Bedlam

By Mavis Applewater

yomavis@email.com

November 2002

Disclaimers: Yes, I know who they look like but trust me it isn’t them. The story and characters are the sole possession of the author and may not be reproduced, posted or sold without the author’s permission. So there! If for any reason real or imagined you do not wish to read a story containing graphic descriptions of two consenting adult women in a sexual situation then do not read this story or anything else I have ever written. If for any reason it is illegal for you to view such material you have my sympathy but you must go now. Come back when it is no longer a crime for you to view my work.

A big special thank you goes out to my beta reader, Brunnhilda.

As always this is for Heather.

*****

Part One

Amanda was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling, pondering. Just how did she end up a patient in a mental institution? Her life had been so normal. She was married to a great guy. She had a good job. Data entry wasn’t the most exciting thing to do for eight hours a day but it was reliable. Matt, her poor husband, drove a cab. They had been struggling to save up enough money so they could buy a house and start a family, something she thought the both of them had wanted. Now she wasn’t sure about anything except that she had to get out of Pinewood as soon as possible.

She blew out an exasperated sigh as Jackie, another inmate, entered her room. "Hey Blondie." The tall brunette greeted her as she flopped down onto Amanda’s bed. She had grown fond of Jackie and her wit since she had been locked up. Strange thing was, most of her fellow inmates at times seemed more normal than the staff. "What’cha up to?" Jackie inquired as she stretched out her long legs.

"Just thinking." Amanda responded.

"Must be easier since you’ve started pocketing your meds." Jackie noted.

"It is." Amanda responded brightly as she sat up and stared down at her companion. "Thank you for teaching me how to do that. I just don’t understand how I ended up here."

"I don’t get it either." Jackie agreed as she folded her hands behind her head. "Once you came out of the fog they had you in, you just seemed far too normal to be here. I know we all have our problems, but you don’t belong here. When did it all start?"

"I guess it all started when I won the lottery." Amanda began as Jackie cast a suspicious look at her. "I did." She asserted firmly. "I’m not like Fred who thinks he is Howard Hughes. I hit Megabucks for over twenty million dollars. Funny thing is, I never played before. Grace was buying a ticket and told me I should give it a try. What the hell, I thought, it’s only a dollar. I won, and now I’m rich and locked up in the nut house. No offense."

"None taken." Jackie, the former financial analyst, laughed. "Trust me, when I was getting my MBA I didn’t think it would end up landing me here at the farm." Jackie chuckled again as she used the nickname the patients had for Pinewoods. "Tell me everything, and lets see if we can figure out how you went from lottery winner to the lock ward of one the finest mental healthcare facilities on the East Coast?"

"You sure you want to hear this?" Amanda inquired as she leaned against the wall and looked down at her new friend.

"I was going to go out dancing tonight but since all the doors are locked and there are bars on the windows, I might as well just hang out." Jackie offered with a brilliant smile. Amanda just loved the way Jackie smiled. She brushed away the warm feeling and decided to tell her story. Jackie was, after all, the only person who had been willing to listen to her since she woke up and discovered that she was a patient at Pinewoods.

"Okay, here goes." Amanda began her story. "It all started when Grace, my best friend, and I stopped at the corner market on the way home from work. Grace and I worked together at McMillan & Associates. She’s an administrative assistant and I did data entry. She also lives in my building. Since Matt was always working at nights we would hang out at her place and watch the soaps she had taped while we were at the office."

Part Two

Six Months Earlier

Amanda and Grace were standing in line at the tiny little store. "Amanda, why don’t you give it a shot?" Grace encouraged her. "They think the jackpot is going to hit eighteen million."

"I’ve never played before." Amanda confessed sheepishly. "Money’s been so tight. I don’t understand how Matt can be working all of these extra hours and we have less money." Grace simply snorted in disgust. Amanda had long suspected that Grace didn’t care for Amanda’s husband. "But with the economy being so bad, tips are way down." Amanda rationalized.

"Is that what Matt says?" Grace grumbled. "So are you going to buy a ticket or not?"

"All right." Amanda agreed. "What the heck, its only a dollar. How do I do this?"

"Just ask for a quick pick." Grace instructed her. "And hurry up so we can find out what happened on Days of Our Lives."

Amanda did as Grace instructed and bought her ticket. Later they sat in Grace’s tiny apartment catching up on who was sleeping with whom. Amanda didn’t really care for the shows, but she loved Grace’s commentary. She loved to call all of the men pigs while she drooled all over them. Amanda thought the men were attractive enough, but certainly not enough to gush over the way her best friend did. "So how long is Matt gone for?" Grace asked as she fast-forwarded through the commercials.

"All week." Amanda sighed, wondering why she didn’t miss him as much as she thought she should?

"Who did he go fishing with?" Grace asked casually. "Oh my God, this man is gorgeous." Grace swooned as she hit play. "Please take your shirt off?"

"You’re incorrigible." Amanda teased her friend.

"I think it sucks that you are sweating spending a dollar on the lottery and Matt takes off for a week of fishing." Grace commented in a snide tone. "Oh yes." Grace purred when the buff, young actor finally removed his shirt. "Crap, another commercial." Grace grumbled. "So who did he go with?"

"His buddy, Bob." Amanda responded offhandedly as she watched the commercials spin by. "Do you think this Mark is going to sleep with Carrie?"

"Bob Ferguson?" Grace asked in a worried tone.

"Yeah." Amanda answered with a shrug, wondering why her friend’s face suddenly looked troubled. "Why?"

"No reason." Grace responded distantly. "And no, Mark would never sleep with Carrie. But she is going to try."

After watching hours of attractive men and women trying to bed one another, Amanda went upstairs to her tiny apartment and went to bed. The following morning she met Grace downstairs and they began their walk to the office. "So are you a multimillionaire?" Amanda teased her friend.

"No." Grace grunted. "I didn’t get one number. What about you? Did you hit for anything?"

"I didn’t check." Amanda confessed with a shrug.

"What?" Grace screeched. "Do you have the ticket?"

*****

Amanda searched her pockets and handed the ticket to her inpatient friend who proceeded to drag her into the market. Grace stared at the ticket and up at the large colorful sheet that listed winning numbers. "Come on, we are going to be late." Amanda grumbled as she checked her watched. She looked at her friend who was staring up at the board with her jaw hanging open. "What?" She demanded in confusion. "Did I win a free bet or something?"

"Amanda, I don’t think you need to worry about being late for work today." Grace stammered.

Part Three

The Present

"So you won?" Jackie asked in amazement. "Wow, and you never played before?"

"No." Amanda confessed. "I always thought it was a waste of money. I won twenty million and some change. I offered to split the ticket with Grace. She refused."

"Now that’s a good friend." Jackie noted.

"She really is, or was." Amanda said as her brow crinkled. "In the end, she let me buy her a condo and a new car. It doesn’t make sense now, but once things started happening I never heard from her."

"Matt must have been thrilled." Jackie prodded her with a slight grimace.

"He was." Amanda explained. "Well, once he found out. I tried to contact him, but since he was fishing up in Maine, I couldn’t reach him. After a few days of staring at the ticket I cashed it in, not wanting to leave it lying around. Since it wasn’t what folks considered a really big jackpot, there wasn’t a lot of press. But everyone I worked with knew I had won after I quit my job. I thought the money would be safer in the bank instead of having the not-cashed ticket in my sock drawer. I was just busting until I could tell Matt that we were rich."

"You mean you were rich since you cashed the ticket in without him." Jackie corrected her.

"We were rich." Amanda corrected her. "We are married. He was upset that I didn’t wait for him to get home. But he was two days late coming back and like I said, I didn’t feel safe having the ticket just lying around. He calmed down once he quit his job and we bought a new house. It was great. We even finally got to have a honeymoon. We couldn’t really afford much when we got married."

"It must have been heaven." Jackie said with another smile that made Amanda’s heart skip a beat for some unknown reason.

"It was, except that I didn’t see or hear from my friends." Amanda continued, still bewildered by the way people just suddenly dropped out of her life.

"That’s strange." Jackie noted. "You’d think after winning all of that money people would be coming out of the woodwork?"

"That’s what I thought." Amanda admitted. "But Matt said I shouldn’t worry. So it was just me and him. Then the strangest things started happening."

"Like what?" Jackie encouraged her.

"I started hearing things at night when Matt wasn’t around." Amanda began. "I was confused all of the time. It was like I was in some kind of fog. It was just weird stuff like phones ringing and no one on the other end. Then Matt would tell me the phone hadn’t rung. Things got stranger and hazier. Matt finally took me to see Dr. Asher. But she didn’t seem to be able to help me."

"Wait. Dr. Joyce Asher?" Jackie interrupted her. "She’s your doctor here? I didn’t think she had a private practice. Tell me what happened next?"

"Not much to tell." Amanda continued. "I felt like I was in a fog and the next thing I knew I woke up in this room with you staring at me, asking me what I was in for."

"I remember." Jackie chuckled. "I had to explain to you where you were and that you’ve been here for over two months."

"That totally freaked me out." Amanda admitted. "I just can’t understand how this happened. I feel fine now that I’m off my meds. Matt and Dr. Asher tell me I need to be here. None of this makes sense."

Jackie looked up at her with a thoughtful expression. "What do you think?" Amanda finally asked.

"I can’t believe that you would ask me after I told you what I’m in here for." Jackie chuckled.

"I still find it hard to believe that you crawled across a boardroom table and tried to strangle your CEO." Amanda laughed.

"He pissed me off." Jackie reasoned. "Don’t forget that I also tried to set my assistant on fire."

"I think you made that part up." Amanda teased her new friend as she poked the tall brunette in the ribs.

"Okay, I only threatened to set the little whiner on fire." Jackie admitted. "But enough about me and my much needed break down. Let’s focus on you. Here is what we know. You were a happy little blonde with friends until you suddenly found yourself stinking rich. Prior to that, your only worries were financial, which could be said for most people. That, and your husband worked a lot of overtime and had no extra money to show for it."

"Right." Amanda agreed, before a troubling thought occurred to her. "Wait, what are you implying?"

"I’ll get to that." Jackie promised. "So you win the lottery and up with more money than God, but it is all in your name. Suddenly you start to lose your mind and end up here at the farm. You are so out of it that you don’t even know where you are until your doctor goes on vacation for a few weeks and your meds are adjusted."

"What?" Amanda blurted out in surprise.

"It’s true. You came out of your haze during Dr. Asher’s absence." Jackie informed her. "She came back right about the time the fog had lifted. How did you make Dr. Asher’s acquaintance in the first place?"

"Matt knew her." Amanda supplied, suddenly feeling her stomach becoming queasy.

"Matt knew her?" Jackie responded in a sarcastic tone. "Your husband, the former taxi driver, hung out with a lot doctors? Did you ever ask him how he knew her?"

