DISCLAIMER: All My Children is the property of ABC. No infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

Flight
By Rudeboy

 

Act II: Cruising in the clear skies

 

Chapter 9 - Prelude

 

August 23rd – 8:15 AM

"Finally…"

It wasn't so much that sex was that important to Bianca, but after five years of glances, touches, blushes, highs, lows, expectations, disappointments, near-misses, differences, turmoils, comas, kidnappings, rapes, murders, births, baby snatchings, awkward moments, heavy sighs, and paintings named Portia, it was nice to finally be in bed laying in the arms of the woman she loved… as lovers. Not as best friends, not even as girlfriends, but full-blown, no-questioning, lovers.

They lay there, facing each other, a thin sheet protecting their naked bodies from the coolness of the air-conditioned air. A bare calf stuck out here or there, but otherwise anyone could have walked in the room and not been embarrassed. Not that these women cared what anyone thought at this moment. They were too enthralled in their own post-sexual relations after-glow to care what anyone in the world would make of them, no matter what their state of dress.

Bianca was laying on her right side, smiling as she stared at Maggie's lips. She was obsessed with them it seemed, not being able to take her eyes away from them. She studied their contours, the thin, vertical lines that ran between the two separate halves that made up the whole. The taller girl's own mouth was drawn into a very thin, satisfied smile.

Maggie laid on her left side, her own eyes focusing on Bianca's forehead, her right hand brushing wisps of hair from her new lover's face.

"How do you feel?" Bianca asked, her voice dry and cracking with nerves as well as a long night.

"Probably the happiest I've ever felt," Maggie replied, still playing with the tiny, misplaced hairs.

"But… you're sure you're okay with this?"

Maggie closed her eyes, her smile broadening. When her eyes re-opened, they were now locked with Bianca's. "Bianca… you don't have to keep asking me this, okay?"

"I know, but…"

Maggie leaned forward, planting a light kiss on Bianca's lips to silence her. She pulled back and smiled at the now goofy-smiling Bianca. "Look, you asked me last night after the first time… and after the second time… and the third time this morning… I'm fine. This is where I want to be… right here… with you… in your arms…"

"Alright… I believe you; I just want to make sure, you know?"

"I know, and I appreciate it, I really do."

The women returned to their silent stares, neither seemingly able to drink enough of the other one's visage in to satisfy their hunger for one another. Several minutes passed before Bianca finally spoke again. "We have to get up at some point, you know… it has to be getting late."

"No, we don't."

"We do! I have a meeting today I have to be at and you have class."

"I know I do… I'm classy!"

Bianca rolled her eyes before staring into Maggie's once again. "Really? How do you explain that one thing you did last night? Classy ladies typically don't know how to do that."

Maggie furrowed her brow. "We did several things, Bianca… which one do you mean?"

Bianca blushed. "You know the one I mean! The one that made me let out a stream of swear words?"

Maggie smirked. "Oh… THAT one thing. I… um… grew up with Frankie?"

"Okay, if your sister taught you that, that's just mildly disturbing, and icky!"

Maggie laughed. "Okay… maybe no one taught it to me, it just felt… right. Ya know?"

"Oh, it felt right for sure," Bianca said with a big grin as she pulled Maggie closer to her across the sheets. They stared at each other for a moment before closing their eyes and kissing once again.

In the kitchen, the intercom sounded the arrival of Patrick.

The girl's eyes snapped open. "What time is it?" Bianca asked hurriedly.

Maggie rolled over, her alarm clock not in sight, she looked around. She finally found it under the bed, the time on it blinking. "Oh crap! We knocked it off the nightstand last night!" She reached for her mobile phone, flipped it open, and her jaw dropped. "Oh my god… its 8:25!"

This news sent both women scrambling out of bed, Maggie throwing on a robe and quickly fetching a second one from her dresser for Bianca. "We are so late!" Bianca chided.

"I know!" Maggie responded as she threw the door to the kitchen open. She ran into the room, but quickly skidded to a stop. "CRAP!" she exclaimed.

"What is it?" Bianca asked.

"We forgot about the dishes! There are still broken plates everywhere!"

