Ditch The Halo: Chapter 3 (All My Children/The L Word Crossover)
Title: Ditch The Halo
Author: cgirl
cgirlspalace
Rating: R for mature themes. Please read responsibly.
Archiving: Only for Passion & Perfection
Fandom: All My Children, The L Word
Pairing: Bianca Montgomery/Bette Porter, Bianca Montgomery/Maggie Stone
Note: I shall be posting new chapters daily. And don't worry if you don't follow the ABC soap opera, All My Children. I only know it through the YouTube videos. Trust me; it won't take much to catch on to the action. Thanks very much for the feedback!
Chapter 1: I'm A Bomb
Chapter 2: We Be Like This
Disclaimers: Bianca, Maggie, Erica, Kendall, Greenlee and the other characters in the AMC funhouse belong to AMC/ABC. Fine, fine: Bette Porter belongs to The L Word and Illene Chaiken etc. Sigh. No money/profit being made here. Also, don't sue; it's so passé.
_______________________________________
DITCH THE HALO
CHAPTER 3: "OH, F**k!" AND OTHER SUCH IMPORTANT REALIZATIONS.
With that declaration, Bianca was back to reality. The worry she had inspired hadn’t been a theoretical consideration because suddenly that anguish had a form, voice and emotion.
Bianca wanted to cross the distance between them and hug Maggie, who was so obviously distraught, and apologize over and over for her thoughtlessness. But she was in a state of disarray.
So she stayed where she was and tried to communicate her apology from across the room. “Oh, my God, Maggie. I am so sorry…”
”Where the hell have you been, Bianca?? I’ve been worried out of my mind. I called Kendall, and she didn’t know where you were, apart from saying that you were going for a night out on the town. She tried calling you, too, but she told me you didn’t pick up. We called Erica -“
“You called my mom??!” Bianca squeaked. Oh, Lord, this was getting worse by the minute.
“Where were you? Why didn’t you pick up your phone?! Do you know how worried we were??”
”I’m sorry, Maggie. I’m so sorry I didn’t pick up. Really. I was fine. I am fine. Everything is fine. I'm sorry I worried all of you. I just…I was just at the Valley Inn.”
The confusion on her best friend’s face would have been comical if Bianca had had enough time to think about her explanation, but she was being bombarded. And there was time for nothing but the truth, with Maggie’s patent concern grating away the haze of last night.
Bianca sighed. She didn’t see any way out of it. “I did go out, as I told Kendall. I went to a club, just to get out and have a drink. And then, later, I met someone there, and...and she was staying at the Valley Inn, so I just crashed there.”
There was silence, and she looked at Maggie, and saw the incomprehension. It was as if Bianca were speaking a different language, and the words didn’t compute.
“You were at the Valley Inn last night?”
“Yes, but I’m fine now. So I’m sorry I worried you, and I’m sorry I didn’t pick up the phone. I was pretty out of it.”
The words still weren’t adding up for Maggie, and she had to shake her head, as if to clear out the cotton inside it. She hadn’t slept for most of the night, tossing and turning, worried out of her mind that something untoward had happened to her best friend. And, now, Bianca was telling her that she had slept at the Valley Inn. She was fine, she was safe, nothing had happened…
“Were you there alone?”
Bianca blushed; she had known that this question would come up, but somehow she had hoped against hope that it would be Kendall asking her for details, and then at least Bianca could giggle about it and maybe even brag about her conquest in good humor.
With Maggie asking the question, she didn’t feel much like giggling. As she quickly debated her answer, she realized that Maggie was looking at her, waiting for an answer, and she was sweeping her eyes over Bianca’s bedraggled form.
The pieces were coming together.
“Oh, my God,” Maggie whispered. She didn’t want to believe it. She didn’t want to think that the woman she told just a month ago that she might be in love with would have turned to someone else. Even for a night.
“You slept with someone,” she half-guessed, knowing the truth in Bianca’s blush. While she had been phoning people in Bianca’s life trying to locate her, her best friend had been fu….No. She couldn’t go there. She swung her eyes back to Bianca, almost begging her to deny it.
