"He is a good man. But he is not for you," Elena said flatly.

Gabriella closed her eyes tight and wished she could just not hear another word.

"Tell me why you are sitting there and not fighting for what you want. Do you want to end up like me?"

Gabriella turned and faced her.

"Yes you heard me." Elena was angry. "Your father was a good man too. But I didn't love him. I'm sorry you have to hear that but it's true." Elena's eyes were spilling over with tears too now. "I was in love with another man. I always had been."

Gabriella wept openly as she saw the pain in her mother materialize itself. She had always known that there was this great sadness but she had never understood why.

"I don't want this for you." Elena cried. "Because you are like me. It will be with you your whole life."

"Mama…please don't."

"I have to. I won't let this happen to you too."

"You don't understand."

"Then make me understand!" Elena cried out in desperation.

"I'm in love with a woman!" Gabriella cried out in frustration. When she saw the shock in her mother's face she looked away and turned around. She could not face it.

They were surrounded with silence in what seemed like a lifetime. Then finally Gabriella began to speak.

"It just happened. I look at her and I…" Gabriella said sadly. "No one would understand not even you."

"Who is she?" Elena asked soberly. "Do I know her?"

"You met her briefly."

"Blayne Anberville," Elena suddenly said.

Gabriella turned again and saw the expression of disbelief on her mother's face.

"Do you see now, Mama."

Elena stared back at her daughter. "Did she seduce you?"

"No…I wanted her as much as she wanted me," Gabriella said honestly. "I am the one that left her. She loved me and I simply walked away from her." Gabriella finished saying as tears ran down her face.

Elena looked at her child, walked up to her and took her once again in her arms.

"Mama, it hurts so much. It hurts so much." Gabriella wept as her mother's arms tightened around her.



* * *

"Chaz, where is your sister?" Abigail asked her son as she walked up to him in the garden.

"She's around here somewhere. Are you feeling better mother?"

Abigail had been inconsolable for the last few weeks but that particular morning she got and wanted to settle some things in her home.

"I am, thank you." Abigail said as her eyes misted over. "I miss him."

"I know mother. We all do." Chaz said looking away. He had loved Arthur in his own way. He had to admit that the old man had never tired of trying to make something out of him as he used to put it.

"Chaz, we will all need each other now. I don't want to loose any of you."

Chaz looked towards his mother. "Mother…"

"You three are all I have, Chaz. And you three are all you have."

Chaz stared at her not understanding.

"As much as you fight it, Blayne and Diana will always be a part of you. They carry your blood and in the end they are all you will be able to count on. Remember that my son. Always remember that." Abigail walked away leaving him to analyze the words.



* * *

"Where is she, Diana?"

Diana smiled at her mother.

"Where is your sister?"

"Is everything all right, Mother?"

"It will be once I take care of a few things," Abigail said angrily.

"Mother…"

"Where is she?"

"Blayne is by the pond."

Abigail then left her as she went looking for Blayne.

"Mother she's had a rough time lately…." Diana said with concern.

Abigail looked back and nodded in acknowledgment before she began walking again.

"We have all had a rough time lately." Abigail mumbled to herself. She was going to deal with Blayne and the circumstances in which she had found her in with Gabriella. It was time to get things and life back on track. They had to or they would all fall apart. She felt the aura of death all around her and she feared it.



* * *

It had been four weeks since Arthur had died. And the pain of loosing him was still raw inside her. He had always seen the best in her and it hurt to know that she would never be able to make him understand her nor could she erase the look of disapproval in his face from her mind. She had grown thin from missing meals and she felt listless and empty. Blayne was also ignoring the business. She simply just didn't care anymore. Gabriella was gone and she would forever want her Blayne knew that as surely as she knew that her life would never again hold any beauty. She carried her sadness deep within her. Only when she was alone like this did she allow it to surface and take what little relief that weeping gifted her with.

Blayne sat down and leaned her back against the tree as she faced the pond. Arthur and she had come here so often when she was a child. God how she missed him and how much of a disappointment had she been to him in the end.

She leaned her head back and could almost make herself feel Gabriella lightly kiss her lips as the wind blew softly by. A deep sob rose from within her filled with so much sorrow that she thought she would die at that very instant. Blayne sobbed openly without covering her face as her face looked up towards the sky.

Abigail froze before this and stared in horror. She had never thought to see her child in such pain. All the anger inside her disappeared as she faced the incredible sorrow of the scene before her.

She had received a concerned call from Harry Bancroft earlier on that morning. He was worried that business matters were not being looked at and that Blayne had been virtually unreachable for weeks. None of that mattered now as Abigail stared in shock. She watched as Blayne cried without consolation. She wept like something wounded and dying. The strong woman that Abigail knew as her daughter was simply not there. Before her was a young woman who cried as if her heart was ripped from her.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Blayne pleaded between the crying. "Why did you leave me to this, Gabriella?" The tears ran down her face unchecked. "I love you."

The last words broke Abigail's heart as she heard them. She walked away leaving her daughter holding the pieces of a broken heart.

As she walked back to the house she thought many things. And then she took a deep breath and resolved to change what she could. This was Arthur's legacy. And it suddenly occurred to her that she didn't want it to be hers.



* * *

Abigail didn't speak to Blayne that day nor did she ever broach the subject of Gabriella. The will had been read and as expected it held no surprises. Arthur as it turned out never changed it and all was left mostly to Abigail with the exception of a few things to trusted and faithful employees. It had however been clearly stipulated that Blayne would always have the majority voting shares into the company. So in effect Blayne had been left with the control over it all.

Diana shrugged it off and Chaz somehow also seemed to except it. He had packed up and was touring the Riviera again for the winter. Diana however had stayed close to home and close to Blayne. Abigail just watched and waited. In time she had to believe that Blayne would become her old self again.

And as the weeks became months the semblance of the old Blayne became evident and Abigail breathed with a sigh of relief. Her family had managed to survive it all. It was as if Gabriella and her mother had never existed.

With this Abigail began to breathe easier. She was preparing for the holidays as as usual she was expecting her children to arrive momentarily.

Diana got home first. "Hello Mother." She walked up and kissed her mother's cheek.

"Hello darling," said Abigail as she was putting another fixture on the tree.

"Chaz arrive from Monte Carlo yet?"

"Last night," Abigail said with a smile.

"And Blayne?" Diana asked softly.

"She's running late but will be here after dinner." Abigail said as she continued to decorate the tree.

"I haven't seen her for awhile. Have you spoken with her recently?" Inquired Diana as she sat down close to where her mother was.

"You know how Blayne is. She is very busy these days and doesn't really have time to call that often."

Diana frowned at the flippant way her mother was taking things. Did she know about Blayne and Gabriella? Diana wasn't sure. The last time she had actually seen Blayne was like seeing and speaking to a stranger.

"Well, I guess we shall see how she is when she gets here tonight."



* * *

Blayne never made it for the decorating that evening; she called that she was tied up at the office. She promised to come but could not give a time as to when. She asked them to all go to bed that she would eventually arrive and they would spend Christmas day together.

Blayne walked into a silent house. She passed by the great room and saw the decorated tree. She stood in front of it for a moment or so and realized that it had looked the same way year after year. Except that this would be the first year without her father. She smiled sadly at how Arthur loved giving out presents in the morning. And as always good memories were followed by the one's that haunted every time she closed her eyes. At least during the day she could fill her hours with work but the nights would inevitably bring the same dreams over and over again.