All My Children Fanfiction
Title: Ghosts of Christmas
Author: Megs (Chris wrote this first part with me before she left on her holiday getaway.)
Plot: Christmas of 2007 isn't quiet like any other Christmas Bianca's ever had to endure in Pine Valley. What happens when she's given a glimpse into her past, present and possible future by a couple of old friends?
Couples: Bianca/Maggie; implied Maggie/f, mentioned Bianca/f
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the All My Children characters. They belong to ABC and All My Children and all those writers that just sadly aren't me. New character's introduced I'll stake my claim on but I doubt anyone's going to want them.
Part 1
The wind howled and the houses moaned as the furies of nature tore through the town. Faces were plastered to their windows watching the spectacle wonder as the snow fell in trundles. The wind was blowing the snow through the air, covering the already thickened white streets and tress with even more snow. The door opened in the corner of the house and the wind howled as snow and cold flew into the opened door, making those sitting at the window shiver at the sudden chill.
"Grandpa close the door!" Miranda shrieked as she wrapped her arms around herself, her body already shivering at the chilled air. On the window a ghostly impression of her cheek fading as the cold and warm air mixed clouding the entire window as Spike and Emma watched in awe. The door closed at Miranda's request and when she was sure it wasn't going to be opened again she started to wipe away the clouded glass so she could once again gaze out at the magical winter scene outside.
Jack smiled when he turned to see his grandchildren all huddled by the window looking out at the blizzard in only a child's innocent awe. His large winter coat covered in, now melting, snow flakes and face bright red even as it was hidden from all view except frontal by his hood and hat. He had tried in vain along with Ryan and Jonathan to clear a path for the cars. It was of no use. The storm was just getting worse as the day turned to night, and even if they got the cars a cleared path out of the driveway, the roads were still impassible at this point. It seemed as if everyone was just going to have to stay the night.
“Are they still out there?” Erica asked as she walked up to her husband, carrying a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
"Yes, they're still out there. But I don't know what they intend to do if they even get the cars cleared. The roads haven't been plowed and neither of them have four wheel drive." Jack said nodding his head graciously as he was handed the cup of hot chocolate.
“I'm sure they'll be in soon.” Annie said as she walked into the living room with Kendall hot on her heels.
"Well I for one hope they can at least clear my car. I actually have a decent four wheel drive car." Kendall stated happily as she walked in with two steaming mugs in her hands
"Hot chocolate!" Spike yelled and rushed away from the window and over to his mother to get, what he rightly assumed, was his mug of hot chocolaty goodness.
Emma and Miranda were both soon out of their claimed seats by the window to get their own cups. Bianca laughed as she watched Annie and Kendall both tense, expecting to be knocked over by the speeding children, from the hallway that led to the living room. It seemed like they were all staying her for the night, unless they decided to cram into Kendall's car, which would be rather hard due to the car seat still firmly planted in the back seat for Ian. Ian was snuggly asleep, under warm covers, in the nursery.
Once the kids had a nice hold on their hot chocolate they walked back to the window, each taking up their previous seats. Spike snuggly in the middle of Emma and Miranda. The adults watched the kids take sips of their hot chocolate, their eyes still riveted on the blizzard.
"The news caster said its possible that with the winds picking up that electricity might go out if any tree limbs start falling." Bianca said her own eyes fixated on her daughter's glee filled face. She hadn't seen Miranda this happy, she sighed, in a long time.
Erica frowned when she heard Bianca sigh, it had been a long time since she had seen her daughter smile and watch it reach her eyes.
"Well then, I better get the fires going just in case." Jack said as he pulled off his gloves and walked towards the fireplace that sat in the living room.
"I'll go start the one in the den." Kendall said as she handed Bianca her mug of hot coffee and left the room.
"Is there anything I can help with?" Annie asked as she followed Jack further into the living room.
"Yes if you could just....."
Erica tuned out Jack's voice and turned to Bianca with a sad frown. It seemed these days she was the only one in the family that hadn't found happiness. It had, after all, been two years since the last time she spent Christmas in Pine Valley. Erica had heard Bianca talk about her relationship with Zoë for only a few months after she left for Paris. Then there were no more talks about Zoë. There were talks about a young woman named Natalie that Erica had never met and since those talks and stories had stopped, figured she never would. It just didn't seem fair to Erica. That the one person in this family that deserved love above the rest, couldn't seem to find it and have it last.
"Bianca, are you alright?" Erica asked when she watched Bianca's forehead crease and a frown play across her daughter's face.
"Yes. I was just..." Bianca started.