The elevator dinged out in the hallway, signaling Patrick had come on up. Bianca and Maggie shot each other a look. "Oh, this is so not going to be fun," said the shorter girl.

"You clean this up; I'll distract him in the hallway!" Bianca made a wide circle around the broken plates, being careful as her feet were bare. She ran through the dining room, the table still covered in the remains of last night's repast. She made it to the door just as Patrick knocked.

Flinging the door open with her right hand, she tried pulling her hair tight with her left so as to conceal the dreaded 'bed head'. "Patrick! I am so sorry, we're running late today."

He cocked an eyebrow at her. "I can see that," he said as he stepped in, walking past her.

Bianca quickly slammed the door and tried to get around him to block his view of the dining room and the plates still piled on the table there. "So…" she said, obviously stalling for time, "where's Miranda?"

Patrick furrowed his brow now. "As we discussed yesterday, she's at Cambias with Guilia until you arrive."

"Oh, that's right!" she said, making a big show of smacking her forehead with her palm. "Silly me!"

"Yes… silly you," he said, his one eyebrow, once again, rising in a questioning fashion.

"Well… okay, why don't you head back down to the car and I'll finish getting ready…" Bianca said as she took Patrick by the arm and tried to lead him back to the front door. He was reluctant at first, trying to lean back and look in the dining room.

Just as they reached the door, there was the sound of plate pieces crashing into the trash. Patrick ripped his arm away from Bianca's hand and spun to investigate the sound.

"Patrick! Wait, I…"

It was too late, Patrick had made it to the dining room, and by the time Bianca got to the doorway, Patrick was halfway into the room, but had stopped dead in his tracks.

Maggie stood in the kitchen doorway, dustpan in one hand, broom in the other. Patrick looked form her… to the table… back to her... and then turned to look at the blushing Bianca. "I… um… I think… yes… yes, I'll just go wait… down in the car… for you… no hurry…" Patrick said as he turned and started to walk past Bianca, back into the hallway.

He left without saying another word… the two girls broke into fits of hysterical laughter.

 

August 23rd – 8:53 AM

Bianca had gotten ready in record time for work. She was putting on her suit jacket as she made the turn off of the stairs, crossed the living room and headed to the entrance hallway. She spotted Maggie leaning against the dining room doorway, arms crossed in front of her, head leaning against the framework. Her eyes were closed and her smile was wistful. "Hey… how goes the clean up?"

Maggie's eyes popped open and it seemed they took a second to focus, returning from where ever she had drifted off to in her head. "Huh? Oh yeah… all done. I already started the dishwasher and everything."

"Great… are you going to get ready for class now?" Bianca asked as she walked up to Maggie to stand in front of her.

"Only if I really have to," the shorter girl responded with a grin on her face.

"Well, I have to go to work, class is all up to…" she saw the look on Maggie's face, and knew what it meant "Stop right there! We already had this conversation!"

"I know… in bed… where I would still like to be," Maggie bit her lower lip, grabbed Bianca's lapels, and pulled her closer to her own body.

"Maggie…" Bianca sucked in a sharp, deep breath "don't…" her eyes closed; the look on her face was one of temptation and regret.

"Why not?" Maggie said, whispering in Bianca's ear.

"Because… you are a foul and evil temptress…" her head lowered, a soft moan escaping her lips as Maggie blew hot breath on her left ear "and… I… oh god…" It took all her willpower to shove Maggie away from her. "And I have to go to work… and you have to go to school."

"Party pooper," Maggie admonished.

Bianca stepped away, putting in her earrings, "I know, but look at it this way, from here on out, it's all smooth sailing!"

The shorter girl rolled her eyes skyward in exasperation. "Oh, good job Bianca, just ask the world to kick us, why don't ya?"

"Oh, you know what I mean!" the taller girl said, turning back to her new lover. "We've gotten past all the big hurdles, there's nothing standing in our way anymore."

"I still say that you're just asking for the universe to smack us in the face," her expression one of nervousness.

"Oh shush," Bianca said with a laugh. She turned to face Maggie, and it was her turn to pull her closer. "Now… give me a kiss so I can head to work and you can get ready for class."