"Well, no." Amanda admitted. "It just never occurred to me to ask. But I was pretty out of it by then."

"Amanda I don’t want you to get upset." Jackie began in a careful tone. "Well, anymore than you already are, but do you trust your husband?"

"Of course." Amanda protested despite the uneasy feeling that was creeping over her.

Jackie’s face grew sober as she sat up. "I should go." The brunette said as George, one of the other patients, peered into the room. "Paper or plastic?" The rumpled man shouted into the room before wandering off. They were the only words George ever said. It wasn’t hard for the small blonde to surmise what sent poor old George over the edge. Jackie, on the other hand, was an enigma. She seemed perfectly fine, except that she tried to strangle her boss. But who hasn’t pondered the thought on at least one occasion?

"Don’t go." Amanda said in a pleading tone as she reached out and gently caressed Jackie’s arm. The warmth of the taller woman’s body made her own body heat in response. It always happened whenever she touched the tall, quirky brunette. It made her feel really good and really nervous. ‘Maybe I am crazy?’ She wondered as Jackie sat back down on the tiny bed. "Tell me why you think I’m here?" Amanda asked in a pleading tone.

"I would, but I think you’d freak out again." Jackie responded in a solemn tone. "You don’t want to end up in restraints again."

"Please." Amanda pleaded as she wrapped her arms around the brunette’s waist. Jackie sighed deeply as she returned the hug. "I feel fine, but Dr. Asher says that I’m not ready to go home." She felt Jackie lowering her down onto the bed and her body tingled from the close contact. "Please help me, I don’t belong here." Amanda felt her stomach clench as Jackie’s body rested on top of hers.

"I am going to get you out of here." Jackie promised with a soft whisper.

Amanda’s eyes fluttered shut as she felt Jackie’s breath caressing her face. "First, I need to get a look at your file." Jackie explained.

"How are you going to do that?" Amanda asked as she felt Jackie’s thigh slipping between her legs. The small blonde suppressed an unexpected moan as her small hands began to absently roam up and down Jackie’s back.

"Break in after hours. Greta will help me." Jackie explained. "In the meantime call your friend Grace and start asking her about why she was so interested in Matt’s fishing trip."

Amanda’s body chilled as Jackie raised her body and moved off of the bed. "I don’t have phone privileges." Amanda explained as Jackie held out her hand. Amanda accepted the brunette’s hand and allowed her to help her to her feet. Since she had awoken in the hospital, it just seemed completely natural for her to accept the comfort in being physically close to the taller woman.

"Don’t you find it strange that you are not allowed to use the phone or have visitors? Since the only thing wrong with you is that you were a little out of it?" Jackie pointed out as they made their way out into the hallway.

"Yes." Amanda agreed. "Since you have those things, and you tried to kill someone."

"Whore." John, who was strapped to a wheelchair, muttered as they passed. John called everyone that, so they simply ignored him. It troubled Amanda that she was becoming so accustomed to the others’ strange behavior.

"Until we can figure things out, I think you should act like your meds still have you gorked out." Jackie explained quietly as they entered the occupational theory room. "If Asher figures out you are off your meds there could be trouble."

"But she’s my doctor?" Amanda questioned her, as Jackie led them over to one of the tables where the patients would create whatever arts and crafts project the staff threw at them in an effort to keep them busy.

"Just trust me." Jackie grumbled as she pretended to help Amanda into her chair before sitting next to the constantly mumbling Greta. "Think of it this way, the nurse won’t expect you to finger-paint if you’re napping and you might just get your meals in your own room."

"Okay." Amanda agreed as she looked down at the paints waiting for her to play with. She decided that Jackie might not have a bad idea.

"Greta?" Jackie whispered to the preoccupied woman. "I have a mission for you."

Amanda couldn’t hear what they were saying as Elvis and Batman sat down to join them. Amanda let her head fall forward as she pretended to be out of it. Jackie’s idea turned out to be a good one, which spared Amanda from painting some silly picture while she tried to hold up her end of a conversation with the King and the Caped Crusader.

Amanda must have nodded off. Jackie poking her playfully in the ribs awaked her. Amanda yawned as she slowly opened her eyes. "O.T. is over." Jackie informed her quietly as she helped her out of her chair. "Have a nice nap?" Jackie whispered as they made their way back to Amanda’s room.

"Yes." Amanda confirmed with a yawn as they stepped into the room.

"Keep the door open." Laura, one of the duty nurses, scolded in Jackie’s direction.

"What are they afraid of?" Amanda grumbled as she flopped down onto the bed.

"That I will take advantage of you." Jackie informed her flatly as she crawled up onto the bed with Amanda.

"You wish." Amanda teased as Jackie stretched out next to her. It hadn’t taken the little blonde long to figure out that Jackie was gay. It didn’t bother her in the slightest; in fact she really enjoyed flirting with the attractive brunette. Of course, that was when she didn’t think about it for very long.

"Hmm." Jackie responded with a sly smirk as she closed the distance between them. "Greta is going to help me break into the doctor’s office tonight." She whispered.

"I want to go with you." Amanda whispered in response.

"I don’t think so." Jackie protested softly.

"Why not?" Amanda argued softly.

"It could be dangerous." Jackie responded. "What you can do for me is give me your friend Grace’s telephone number."

Amanda leaned closer and whispered it into Jackie’s ear. It wasn’t uncommon for the two of them to be seen snuggling. They used the misconception that there was something going on between them as a cover, so they could plot against the staff.

"Break it up." Bruce, one of the doctors, requested politely as he peeked his head into the room.

Amanda rolled over and pretended to be sleepy. "Spoil sport." Jackie grumbled as she climbed up off of the bed. Amanda had already learned that Bruce was one of the nicer people who worked in the locked ward but still she had no idea who she could trust. "He’s gone." Jackie informed her as she knelt beside her bed. "I think we could trust him, but you don’t want him telling Asher that you are doing better. Not just yet anyway."

"Thank you." Amanda said softly as she rolled over and looked at her new friend. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Jackie asked her in confusion.

"Helping me?" Amanda further explained.

"Because you are stinking rich, plus you have a nice ass." Jackie quipped playfully.

"You’ve been helping me from the moment I woke up." Amanda pointed out. "You didn’t know I had any money until today. Besides, I could be making that up or only think I have millions tucked away somewhere."

"Must be your nice ass then." Jackie retorted with a sultry purr that sent a delightful jolt down Amanda’s spine. "I’m going to call your friend Grace and see what she knows. I’ll meet up with you after lights out."

Part Four

Amanda continued pretending to be thoroughly sedated and went to bed. She tossed and turned as troubling thoughts regarding Matt and Dr. Asher’s intentions plagued her. Once she did manage to fall asleep, her dreams seemed to soothe her. Not for the first time she dreamt about Jackie; not just Jackie, but getting to know the leggy brunette in an intimate manner. Even though the dreams relaxed her while she slept, she found herself confused and agitated when she woke up. Dreaming about touching another woman wasn’t uncommon for her. It was something she had accepted years ago. What troubled her now was that dreaming about Jackie was so constant and led her to believe that perhaps Matt and Dr. Asher were right and she really did need help.

That night, as visions of caressing Jackie’s body filled her sleep, she felt a hand gently caressing her shoulder. In her sleep she leaned over and captured Jackie’s soft lips. It felt so real that she moaned in her sleep as suckled the brunette’s bottom lip. The kiss deepened as their tongues engaged in a sensual duel. Amanda’s heart was racing as she felt her desire growing.

Amanda’s eyes snapped open she felt someone pushing against her shoulders. She was stunned to see she had her arms wrapped around Jackie’s neck and shoulders. "Not that I’m complaining but what was that all about?" Jackie panted.

"Sorry, I was asleep." Amanda stammered as her eyes drifted to the lips she had just been kissing.

"If you kiss that good when you are asleep, you must be amazing when you are awake." Jackie offered softly.

Amanda’s body was still reeling from the kiss, and before she could think about what she was doing she pulled Jackie back towards her and reclaimed her lips. Amanda parted Jackie’s lips and began to explore the warmth of her mouth. Both of them moaned deeply as she felt Jackie lowering her down onto the bed. Amanda pulled the brunette down on top of her as their tongues wrapped around one another.

"Ahem!" A loud voice startled them.

They quickly broke away from each other and found Bruce glaring at them from the doorway. "What is going on in here?" He demanded in frustration as Amanda tried to calm the rapid beating of her heart and Jackie bolted off of the bed.

"What does it look like?" Jackie challenged him.

"Come on Jackie, you’re getting out of here soon." He chastised her.

"You’re leaving?" Amanda gasped in horror.

"So they tell me." Jackie confessed shyly.

"What is that?" Bruce demanded gruffly as he pointed to something on the floor that Amanda couldn’t see in the darkness.

"Nothing." Jackie blurted out as they both tried to retrieve the object.

"Jackie, what is going on?" Bruce pleaded as she snatched what appeared to be a large file from his grasp.

Amanda looked on as the two them glared at one another. "Bruce, can we trust you?" Amanda finally asked in an effort to end their standoff.

"Of course you can trust me." Bruce vowed in a sincere tone.

"I hope so." Jackie muttered softly. "Why did you come in here in the middle of the night?" Jackie inquired in an accusing tone.

"I heard voices." Bruce explained. "And since I’m pretty certain that Amanda isn’t MPD I thought she might have a guest, which is against the rules."

"MPD?" Amanda asked.

"Multiple Personality Disorder." Bruce explained.

"You know, like Wendy down the hall." Jackie supplied.

"I thought her name was Lucy." Amanda said.

"Occasionally." Jackie responded. "And on occasion it’s Larry."

"Enough about . . ." He paused for a moment. "What’s her name? Do the two of you want to tell me what is going on? If your deep, dark secret is that the two you have the hots for one another then, Duh? Just hold off until you get out of here, or I’m not on duty."

"That’s the problem." Jackie said. Amanda tried understanding why Bruce was convinced that there was something going on between her and Jackie. "Not the hots part," Jackie quickly explained. "Amanda is never going to get out of here."

"What are you talking about?" Bruce asked in a weary tone.

"Just close the door and listen to what we have to say." Jackie instructed the exhausted physician.

"I don’t think so." Bruce protested. "Being alone in a patient’s room with the door closed, especially in the middle of the night with two female patients in their pajamas, wouldn’t be very good for my career. We can go to my office."

*****

Jackie wasn’t thrilled, but since Bruce and Melinda, one of the nurses, were the only ones on duty that night, she finally agreed. "Getting paranoid on me Jackie?" Bruce teased her as he sat down behind his desk. "I wish you wouldn’t, since I have enough problems dealing with Diane’s fear of ice and the CIA."

