Ada thinks for a moment. She hadn't even somewhat thought about what car she would arrive in. She smiles. "I'll let you decide what car I arrive in, liebling. That seems much more your speed than mine." She smiles.

Ada gasps at the idea of arriving at her wedding in a horse drawn carriage. She knew that she said that she didn't want anything tacky and cheesy at her wedding, but she loved feeling like a princess at any point in time. "I love it! Please, can we? With horses and all!?" She smiles brightly.

mariko had been one of the more...colorful and talked about contestants on big brother 4. mainly due to her willingness to get drunk,naked, and/or make out with vara. but for all its perks,she was kind of happy to be away from the show and to see her sister again. after the show,mariko headed straight for the duke of winchester,which was in germany. still. the two exchanged hugs and kisses and tales of big brother stardom for hours and hours. eventually all the kids and friends had went to sleep and it was just mariko and erica on the deck. it was a moonless night,and they were sitting on the rail that lined the bow of the ship.

erica: so...why'd you do it?

mariko: *looking puzzled* the show? i thought it would be fun and i would meet nice people. for the most part,i was pleased!

erica: *with a blank look* seriously,mariko? you are going to make me ask you? you know what i mean.

mariko: *now speaking japanese so their conversation would be private.* i really do not think it is your place to question me,hitomi. * she makes a motion towards the room that erica and nichole live in.*

erica: *also speaking in japanese,which is extremely rare for her.* we are not talking about me. we are talking about you and...her. i thought you and nina were...you know,good?

mariko: and i thought you and natalya were having a baby together. why did you leave her for nichole? was natalya not sweet? did she not love you with all her heart? did she not move across the fucking globe for you?

erica: *clearly pissed to the point where if it was anyone but her sister,she would deck them* i fucking love nichole.i love natalya too.i still do. i wouldnt have cheated on natalya with just some.....i dont even know what id call vara. she wanted to fuck you right after that weird ass fuck with daniel. even you were concerned about that!

mariko: so? at least she thought more of me than to humiliate me on national tv,like your precious nichole did. you looked like a dog that keeps coming back after being kicked. stupid.

erica: at least i can be 100% sure nichole isnt fucking someone right now! i wouldnt trust vara as far as i could throw her.

mariko: that is not fair,hitomi! you know i have trouble trusting anyone.

erica: i know. i wouldnt say that sort of thing lightly. maybe you and vara can have a contest to see who cheats on who first.

mariko: fuck you! fuck ESPECIALLY you! what do you know? you have a baby and suddenly you are miss fucking manners? i grew up with you,hitomi. i know you. *she narrows her eyes*. tell me you still do not daily think about fucking your ex nina?

erica: think and do are two different things. nichole just connects with me like nobody else has.

mariko: why do you think i do not have that with vara? what makes you think i had it with nina? you do not know what goes on behind closed doors.

erica:i know that vara uses sex to reward people.and i know she knows you..idolize her or something. i know you too,mariko. you have TOLD me that you wish you had vara's qualities. i am so glad you dont,you are sweet mariko. not....bitch on wheels vara.

mariko: if being confident is a bitch,then so be it. vara does not want anything but me,mariko. as is ,nothing changed. she likes me for me.

erica:and nina?

mariko: she did too...i loved living with her, it was so perfect.

erica:so why,mariko? seriously. i just want to know. all ill will towards vara out the window,i'll drop it if you just tell me why. you are my sister,the only one i have and no matter what we are in this together.i just want the best for you. and vara...i just cant see it.

mariko: *sighs and turns to look out over the ocean* i think...or like to think that she wanted this when we met way back when. not that she did not love trent. she did love him,with all her heart. i know she still does..and i would be concerned if he ever came back into the picture. they were perfect together. i just feel that vara and i...we needed a chance to at least try. i know nina is hurt beyond words. i did not want this to happen like it did. everything just sort of snowballed,before i knew it i was...daisy. and by that point? i would not forgive me if i was nina. yes,moving to vara was fast. but it is not like she is just some chick. vara and i have history together,we have skirted more than friends very often. so that is what we did.

erica:ok,mariko. i do not agree with it,per se. but i understand completely. maybe if i get to know vara it will be different.

mariko: maybe we will come visit!

erica: visit?! you mean you are really going to italy!?

mariko :*nods* yes! i booked the plane this morning.i am doing it!

erica:im losing you again...you are my mariko.i need you around.

mariko:i need you too,hitomi.i also need you to be happy for me.

erica:i am,mariko. i am. if you are happy...then i am happy. i know how it feels to have everyone disapprove of you.

mariko:i am the happiest i have been in a long time! vara and i are going to do this. its going to be awesome,its going to be great.i cannot wait to go food shopping in italy! i bet everything is so fresh and smelling good!

erica:i hope so too. come here and let me hug you before you are gone again. mariko chan.

