Spencer hoped that things were finally working out for Ruth. The young mother had spent almost a month in jail back in Maine before the kidnapping charges were dropped. Bit by bit, the prosecutors worked behind the scenes to see that the wrongs were righted, and that the best interests of the four-year-old child were served. The Drummonds avoided jail, but paid a heavy fine for their tax error. In the end, Skip relinquished all claim to Jessie Riane Drummond, forever closing that unfortunate chapter of his life.

Spencer knew every detail thanks to Thomas Fennimore, whom she called every week until the case was resolved. She'd bypassed Elena, thinking it best not to hurt her further by raising suspicions about her feelings for Ruth, since it looked like nothing was to come of it anyway.

"When she called, she asked how we were doing, you and I."

"Why would she ask that?"

"Well, it seems she looked you up in the book said you'd told her once that she should do that and your number had been disconnected. So I guess she assumed that you were living with me."

"How did-"

"Don't stop me now! I'm getting to the good part."

Spencer threw herself against the couch back in frustration. She thought she heard someone laughing outside but when she strained her ears to listen, it stopped.

"You remember that morning in the hospital after you'd been shot? How you insisted I leave you and go see Ruth?"

Spencer nodded.

"Well, I did. And we talked about her options with her daughter, and what our office would try to do to help, just like I said I would. Somewhere in the middle of that conversation, I told her that I loved you, and that I wanted another chance to show you how much." Even after being turned away almost six months ago, Elena's voice still held a bit of optimism, as if her friend need only say the word.

"Oh, Elena," she whispered, the tears ready to fall again at the heartache she'd caused her dearest friend.

"But what I didn't know was that the two of you were...whatever the word is...."

"Elena, it wasn't something either of us really had a handle on. We didn't...I don't think she...really...."

Out back, a dog began to bark and a child's voice got louder. "Go get it, Willy!"

Elena held out her hand to lead her friend to the back porch, Spencer hoping against hope that she'd see what she wanted to see. There by the back door were two large duffle bags, a plastic knap sack, and a Lisa doll.

"I think she did."

"I'll be damned!" Spencer whispered.

"Anyway, I brought you a couple of visitors. I don't think she's got two dimes to rub together. I told her I'd be back to pick her up in a week or two, or whenever you called."

"And if I don't call?"

Elena chuckled. "If you don't call, then I'll figure it out." Yeah, this had been a good idea. "I'm going to head out of here now and give you guys some space. Is that okay?" She was still holding the other woman's hand and she gave it another squeeze.

"You don't have to go, you know."

"Yeah, I do. I've gotten on with my life, Ms. Rollins. I'll have you know I have a date tomorrow to do the Museum of Natural History."

"With who?" Spencer didn't believe her for a minute.

"Her name's Jill Burke. She's FBI."

"You like her?"

"Yeah."

"Well you tell her she better treat you right or I'm going to have to come up there and kick her ass."

"Will do." Elena gave her old friend a strong hug and took her leave out the sliding glass door, knowing that the part about getting on with her life needed to be true.

Spencer walked out on the porch to watch the laughing child play fetch with a chocolate Labrador.

Ruth tapped her toe on the gazebo's wooden floor, rocking the swing in a steady rhythm. She'd heard the car pull up and knew Spencer was inside. Elena would talk to her about them staying for a little while; that was the plan.

She and Jessie had arrived back in Virginia a week ago, the old Taurus wagon heaving its last breath the next day. Out of money and out of luck, Ruth finally got up the nerve to call Spencer, thinking she might ask to borrow a little cash for a down payment on a used car. She hoped to get a job soon, maybe in a bank. Thomas Fennimore had gotten her record expunged and she had seven years experience and good references. That should count for something, she hoped.

She was genuinely surprised to learn that Spencer and Elena hadn't gotten back together after all. And when the agent told her about Spencer's career change and the move back to her home state, it was like a stab in the heart to think she would probably never see the woman again.

Disheartened at all the changes, and nearly defeated by her own lack of resources, Ruth resigned herself to push ahead. She and Jessie would get through this. She would go to work soon; they would somehow get another car; they would find a nice place to live; they would make friends. She was going to make her life in Manassas, Virginia.

And then Elena came by the next day to say that she was driving down to see Spencer on Friday and thought they should come along. Ruth declined at first, feeling now like she'd treated Spencer badly, pushing her away when she'd gone back to Maine.

"That doesn't matter."

"But I don't want to show up and have her think it's just because-"

"It doesn't matter, Ruth. None of that matters to Spencer. She'll be happy to see you. Whatever happens between you two is going to depend on what you do now, not what either of you did before. Spencer would want you to come."

Ruth sure hoped Elena was right.

"Spencer!" Jessie saw her first and made a beeline to the tall woman, the excited puppy nipping at her heels.

Spencer caught her on the run and swung her high in the air. "I missed you!"

Ruth got up slowly from the swing, marveling at how lovely and relaxed the tall woman appeared here at her home. She walked over to join them, smiling nervously, secretly wishing for a similar reception.

Spencer balanced the child on her hip and held out an arm to bring the mother into the circle, hugging her tightly...very tightly. "I missed you, too," she said, her voice filled with emotion.

Ruth basked in the warm reception, very nearly crying when she felt the taller woman's lip press hard to her temple. This was a whole lot more than she'd hoped for, a whole lot more than she thought she deserved.

When Ruth's arms went around her waist, Spencer felt like they were halfway home.

The vibrant Labrador impatiently clawed at their legs, jealous and excited to meet the newcomer.

"And this is Willy?"

"He's big!" Jessie boasted.

"He sure is. And so are you."

Like they'd never missed a beat, Spencer took Ruth's hand and wove their fingers together, turning the mother and daughter toward the cabin. "I hear you've gone back to the trailer."

"Yeah, we just...we didn't belong in Madison anymore."

"How's Viv?"

"She's great. But she's got the house up for sale."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, she and Jerry got married in March and they've decided to live in his big old farmhouse."

"Viv and Jerry?"

"Can you believe it? She said they really got to know each other last year while we were disrupting everybody's lives."

"It's interesting how tough times can bring people together, people who might not have found each other at all had it not been for...."

"You mean like us?"

"Yeah, like us," Spencer agreed, squeezing the fingers. "It's nice to know that Viv and Jerry thought it was enough to build on."

Ruth wouldn't let herself read too much into that, but her heart wanted to cling to the hope that Spencer thought they too might have enough to build on. Even in these few minutes since they'd been reunited, all the feelings had rushed back full force and she found herself unable to resist the pull.

Spencer stopped and turned toward the blonde woman, this time tugging Jessie close. "I know you guys just got here, but I'd really like it if you'd think about making this place home. There are lots of good jobs, the schools are great...it's a beautiful area."

"Can we?" Jessie already liked it, especially the lake. "I mean may we?"

That got a laugh from both women, though Ruth blushed at her daughter's forward request.

Did Spencer mean this place, as in North Carolina, or this place, as in...this place? "We'll see, honey."

Spencer tossed an eyebrow, no more satisfied with that answer than Jessie had been.

"I think that we might stay a while and see if we like it." She needed to add the next part so they'd both know that there were no expectations. "But I don't want us to wear out our welcome."

"You can stay here as long as you need to, Ruth. Take your time to sort things out, to see what you want." To see what we want.

Jessie had had enough of this grownup talk. Willy wanted to play with the ball some more.

"And what about what you want?" Ruth asked seriously.

Spencer pulled her into an embrace and looked her right in the eye. "I just want to feel the way I did the last time I held you like this."

And then their lips met in a sweet kiss, one that reignited their past and gave them both hope for their future.

THE END.