Ryan and Jonathan came bursting through the door huffing and heaving.
"Damn, it's freaking cold out there." Jonathan said as he tried to shake the snow off of his jacket.
"No need to tell me about it." Ryan said as he swatted at the arm of his jacket brushing off the thick snow that had coated his dark blue winter jacket. "At least we got Kendall's car a way out." Ryan said, already thinking of how to convince Kendall to allow him to use the car to pick up the Christmas presents that were neatly wrapped and hidden back at his loft. If the roads were as bad as they looked, it'd be better to just go now before it got worse, get the presents and then come back. It wouldn't even take two trips since all of the kids’ gifts had been hidden at Bianca's penthouse.
"You guys look like your frozen to the bone." Annie said as she got up and made her way over to Ryan and Jonathan. "Go sit by the fire to warm up and I'll get you some hot chocolate."
"Yes ma'am." Jonathan said as he 'saluted' Annie and then groaned as his older brother punched him in the stomach for his efforts of comedy.
"Go sit down." Ryan said and this time Jonathan didn't joke around and just walked over to the couch, winking at Bianca and Erica as he passed, still bent over playing the 'hurt' card.
"We were only able to clear a way out for Kendall's car." Jonathan said as he grabbed one of the blankets that was on the back of the couch and put it around himself. "It's snowing way to hard to hard, right now."
"It is." Jackson agreed as he sat across from the Lavery boys and next to his wife.
"Once it calms down I want to convince Kendall to let me borrow it to get a few things from home before coming back. Her car can't fit more then four and it'd be too dangerous to do more then one trip." Ryan said as he rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them.
"Well, it'll depend on what you're going to get that may change how much persuading you have to do." Kendall said as she walked into the living room once again with a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. She handed it to Jonathan as she passed him and sat on the arm of the armchair Bianca was nestling herself into.
Ryan looked over at Kendall and smiled when Annie walked back into the room. He took the offered hot beverage and slid over to allow Annie to sit next to him. Annie shook her head and sat in the empty fold up wooden chair next to the couch where Jonathan and Ryan were sitting on. They may not be covered in snow anymore but they were both too cold to sit next too.
"I was hoping to stop by at Bianca's place to pick up some packages." Ryan said, ignoring for now that his wife wouldn't come sit next to him and warm him up. With his comment Kendall and Bianca both nodded, understanding why Ryan wanted to go to Bianca's penthouse and what for.
"It's all right with me. Just as long as you promise to be careful." Kendall said with a pointed look directed at Ryan. "Yeah, it looks like we're stuck here for the night then."
"Besides...there is plenty of room here. As you all already know we have three spare bedrooms and the Jack's office as well as my own each have couches. There's also the pull out couch and the bunk bed in the nursery. So there's no problem with you all-staying here. As long as everyone promises not to kill each other." Erica said as she gave Jonathan a pointed look. Knowing the man to cause just as much trouble as she would.
Jonathan looked from side to side and then pointed at himself. "Me?" He asked and the adults broke into a loud roar of laughter, the kids still smushed against the window as they watched the blizzard cover all of Pine Valley. This Christmas Eve was turning out to be quiet different then what had been planned.
----------------------------------
Bianca ran her hand through Miranda's hair gently. Miranda and Emma were sharing the top bunk, while Spike took up the bottom part of the bunk bed. All three fast asleep dreams of Santa, Christmas trees, snow and presents filling their stockings plaguing their dreams. With one last look and small smile Bianca kissed the top of Miranda's head and turned to leave the room.
"Night mommy." Miranda whispered in her sleep.
"Night sweetie." Bianca answered back from the doorframe.
The house was quiet, the only sound being the sound of her footsteps against the wooden and carpeted floors. The rest of the household had been asleep for hours. The Christmas presents already placed under the tree, and stockings filled. All the fires' flames slowly dwindling as they were left uncared for. Bianca looked around the living room before turning off the light and walking down the hallway to her bedroom. Christmas Eve used to be a time of great joy for her, now it was just like any other holiday spent at home. It no longer held the appealing factor it had once held. It was just a specific time of year when she realized how alone she truly was.
Bianca walked into her bedroom and closed the door behind her. As she walked over to the bed she started stripping her clothes off. Once the clothes were off, she grabbed her favorite pajamas that Maggie had given her and put them on quickly. Memories of Maggie were filling her mind. With a shake of her head she forced her own subconscious to obey her for tonight and let her forget. With a sigh she slipped under the comforters of bed and snuggled into the bed as best she could. Tonight was the night that reminded her unforgivingly about how she was responsible for this bed to be empty. The empty bed now giving her subconscious an excuse to reminisce in the past.