Nichole quietly walks into the room, already assuming that Erica had started to take a nap as well. She had put the triplets in the care of Ada, who had become her new Faith for the mean time. Nichole had all the love she could have for her children, but unfortunately - like most things in Nichole's life - her loved burned bright for her children in short periods of time, and then often went out completely for even longer stretches. "Hey, Eri," she says softly when she sees that her girlfriend is still awake, smiling. "I had assumed you had taken a nap as well."

Nichole hugs Erica back, smiling and getting a whiff of Erica's perfume, which she had always loved. "Tricks go well," Nichole responses, awkwardly trying to work the phrase into her answer. She shakes her head at the disaster of a sentence she just uttered, and then turns back to Erica. "The boat is so sleepy today. Let's just lay down and chill."

"Yeah, no kidding. You better take advantage of not having to do anything for a while, since soon you'll have to be doing, like... everything," Nichole says back with a soft laugh and a small smile as she takes off her jacket and lays down next to Erica. She wraps her arms around Erica's small waist and pulls her closer, resting her forehead against her's. She was worried about how things were going to be when Erica left. Nichole had been gone for a few months with Reported Failure, but Nichole had always assumed that things had gone so well because they had talked about Nichole leaving before she did. Now Erica seemed to be leaving her without any warning at all, and Nichole didn't know what to do. "When does the tour start?" she asks softly.

Nichole thinks about Chloe for a moment, and then shrugs and nods. She had always felt like her and Chloe were kindred spirits, since both of their marriages had fallen apart around the same time to two guys who were in the same band, but since she had never really had a conversation with Chloe before, the torture that Erica and Nina seemed to put her through was just as assuming to Nichole. She lets out a relieved sigh when she says that Erich and Ada would be taking care of Takara. She knew that it meant a lot to Erica that Nichole had trusted her children with her, but Nichole did not put the same stock into her maternal instincts. She knew that all four of them would be too much for her to deal with alone. "I should be..." Nichole answers her after a few moments of silence when Erica asks her if she'll be okay alone. "I just hate being apart from you. You know how it is."

"No, no, I get it," Nichole says back, suddenly feeling bad that she put Erica in a position where she feels like she needs to explain herself. "It's just sudden, you know? I feel like I just got back from Reported Failure, and now I'm losing you again." She kisses Erica softly and smiles. "Just don't do anything too crazy, okay? Don't get yourself killed and make out with any groupies or anything like that. I can deal with anything else."

Nichole grins a little bit when Erica says that it's hard to find time for them with all the kids. "God, we sound like my parents..." she says softly, giggling. "Being an adult with adult responsibilities fucking sucks." She moans quietly against Erica lips when she kisses her passionately. Despite having children and responsibilities, they had both managed to stay pretty sexual attractive to each other - something that Nichole had always believed would disappear after two people were together for a while. And even though she and Erica had only officially been together for about a year, they had known each other and been attracted to each other for almost three. Nichole was pleasantly surprised at the noises that Erica could still make her make. She sighs when Erica tells her her real worries about the tour, burying her face in Erica's hair momentarily. It's not like Nichole had forgotten - she couldn't ever forget. She just didn't know how the situation was going to be when that time finally rolled around. "Of course," she promises when Erica asks her to check on her while she's gone. "I know, Eri... I'm sorry..."

Nichole laughs at Erica's dislike towards Nichole's parents. Even though Nichole had issues with them, she had mostly learned to accept her parents for who they are. It wasn't really their fault that they had a kid like her. She supposed that absence really does make the heart grow into a state of mind which somehow transforms what you once couldn't stand about your family into a somehow quaint, pleasure-giving construct. She giggles and smacks Erica's ass lightly, gripping it for a second before letting go. "Man, you have a cute ass. How have I never noticed that before?" she asks, giving Erica little kiss. She gives a little sigh when Erica says that she doesn't think she'll ever be better. Nichole knew that in the past, if Erica had ever come to her with something about Natalya, she was be upset, but something in her had changed from the past. Maybe it was just their situation that made her look at things differently, but she was actually a little touched that Erica felt comfortable enough to come to her about Natalya. "Hey... it's not about getting 'better.' It's just about learning how to deal with the feelings associated with it," she says softly, parroting what several psychologists have told her about her own past issues. "It's completely understandable that you're still upset over it. You're not any less of a person for having emotions."