Just a dream and the wind to carry me,
And soon I will be free- C. Cross
Russell pulled in behind an almost exact replica of the car he was driving; different only in color. He stayed seated while Zack got out and spoke briefly with the two men in the other car before returning and seating himself with a sigh.
"What's the story?" Russell asked.
"Been inside all day, hasn't moved since we left her last night."
"They didn't see her at all?"
"Nope," Zack said with a yawn, producing a Game Boy from his jacket that he immediately put to use.
"Where did you get that?" Russell asked enviously.
"I went to the store while you were in the bathroom picking at your scab for two hours," Zack said with a chuckle.
"Can I see it?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Because it's mine."
"Well, can I see it when you're done?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Because it's mine."
"You're an asshole," Russell said, sinking in his seat.
"Jealousy will get you nowhere."
Bailey opened her eyes to see a slowly rising and falling breast only inches from her face. She smiled and brought a hand up to curiously tease the nipple until it hardened in delighted response.
"Having fun?" Piper said, startling her.
"Uhm… well, yeah."
"Did you decide to get up, sleepyhead?"
"How long did I sleep?" Bailey asked, not bothering to move from her position to look at the clock.
"About six hours, it's almost 7:00."
"Wow. I don't usually sleep like that."
"How often do you get to sleep on top of a half naked woman?" she teased, feeling Bailey's face heat on her chest.
"Never. Until today, but you know that."
"I was just teasing."
"I know," Bailey said and sat up to sit cross-legged on the bed next to Piper.
"Uhm…" Piper started, getting a good look at Bailey's bare chest. "Jesus, you really are the most striking woman I've ever seen."
Bailey's eyes followed Piper's gaze to her chest and she blushed, having forgotten her own shirt had been removed. She shyly attempted to cover her breasts with an arm.
"Don't be embarrassed, you're gorgeous," Piper said, smiling at her bashfulness.
She opted to lie down next to Piper with an arm providing an obstructed view.
"Killjoy," Piper said with a grin. "That's a beautiful crucifix, may I?"
Bailey nodded and Piper reached over to pull the necklace closer for examination.
"Is this silver?" Piper asked as she examined the intricately designed cross.
"Yes."
Piper turned it over and found an inscription that she couldn't read. "What language is this?"
"Gaelic."
"What does it say?"
"Come live in my heart, and pay no rent."
"That's beautiful, where did you get it?"
"My father gave it to me a long time ago."
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"It's alright."
Piper leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Are you hungry?"
"A little."
"I have a craving for Chinese, want me to run out and get some?"
"Okay."
"Will you stay again tonight?"
"Yes."
"Goody," Piper said. "I'll find you some more clothes and I'll hop in the shower," she added as she rolled out of bed.
"I have clothes in my car."
"Really?" Piper said standing immodestly a few feet away. "You always carry spare clothes around in your car?"
"You never know when they'll come in handy."
"Is that a fact?"
"Yep," Bailey said. "Throw me my shirt, please."
Piper looked around and found it on the floor by the foot of the bed. "Come get it," she teased, waving it in front of her.
Bailey rose from the bed and placed a quick kiss on Piper's lips before she took the shirt from her hands and pulled it on over her head. "Happy?"
"Very much so, thank you," Piper said, giving Bailey a slap on the rear on her way out of the room.
Bailey beamed a happy smile at the retreating back and curiously went over to peek through the blinds in the window. She observed a long and narrow backyard that was enclosed by a wooden fence, noting a rather well maintained garden that had only recently died from the winter weather. Wondering if Piper was the one with the green thumb, she let the blinds close with a snap and padded out of the room. As she passed the bathroom she could already hear water running so she went to the entryway to get the cell phone out of her jacket. She wanted a cigarette, but upon opening the door a crack and checking the weather, she decided to ask Piper if she had a pair of sweats she could borrow first. She ambled back to the living room and sat down on the sofa, punching a number into the phone.
"Hello," came the alarmed voice of Martin Satterfield.
"Good evening, Mr. Satterfield."
"Uhm…Is everything alright? You didn't come back last night."
"Yes, everything is fine and I won't be back until tomorrow," Bailey said. "Just wanted to let you know."
"Thanks, I was beginning to worry a bit."
"Do you need anything that you can't do without until Monday?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Have fun."
Bailey narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the phone as she disconnected. It had sounded like Satterfield was teasing her and she wasn't sure if she liked it or not, although she had to admit she was grudgingly beginning to form a liking for the man. Shrugging it off, she got up and returned the cell phone to her jacket and proceeded to the bathroom where she stopped and knocked on the door.
"Come on in, Bailey," Piper said from the shower and Bailey took two steps into the bathroom.
"Do you have a pair of sweats I can borrow?"
"What for?"
"I need to go outside to get my things from the car."
