The French Connection (1/2)

[fab_fan]

Title: The French Connection (1/2)
Author: Fab_fan
Fandom: All My Children
Pairing: Bianca/Reese, Bianca/Maggie, Bianca/Frankie
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Hmm, let's just say everything concerning Bianca before the switch in actresses. That should cover the bases pretty well. 
Summary: Oh, the people you meet on a train.
Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine

Bianca sighed in frustration. 

This was so like her mother. The ever-popular Erica Kane had been receiving threatening letters from a would-be stalker. The latest set of letters had mentioned Bianca and her children. Immediately, Erica had called in reinforcements, as protective as ever when it came to Bianca and her family. 

That had occurred five weeks ago, and since then the family had been subjected to around the clock FBI presence. While it had been a small annoyance at the beginning, an FBI agent outside their home in Paris, discreetly following them at a distance when she went with Reese and the kids out to the market or for a walk in the park, it was somewhat easy to ignore. 

That all changed when she had to travel to London for business. The entire family was supposed to go, make a vacation out of it. However, Reese had caught a cold right before they were all supposed to leave. Not wanting to ruin the fun, she sent off her wife and the children with a smile and a kiss, telling them to enjoy London and she would see them when they got back.

Bianca missed her.

To make matters worse, the FBI had stepped up their protection. Another letter had been received while they were in London, describing how the author planned to kidnap and hurt her. No more discreet distances or covert shadowing. There was an FBI agent with them at all times. Agents drove them to the train station. Agents picked up their tickets and stayed with them on the platform until the train was set to leave. Agents escorted them onto the train and put their luggage away. She was tired of FBI agents! 

She looked over at her slumbering children, the sight bringing a small smile to her face. Miranda was curled up on the train seat, her little sister cuddled against her side. Both were out like a light, the traveling tiring them out. She was happy that her children were protected, but did the agents have to be everywhere? 

She reached out a hand, gently moving a stray hair that had loosened from Miranda’s ponytail. Her heart swelled, she loved her children with everything she had. Soon they would be home and back with Reese. All of this would be over with and they could go back to their normal lives. Pulling her hand back into her lap, Bianca released another sigh. Now where was that agent? 

The agent who had ushered them onto the train, Agent Smith, had informed them that a different agent would be riding with them to Paris. However, this agent had yet to show up. The train was due to leave in two minutes. Maybe they hadn’t made it? Bianca didn’t know if this made her happy or not. Her thoughts were cut off when the sound of footsteps and the rustling of clothes reached her ears. She looked up to see a rather short individual hurriedly walking down the aisle, the black jacket of their suit flapping slightly. This must be the FBI agent.

Bianca wondered if they were all taught how to dress at the FBI academy. Plain black suit and white button up shirt underneath. Her wondering was quickly cut short though when she looked up at the face of the presumed agent. Her breath came out in a shocked gasp, her hands flying to the armrests. 

“Wha…What?” she stammered as the person came to a stop next to their seats. 

So many emotions were making their way through Bianca. Anger, sadness, pain, happiness.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth, the first words she could properly form spilling out, “Maggie! What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like that?” The agent looked at her with a shocked expression, the sudden outburst startling her as well as the surrounding people. 

Bianca blinked, stunned as well at her own outburst. Seeing the face of the girl she had loved, who had hurt her so much, who she hadn’t seen in so long, had taken away any control she had. With another sigh, she rubbed at her eyes, calming herself down. 

“Geez, you sure know how to make a girl feel welcome.” Sarcastically replied the agent, running a hand through her short dark hair.

Bianca looked up at this, taking in the girl before her. She was in, it seemed, the standard agent uniform of black suit pants, black suit jacket, and white shirt. The faint hint of a shoulder harness could be seen when the girl raised her arm. Short dark brown chin length hair framed a face that was without a doubt that of her ex-lover. 

She watched as the agent sat down in the chair across from her, fiddling with her shirt cuffs. This…this was almost too much. The last time they had seen each other had not been on very pleasant terms. So why was she here? And when had she become an FBI agent? 

“Maggie…why are you here?” quietly asked the confused woman. 

“Stop calling me that.” started the Maggie-look-alike.She had stopped playing with her cuffs and now leaned back into her seat, looking at Bianca. 

A roguish grin spread across her face, “I know it’s been a while Biancala….but this yelling isn’t necessary. If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were channeling your mom or something.”

Now Bianca was more confused than ever. Why was Maggie talking like that? Then she froze. Her breath caught in her throat.

Biancala. 

She couldn’t breathe. She had called her Biancala. 

Only one person had ever called her that. Her eyes searched the face before her. That devil-may-care smile. Those twinkling eyes. 

No. It couldn’t be. It just couldn’t. It wasn’t possible.

She felt numb. She felt light headed. This wasn’t right.

Bianca didn’t notice as the woman across from her leaned forward, concern flashing across her face. She didn’t notice as the woman grasped her hands. All she could feel, all she could see, was a young nineteen year old, leaning casually against the doorframe, telling her not to give up so easily on her. 

“Frankie?” Bianca breathed out, feeling faint.

“Hey hey, don’t dissolve on me now.” nervously replied Frankie as she moved to grasp Bianca’s shoulders. 

“But…how?” Bianca reached out a tentative hand, her finger hesitantly touching the soft skin of a cheek. It slid down, tracing a path in remembrance. 

“Eh…it’s a long story.” shrugged Frankie, her eyes softening at the contact.  

Without thought, Bianca lunged forward, wrapping the agent in a bone crushing hug. “Oh my God, Frankie.”

Frankie swallowed hard and gingerly brought her arms up to gently rest on the distraught woman’s back. “Hey now, shh. It’s ok. Don’t cry. I hate it when you cry.”

Bianca pulled back at that, wiping at the tears falling from her eyes. “It’s…It’s just…oh my God Frankie. You’re alive!”

A grin met her watery eyes, “Yeah, pretty cool huh?”