Ethan and Amanda dared to venture out to the book cafe that afternoon to meet Gwen Hotchkiss, Ethan's girlfriend, for a couple of lattes.

Neither of them knew what the entire town now knew about Julian and Ivy Crane.
As the walked down the streets of Harmony, locals stopped dead in their tracks and started pointing at them. Excited whispers followed.

"Julian and Ivy Crane.....?"
"That's impossible...."
"I heard they hated each other..."
"Not anymore, I guess..."
" Jack said he saw them together, and my boy would not lie about this..."
"I just don't believe it....."

Amanda looked back at them, briefly. She raised an eyebrow.

"Ethan?"
Ethan looked at her. "Hmm?"

"Do you think the people know about Mother and Father, you know, getting back together?"
"I doubt it."
"Ethan, have you been listening to what the people have been saying as we walk by? They're talking about Mother and Father."

Ethan laughed.

"Amanda, half the time, this town is talking about our family. They hate us."
"They weren't talking about hating us right now, Ethan."
"Just ignore them."

Amanda and Ethan walked into the Book Cafe. Again, they were greeted with curious stares followed by more whispers.
Jessica Bennett came up to them smiling.

"I am so happy for you two. You two must be thrilled. After all these years, and now, your parents are getting back together. I love happy endings."

Amanda and Ethan suddenly exchanged nervous looks.
"Jessica?" Amanda asked, eying Jessica.

"Yes?"
"Do a lot of people know about our parents reuniting?"
"Almost everyone in town."

Ethan, who had been previously speechless, now spoke u with utter horror.

"They all know? Everyone?"
"Yeah. I guess the guy who delivers the paper to the mansion, the Harmony Herald, saw your parents out walking this morning in the gardens, and then kissing."
"Not really, though?"
"Yeah, he did. And he told his friends. And so on and so on. I found out from Charity, who had heard it from Miguel. I think it's wonderful. Your family needs some good publicity once in a while too."
"But not yet. It's too soon to let it out. They're still in the very early stages of the relationship."

Amanda agreed with Ethan," Nothing's certain right now. They're just testing the waters."

Ethan put his head in his hand.
"God, it's going to be in every paper in the country by tomorrow morning."
"It's over, isn't it, Ethan? This is going to be over, just like Tom an d Nicole. Damn tabloids and newspapers. They always ruin everything."

Jessica looked at them.
"Gus, nothing's happened yet. Don't freak out."

Sudden;y, Gwen stormed up to Ethan. She grabbed his arm and pulled him over to him.
"What the hell is going on, Ethan? I can't believe this!" She practically screamed at him.
Ethan looked at her confused.
"Gwen, do you want to talk about something?"
"Yes, Ethan. I do want to talk about something. And I want to talk about it right now."

Amanda looked over at Ethan.
"I guess no coffee today," she said to herself.
Jessica looked at her.'

"Amanda?"
"Yes, Jessica?"
"Do you want to come over to my house? You can hang out at my place for a while, since Gwen seems pretty mad and she probably doesn't want you sitting around and listening in."
Amanda looked over at them and sighed. Jessica was right. She shouldn't stay, but it was just so tempting. She loved it when Gwen got mad, especially at Ethan. Those times were few and far between.

Oh, well. Then, something came to her. She turned to Jessica, a smile on her face.

"Jessica, do your parents know about my parent's getting back together?"
Jessica thought for a moment.

"You know what? I honestly don't know. Mom and Dad were just going to hand out at the house today because neither of them had to work. Dad said something about cleaning out the attic, I think."

Amanda was delighted now. What would Sam think when he heard about the reunion of her parents? Would he be jealous? Of course. Plus, she could always spice it up with stories of recent wild romantic trysts. Sam wouldn't know if they were true or not. Oh, yes. This day was turning into quite a wonderful day after all.

"Jessica," she started," Let's go to your house. I do want to tell your parents the great news, especially your father. I'm sure he'll be delighted to hear."

CHAPTER FIVE

Someone did though.