Maggie didn't fight the pull, or the suggestion, leaning in and kissing her newly minted lover fully on the lips. Neither wanted to pull away and kept the kissing going for several minutes.

"I… have to go…" Bianca finally said between kisses.

"Mmhmm," was Maggie's only reply as she continued to kiss her.

"STOP IT!" Bianca said laughing and pushing her girlfriend back. "Away, you demon!"

"Awwww, is that my first couple nickname?"

"Oh, good God… I am so breaking up with you."

"Mmhmm, sure you are," Maggie replied as she maintained her hold on Bianca, not letting her leave.

"Let me go," she whispered.

"Not until you promise me you'll be home for dinner."

"I promise… that I'll try!"

Maggie lowered her head and stared at her. "Bianca… promise me."

"I promise I'll try… if I don't get to this meeting though, it'll run late and I won't make it for sure!"

"Okay, okay… go." She gave her one last quick peck on the lips and Bianca rushed out to finally get a start on her much delayed day.

Maggie stood in the hallway for another moment, a contented smile on her lips. "What was I thinking these past five years?" she mumbled to herself. "If I had any clue how happy she could make me, I wouldn't have freaked out that night at the Valley Inn with the champagne. Yikes… I was such a dumbass."

She shook her head, and marched off to her room to get changed for the day, humming a happy tune as she went.

 

August 23rd – 11:30 AM

"This… is… the… longest… day… in… history…" Bianca thought to herself. "I could care less what's happening with the Luxemburg office… I didn't even know we have a Luxemburg office!"

Her day was not going well at all. Her thoughts constantly kept drifting off to the previous night… the gasps… the declarations of love… the moans… the kisses… the biting of lower lips…

"Ms. Montgomery? Your thoughts?"

"Oh…" Bianca straightened up in her leather back chair in the conference room, trying to wipe the silly grin off her face to no avail. "Well, Josef, your recommendations have always been sound in the past, I don't see any reason why we shouldn't go with them."

Josef smiled smugly, while the rest of the conference room glared. "Crap," thought Bianca, "why do I get the sinking feeling my daydreaming just cost us a buttload of money?"

 

August 23rd – 11:30 AM

"Ms. Stone… is there something immensely amusing to you about the respiratory system?"

Maggie shook her head, unsure of why she was being called by last name. "Um… no, sir."

"Well, you've been staring blankly out the window with an enormous grin for the past half hour; I thought you just might want to share an amusing anecdote with all of us."

Maggie lowered her head, wishing to disappear under her seat. "No, sir. Everything is just a-ok back here… sorry about that."

"Very well then…" the professor started to drone on again about lungs, and Maggie quickly slid back into her dream state. Her mind taking a virtual tour again of the hills and valleys that made up Bianca Montgomery's uncovered body. The way her calf muscles made her skin ripple… the perfect, round smoothness of her hip… her amazingly flat stomach… the curve of her…

"MS. STONE!"

Maggie jumped in her seat that time.

 

August 23rd – 6:43 PM

Bianca came barreling through the door of the penthouse at top speed. "I'M LATE! I KNOW! LET ME GO CHANGE!"

Maggie stood in the doorway of the dining room, watching her girlfriend run by in a blur of Armani pinstripes. Patrick walked in slowly, pushing Miranda in her stroller. Maggie quickly knelt down and unfastened her restraints. "Aw, honey, I haven't seen you since yesterday! How are you?"

Miranda squealed at the sight of Maggie, stretching out her arms. "I good… I GOOD!"

"You're always good, angel cheeks!" said Maggie as she placed a kiss on each of Miranda's cheeks before propping the little girl on her jutted out right hip. She looked at Patrick, who still had not made eye-contact with her all day. "Hey, Patrick."

Patrick grunted as he placed Miranda's baby bag against the wall.

Maggie stared at him for a long moment. "Patrick… you knew it would happen eventually," she stated bluntly.

He closed his eyes as he stood back up from placing all of Miranda's things on the floor. "I know, I…" he never quite finished his sentence.

"What? Come on Patrick, you know we can talk about anything… what's bothering you? You didn't say a word to me all day, now's not the time to remain all clammed up."