Bianca turned away, knowing she had no real reason to feel guilty; after all, she wasn’t in a relationship with anyone. The anguish that Bianca had experienced for the past few years came flooding back in a jolt, and she found herself growing defensive in Maggie’s presence. How could she explain all of what was going through her head? Bianca had wanted to get away, she had wanted an escape, at least for one night. She didn't want to be tortured, caught between the never-ending sorrow of losing her child, and the constant anguished debate of whether to jump headlong into a relationship with her best and very sexually confused friend. She was so tired, and she had only wanted to be rejuvenated. It had all seemed so simple last night.
Maggie felt her legs grow weak, and found herself sitting down on the couch. She felt overwrought and light-headed. She felt the ache in her chest, and didn’t understand why there were tears in her eyes. She sat that way, staring into nothingness, all the fight had gone out of her. She was dimly aware of Bianca coming to sit next to her. She turned to her, and noticed again the wrinkled dress, and as her eyes swept upward, she noticed that lack of a bra, the flushed face, the slightly swollen lips that came from hours of kissing. Kissing some other woman. She turned away.
She had only one question. “Why, Bianca?”
__________________________
It wasn't often that Kendall Hart was impressed with someone within ten minutes of meeting them. But this woman was breaking all sorts of records.
Kendall had only grudgingly agreed to this lunch meeting, after Greenlee had badgered her about losing potential marketing exposure. Greenlee was like a Chihuahua with a Taco Bell burrito; she wouldn't let go of something until she was through with it. It was one of the traits Kendall liked best about her fair-weather friend.
Kendall had agreed to the meeting on one condition; they meet at the Fusion offices first before heading out to the meeting site. That way, if the woman they were meeting turned out to be a hack, she could stick Greenlee with the entire shindig. But Kendall had been surprised, and very pleasantly so. The woman appeared to be a consummate professional; competent beyond measure, eloquent to the point of being Shakespearean, and charming in the most disarming fashion.
If she had been a man, Kendall would have been all over her. Looking at Greenlee take in their guest, Kendall saw a similar thought pass over the woman's eyes. She smirked; maybe she should introduce this woman to Bianca.
As they got finished with introductions and the niceties, Greenlee turned to Kendall. "So, Kendall, will you be joining us for lunch?"
"Definitely. I think this is a fabulous idea, actually. Doing a retrospective on fashion and cosmetics as an art form? It's practically inspired. And in LA! Très chic."
"Thank you, Ms. Hart --"
"Kendall, please. I find Ms. Hart too stuffy a name for someone I'm working with."
Their guest smiled. "Well, then, thank you, Kendall. I'm very glad that your mother suggested that I speak with you, as well. Initially I thought to approach Enchantment, since it's on par with our other participants like Estee Lauder and MAC. But Ms. Kane provided the inspiration to include the more modern and youthful set in our retrospective. After all, we don't want a retrospective to be based purely in the past. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Kane yesterday, and allow me to say, that the famous Kane business acumen seems to be a genetic trait."
Greenlee smiled at their guest; this woman was a smooth operator, but what Greenlee appreciated the most was that there wasn't an oily or officious odor to that charm. It was all seemingly real and genuine, something that was infinitely rare, especially in the catty and fleeting world of art and fashion.
"Why thank you. But I can't take all the credit for Fusion's success. Just most of it."
Their guest laughed, and turned to Greenlee. "Is she always this modest, or is today special?"
Greenlee almost chuckled at seeing Kendall's blush. She had an idea.
"Kendall, why don't you call Binks and see if she can join us for lunch?"
With that reminder, Kendall deflated. She had been worried out of her mind for most of the night, after Maggie had called her and let her know that Bianca had been missing in action. But now wasn't the time to mention all of that. Greenlee's suggestion, however, had given her the opportunity to call her sister and, if necessary, Maggie, for what was surely umpteenth time to check up on her. There had be a damn good reason for her sister's delinquency...
"You know, that's not a bad idea, Greenlee. Let me try calling and asking her to join us. I'll be right back."
Greenlee watched their guest check out Kendall (who, Greenlee would secretly admit, did have a fantastic ass) as she walked away. Greenlee grinned.