"Oh, uhm… on the top shelf of my closet, help yourself."
"Thanks," Bailey said and turned for the door.
"If you're going outside, there are some slippers in there too."
"Okay."
A few minutes later, she was wearing a pair of sweats that were a little too short and staring in horror at the bright pink bunny slippers that she found just inside the closet door. Unfortunately, they were the only pair of shoes that Piper owned that she could fit into and she didn't want to put on her boots from the night before. She released an aggrieved sigh and donned the idiotic slippers, collecting her jacket on the way out.
"Zack, check this out," Russell said, offering him the night scope.
"What?" Zack asked, placing the video game between his legs.
"She came outside, check her out."
Zack took the scope and peered around for a second before he caught sight of her rummaging through the trunk of her car. "What's the big deal?"
"Look at her feet."
Zack let out a short laugh when he observed the huge puffy slippers she was wearing. "Well, she's staying again tonight," he concluded, handing the scope back to Russell.
"Can I see the game now?"
"Nope."
"I hope the fucking batteries die."
"Thanks for reminding me," Zack said happily. "I bought the optional car adapter," he added as he produced it from the other side of his jacket and plugged it into the cigarette lighter.
Russell glared at him. "You truly suck."
"You wish," Zack said with a chuckle, not bothering to look up from his game.
Bailey decided to have her cigarette in the backyard instead of in view of the car down the street and was pleased to find a wooden bench-swing on the back porch. She cracked the sliding glass door so she could hear if Piper was looking for her and took a seat on the swing. She had no sooner inhaled when she heard her name being called.
"Out here," she said when she judged Piper was close enough to hear.
"What are you doing out in the cold?" Piper said a few seconds later.
"Smoking."
"You don't smoke," Piper said with a frown, shutting the door behind her and plopping down on the swing.
"I don't?"
"I've never seen you smoke," Piper said with a scowl as Bailey puffed on the cigarette.
"I usually have one or two a night, does it offend you?"
"No, it's just a surprise is all. It's bad for you."
"Lot's of things are. I'll put it out," Bailey said and flipped it over the fence into the neighbor's yard.
"You didn't have to do that," Piper said, secretly glad that she did.
Bailey shrugged and Piper slapped her leg playfully. "So does Chinese sound alright?"
"Sure."
"Can I take your car to go get it?"
"If you promise to leave some tread on the tires."
"Deal."
Bailey took the keys from her jacket and handed them to her. "Can I take a shower while you're gone?"
"Of course, I put a towel out for you and there's new razors in the cabinet."
"Okay," Bailey said, smiling when Piper gave her a peck on the cheek and hopped up from the bench.
"Anything else you want while I'm out?" Piper asked on her way through the door.
"No, thank you."
She waited until she heard the rumble of the GTO starting up in the driveway before she lit another cigarette.
II
All I ever wanted, All I ever needed,
Is here in my arms- M.L Gore
"Zack, the redhead is getting in the car," Russell said.
"Is she alone?"
"Yeah, it's just her. We staying on the house?"
"Yes," Zack said, suddenly all business as he turned off his game and put it in his jacket. The hand reappeared holding his gun and he checked the magazine and chambered a round.
"What's up?"
"If her girlfriend's gone she might decide to pay us a visit."
"You think?" Russell asked, withdrawing his own gun.
"Not gonna take any chances. Move the car back a bit and keep it running," Zack said, taking note of his surroundings.
Russell started the car and backed slowly down the street for almost a quarter of a mile.
"That's good," Zack said and Russell parked next to the curb.
"Do you think the redhead knows who she is?"
"No idea," Zack said with a shrug.
"What did Mike say today?"
"Not much. Robards arrived this morning and will brief everyone on Wednesday, when we all move into some office building."
"Everyone?"
"Yep, Mr. Philips and his crew are already prepping the place is what Mike says."
"That's a lot of people," Russell said. "How many you figure?"
"Sixty to ninety I'd guess."
"Man. Do they really think they need that many to take her out?"
"I really don't know."
"It's hard to be discreet with that many people."
"Yep."
"You know, I don't think I've ever seen another female operative in the Organization. I wonder where they found her?"
"Kinda curious about that myself, but we'll probably never find out."
"Should be an interesting briefing," Russell speculated.
"Yep."
"Honey, I'm home!" Piper said as she burst into the house with bags in both hands and kicked the door closed behind her. She struggled with her burden to the living room where she found Bailey sitting on the sofa and watching television.
"You bellowed?"
Piper set all the bags on the coffee table and plopped down next to her. "Yes, I bellowed, why didn't you answer me?" she asked as she pulled off her shoes.
Bailey shrugged. "I figured you'd find me sooner or later."
Piper narrowed her eyes. "You did, huh," she said noting that Bailey was wearing a black T-shirt that was too big for her and matching gym shorts.