"Trust me, I’m still the burnt-out executive who had a break down and tried to stab you with a pen." Jackie reassured him as Amanda chuckled.

"What do you think about Amanda?" She asked him directly, ignoring both his and Amanda’s teasing.

"She’s very nice and I hope the two of you will be very happy together after you get out of here." He explained stressing the last part.

"So you think that someday she will be well enough to leave?" Jackie pushed, as she handed him the file.

"Yes." Bruce concurred as he looked at the file. "Do I want to know how you got your hands on this?"

"No." Jackie said with a cocky smirk.

"Is that my file?" Amanda asked with curiosity.

"Yes." Jackie confirmed. "What is your diagnosis of Amanda’s condition?"

"She’s not my patient." Bruce argued.

"Fine, just look at her file." Jackie pressed.

"I can’t; it would be unethical." Bruce protested.

"Amanda, do you mind if Bruce looks at your file?" Jackie inquired in a sarcastic tone.

"Fine by me." Amanda agreed.

*****

Bruce seemed hesitant but finally nodded in agreement as he opened the file. "Anything to get the two of you to go back to your own rooms and behave." He grumbled, as he began to flip through her file.

"Does Dr. Asher have her own practice?" Jackie asked in a casual tone.

"No." Bruce grunted as he continued scanning the file. "Why do you . . .?" He voice trailed off as he began to study the file intently. "This can’t be right."

Amanda looked over at Jackie who was smiling at her. The blonde felt her stomach flip as she stared deeply into Jackie’s crystal blue eyes. Bruce was tearing through her file like a mad man as Amanda was trying to understand why she had kissed the brunette. More importantly, Amanda wanted to know why it felt so good?

"Amanda, please tell me you’ve stopped taking your meds?" Bruce asked in a panic. "According to this you only became responsive when a resident changed your meds while Dr. Asher was away."

"I haven’t taken anything since I came to and discovered I was here." Amanda confessed shyly.

"Thank God." Bruce said with a sigh of relief.

"I feel a lot better since I’ve stopped taking them." Amanda offered.

"Why did you stop?" Bruce asked.

"Someone convinced me that I’d feel better if I simply pretended to take them." She offered sheepishly.

"Jackie you may have saved her life." Bruce congratulated the brunette in a grim tone.

"What?" Amanda stammered fearfully as Jackie reached over and clasped her hand. The brunette gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Bruce, what exactly is wrong with me?"

"According to this, everything." Bruce explained in frustration. "The diagnosis is all over the place. Plus the meds you were on would have kept you behaving like a zombie and could have eventually killed you."

"Why?" Amanda gasped.

"I’d like to know that myself." Bruce agreed.

"Maybe I can help." Jackie offered.

*****

Bruce and Amanda stared at the brunette in wonderment. "First, Amanda won the lottery." The brunette began in a careful tone. Bruce looked at the both of them suspiciously. "Its true. I talked to a friend of hers this afternoon. By the way, Grace didn’t just drop out of your life. Every time she tried to see or talk to you, Matt told her you were out or sick. Matt is her husband." She added for Bruce. "Oh, and she explained the reason she was curious about Matt’s fishing trip is because she saw the guy you said he was away with the morning before."

"Wait, if she saw Bobby the morning before, then who was Matt fishing with?" Amanda asked in confusion. Her face turned red as she finally put all of the pieces together. "That bastard." She spat out bitterly. "He was screwing around."

"Apparently." Jackie confirmed with a slight grimace as Amanda tightened her grip on the brunette’s hand.

"All right, this is all very informative, but it doesn’t explain why Dr. Asher had you brought here for care?" Bruce reasoned. "Wait, your husband’s name is Matt? Was he a cabby by an chance?"

"Yes." Amanda growled. "Let me guess, Dr. Asher is dating someone who was a taxi driver until he struck it rich."

"Uhm, yes." Bruce confirmed with a hard swallow.

"How long?" Amanda demanded as she felt the veins in her forehead bulging.

"A year or two." Bruce mumbled quickly. "But still, that doesn’t explain going to this much trouble. He could have just left you and still walked away with half of the money."

"Except that Amanda cashed in the ticket alone." Jackie explained. "And if you were smart, you opted for being paid in installments, just a couple of million a year?"

"It made sense for tax purposes." Amanda confirmed with a groan.

"All Matt would have gotten was alimony. The most he could hope for was half." Jackie continued. "But in the scheme of things and if you had a halfway decent lawyer, he probably would have settled for very little. So instead, they gas lighted you and then tossed you in the loony bin, kept you knocked out on drugs so they could have all of the money."

"Nice guy." Bruce added. "Okay, first things first, we need to get you declared competent and I need to bust Joyce."

"We need to move quickly or else Amanda’s money and those two weasels are going to be long gone." Jackie pointed out. "How long will it take to get Amanda free? I don’t know much about these things. The big board was my specialty."

"I need to start right now." Bruce responded eagerly. "Time to wake up the director and see what I can do. In the meantime the two of you need to go to bed and not together."

"Bruce we’re not . . ." Jackie tried to explain.

"Let’s go." Amanda cut her off as she squeezed her hand tightly.

*****

"Looks like you will be rejoining the world soon." Jackie said as they strolled back to their rooms. "I’m going to miss you." The brunette confessed in a shy voice.

"You’ll be out soon too." Amanda offered brightly as Jackie finally released her hand. Amanda instantly missed the contact.

"I hope." Jackie sighed. "I know I’m better. I just snapped."

"What happened?" Amanda asked, not wanting the night to end. She leaned against the wall hoping that Jackie would stay and talk for awhile longer.

Jackie sighed heavily as she appeared to be organizing her thoughts. "I worked so hard. All those years I put in for the company, just crunching numbers and making money meant nothing. The market was down and so were the profits. Mr. Crandall, the CEO, was an aging figurehead who just wouldn’t step down. Day after day he berated us about our profit margins. I just couldn’t make him understand that there was nothing anyone could do. I blew a gasket and climbed across that long table and throttled the miserable old bastard."

"Didn’t anyone try to stop you?" Amanda asked in amazement.

"No." Jackie responded with a light laugh. "I think they wanted me to kill him. Finally one of the other VP’s pulled me off of him. I stormed into my office and my assistant Roger starts whining about being over worked. I threatened to set him on fire and he still wouldn’t shut up so I smacked him upside the head with the month’s-end report. Then I walked over to the copy room and ran my Armani suit through the shredder. Then I strolled back into the boardroom and quit."

"That must have been quite a sight." Amanda laughed as she mentally pictured a very naked Jackie standing in the boardroom.

"It was great until the cops hauled me off." Jackie chuckled. "I wouldn’t have ended up in the lock ward if I hadn’t tried to strangle Mr. Crandall."

"But you’re better now." Amanda encouraged her.

"I am." Jackie admitted. "I realize that I hated what I did for a living, and that my career made me tense and bitter. Cracking up was probably the best thing to happen to me."

They fell into a comfortable silence. "Why did you kiss me?" Jackie broke the silence in an uneasy tone.

"I wanted to." Amanda confessed. "I’m really confused right now."

"Don’t think about it." Jackie said in a comforting tone. "You have enough to deal with right now."

"Yeah, like a divorce, and seeing if I can have my husband and shrink tossed into jail." Amanda groaned.

"Try to get some sleep." Jackie offered as she gave Amanda’s shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I liked it." Amanda confessed as she relaxed into Jackie’s touch. "The kiss, I really liked it."

"So did I." Jackie responded with a slight blush. "We can talk about this later, in the meantime we need to get you out of here before Greta starts making sense to you."

"I don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for me." Amanda said as her gaze drifted up and down the leggy brunette’s body.

"You don’t have to thank me." Jackie’s deep voice snapped the blonde out of her overt ogling. "It was nothing, just a little breaking and entering. Greta is really good at it."

"What is Greta in for again?" Amanda asked, suddenly curious about the older woman who was constantly muttering.

"According to her, she was trying to overthrow the government." Jackie supplied, with a bright grin that warmed Amanda’s body.

"Okay." Amanda responded with a wide-eyed expression. "Well, when you get sprung, at least let me buy you dinner. And if it’s possible, you can be there when I give Matt his walking papers."

"Oh yes, please." Jackie responded enthusiastically.

Part Five

Over the next few days, Amanda, Jackie, and Bruce were very busy making plans to have the blonde released before Dr. Asher or Matt could find out what was happening. Unfortunately, all of their planning proved not only that Amanda was competent, but Jackie was as well. Which meant she would be leaving before Amanda. They sat on Amanda’s bed the night before Jackie was to be released. "I’m going to miss you." Amanda said as Jackie wrapped her arms around the smaller woman.

"You’ll be out soon enough." Jackie reassured her. "Once your rat-bastard husband and the good doctor get caught, we will get together for dinner. I can still be there when you tell Matt to take a hike, can’t I?"

"Of course." Amanda agreed. "I just wish I could make sense out of all these feelings I have for you."

"No, we agreed that you don’t need to think about that right now." Jackie cautioned her. "Once the dust settles, then we can have a nice long talk."

"Talking isn’t what I have in mind." Amanda said as she snuggled closer to Jackie.

"Me either." Jackie whispered hotly in the blonde’s ear. "But we need to wait until you get your life back. As much as this place has helped me, I don’t think I can stick around."

The sound of Bruce clearing his throat made them quickly separate. "Ladies." The tired looking man greeted them. "Jackie, are you all packed for tomorrow?"

"Yes." Jackie answered him in a sad tone. "Can’t we put this off until Amanda is ready?"

"No." Bruce informed them in a hushed tone. "But don’t travel too far from the hospital tomorrow morning. Amanda you are having a competency hearing in the morning."

"Really?" Amanda responded brightly.

"Yes, but we have to keep it quiet." Bruce cautioned her. "The cops want to catch your husband and Dr. Asher off guard."

"You pulled it off?" Jackie congratulated him.

"Not yet." Bruce responded in a tired voice.

"Thank you." Amanda said as the man scurried out of the room, but not before cautioning them against any hanky-panky.

*****

"Amanda, you could be out tomorrow." Jackie beamed as she tightened her arms around the small blonde. Amanda couldn’t resist pressing her body closer to Jackie’s. "I should go back to my room." Jackie said in a labored breath. Amanda held Jackie tighter as she nuzzled the brunette’s neck. "Amanda?" Jackie squeaked out, as the blonde was busy inhaling the soft delicate scent of her skin. "Amanda." Jackie protested in a weak tone as Amanda began to place soft kisses on the brunette’s neck. "We should wait." Jackie’s voice trembled as she spoke.

"Why?" Amanda whispered into the crook of Jackie’s neck.

