed by hugs and congratulations from everyone.

"Stephanie!" Julie said, reaching her first, "I can't believe Jessie finally got around to doing this! Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Julie! I'm so excited,"Stephanie said, hugging Jessie's mother. When the hug ended, Julie caught her hand to look at the engagement ring. "Wow! Jessie did good!" she said, admiring the ring.

Looking fondly over at Jessie, who was busy being hugged by Stephanie's brothers and their wives, she turned her attention back to Julie. "I can't believe she bought this one. I hadn't realized she'd even noticed that I was looking at it."

"Well, she does have a way of rising to the occasion and surprising us all, sometimes," Julie said, more proud of Jessie in that moment than she could ever remember.

"All right, Julie," JD said, shaking his head at his ex-wife as he waited his turn to congratulate Stephanie, "Let me get my hug in, too." When Julie finally stepped aside good naturedly, he pulled the redhead into a huge hug. "Congratulations, Stephanie! I hope it was as big a surprise as Jess wanted? She's been planning this whole moving to LA thing for a while, you know."

Returning the hug, Stephanie said, "I had no idea she was planning anything like this, JD. I'm so happy!"

"You two deserve to be happy," he answered her. "Enjoy it." He let her go so that he could hug Jessie next.

JD hugged Jessie when he finally managed to reach her. "Congratulations Jess! You told me you were surprising Stephanie with the record label, but my God! You never mentioned that you were proposing, too."

"So you didn't know about this, either?" Julie asked, coming to stand next to her ex-husband. She eyed him critically, waiting for his answer. She didn't like the fact that Jessie was going into the music business like JD, but there was nothing she could do about that now. She also knew that JD was aware of the fact that she didn't like it. Still, in the interest of Jessie's happiness…she could be quiet.

JD looked at her when she asked the question. "I honestly had no idea, Julie. Jess said she wanted to get out to LA permanently. That's what we worked on. She never mentioned that she was going to propose."

Jessie rolled her eyes. It was time to stop them before they got into an argument or something. "Mom, Dad…I didn't tell anyone…"

"Yeah…not even your best friend,"Theresa said, stepping up to them and joining the conversation. She play slapped at Jessie's arm. "You could have told me, Jess. Instead, you just let me keep on badgering you about moving to LA and making things more permanent with Stephanie." She shook her head.

Jessie laughed. "I wanted it to be a surprise, T. Nobody knew…"

"You didn't tell Lacy, did you? I know you've been talking to her a lot, lately. If you did…" she said mock accusingly. She wasn't really angry about it, but it would hurt her feelings if Jessie had told the blond her plans and hadn't shared them with her, too.

Jessie hugged her. "I swear to you, T…I didn't tell Lacy. No one…no one…knew about this ahead of time."

"So how did you manage to pull this off without anyone suspecting?"

"You told me a long time ago…" Stephanie said, coming over to them and interrupting, wrapping herself around Jessie. "Jessie never tells anyone anything about herself she doesn't want them to know. She can be a freak that way, sometimes."

Theresa laughed, remembering that conversation. It had been nine months ago, right after they'd all first met. Jessie was late coming into work that morning, and Stephanie had been feeling like she was in Jessie's way. Theresa had taken the time to listen to her whine, and had explained Jessie's behavior to her in an attempt to make her feel better. It had worked, and the next night, Jessie had stayed at Steph's hotel with her. Not that their conversation had had anything to do with her staying…Jessie had already admitted to Theresa that she wanted Stephanie…

Stephanie thought back to that conversation, and the following night. Of course, she thought, she had been pretty drunk at the time, and hadn't exactly made it easy for Jessie to say no to her. Dancing together earlier, she'd known that Jess was interested. She just had to let the brunette know that she was interested, too. Jessie hadn't reacted the way she'd expected, though, turning her down as gently as she could. It had hurt her feelings at first…especially after she'd heard the stories of her other 'conquests.' She had been surprised, to say the least, that Jessie would turn her down. The truth was…no one had ever really turned her down before. But…once she got to know Jessie and her history…she began to understand the brunette's hesitation.

"Hey!" Jessie said, laughing at the way everyone was going on about how she'd managed to keep the proposal a secret. "If I'd told anyone what I was planning, all of this wouldn't have been much of a surprise now, would it?"

Stephanie kissed her on the cheek and tightened her grip on the slim waist. "I'm glad you kept it all a secret, Jess. This has been the best Christmas I've ever had."

Jessie smiled back at her and everything around them just disappeared as she fell into Steph's eyes. "I promised you that everything would fall into place," she said quietly.

"And you've never lied to me, Jess,"Stephanie said, agreeing with her. She wanted to kiss the brunette again, she really did. But, with both their families there, she thought that probably wouldn't be the best thing to do. Especially since what she really wanted to do involved ripping Jessie's clothes off and kissing her all over.

"All right, you two," Rachel said, making her way to them and pulling them both into a hug. "I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Thanks, Rachel!" Stephanie said, laughing at her sister.

"Thank you, Rachel," Jessie said, hugging her back.

"So…you were planning this the other night, weren't you, Jessie?" Rachel asked, backing away a bit.

The brunette smirked. "I was. I felt really bad…listening to the two of you. I really wanted to just blurt it out then," she said.

"I'm glad you waited, Jess," Stephanie said, reassuring her that the surprise was perfect.

"Well…when's the big day going to be?"

Jessie shrugged. "Whatever date Steph wants is fine with me. I'm not picky." She looked at Stephanie. "Any ideas, Sweetheart?"

Stephanie turned thoughtful for a minute. The truth was she had never given any thought to a wedding date. She'd never believed Jessie would want to get married. Finally, after thinking about it for a minute, she said, "How about September?"

Jessie kissed her on the temple. "September sounds perfect to me. We'll have plenty of time to put things together. Any idea where you'd like to do it?"

"Hmm," Stephanie grew quiet, thinking of places where gay marriage was actually legal in the US. "How about…here in New York? It's legal here now, and it's easy for everyone to get here."

"Absolutely perfect," Jessie agreed. New York was close enough for both Steph's family and her own. And, her family could certainly fly into New York and stay with Stephanie's mom and dad. "Maybe we could make a weekend trip out here to check it out and start looking for a place for the ceremony?"

"That would be great, Jess. Theresa, Brian, would you guys like to come with us? We could make it a mini vacation?" Stephanie asked, looking at the two of them.

"How about me?" Rachel asked, getting jealous. She didn't want to be left out of her sister's wedding plans.

"You're more than welcome to join us, Rachel." Jessie laughed at how excited she was.

"Jessie! I'm so happy you finally did this! Bill and I would have been disappointed if you hadn't," Nancy said, finally getting close enough to pull the brunette into a hug.

Jessie laughed. "To tell you the truth, Nancy, I didn't think I was going to be able to wait any longer."

Bill shook her hand. "Congratulations, Jessie! Welcome to the family."

"Yeah, Jessie…Welcome to the family," Steve, Vince, Gina and Lisa all said together. A second bottle of wine was opened and everyone refilled their glasses for a toast to the two women. As the toast ended, Jessie took a drink from her glass and then looked at Stephanie. "To us," she said quietly, the words only for the redhead. She leaned in and kissed her. "I love you, Steph."

"I love you too, Jess," Stephanie said, kissing her back.

The kids were beginning to get restless, and everyone started laughing when David, one of Stephanie's nephews, groaned loudly and asked if they could go play. Steve shooed them all out of the living room, laughing. The rest of the evening passed quickly, with the men going downstairs to watch a movie, and the women gathering in the kitchen to talk about wedding plans.

Later that night, as they got ready for bed, Nancy said to Bill, "I can't believe you didn't tell me Jessie was going to propose."

Bill shrugged, smiling. "Jessie asked me not to. I gave my word I wouldn't tell anyone."

"But you could have told me," she said petulantly.

He stepped over and wrapped his arms around her. "Nance, she asked me not to tell anyone. She was so nervous….I kind of felt sorry for her."

"Jessie was nervous?"

He nodded. "She was scared to death. I'm not sure if it was asking me, or she was afraid Steph would say no."

"How could she think Stephanie would say no to her? I couldn't imagine that happening," Nancy said in disbelief.

"Well…I can tell you I was nervous when I asked you." He hugged her. "And it's bound to be harder for the two of them. I mean…Hollywood can be…difficult and unpredictable. Stephanie might have said no because she was worried about her career? This could make a difference."

"I don't think she has to worry about that, Bill. For one thing, Stephanie's not a huge star, and she's already come out. Her career's still intact," Nancy said, turning to kiss him lightly on the cheek. "For another, Stephanie loves Jessie more than anything in this world. There's no way she'd choose her career over their relationship."

He smiled as he lay down and pulled the covers up, "You know that, and I know that, but Jessie…she was terrified."

Nancy shook her head. "I can't imagine Jessie being afraid of anything."

"She was shaking when she talked to me. I didn't think she was ever going to get the words out," he said, amused at how scared Jessie had been.

"She didn't think you'd say no, did she? You know you didn't care for her when they first met," Nancy reminded him. When she'd stayed with them in Ohio back in the spring, Bill had told her in no uncertain terms that he didn't trust 'this Jessie woman.' He was worried that Jessie was simply after Stephanie for her celebrity and money.

"I don't know. I don't think so. And…Just for the record, I passed judgment too quickly. Now that I've met her and spent some time with her, I really like Jessie. Besides, she obviously worships the ground Steph walks on, and she makes Stephanie happier than I've ever seen her." As Nancy crawled in next to him, he told her the story of how Jessie asked him for his permission to marry Stephanie.

Steve hadn't been joking when he'd said that Bill would put her to work. For the next four hours, Jessie swept floors and dusted shelves. By the time Bill finally hung the 'Closed' sign on the door, she was worn out. They had talked all day, about various things, feeling each other out and getting to know each other. It's what Jessie had wanted, and by the time they closed, she was feeling pretty good. Nervous, but good.

"So Jessie, you ready to head back to the house?" Bill asked, locking the front door and turning to look at her.

Jessie's mouth suddenly went dry. Now was the moment of truth. Licking her lips and clearing her throat, she said, "Actually Bill, I'd like to talk to you about something before we head back."

"I thought as much," Bill said, smiling and heading toward the back of the store. "Come on back to the break room. We can have a drink and talk."

