The Only Gift That I Need by Misty Flores

Fandom: All My Children
Pairing/characters: Bianca/Maggie
Rating: Hard R - maybe NC-17Playing card URL (will be supplied): http://invisible-cities.net/images/gsc/femslash/02.jpg

Summary: Bianca's plans for a perfect first Christmas in Paris with Maggie are thwarted a surprise visit home, and the return of some old ghosts.

CHAPTERS

Bianca had no words, dead silence coming to her as she tried hard to let the greeting sink in. Anita's brows were furrowed, curiosity obvious on her face, as she stepped forward, motioning with a cock of head for an indication of who it was.

"Lena," she answered finally, finding with the breath of the words, her strength came back, fingers tightening against the cell phone, heart suddenly rapidly beating in furious emotion at the calm greeting that had slammed into her like a two by four.

"It's good to hear your voice," continued the Polish woman. "It has been a while."

Bianca's mouth pulled into a bitter smile, torn between confusion and the graphic image of Lena plundering Maggie's lips.

"What do you want, Lena?" she breathed suddenly, fingers working to the chain around her neck, grasping it.

"I heard you had a little trouble with Maggie. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help."

A rush of heat flooded her face. "Well, you could start by leaving my girlfriend the hell alone."

Anita's brow rose even further into her forehead, and Bianca clasped onto her silver chain harder, as she got a quiet beat in response.

"I'm surprised you think I'd be that bitter." Bianca lifted her eyes to the ceiling, agitated now. "What happened between Maggie and I was completely innocent, Bianca. As I'm sure Maggie has explained in repetition, I had no idea you and her were together. What I saw was an attractive woman and an opportunity."

The frank tone made her shudder, once again battling images she never wanted to have to see. Ever. "When exactly, has this unrelenting attraction for Maggie begun, Lena? Because from what I remember you two could barely stand each other."

"We understood each other more than you think, Bianca. Maggie and I were never friends but we had a similar goal. In that intent, there was a measure of truth. From that truth came a connection. And with that connection and the passage of time, it could be seen as only natural that a spark would emerge-"

"Stop," she snapped, unable to hear anymore. "Just stop. Don't, Lena. Please. I don't know why you feel the need to call and try and get under my skin like this-"

Sucking in a ragged breath, she moved around Anita, grabbing onto her friend's forearm to keep her there, as if for support.

"It's about you losing your girlfriend, Bianca. The one woman who is not your family who I honestly believe loves you as much as I did, if not more."

"I know that you are predisposed to think that my interaction with Maggie had everything to do with you, and I don't blame you. For a long time it was. But time has passed and we both have moved on. Now, I understand you are angry, but it would be in your best interest to listen to me, as I was the one who looked into Maggie's soul after that phone call that didn't go so well."

The idea that Lena was there when Maggie had cut her off was maddening, and Bianca's throat was blocked with angry, jealous emotion, irrational and true, as she wondered how on earth she could have loved Lena when she couldn't even bring herself to like her now.

Lena couldn't know more about Maggie than she did. Just the thought caused a searing pain in her chest that was difficult to contain.

"Are you aware that your Maggie feels bought and paid for, Bianca? Indebted to you like a slave?"

"Understand something, Bianca," came the firm, calm voice, so much more infuriating than the emotional Lena she had come to know. "You know my past, therefore it will come as some relief for you to know that Maggie can not be seduced away from you. Knowing that, I wouldn’t begin to try."

Bianca closed her eyes, biting at her bottom lip almost painfully, chewing in her nervous exhaustion.

"Maggie knows I love her," she managed thickly. "She knows how much she means to me."

"How can saying you love her mean anything when you love everyone, Bianca? Including the woman who stole your baby?"

The words knocked the breath out of her, hitting something deeply inside her, as the aching tenderness in Maggie's voice slid into her consciousness, telling her in no delicate terms about the photo she found.

She imagined Maggie finding the photo, buried deep in her dresser, couldn't stop from wincing away at the look on her face. The furious anger in her when she found out how Jonathan was hurting Maggie, the look in Maggie's eyes when she claimed to be unlovable. And now she believed Bianca loved a criminal about her.

"Just take a moment, Bianca, to consider all that that young woman has done for you. She put her entire life on hold for you. She was prepared to commit murder for you. Every dream and every hope became wrapped up in you. She followed you to Paris with nothing but the clothes on her back because she could not dare to imagine a life without you in it. You walked away from me, Bianca. But do not consider yourself so above the rest of us you cannot comprehend what Babe did to Maggie, and why saying you would love her would kill Maggie's faith in your love."

