3 comments/ 13031 views/ 10 favorites Vitiated Love By: Senoritadelanieve Hello Once again. I recognize that the last story of mine was a little.... Lacking, to put it kindly. So, I decided to go back to my roots a little bit. Now, I was told to include more visual cues as far as characters are concerned, but when the chips are down, Love isn't about looks, it's about the person under the make-up, behind the eyes, whether stormy grey or dark as night. The secrets hidden behind someone's eyes are what makes them, them. So, I don't factor in looks. Also, this is a fairly long story, anyone looking for a quickie might want to conside going elsewhere. Like I said, I'm going back to my roots. That means longer stories. As always, leave feedback, and tell me whether I should do more like this Enjoy =D ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "Tears are not bittersweet because of the acidic feeling while they fall, but because of the loving touch of the person who wipes them away" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination" Levictus Chapter 18, Verse 20. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* CHAPTER ONE: Feelings Re-Awakened. 'Goddamn it that hurt' Ashley woke up with a throbbing headache and a pounding in her left arm. When she tried to move it, a sharp pain made her re-think her next move. She sat up and held her arm as it sent shooting pain all the way through her. She looked around at the trashed house. She remembered exactly what happened; she had come home with her lover in tow to finally leave Charles' sorry ass. When he found out, well, let's just say 'apeshit' would be putting it lightly. She wondered how the hell she had come to lying down on the floor of her own house waiting for Death to finally claim her.... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Ashley was a Christian. Plain and simple. Devout and honest, kind and thoughtful. She always attended the meetings, Sundays had become a time to socialise with her 'freinds' in the community. But she harboured a secret. A dangerous secret. A secret that would destroy everything she stood for. For ten years she had been in a loveless marriage. A marriage where her husband had become her dictator. A marriage of convenience, mostly to him than to her. A marriage where sex had become a chore. Her only savior was a bottle of Bourbon under her desk at work. Yes it was a sin, but wasn't everything about her? She was living a lie, Strike One. She drank, Strike Two. She was gay. Strike Three. She shook her head to clear that last thought. She poured another glass, taking a sip and letting the liquid courage warm her inside. Ten years hadn't been fought in vain. She was over it. These feelings, unpure feelings, were halted. Weren't they? But, ten years of repression and abuse hadn't been kind to her. At least in her own eyes. No-one said she was beautiful anymore. Not even her husband. All she got was daily chastening for making more money than him, for dinner being late, for her generally having a life. And if she did something wrong, well, let's just say she had the scars. Mental and physical. She hated people like that. Abusive control freaks that thought they knew how she should live her life. She had got enough shit like that from that slut waiting just outside the door. She shook her head. The bourbon had never acted so fast. Maybe it was just the culmination of the entire week's events. Having her husband hit her was bad enough, but taking shit from her PA, Kylie, and falling head over heels in love with her boss Jennifer, had taken their toll. She had bags under her eyes from endless hours lying awake in bed, trying both to untangle the knotted ball of complicated yarn that was her life, and trying to stop her 'beloved' husband from touching her. The thought of his hands on her body... She shuddered and downed the entire glass of bourbon, contemplating pouring another glass. She felt a hot trail of tears fall down her cheek and quickly wiped them away. She had never given in before, why should now be any different? She thought herself stronger than that. She stole a glance at the clook and cursed under her breath. It was nearly 5pm. It was nearly time to go home. She needed another drink before then. She was about to pour another glass when the door opened and in stepped Kylie. She took one look at her smeared mascara, dishevelled hair, glass in hand and bottle in the other, and walked right out the door. A concieted smirk upon her face. 'Great' Ashley thought. 