Jessie followed him to the back room and was grateful, when Bill handed her a glass of Jim Beam. Taking a drink, she began pacing nervously. Bill, who hadn't said anything yet, watched Jessie with a bemused expression on his face. Finally, taking pity on her, he said, "Jessie? You said you'd like to talk?"

"Uh, yeah," Jessie said, stopping in mid-pace and turning to face Stephanie's father. Clearing her throat again, she began. "Mr. Winters…uh, Bill. As you know, Stephanie and I have been seeing each other for quite a while now. And, as time has passed, it's become more and more obvious that the current arrangement is not exactly…"

"Working?" Bill supplied.

"Yeah," Jessie agreed.

"So, I take it you have a plan to change the current arrangement?" Bill asked, waiting patiently for Jessie to get around to it.

Jessie swallowed. "Yes si…Bill. I've been looking for a job with a law firm in LA for a while now. And…it looks like I may have found one."

Bill raised one brow. "I see. So, you're planning on moving to LA to live with Stephanie?"

"Yes, but…"

"But?"

"Well…" She took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "Bill, I want you to know that I love Stephanie. And more than anything in this world, I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I have my own money and career, so there's no need for her to support me. I would never expect anything like that of her. I also own my own home…I have some investments, and a 401K that I contribute to regularly, so I'm not completely without assets."

Bill eyed her suspiciously, making her wriggle a little bit. He was enjoying how nervous Jessie was. "So…I take it you're asking my permission to move in with her?" He was toying with Jessie now, being purposely obtuse. He knew exactly where Jessie was going with this.

"Actually…I wanted to ask you,"she swallowed hard again. Shaking, she was so nervous, she finally said, "I wanted to ask you for Stephanie's hand in marriage."

"Ah, I see," Bill said, keeping his smile to himself for the moment. "You do realize that marriage is not an easy thing? Especially considering the uh…special circumstances, surrounding your relationship with Stephanie? Things could be more difficult than usual for the two of you?"

"Yes Sir, I do understand," Jessie said, acknowledging his concerns. "I also realize that it's not exactly legal for us to marry. Well, not in every state, anyway. Still, it means something to me to stand up in front of everybody that we care about and make my love for her known to everyone. I've considered everything, and I'm more than ready to face whatever comes our way. Unless of course, you and Nancy are completely against this. I mean…I've been under the impression that our relationship is okay with you, but…?"

"Jessie, Nancy and I came to terms with Stephanie being a lesbian years ago," Bill said kindly. He took a drink from his glass and went on. He didn't want Jessie to worry about him, Nancy, or anyone in their family. "Believe me. We have no problems in that arena. More than anything, we want Stephanie to be happy. Now, have you considered the idea of children?" he asked, making Jessie squirm on purpose. Having seen Jessie relax, he decided to tease her just a bit.

"Uh…kids?" Jessie shook her head. "You do know that…?"

"There are ways, Jessie. You know that Nancy and I expect lots of grandchildren. So…?" He was about to lose it completely, Jessie was so nervous. Finally, before Jessie completely broke down, he stood up and walked around the table. Sticking out his hand, he said, "Jessie…of course you have my permission, and my blessing. Nancy and I would be disappointed if you hadn't asked. I think Nancy, in particular, had a feeling about this. And, as for the grandchildren…well, you two can work that out when you're good and ready. Congratulations." He pulled Jessie into a hug then.

On the way back to the house, Jessie was grinning like a fool. She really needed to get herself under control before they got back. She didn't want Stephanie, or anyone else, to figure out what was going on. Before they'd left, she'd managed to extract a promise from Bill that he wouldn't tell anyone; not even Nancy that she was going to propose to Stephanie tonight.

"Whew!" Stephanie said, shutting and locking the bedroom door behind her. "That was…exhausting!" Turning back to Jessie, she noticed the brow raised in question and smiled at the brunette as she stepped into her arms. "To keep out little two-legged, no-tail mice," she explained about the locked door.

"Mmm, good idea," Jessie agreed. "I really don't want her walking in here tonight. Not when I'm planning on doing naughty things with her Aunt Stephanie." She grinned and kissed the redhead on the mouth.

When Jessie pulled back, Stephanie just stood looking into her eyes. "You asked me to marry you," she whispered, her voice betraying how stunned she still felt. "And you gave me the most gorgeous ring…"

Jessie smiled, nodding. "I did…and you said yes," she answered just as quietly. Reaching up she caressed Stephanie's cheek with the backs of her fingers. "Thank you, Steph…for saying yes."

"Like I would have said no," the redhead replied, shaking her head in wonder. "You're amazing, Jess. You weren't really worried, were you?"

Jessie shrugged nonchalantly and took a step forward, forcing Stephanie to step back until she was pressed against the wall. Leaning into her, she placed a hand on either side of her shoulders and kissed her long and slow. "Not really worried…" she kissed her again. "Nervous, maybe…" She moved to her jaw, covering it with light kisses.

At the sensation of Jessie's lips on hers, Stephanie moaned. It had been three days since they'd dared to do anything more than share a chaste kiss or two. Aware of the fact that her parents, sister and all five nieces and nephews were sleeping close by, she whispered, "Jess, maybe we shouldn't…"

"Shh…we'll be quiet," Jessie said reassuringly. "Besides, I really need to feel you touching me tonight." She moved the kisses lower, covering that gorgeous neck.

Stephanie's eyes rolled back in her head when Jessie started kissing her neck. It was one of her favorite spots, and Jessie always made sure to spend plenty of time there. Reaching up with one hand, Stephanie held Jessie's head tightly to her, encouraging her silently to keep going. She knew they shouldn't…but she needed Jessie so much right now…With her other hand, she began sliding it up under the brunette's shirt and scratching her back. When Jessie's right knee slid between her legs, she moaned again and wrapped her left leg around Jessie's thigh, pulling her in tight.

Sliding her hands around until they were on Jessie's hips, Stephanie pulled the brunette impossibly closer. "God, Jess…you make me feel so good…so alive…" She barely whispered the words, knowing instinctively that Jessie would hear her.

Trailing her tongue downward, Jessie used one hand to begin unbuttoning Stephanie's blouse. "I love you, Steph. God, I love you so much…" her words trailed off as she slid the now open blouse off the redheads' shoulders and allowed it to fall to the floor. Dropping to her knees, she began covering the redhead's stomach with kisses, causing Stephanie's head to fall back against the wall. Realizing that her lover was only moments from melting into the floor, Jessie stopped long enough to pull Steph down to her knees as well. When the redhead gave her a quizzical look, she smirked. "So your knees don't buckle. How would I explain the sound of you falling, passed out and half naked to your family?"

Stephanie laughed throatily and shook her head. "God Jess…" Her hands roamed under the brunette's shirt again, sliding it up and over her head. Then, with one hand, she unfastened the pale blue lacy bra Jessie was wearing and pulled it off, tossing it to the side. Feasting on the sight of the brunette's exposed upper body, she said, "You're the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen, Jess. And I thank God every day that you chose me. I never dreamed I'd find you." Her voice was still little more than a whisper, but Jessie heard every word in the silence of their own private little world. Right now, there was nothing but them.

Falling once more into the lush green of Stephanie's eyes, Jessie could barely breathe. Leaning in to take control of the redhead's mouth again, she whispered, "I've always been here for you, Baby. And I owe God big time for bringing us together. You're my dream come true. Now," she grinned and kissed her again. "Shut up and make love to me."

"Mmm, I thought you'd never ask,"Stephanie said, pushing Jessie down until she was lying on the floor. Standing up and walking over to the bed, Stephanie returned seconds later with a pillow, which she placed under Jessie's head. Then, dropping back down onto her knees, she bent over and began kissing slow, lazy circles on the flat stomach. When she felt Jessie's hands tangle in her hair and pull her head upward, she stretched out between the brunette's legs and attached her mouth to one of Jessie's breasts. The resulting gasp caused her to tremble.

"Jesus, Steph…" Jessie whispered as the redhead's mouth closed over her right breast. Closing her eyes and biting her lower lip to keep from crying out, Jessie swallowed hard and concentrated on breathing. Stephanie was driving her crazy. When she suddenly felt Steph's hand working at the button on her jeans, she moaned again. As the redhead worked the jeans downward, she lifted her hips enough that Stephanie could pull them the rest of the way off.

"Finally," Stephanie said when she'd tossed the jeans to the side. Looking down at Jessie lying there in nothing but her underwear, her hair fanned out behind her on the pillow, she licked her lips. "I've been dying to touch you for days, Jess."

Jessie smirked up at her. "Well, Mrs. Drake, why don't you come up here and have at it? I'm all yours now, forever."

"Mrs. Drake?" the redhead asked, smiling and liking the way that title sounded.

"You don't have to change your name if you don't want," Jessie said, watching her nervously. "Maybe we could come up with a combination of both names for each of us? Or…just hyphenate."

Stephanie closed her eyes in thought for a brief moment. When she opened them again, she smiled down at the brunette. "I like the sound of 'Mrs. Drake,' actually. How about I legally change my name to Stephanie Drake, but keep the 'Winters' for my professional name?"

"That works for me just fine," Jessie agreed. "Would you like me to change mine, too? I could maybe change it to Winters-Drake?"

Stephanie shook her head. "No, I like your name just the way it is. And…I want to be known as your wife. I've always hoped for this. I think I wanted it from the moment I stepped foot in your office, even though I didn't realize it at the time. I never dreamed that you'd want it, too."

Jessie reached up and kissed her, a deep, soul searing kiss. "I love you, Steph. I always have, and I always will." She wrapped a leg around the redhead and rolled her over onto her back. As she stared down at her, she said, "Now I'm going to show you how much."

"Please, Jess…show me…"Stephanie barely managed to gasp out between shallow breaths. As they began moving together in a rhythm older than time, Stephanie knew she was right where she was meant to be. And, some time later, when they reached the pinnacle together, she gasped out her love for the brunette quietly, biting into Jessie's shoulder to keep from alerting her family to what they were doing.

For Jessie, making love to Stephanie had always been the most intense feeling in the world. Tonight, as they made love to each other for the first time as an engaged couple, she finally felt the last barriers between them fall. The walls of her past had finally crumbled into dust, leaving nothing but a clear path ahead.

They were awakened on Christmas morning by an insistent knocking on their bedroom door. Jessie, hearing the knocking, pulled the pillow over her head and moaned, attempting to ignore it. When the knocking was joined with a small voice calling, "Aunt Steph'nie! Aunt Jessie! Come see what Santa brought!" Stephanie could no longer ignore her niece. She looked at the clock on the bed side table and groaned aloud. It was only 8am for crying out loud! They had just crawled into bed about two hours ago! Still, she managed to throw back the covers and get out of bed.