"What are you talking about?" Bianca whispered hoarsely. "Lena, Babe stole my baby - Maggie had nothing-"

"Again, this is not about you. Think of what Maggie lost to that girl, Bianca. Her best friend Jamie. Her guardian David. And worst of all, she lost you. Her family, Bianca, gone in a matter of months to a woman who lied and cheated and stole. Can you blame her for believing the same will not happen again? Particularly when you refuse to let go of that love for the woman who pulled it off so diligently the first time?"

Bianca lost her strength, sinking down upon the mattress, suddenly brought to tears at the revelation Lena put forth so succinctly.

"I am not in the position to offer advice to you on how to fix this, Bianca. But in the interest of fair play I think I should tell you: should that ever happen, and Maggie is left alone, do not think I won't be there to pick up the pieces. And I will use everything inside of me to make her forget you." Bianca's throat went dry. "Good luck, Bianca. Know I will have a vested interest in how well you two resolve this issue."

The line went dead, and shaken, Bianca lowered the phone, feeling so fragile she was afraid even speaking would break her.

Unable to even wipe the tear that trickled down her cheek, Bianca only shook her head blindly. "I have to go home."

Maggie was in the middle of a particularly difficult reading when the doorbell rang. Picking herself up from the desk, she frowned, taking her time in crossing the wooden floor to the massive door, finger's rubbing at the goosebumps on her arms as she pulled the door open.

Upon taking in the unexpected visitor, Maggie let out a surprised exhale. "Lena."

Stepping back, Maggie allowed the door open, letting her walk in, shaking off the black overcoat to reveal a tight black suit, turning on her two inch heels.

Maggie blew her breath out, an unsteady reaction. "Not great," she answered, shrugging in that way of hers, "It's been hard being alone. I've just been thinking about the fight, and..."

A hand against her mouth stopped her talking, as Lena's predatory gaze lingered on her face. "Well, you're not alone anymore, Maggie."

There was a moment of breathless silence and suddenly, Lena's mouth gently replaced her fingers. A soft, seductive kiss, that suddenly deepened when Maggie's own hesitant kisses began to pepper against the lips that pressed against her.

Slender hands clung to hips, possessive, as the smaller woman was pressed up against the slim body, and the kiss grew deeper, tongues delving into hot mouths, playfully learning how each other tasted, moved, touched.

Maggie's moan was painful, aching, hips pressed against hips, and Lena's tongue slid across her bottom lip, as fingers curled around the firmness of Maggie's buttocks, thumbs hooking against the fabric of Maggie's yoga pants, thumbing along the rise of flesh.

Lifting Maggie in her arms, suddenly Lena had pressed her against the counter, Maggie's legs opening until Lena ground firmly into her, causing Maggie to break the kiss with a hiss, lean back to look once again into the intense face that provided the comfort she craved.

Fingers moved slowly but surely, down over Lena's prominent cheeks, until they reached the collar of the expensive suit, and suddenly Maggie was pushing down, as Lena continued to pump her hips against her, creating a rhythm that caused a succession of moans, hands smoothing underneath Maggie's shirt, cupping small mounds of flesh.

It was what Bianca walked into, from the open door, the vision of Maggie's passionate embrace, head thrown back, hips pressed so tightly against Lena's, as the ring slid from Bianca's fingertips, clattered on the floor.

"Maggie," she whispered, and Maggie and Lena both looked at her, heads turning to take her in. And Lena began to smile, laugh, and never stopped, holding onto Maggie with both hands.

"Maggie," she said again, and Maggie didn't hear her. Only closed her eyes and moved faster. "MAGGIE!"

She tried to move, tear Lena away from her, but she couldn't move, and in frustration, she growled, jerking hard.

Eyes jerking open, Bianca discovered herself pinned tightly by Adelle, the pretty maid's eyes wide with confusion, as Bianca's breathless pants only came faster, hands tightened painfully against the arm rests.

The soft whir of the plane could be heard, and trying to get her bearings, Bianca shakily pushed herself upright, discovering Miranda sitting up on the cabin floor, surrounded by toys, staring at her with an obviously startled expression.

Pressing her hand against her heart, Bianca swallowed. "I'm sorry," she managed, pressing a cool palm against her forehead. "I just... uh... nightmare."

"No, thank you... I'll get it myself." Pushing herself up, Bianca still felt shaky, the blood rushing out of her head, making her dizzy, uncertain.

Back on the floor with Miranda, both Au Pair and baby both continued to look at her, strange expressions on their faces. "I called Mademoiselle Stone," Adelle said pointedly. "While you were sleeping. I informed her we were on our way."