'That's probably me fired then. At least Charles will get his wish' She sighed and set the bottle back under her desk along with the glass, and began packing her stuff. There wasn't much. A pencil, a sharpener, and a picture of her and her mother. She let out a single tear at the thought of her mother. Charles hadn't exactly wanted reletives in close proximity. Probably so she couldn't run to someone she could trust when he hit her. Now, she was stuck in this dead end job, dead end career, dead end life. Literally. If she didn't die very soon, either from a broken heart or a fatal blow from her husband, then she would be very surprised. Those fears of her husband losing control and killing her were very plausible. He came home drunk more than ever. Now that she was fired, he would never let her out of the house. The door opened just as she finished putting the last object in her desk. "Going somehwere Ashley?" She heard Kylie say with all the contempt she could muster, and Ashley had to grind her teeth and clench her fists to stop from punching her square in the mouth to shut her up. She calmed herself. With all the self control she could muster. If she was violent, then how would she be any better than Charles? She turned, and there was her boss, Jennifer. Looking so beautiful standing there with the light behind her, the golden yellow of it melding with her hair perfectly. Ashley's breath hitched, and even though she knew she was about to be fired, even though every ounce of her mind screamed at her to stop thinking these unpure thoughts, she couldn't help herself. "Kylie, would you leave us for a minute?" she asked and Kylie smirked again, walking out of the door and closing it behind her with another glance at Ashley. She didn't notice, Ashley was too busy revlling in her silk voice. Focussing her self control on not smacking Kylie upside her head, she hadn't expected to nearly lose it when Jennifer spoke. "Ashley" she said, concern in her voice, and Ashley just nodded. It was all she could do at the time. "Kylie tells me you were drinking again" she said, sitting down across her desk and motioning her to do the same. Ashley nodded, refusing to let the tears come as she felt them, hot behind her eyes. "Would you like to tell me why?" she asked softly, so softly that Ashley barely heard her. Ashley watched her smooth the creases out of her business suit. Ashley shook her head, both to calm her raging imagination about what lay under that dress, and to answer Jennifer's question. Jennifer sighed, leaning forward. "Ashley, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?" she asked and Ashley nodded quickly, Jennifer smiled. "So, why were you drinking on the job again?" Ashley shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I just" she said, then trying again. "I needed a pick-me-up" she said, her voice breaking slightly, the first time, unable to meet Jennifer's probing brown eyes. "Okay" she said with a smile, Before she glanced at the underside of the desk. "Could you spare some?" she asked, reaching under the desk and pulling out two glasses, Ashley just stared at her and nodded. "Sure" she said, and before she knew it, she was pouring two glasses of Bourbon. Jennifer took one with her slender fingers and took a sip, watching Ashley closely before raising her glass. "A toast" she said with a smile. "To very bad days" she said and Ashley smiled. "Understatement of the year award" she muttered and Jennifer's smile disappeared, concern written on her face. "Ashley, what's wrong?" she asked but Ashley waved her hand, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Damn, I need to go. I'll see you tomorrow" Ashley said as she grabbed her coat. "That is, if I'm not fired?" she asked somewhat half-heartedly, expecting the answer already. Jennifer shrugged "I don't know. You think you can handle Kylie's offhand remarks about me being soft on you?" Ashley's smile encompassed her whole face as she nodded. "Yeah" As Ashley walked out of her office, she saw Kylie looking at her with that smug smirk, and she could swear she could see a laugh there waiting to come out. She just smiled politely and walked towards the elevator. "I've been doing it for ten years" she said to herself as the doors closed. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Jennifer was worried about her. In all the years Ashley had been working at their firm, Jennifer had never seen a glimpse into Ashley's personal life. Sure, she had read the file and knew she was married to the Bishop, that's actually part of the reason she had never made a move like she had wanted to do for so long, but, Jennifer had caught her drinking on the job before and had asked her to stop, at least at work, but having Kylie snitch to her had told Jennifer that whatever was going on was serious, and Ashley thought that a bottle of hard liqour would solve her problems. Jennifer stood at the window and watched Ashley making her way to the bus stop. She noticed that Ashley was walking extremely slowly. Ashley cast a look up at her and Jennifer smiled, waving, glad that Ashley made the effort to wave back. Albiet a bit weakly. Jennifer's hand dropped and Ashely began walking away again. Jennifer's hand idly traced the window as she watched her small form walk inexorably out of the parking lot and down to the bus stop. She pulled away when she realised the shape her hand had inadvertantly drawn on the window. She grabbed her coat and keys, walking out of the door. Telling Kylie to hurry up and lock up. Walking out of the office, leaving behind fingerprints that drew a heart on the window. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The wait for the bus was excruciating. Especially since she saw one pull away and tried to run after it. In heels. Bus drivers of course are heartless. Cursing her wardrobe choice she leant on the post and had to wait for another bus before she could go home. Not that she wanted to. She heard her phone vibrate and pulled it out of her handbag only to unsnap the strap and hear everything fall on the pavement. 'Great' she thought, kneeling down to try and pick up her purse, her makeup and everything else she had concealed. She looked at her phone to see a text message from her husband asking where the hell she was. She sighed and picked everything up as best she could, placing everything she could find back in her bag before trying to make sense of what had happened to the strap. As the rain began, she silently cursed whatever God was up there that she had once believed in, now was vehemently cursing with all the words in her vocabulary. Her hair became matted to her face and her soaked clothes adhered to her body. Her raven hair tangled together when she ran her hands through it in frustration. She didn't notice the car pulling up and the window roll down. She didn't notice Jennifer until she spoke in that silky voice of hers. "Need a lift?" she asked and Ashley whirled around, smiling when she saw Jennifer. "No, I'd prefer to wait for the bus" she said, knowing that accepting a lift from Jennifer would mean two things; being in close proximity with someone she shouldn't be attracted to but was, and getting home quicker. Something she didn't want to do. "In this weather? Honey, you'll catch your death out here" she said and Ashley shivered, mostly because of the use of that particular endearment. Ashley looked around and sighed. She had a good point regardless. She walked around to the passenger side of the car and got in, closing it and trying to get her hair in some resemblance of order. Jennifer watched her intently, letting her eyes wander over her generous curves, the ample swell of her chest as she took her breaths. Jennifer shook her head and placed her hands on the steering wheel, and cleared her throat, making Ashley look at her with those beautiful Cobalt eyes. Jennifer looked at the road. "So, where do you live or do I just keep circling until I find it?" she asked with a coy grin making Ashley smile. She told her where she lived and Jennifer set off. Ashley was now thanking her stars that Jennifer seemingly took her time. "So, Ashley, tell me, why were you drinking on the job again?" she asked and Ashley just sat there, gaping like a drowning fish in air. "I, uh, I..." "It's okay. Ashley, in ten years I've come to think of you as more than my worker. You're my friend. You can tell me anything. Better me than the company therepist, yeah?" she said and Ashley had to chuckle at that last remark. A tear made its way out of her eye and she turned away. No one should see her cry. "Why would you care, why would anyone care about me?" Ashley asked and Jennifer scoffed, slamming on the brakes. "For God's sake Ashley I'm worried about you, okay? Whatever problems you have, the solutions are not at the bottom of a glass! I've told you this before and by Christ I'll tell you a million more times if that's what it takes!" She all but yelled and Ashley flinched, more out of reflex than anything else. "And besides, when a confident, beautiful woman like you tries to drink herself into a stupor at work, then whatever's going on is bad" That remark cost Ashley her focus. Having Jennifer call her beautiful was shocking. Everything else was just too much. She had to tell someone. It was eating her up. "It's Charles" she admitted, her head still turned. Jennifer watched her expectantly. "What about him? Is he cheating? Drinking? Hiting you? What is it?" she asked, and Ashley scoffed. "All of the above. At least I think" Jennifer was torn, between an insane disire to pull the woman close and comfort her, and also a very powerful urge to kill the heartless Son of a bitch that had caused this woman so much grief. Jennifer gasped when Ashley pulled up her sleeves, showing angry purple bruises that seemed very recent. Jennifer traced her finger over one gently and Ashley shuddered. Jennifer pulled back, hoping she hadn't hurt her. Ashley wiped away her makeup, at least, Jennifer thought she had only wiped away half of it. The blackness around her eye wasn't Mascara. "Bastard" she muttered, gripping the steering wheel. "How long?" Jennifer asked and Ashley wiped away her tears. "How long have we been married? About 11 years nearly" Jennifer gasped. "You