At another round of insistent knocking, she called softly through the door. "Just a minute, Katherine. I'm coming!" Then, she looked around for the sweat pants and t-shirt she'd been sleeping in all week. After coming upstairs last night, she'd never quite managed to get dressed for bed. She and Jessie had spent the night on the floor, making love to each other until they finally gave in to their need for sleep.

Finally dressed, she glanced back toward the bed. Jessie was still lying there with the pillow over her head. Before she could allow Katherine into their room, she needed to make sure Jessie was dressed, or at least covered up. The little girl would most likely crawl right up onto the bed and make herself at home with her favorite person, who, at the moment, happened to be the brunette currently sprawled in said bed. She reached over and pulled the covers up until they covered Jessie's shoulders. Rolling her eyes, she unlocked the door and cracked it open just enough to talk to Katherine.

"Good morning, Kat," she said quietly, smiling down at the little girl. "Can you give Aunt Stephanie and Aunt Jessie a few minutes to get ready, Sweetheart?"

The little girl looked up at Stephanie with big green eyes. Shaking her head, she said, "No, Aunt Steph'nie…Kat want you to come see what Santa brought."

"Kat, Jessie and I aren't even up yet," she said, attempting to reason with the girl. "Give us a few minutes, and we'll be down, okay?"

Katherine thought about the request for a moment before finally saying, "Okay…but hurry."

Stephanie smiled again. "Thanks, Kat. Is Grandma up yet, Sweetheart?" Stephanie asked, not wanting the girl to be up running around the house without some adult supervision. At the little girl's nod, she said, "Okay. Why don't you go on downstairs and get some breakfast. Jessie and I will be down in a while, okay?"

"Okay, Aunt Steph'nie," Katherine agreed, turning and walking slowly back toward the stairs.

When Stephanie was sure she was headed back downstairs, she shut the door and locked it again. Taking the few steps required to reach the bed, she crawled back in and pulled the covers up, curling up next to Jessie.

"Is she gone?" Jessie asked, her voice muffled by the pillow still covering her face.

Stephanie laughed. "Yeah, for the moment." Pulling the pillow away from Jessie's face, she leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Good morning."

"Morning," Jessie mumbled, still just barely awake. "Do we have to get up, now?" she grumbled.

"We probably should," Stephanie answered, smiling because she knew how much the brunette hated mornings. "I have a feeling she'll be back soon if we don't get down there."

"Probably," Jessie agreed, sighing.

"Are you sure you want to have kids, Jess? You'll never get another peaceful morning, you know?" Stephanie occupied herself watching the expressions on Jessie's face as she slowly traced the brunette's jaw line with one finger.

Opening her eyes and looking straight into the redhead's green one's, Jessie answered. "I'm positive, Sweetheart. I wanna do it all with you. The kids, the little league, the two cars…everything." She shrugged. "Besides, we have two sets of grandparents and a whole pile of friends we can talk into babysitting."

Stephanie blew out a deep, contented breath. "God Jess…we're getting married!"

"I know. I love you," Jessie answered quietly, still looking into her eyes. Reaching up with one hand, she pulled Stephanie down until their lips came together in a long, slow kiss.

"I love you too, Jess," Stephanie said when she finally came up for air. Slapping Jessie playfully on her bare leg, she said, "Come on. We'd better get down there before she comes up here looking for us again."

Jessie caught her for one more kiss before grumbling and rolling out of bed. "All right, but I better get a chance for a nap later on."

Stephanie just laughed as she got up and headed into the bathroom to take a shower and brush her teeth. She was joined moments later by Jessie, who decided that sharing the shower would be the 'environmentally and politically correct' thing to do. Unable to argue the logic, she gave in to the request. The truth was she didn't care about the reason. She just wanted to spend as much time with Jessie as she could. Still, it was a struggle to take the shower and not get caught up in her need to touch the brunette. She just couldn't seem to get enough of Jessie this morning. And, truth be told, Jessie wasn't faring any better. Her hands roamed continuously during the shower, washing every part of Stephanie's body she could possibly touch.

By the time they finished their shower and made it downstairs, everyone else was in the kitchen eating breakfast, including JD, Julie, Theresa and Brian, who had all stayed in the guest house out back. As they sat down at the table, Rachel flashed them a knowing grin. "So, did you guys sleep okay last night?"

"We slept fine Rachel, why?" Stephanie answered her, instinctively knowing that they weren't as quiet as they'd hoped they were. Fighting to keep the blush down, she watched Rachel carefully, praying that her younger sister wouldn't embarrass them at the breakfast table in front of both their families.

Rachel shrugged. "No real reason. I just figured that you guys might be up all night. You know…making wedding plans?" The truth was she had heard them. They hadn't been loud, but Steph's bedroom and her own shared a wall. It had been kind of difficult to not hear them having sex in the next room. She had been embarrassed at first, but tried to tune them out. It became almost impossible though, when Stephanie began moaning quietly when Jessie started doing…whatever it was she was doing. Apparently, from the way Steph had reacted, it had been something really good, though. Rachel had caught herself thinking how lucky her sister was, to have Jessie in her life, loving her like that.

Stephanie breathed a sigh of relief, when she realized Rachel wasn't going to say something embarrassing. She knew her sister had heard them last night, and she would need to address that later. But for now, she'd take the reprieve Rachel offered. "We did talk a bit…"

"Mostly about last names," Jessie added, sensing an underlying current of unease between the sisters.

"Oh?" Nancy said, joining the conversation. "I hadn't even thought of that. What are you two planning to do about your last names?"

"Well…" Stephanie answered, grabbing Jessie's hand and squeezing it. "I'm going to change my last name to Drake. I'll keep the Winters as my professional name, though."

"For her fans," Jessie said by way of explanation.

"Are you going to change yours, Jessie?" Gina asked curiously. She was unsure of the proper etiquette surrounding such a situation and was truly curious.

"Well…I offered to change it to 'Winters-Drake,' the brunette answered.

"But I want her to keep it just the way it is," Stephanie said, smiling at the brunette and leaning into her shoulder.

Bill nodded his agreement. "That's good," he said. "Better for the kids to have just one last name."

"Kids?" Stephanie asked, looking at her father with a mixture of curiosity and embarrassment.

"Of course! Your mother and I want more grandkids, Steph. We expect the two of you to get busy on that after the wedding," he said, well aware of the fact that he'd just embarrassed his daughter and her fiancé

Stephanie sat looking like a gaffed fish, her mouth hanging open, not sure what to say. She'd never expected her father to say something like that. Still, she felt she had to say something…She was saved, however, when Jessie jumped in.

"We've talked about that a bit, Bill. My grandparents said the same thing…back at Thanksgiving." She smiled when she saw the look of surprise on Steph's face and nodded. To Stephanie, she said, "That's what they were talking to me about that day when Grandma sent you to the barn. They knew I was going to ask you to marry me. In fact, Grandpa was pushing me to do it then."

"They were?" Stephanie was stunned. Just how long had Jessie been planning this, anyway? Not letting that bother her, because it was obvious from the amount of planning involved, that Jessie had been working on it for some time, she let it go. "They are aware of the medical problems involved with that...aren't they Jess?" She looked at her family, sitting around the table, waiting for her reaction. "You all are aware of the medical issues, aren't you? I mean…Jessie and I can't…" She was having trouble putting words to her thoughts.

"I think what you're trying to tell us," Steve said, coming to his sister's rescue, "Is that the two of you aren't going to be able to have kids in the traditional way?"

Stephanie nodded, relieved that someone seemed to understand where she was coming from. "That's it, exactly."

"Well…" Rachel said, grinning evilly, "If trying counted for anything, I think the two of you would already be well on your way."

Stephanie dropped her fork which landed with a clatter on her plate. Jessie turned an interesting shade of red and looked down at her own plate, hoping she'd melt into the floor. A moment passed, before the sudden silence in the room was broken by Vince, who said, "Well…I guess the cat's out of the bag now, huh?"

To his left, their nephew David asked, "Cat? What cat? I didn't know there was a cat here." Everyone ignored him however, turning to look at Stephanie instead.

Stephanie turned a deep shade of red and groaned. "Oh, God! Rachel, I can't believe…!"

Rachel burst out laughing. "What? You two are so obvious, Steph!"

Nancy, not wanting this conversation to go any farther, felt it was time to jump in. "All right, everybody! Let's just drop it, now. Rachel, you can help me clean up the kitchen. The rest of you, finish up and get out of here. We need to get started on Christmas dinner soon, or it won't be ready until after midnight."

"Who has a cat? Dad, why are we talking about cats?"David asked, still confused and wondering about the 'cat.'

Stephanie rolled her eyes at David and sent her mother a grateful look. Glancing at Rachel, who was still trying to contain her laughter, she spent a moment deciding whether she should kill her sister now, or wait until after Christmas to do it. She was saved from making the decision however, when Steve and Vince jumped up simultaneously and pulled Rachel out of her seat. Dragging her kicking and screaming from the kitchen, they hauled their younger sister out the back door and tossed her unceremoniously into a snow bank in the back yard.

When they came inside moments later, stomping the snow off their feet and laughing, Stephanie stood up and went around the table. Hugging each of them in turn, she said, "Thanks guys, but you didn't need to do that."

"Nonsense, Steph," Vince said, hugging her back. "It's our job to protect you. Rachel needs to curb it, sometimes."

Rachel came stomping in moments later, shaking snow out of her hair and dancing around, trying to get the offending white stuff out of her clothes and shoes. "Mom, I'll be back down in a minute. I need to get these wet things off." She was just about out the door of the kitchen when she turned around and headed back to where Stephanie was still standing. "Steph…" she looked at her older sister. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

Stephanie sighed and twisted her mouth before finally saying, "I'll forgive you, Rach. But just this once." Then she hugged the younger woman. "You better go change before you get sick."

Rachel stopped by Jessie before leaving. "Jessie…I need to apologize to you, too. I wasn't trying to embarrass you. I'm really glad you're marrying Steph. She loves you so much."