Amanda could feel the rapid beating of Jackie’s heart, as the brunette seemed to be struggling to breathe. Amanda looked up and was captured in a fiery blue gaze. They moved in unison until their bodies melted together. Soon Amanda found herself lost in the most passionate kiss she had ever experienced. The blonde allowed her tiny hands to roam across Jackie’s body as they slipped down onto the mattress.

She covered Jackie’s body with her own as the brunette’s hands began a gentle exploration. Kissing deeply, they began to caress each other. "I’ve never felt like this before." Amanda confessed as they both gasped for air.

"Neither have I." Jackie answered as she reached up and captured Amanda’s face in her hands.

Amanda felt alive from the loving touch. "We have to stop." Jackie repeated in a weak voice. "If we get caught now it could mess up both of our releases."

"Okay." Amanda reluctantly agreed, as she climbed off of Jackie’s body. The brunette took a moment to compose herself before kissing Amanda goodnight and stumbling off to her own room.

Part Six

Over breakfast Amanda and Jackie formulated a plan. The first thing they did was to enlist Greta’s aid. Greta readily agreed, claiming that she lived to cause anarchy. The older woman climbed up on one of the dinning tables and started screaming and throwing things about. Since she was Dr. Asher’s patient the good doctor rushed over to calm her down while Bruce collected Amanda and her belongings and rushed her out of the ward and to the courthouse.

Amanda breezed through her hearing since there was nothing wrong with her in the first place. Her only regret was that Jackie wasn’t released until after she was taken to the courthouse. When she stepped out of the judge’s chambers with Bruce, she was a free woman. A bright smile lit up her face the moment she found Jackie waiting for her.

"It’s almost over." Amanda squealed as she jumped into Jackie’s arms. "The cops like our idea and told us to go for it."

"They are going to put a wire on her." Bruce explained. "And they helped shut her husband out of her bank account the moment the judge signed the order. What about Asher?"

"I was sprung about twenty minutes ago. Greta was still going full force and she got Batman, Larry, and Marvin to join in. Asher was so flustered by all the flying food and screaming she had no idea that Amanda was gone." Jackie proudly informed them. "Hopefully, she still doesn’t know and we can beat her to Matt."

"The police have been keeping an eye on him and said he went out for breakfast and isn’t back yet." Amanda said, thankful that once the police and the DA heard what had happened, they jumped in immediately.

"I have to get back to the hospital." Bruce informed them. "The police are going to take the both of you over to Amanda’s. I’m glad this all worked out."

"Thank you again." Amanda said and gave the stunned man a hug.

"Go on, you two have a lot to do." Bruce said with a blush.

The police rushed both women over to Amanda’s house and instructed them on what to do and what they needed to hear on the wire that Amanda would be wearing. Amanda let herself into the house while Jackie followed closely behind her. The blonde changed into her favorite evening gown, which still hid the tiny microphone the police had taped to her body. Much to her delight, Jackie stretched out across her bed and watched her every movement.

"I don’t know what I enjoy more, watching you take all of your clothes off, or seeing you in that dress?" Jackie said with an appreciative sigh.

Amanda blushed as she looked down at the black evening gown. "The police heard that." She informed the brunette.

"Oops." Jackie grimaced as she rose and crossed the room. She wrapped her arms around Amanda’s tiny waist. "Promise me, if it looks like this isn’t going to work, or if he gets violent, just give him the money. Your safety is far more important."

"You wouldn’t care if I was flat broke?" Amanda inquired as Jackie tightened her hold on her.

"I don’t care if we end up living in a cardboard box." Jackie assured her. "So long as we are together. I told you before, I’m in this because you have a nice ass." The brunette cupped and squeezed Amanda’s firm backside to emphasize her point.

Amanda released a throaty growl as she laced her fingers through Jackie’s long dark hair and guided her down to her. They exchanged soft kisses until they heard the sounds of someone downstairs whistling. "He’s here." Amanda gasped as they released their hold on one another.

"I’ll be right here waiting for you." Jackie vowed. "Just be careful."

"I will." Amanda promised, then stepped out of the bedroom.

She walked along the banister and looked down to see her loving husband in his jogging shorts reading the newspaper as he whistled. He was completely unaware of her presence. She almost didn’t believe that he had actually done all those horrible things until Dr. Asher let herself in the front door. Amanda remained at the top of the staircase watching them.

"Matt, she’s gone." Joyce Asher blurted out.

"What are you talking about, darling?" He asked in confusion as he set the paper down.

"Amanda." She bellowed. "She’s gone. There was a disruption in her ward and while I was taking care of it, someone helped her escape."

"Calm down." He instructed her. "We’ll just call the police and once they find her, they will lock her up again."

"What if they don’t find her?" Asher said frantically.

"So, the checks will still come." He reasoned in cold manner.

"You should have let me give her an overdose." The skinny blonde fumed.

"No." Matt spat out as Amanda’s chest tightened. "If she’s dead, then the checks stop. If the stupid little bitch had taken all of the money at once then we could have killed her without a problem."

Amanda had heard enough and she hoped that the police had heard everything as well. She started to descend the staircase. They were still bickering as she came closer. Suddenly Matt’s head snapped around and he saw her.

"Hello honey, I’m home," she addressed him in an icy tone.

"Amanda?" He choked out before he flashed her his trademark boyish grin. "Why did you run away from the hospital? I’ve been worried sick about you."

"Of course you have," she snickered. "I didn’t run away."

"What?" Asher stammered as her face paled.

"I’m sorry, did you miss that, doctor?" Amanda toyed with both of them. "I’ve been released."

"No, you couldn’t have been." Asher protested as she rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Now, we need to get you back to the hospital."

"Oh, but Dr. Asher, I don’t need to go to the hospital since a very nice judge and three of your colleagues agree that I’m quite sane." Amanda carefully explained. "It wasn’t hard since I stopped taking the pills you prescribed. In fact, everyone agreed that I was never crazy in the first place. I think your boss wants to talk to you."

"We’re screwed." Asher choked out.

"Nonsense." Matt disagreed with a shrug. "Amanda, I’m happy that you are better."

"Shove it, Matt." Amanda spat out in disgust.

"Fine, have it your way." Matt shrugged again before he grabbed her roughly around the throat. "You wanted to be home and now you are." He hissed.

"Matt, let her go." Asher screamed as Jackie came barreling out of the bedroom.

Amanda was struggling to breathe and to free herself from her husband’s grip. "Shut up, Joyce," he yelled at his lover. "I’ll just keep you doped up here." He informed her in a cold voice. "Better this way. Fewer witnesses."

"Let her go." Amanda heard Jackie growling.

"You?" Asher said in confusion as the police finally poured into the entryway.

"Mr. Farmer, let go of your wife." One of the detectives informed him.

Before Matt could comply with the instructions Jackie had already grabbed him and pulled him off of Amanda. The room filled with a flurry of activity as Jackie cradled Amanda in her arms. "It’s over." Jackie whispered in her ear over and over again as Amanda clung to her.

Part Seven

After Matt and Joyce were arrested and carted away, Amanda endured an endless stream of questions and had to give her statement. Hours later, after everyone was gone, she was still sitting on the staircase clinging to Jackie. "Are you all right?" Jackie asked her carefully.

"I’m free." Amanda said as she blew out a sigh of relief. "I’m sure that this is all going to hit me later, but right now, all I feel is how good it is to be free and how good it feels to have your arms around me."

Amanda took another deep breath before she stood and held out her hand to Jackie. The brunette gave her a curious look before accepting her hand. The blonde smiled as she led Jackie up the staircase. "I thought we were going to have a long talk?" Jackie said cautiously as Amanda led them to the bedroom.

"Later, right now I want to thank you for saving my life." Amanda informed the taller woman as she turned to her and rested her hands on the brunette’s hips.

"I think you just want to get fresh with me." Jackie teased as she caressed the smaller woman’s shoulders.

"I do." Amanda agreed as her hands slid up the taller woman’s side. "I think that I’ve wanted to get fresh with you from the first moment I woke up in the hospital."

Jackie kissed the blonde once again as she led them over to the large canopy bed. Amanda felt nervous as she began to unbutton the brunette’s blouse. Jackie captured the blonde’s trembling hands in her own. "We don’t have to." Jackie said gently before she kissed Amanda’s trembling fingers.

"Yes we do." Amanda explained as she looked up at her lover. She almost felt like crying as she saw the love reflected in Jackie’s eyes. "You have no idea how much I want you. How much I need you."

"If it is half of what I feel, then it is everything." Jackie tried to explain. She released Amanda’s trembling hands and gently cupped her face. "Let me make love to you?" Jackie pleaded softly as she guided the still trembling blonde down onto the bed.

Amanda was so overwhelmed with emotion and desire she could only nod in response. Jackie stared deeply into her eyes as she ran her fingers through Amanda’s long blonde hair. Amanda released a tiny whimper as she felt Jackie’s fingers caress her neck. Jackie kissed her gently as her hands began to explore Amanda’s body. Amanda melted into Jackie’s touch with a craving to feel the brunette’s hands touch her everywhere. The kisses grew deeper as Amanda’s hands once again returned to the buttons on her lover’s shirt.

Amanda fumbled slightly as she tried to remove her lover’s clothing while Jackie continued a slow gentle exploration of her body. Jackie pulled away from her slightly and looked down at the trembling blonde. "We have all night." Jackie reassured her as she removed her shirt and cast it aside.

"I need to feel you." Amanda whimpered as Jackie nodded in understanding and climbed off of the bed.

The brunette propped Amanda up against the headboard and supported her with a large pile of pillows. Amanda tried to reach for her lover only to have her playful advances brushed aside. Jackie stood beside the bed and slowly removed her clothing. Watching each article of clothing vanish from the beautiful brunette’s body was pure torture. Amanda tried to calm her breathing as she watched, fighting against the urge to leap off of the bed and ravish the brunette.

Amanda kicked off her high heels as Jackie crawled up onto the bed. "You are so beautiful." Amanda gasped as her lover moved closer until she was hovering dangerously close to the small blonde. Amanda was surprised to see the blush emerge on her lover’s chiseled features. "Didn’t you know that?" Amanda questioned her in amazement.

Jackie’s eyes shifted in embarrassment as Amanda captured her face in her tiny hands. Amanda felt her heart warm as Jackie leaned into her touch. The brunette’s gaze drifted down the blonde’s body as she ran the tip of her finger in the same path. Amanda inhaled sharply as she felt Jackie’s finger brushing along the edge of the vee-cut top of her gown. Amanda’s body began to burn with a needy desire as she felt the material of her gown being brushed aside and Jackie’s touch running along the swell of her breast. "Does this hurt?" Jackie asked in a breathy tone as she was gliding her finger over the reddish mark left by the tape that had held the microphone in place.