"Yep," Bailey said. "Is that my dinner, wench?"
Piper gaped at her for a second. "I can't believe you just said that," she said with a laugh, running her cold hands under Bailey's shirt who squawked and twisted away.
"You'd better straighten up," Piper said warming her nose in the crook of Bailey's neck.
"Or?" Bailey chuckled.
"Or else."
"Owww," she yelped when Piper bit her on the earlobe and sat up.
"Let me get some plates and I bought some Pepsi for you," Piper said, retrieving a two-liter bottle from the bags on the coffee table before sauntering off.
Bailey sat up and poked curiously through the bags to see what else she bought, her stomach rumbling a little at the smell coming from the cardboard containers.
"No starting without me," Piper chided as she came back into the room carrying two plates and glass of Pepsi.
"What are you going to drink?"
"There's a Mountain Dew in here somewhere," Piper said, sitting down and beginning to unpack everything. "Whatcha watching?"
"Star Trek, but it just finished."
"A fellow Trekkie, huh? Who's your favorite Captain?"
"Sisko I think," Bailey said with a shrug. "Who's yours?"
"Picard," Piper said. "You don't like Kirk?"
"The original is a little too out of date for me."
"Me too," Piper said, handing Bailey a full plate.
"Thanks."
"My pleasure."
"This is spicy." Bailey said around a mouthful.
"Is it too hot?"
"Nope, it's good."
"You have that laptop in your car too?" She pointed at the computer under the coffee table.
"Yeah, I needed to check my mail."
"Hmmm. What do ya wanna do tomorrow?"
"Be with you."
"Who would've guessed that the Princess of Darkness was such a big softie?" Piper teased and Bailey blushed slightly. "Wanna go to the mall with me?"
"Okay. What's your family like?"
"Very God, guns, and family."
"Huh?"
"They're good people," Piper clarified. "Dad is a retired policeman and Mom teaches French at a junior college."
"Will your brother be there for the holiday?"
"Yeah, he's on leave from the Navy, his wife had a baby a little over a month ago," Piper said. "My niece," she added with a smile.
"Your brother older than you?"
"Yeah, he's almost thirty-five."
"How old are you then?"
"I'm thirty."
"Hmmm," Bailey grunted and bit into an egg roll. "What will it be like?"
"What will what be like?"
"Being with your family."
"Well, I'm fairly confident that my mother will embarrass me," Piper said with a wince. "But other than that, on Thanksgiving Day there'll probably be lots of relatives over for dinner. All of the guys usually get together and have some sort of shoot out and the girls usually fix dinner and gossip."
"Shoot out?"
"They go out and have some sort of contest. They've done it for as long as I can remember."
"What kind of contest and what do you win?"
"I dunno. They shoot at targets and those little orange Frisbee things that they shoot up in the air. I don't think you win anything but bragging rights."
"What do you gossip about?"
"I'm sure this year most of the gossip will be centered around me, but only behind my back," Piper said sarcastically.
"Why?"
"Because I'm bringing someone home for the first time."
"I guess they never met your … you know," Bailey asked, not sure what to say.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because Lisa, that was her name, never had any interest in meeting them and at that time I hadn't told my family I was gay."
"What happened when you told them?"
"Nothing," Piper said. "My father made a remark that I'm sure he still thinks was witty and my mother asked me not to talk with food in my mouth. Apparently, they had suspected for a while and it didn't come to them as a surprise."
"What did your father say?"
"That's great, sweetheart, you'll never get pregnant or have to put the toilet seat down," Piper said rolling her eyes and Bailey chuckled.
"So they didn't care?"
"Nope, in fact no one in the family has ever acted as if it were anything out of the ordinary or treated me any differently," Piper said affectionately. "I procrastinated for years, terrified to tell them and in the end it was no big deal. I'm lucky I guess, I've known a lot of people whose families disowned them after they told them they were gay."
"Hmmm. What happens after dinner?"
"Drinking and dancing."
"Dancing?"
"Yep," Piper said. "You'll see."
"Hmmm," Bailey grunted, trying not to look worried.
"Don't sweat it, they'll love you. How are we getting there by the way?"
"Helicopter."
"Really? I've never been in a helicopter before. Have you?"
"Many times."
"Really? What's it like?"
"Like being in a helicopter," Bailey said with a grin.
"Funny."
Bailey shrugged amusedly.
"Were you in the military?"
"No."
Piper put her plate down and turned to face her on the sofa, she could see Bailey's face become apprehensive and she smiled to put her at ease.