"So, how are you liking your time in Pine Valley thus far, Bette?"
- TBC -
Author: cgirl
cgirlspalace
Rating: R for mature themes. Please read responsibly.
Archiving: Only for Passion & Perfection
Fandom: All My Children, The L Word
Pairing: Bianca Montgomery/Bette Porter, Bianca Montgomery/Maggie Stone
Note: I shall be posting new chapters daily. And don't worry if you don't follow the ABC soap opera, All My Children. I only know it through the YouTube videos. Trust me; it won't take much to catch on to the action. Thanks very much for the feedback!
Chapter 1: I'm A Bomb
Chapter 2: We Be Like This
Disclaimers: Bianca, Maggie, Erica, Kendall, Greenlee and the other characters in the AMC funhouse belong to AMC/ABC. Fine, fine: Bette Porter belongs to The L Word and Illene Chaiken etc. Sigh. No money/profit being made here. Also, don't sue; it's so passé.
_______________________________________
DITCH THE HALO
CHAPTER 3: "OH, F**k!" AND OTHER SUCH IMPORTANT REALIZATIONS.
With that declaration, Bianca was back to reality. The worry she had inspired hadn’t been a theoretical consideration because suddenly that anguish had a form, voice and emotion.
Bianca wanted to cross the distance between them and hug Maggie, who was so obviously distraught, and apologize over and over for her thoughtlessness. But she was in a state of disarray.
So she stayed where she was and tried to communicate her apology from across the room. “Oh, my God, Maggie. I am so sorry…”
”Where the hell have you been, Bianca?? I’ve been worried out of my mind. I called Kendall, and she didn’t know where you were, apart from saying that you were going for a night out on the town. She tried calling you, too, but she told me you didn’t pick up. We called Erica -“
“You called my mom??!” Bianca squeaked. Oh, Lord, this was getting worse by the minute.
“Where were you? Why didn’t you pick up your phone?! Do you know how worried we were??”
”I’m sorry, Maggie. I’m so sorry I didn’t pick up. Really. I was fine. I am fine. Everything is fine. I'm sorry I worried all of you. I just…I was just at the Valley Inn.”
The confusion on her best friend’s face would have been comical if Bianca had had enough time to think about her explanation, but she was being bombarded. And there was time for nothing but the truth, with Maggie’s patent concern grating away the haze of last night.
Bianca sighed. She didn’t see any way out of it. “I did go out, as I told Kendall. I went to a club, just to get out and have a drink. And then, later, I met someone there, and...and she was staying at the Valley Inn, so I just crashed there.”
There was silence, and she looked at Maggie, and saw the incomprehension. It was as if Bianca were speaking a different language, and the words didn’t compute.
“You were at the Valley Inn last night?”
“Yes, but I’m fine now. So I’m sorry I worried you, and I’m sorry I didn’t pick up the phone. I was pretty out of it.”
The words still weren’t adding up for Maggie, and she had to shake her head, as if to clear out the cotton inside it. She hadn’t slept for most of the night, tossing and turning, worried out of her mind that something untoward had happened to her best friend. And, now, Bianca was telling her that she had slept at the Valley Inn. She was fine, she was safe, nothing had happened…
“Were you there alone?”
Bianca blushed; she had known that this question would come up, but somehow she had hoped against hope that it would be Kendall asking her for details, and then at least Bianca could giggle about it and maybe even brag about her conquest in good humor.
With Maggie asking the question, she didn’t feel much like giggling. As she quickly debated her answer, she realized that Maggie was looking at her, waiting for an answer, and she was sweeping her eyes over Bianca’s bedraggled form.
The pieces were coming together.
“Oh, my God,” Maggie whispered. She didn’t want to believe it. She didn’t want to think that the woman she told just a month ago that she might be in love with would have turned to someone else. Even for a night.
“You slept with someone,” she half-guessed, knowing the truth in Bianca’s blush. While she had been phoning people in Bianca’s life trying to locate her, her best friend had been fu….No. She couldn’t go there. She swung her eyes back to Bianca, almost begging her to deny it.