Amanda woke that morning with a renewed sense of happiness. A feeling that had evaded her since she had been a little girl. She remembered this feeling when she had been in Paris with Ivy when she was ten.

It was a weird feeling, but she was sure of it. It was a feeling of happiness.

As she awoke, the events of the night before slowly started to come back to her.

Her mother and father had kissed. Each other. Something she had only seen in their wedding album and in pictures of their European honeymoon.

Not now.
Not twenty years later.

But she had been sure of it. She had seen it with her own eyes. She had not been drunk or even that tired. Her eyes never deceived her, and now more than ever, she was sure of something that had become hauntingly clear in the last few days.

Her parents were falling in love. Real love? That she wasn't sure of yet.

"Who do I tell about this? I have to tell someone. Not the media, obviously. Pilar? No. Not yet. I'll let mother do that. Ethan? Yes, I'll tell Ethan, and then Sheridan! Oh, they'll be so happy. Sheridan has always thought that they did love each other and Ethan - Ethan will be ecstatic. This is what he's always dreamed of."

She smiled, quickly threw a silky dressing robe, over her pajamas, and patted down the carpeted hall towards her brother's room.

The door was closed when she reached it. She thought of just going in, but then she realized then Gwen might be there and decided against it.

She rapped on the door.

"Ethan? Ethan? It's Amanda."

To her surprise, she received an answer almost immediately.

"I'll be right there!" Ethan called from behind the door.

Amanda leaned against the wall. She could just picture his reaction. He would throw his arms around her and twirl her around like he had when she was younger.

The door opened and Ethan stood there, in a bath robe, holding a razor.

"This isn't a bad time, is it, Ethan?"

"No. No, it's not. Come on it."

Amanda obeyed and stepped into the perfectly spotless bedroom. That was Ethan's style. Everything was perfect with him.

"What is it, Amanda?"

Amanda sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the seat next to her.

"Sit down, Ethan. I need to tell you something."

And he did. He looked at her, his eyes filled with genuine concern. Amanda loved his eyes. So caring. So loving.

"Ethan, it's about mother and father."

"Everything's all right? Isn't it?"

Amanda stood up.

"Everything's fine. It's better than fine actually."

"What do you mean?"

"Last night. Last night, I saw Mother and Father in the garden when I was on my balcony, stargazing."

Amanda had never stargazed a day in her life, but Ethan didn't know that.

"Did something happen? Did Father hurt mother, because if he did I'll-"

Amanda cut him off.

"It's nothing like that. The exact opposite actually. When they were in the garden last night," Amanda paused for a dramatic effect, " They kissed."

Ethan looked at her, disbelieving.

"They kissed? Are you sure that was mother? It might have been one of father's mistresses?"

"Ethan, I am positive. It was Mother and Father kissing in the garden last night."

Ethan was silent for a moment. Amanda figured he was trying to process this in his mind.

"What do we do?" Ethan asked after a long moment.

Amanda shrugged.

"Confront them. It's the only way we can find out what's going on here."

"Are you sure that's wise? What if what you saw was really a maid with Father?"

"Then Mother will be furious, but I know what I saw and I know the woman Father was with in the garden was mother."

"Then, let's go find them."

"Exactly what I was thinking."

The two headed out down the hall and down the stairs to the living room, which to their surprise was empty except for Louisa, one of the maids, dusting the mantle of the fireplace. Breakfast had not even been set out on the table.

"Louisa? " Ethan asked, "What's going on?"

"What do you mean, Mr. Crane?"

"Louisa, mother and father aren't down yet. It's almost eight, and the breakfast hasn't even been set out yet."

"Mr. Crane said last night before he went to bed to cancel the usual breakfast table. I guess all of you are going out for breakfast."

"We never go out for breakfast," Amanda responded, confused at what was going on.

"Where are our parents?" Ethan asked, firm, wanting an answer.

"I believe that they're still in Mr. Julian Crane's bedroom."

"Amanda what are they doing there?" Amanda asked, already knowing the truth.

"I don't know. They've been there all night together, and there's been a lot of giggling coming from that room."

