"What is it?" inquired a harried Cane upon entering Nick's office. Nick had phoned him more than thirty minutes ago. He hadn't told Cane anything on the phone.

***

"Nick," Cane said answering his cell.

"Yeah, it's me."

"What's up?" Cane looked at the clock on the wall in the den. 9:30 Why in the hell was Nick calling so late? He didn't sound like his usual self. Cane hoped this wasn't about his brother. Nick hadn't asked him about Billy, and Cane was extremely glad of that, but if something had happened with Lily...Shit, he didn't need this. He had to prepare for a case against a major conglomerate that was threatening to destroy a small village in South America. This was what he wanted to spend his time doing, not playing a pawn in some soapy drama that was a weak imitation of a Shakespearean tragedy. He really hoped that it was weak, because someone usually died in a strong tragedy. 

"I need you to meet me at my office."

Cane wanted to argue, but Nick's somber tone stopped him. Nick was his best mate. They'd been mates since Cane had arrived in Genoa City, sixteen, scared, and extremely lonely. "Alright, I will be there in a bit."

 ***

Cane took in Nick's slightly disheveled appearance. The sleeves of his button down blue shirt were rolled up, with the top two buttons undone, and his hair looked as if he'd been constantly running his fingers through it.  His jacket and tie were tossed carelessly next to him on the black leather sofa.

"What is it?" Cane took a seat in a chair across from Nick.

"Drink," Nick offered, holding out a decanter of Brandy.

"Sure," Cane said holding out the glass that was sitting in front of his chair. It seems that Nick has already arranged things. Once a small measure was poured into the glass, Cane returned it to its previous position on the table. "Why did you need me to stop by? It's not like you to call me so late, especially when you know how early I turn in."

"I need to talk you."

"About what, did something happen to Lily?"

"Lily," Nick sighed, "My wife, no, at least not yet, although I'm not really sure. I haven't spoken to her since last night, which was not one of the best nights of my marriage."

"If this is not about Lily, then what's it about?"

"Not what, but who, who is this about." Nick stared past Cane to the chair that sat in front of his desk. He could still see her sitting there. The yellow dress perfectly complimented her complexion, and the fit was so exquisite that it almost seemed indecent. In the hours since she departed, his body and mind had gone from one extreme to the next. He couldn't keep his thoughts straight or the overwhelming constant surge of lust down. He wanted her so badly. He kept seeing her spread out on his desk, the yellow dress above her thighs, as he drove himself into her. The vision was so acute that he'd had to relieve himself.  "Fuck," he said, angrily.

Cane was somewhat taken a back by his outburst. Was this about Billy? But if it wasn't about Lily then it couldn't be about Billy. The two were synonymous with each other, where Nick would be concerned. Even if this was a Newman versus Jabot type scenario, Lily and Billy's past relationship would be put on the table. Maybe not in the past, before Billy's return, but today, there was no way of speaking of one, without drawing in the other, even if it was unintentional. "Ok then, who is this about?"

"Sharon," replied Nick in a flat voice, his eyes bored into Cane's.

Fuck, in deed.

***

Lily felt content. She snuggled deeper into the chest at her back. She couldn't recall the last time she'd felt like this. It felt...perfect, absolutely perfect. She inhaled the masculine scent, committing it to memory. It was so familiar, this feeling was so familiar. She could lie like this all night. But some part of her mind, the part that was still alert, said that it was impossible. Was she dreaming? She moved slightly, and felt his arms tighten around her. Strong arms, she thought. She loved the feel of them. She loved the feel of him. She'd always loved the feel of him, and knew she always would. That alert part of her knew that she shouldn't feel this way. She needed to wake up, but she didn't want to. She wanted to stay like this forever.

***

"Nothing?" asked Nick.

"I...I'm not quite sure what to say. Give me a minute to digest the information." Cane said trying to form his thoughts. No wonder Nick had asked him to come over.

"You can take all the time you need, unfortunately I don't have that luxury."

***

She turned her head to the side, and felt soft lips brush against her forehead.

"Are you awake?" He asked against her forehead.

"No," she said, and could feel him chuckle in response. "Okay, so maybe I am."

"You should probably go home," Billy said. He didn't want to say it, but it was pointless not to. She would probably say it soon, and he really didn't want to hear those words from her again tonight. He wasn't sure if he was being selfish, selfless, or just plain old stupid.