Amanda looked down at the small blemish. "Not really." Amanda struggled as she fought against the urge to touch the naked woman resting beside her. "I could kiss it and make it better?" Jackie whispered hotly in the blonde’s ear. The feel of Jackie’s breath and her hair caressing the bare skin of her shoulder invoked a shiver, which ran through the tiny blonde’s body.

"It hurts." Amanda lied as she laced her fingers through Jackie’s hair and guided her down to her breasts.

Amanda cried out as she felt Jackie’s tongue tracing her breast. She tightened her hold on Jackie’s head as the brunette began to lick and kiss the bruised flesh. Amanda was whimpering as Jackie’s mouth left her skin. "Why did you wear this?" Jackie asked her softly, once again her breath caressing the blonde’s skin as she spoke. Amanda quivered, trying to process her lover’s words.

"Uhm." She cleared her throat as she fought to respond. "Because Matt gets very distracted when I wear this dress. I thought it might keep him off center if I was wearing this instead of a pair of dirty old sweats.

"Good call." Jackie panted before running the tip of her tongue along the valley between the blonde’s breasts.

As Jackie’s mouth continued its exploration, one of her hands drifted down the blonde’s body and came to rest on her hip. "You’re driving me insane." Amanda said as she felt her lover massaging her hip. Jackie released a light laugh against her body.

"Don’t knock insanity." Jackie murmured as she began to lower one of the straps of Amanda’s gown down her shoulder. "If I hadn’t gone over the edge, we might have never met."

"Uh huh." Amanda choked out as she felt the other strap being lowered.

Amanda cried out and her body arched, when she felt her lover’s mouth moving up to her overly sensitive neck and then down along her shoulders. Jackie’s mouth worshipped her neck and each of her shoulders and back down to the valley of her cleavage. Amanda squirmed beneath her lover as she tried to press her body harder against the brunette’s.

She was fighting to control her breathing as she ran her hands up and down Jackie’s back. "Turn over ,baby." Jackie instructed her in a husky tone that Amanda feared was going to kill her. She stifled a whimper as she turned over onto her stomach. She felt her body being guided down from the pillows and she clutched at the bedding as the zipper of her gown was lowered.

She could feel herself burning as Jackie’s mouth caressed every inch of newly exposed skin until the zipper was fully opened just above her backside. She released a cry into the comforter as she felt Jackie’s tongue running along the elastic waistband of her panties. Her clit was throbbing as she felt her lover’s nipples brushing against her skin.

"I love your body." Jackie said softly as she guided the small blonde up into a kneeling position. Amanda trembled uncontrollably from the feel of her lover’s naked body pressing against her as her gown was lowered down. Once the fancy dress was pooled around Amanda’s waist she felt Jackie’s hands begin a slow exploration of her skin. She moaned as Jackie’s hands ran up the side of her body and past her ribs until Jackie was feeling the weight of the blonde’s breasts.

"So beautiful," Jackie murmured. She began to kiss Amanda’s neck and shoulders while she cupped the blonde’s breasts. Amanda’s body arched again in response as Jackie teased her nipples with the palms of her hands and feasted upon her neck and shoulders. "Tell me what you want?" Jackie inquired in a sultry tone. She teased Amanda’s nipples with her fingers and their hips began to sway.

*****

Amanda pressed her backside into her lover’s body urging her to touch her. "I don’t know." Amanda confessed weakly, grinding harder into Jackie’s body. "I’ve never felt like this before." Amanda had never been with a woman and feared that she would fail to please her lover. Jackie’s touch seemed to quiet the blonde’s fears as she rolled her erect nipples between her fingers. Amanda groaned in protest when she felt Jackie’s hands leaving her breasts and drifting back down her body.

Amanda was ready to explode as she felt the gown being lowered past her hips and her lover guiding her to lean forward. Amanda reached out and gripped the headboard of the bed tightly in an effort to steady herself as she felt the last of her clothing being removed. "Oh God." The blonde cried out when she felt her lover kissing her way up her legs. Her hips swayed urgently as her clit began to pulsate in a demanding rhythm. Jackie kissed and tasted the back of her knees.

Certain that she was going to die or pass out, Amanda tightened her grip on the headboard as she felt Jackie’s hands and mouth moving up along the back of her trembling thighs. Instinctively, the blonde parted her thighs and felt her wetness painting her skin. Her body began to rock wildly when she felt Jackie’s tongue licking away each drop of her wetness from the inside of her thighs.

Amanda’s entire body arched when she felt her lover’s tongue running along her sex. "Yes." Amanda pleaded as Jackie dipped further into her wetness. Her lover parted her further as she began to feast upon Amanda’s desire. The blonde thrust her body against her lover as she begged her for more. She cried out in desolation as she felt Jackie’s mouth moving away from her aching nub.

Soon she was once again moaning in pleasure as she felt Jackie’s fingers replacing her mouth. Jackie dipped her fingers further into the blonde’s wetness and kissed her way along the curves of Amanda’s backside. The blonde was ready to collapse as she felt Jackie’s thumb brushing against her throbbing clit and her tongue trailing a tantalizing path up along her spine.

She felt Jackie’s wetness pressing against her as the brunette’s fingers teased the opening of her aching center. She felt Jackie’s hot breath in her ear as the brunette entered her. Amanda felt the walls of her center tighten against her lover’s fingers as the brunette filled her. Jackie’s desire painted the firm flesh of her ass while the brunette stroked her clit and wiggled her fingers inside of her.

She thrust her body against her lover’s hand. Jackie slowly began to plunge in and out of her as their bodies moved in a slow sensual rhythm. As Amanda rode against her lover’s touch and felt Jackie’s body melting against her own, she felt complete for the first time in her life. They thrust harder against one another, each demanding more. Amanda was lost in the feel of her lover’s body melting into her own as she gave herself over to Jackie’s touch. Amanda’s ears were ringing as they bucked against one another wildly. She knew that she was crying out but was completely unaware of what she was saying as her body began to convulse. She climaxed against Jackie’s touch as she felt her lover exploding against her.

Amanda had never felt her body explode with such intensity before, and expected that was all the brunette had to offer. But Jackie continued to plunge in and out of her until they were once again crying out in ecstasy. Amanda found it hard to breathe as they continued to explode against each other until they both collapsed onto the bed.

Amanda’s body was still on fire as she straddled her lover’s body and kissed her deeply. Soon she was kissing her way down the brunette. She savored the taste of her lover’s skin as she teased Jackie’s nipples between her nimble fingers. Needing to feel more of the beautiful woman squirming beneath her, she parted Jackie’s thighs with her knee as she captured one of her nipples in her mouth.

She suckled her lover’s nipple eagerly and felt Jackie’s thigh pressing against her wetness. She mirrored her lover’s actions and soon they were rocking against each other. Amanda sucked her lover harder as her clit brushed urgently against Jackie’s. She felt the brunette’s body arching against her as she thrust harder. Amanda released Jackie’s nipple as her own body arched and her head fell back.

She continued to sway against her lover and looked down at the woman who had captured her heart. The sight of Jackie lost in the throes of ecstasy drove the petite blonde closer to the edge of oblivion. Jackie was clasping her hips tightly as they became one. They climaxed in unison, each trying to cling to the other’s body, until they collapsed into one another’s warm embrace.

Amanda felt the sweat rolling off of both of their bodies as she rested her head against her lover’s chest. She felt the rapid beating of Jackie’s heart as the brunette gently ran her fingers up and down Amanda’s body. Content to stay where she was, Amanda nestled her body even closer to Jackie. She knew that there were a great many things they had to talk about. None of it mattered at the moment, as she felt Jackie guiding them under the covers. Amanda curled up in Jackie’s arms. It felt right to be held by Jackie and whatever questions or problems lay ahead of them would just have to wait until morning. Sighing happily, Amanda drifted off to sleep while listening to the steady breathing of her lover’s heart.

The End

April Showers

By Mavis Applewater

April 2003

Disclaimers: The characters and story are the sole possession of the author and may not be reproduced posted or sold without the author's permission. So there! If for any reason real or imagined you are uncomfortable with or do not wish to read a story containing graphic descriptions of two consenting adult women in a loving sexual relationship, then do not read this story or anything else I have ever written. If for any reason it is illegal for you to view this material then do me a favor and stay away until it is no longer a crime for you to read my work.

Thanks to my beta reader Mary.

As always this is for Heather.

*****

Aubrey made her way through the crowded restaurant towards the bar where she knew Colleen would be sitting staring at her watch and wondering if she should order another glass of wine? She found the tall brunette drumming her fingers on the bar just as she had suspected. "Now why can't I meet a woman like her?" She mused as she carefully approached her friend.

Colleen turned to see her trying to sneak up on her. The brunette was frowning as she pointed towards her watch. "I know," Aubrey cut off the smart remark she knew was coming. "I know I'm late. I'm sorry," she apologized as the bartender placed another glass of wine in front of the brunette.

"I don't know why I just don't lie to you about what time we are supposed to meet?" Colleen grumbled. "Thanks to you I now have a healthy buzz going."

"Again, I am sorry," Colleen, professed. "Come on you lush let's get a table and some food into you so you are fit enough to drive me home."

"I never liked you," Colleen muttered as she followed the blonde.

"I know," Colleen quipped knowing that her friend was teasing her.

"So tell me about your date?" Colleen inquired once they had been seated at a table and placed their order.

"Ugh," Aubrey grunted. "Why do they always seem so nice when you are giving them your digits?"

"Another disaster?" Colleen flinched. "You didn't bring Raymond along did you?"

"No," Aubrey laughed at the imaginary friend she and Colleen would use to get out of a bad date. It worked like a charm. All they had to do was suddenly jerk around and say, 'Stop it Raymond' to no one. They both discovered that if you do that enough times their dates would suddenly remember they had somewhere else they needed to be. "I couldn't after I slept with her."

"Wait," Colleen choked on her wine. "I thought the date went badly, so why did you sleep with her?"

"I was horny," Aubrey reasoned. "Big mistake, she wasn't all that in the sack."

"I'll never understand you," Colleen said with a sigh.

"What about your date?" Aubrey threw out in an effort to move the focus off of her.

"Blind dates," Colleen scoffed. "Now what sadist thought up that concept? She was self centered, arrogant, and cleaned her fingernails with her salad fork before she ate her salad."

"She did not?" Aubrey gasped in disbelief.

"Oh yes she did," Colleen confirmed with a horrified look. "I was forced to talk about how I thought Ted Bundy was misunderstood."

"You didn't?" Aubrey clapped gleefully.

"I did," Colleen laughed. Aubrey had to smile as her best friend's rich laughter filled her. "Hey I had no choice."