"It can't be...."

"You mean, they...."

Amanda and Ethan exchanged looks. Something didn't seem right. Louisa noticed their looks, but decided not to embellish, The children would find out all the facts soon enough.

And at that moment, Julian and Ivy started to come down the stairs, both giggling wildly and clinging to each other.

Ethan looked at Amanda.

"Is this really happening?"

Amanda nodded.

"Julian and Ivy Crane are back together, and in love."

CHAPTER FOUR

The Bennett's had been there. They had been surprised to see Julian and Ivy there, together and not fighting. Everyone had been. The surprise came from Amanda though who revealed to them that Colin Hotchkiss had asked her to marry him. She had not replied yet, but was leaning towards saying yes.

Ethan met up with Gwen there.

"They're so happy," Ivy beamed as she watched them dancing to a slow song.

Julian agreed. They were happy. As was he. With Ivy. For the first time in over twenty years.

A cool breeze blew in through the open window. Spring was in the air, Julian thought to himself. Spring. A time for love and romance. He looked outside at the starry night sky. It seemed to ball to him. Come out here, it said in its massive bleakness.

Julian obeyed. He wasn't drunk, so he couldn't blame his need to be out there on that. It was something else. Something was pulling him out to the gardens.

He obeyed, slowing, creeping along the stone pathway, but always keeping a watch out for his back. Julian had learned to that over the years. To watch his back. He never knew when TC Russell or Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald would be after him. The very idea made him shudder.

There she was. He came upon Ivy staring into the stone fountain, in the center of the garden. A single tear rolling down her cheek.

"Ivy?" Julian looked at her curiously. In the pale moonlight, she looked radiant. He silky robe over her pajamas, flowing slightly with the breeze, like a vale over silk. He hair was free over he shoulders, and she didn't have all of her makeup on. She had the natural beauty that he had first seen over twenty years ago. And he still loved it.

"Julian, what are you doing out here?" Ivy questioned.

"Nothing. You?"

"I couldn't sleep."

It was something else though. Julian could tell.

"Dear," Julian started< " I know this may seem sudden, but-"

Before he could finish though, Ivy pulled him close and kissed him. Passionately and hard.

Julian accepted the kiss graciously. As they pulled away, Ivy looked into his eyes.

"Ivy, I don't know what to say."

"I do, Julian. I want to start over. From scratch. I love you, Julian Crane, and I want a second chance at being your wife."

Stunned, Julian was speechless. He pulled her to him and kissed her again.

"I want to start over too, Ivy. I love you so much. More than life itself. Marry me, Ivy."

CHAPTER THREE

She didn't want to because she hated spending time with her family, but she had agreed reluctantly because the thought of spending time with Gabriella at home in their mansion was far worse than any punishment that Ivy or Julian could give her. Coming back to the subject of her parents, she found herself wondering what was up with them. Were they always this flirtatious when she wasn't around or was this a new development? Whatever it was, It was starting to disgust her. Her mother was up to something,

"But what?" Amanda questioned aloud, looking into the gold framed full length mirror in one corner of her room.

Ivy was humming merrily as she spritzed some perfume onto her neck. Eternal Passion, it was called and it was supposed to lure men into the ultimate seduction. It hadn't worked on Sam Bennett, but the scent may work on Julian. He was dumb enough to be enticed by overpriced perfumes. Yes, Julian would fall for it. She had to make sure everything went perfect tonight. Her money, social position, and more importantly, she son was at stake. She rose from her chair and straightened her dress. It was something that she may have worn when she was younger, but now she felt old in it.

Oh, well, she decided, trying to fix the dress, it Rebecca can get away wearing these slutty things, I sure as hell can too.

With that, Ivy set down the perfume bottle, and flounced out of the room, an air of mystic scent following her.

Julian sat in the library. He was half way, through his third, or was it his fourth brandy. It may have been his fifth. Oh, ell. It didn't bother Julian. He never had kept count anyway.