"I know," she said. "Is that what you want?

Billy nearly groaned. Damn she was being unfair.

"Billy?" she asked sitting up, and turning to face him. "Do you want me to go home?"

Billy was lost as he stared into her beautiful brown eyes. He wanted to say Hell no, but that would probably ruin the mood. He wanted her to stay. He wanted a lot of things, for her to stay with him tonight, to tell him that she loved him, and would divorce Nick and return with him to London. But most of all, more than anything else, he wanted her to tell him that she forgave him for breaking her heart. But he didn't say any of that. She'd come to him, this was her moment, her journey, and her decision. "Do you want to go home?"

"At the moment, No," she said and laughed, but there was not a trace of humor in it. "I don't want to go home. I don't know where home is, but this feels like home." She said leaning in, her arms on either side of his head.

Billy swallowed. He was a man, who usually had a plan, who was always in control, but at the moment, with her staring at him as if he was the key to life, he felt like an untried youth.  Her hair hung in thick, straight, lustrous locks down her back, and over her shoulders. Earlier, he'd run his fingers through the mass, and messaged her scalp to help ease the slight tension he'd felt in her body. And now that hair called to him again, he preferred her natural curls, but he loved her hair regardless of the state. Lily had beautiful hair. At the moment he was playing with the ends that rested against her back. "Does it?"

Her eyes dropped a little, "You know it does."

"Yeah," he said, voice slightly hoarse. Once again, his eyes went past her to the photos on the wall, where they stopped at a particular picture.  A close shot of a bumblebee sitting on a flower, sitting on a lily. "What do you want?"

She looked down at his lips, and then up to his eyes, and without second guessing herself, she uttered on word, "You."

 "Are you sure?" he asked holding her eyes.

"Yes," she said.

Billy could see the heat in her eyes, the finality in accepting the decision she'd made. The confidence behind her words, where supported when she leaned forward and whispered. "I want you," a hair's breath away from his lips. Her sweet breath filled his nostrils, mixing with the scent of her vanilla hair, causing a potent aphrodisiac that almost wiped every single rational thought from his mind. "Are you sure?"

She looked at him for half a beat.  "Yes," she said, before placing her lips against his.

He felt her lips, pressing lightly against his own, entreating his to follow her down a path that they would not be able to take back. His lips pressed lightly against hers, letting her take the lead, and pull them further down the rabbit hole. He should stop her. He should push her away tell her to go home, because he saw it, there in her eyes for a millisecond was the tiniest flash doubt. In the past, in their past, he stopped whenever he saw doubt in her eyes. He always stopped, no matter how much her protests belied what he saw in her eyes.

 She pressed her body against his, which deepened the kiss, but only for a moment, before she eased her lips slightly away, and then ran her tongue over his bottom lip. She made to move away, but he captured her silky tongue with his, his arms sliding up her back, and his mind ignoring everything before this exact moment. 

***

  Nick was right, he didn't have the luxury of time when it came to Sharon, thought Cane. There were many reasons why Nick didn't have the luxury of time, when it came to Sharon, the least being Nick's strong physical attraction to her. If a person could be crack, then Sharon was Nick's crack. As Nick's best friend, Cane had been witness to the constant rollercoaster that had been Sharon and Nick. "I take it she's returned to Genoa city."

"To the bank," replied Nick.

"Have you seen her?"

Nick looked at Cane as if he were daft, "How the fuck else would I know that she was back?"

Cane wasn't one to be goaded into a fight, which was probably what Nick's comment was meant to do. He could roll with the best of them, but he always found anger to be a truly useless emotion. This was one belief that he and Billy shared. Cane had always lived his life by the rule, while Billy had learned through practice as he'd gotten older.  "The question has merit. Your father has more informants than the GCPD, one of them could have told you. And it is not out of the realm of possibility that an acquaintance could have seen her, and relayed the information to you."

Nick scowled at Cane's logic. "Don't look so smug."

"I can assure you that I'm not."

"Good, that's the last thing I need. You looking smug would only remind me of your brother, and I don't have time to think about him right now."