have to call the police on this asshole" she said and Ashley laughed. "And have him kill me? No. He's made it perfectly clear what he'd do. And I don't want to risk it" Jennifer reached across and took her arms, forcing her to look into Jennifers Emerald eyes. "Ashley, you have to be brave, be strong, you have to tell someone who can actually do something about it" She said, and Ashley tried to break the grip, but it merely tightened around her arms. "Let go.." Ashley pleaded, looking away, but Jennifer wouldn't. "He has his hooks in you so deep that you don't even realise that he's slowly destroying you" "Please, take me home...." "No! I love you too much to watch him do this to you. Why do you let him do it?" "Because I deserve it!!" Ashley yelled, and Jennifer dropped her hands slowly. Ashley put her head in her hands and sobbed. Jennifer watched her silently, unable to process that information. "Why?" Jennifer asked quietly, and Ashley just shook her head. "So many people have said that to me, why else would they say it if it wasn't true?" Jennifer was shocked. Here was this beautiful woman, taking abuse and willingly. Jennifer started tmoving the car again and moved it forward, leaving Ashley to her thoughts. Ashley's mind was in turmoil. Jennifer had said three words. Three very special words that made her heart jump with joy, but also made her control completely disintegrate and made her bare her soul to this magical woman sitting next to her. Then, there was this little piece of her mind programmed by Charles, her Father, and even her Mother, that screamed at her for being an unholy slut for thinking these things about a woman, and that was the part she was listening to right now. When Jennifers car stopped outside her house, Ashley watched it like a person might watch a snake, or a gizelle might eye a tiger. "Right now" Jennifer said "There are two choices. One, you go in there, and I leave this alone. The issue will not be pressed. Option two, you come with me, to the police station, and we put this son of a bitch behind bars" Ashley continued to look at her house. The options were good, but to her, they meaned two things; die slowly, or die quickly. She looked at Jennifer, hurt written over her face. "Please, leave me alone" With that, she got out of the car and walked towards her house, her prison. Her death. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Ashley packed whatever she could. She couldn't find Charles or Jennifer anywhere in the house. Nothing was there, save for a note. From Charles. 'Your 'Lover' is with me. We're at the Gregory Melkovich Catholic School. When you wake up, meet us there. Or I do something that I really don't want to do. -Charles' Ashley read the note and screwed it up before letting it drop. She picked up whatever she could carry and headed out the door. Taking one last look around the place that had been her only home in the last eleven years. In all that time she never realised just how unfounded the word 'home' had been to describe her prison. She closed the door. One way or another, she wasn't coming back to this place. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* CHAPTER TWO: The Revelation Ashley woke up that morning. As usual, her husband wasn't there. He was probably in some motel room with an unnamed hooker, or she hoped, lying in a ditch with nothing but a broken whiskey bottle and severe injuries. She shook her head. No matter what he did, he was still her husband. Though she was loath to call him that right now. Last night hadn't been good. Three new bruises and a brun on her arm, but, today was Saturday. She had to run errands, do housework, because Charles sure as hell wasn't going to do anything he vehemently deemed to be 'woman's work' She placed the dirty clothes in the washing machine and turned it on. That should give her three hours to run around, getting a cake for her sister's birthday, and organising the Church Fundraiser for The Trust For The Prevention Of Abuse. She had to laugh at the irony. Leaving the machine to do its work, she stepped out of the door and walked to the bus stop, taking the bus into the town, stopping off at a delightful bakery she had bought her sister's cake at last year, knowing full well how much she liked their pastries, cakes and assorted Baked Goods. She slipped the Birthday Cake into her handbag and slung it over her shoulder as she caught another bus to her house. Her sister was pleased to see her, and even though they hadn't seen each other in little over a year, she had to marvel at how well they still got along, despite Georgias sexual preferences. It never surprised Ashley that Georgia sometimes had 1, maybe two lovers at any one time, she had often come to expect a new face evrytime she had come around, but this time, Georgia had found someone she thought she could spend the rest of her life with, and her name was Kayleigh. Vitiated Love After