Sitting on the couch, Ethan Crane, his first born son and his pride and joy, was going through a set of Crane documents. Since Ethan had graduated from Harvard Law at the top of his class, he had become the head of the lawyers for Crane industries. Julian would never admit it, but he was so proud of his son that it almost killed him that his wife was the mother of Ethan. She was such a with. How could she have raised such a level headed son?

As if on cue, Ivy flounced in, wearing a rather provocative black number that Julian could remember seeing only Rebecca in. He didn't hate it though. In fact, he rather liked it.

"Julian," she began seductively, " we should go somewhere tonight."

Ethan looked up.

"Mother, you look different."

Julian straightened his tie as Ivy advanced toward him.
"What do you mean, my pet?"

"I mean, you, me, Ethan, Amanda, a family outing for dinner. Maybe more for you, if you're lucky later.'

Julian could believe his ears, but he was willing to take her up on his proposition.
Ethan was ecstatic too. They never went on family dinners. This was his ultimate fantasy.

If only he knew Ivy's real motive for the Dinner.....

Prologue:
Julian and Ivy Crane

Everyone in Harmony knew who they were. Just the mention of their names brought some people to their knees in fear. Julian Crane knew that. He always enjoyed watching the Crane name strike fear in honest, god fearing citizens of the coastal Maine town.

It was a new morning in Harmony. Fisherman were already out on the warfs, bringing in the first catches of the day and local shop owners had be up since sunrise getting ready for Monday morning business, much of it that would come from the students who stopped to but their breakfests on the way to school.

Amanda Crane, a charming seventeen year old, watched from her POV at the book cafe as she watched a group of teens picking up their morning cappachinos. Disgusting, she thought,all of them. Amanda was not accustomed to Harmony. Far from it. She knew what it was like to live in a small town, but she had never really lived in Harmony. She had been sent off to boarding school in Norwich, Minnesota when she seven and had never forgiven her parents for it. She hated them, frankly. She hated most of the world. As far as she was concerned, there were no good people left in the world, just leeches and manipulators. Of course, no one could blame her. While she carried her mother's looks, including the shoulder length white blonde hair ahd the piercing blue eyes, she was cold and manipulative. She blamed her parents for that. They hadn't raised her to be any better than that. To this day, they didn't even love each other . So why would they love me, Amanda thought bitterly as she sipped her cappachino.

In his study of the Crane mansion, Julian Crane was confused. Alot of things in the world confused him, but this was positively baffling. Last night at dinner, he could've sworn that his ice queen of a wife had been coming onto him. It could've been his imagination, but she had actually been civil to him. She had even put her hand on top of his after he had made a joke, which Amanda had thought was completely moronic, like she usually did, but Ivy had just pattedhis hand and looked sympathetically at him. Could it be? Was Ivy feeling something for him?

Last night, he had dismissed it, thinking that Ivy was putting on a show for Amanda, but why would she? The only people that ever got Ivy's false sweetness was the Bennetts. Why she spent so much time with them was beyond him, but no matter, he had his own affairs, both business and pleasure. Ivy never fell into either of those categories. Still, he was baffled. Something was going on, but what? What was going on with Ivy?

Ivy Crane peered into her full length mirror with a look of satisfaction. Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald, her maid and friend, stood behing her, shaking her hear in dismay.

"I can't believe that you did that last night, Mrs. Crane," Pilar stated, looking at Ivy's reflection. Sure, she was beatiful, but so was ice, until it cut you.

Ivy rolled her eyes. She knew exactly what Pilar was getting at. She had been flirting with Julian last night. It had been almost worth it just to watch the confused looks on his face as they ate with Amanda, Ethan, and Gwen.

Ivy turned to Pilar.

"It's all part of the plan, Pilar."

Pilar signed. " Yes, I know about your plan to keep Ethan's paternity a secret, adn I'm telling you that it's not going to work."

"Of course it is, Pilar. Have a little faith in something besides God and the vigin Mary for once. I'm just surprised that I didn't come up with this years ago."

"What are you planning on doing?"

Ivy turned back to the mirror and smiled a wicked smile.

"Oh, you just see, Pilar. Just wait and see."