"I guess…" he turned to face Maggie now, finally looking at her directly for the first time since that awkward moment in the morning. "I guess it was like a father walking in on his child having sex?"

Maggie blushed and she made a face that could only be described as 'awww'. "Aw, Patrick!" She walked over and gave him a one-armed hug with her left and then stood on her tip-toes to place a kiss on his cheek. Once done, she gave him another squeeze with her arm and started talking as she came to once again be flat-footed on the floor. "You know we think of you like a father, and yes, this morning was awkward, but… it happened, don't sweat it."

"I know… and it's not like I didn't expect that to happen last night between you two, but staring it fully in the face was another matter all-together."

"I understand… and don't worry about it, okay?"

"Worry about what?" came Bianca's voice from the direction of the living room. She was out of breath, but changed into lounging clothes, and was pulling her hair up in a ponytail.

Maggie looked back over her shoulder. "It seems that Mr. Softy here was embarrassed by what he walked in on this morning."

Bianca smiled as she finished snapping the hair band into place. "Patrick! There's nothing to be embarrassed about! You just saw us cleaning up, is all."

"I know, but like I told Maggie just now, it's like learning your children are having sex. Even though you know it's happening, you never want the proof."

Bianca laughed. "Well, the only proof you got was that we're messy eaters." She walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you and Guilia for watching Miranda last night… you both must come to dinner sometime soon for us to make up for all this babysitting!"

Patrick rolled his eyes to the sky. "You have no idea how much she enjoys it… I fear it makes her want to have another one. The two we had were more than enough for anyone, thank you."

"Someday I need to meet your daughters, they sound like they would be right up my alley," Maggie said with a wink.

Patrick was ashen faced. "I would fear for the safety of this country."

Everyone shared a laugh as Patrick was escorted out with many wishes for a good weekend and kisses on the cheek, even from Miranda.

"Sorry I was late," Bianca said as they sauntered towards the dining room.

"No biggie, I figured you would be. We did get a late start today, after all."

"Yeah… and it was a bit hard to concentrate at work today."

"And at school," Maggie added.

The two women stopped as they entered the dining room, turning their heads to look at each other. "You too?" Maggie asked.

Bianca smiled broadly, pleased to know she was not alone in the land of day dreams that afternoon. "Yeah… you made it a bit hard to concentrate today."

"Well… I guess you'll just have to punish me," Maggie said, her tone wicked and mischievous.

Bianca laughed and then stared into Maggie's eyes, her tone returning to serious. "I love you."

"And I love you," Maggie said. They stood there, staring at one another for a moment until Maggie felt Miranda wiggling against her body to be let go. She turned her attention to Miranda, smiled and put her down on the floor. "You go play for a minute, okay? Your mommy and I need to talk."

"'Kay!" Miranda exclaimed, and scurried off to her playhouse. Her comprehension of the words may have been loose, but the intent had been clear enough for her young mind.

Maggie stood back up to her full height and stared at Bianca again for a moment. It was a deep, penetrating stare and a bit unsettling for Bianca.

"What? What are you looking at?"

"You."

"Well, I know that, but why are you looking so hard?"

"I'm trying to convince myself this is all really happening… that, not only did I finally start dating you, but that we are an actual, real couple now."

Bianca tilted her head to one side and smiled. "It's real alright; you and I are an actual, honest-to-goodness couple."

"Egads… what was I thinking?"

"That you love me?" Bianca asked with a pout of her lower lip.

"Oh yeah, that was it… good call," she said with a smirk. "But…"

"But what?"

"Where do we go from here?"

Bianca rolled her eyes. "Could we wait at least a couple days before we go there? Let's just enjoy where we are and savor it before some calamity happens, like always, and tries to take it away from us?"

"Oh, I suppose!" Maggie leaned in for a quick kiss and then took Bianca's hand, leading her towards the kitchen. "Come on! I'm starving, let's eat!"

"What did you order in?" Bianca asked as she was being pulled along.

"Nothing… I cooked!"

"Oh god… the calamity! IT'S HERE!" Bianca screamed with a laugh.

Maggie wasn't as amused and kept dragging her girlfriend behind her.

Part 10

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