You better make time, thought Cane. He had a feeling that his little brother had something to do with Sharon's return. The timing was just too perfect to be a coincidence. Cane wasn't about to be made partner at the most prestigious law firm in Genoa City for nothing. "Alright, so Sharon's returned. Now what are you going to do about it?"

"What am I going to do about it?" Nick said tossing back his second glass of Brandy since Cane entered his office. "Why the hell do you think I called you?"

"I don't know, because I'm your best mate and you needed someone to talk to?"

Nick scoffed, "What are we girls? I didn't ask you to come over to braid my hair."

"Good," Cane commented dryly, "because I didn't bring my hair brush." He looked at his watch. His wife was going to kill him. If Cane's family wasn't in Genoa City, he'd seriously think about relocating. The constant drama and endless bickering amongst the natives was truly tiresome. "When did you see her?"

"A few hours ago," replied Nick. "She strolled into my office." Glided, she glided into his office. "She said that I was expecting her, which I thought to be a complete and total crock, until she showed me her business card."

"Wait, what does her business card have to do with anything?"Cane asked slightly confused.

This is was what Nick had been trying to wrap his mind around for hours. How was it possible that he didn't know that Sharon was the CEO at Symphonic Smells? His department always did a thorough check of every prospective business venture that Newman considered acquiring or purchasing shares in, from the business, to the employees, to the owners. Newman had invested time, and a considerable amount of money to get in the race to purchase the organic beauty supply company. He'd read the information Michael had gathered about the elusive Mrs. Collins, and obviously it wasn't enough.  How could this have happened? Michael knew Sharon. He'd helped arrange...things. Michael would have never knowingly let Newman waste money on any venture that she was tied to.

Cane watched whatever events lead to this moment play across Nick's face. His features went from contemplative to angry in a blink. There was obviously more to Nick's anger than just Sharon's return. Cane remembered what Nick had said earlier, about her expecting him. That had been weird, but it wasn't unlike Sharon to play mind games. She was particularly good at playing them with Nick.  "Why did she say you were expecting her?"

"I was...and I wasn't," at Cane questioning expressions, Nick said, "I returned to Genoa City, because I was supposed to have a meeting with the CEO of Symphonic Smells, unfortunately she canceled, or at least that's what her assistant Miss Jones relayed to Adam."

Cane didn't need him to finish, the situation had become crystal clear. "She changed her mind."

"I don't think she changed her mind. I think she only wanted to catch me off guard- and alone."

"And she did," Cane said finishing. This story just kept getting interesting, and they hadn't even dealt with the personal shit.

"And she enjoyed every-single- minute of it."

"I bet she did," Cane mumbled.

"And why shouldn't she enjoy it?" Nick said abruptly standing up. "I have no doubt whatsoever that she has been playing me this entire time. All those fucking changes she required of Newman, were just a game to her. I highly doubt that she has any intention of selling us the company." Nick paced the floor seething with anger and...lust. He wanted to kill her, to wrap his hands around that pretty neck, while driving himself deep into her, as he tightened his grip with each thrust, until he came simultaneously with the sound of her last breath. "Fuck," he yelled, which startled Cane. He was having morbid thoughts about fucking a woman to death. "You have to get rid of her."

Cane stood, "What the hell do you want me to do?"

"I don't know, but she has to leave Genoa City now." He stopped in front of Cane, his breath ragged. He ran a hand through his hair.

"Nick you need to calm down. She's been in town less than a day and she's already fucking with your head. You dumped her the last time, not the other way around." Nick was on edge, Cane wouldn't be surprised if he started to shake. Cane loved Mac, but the idea of her ever having the type of hold on him that Sharon had on Nick, scared him to his core.

Nick tried to calm down. Cane was right. He needed to be calm, when dealing with Sharon, but it was just so hard. He'd walked before. He'd told her it was over and moved on, for the first time he moved onto someone, who was selfless and caring. Someone who didn't play games or leave him feeling lost. He'd moved onto to someone, who supported him, who was always there for him.

"You need to think of Lily," Cane said as if reading his mind. "You broke up with Sharon, in order to pursue Lily." Nick needed to focus, because if he fell apart over Sharon, his marriage to Lily was going to end. Although his marriage to Lily would more than likely end, if certain truths where revealed. Cane knew all the secrets, and he was as sure as he knew it would snow in February, that each one would be revealed, before Sharon left town. "You need to think, because Sharon being the CEO is the least of your problems.