No longer embarrassed, Jessie hugged her soon to be sister-in-law. After all…the kids had no idea what they were talking about: David had managed to engage the other kids in a conversation about 'the cat,' which didn't exist. And…the rest of the family had certainly been expecting something to happen. Apparently Rachel was the only one who'd actually heard anything. "It's all right, Rachel. I'll forgive you this time. Just don't let this 'embarrassment thing' become a habit." She winked at Stephanie before adding, "Payback's a real bitch, you know."

Rachel's face paled and she gulped. For some reason, she didn't think Jessie was joking about the payback part. Still, she was glad that the woman wasn't mad at her for the joke. She genuinely liked Jessie, and was really happy for the two of them. Regaining some slight composure, she smiled. "Thanks, Jessie. I promise to not embarrass either of you again." With that, the younger woman left the kitchen to change out of her snow-soaked clothes.

Nancy rolled her eyes at her departing daughter's back. Shaking her head, she said, "I swear, that girl. Sometimes, I'm not sure where she learned her manners from." She looked over at Stephanie and Jessie. "I hope the two of you never have kids like Rachel. I have to keep two eyes on her all the time. I never know what she's going to come up with next."

"Oh Mom, she's not that bad,"Stephanie said, rolling her eyes at her mother.

"Oh really?" Nancy asked, biting her cheek to keep from laughing. "Apparently, you're unaware of the fact that she was getting ready to take a picture of you two in bed the other night when Katherine decided to join you. She had her phone out about ready to snap the picture when I stopped her. Although…I do have to say, it was a cute scene…"

"What?" Stephanie couldn't believe it. Maybe she should reconsider killing her sister today. Even if it was Christmas. And just how many people in her family were in their bedroom that night, anyway? Shaking her head, she decided she didn't want to know. The truth just might kill her.

Rachel returned to the kitchen ten minutes later. By that time, everyone had either moved into the living room to watch the kids play with all their new toys, or to the basement, to watch football. She almost swallowed the gum she was chewing, when Jessie stepped back into the kitchen right behind her. "Oh, Jessie! You startled me," the younger woman said, clutching at her heart.

"I'm sorry, Rachel. I just thought you'd like some help with the dishes," Jessie apologized. "There's a lot here."

"It's all right, Jessie. I've got it," Rachel assured her. "Besides, this is Mom's way of punishing me for what I said earlier."

Jessie laughed and shook her head. Grabbing a towel, she said, "How about…you wash, and I'll dry?"

Rachel chuckled. "Well…if you insist."

Stephanie came back into the kitchen at that precise moment and took the now dry plate from Jessie's hands. Turning to put it in the cupboard with the others, she smiled at her sister. "I'll help too. And before you say anything…I don't mind," she said to her younger sister.

"All right…all right," Rachel said, shaking her head at them and giving in. Within twenty minutes, they had finished, and Stephanie went to get her mother, so that she and Julie could get started on Christmas dinner. They had a lot to do in order to prepare food for eighteen people. As they waited, Rachel turned to leave. "Where do you think you're going?" Stephanie asked her, a mischievous look in her eyes.

"I'm…heading downstairs to watch the game," Rachel said, a thumb pointing over her shoulder toward the stairs.

"I don't think so," Stephanie said, catching her and pulling her back into the kitchen. "You're staying right here and helping today. Here…" she handed her sister a bag of potatoes. "Why don't you get started peeling these?"

"Your sister's right, Rachel."Nancy said, walking into the kitchen. "We have a lot to do, so let's get started." As she spoke, Julie, Theresa, Gina and Lisa all entered the kitchen, as well. Within moments, Nancy had the chaos of so many people working in the kitchen organized, and everyone managed to stay out of each others' way. They talked as they worked, and eventually their conversation turned to ideas for the upcoming wedding. By the time everything was cooking on the stove or baking in the oven, Stephanie and Jessie had already received numerous suggestions about everything from the wedding cake to who should be bridesmaids. Needless to say, Jessie was relieved beyond measure when she was finally able to escape to the relative safety of the basement. She didn't really care for football, but she'd take that over all the wedding talk any day.

Opening a beer, she flopped down in a recliner in the basement and took a deep drink. JD noticed and leaned over to her. "All the wedding talk getting to you already, Jess?"

"It's a little overwhelming,"she agreed, nodding and taking another drink.

"It'll be worth it, though," he said, taking a drink of his own beer.

She looked at him with an odd expression. "You think it was worth it…Marrying Mom, I mean?"

"Jess…your mother and I loved each other very much. Just because we had some problems we couldn't work out, doesn't mean the love was gone." He moved a little closer so they could hear each other over the noise of the big screen TV and surround sound of the game. "I still love your mother, Jess. We just couldn't agree on things. Besides…if we hadn't gotten together, we never would have had you."

She smiled. "Thanks, Dad." A sudden thought occurred to her and she licked her lips before asking, "Uh…Dad? Grandpa said something at Thanksgiving I wanted to ask you about."

"He did?" JD asked. He had an idea what Michael had told Jessie, but he waited for her to bring it up.

"Yeah. He said that Mom ran off with you and didn't come home for a year," she took another drink. "He said she had me in her arms when she came home."

"Well…that's true," JD said in answer. He wouldn't lie to Jessie about it. "Julie did run off to follow me around on tour. We were both young and stupid. I mean, I was nineteen and she was only seventeen. When you were born, it just got too hard to tour with a baby. We weren't getting enough sleep and it wasn't good for you, either. So, I sent her back to your grandparents and I came home two weeks later. We got married at the courthouse by a Justice of the Peace."

"So…I was illegitimate?" Jessie asked, clearly not bothered by it, but slightly confused, all the same.

"You're our daughter, Jess. There's nothing illegitimate about it. I'm your father and Julie's your mother. We just weren't married when you were born," he took another drink. "We love you, and that's all that really matters."

Jessie sighed. "I know, Dad. Thanks for telling me the truth. I didn't really want to ask Mom. You know how she can be."

He nodded in understanding. "Oh yeah, I do."

She laughed at the expression on his face and finished her beer. Shaking her head, she said, "I can't imagine the two of you when you were younger."

"Try not to, it's for the best,"JD said jokingly.

An hour later, Stephanie joined her in the basement, squeezing in next to her in the recliner. "You don't mind if I join you, do you, Jess?"

Jessie shook her head and slid over to make some room for the redhead. "Not at all, Baby. Did the wedding talk finally get too much for you?" She wrapped an arm around Steph's shoulders and hugged her close.

Stephanie nodded and smiled crookedly. "A little, but it's all right. I don't think anyone really thought we'd be getting married. It's exciting for them."

"Is it exciting for you? That's all I care about," Jessie whispered into her ear, noting the way Steph shivered when her breath ghosted across her neck.

Stephanie rolled her eyes at the question. "I'm more excited than I ever thought I could be. But…if we're not careful, they'll have the entire wedding planned for us."

"That would make it pretty easy on us though, wouldn't it?" Jessie asked, laughing at the way Stephanie scrunched up her face.

"You just really like to tempt fate, don't you, Jess? You do realize that if we leave it up to them, we'll end up with some crazy colors for bridesmaids dresses, don't you? You have seen 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding,'haven't you? That's what we'd probably end up with," she said, letting Jessie's imagination do the rest.

"They wouldn't do that to us, Steph,"Jessie replied. When the redhead didn't answer right away, she said, "Would they?"

Stephanie shrugged. "You never know what they'll come up with…especially with Rachel involved."

Jessie groaned into her shoulder. "Oh God…"

Stephanie laughed and kissed her lightly on the neck. "You know…we have a few hours before dinner. I seem to remember you mentioning something about a nap?"

Jessie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, she said, "That sounds great, Steph. I think I could use a nap, right about now." She was tired. Two hours of sleep just wasn't enough. Getting up out of the recliner, she grabbed Steph's hand and pulled her out of the chair as well. Then, arm wrapped around Stephanie's waist, they headed upstairs to lay down for an hour or two before dinner. When they got to their room, Stephanie locked the door once more and they both fell onto the bed fully clothed. Within minutes, both women were curled up fast asleep, oblivious to Katherine knocking at their door.

Eventually, Rachel had come to take the little girl to her own room for a nap, leaving her sister and Jessie in peace. She was all too aware of how little sleep they'd gotten the night before.

Christmas dinner was served at exactly 6 o'clock. Absolutely everything, from the huge turkey, to the casserole dishes full of green beans, corn, mashed potatoes and gravy and baby carrots, was cooked to perfection. From the food, to the good China, to the candles lit in the center of the table, Nancy, Julie, and the other women had outdone themselves. Everyone had eaten until they were stuffed, and then the desserts were brought out.

Stephanie, looking over the table at the mouth watering selection of desserts, couldn't make up her mind. On the one hand, she was so full she didn't think she could eat anything else. On the other, she still wanted a piece of the apple pie that Julie had made from scratch. Chewing on her cheek in indecision, she finally opted for a small piece of the pie.

"That's all you're going to have, Sweetheart?" Nancy asked, watching her daughter cut a very small piece of pie and put it on her plate.

"Mom, if I eat anything else, I won't be able to fit into any of my clothes," Stephanie said, pretending to whine.

"You have ten months until the wedding," Nancy said, teasing her. "You have time to lose any weight you might gain from this one meal."

"Mom…" she started to protest, but her attention was caught by Jessie, who reached over at that moment and helped herself to not only a piece of pie, but a huge slice of the double chocolate fudge cake that Gina and Lisa had made, as well.

Jessie, noticing that Stephanie had stopped talking and was now staring at her plate, looked at her innocently. "What? It all looks so good…I'll just have to run a couple extra miles this week to make up for it."

Stephanie rolled her eyes and sighed at the brunette. "Jessie…I swear. I don't know how you can eat like that and never gain a pound."

"I guess I just got lucky," the brunette said, taking a bite of the cake and groaning with pleasure when the flavor hit her taste buds. "Man, that is really good," Jessie said, complimenting Gina and Lisa. "You two are going to have to give me that recipe."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I give up," she said playfully, laughing.

"She's your fiancé"Steve said, biting into his own piece of cake and licking his lips.

"I know," Stephanie said, reaching over and rubbing Jessie's back. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Aw…thanks, Steph," Jessie said, smiling over at her. With her fork, she scooped up a bite of the cake and held it out for the redhead. "Here, at least give it a try. I promise you'll like it."

"I know, Jess. That's why I didn't get any. I like it too much," Stephanie said. She'd had the pleasure of sampling the cake numerous times over the years. Nevertheless, she gave in and took the offered bite, adding her own groan of pleasure to the conversation.