"Why can't I meet a woman like you?" Aubrey sighed. Colleen's blue eyes lit up as she opened her mouth to say something. "Maybe someday." Aubrey laughed as Colleen suddenly snapped her mouth shut her eyes dimming slightly. Aubrey was confused by Colleen's sudden quietness until the brunette asked about work and they once again fell into the same easy banter they had shared for years.

A few weeks later Aubrey was looking across the table of the coffee shop where she and Colleen were sitting. "Blind date?" The blonde stammered in disbelief. "Why would you be so cruel as to want to set me up on a blind date?"

"I'm trying to be a friend." Colleen offered in a quiet voice.

"I seem to recall your referring to blind dates as sadistic just a couple of weeks ago." Aubrey pointed out.

"There are exceptions to every rule." Colleen argued.

"Well if she is so great then you go out with her." Aubrey suggested eagerly. When Colleen made the suggestion, the blonde had assumed the brunette was teasing. She was floored when she realized that Colleen was actually serious.

"That's not possible." Colleen quickly responded.

"Why not?" Aubrey pressed sensing that there was something her friend wasn't telling her.

"Just trust me." Colleen pleaded.

"No," Aubrey flatly refused. "If this woman was half way interesting you would go out with her. Tell me what is wrong with her?"

"Not a thing," Colleen tried to reassure her. "Come on it is just dinner. What do you have to lose?"

"My sanity," Aubrey reasoned. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Look, she likes you and I think you might just like her." Colleen explained.

"She knows me?" Aubrey asked as an uneasy feeling fell over her. "Then why doesn't she just ask me out? My God, she's a stalker isn't she?"

"No," Colleen laughed. "Please just meet her at Club Café on Tuesday. Who knows you might just be pleasantly surprised."

"Fine," Aubrey grumbled. "I do need to get laid."

"Is that all you ever think about?" Colleen muttered.

"Yes," Aubrey brightly responded. "Don't you?"

"Of course I think about it," Colleen answered. "I'm just particular about who I go to bed with. You know every date doesn't have to end with nudity."

"It doesn't?" Aubrey gasped.

"No, it doesn't." Colleen groaned.

"Wait?" Aubrey interrupted the brunette. "Tuesday night? As in the first?"

"Yes." Colleen confirmed.

"April Fool's Day?" Aubrey laughed. "Now I know you are up to something."

"Who me?" Colleen innocently gasped with mock horror.

"Fine, be that way you big goober," Aubrey sighed in exasperation. "So tell me about her?"

"Nope." Colleen chuckled.

"Why not?" Aubrey squealed.

"I want you to be surprised." Colleen explained.

"It's a blind date of course I'll be surprised," Aubrey grumbled. "Fine. She knows me then I must know her, unless she really is a stalker. I don't like this."

"Just show up," Colleen groaned. "And be on time for once."

Aubrey spent the rest of the evening whining and trying to pry information out of Colleen. She finally gave up. Until the next day, and the following few days, when she called Colleen every hour on the hour trying to dig up some clue as to the identity of her mystery date. The more she persisted the more nervous Colleen became. The brunette's pensive attitude made the small blonde even more nervous than she already was.

Aubrey sat at the bar at Club Café, one of the few gay restaurants and bars in the city. She was nursing a Stoli Raz and sprite as she looked around the bar trying to spot her mystery date. "You're late." A familiar voice purred in her ear. She jumped as she felt the hot breath on her skin.

"Jesus, you scared me," Aubrey squeaked as she turned to find Colleen looking at her with a sheepish grin. "So where is my mystery woman?" She became concerned as she watched Colleen's chiseled features scrunch up. She did pause for a moment to take in Colleen's wardrobe. She thought the tall brunette looked stunning in her black slacks and blue silk blouse that brought out her eyes. Then it hit her that Colleen was there. "I'm being stood up aren't I?"

"No it isn't that," Colleen began slowly. "You know this seemed like a really good idea when I first thought about it."

"I am being stood up." Aubrey barked out. She slumped down as she watched everyone in the bar turning and staring at her.

"No," Colleen began shyly as her crystal blue eyes darted around nervously. "Not really. You know how you are always saying, why can't you find some one like me?"

"Yeah?" Aubrey asked with confusion as she stared at the brunette.

"Well somehow I thought that maybe . . .," Colleen began to stammer. "Well, I started thinking that I'm someone like me. I'm your date."

Aubrey blinked in surprise. Certainly Colleen was joking she thought. Then she started to laugh. "Good one," the blonde laughed. "April Fools, I get it. The joke is on me, but you are picking up the check for getting me all excited about meeting some hottie." The laughter died on her lips as she took in Colleen's grim expression.

"No," Colleen sadly muttered. "This time the joke is on me. Sorry." And before Aubrey could understand what was happening Colleen just shrugged and walked away.

"What the hell just happened?" She muttered as her mind began to spin.

"Pardon me for saying this, but I think the lady was trying to ask you out." The bartender interrupted her thoughts.

"No," Aubrey argued as she turned to the man. "Colleen is my friend. Sure she is gorgeous, hell a blind person could see how hot she is, but we are just friends."

"Honey, I'm a gay boy and she turned me on," the bartender chuckled. "So why not go out with her?"

"I couldn't," Aubrey protested. "She knows everything about me. I'm sure she was just teasing. She could never be interested in me."

"Then why did she leave?" the bartender pressed.

"She left?" Aubrey whispered in a horrified tone as she scanned the bar searching for the brunette. She thought that she would spy Colleen giggling in the corner. Her heart dropped when she failed to find Colleen. "Oh crap," She muttered as she hopped off the bar stool and raced outside. She looked up and down the busy street praying that she would find her friend. Her heart was racing as she hailed the first taxi she spotted.

She was confused and exhausted by the time she was knocking on the door. Colleen looked terrible when she finally opened the door. "Can I come in?" Aubrey shyly asked.

"Sure." Colleen offered in an off-handed manner as she stepped aside and allowed the flustered blonde to enter.

Aubrey took a cleansing breath before she turned to face Colleen who was leaning against the wall with a down cast expression and her arm folded tightly against her chest. "You were serious?" The blonde gently asked.

"Yeah, well, forget it," Colleen muttered. "I just thought by the way you kept saying that you wanted to meet someone like me, that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. My mistake."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Aubrey asked still reeling by the realization that Colleen was interested in her.

"Look I made a huge mistake tonight," Colleen offered in a weary voice. "I'd be happy if we could just forget about it. I really feel like an idiot right now."

"Colleen . . .," Aubrey began only to be cut off by the brunette holding up her hand.

"Please," Colleen pleaded. "I just want to forget it. I mean what was I thinking? You and me together we'd kill each other within a week."

"Probably," Aubrey responded with a slight smile in an effort to lighten the mood. "But you still owe me dinner Wench."

"Yeah, I guess I do," Colleen offered with a small smile of her own. "Just not tonight. I need a little space."

"Okay," Aubrey felt her heart drop. She wanted to fix this and she was at a complete loss as to what she should do or what she should be feeling. "Later in the week then?"

"I'll call you." Colleen promised as she opened the door.

Colleen never made good on her promise and little by little slipped out of the blonde's life. The brunette's absence left a noticeable space in Aubrey's heart. She tried mending the fences but it was too late. That night hung over them the few times they would get together over the next few months. Over a year later she was looking out her apartment window watching the rain. "Oh no, I know that look," her friend Karen grumbled from the sofa. "Here we go again."

"What?" Aubrey sneered as she turned to Karen and Shelia who had come over to watch the baseball game.

"Colleen," Shelia, who was Karen's lover, informed her. "You've got that I miss her and I don't know what to do about it look."

"That was a long time ago," Aubrey protested despite the fact she had been thinking about Colleen. "Besides she is the one who dropped out of my life after blindsiding me."

"I know," Karen agreed. "But what did you expect her to do?" Aubrey opened her mouth to protest. "Yes, she blindsided you, and she should have sat you down and told you she had feelings for you," Karen agreed. "But you know all of your friends have endured years of you drooling over her and whining about how you wanted to be with someone just like her. For the life of me I could never understand why you just didn't ask out the original?"

"I never drooled over her," Aubrey argued. "Oh okay, yeah when we first met, I thought she was hot and I had a serious case of lust going. But she had a girlfriend. By the time they split up we were good friends. And she didn't think of me that way."

"Apparently she did." Shelia corrected her.

"I didn't know," Aubrey fumed. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Then why do you still bring it up every time we see you?" Karen pointed out.

"I don't," Aubrey grunted knowing her friends were right. "Well I didn't today, you did."

"A preemptive strike," Karen chuckled. "And if you are over it, then why in the past year does every woman you've gone out with look like her?"

"They do not," Aubrey protested as she mentally reviewed her bed partners. Her face fell when she realized that in the past year she had only dated brunettes. "So what do you suggest I do wise one?"

"Nothing you can do," Karen explained. "She is seeing someone." Aubrey's heart fell when she heard the news.

"What?" Aubrey stammered.

"She is seeing someone," Karen slowly repeated. "Did you honestly think someone wouldn't snatch up that girl. Come on Aubrey, granted Colleen didn't approach the subject very well, she tried too hard for something dramatically romantic and got hurt, but if you don't want the girl then let her go."

"And let us watch the game. Shelia added.

"It's Tampa Bay," Aubrey scoffed. "Tell me about her?"

"That is it," Shelia threw up her hands in disgust. "We are watching the game at home."

After her friends stormed out of the apartment Aubrey shut off the television and began to pace around as she muttered under her breath. She knew before that night that she had feelings for Colleen. She had always managed to convince herself that they would never be more than friends. When Colleen tried to change that it frightened Aubrey and she ended up hurting the one person who really meant something to her. "Of course she has a girlfriend," she muttered as she continued to pace. "I never really had a chance with her. The Red Sox have a better shot at winning the World Series," she looked around her empty apartment with a scowl. "I need to get out of here before I start answering myself."

She pulled on a light jacket and pulled her long curly blonde hair up in a ponytail and tucked it into a baseball cap before trudging out of her apartment. She was still muttering under her breath as she walked along the rain swept streets of Boston. She really wanted to blame Colleen for the way she had been feeling for the past year. The few times they did manage to talk about what had happened, Colleen profusely apologized. "She apologized and I accepted so why didn't things go back to the way they were?" Aubrey continued with her grumbling ignoring the curious gazes she was receiving from passers by. "You don't date your friends," Aubrey reasoned. "It is just stupid and wrong."

Aubrey continued her nonsensical muttering as she felt her feet becoming colder as her shoes filled with water. "Why didn't she talk to me about this?" Aubrey wondered as she continued her aimless wandering. "Maybe if we had talked I would have dated her. But no! She decides we are going on a date and then she is the one to call it off. Granted I did laugh, and that must have hurt, still . . . ," The words died on her lips as she looked up and realized that she was standing outside of Colleen's building. She began to pace up and down in front of the brick building.