Turning on the faucet in the makeshift little sink, Bianca turned slightly, heart trembling with her fear. "Thank you, Adelle," she managed roughly. Splashing her face with the cool water, she glanced up in the mirror, at the panicked, pale face.

Maggie lingered in her mind, and never in her life, had Bianca ever been so frightened of what she knew was coming.

"We've all had a long day. Please take tomorrow off." She stared into herself in the mirror, looking at the dark brown flecks in her eyes. "And please call my assistant over at Cambias and inform her I intend to take the rest of this week off, if not more."

She had a hard time studying, and in a burst of childishness, she blamed Bianca.

Every other second she was anxiously looking towards the door, pencil tapping, heart lodged up deep in her throat.

It was ridiculous, the mess she had become since Adelle's phone call, fragile inside and completely miserable, more so even than before, because as furious as she was with her girlfriend, the fact remained that she missed her. Desperately.

At the moment, Maggie wanted nothing else than to make sure Bianca and Miranda made it back over the Atlantic okay, look into their faces and confirm it for herself.

An alka seltzer hadn't helped to calm the pit in her stomach, the aching fear that in all this, Bianca was furious with her too.

Noel whined at her, and sighing, Maggie glanced at the watch. "It's been a while for you, hey buddy?" Noel's stubby little tail wagged quickly, and Maggie offered her friend a tight smile. "Yeah, I need a walk too. Come on."

Grabbing his harness from its place on the floor, Maggie carefully tried to put it on without tangling it all up in the excited dog's long legs.

"Let's go," she said, slipping on a large sweatshirt and placing a knit cap on her head.

Miranda felt heavy, a dead weight against her, and Bianca struggled with the lock until Adelle helped, pulling the stroller with her, and letting her in.

Quietly, she nodded her thanks, smiling at David when the door man put the first of her many bags on the floor beside the doorway, and bowed.

"Good to have you home, Mademoiselle," he whispered, always gentle not to wake the baby.

Bianca had a tightness in her chest, glancing around the expansive apartment, hoping for some sound or indication that would point her in the direction of her girlfriend.

There was nothing but quiet, a half empty glass of milk on the kitchen counter and books splayed open on Maggie's little corner by the fire place.

When Adelle made to take the child, Bianca's arms tightened, smiled briefly. "I can do it," she whispered. "Go home and rest. Thank you, Adelle."

The Au Pair hesitated, but nodded. "Say hi to Miss Maggie for me," she said in English, her heavily accented voice still warm and familiar.

Left alone, Bianca rubbed her palm along the baby's back, and after another lingering look toward Maggie's pile of books, before her daughter whined softly in her sleep and Bianca moved to the nursery.

Inside the small room, she found the bed open and ready, blankets carefully pulled back, as if anticipating the little lady's arrival. Pausing, Bianca lingered on the sight before lowering her daughter into it, taking care to remove her shoes, watching the baby face for any signs of stirring.

Miranda slept on, grabbing onto the stuffed horsey that lay beside her and promptly sticking her thumb in her mouth. Bianca considered pulling it out, but decided she didn't have the heart. Instead she caressed the soft skin of her cheek gently, and covered her with the blanket.

Spine tingling with sudden awareness, Bianca's hands curled around the post of the crib, to catch her breath at the sight of her lover in the doorway, cheeks flushed with cold, face unreadable.

Bianca's heart skipped a beat, and she gasped, eyes suddenly filling with tears. Uncertain, she kept her place, resisting every urge to take Maggie in her arms.

"You're home." The voice was monotone, and Bianca, overwhelmed, couldn’t quite answer. She settled for a hasty nod. Maggie took another step, and Bianca moved slightly, allowing her to come forward, look upon Miranda.

She watched Maggie's face intensely, as bright eyes took in the beautiful creature sleeping in her crib. "She's sucking her thumb."

Bianca's breath caught, and she managed a trembling smile. "I'm sorry, I haven't been... I wasn't thinking."

Maggie's eyes closed, as if she herself was struggling with her words. "How was your trip?"

"Really shitty," she breathed softly. "And the last few days have been most miserable. Maggie..."

Maggie's head jerked, suddenly locked with hers, and Bianca knew she was crying, as Maggie's palm suddenly rose, carefully brushing the wetness away.

"I love you so much," Bianca whispered, unable to contain herself, desperately sincere.

Maggie's expression was so unnerving, but Bianca didn't care when suddenly moist eyes locked with hers, and then the soft body pressed into hers, hand smoothing around her neck, bringing her head down to meet hers.

Maggie's lips were soft and her kiss was almost possessive and with a sob, Bianca clutched her tighter, plundering her lover's mouth with her own, an attempt to put in every passing emotion and all her feelings in that unspoken embrace.