"I know there are some things you don't want to tell me," she began and Bailey started to play with the food on her plate. "Don't worry, I'm not going to force anything out of that you're not ready to share, but I want you to know that I'll listen when you're ready and I won't judge you. I can take an educated guess and assume that whatever your job was, that it was probably violent and if you're afraid that I'll leave you or think any less of you, you're mistaken. I'm curious because I want to know everything about you. Not because I have to know but because you matter to me. And because you matter to me, I could go my entire life without knowing. So if you want to tell me you can, whether it's today or ten years from now," Piper finished and leaned over her to kiss her.
Bailey returned the kiss and quickly returned her attention to the food in front of her. A large part of her wanted very badly to believe Piper, but a stubborn area of her mind told her that no matter how much Piper may believe the words she had spoken, she really had no idea of what the truth encompassed.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"For what?"
"For coming in to my life," Bailey said without looking up.
"I could say the same thing to you," Piper said and watched the little grin that fleetingly crossed the downcast features. "Finish your dinner," she added with a slap to Bailey's knee and recovered her own plate.
"How long can you play the same fucking game?" Russell asked with a glance at his watch.
"As long as I have to sit here."
Russell let out a long sigh. "Thank Christ the day shift will be here any minute, I'll probably be hearing your little game in my sleep."
"I was considering letting you play with it, but if it irritates you so much…" he trailed off with a shrug.
"It would be different if I was playing," Russell said cautiously.
Zack stopped the game and looked at Russell suspiciously. "Alright, see if you can beat my high score," he said, offering the game to him.
Russell excitedly reached for it but it was torn away from his grasp at the last possible second.
"Psych!" Zack exclaimed with an irritating laugh.
Russell stared at Zack unbelievingly with his hand outstretched. "You don't just suck, you lick the innards of my asshole."
"I got a Game Boy..." Zack sang childishly while rocking back in forth in his seat. "…And you-ooo don't."
Russell ground his teeth and was immeasurably relieved to see a car pull up behind them.
"Day shift is here, asswipe."
Zack put the Game Boy into his jacket as he got of the car to speak with them and Russell waited a little over a minute for him to return.
"Home, Jeeves," Zack said as he got back in the car.
"We got to make a stop first."
"Where?"
"Wal-Mart."
III
And the Heavens open every time she smiles,
And when I come to her, That's where I belong- V. Morrison
Bailey slipped out from under Piper's sleeping form and made tracks for the bathroom, having uncomfortably awoken with Piper's leg pressing on her bladder. After seeing to her emergency, she decided to clean up the mess that was still in the living from the night before and make breakfast. They had started watching an amusing movie about a huge crocodile that Piper had only managed to stay awake for about half of. After she had fallen asleep, she had watched the rest of the movie playing with the crimson hair in her lap and had carried her off to bed when it was over.
She had breakfast warming in the oven and had just finished the dishes with still no appearance from Piper. She debated on whether or not to wake her but ultimately decided against it, so she collected her things and headed for the bathroom to take a shower. She was just about finished when she heard the bathroom door open and she froze, listening carefully until the she heard the toilet flush.
"Good morning," she ventured.
"Morning," came the grumpy response and she chuckled.
"What's so funny?"
"You. You're so crabby when you get up."
"I am not," Piper said around a yawn.
"Yes you are," Bailey said. "I made French toast again, it's in the oven."
"Really? You're gonna spoil me. Have you already eaten?"
"Yeah."
"How long you gonna be in there?"
"A few more minutes, just have to wash my hair."
"Want me to wash it for you?" Piper asked hopefully and waited almost a full minute for a response.
"Okay," Bailey said so quietly that she almost didn't hear it.
Piper hurriedly stripped off her clothes and slipped past the curtain into the rear of the shower to find Bailey with her back turned. Her eyes widened desirously as she looked at the form in front of her, wondering if there wasn't anything that wasn't perfect about her as she stepped forward and gently wrapped arms around her waist.
"You really are beautiful," Piper said, placing a kiss on her back.
"You think so?"
"I know so," Piper said, feeling some of the tension tension drain from the body she was holding. "Let me see the soap," she added with an outstretched hand.
Bailey dropped the bar of soap into the offered hand and felt Piper gather her hair and put it over her shoulder. She fidgeted uneasily until she felt hands begin to wash her back and she relaxed slightly, tensing again for different reasons when she felt the hands on her back pause and explore the scars that she had forgotten were there.
Piper felt the scars before she saw them and she traced each one gently with a finger. In the middle of her back, there were four diagonal lines about an inch apart on each side of her spine for a total of eight. They had faded with age and were barely visible, but they were there and she knew from the precision of their placement that they had been inflicted on purpose. Bailey was standing very still and the muscles below her hands were rock hard.
"You can barely see these anymore," Piper said, relieved when the muscles under her hands relaxed.
She cupped her hand and caught the water in front of Bailey to rinse the soap off her back so she wouldn't have to turn around. She put the soap in the cradle and turned for the shampoo that sat on the corner of the tub, pouring a liberal amount of the liquid into her hand and slowly working it into Bailey's hair.