Her tension grew as she tried to sort out her feelings. It was true she did find Colleen attractive, but still was it worth throwing away their friendship? "Doesn't matter now," Aubrey reasoned as she continued to pace up and down instead of moving on or heading home to her dry warm apartment.

"Are you trying to make yourself sick?" A familiar deep voice called out to her.

Aubrey's head snapped around and she gasped when she discovered Colleen standing in the doorway dressed in a rumpled t-shirt and jeans. "No coat or shoes are you insane?" Aubrey blurted out as she took in the brunette's attire. 'No bra either, damn she is making this hard.' Aubrey mentally noted as her gaze drifted to the brunette's chest.

"This coming from a woman who is wading in puddles in the middle of a downpour?" Colleen quipped. "Come on inside and dry off."

Aubrey quickly approached the woman whose unexpected departure left her with an aching need she couldn't understand. Her footsteps faltered as she recalled the information Karen had revealed to her earlier that afternoon. "I don't want to interrupt anything." Aubrey apologized suddenly feeling very awkward.

"No worries," Colleen shrugged. "I was just watching the game."

"Well, I'll let you get back to it." Aubrey offered as she felt her heart hammering against her chest.

"Aubrey, stop acting silly." Colleen responded as she opened the door. "Come on inside. You look like a drowned rat."

"You mean I don't look gorgeous?" Aubrey teased as she followed the taller woman into the building. "Damn and here I was going for that sexy wind blown look."

Colleen chuckled in response as the dripping blonde followed behind her. 'Damn I really miss her laugh.' Aubrey stumbled as the thought hit her. Aubrey blushed when Colleen turned back towards her and gave her a curious look. "New feet," Aubrey lamely offered as they continued up to Colleen's apartment. She felt her body warming as she watched the gentle sway of the brunette's hips as she followed along behind her. "So how badly are the Sox beating up on the Devil Rays?" she threw out quickly as they stepped into the apartment.

"They lost." Colleen responded with a groan.

"No, really?" Aubrey asked scoffing at the notion.

"Really," Colleen snarled. "I'll get you some towels and something dry you can put on."

"What do you have that will fit me?" Aubrey laughed as Colleen headed off towards the back bedroom.

"I'll find something," Colleen shouted out from her bedroom. "You are not going to drip all over my apartment."

Aubrey grunted at the comment before she looked down at her body. "Drowned rat is right," she chuckled as she shed her coat and went into the kitchen and hung it on the back of a chair. She stripped off her shoes and socks as well and carefully placed them by the back door. One thing about the brunette that drove Aubrey insane was her anal-retentive nature. She shuffled back into the living room to find Colleen with a thermometer. "What is that for?" Aubrey sniffed as she brushed her damp hair from her brow.

"How long have you been wandering around in the rain?" Colleen asked ignoring the blonde's scowl.

"Not long," Aubrey shot back as she mentally tried to determine just how long she had been roaming the streets?

"Right," Colleen responded with disbelief as she shook the thermometer. "Open." she demanded.

"I'm fine," Aubrey whined as Colleen glared at her.

"Aubrey, I'm a doctor." Colleen tried to reason with her.

"You're a pediatrician." Aubrey corrected her.

"True," Colleen conceded. "And if you are a really good girl I'll give you a lollipop. Now open."

Aubrey rolled her emerald eyes in disgust as she opened her mouth. She grunted as Colleen shoved the thermometer in the blonde's mouth. "This isn't really necessary." Aubrey protested in a garbled tone as Colleen checked her pulse.

"Keep still or I'll stick that in a different orifice." the brunette threatened.

"Hmmf . . . .flipping bully . . . ," Aubrey protested in a muffled tone.

Finally she gave up on her tirade and tried to be patient until Colleen removed the thermometer from her mouth. "Just what I thought," Colleen chastised her. "You are taking a hot shower and climbing into bed."

"Excuse me?" Aubrey whined.

"Aubrey just do it," Colleen instructed her as she pushed the smaller woman towards the bathroom. "Once you are all warm and dry you can tell me why you are here."

"I can shower at my own place." Aubrey protested as she slumped her way over to the bathroom.

"It is a mess out there," Colleen argued as she continued to lead the blonde towards the bathroom. "I don't want you getting any sicker than you already are."

Aubrey blew out an exasperated sigh as she finally stepped into the bathroom. "I'm not a child," Aubrey muttered bitterly as she began to undress. "If she thinks she can just boss me around then she's sadly mistaken." she continued as she turned on the shower and waited for the water to warm.

"I heard that!" Colleen shouted from the other room.

"Of course you did." Aubrey grumbled as she stepped into the shower.

Aubrey had to admit that the shower and dry pair of sweats did make her feel better. As Colleen guided her into the bedroom she felt weak as she sniffled. "Damn it," Aubrey muttered once Colleen tucked her and left. "I am getting sick."

"No kidding," Colleen said as she leaned against the doorway. Aubrey was pouting as Colleen crossed the room and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "So, what brings you by?"

"I'm mad at you." Aubrey clipped as her pout grew.

"Me?" Colleen asked in confusion. "What did I do? We haven't hung out in ages."

"That is why I'm mad at you," Aubrey tried to explain. "You just dropped out of my life."

"I'm sorry," Colleen apologized in a shy voice. "I didn't know what else to do. I feel like such an ass over what happened. It just seemed easier to stay away from you."

"Very mature doctor," Aubrey grunted. "You should have talked to me. We've never had secrets."

"Yes, we did," Colleen softly replied as she diverted her gaze. "I should have just told you I was attracted to you. I thought it would be romantic."

"On paper it was romantic," Aubrey offered gently. "It was just so sudden. And then you were gone before I had a chance to catch my breath."

"I'm sorry," Colleen whispered as she picked imaginary lint from the comforter. "I missed you."

"It is over," Aubrey said with relief as she smiled. "Can we get back to being friends again?"

"I'd like that," Colleen said with a smile as she lifted her gaze. "So do you think you could handle some soup?"

Aubrey felt herself falling into Colleen's crystal blue eyes. "No," she finally mumbled in response. "I should go." she added as she tried to sit up.

"No," Colleen bluntly informed her as she placed her hands on the blonde's shoulders and guided her back down onto the pillows. "Just rest."

Aubrey nodded mutely as she relaxed into the pillows. She felt her body shiver as Colleen brushed back a strand of hair that was still matted to her brow. "Sleep." Colleen offered tenderly before she got up and left the confused blonde nestled in her bed.

'Did I always feel this way?' Aubrey wondered as the realization of what she had allowed to pass her by hit her. 'And now it is too late.' Her heart sank at the cruel reality. "Weenie." She chastised herself as she felt her eyelids grow heavy. Aubrey slept peacefully for the first time in months. She awoke feeling better. She frowned when she discovered Colleen fast asleep on the sofa. She felt a little silly as she stood there lingering over the brunette's sleeping form. What disturbed the little blonde the most was this wasn't the first time she had watched her friend while she slept. 'I'm an idiot.' She mentally noted once she decided she had been spying on Colleen long enough.

"Hey wake up!" she shouted. Aubrey covered her mouth in an effort to stifle the laugh as Colleen's eyes flew open. The brunette's arms started flailing as she fell off the sofa.

"I hate you." The brunette moaned from her position on the floor.

"Fine," Aubrey shrugged feeling a slight sense of relief that, at the very least, they fell back into the same friendly banter that they had once shared. "I'm hungry. Feed me."

Colleen glared up at her as she fumbled to get her long body up off of the floor. "Feed me." Aubrey repeated in a whiney tone. "I think I liked it better when we were barely on speaking terms," Colleen grumbled as she stretched out her limbs. Aubrey bit down on her bottom lip in an effort to stifle the moan that was threatening to escape. "It will have to be something quick. I need to get my tired old butt to work."

"What no omelet?" Aubrey whined.

"No." Colleen snorted as she shuffled into the kitchen.

"I want something more substantial than pop tarts," Aubrey babbled on as she followed the brunette into the kitchen. "You know eggs, bacon, and maybe those banana nut muffins you use to make."

"I need coffee." Colleen said as she glared down at the blonde.

"Coffee too," Aubrey taunted the brunette. "And don't forget you still owe me dinner."

"How is it that I owe you dinner?" Colleen protested as she began to make coffee. "Isn't there a statute of limitations on something like that?"

"Nope," Aubrey quipped. "And it better be a nice restaurant. I'm not settling for feel free to super size it."

Aubrey continued to prattle on and on while Colleen begged her to stop. After breakfast Colleen rushed around to get ready for work while Aubrey kept on with her running dialogue. She didn't stop until Colleen dropped her safely back at her own apartment with a promise to take the blonde out for dinner.

Aubrey was cursing the rain as she hurried into the restaurant. She smiled at the irony of where she had chosen to have dinner with the brunette. "Oh crap," she muttered as she glanced down at her watch. "Late again." She found Colleen sipping a glass of wine while she waited at the bar. "I know I'm late."

"That's okay, I made the reservation for an hour later than I told you," Colleen smirked. "I assumed that your punctuality hadn't improved in the past year."

"And if it had?" Aubrey gasped.

"I honestly didn't think it would be a problem," Colleen teased her. "Come on our table should be ready."

"Brat."

"Goober."

"Why don't you pick out the wine?" Colleen suggested as she handed the wine list over to the eager blonde. "You're better at it than I am."

"I do so love spending your money." Aubrey teased as she selected a nice yet moderately priced Bordeaux. Once the wine was delivered along with their salads Aubrey decided it was time to finally clear the air.

"This is nice." Colleen complimented her as she took a sip of wine.

"Glad you like it," Aubrey smiled in response. "Now that I have you all liquored up, I need to ask you something?"

"Okay?" Colleen responded curiously.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," Aubrey carefully began. "I just want everything out in the open so I can go back to tormenting you like I use to do."

"Fair enough." Colleen agreed.

"Why did you decide to ask me out?" Aubrey inquired gently.

"I began to realize that you meant more to me than just a friend," Colleen responded with sincerity. "And I mistakenly thought you felt the same way."

"You weren't mistaken," Aubrey confessed in a need to let Colleen know that she wasn't imagining things.

"Excuse me?" Colleen choked on her wine.

"Careful that will stain," Aubrey teased her. "I've always had a little crush on you, but I just never thought you could ever be interested in me. That night I really thought it was a joke, because why would someone as fantastic as you find me attractive?"

"Are you kidding me?" Colleen asked. "Why wouldn't I be attracted to you?"

"Thank you," Aubrey blinked in surprise. "Well it doesn't matter now. It is just nice to have you back in my life."

Colleen raised her glass at the sentiment and they toasted one another. "You're right it wouldn't be worth losing our friendship over," Colleen agreed. "I'm just sorry I caused it to happen once. You really do mean a lot to me."