In the past five years of her life she had driven away love after lover. It started with her driving away the one lover she had wanted to keep the most and followed with two others in the past two years, that were less bothersome at night and in her dreams. With a groan Bianca flipped onto her side, pulling the blanket close to her as she closed her eyes wishing for sleep to come before the tears did. Then before either could come, there was no pity, or self-loathing, there was anger and frustration. It had been exactly three years since she broke up with Maggie, and it had only been five since her latest breakup with a woman she had honestly thought would stick around. Seems the really wasn't that practiced in keeping love in her hands but was an expert at finding it and letting it slip away.
It wasn't her fault that her lovers cheated on her. Lena, there was good reason. Maggie, well she'd rather not even dive into the can of worms. Zoë, thankfully had been faithful and it had been her who deliberately let her go. Then there was Natalie, a woman Bianca had loved and wasn't afraid to admit she loved her as much as she had loved Maggie. There it was again. This was why Natalie had left. She was being compared to a woman she didn't even know, personally. It hadn't been fare to Natalie and Bianca knew that now, and knowing this only fueled her anger towards her ex even more. It wasn't fair that she couldn't let go of the past that her heart had to hold on! No matter how much it was urged to release her from her. It was easier to hate Maggie now, now that she hadn't seen her in years. It was easy to blame someone else for all of her problems no matter how unfair it was to the person being blamed. With another groan Bianca turned onto her other side, trying in vain to find a comfortable position.
"Tisk, tisk, tisk." Bianca jumped up at the sound of an uninvited guest. "All these years I've thought better of you, Bianca." The voice continued. "And here, after all these years I find I'm very disappointed in you." Bianca looked around the room and finally caught sight of her...looking at the clock....midnight guest. They were shrouded in darkness in the corner of her bedroom.
"Who are you?" Bianca asked as she looked at the uninvited guest.
"Well I'm the ghost of Christmas past of course." The 'ghost' said and stepped further into the room, her features now visible in the pale light of the room. "Don't tell me you can't even recognize your own grandmother." Mona said, now an unknown source of light encasing the small bedroom and allowing Bianca to see that it was indeed her dearly beloved, deceased grandmother.
“Oh my god…”
TBC…
Author: Megs (Chris wrote this first part with me before she left on her holiday getaway.)
Plot: Christmas of 2007 isn't quiet like any other Christmas Bianca's ever had to endure in Pine Valley. What happens when she's given a glimpse into her past, present and possible future by a couple of old friends?
Couples: Bianca/Maggie; implied Maggie/f, mentioned Bianca/f
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the All My Children characters. They belong to ABC and All My Children and all those writers that just sadly aren't me. New character's introduced I'll stake my claim on but I doubt anyone's going to want them.
Part 1
The wind howled and the houses moaned as the furies of nature tore through the town. Faces were plastered to their windows watching the spectacle wonder as the snow fell in trundles. The wind was blowing the snow through the air, covering the already thickened white streets and tress with even more snow. The door opened in the corner of the house and the wind howled as snow and cold flew into the opened door, making those sitting at the window shiver at the sudden chill.
"Grandpa close the door!" Miranda shrieked as she wrapped her arms around herself, her body already shivering at the chilled air. On the window a ghostly impression of her cheek fading as the cold and warm air mixed clouding the entire window as Spike and Emma watched in awe. The door closed at Miranda's request and when she was sure it wasn't going to be opened again she started to wipe away the clouded glass so she could once again gaze out at the magical winter scene outside.
Jack smiled when he turned to see his grandchildren all huddled by the window looking out at the blizzard in only a child's innocent awe. His large winter coat covered in, now melting, snow flakes and face bright red even as it was hidden from all view except frontal by his hood and hat. He had tried in vain along with Ryan and Jonathan to clear a path for the cars. It was of no use. The storm was just getting worse as the day turned to night, and even if they got the cars a cleared path out of the driveway, the roads were still impassible at this point. It seemed as if everyone was just going to have to stay the night.
“Are they still out there?” Erica asked as she walked up to her husband, carrying a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
"Yes, they're still out there. But I don't know what they intend to do if they even get the cars cleared. The roads haven't been plowed and neither of them have four wheel drive." Jack said nodding his head graciously as he was handed the cup of hot chocolate.
“I'm sure they'll be in soon.” Annie said as she walked into the living room with Kendall hot on her heels.