"Lean your head back a little so I can get the top."
Bailey stood patiently, relishing the feel of Piper's hands in her hair. She was disappointed when Piper stopped several minutes later.
"All clean," Piper announced and she leaned forward to rinse her hair in the shower spray.
"Thank you, that was nice," Bailey said as she wrung the excess water from her hair.
"Yes, it was." Piper agreed, letting her eyes wander over the back of Bailey's body.
"Now, hop out so I can take care of business," she said with a playful swat to the lovely backside.
"Okay," Bailey said, shooting a smile over her shoulder as she exited the shower.
As soon the curtain fell back into place, Piper shook her head vigorously and turned the water to cold. "Wow," she mouthed silently.
She stood in the cold water for almost a full minute before chattering teeth forced her to adjust the temperature. She could hear Bailey puttering around and, with a twinge of sadness, realized that she was probably packing her things. She already wanted her to stay indefinitely but knew that wasn't a realistic desire this early in their relationship. She heard the blow dryer start up and busied herself with finishing her shower, anxious to be back in her company.
Bailey was in the process of tying up her hair when the water stopped and Piper immodestly got out of the shower, beginning to dry herself off. She froze with her hands above her head and stared in the mirror at the body on display. She looked away quickly with a blush when pale blue eyes glanced into the mirror and caught her looking. She felt arms encircle her waist and breasts pushed pleasantly up against her, she risked a glance back into the mirror only to find amused eyes peering at her.
"I caught you peeking," Piper teased, disappointed to see Bailey had already dressed in a black blouse and slacks.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, I would've peeked at you," Piper said with a smile. "In fact, I got a real long look at someone's fantastic rear end just a few minutes ago.
"Be quiet," Bailey said, blushing as Piper chuckled at her.
"I'd like to see it again soon."
"Perhaps," Bailey said. "If you stop teasing me and go away."
Bailey let out a giggle when Piper tickled her and sauntered out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. She watched her go and turned back to the mirror, shaking her head in amazement at the color still fading on her cheeks.
Bailey sighed dramatically in her seat as Piper tried on a fifth pair of shoes. She had recently learned from experience that several questions would soon be directed at her and she braced herself.
"What do you think of these?" Piper asked.
"They look good."
"Aren't they a little gaudy?"
"They look fine."
"They make my feet look big."
"No they don't."
"What do you think of the color?"
"I like it."
Piper glanced sideways at her companion and smiled when she realized Bailey was playing with the zipper of her jacket and hadn't even looked at the shoes.
"Do you think I should get something with a shorter heel?"
"If you want."
"I don't know if I can balance myself in these since I lost my little toe in that gardening accident."
"Sure you can," Bailey said and looked up. "What?" she asked, casting her eyes to Piper's feet.
"Uh huh, just as I suspected," Piper said with narrowed eyes. "You haven't been paying attention at all."
"I have too," she lied.
"What color were the shoes I tried on before these?"
"Brown."
"You're busted," Piper said. "They were white."
Caught, she looked away and Piper giggled at her. "It's okay, you've been very patient. I take it shopping is not your forte."
"Not really."
"You should've said something earlier, I've been dragging you around for hours."
"You were enjoying yourself."
"Yes, but you haven't been. I want you to have fun too."
"I enjoy being with you."
"You're sweet," Piper said with a smile and pecked her on the cheek. She was startled slightly by the clearing of a throat a few feet away. "Yes?" she asked, turning in the direction of the sound to see the saleswoman with another box of shoes.
"I don't have the white ones in a five, only a six," she said with a distasteful look. "Would you like to try them on?"
"No, that's alright. I'm going to pass today, thank you."
"Very well," the woman said walking away and throwing another sour look over her shoulder.
Piper sighed at the retreating back and took Bailey's hand. "Come on, let's go find some dinner."
Bailey let Piper lead her from the store carrying two of Piper's bags in her other hand. Glad to be leaving, she tried to keep herself from grinning as they approached the mall exit.
Piper felt Bailey quicken her stride and grinned to herself. Her companion was as easy to read as a child sometimes and she felt a little guilty for subjecting her to an entire of afternoon of waiting patiently while she went from one place to another. Bailey had held her hand the entire day, making it no secret to anyone who cared to notice that they were a couple and she was generally oblivious to anyone around them. Her heart skipped a beat with the covert glance she shot at her companion, who she noticed was trying not to grin. Bailey truly had eyes only for her and the rest of the world didn't seem to matter in the slightest. She felt special and squeezed the hand in hers tightly.
As soon as they were outside, Bailey let go of her hand and put on her sunglasses.
"It's an overcast day, why do you put on your sunglasses the second you step out into the light?"
"I'm a little light sensitive, sometimes I get migraines."