Bianca turned away, knowing she had no real reason to feel guilty; after all, she wasn’t in a relationship with anyone. The anguish that Bianca had experienced for the past few years came flooding back in a jolt, and she found herself growing defensive in Maggie’s presence. How could she explain all of what was going through her head? Bianca had wanted to get away, she had wanted an escape, at least for one night. She didn't want to be tortured, caught between the never-ending sorrow of losing her child, and the constant anguished debate of whether to jump headlong into a relationship with her best and very sexually confused friend. She was so tired, and she had only wanted to be rejuvenated. It had all seemed so simple last night.
Maggie felt her legs grow weak, and found herself sitting down on the couch. She felt overwrought and light-headed. She felt the ache in her chest, and didn’t understand why there were tears in her eyes. She sat that way, staring into nothingness, all the fight had gone out of her. She was dimly aware of Bianca coming to sit next to her. She turned to her, and noticed again the wrinkled dress, and as her eyes swept upward, she noticed that lack of a bra, the flushed face, the slightly swollen lips that came from hours of kissing. Kissing some other woman. She turned away.
She had only one question. “Why, Bianca?”
__________________________
It wasn't often that Kendall Hart was impressed with someone within ten minutes of meeting them. But this woman was breaking all sorts of records.
Kendall had only grudgingly agreed to this lunch meeting, after Greenlee had badgered her about losing potential marketing exposure. Greenlee was like a Chihuahua with a Taco Bell burrito; she wouldn't let go of something until she was through with it. It was one of the traits Kendall liked best about her fair-weather friend.
Kendall had agreed to the meeting on one condition; they meet at the Fusion offices first before heading out to the meeting site. That way, if the woman they were meeting turned out to be a hack, she could stick Greenlee with the entire shindig. But Kendall had been surprised, and very pleasantly so. The woman appeared to be a consummate professional; competent beyond measure, eloquent to the point of being Shakespearean, and charming in the most disarming fashion.
If she had been a man, Kendall would have been all over her. Looking at Greenlee take in their guest, Kendall saw a similar thought pass over the woman's eyes. She smirked; maybe she should introduce this woman to Bianca.
As they got finished with introductions and the niceties, Greenlee turned to Kendall. "So, Kendall, will you be joining us for lunch?"
"Definitely. I think this is a fabulous idea, actually. Doing a retrospective on fashion and cosmetics as an art form? It's practically inspired. And in LA! Très chic."
"Thank you, Ms. Hart --"
"Kendall, please. I find Ms. Hart too stuffy a name for someone I'm working with."
Their guest smiled. "Well, then, thank you, Kendall. I'm very glad that your mother suggested that I speak with you, as well. Initially I thought to approach Enchantment, since it's on par with our other participants like Estee Lauder and MAC. But Ms. Kane provided the inspiration to include the more modern and youthful set in our retrospective. After all, we don't want a retrospective to be based purely in the past. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Kane yesterday, and allow me to say, that the famous Kane business acumen seems to be a genetic trait."
Greenlee smiled at their guest; this woman was a smooth operator, but what Greenlee appreciated the most was that there wasn't an oily or officious odor to that charm. It was all seemingly real and genuine, something that was infinitely rare, especially in the catty and fleeting world of art and fashion.
"Why thank you. But I can't take all the credit for Fusion's success. Just most of it."
Their guest laughed, and turned to Greenlee. "Is she always this modest, or is today special?"
Greenlee almost chuckled at seeing Kendall's blush. She had an idea.
"Kendall, why don't you call Binks and see if she can join us for lunch?"
With that reminder, Kendall deflated. She had been worried out of her mind for most of the night, after Maggie had called her and let her know that Bianca had been missing in action. But now wasn't the time to mention all of that. Greenlee's suggestion, however, had given her the opportunity to call her sister and, if necessary, Maggie, for what was surely umpteenth time to check up on her. There had be a damn good reason for her sister's delinquency...
"You know, that's not a bad idea, Greenlee. Let me try calling and asking her to join us. I'll be right back."
Greenlee watched their guest check out Kendall (who, Greenlee would secretly admit, did have a fantastic ass) as she walked away. Greenlee grinned.
"So, how are you liking your time in Pine Valley thus far, Bette?"
- TBC -