"Well water under the bridge," Aubrey concluded as she scanned the menu. "We will just agree that the both of us have excellent taste in women. Speaking of which when do I get to meet your girlfriend?" Aubrey offered in an effort to prove to her that she really was okay with everything.

"My what?" Colleen asked in bewilderment.

"You're girlfriend," Aubrey repeated. "I heard you were seeing someone."

"No," Colleen corrected her. "I was seeing a nurse from the hospital. But we didn't really click so it didn't last very long."

"Oh?" Aubrey sputtered thinking that the night had just taken a very strange turn.

"Is that why you showed up at my place the other day?" Colleen asked. "Because it is safe to hang around with me again?"

"No," Aubrey argued. "I was jealous."

"Jealous?" Colleen choked as her eyes widened. "Please with all the women you go out with?"

"I was," Aubrey asserted. "Trust me it came as a complete surprise to me. I found it really annoying."

They stared at one another in disbelief as the tension grew steadily between them until the waiter thankfully approached with their entrees. "Aubrey, no." Colleen cautioned her.

"You don't even know what I was going to say." Aubrey snickered.

"This is not a date," Colleen directly informed her. "I made that mistake once."

"Okay so you do know what I was going to say," Aubrey conceded. "We could try?" She offered as the wheels in her head started spinning.

"No." Colleen refused.

"Why?" Aubrey asked.

"Because," came the brunette's flustered response.

"It could be." Aubrey suggested.

"No." Colleen refused once again.

"We'll see." Aubrey threw out confidently as she noticed the brunette's resolve slipping away.

"I said no," Colleen growled. "This is just dinner."

"I bet I get a kiss goodnight," the blonde teased despite the growing nervousness brewing inside of her.

"In your dreams." Colleen groaned.

"Nope, you are going to kiss me goodnight," Aubrey pushed.

"No I'm not," Colleen argued vehemently. "Fine you are so confident then we will make a bet on it."

"I do so love a challenge." Aubrey purred hoping that Colleen was wavering. She had always wondered what it would be like to kiss the brunette's full lips.

"Fine," Colleen offered. "If I don't kiss you goodnight, then it is not a date and next time we go out you are picking up the check."

"Ouch," Aubrey played along. "And if I do win and you kiss me tonight, then I want breakfast in the morning."

"You are such a pig." Colleen grumbled.

"No, I just . . ., " Aubrey's words drifted off. "I just want the past year back," she finally admitted. "When I lost you I had to face the way I was feeling. That and I bored the crap out of all of our mutual friends whining about how much I missed you."

"You whine?" Colleen teased. Aubrey didn't miss the warm look in the brunette's eyes. "Sorry," Colleen suddenly said. "I want the past year back as well. But this still isn't a date." She quickly added.

Aubrey simply nodded and smirked in response. The rest of the night they fell back into the warmth they had once shared. Only now there was a current flowing between them that was threatening to tear Aubrey apart. After dinner they walked around and then went dancing. More than once during the night, Aubrey had wished that she hadn't challenged Colleen. Now if anything did happen, it was entirely possible the brunette wouldn't take her seriously in the future.

Despite how much fun Aubrey had that evening as Colleen walked her to the door she was a bundle of nervous energy. A million thoughts and doubts were bombarding her over active mind. "Well, goodnight," she shyly offered in an effort to erase the awkwardness that had suddenly sprung up between them. By the way Colleen was shifting from one foot to the other, Aubrey understood that the brunette was just as uneasy as herself.

Each of them was shy as they lifted their gaze. Aubrey's throat went dry as she found herself locked in a fiery gaze. She briefly wondered if she really could go back to being just friends with the tall brunette she had been hiding her feelings from. "Ah hell," Colleen said softly as she closed the gap between. "I knew I was going to do this." The brunette confessed as she cupped the smaller woman's face in her hands.

Aubrey felt helpless as she leaned into Colleen's touch and their lips brushed against one another. The blonde's eyes fluttered shut as she quickly reclaimed Colleen's lips. The second kiss lacked the shyness of the first as it quickly deepened and Aubrey felt her body pressed against the wall. She clasped the brunette's hips and drew her closer as she felt Colleen's tongue tracing her lips. She parted her lips and invited Colleen in. Soon their tongues were fighting for dominance as Colleen's body pressed against Aubrey's trembling form.

Aubrey refused to think about the after effect as her hands glided up the brunette's back. Colleen moaned deeply from Aubrey's touch as any space between their bodies vanished. Aubrey fought to remain standing as the kiss came to an end. She quivered as she felt Colleen's breath on her skin. "You don't have to stay," she managed to stammer out. Colleen stepped back and looked down at her with confusion. "I want you to, but you don't have to." she clarified.

"What do you want?" Colleen asked as her eyes clouded over with desire.

"You," Aubrey confessed. "But not just for tonight."

Aubrey felt a sudden rush of panic as the enormity of her words struck her. Her fears slipped away as she looked deeply into Colleen's eyes. "Invite me in." Colleen requested in a breathy tone.

"Would you like to come in?" Aubrey quickly asked as she began to search her coat pocket for her keys.

"Yes." Colleen sincerely answered her with a brilliant smile as she brushed the blonde's face with her fingers.

Aubrey felt her pulse racing as she struggled to unlock the door. Her nipples hardened as she felt Colleen's hands on her hips. For years she had managed to convince herself that they would never be more than friends. Now she was willing to risk everything to simply follow her heart. They stumbled into the blonde's darkened living room. Colleen kicked the door shut as she wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and began to nibble on her earlobe.

Aubrey released a needy whimper as she melted into Colleen's touch. She covered the brunette's hands with her own as she tilted her head back in an effort to offer more of her flesh up to her lover's mouth. Colleen eagerly accepted her offer. Unable to cool the fire burning inside of her, Aubrey turned in her lover's arms. "I want you." she boldly confessed before she reached up and drew Colleen's face back down to her. She captured the brunette's warm inviting lips as their bodies began to sway.

Aubrey could no longer control her hunger as she tugged the brunette's blouse from her slacks. She shifted her arms as she felt her own coat being removed. Their kisses grew deeper as they began to undress one another. 'We'll never make it to the bedroom.' the blonde's mind screamed as she felt her lover's hands cupping her breasts. In a need to sate her desire she removed the brunette's blouse and bra, and then allowed her hands to roam across the newly exposed flesh. She lowered the zipper on Colleen's pants as she felt the brunette's lips moving down her neck and across her shoulders.

She yanked Colleen's pants down as far as she could reach. She cried out as she felt her lover's teeth nipping at her skin. She pulled the brunette's panties down until she could fill her hands with the smooth flesh of the taller woman's ass. She massaged her lover's cheeks as Colleen circled her nipple with her tongue.

Aubrey arched her back and pressed her nipple against her lover's lips. "Please." she pleaded as her hands continued a sweet exploration of Colleen's backside. She released a deep moan as the brunette's lips captured her nipple. The blonde pulled Colleen's body closer as the brunette licked and teased her nipple as they both trembled against one another. Aubrey's hand moved across her lover's hip as she felt her body being lowered down onto the sofa.

She gasped as her fingers brushed the damp curls of her lover's triangle as Colleen continued to remove the blonde's clothing. As she felt her skin being exposed to the cool night air she traced her lover's slick folds. She was naked as Colleen covered her body and began to suckle her breasts. She could feel the brunette's clit pulsating against her fingers as she stroked Colleen urgently. Aubrey felt her own desire pouring from her as Colleen's knee pressed against her center. She rocked her body against her lover's thigh as she entered the brunette's warm wet center.

Colleen's body jerked against her touch as Aubrey wiggled her fingers inside of Colleen's warm wet center. Aubrey's flesh felt cold as Colleen lifted her body up slightly so she could pull her pants further down her body. It was all the invitation the small blonde needed as she began to slide her fingers in and out of her lover. Her breath escaped her as she watched Colleen's body swaying above her.

She pulled the taller woman down for a lingering kiss. Her body trembled as their nipples brushed against the other's skin. Colleen nudged the blonde's thighs apart and cupped her mound. Aubrey grinded her hips against her lover's touch as she continued to plunge in and out of her. She was gasping for air as she felt Colleen entering her center. Soon their bodies were rocking against one another in a wild rhythm.

Aubrey cried out as the waves came crashing down upon her. She couldn't still her body as she felt Colleen kissing her way down, until the brunette was kneeling on the floor. Aubrey ran her fingers through her lover's long silky hair as she draped her legs over the brunette's shoulders. She watched as Colleen lowered her mouth and began to drink in her wetness. Aubrey shamelessly rocked her hips against the brunette's face as Colleen suckled her throbbing clit.

She clung to her lover as Colleen's teeth grazed her clit and her fingers slipped inside of her once again. Dark blue eyes twinkled up at her while her hips thrust wildly as Colleen feasted upon her. She could feel Colleen trying to hold her as she exploded against her lover. Colleen continued pleasuring her as she cried out in ecstasy. She was quivering as her body collapsed. She whimpered as she felt Colleen's touch slipping from her body.

Aubrey's body arched once again as she felt Colleen's tongue cleansing her passion soaked skin. "Stand up," Aubrey stammered out. "Take off your clothes." She watched as her lover complied with her wishes and stood and removed the remainder of her clothing. Aubrey couldn't breathe as she drank in the beauty standing before her. She stood and ran her hands up along her lover's smooth flesh as she kissed her shoulders. She could feel her lover trembling as she traced the swell of her breasts with her tongue.

Colleen was pleading for more as Aubrey captured one of her nipples in her mouth while she trapped the other between her fingers. She continued to tease the brunette as she felt Colleen's hand running along her back and down to her hips. As she continued to suckle her lover's nipples one of her hands drifted down the brunette's body until she felt her wetness coating her fingers.

She paused for a moment to gaze up into her lover's eyes. There was no mistaking the intense emotion she saw reflected in those crystal blue orbs. Over come with an aching need, Aubrey sank to her knees. She ran her tongue along her lover's sex as she felt Colleen's hands resting on her shoulders. She looked up and watched her lover as she feasted upon her until she felt Colleen's body climaxing against her touch. "Come here." Colleen softly beckoned her.

Aubrey smiled as she stood and they wrapped their arms around one another. She realized that at that moment it had never felt so right just to hold another woman. "Bed?" she softly suggested as she took her lover by the hand and led her into her bedroom.

As she guided her lover and best friend down onto the bed she understood why they both were willing to risk everything as she said a silent prayer that it was the right thing to do. Only the morning would bring the answer. "No matter what happens," Colleen offered as she pulled Aubrey down to join her. "This was right."

"I know." Aubrey agreed as she nestled her body against her lover's.

The End