"Oh." Piper grinned. "Poor baby," she teased as she took Bailey's hand in hers again.
"Hush."
When they reached the car, Bailey opened the trunk and placed the bags she was carrying inside. She stepped aside to let Piper put hers in but was shooed away so she confusedly got in the car and reached over to unlock the passenger side door.
Piper closed the trunk and hopped into the passenger seat, beaming a bright smile at Bailey who was looking at her with knitted brows.
"Here," she said, presenting her with a little box.
"What's this?"
"I bought those for you while you were busy playing with that stupid singing fish," Piper said with a chuckle. She had strayed away from Bailey who had delighted in making the moronic plastic fish sing his surprisingly loud song over and over again.
"I thought it was funny, I almost bought it," Bailey defended.
"It was stupid, open your present."
Bailey took the lid off the little white box and looked inside to find two sterling silver hoop earrings that had a Celtic knot pattern engraved in them.
"Do you like them?"
"Of course."
"I wasn't sure if you would, I've only seen you wear studs."
"That's because the only earrings I own are the ones I'm wearing."
"Put them on.".
Bailey removed the studs from her ears and replaced them with the hoops. "I like silver," she said as she attached the second one.
"I figured," Piper said. "They look good on you."
"Thanks," she said bashfully and met the incoming lips with her own.
Piper withdrew from the kiss and poked her in the belly. "You hungry?"
"A little," Bailey said. "Where do you wanna go?"
"Let's just find a place on the way home."
"Okay," Bailey said and started the car, her stomach rolling happily upon hearing Piper refer to home. She found herself wishing with all of her heart that someday, if she were extremely lucky, that might be true. She had pulled onto the street and, after a few miles, a building on the opposite side of the road caught her eye.
"Can we go in there?" she asked, pointing at the building.
"A record store?" Piper said. "Sure."
Bailey grinned and turned around at the next light.
"Is there something you're looking for?" Piper asked as they pulled into the parking lot.
"Lots of stuff," Bailey said as she parked and got out of the car. "I didn't know this was here."
"Where do you usually buy things?" Piper wondered taking Bailey's hand who was waiting impatiently at the front of the car.
"Mail order or over the Internet," she said as she led Piper inside.
Piper devoted a minute of thought to that and shook her head at how isolated Bailey kept herself from the rest of the world. Bailey came to a stop once they got inside and scanned the building, choosing a place to start.
"Go ahead," Piper said giving her a little shove. "I'll poke around until you're ready," she added as Bailey made off on her own.
Piper browsed casually, occasionally looking up to check the position of the black ponytail that periodically bobbed around the store. She giggled half an hour later when she walked up with an impressive stack of CD's.
"You gonna buy all of those?" Piper asked, amused.
"Yeah," Bailey said. "Why are you smiling?"
"Because I'm learning all sorts of stuff about you."
"Such as?" Bailey asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, you like classic black muscle cars," Piper said coyly. "You obviously have an interest in music and you've got a thing for incredibly cute redheads," she said with an exaggerated flip of her hair.
"My, how observant," Bailey said with a chuckle.
"Indeed."
Bailey paid for her stuff and hurried to the car, browsing through her purchases as soon as she sat down behind the wheel to select one for play.
Piper watched in amusement from the passenger seat as Bailey picked out a CD and struggled with the cellophane wrapper. Her eyes widened slightly when, with a flip of her wrist, she produced an eight-inch blade and flicked it over the wrapper. The blade was gone as quickly as it appeared and she couldn't figure out where it came from or where it had gone. Bailey was apparently unaware that she did anything out of the ordinary, so she let it pass without comment. Once they were on the street, she turned a smile in her direction and slipped the disc into the stereo.
"Prepare for ludicrous speed," Bailey said a second before a pulsing techno beat assaulted the interior of the car.
Piper shrieked when the GTO took off at what felt like warp nine and she was forced into the back of her seat.
IV
Take my hand, Take my whole life too,
For I can't help falling in love with you- Weiss, Peretti, Creatore
"I don't want you to go," Piper said with a pout, standing in front of Bailey in the living room.
"I don't really want to, but I'm out of clothes and I have to be in the office tomorrow."
"You don't have to wear clothes here. This is a clothing optional house."
Bailey smiled at her and opened her mouth but was silenced by an upraised hand. "I don't want to hear it," Piper said as she went over and threw herself on the sofa. "Go on without me, save yourself," she added, burying her face into the cushions.
She waited to see what Bailey would do and she sprang bolt upright when she heard the front door open and close. Panicking, she flew off the couch and ran for the door. She had just been teasing and couldn't believe that she would just leave, although it had occurred to her in a flash that Bailey was playing the whole relationship by ear and she really didn't know what to do in a lot circumstances. She wrenched open the front door, stopping two steps onto the front porch when she saw the GTO but not Bailey. She jumped in the air with a surprised shriek when Bailey goosed her from inside the house.