"Uh huh, I knew you'd like it,"Jessie said with a self satisfied smirk. She held back on her desire to tease Stephanie some more when the redhead finally caved altogether and helped herself to her own slice of the cake.

Katherine chose that moment to climb up on Jessie's lap. Looking at the brunette with a serious stare, she asked, "Is it okay to call you Aunt Jessie now? Kat doesn't want to wait 'til you're married."

"If you want to Kat, that's okay with me," Jessie smiled at her and then looked at Steve and Gina. "If it's okay with your Mom and Dad?"

Gina smiled at her daughter, totally aware of the fact that the girl was taken with Jessie. "It's all right with us, Kat."

The little girl beamed and hugged Jessie around the neck once more before hopping down to go play with her brothers and cousins in the living room. Julie watched her go and smiled mysteriously. She'd never really believed that Jessie would find someone, let alone someone like Stephanie. Watching her daughter with Katherine, she caught herself realizing that Jessie was going to make a really good mother. The thought took her by surprise, and she sniffed, holding back a tear. Who would believe that her intensely private, wild child daughter would ever be here…In love and engaged to such a beautiful woman?

Across from her, JD noticed how Julie was looking at Jessie and he smiled. It was about time she finally started to realize what a great kid they had.

Stephanie looked around the living room at the mess. After dinner, everyone had moved out here so they'd have more room to talk. Toys were strewn across the living room floor where her nieces and nephews had left them when they were sent up to bed. Gina and Lisa were going to make them clean up, but Nancy told them to leave it for tomorrow. Yawning, she leaned her head back on the couch and closed her eyes.

"Why don't you go on to bed?"Jessie asked quietly, noticing her yawn.

The redhead shrugged and smiled at her. "I shouldn't be tired. It's not like we did a lot today. And, we took a nap…"

"We didn't get much sleep last night," Jessie reminded her, playing with her hair. "I was actually thinking about heading up to bed, myself. Why don't you come with me?"

She nodded and held out her hand for Jessie to pull her off the couch. "All right, since you're so convincing." They said their goodnights to the others still sitting around the living room and went upstairs. As they went past Rachel's door, Stephanie noticed that her sister's light was still on.

When Jessie shut the door to their bedroom, Stephanie turned to look at her. "Jess…would you mind if I went and talked to Rachel for a while?"

The brunette shook her head. "Not at all."

"I don't want you waiting up for me,"she said, moving into the circle of the brunette's arms and wrapping her own arms around Jessie's waist. She knew Jessie well enough to know she'd wait up for her, not wanting to go to sleep without her.

Jessie smiled and held her tight, kissing her on the nose. "I can doze without you here, Steph. Take your time and enjoy your talk." She knew Steph wanted to talk to Rachel about what she'd heard last night. Stephanie had been more embarrassed than she wanted to admit when she realized that Rachel had overheard them. Then, to say something in front of the family this morning…that had just about caused Steph to explode, she'd turned so red.

"All right…but promise me you won't sit up waiting for me." She kissed the brunette on the mouth and backed away, opening the bedroom door.

"You have my word," Jessie said, smiling at her and watching until she'd left the room and shut the door behind her. Sighing, she went into the bathroom and got ready for bed. When she came back into the room, she crawled into bed and turned out the light. She hadn't been kidding about just dozing while Steph was gone. She'd never fall asleep completely until Stephanie crawled in next to her and she could wrap herself around the redhead for the night.

As it turned out, she tossed and turned for a half hour before she finally gave up and went downstairs for a glass of water. As she made her way through the house, she was surprised to find that everyone else had apparently turned in for the night, too. Entering the kitchen, she flipped on the light and grabbed a glass out of the cabinet. Filling it with cold water from the pitcher in the fridge, she sat down at the table and relaxed.

She was surprised a few minutes later, when the back door opened quietly, admitting Theresa. "Hey Jessie," Theresa said, stepping into the kitchen and taking a seat at the table across from her.

"Hi, T. You're up late," the brunette said, taking another drink of her water.

Theresa nodded, her blond hair glistening with snow. "Yeah…I couldn't sleep and thought I might sneak in and grab something to drink. Why are you still up? I thought you went to bed a while ago."

Jessie shrugged. "It's not all that late for me…not since I've been off work, anyway. And…Steph decided to talk to Rachel before coming to bed." She took another drink and waited for Theresa to go on. She knew the blond would. She couldn't imagine that Theresa had come all the way from the guest house in this snow just for something to drink. Besides that, she distinctly remembered Brian mentioning that they had a fully stocked fridge out there.

Right on cue, Theresa looked over at her and said, "So…you finally asked her to marry you?" She shook her head. "Jesus, Jessie…I never thought you'd do it. I mean…I know you love her. I've known since she stepped into our office, but…"

"Theresa…" she said, but the blond wouldn't let her finish.

"I'm really happy for you, Jess. I am. I just thought…you know…with your history and all, you'd be too afraid." She shook her head again. "You've surprised me, Jess."

"I hope it was a good surprise," the brunette said jokingly. At the blonde's nod, she went on. "Theresa, I knew the first night I slept next to her in that hotel room that I'd found what I wanted. Waking up with her in my arms was the most incredible feeling I've ever had. It just took me a while to get past all the crap and admit it to myself. Thanks, by the way, for pushing me that Saturday night to go for it. I needed that."

Theresa smiled and tilted her head. "You're welcome, Jessie. I'm glad you've found someone that makes you so happy. You deserve this, you know."

"Thanks, T. I am happy…happier than I could ever imagine." She finished the glass of water she was drinking and stood up to put the glass in the sink. Theresa yawned as she finished her glass, too.

"I should probably get to bed," the blond said, joining her at the sink.

Jessie nodded. "Yeah. I should head upstairs, too. Steph made me promise I wouldn't intentionally sit up waiting for her."

Theresa shook her head. "She knows you pretty well, Jess."

"She does," the brunette agreed. Hugging the blond, she said, "Good night, T. And…thanks."

"Thanks for what, Jess?" Theresa asked quizzically, slightly confused.

"For being my friend and pushing me to take a chance. Your little pep talk that night changed my life forever. I owe you big time for pushing me," Jessie answered.

Theresa laughed as she headed for the door. "No thanks are necessary, Jess. Just make sure you include me in the wedding."

"How about being my…well…'best man' isn't exactly the right term, here. But my intention's the same. Would you stand up with me on my wedding day, T?"

Theresa smiled and moved back over to hug the brunette again. "I'd be honored, Jessie. Thank you, so much. Now…you'd better get upstairs before your fiancé comes looking for you."

"All right," Jessie laughed as Theresa closed the door behind her, heading back to the guest house. Once Theresa was gone, Jessie flipped out the light in the kitchen. Shaking her head in wonder at her life, she made her way back upstairs and crawled back into bed. Pulling the covers up, she settled in to wait for Stephanie.

Sometime after one thirty, the bedroom door opened and Stephanie padded across the room. Careful not to wake Jessie up, she made her way quietly into the bathroom. Within minutes, she had brushed her teeth, washed her face, and changed into her night clothes. Stepping back out into the bedroom, she could barely see Jessie lying in the bed, covered with blankets up to her neck. Smiling, she pulled the covers down and squeezed up next to her, still moving carefully.

"How'd your talk go?" Jessie asked sleepily, moving her arm to drape over her and pulling her closer. She heard Steph sigh and she smirked, knowing the redhead was annoyed that she'd woke her up.

"It went really well," Stephanie answered, irritated that she'd managed to wake Jessie up anyway. She should have known the other woman wouldn't be really asleep, just dozing. "She apologized again for saying anything."

Jessie leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "So…you feel better now? I know it bothered you that she heard us. And then…to say something…"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me, Jess. I know she didn't mean anything by it but…" She laughed to herself. "She was really sweet about it when I brought it up. As a matter of fact, she actually said she was jealous of me."

Jessie's brow arched. "Jealous?"

"Yeah…" she trailed off, biting her lip.

"Steph?" Jessie propped herself up on one elbow and looked at her curiously. "Jealous?"

The redhead chewed her lower lip, not wanting to embarrass her fiancé But…she asked…Taking a deep breath, she told Jessie about her conversation with Rachel.

Stephanie knocked on Rachel's door and waited for her to answer. She could hear the younger woman sigh as she got up off the bed, flipping the TV volume down as she did. When the door swung open, flooding the darkened hallway with light, Stephanie blinked.

"Did I forget something, Mom? I swear I…"Rachel began but stopped mid-sentence when she realized that it wasn't her mother at her door, but her sister. "Oh, Steph…Uh…Did you need something? Is my TV too loud?"

Stephanie smiled at her and shook her head. "No. I just stopped by to see if we could talk for a while? If you want to…?"

Rachel smiled nervously, unsure of what was prompting this unexpected visit. "Oh! Well, yeah…" she opened the door further and waved Stephanie in. Shutting the door behind her, she sat back down on the bed camp style, making room for Stephanie, too.

Stephanie followed Rachel into the room and sat down on the end of the bed when Rachel cleared a space for her. From the looks of things, she had been in the middle of a study session, with books and notes spread all over. Watching her, she could tell that her sister was nervous. Her thoughts were confirmed, when Rachel started to speak.

"So…what uh…what did you want to talk about, Steph? If it's about this morning, I'm really, really, sorry about what I said. You know I didn't…" she began rambling, twisting her fingers together.

Stephanie reached over and placed a hand on her knee to calm her down. "Rachel…it's all right. I'm not mad about this morning. Actually…" she hesitated, before saying, "It's last night I wanted to talk to you about." She saw the look of trepidation on her sister's face and hurried to say, "I'm not going to yell at you. I just wanted to talk."

Rachel bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. She could feel her face turning red as Stephanie watched her. "Steph…I really didn't mean to overhear you guys last night. And…I need to work on shutting my mouth and not let every thought come falling out."

"Rachel, be quiet," Stephanie said, placing her fingers under her sister's chin and lifting so that she could look her in the eye. "I never thought for one minute that you were listening on purpose. We really thought we were being quiet. I should have remembered that we share a wall. Jessie and I should be apologizing to you, for putting you through that. It couldn't have been easy."

Rachel shrugged. "It didn't bother me. To be honest," she felt her face turning an even darker shade of red. "It sounded to me like Jessie's a...umm…fantastic lover. I mean…I know what you've told me, but…" She bit her lip and looked away, hoping she hadn't made Stephanie mad.