Nick returned to the sofa and sat. There was a lot more at stake than a business venture. Fuck, he'd screwed up. He'd put business first, because Sharon had wanted him to. Somehow she'd known. She'd known that he would put Newman before his wife. It was an obvious answer, one that he didn't want to explore. The simple fact was that she knew him. It had been five years, and Sharon still knew him, better than anyone else. "Lily will not happy, when she learns Sharon's was back."

"Yeah well, I'm sure she'll know how you feel about Billy being back."

Nick laughed, "No, you and I both know that the situation is completely different."

Very different, thought Cane, although this did give him the opportunity to fulfill his word to Billy, even if Nick hadn't asked. "True, but Billy is Lily's ex-boyfriend, who has also returned to town for business purposes."

"Yeah right, which was why he was having dinner and dancing with my wife?" Nick asked. His eyes bored into Cane's. "Come on Cane, he's your brother. You and I both know that no matter what story Billy's bandying about, that he has designs on my wife."

He hated this. He really hated this. "Billy does what he wants to do. Rather he's here on business or," Cane paused to think of a way to frame his next word.

"If he's here to steal my wife," Nick said filling in the blank. "You can say it Cane, I'm sure it's crossed your mind."

"Maybe once or twice, but Billy will not force Lily to do something that she doesn't want to do."  His brother had changed over the years. The man he saw now was barely recognizable. But Cane knew one thing with all certainty, and that was that no matter how much Billy pushed or what techniques he used, William Foster Abbott would never force Lily to do something she didn't want to. 

"And that's the problem," Nick stared down into his drink. "Billy wouldn't have to try hard at all. I've let her down enough that all he'd have to do was show up, and she'll probably fall right into his arms."

You did that, Cane wanted to say, but he didn't. "Look you don't know that. Lily loves you, and no matter what issues you have in your marriage, I seriously doubt that she'll let Billy seduce her."

"Maybe she should," Nick said out of nowhere.

"You don't mean that," Cane asked somewhat aghast.

"I do... and don't. The idea of him touching her makes me want to throw something, and at the same time, well if she cheated, then it would..." He let the sentence fall off.

"No Nick, it wouldn't," Cane replied to Nick unfinished statement. "Not even by a long shot."

Nick downed the contents of the glass. The amber liquid burned his chest, and his heart tightened. "I don't want to lose her."

"Then you need to tell her the truth." Cane said beyond exasperated. He felt like he was talking to one of his children.

Nick looked up at Cane, and in voice devoid of emotion asked, "Which truth?"

Cane picked up the untouched glass of Brandy, and downed it in one swallow. Cane had a sneaking suspicion that he didn't know all of Nick's secrets, and he really didn't want to discover them tonight. "You can start with telling her of Sharon's return, and everything else will fall into place."

 "I highly doubt that."

"Then doubt it," Cane said standing. "But no matter what, you have to tell Lily about Sharon. You need to tell her everything about Sharon."

Nick stood, "You make it sound easy."

"It won't be, but it's your shit Nick. You made the mess, now it's time to clean it up.

"The truth isn't going to help my marriage," Nick said following Cane, who started towards the door.

"And the lies are?" Cane shook his head, his love for Mac wasn't the only reason he'd agreed to lie for Billy. Cane owed a debt to Lily, even if she didn't know it, he did.

"She doesn't need to know everything." Nick said, stopping Cane with a hand on his sleeve.

"Nick wake up! Do you really think that Sharon isn't going to tell Lily about the two of you?"

"Lily hates Sharon, so I highly doubt that she will believe her."

"I know you've been drinking, but you and I both know that Sharon has proof, an infallible truth that comes in the form of DNA."

Nick closed his eyes to fight the overwhelming surge of memories. Memories that he'd buried deep with his psyche, that even now with Sharon's return had yet to come to the surface, but standing in front of Cane, hearing those three letters. "Noah," Nick croaked, "I forgot about Noah." Everything came rushing back.

Cane never understood how Nick could have turned his back on his son, even if he'd never met him. He placed a hand on Nick's sleeve, but didn't say anything before leaving. Yes, he owed Lily a debt. It was unfortunate that paying it would cost his best friend his marriage, but Cane always repaid his debts.