"Well I for one hope they can at least clear my car. I actually have a decent four wheel drive car." Kendall stated happily as she walked in with two steaming mugs in her hands
"Hot chocolate!" Spike yelled and rushed away from the window and over to his mother to get, what he rightly assumed, was his mug of hot chocolaty goodness.
Emma and Miranda were both soon out of their claimed seats by the window to get their own cups. Bianca laughed as she watched Annie and Kendall both tense, expecting to be knocked over by the speeding children, from the hallway that led to the living room. It seemed like they were all staying her for the night, unless they decided to cram into Kendall's car, which would be rather hard due to the car seat still firmly planted in the back seat for Ian. Ian was snuggly asleep, under warm covers, in the nursery.
Once the kids had a nice hold on their hot chocolate they walked back to the window, each taking up their previous seats. Spike snuggly in the middle of Emma and Miranda. The adults watched the kids take sips of their hot chocolate, their eyes still riveted on the blizzard.
"The news caster said its possible that with the winds picking up that electricity might go out if any tree limbs start falling." Bianca said her own eyes fixated on her daughter's glee filled face. She hadn't seen Miranda this happy, she sighed, in a long time.
Erica frowned when she heard Bianca sigh, it had been a long time since she had seen her daughter smile and watch it reach her eyes.
"Well then, I better get the fires going just in case." Jack said as he pulled off his gloves and walked towards the fireplace that sat in the living room.
"I'll go start the one in the den." Kendall said as she handed Bianca her mug of hot coffee and left the room.
"Is there anything I can help with?" Annie asked as she followed Jack further into the living room.
"Yes if you could just....."
Erica tuned out Jack's voice and turned to Bianca with a sad frown. It seemed these days she was the only one in the family that hadn't found happiness. It had, after all, been two years since the last time she spent Christmas in Pine Valley. Erica had heard Bianca talk about her relationship with Zoë for only a few months after she left for Paris. Then there were no more talks about Zoë. There were talks about a young woman named Natalie that Erica had never met and since those talks and stories had stopped, figured she never would. It just didn't seem fair to Erica. That the one person in this family that deserved love above the rest, couldn't seem to find it and have it last.
"Bianca, are you alright?" Erica asked when she watched Bianca's forehead crease and a frown play across her daughter's face.
"Yes. I was just..." Bianca started.
Ryan and Jonathan came bursting through the door huffing and heaving.
"Damn, it's freaking cold out there." Jonathan said as he tried to shake the snow off of his jacket.
"No need to tell me about it." Ryan said as he swatted at the arm of his jacket brushing off the thick snow that had coated his dark blue winter jacket. "At least we got Kendall's car a way out." Ryan said, already thinking of how to convince Kendall to allow him to use the car to pick up the Christmas presents that were neatly wrapped and hidden back at his loft. If the roads were as bad as they looked, it'd be better to just go now before it got worse, get the presents and then come back. It wouldn't even take two trips since all of the kids’ gifts had been hidden at Bianca's penthouse.
"You guys look like your frozen to the bone." Annie said as she got up and made her way over to Ryan and Jonathan. "Go sit by the fire to warm up and I'll get you some hot chocolate."
"Yes ma'am." Jonathan said as he 'saluted' Annie and then groaned as his older brother punched him in the stomach for his efforts of comedy.
"Go sit down." Ryan said and this time Jonathan didn't joke around and just walked over to the couch, winking at Bianca and Erica as he passed, still bent over playing the 'hurt' card.
"We were only able to clear a way out for Kendall's car." Jonathan said as he grabbed one of the blankets that was on the back of the couch and put it around himself. "It's snowing way to hard to hard, right now."
"It is." Jackson agreed as he sat across from the Lavery boys and next to his wife.
"Once it calms down I want to convince Kendall to let me borrow it to get a few things from home before coming back. Her car can't fit more then four and it'd be too dangerous to do more then one trip." Ryan said as he rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them.
"Well, it'll depend on what you're going to get that may change how much persuading you have to do." Kendall said as she walked into the living room once again with a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. She handed it to Jonathan as she passed him and sat on the arm of the armchair Bianca was nestling herself into.
Ryan looked over at Kendall and smiled when Annie walked back into the room. He took the offered hot beverage and slid over to allow Annie to sit next to him. Annie shook her head and sat in the empty fold up wooden chair next to the couch where Jonathan and Ryan were sitting on. They may not be covered in snow anymore but they were both too cold to sit next too.
"I was hoping to stop by at Bianca's place to pick up some packages." Ryan said, ignoring for now that his wife wouldn't come sit next to him and warm him up. With his comment Kendall and Bianca both nodded, understanding why Ryan wanted to go to Bianca's penthouse and what for.