The redhead had the grace to blush at Rachel's statement, but forced herself to answer her. "She is…A fantastic lover, I mean. She's kind and gentle, and always seems to know just…what I need." She stumbled over that last bit, unaccustomed to saying so much about her personal life. Yes, she told her mother everything. She had always shared a great deal with Rachel, too. But she'd never expected to have to face them after they'd heard her having sex. This just wasn't something she'd ever expected to have to deal with.

"That's good to know, Steph,"Rachel said, growing a little more comfortable when it appeared that her sister wasn't going to rip her head off for the observation. Still, she felt like she needed to explain. "What I mean is…I'm glad that you've found someone who can make you happy…and um…satisfy you."

Stephanie smiled. She certainly couldn't share things like this with Joanie, or any of her other friends, either. There was simply no one in LA that she trusted with her personal life to this degree. She realized again how much she'd missed talking to Rachel since she'd moved to LA. Sighing, she said, "Rachel, thank you. I've really missed being able to talk to you."

"I've missed talking to you too, Steph," the younger woman said. "And, I have to admit…I think I'm kinda jealous of you."

"Jealous?" the redhead repeated, not sure what her sister was talking about.

"Yeah. I mean…you're gorgeous, you've got a great career, someone who obviously worships you, and not only is she beautiful, she's a great lover, too. What more could anyone ask for?"

Hearing that, Stephanie had to admit that Rachel was right. What more was there? She had to be the luckiest woman alive right now. Everything she'd said was true, and if that wasn't enough, she was getting married in less than a year to the most amazing, gorgeous woman she'd ever met. The only thing she could possibly ask for now, was a baby. And that was something they'd already talked about. So, shrugging, she caught herself saying, "You're right, Sis. There's nothing else I need. Except of course, for my little sister to be happy for me and not afraid to talk to me."

"Afraid? Steph, I'm not afraid of you," Rachel said, looking at her with amusement. "I just don't want to embarrass you any more. Besides, I think Jessie wasn't really kidding abut the 'payback's are a bitch,' comment. She wouldn't really do anything, would she?"

Stephanie laughed and shook her head. "She was just kidding, Rach. But if I were you, I wouldn't push it too far, just in case."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Thanks," she answered sarcastically.

Stephanie got up and hugged the younger woman. "You're welcome, Rach. I'm heading to bed, now. Thanks for the talk."

"Any time, Sis," Rachel said, returning the hug. "I've really enjoyed having you home the last few days."

"It's good to be back," Stephanie said as she closed the door behind her and walked the few steps back to her own bedroom.

Rachel watched as Stephanie left the room, closing the door behind her. Remembering last night, she sighed and pulled out her ipod and ear buds. There was no way she was going to sit and listen to anything that might filter through the wall tonight. For one thing, it was rude. For another, she didn't think she could take wondering just what the Hell they were actually doing to each other to cause all the moaning and groaning. Inserting the ear buds, she hit the 'Play' button and turned out her light. Falling asleep to her favorite play list was bound to be healthier than the alternative.

"So…you told Rachel that I'm a fantastic lover and now she's jealous?"Jessie reiterated, trying to get a handle on this. Things were so much simpler when they could make love and not worry about anyone else hearing them or knowing about it.

Stephanie nodded. "Yeah…I mean...she heard us, Jess. Or she heard me, at least. I didn't tell her details or anything, but she figured out from all the noise I was making that whatever you were doing must have been good."

Jessie closed her eyes and thought about that for a minute. She wasn't sure whether she should be embarrassed or feel complimented by that. Before she could say anything, Stephanie tilted her chin up so she could look her in the eye.

"Jess…don't be embarrassed. Rachel is my Theresa. I tell her everything, including how talented a lover you are." She leaned in and planted a kiss to Jessie's lips. "I hope you don't mind…but I need someone to talk to sometimes, too."

Jessie kissed her back. "I don't mind, Sweetheart. Really, I don't," she said, kissing her again. "I just…it feels weird…knowing that Rachel, my future sister-in-law, knows so much about our private life."

"Relax, Baby. I swear, I'd never tell her the important details. Like…" she reached over and ran a finger up and down the brunette's arm. "How you run your tongue over every inch of my body. Or how your hands feel like magic when they're moving inside of me." She leaned in and kissed the brunette again, deeper this time. When they came up for air, she continued. "I'd never tell her how much I like it when you take me from behind, or blindfolded…" she added. "Never stopping until I'm drained…" she kissed her again. "Satiated…" and again. "Exhausted…" and again.

Jessie groaned deep in her throat. Unable to withstand the oral onslaught any longer, she rolled over on top of the redhead. "Jesus Steph…" she bent down and took control of those gorgeous lips. "You make me want to make love to you just by talking."

"Then do it, Jess," Stephanie said quietly, looking up into those blue eyes. She grinned, a lopsided little grin. "We can be quiet."

Jessie rolled her eyes at the words, repeated from last night, when they'd unsuccessfully hidden their actions from at least one member of the household. Still…she wanted Steph so bad…Throwing caution to the wind, she bent down and kissed Steph's neck. When the redhead moved to give her better access, she groaned again and began kissing her in earnest. "Well, like the song says…Let's give 'em something to talk about."

Stephanie was up early on the 27^th, packing her suitcase for the trip home when Jessie woke up. Rolling over, the brunette cracked one eye open and groaned. "Mmm…You're starting early."

"I just don't want to rush this afternoon," the redhead answered, turning away from the suitcase and looking at the woman on the bed pointedly.

Jessie arched a brow. "Are you insinuating that I take my sweet time?"

Stephanie smiled wickedly and moved toward the bed. Giving Jessie a look that would melt, she said, "You always take your time, Jess."

Recognizing the look in Steph's green eyes, Jessie could only respond, "I was under the impression that you like it when I take my time?"

"Well…" the redhead said, leaning down over her and planting her knees on the bed. "It depends on what you're taking your time with." She leaned down and kissed her.

"Uh huh," Jessie hummed, kissing her back. Reaching up with one hand, she tucked her hair behind one ear. "Is there something you want me to take my time with right now, Sweetheart?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Not after Rachel heard us the other night. I don't really want to give her any more thrills."

Jessie laughed. "She's probably still asleep. Besides…that's not what you said last night." She moved her hands down to Stephanie's hips and rubbed her thumbs along the juncture of the redhead's upper thighs and her pelvic bone, causing her to lean down into her further.

"God, Jess…" Stephanie breathed out.

That afternoon, Bill, Brian and JD loaded everyone's luggage into Bill's van. Everyone gathered to say goodbye to Rachel, Stephanie's brothers, their wives and her nieces and nephews. Then, splitting into two groups, they rode to the airport. One group rode with Bill and the other with Nancy, in her car. When they arrived at LaGuardia, they quickly unloaded and waited until Bill and Nancy joined them at the check-in counter. When they arrived at the security checkpoint, there were hugs all around. Then, after extracting promises from JD and Julie, and Theresa and Brian to come visit again, they turned to Stephanie and Jessie.

"Steph, we're so glad you came home for Christmas this year," Nancy said, hugging her daughter.

"I'm glad too, Mom. It's been the best Christmas ever." She returned the hug and then stepped back as her mother pulled Jessie into a hug as well.

"Jessie, thank you so much for coming this year, Sweetheart. You don't know how happy I am that you two are engaged," she said, hugging the brunette. "I told Bill when I got back home last summer that I wouldn't be surprised if this happened."

"I guess you knew before I did, Nancy," Jessie said, laughing. "I'm just sorry it took me so long."

"Well, it doesn't matter how long it took. What matters is that you did it. We're both very proud to have you as a member of the family." She released the brunette and stepped back, allowing Bill to hug each of them, as well. When all the hugs were finally over, they watched as the two women joined the others in the small group on the other side of the security gate and waved to them until they were out of sight. Sighing, Nancy gripped Bill's hand and walked with him back to the short term parking lot and headed home to wind down until New Year's Eve.

Once the plane landed in Ohio, JD made his way to the next terminal to catch his connecting flight to LA. Jessie suggested waiting with him until he had to board, so they all stopped at the bar and had a few drinks while they waited. When his plane was ready to board, JD gave each of them a huge hug and congratulated Jessie and Stephanie one more time. Then, promising to see them when they returned to LA in January, he boarded his plane.

The five of them grabbed their luggage from the baggage claim and headed for long term parking. Theresa had left her car there, and she offered to drop Julie off at home. Then, once that was accomplished, she offered Jessie and Stephanie the use of the guest room. They declined the offer however, citing their desire to sleep in their own bed. Theresa smirked, but nodded her head in understanding and headed to Jessie's. She understood all too well that the two women really just wanted to get some time alone.

Dropping them off, she and Brian waited until Jessie called her on her cell to confirm that they were safely inside and the alarm was set. Then, she backed the car out of the driveway and headed home. All the talk about weddings and engagements made her feel like she really needed some alone time with Brian, too.

"So," Jessie said, reaching into the kitchen cabinet for a glass. "How does it feel to be home again?"

Stephanie stepped over to her and wrapped her arms around the slim waist. "It feels fantastic," she answered. "I love my family, and I really like spending time with them, but…Sometimes, it's nice to spend time with just the two of us, too."

Jessie smiled and kissed her on the nose. "I know what you mean." She took a drink of her ice water and set the glass down on the counter. Pulling the redhead closer, she said, "I've really missed just touching you whenever I want to."

"And I've missed you touching me,"the redhead agreed, hugging the brunette tighter. Breathing a deep sigh of contentment, she asked, "Are you ready for bed, Jess? I'm feeling kinda tired."

"Yeah, actually I'm kinda worn out myself," the brunette answered. Dumping the rest of the water in the sink, she caught Stephanie around the waist, and headed for the bedroom. "Come on, let's go lay down."

"What about our luggage?"

Jessie shrugged. "In the morning. Right now I just want to curl up with you and go to sleep."

"Mmm, that's the best offer I've had all day," Stephanie hummed as she allowed Jessie to lead her down the hall toward their bed. When they arrived at the bedroom, they didn't even bother flipping a light on. Too tired to do anything else, they both stripped down to their underwear and crawled into bed. Within minutes, both of them had succumbed to their need for sleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

The next few days were slow and lazy. Neither woman had any real desire to do much, so they made a concerted effort to do as little as possible. Other than a few necessary errands, the only other thing Jessie did was make a phone call to Mr. Thomas Richards of Richards, Weiss and Meyer in LA. When she was finished with the phone call, she returned to the living room.