"You are in so much trouble," Piper said slowly over Bailey's laughter when she got her breath back and took a step in her direction.
"You gotta catch me first," Bailey said, turning to run into the house.
Piper laughed and chased after her a few seconds later. She searched every room in the house but came up empty and her brow wrinkled in bewilderment. The house just wasn't that big and there weren't all that many places that could effectively hide an adult female.
"Bailey," she said stomping her foot. "It's no fun if I can't find you."
She waited a moment but got no response.
"I'm taking off my clothes," she said to the house with a sly look and began to unbutton her blouse.
She walked from room to room and left an article of clothing in each one until she was left wearing only her panties. She had saved her bedroom for last and she entered and turned around to face the hallway.
"I'm almost naked," she said playfully down the hall as she wiggled out of her panties. "Alright, I'm naked," she said, throwing her underwear into the hallway.
"Yes, you are," Bailey said and Piper jumped again, barely stifling another shriek. She turned around to find her sitting cross-legged on the end of the bed.
"How in the hell do you do that?"
"Magic."
"I believe we've had this conversation before."
"Uh-huh," Bailey said her eyes roaming over the body a few feet away.
"Do you want to finish it like last time too?"
Bailey nodded and held out a hand to Piper, who took it and sat down on the bed next to her. Her hands came up and Bailey shyly watched fingers unbutton her shirt.
At the last button, Piper leaned in for a kiss as she pulled the shirt from Bailey's shoulders to remove it, her arms embracing her on the way back up and unclasping her bra, which she immediately tossed to the floor. She spent a considerable amount of time exploring Bailey's mouth before moving to suckle her and she spent several loving minutes paying attention to her chest, pleased with the quiet moans her actions produced.
Standing, she gently tugged her from her seated position and trailed kisses from her chest to her belly where she paused and undid her pants. Her hands slid over her waist and legs as she led the slacks to the floor and Bailey gingerly stepped out of them. Her hands traveled adoringly back up her legs, stopping at the waist and gently tugging on the waistband of her panties in request, her eyes traveling upward questioningly and Bailey nodded nervously to the affirmative. She slowly slid them from her waist, eyes widening in desire when a light triangular patch of raven hair became visible. She waited for her to step out of her underpants and placed a gentle kiss on the soft thatch of hair that made Bailey gasp and back up a step.
"Piper!" Bailey yelped, attempting to cover herself.
"I'm sorry did I startle you?" Piper asked, rising to her feet.
"I don't think I'm ready for this," Bailey said apologetically as she hurriedly started to put her underwear back on.
Piper bit down hard on her screaming hormones and she turned her back to walk to the closet, pulling out an old robe to put on. When she turned around, Bailey had already dressed herself in her slacks and bra.
"I'm sorry," Piper said. "Sometimes, I'm a little to aggressive for my own good."
"It's not you, Piper," Bailey said with a sigh and sat down on the bed.
"I don't understand," Piper said coming over to take a seat next to her.
Piper observed closely as she seemed to struggle with herself for a long moment. "Piper, I know nothing about sex," she started. "I mean I know the general mechanics, but that's about it. I never had the desire to learn anything about it, and once it occurred to me that I probably would never have the opportunity, it became a non-issue. I mean, why think about something you can never have?" She nervously ran her hands through her hair. "Am I making any sense?"
"I think I understand," Piper said, trying to decipher the words she had spoken.
Bailey sighed. "I might as well be a teenager."
Piper glanced up sharply in sudden understanding. Bailey had never had it explained to her, had never gotten the opportunity to experiment, had never period. She had gone through life completely ignoring it and now that it was presented to her, she didn't have a clue what to do or how to act; sexually she really was a teen.
"Can I ask you a question? It's a personal question."
"Okay."
"Have you never experimented with your… well…uhm… yourself?"
"No. Why would I raise something I could never feed?"
"So you're saying you don't know what to do?"
Bailey sighed again. "Piper, I didn't finish school, I never went to college, I've never had friends, I lost access to my family very young and all I know about relationships is what I've read in books, watched in movies or television, and learned from you. I know how reproduction occurs, but I've no idea how to please you or let you please me," She paused. "I know that I very much want you and want to be with you, but I don't know how and sometimes my feelings are so intense they overwhelm me. This is very new and to be honest, very frightening for me."
Piper's heart went out to her as she wondered what it would be like to have the knowledge of an adult inside an adolescent body. How would it feel to wake up to emotions and desires that you never knew existed after thirty-one years as a living, breathing person? She tried to remember her own first experiences with love and the emotions those experiences had instilled in her. As a teenager everything she experienced was so new and raw that it could cut through her like a razor. Ultimately, time gradually allowed her to mature and the emotions that could devastate her eventually became manageable. However, she could remember with clarity how traumatic they were in their original form. Bailey was going through the same thing now with the life experience of a thirty-one year old woman, who she suspected had seen some of the darker things the world had to offer.