"It's all right with me. Just as long as you promise to be careful." Kendall said with a pointed look directed at Ryan. "Yeah, it looks like we're stuck here for the night then."
"Besides...there is plenty of room here. As you all already know we have three spare bedrooms and the Jack's office as well as my own each have couches. There's also the pull out couch and the bunk bed in the nursery. So there's no problem with you all-staying here. As long as everyone promises not to kill each other." Erica said as she gave Jonathan a pointed look. Knowing the man to cause just as much trouble as she would.
Jonathan looked from side to side and then pointed at himself. "Me?" He asked and the adults broke into a loud roar of laughter, the kids still smushed against the window as they watched the blizzard cover all of Pine Valley. This Christmas Eve was turning out to be quiet different then what had been planned.
----------------------------------
Bianca ran her hand through Miranda's hair gently. Miranda and Emma were sharing the top bunk, while Spike took up the bottom part of the bunk bed. All three fast asleep dreams of Santa, Christmas trees, snow and presents filling their stockings plaguing their dreams. With one last look and small smile Bianca kissed the top of Miranda's head and turned to leave the room.
"Night mommy." Miranda whispered in her sleep.
"Night sweetie." Bianca answered back from the doorframe.
The house was quiet, the only sound being the sound of her footsteps against the wooden and carpeted floors. The rest of the household had been asleep for hours. The Christmas presents already placed under the tree, and stockings filled. All the fires' flames slowly dwindling as they were left uncared for. Bianca looked around the living room before turning off the light and walking down the hallway to her bedroom. Christmas Eve used to be a time of great joy for her, now it was just like any other holiday spent at home. It no longer held the appealing factor it had once held. It was just a specific time of year when she realized how alone she truly was.
Bianca walked into her bedroom and closed the door behind her. As she walked over to the bed she started stripping her clothes off. Once the clothes were off, she grabbed her favorite pajamas that Maggie had given her and put them on quickly. Memories of Maggie were filling her mind. With a shake of her head she forced her own subconscious to obey her for tonight and let her forget. With a sigh she slipped under the comforters of bed and snuggled into the bed as best she could. Tonight was the night that reminded her unforgivingly about how she was responsible for this bed to be empty. The empty bed now giving her subconscious an excuse to reminisce in the past.
In the past five years of her life she had driven away love after lover. It started with her driving away the one lover she had wanted to keep the most and followed with two others in the past two years, that were less bothersome at night and in her dreams. With a groan Bianca flipped onto her side, pulling the blanket close to her as she closed her eyes wishing for sleep to come before the tears did. Then before either could come, there was no pity, or self-loathing, there was anger and frustration. It had been exactly three years since she broke up with Maggie, and it had only been five since her latest breakup with a woman she had honestly thought would stick around. Seems the really wasn't that practiced in keeping love in her hands but was an expert at finding it and letting it slip away.
It wasn't her fault that her lovers cheated on her. Lena, there was good reason. Maggie, well she'd rather not even dive into the can of worms. Zoë, thankfully had been faithful and it had been her who deliberately let her go. Then there was Natalie, a woman Bianca had loved and wasn't afraid to admit she loved her as much as she had loved Maggie. There it was again. This was why Natalie had left. She was being compared to a woman she didn't even know, personally. It hadn't been fare to Natalie and Bianca knew that now, and knowing this only fueled her anger towards her ex even more. It wasn't fair that she couldn't let go of the past that her heart had to hold on! No matter how much it was urged to release her from her. It was easier to hate Maggie now, now that she hadn't seen her in years. It was easy to blame someone else for all of her problems no matter how unfair it was to the person being blamed. With another groan Bianca turned onto her other side, trying in vain to find a comfortable position.
"Tisk, tisk, tisk." Bianca jumped up at the sound of an uninvited guest. "All these years I've thought better of you, Bianca." The voice continued. "And here, after all these years I find I'm very disappointed in you." Bianca looked around the room and finally caught sight of her...looking at the clock....midnight guest. They were shrouded in darkness in the corner of her bedroom.
"Who are you?" Bianca asked as she looked at the uninvited guest.
"Well I'm the ghost of Christmas past of course." The 'ghost' said and stepped further into the room, her features now visible in the pale light of the room. "Don't tell me you can't even recognize your own grandmother." Mona said, now an unknown source of light encasing the small bedroom and allowing Bianca to see that it was indeed her dearly beloved, deceased grandmother.
“Oh my god…”
TBC…