"Well…I start work on March 1^st for Mr. Richards," she said, stepping back into the room and sitting down next to Stephanie on the couch.

Stephanie threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her back until Jessie was leaning into her. "It's nice of him to let you give Mr. Mason a month's notice," the redhead answered, looking at her and playing with her hair.

"Yeah, it is. And, he's giving me time to get moved and settled in LA."

"You know, Jess…it just occurred to me…Don't you have to have a license to practice law in California?" Stephanie asked curiously.

Jessie nodded. "Yeah, but I've already been working on that for a while. I take the bar exam for the State of California in two weeks." She smiled at the look on Stephanie's face and shrugged. "I've been studying and taking classes whenever I could."

Stephanie just shook her head, amazed at how much work the brunette had put into her plans for their future. For a moment, she felt like she hadn't done enough. After all, Jessie was the one who was changing her entire life around. Shouldn't she at least be doing something more to help Jess out and make the change easier for her? Whenever she brought it up, Jessie just shrugged and told her she didn't need to do anything. Just knowing that Stephanie was there, waiting for her, was enough. Still, she felt like she should try to do something…Later that night, after Jessie had fallen asleep, Stephanie got up and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Or at least, that's what she told Jessie, when the brunette had asked sleepily where she was going. Grabbing her cell phone, she made a call to Joanie in LA, before heading back to bed. Satisfied that the agent would follow her instructions to the letter, she fell asleep easily when she crawled back into bed.

On the morning of the 30^th, they got up early and had breakfast. Jessie had promised her grandparents that she'd be out to visit them before the New Year, so they got ready and left the house by 7. Once in the car, Stephanie flipped on the satellite radio, and they sang along with the eighties station she'd chosen. On occasion, they'd crack up laughing at some of the old songs, wondering why anyone had ever thought they were good, let alone popular. Stopping once for gas, they arrived at the O'Rourke's by 9:30.

When they pulled in the driveway, Michael was already outside, knocking a light dusting of snow off the front porch with a broom. He set the broom to the side when he saw them pull in and went out to the car to meet them.

"Jessie, Stephanie! I'm so glad you made it," he said, wrapping each of the women in a hug as they got out of the car. "You didn't have any trouble getting here, did you?"

Jessie shook her head. "No, Grandpa. It didn't start flurrying until about half an hour ago. The roads are all clear."

"Good to hear," he said, leading them inside. "Your grandmother's in the kitchen, get on in there and give her a hug before she thinks you're ignoring her." He left them to head back outside. He still needed to help Josh with some of the chores in the barn.

Jessie stepped into the kitchen to find her grandmother standing over a mixing bowl. "Whatcha doing, Grandma?" she asked, smiling when the older woman looked up at them.

"Jessie! I'm making a cake, Dear." She wiped her hands off on a towel hanging from the handle of the oven. "Come here, both of you and give me a hug," she said, spreading her arms to welcome them.

They hugged her and sat down as she went back to her work. "I'm so glad you're both here," she said, pouring the batter into a cake pan. "I was worried the weather might keep you away."

"The weather's fine, Grandma. It wouldn't keep us away. Besides," Jessie looked over at Stephanie, who nodded. Licking her lips, she said, "We have something we'd like to talk to you and Grandpa about."

Marion looked up at her. "Oh?" She had a feeling she knew what this 'something' was, but she didn't ask. She could wait for the girls to tell her when they were ready.

"Yeah, I'll tell you what…When we sit down for lunch, we'll talk then,"Jessie said.

"No, Jessie. Go get your grandfather and let's talk now. I'm finished here, and he really shouldn't be working so hard out there in this cold weather. He's down at the barn. Stephanie can keep me company while you go get him."

"All right, I'll be right back,"Jessie agreed. She grabbed her coat out of the hall closet and kissed Steph on top of the head when she returned to the kitchen. Then, turning and walking out the back door she headed for the barn. When she got there, she stepped inside and inhaled deeply. The smells of the barn were always a comfort, and she especially liked it in the winter. For some reason, it just seemed more inviting, then.

Looking around, she found her Grandfather and Josh toward the back, trying to fix a stall door. One of the horses had somehow managed to knock it off its track, and they were trying to get it back on again.

"Jess! Come on over here and help us out for a minute,"Michael called, when he noticed her walking toward them. She smiled and jumped in to help right away, holding onto one side of the door while Josh lifted it on the other end. With the extra hands, they managed to get the door working again within minutes. "So…" Michael said, eyeing her shrewdly. "You didn't come down here just to help us in the barn, did you?"

She shook her head. "No. Actually, I came down to ask you to come on up to the house. Steph and I have something to talk to you and Grandma about."

The old man smiled broadly. "Finally asked her to marry you, didn't you?"

Jessie blushed, but nodded. "Yeah, I did."

"And I take it from the smile on your face she agreed?"

"Yes Sir, she did," Jessie answered, unable to hide her happiness and excitement from him. Josh, standing off to the side, hugged her in congratulations and then excused himself to get started on another chore.

"So, when's the big day?" Michael asked, throwing an arm around her and walking with her back to the house.

"We were thinking September 15^th," Jessie answered.

He nodded. "Sounds like a good day."

They stepped inside the back door, took off their coats, and wiped their feet on the thick rug before heading into the kitchen. Neither Marion nor Stephanie was there, however, so they headed for the living room, where they could hear the women talking. When they got there, Michael sat down in his favorite chair and Jessie sat down next to Stephanie on the couch.

"Well…what did you want to talk to us about?" Marion asked, unable to wait any longer. She took a sip of her hot tea and waited impatiently. She'd noticed the ring on Stephanie's finger, and wanted to hear all the details.

Jessie laughed at her Grandmother's impatience. "Well…" suddenly, her mouth was dry. She didn't know why. They were expecting this, and she'd already told her Grandfather. Taking a deep breath, she caught Steph's hand in hers and squeezed. "Well…Steph and I…we're uh…"

Stephanie shook her head at Jessie's nervousness. Gripping Jessie's hand and smiling fondly at her, she finished the sentence for her. "What Jessie's trying to tell you, is that we're engaged."

Marion smiled and got up to hug both of them. "Oh, I'm so happy for you both! I knew this was coming! So, tell us all about it. Stephanie, I want to see that ring up close, now."

Stephanie held out her left hand and showed both of them her ring. She smiled at how excited Jessie's grandparents were, and told them the entire story of how she'd seen the ring in the jewelry store in Greece and Jessie bought it when she wasn't paying attention. Then she told them how Jessie proposed, and Marion wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh my, Jessica…I never knew you could be such a romantic, Dear."

Jessie rolled her eyes. Her grandmother rarely called her Jessica. "Grandma…"

"Don't Jess…" Stephanie said, leaning into her. "You are a romantic. Not many women would have bought a ring for the woman they loved, asked her dad for his approval, and got down on one knee and proposed the way you did. It was perfect. You're perfect." She kissed the brunette.

"Thanks, Sweetheart." Jessie answered when the kiss ended. "I tried to make it special."

"Sounds like you got that from me," Michael said, smiling broadly at Jessie. He moved away from Marion when she play slapped at his arm.

"Oh hush, you crazy old man," she said, shaking her head at him. To Stephanie, she said, "I hope Jessie isn't as crazy as Michael. He can be a real pistol some times."

Stephanie laughed and looked over at Jessie, her eyes full of love for the brunette. "I think I can handle her, Grandma."

"You'd better, Sweetheart. I'm planning on making this a permanent arrangement," Jessie said, laughing at both of them.

"It can't come fast enough for me, Babe," the redhead replied.

"Well…you two come on," Marion said, dragging both of them toward the kitchen. "I want to hear all about the wedding plans so far so I can add in my two cents worth."

Jessie shook her head and rolled her eyes, but wrapped an arm around Stephanie's waist and followed her grandmother to the kitchen, all the same. As they took seats at the kitchen table, it occurred to Jessie just how lucky she was to have the family she did. Not every parent or grandparent would be so accepting of their impending wedding. Stephanie, looking over at her, smiled and squeezed her hand. The redhead had obviously been thinking the same thing.

Lacy called on the morning of the 31^st just to make sure they were still coming to her New Year's Eve party. "Stephanie? Hey, how are you? How was Christmas with your family?"

"Christmas was wonderful, Lacy," the redhead replied, happy to talk to the blond. She really liked Lacy and always enjoyed their time together. "Actually, I'm glad you called. I wanted to thank you for everything you've been doing for Jessie."

"Oh, I haven't done that much,"the blond replied, downplaying her role in helping Jessie's plans come to fruition.

Stephanie blew out a breath, shaking her head at the other woman's humility. "Lacy, Jessie told me how much you helped her. She also told me that you're giving up acting?"

Lacy laughed. "Yeah, I am."

"So what made you decide to give it up? I thought you really liked it," Stephanie asked.

"Well, the boys are getting older, and I thought it might be nice if they didn't have to explain to their friends what their mom did for a living. Besides, I'm going to enjoy working at the record label," Lacy answered enthusiastically.

"Jessie hasn't told me much about the label beyond the fact that it's an 'indie' and they're going to be signing 'up and coming bands.' To be honest, we've been so busy, I didn't even think to ask her what they're naming the label," Stephanie admitted, feeling guilty that she hadn't asked Jessie before now. When she thought about it, she wasn't even sure what an 'indie' label was, so she asked Lacy.

The other woman answered her easily. "An 'indie' label is an independent record label; one not tied to the major record labels. They're more interested in promoting new artists than getting rich and then dropping them for the next big thing. Jessie didn't mention what they're calling the label?"

"No. And…I feel bad that I haven't asked. I don't want her to think that I'm not interested."

"She would never think that, Steph. She knows how you feel," Lacy reassured her. "And…just so you know. They're calling it Drake's Rock Records."

"Drake's Rock Records," Stephanie repeated, smiling. "I love it, Lacy! It's fantastic."

"Jessie and JD came up with it together," Lacy confirmed. "Being the co-founders, they wanted it to have a family business kind of feel. I've had Alex working on the promotional materials…the business cards, logo, and all that, for the last two months. We even have t-shirts."

"Alex is working on it?" Stephanie asked, taken by surprise that Jessie's ex would be involved in the project. And, for a brief split second, she felt slightly jealous that the brunette had known about Jessie's plans before she did. But it was only a second.