"Oh, Bailey," Piper said engulfing her in a tight embrace. "I knew you were inexperienced, but I really had no idea as to what degree," she added, feeling like an ass for throwing herself at her. "Forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive. I just need a little more time to get used to things."
Piper felt like crying as she considered how much courage it had taken for Bailey to come this far in such a short time. "Take as much time as you need," she said, burying her face into the crook of Bailey's neck.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"Will you tell me how two women… uhm… you know?" she asked and Piper could feel Bailey's blush on her forehead.
Piper giggled. "Baby, I don't think I could get through that conversation with any dignity or relay anything to you that would make any sense."
"Oh."
Piper perked up. "I have a movie you could watch though," she said as soon as the thought popped into her head and she winced.
"A movie? What kind of movie?"
Piper blushed. "A pornographic one."
"Really? I've never watched one of those, can we watch it now?"
"I don't think that would be a good idea."
"Why not?"
"I think you should take it home and watch it by yourself first."
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Because this is new to you and it might make you uncomfortable to watch it with me."
"Why would I be uncomfortable?"
"I would be uncomfortable," Piper clarified.
"Why?"
Piper closed her eyes and buried her face as far as she could into Bailey's neck. "Because, if I watched the movie, especially if I watched it with you, it would excite me and I would want to do things that you're not prepared to do just yet," she said with a heating face, cringing at the question that would probably come next.
"Oh," Bailey said, thinking. "When do you watch this movie then?"
Piper wondered if she could will herself to faint. "I haven't had an opportunity, or to be honest, haven't found anyone that I wanted in a long time, and…" She paused thinking quickly. "…I raised certain urges a long time ago and they occasionally need to be fed."
Bailey's brow wrinkled as she thought that over. "So you watch this movie to excite you?"
"Occasionally, yes," Piper admitted.
"You watch it alone?" she asked a grin beginning to form.
"Yes."
"Oh," Bailey said. "I see."
"God, I hope so."
Bailey smiled mischievously. "You'd better stop that or you'll go blind."
Piper's face came up rapidly from its hiding place. "Where the hell did you hear that?"
Bailey let out a genuine belly laugh with a look at Piper's face, which was as red as her hair. "I heard my Da say that when I was kid, I just now got it," she admitted between laughs. "Your eyes been giving you problems, Esmeralda?"
Piper scowled dangerously as Bailey collapsed backwards on the bed laughing. With a growl, she pounced on top of her and tickled her mercilessly until she actually squealed. The sound was music to Piper's ears as the child inside the woman rose to the surface and she continued her assault until Bailey's eyes watered and she started gasping for breath.
"You're mean," Piper said collapsing on top of her.
"I'm mean?" Bailey gasped. "I thought for second there I might pass out."
"Would serve you right."
"You're just mad because I got to tease you for a change," Bailey said with a snicker.
"Maybe."
Bailey's chuckles tapered off and they lay quietly for several minutes.
"I should go, it's getting late," Bailey said.
"No," Piper said, squeezing her tightly.
"You know I have to."
"I know, I just don't want you to."
Bailey rolled off the bed and picked up her blouse. "Would you like to have lunch tomorrow?"
"Yes," Piper said, beginning to pout as Bailey walked over to the chair in the corner and got her shoes and jacket. She frowned as she remembered that she had appeared on her bed wearing neither.
"Where were you hiding, by the way?"
"In plain sight, you walked right past me twice."
"Why didn't I see you then?"
"Because I didn't want you to."
Piper rolled her eyes and received a chuckle. "Walk me to the door?"
"Of course," Piper said and followed her out the bedroom.
Bailey stopped at the front door and shuffled her feet a little. "See you tomorrow?"
"Count on it," Piper said wrapping her in an embrace. "Oh, I almost forgot, wait here," she said, releasing her to scurry back down the hall.
She reappeared about minute later and with a slight blush, handed Bailey a videotape. She noticed her eyes start to dance and she acted quickly. "Don't say whatever it is you're about to."
Bailey chuckled as she read the title on the spine of the videocassette. "Is this really the name of the movie?"
"Yes," Piper winced. "The movie is actually more tasteful than the title."
"I hope so."
"Just kiss me so I can try and forget how embarrassed I am," Piper said getting another chuckle from Bailey who leaned down slightly and placed a tender kiss on her lips.
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Piper said regretfully as Bailey smiled at her and walked out the door.
Piper shut the door and waited to hear the car start before she turned out the porch light. With her feet dragging, she sulked all the way to her bedroom and crawled into bed.