"Yeah, but…Stephanie…You don't need to worry about her," Lacy said, realizing right away that Alex might be a sore subject for the redhead. "Alex knows you two are together, and she knows that we're all moving to LA. She's staying here, though. She has her own advertising company. You did know she's not relocating? This is just another job for them?"

You don't have to explain, Lacy," Stephanie began, not wanting the blond to feel uncomfortable talking about the brunette. "I know that Alex still has a contract with you guys. Besides, she and I had a long talk right before I left for LA back in June. I know it might sound odd, but when Jessie and I had that argument, Alex was the one who reassured me that Jessie was in love with me."

Lacy raised a brow at that. She hadn't known that Stephanie and Alex had spoken to each other in more than a social setting. "So you're okay with Alex?"

"Yeah. I wouldn't say we're best friends, but we understand and respect each other," the redhead said. "Besides…I trust Jessie." She really wanted to tell the blond they were getting married. But, they had agreed not to tell their friends about the engagement until they were all together. When Lacy found out they were engaged, she was going to be ecstatic.

"I'm glad to hear it," Lacy said. "Jessie's been in love with you since long before she actually met you. I couldn't imagine her ever wanting anyone but you, Stephanie." She glanced down at her watch. Realizing what time it was, she said, "I didn't realize how late it's getting. I'm going to have to let you go so I can finish up some last minute things for tonight. I'll see you both at the party."

"Bye Lacy, we'll see you there,"Stephanie said, hanging up the phone. Smiling to herself, she headed to the bathroom to take a shower. Tonight was definitely going to be interesting.

Two hours later, Jessie whistled when Stephanie emerged from the bedroom ready for the New Year's Eve party. Dressed in a dark green Terani Minidress decorated with ruching and striated shoulder straps, the redhead was an absolute vision. "My God…Steph, you're gorgeous," the brunette said, trying to catch her breath.

Stephanie smiled as she walked up to the brunette and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Sweetheart. I might say the same about you." The redhead was raking her eyes over her with something akin to lust. Jessie had chosen a Faviana Royal Blue Deep V Underbust dress made of sequins with a cutout back for the evening.

Both women had chosen dresses which brought out the color of their eyes, and they had each managed to find matching pumps as well. They had decided to wear the matching earrings that Stephanie had bought for the movie premiere in September. Then, each had accented their chosen dress with their favorite bracelets and necklaces. Stephanie had chosen a draping, multi-stringed pearl necklace, while Jessie had chosen a small heart shaped sapphire necklace with a silver chain.

"You're still wearing the necklace I gave you for your birthday," Stephanie said, surprise tingeing her voice as she fingered the small diamond encrusted letter "J."

"I've never taken it off," Jessie admitted shyly, pulling her close and kissing her lightly on the lips. "I see you're still wearing the one I gave you, too."

"I never take it off, either," Stephanie answered, wrapping her arms around the brunette's neck.

"Mmm, maybe we could just stay here tonight and skip the party?" Jessie asked, enjoying holding the redhead.

"No way, Jess. I promised Lacy we'd be there. Besides, we're telling them all tonight, aren't we?" She wanted nothing more than to go back to the bedroom and start undressing Jessie right this moment. But…she'd promised.

Jessie rolled her eyes and started to pout, but gave in. A promise is a promise, after all. And…she was looking forward to telling everyone that they were engaged. "All right, all right. But when we get home tonight, I am sooo undressing you." She kissed Steph again. "I'm going to start by running my hands up your thighs," she whispered into her ear. "And then…I'm going to slide these hose off of you one leg at a time…"

"God Jess," Stephanie breathed in her ear. "If you don't stop, we'll never make it to the party."

"If I don't stop, I won't want to make it to the party," Jessie whispered back, kissing the redhead one more time. Pulling back slightly, she smiled. "Come on. Let's get going before something better comes up."

They arrived at the party at eight, and went looking for the rest of the band right away. Through the crowd of people, Jessie managed to locate Lacy standing off to the side within minutes, talking to Jill. Catching Stephanie's hand, she said, "Come on, Steph. Let's get Lacy and Jill and see if we can't get the whole band gathered in one spot for a few minutes.

"You're ready to tell them, now?"the redhead asked, slightly surprised that Jessie was willing to spread the news so quickly. She was usually a little more reserved and private about their personal business.

"Yeah, I'm ready if you are,"the brunette answered, smiling at her. "Besides," she glanced down at Stephanie's hand where the engagement ring sparkled in the light and caught it, squeezing lightly. "One look at you and Lacy's going to know right away."

Stephanie returned the squeeze and kissed her. "Well, let's go then." As they made their way toward Lacy, Stephanie couldn't hold back her excitement. Lacy had told her months ago that she thought that she and Jessie should get married. At the time, the redhead had blown off the idea as pure craziness. Jessie, she thought, would never be ready to settle down completely. Glancing down at the ring on her finger, she smirked to herself. Apparently, she'd been very, very, wrong.

As they approached Lacy, the blond noticed them walking toward her and tapped Jill on the arm. Both women turned to watch them and caught them up in hugs the minute they were close enough. "Jessie, Stephanie! You guys look great! I'm so glad you made it tonight," Lacy said, hugging each of them in turn. The annual New Year's Eve party was one of Lacy's pet projects. She and John hosted one every year at the Hilton Hotel for all of their business associates.

"You too, guys," Jessie said, returning the hugs and watching as Stephanie did the same. She waited patiently as they finished their hellos, and then looked at both of them. "Um, would you two mind gathering the band for a few minutes? Steph and I need to talk to all of you."

"Sure, Jess," Jill agreed, hurrying off to find Doug, Mike, John and Nick.

Lacy, always shrewd, looked more closely at the two women standing in front of her. Stephanie was standing with her arm wrapped around Jessie's waist and smiling at her. Jessie, always hard to read, was looking rather smug. Putting two and two together, she looked to Stephanie's left hand and gasped when she saw the engagement ring. "Oh. My. God! You guys! You're getting married? Congratulations!"

Jessie rolled her eyes and laughed at her reaction. Stephanie's smile grew even wider, if that were possible, as the blond pulled them into another hug. As she backed away from them, Jessie shook her head. "Thanks, Lacy."

By then, the rest of the band had gathered around them and Jessie called over a waiter with a tray of wine glasses. Making sure that each of them had a glass, she looked at each of them with gratitude. Finally, realizing that they were all looking at her expectantly, she cleared her throat. "Well…now that we're all together, I…Stephanie and I," she corrected herself, "would like to tell you all something. First of all, we wanted to thank you guys for hanging in there this past year. We know it hasn't been easy…what with all the traveling and creative scheduling we've been doing. And now, we're all relocating to LA! We both wanted to thank all of you for that. I really think this is going to be a great opportunity for the band."

"Hey Jess, we're with you," Mike said. "You've never let us down, yet."

Jessie smiled. She could always count on Mike to have her back. "Thanks, Mike. Now…we know you all want to get back to the party, so we'll make this short." She looked at Stephanie and smiled even brighter. At the redhead's nod, she looked at all of them. "Stephanie and I would like all of you to know that we're engaged. We haven't told anyone outside of our families yet, but we wanted all of you to know now because you're family to us."

They all burst out talking excitedly at once, at the announcement. Back slaps, hugs and congratulations were given, and John raised his glass in a toast. "Wow! I can't believe you finally decided to do this, Jessie! You'll never regret it, man." He lifted his glass up a little higher. "To Jessie and Stephanie…May you have a long and happy life together!"

They all toasted and drank their wine and Stephanie leaned into Jessie and gave her a huge kiss. Lacy laughed and pulled her out of Jessie's arms to show off the engagement ring to Jill and Tracy, Nick's wife.

"Jesus, Jessie! That's a gorgeous ring," Mike said, looking at it. "You've got some great taste."

"Well thanks, Mike. It's the one thing Steph saw in Greece that she wanted and I couldn't say no," Jessie said, grinning like a fool. She was so happy she couldn't remember feeling this good, ever.

"So why didn't you ask her in Greece?"

Jessie shrugged. "I almost did once, but I was waiting until everything with the record label and the job was in place. I guess I just wanted to be able to offer her something besides me."

"You're more than enough for me, Jess," Stephanie said, overhearing the conversation and sliding her arm around the brunette's waist once more. "And…just for the record, there was more than one thing in Greece I wanted. The ring just happened to be the only thing I didn't already have." She gave Jessie a smoldering look that caused the brunette to shiver with need, remembering seeing that look under different circumstances.

Jessie's face turned a slight shade of pink, and she kissed Stephanie. "I love you, Steph."

"And I love you," the redhead answered, kissing her again. "Mike, you'll excuse us?" Stephanie said, smiling at the bass player. At his nod, she said, "Come on, Jess. Let's dance." She caught her hand and pulled the other woman toward the dance floor. As Jessie followed her willingly out onto the dance floor, Stephanie couldn't help but remember another night, and another party, when they'd danced together for the first time. Throwing her arms around Jessie's neck, she let the music take her.

Later that night, after the bell had tolled midnight and the New Year had begun, they said goodbye to their friends and headed home. When they got there, Jessie locked up and joined Stephanie in the bathroom for a shower before moving back to the bedroom. The brunette had indulged herself, undressing Stephanie exactly as she'd promised earlier that evening. Now, hours later, they lay there enjoying the closeness in the darkened room. It was warm under the covers, and Stephanie was currently trailing her fingers down Jessie's chest to her stomach. Her breath ghosting across the brunette's skin where her head rested on her shoulder, was giving Jessie goose bumps.

"Are you happy, Steph?" she whispered quietly, holding her close and nuzzling her hair with her nose.

Stephanie looked at her and smiled. "I've never been happier in my life, Jess. This has been the best year I've ever had. Thank you…for making me so happy and giving me everything I could ever ask for."

Jessie squeezed her tight, enjoying the feel of Stephanie's smooth skin against her own. "I'd do anything for you, Steph." She ran her hand down the redhead's side, causing her to shiver. Closing her eyes, she whispered, "God, I love you."

Stephanie rolled on top of her and sat up on her knees, straddling the brunette. Looking down at her, she whispered breathlessly, "Show me, Jess. Show me how much you love me."

"Every day for the rest of my life, Steph." She sat up and kissed her again, tangling her hands in the curly hair and rolling her fiancé onto her back. "Every day for the rest of my life."

The End

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