about an hour of talking, Ashley gave her the cake and said she had to go, but that she would see her soon. Next, she had to go home and get the laundry out of the machine and hang it up, before she went to her church to get everything ready for tomorrow. When she walked in the door, the floor was flooded with water. Thank god for linoleum. She trudged through the water and sighed when she saw the door open and the clothes strewn about the floor. A call to the repair man and a fee of around 300 bucks later, and she was ready to go. When she got to the church, she thought she recognized the car outside, but dismissed it as a feeting sensation of Déja Vu. She walked through the door and saw the welcome banner, and a table set up for donations and next to that was a bunch of finger food set out neatly on circular bowls. Some had dips in the centre with the hors d'oevres spiralling outwards. She marvelled at what had been done in her abscence, and wondered who had taken the time to do all this. That's when Jennifer chose the moment to walk out of the kitchen and greet Ashley. "Ashley" "Jennifer? What are you doing here?" Ashley asked, putting her handbag down next to the food and walking closer to her. Jennifer motioned around. "I'm organising a fundraiser for the church. Thought it might help the business' publicity" she said and Ashley nodded slowly. "So, the church hired you?" Jennifer nodded, and Ashley crossed her arms. "They tell you that I was already meant to be organising it?" Jennifer blushed and looked down. Nodding ever so slightly. Ashley sighed. "Jenn, if this is about Charles, then..." "This isn't about Charles, okay" Jennifer said, holding up a hand to quell Ashley's protests. Ashley crossed her arms sceptically. "Then what is this about?" Ashley asked and Jennifer rolled her eyes. "I figured you might need some help is all" Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Well, thanks" she said finally letting a smile out onto her face. 'God she's beautiful when she smiles' Jennifer thought, smiling back. Ashley turned around when a car pulled up and Charles got out, his buxom bimbo in tow. Ashley could guess what they were doing. They approached the door and Charles locked eyes with Ashley and Ashley shuddered at the curl of a grin at the sides of his mouth. "Hello Ashley, I see you've got everything organised then" Charles said and Ashley nodded quickly. "Jennifer helped out because I had a hectic day" she said, starting confidently but ending quietly. "Did you do all the housework?" Charles asked with contempt, stepping closer to her and Ashley nodded. "All the dishes?" Another nod was all the response he got from the petrified woman. He nodded. Satisfied that the woman's work had been done. "Well, me and Julie will go into my office and work out a 'game-plan' for tomorrow, as it were" he said and the woman, presumably Julie retired into his office. "Wow" Jennifer said, unable to quite process what just happened. Ashley sighed, putting a hand over her eyes and wrapping an arm around herself. "I know he's the man of the house but does he have to make it so obvious what he's doing?" Ashley quietly asked and Jennifer placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to put up with this you know" She said, and Ashley sighed. "You said you would leave it alone" Jennifer pulled her hand away. "Jen, look, I'm tired, and I want to go to sleep" Ashley said, before she turned around. "Do you want to go home?" she asked and Ashley smiled. "No, the washing machine broke there is water, everywhere, I'm waiting for a call from the repair man, then I can go home, watch him do his stuff and overcharge me, then I'll just stay in a motel or something" "Oh, so, not a good day then?" Jennifer quipped, and Ashley stared at her, An irregular thumping came from the office and Ashley nearly screamed. "Just calm down Ashley, let me just put the food in the fridge and I'll take you out for lunch or something, kay?" she said and Ashley nodded, whilst Jennifer walked away, taking the plates of food with her and into the small kitchen that had been put into the back room of the church. 'God, she really is beautiful when she smiles' Ashley thought, then shook her mind clear of such thoughts. She kept on thinking, reminding herself that she didn't deserve to be loved. Though it wasn't any secret as to Jennifer's feelings towards her, she had heard that first hand, what the secret was, was that she reciprocated with undying need, the love that Jennifer showed in the car last night, but she could never act on it. She wasn't even sure she deserved someone like Jennifer. She walked out to the car and shook her head, dispelling her self-depreciating train of thought. Jennifer walked out, brushing her hands and shaking her head. "They really should invest in a better fridge ya' know" she said with a grin and Ashley chuckled. Jennifer got in and started the car, unlocking the passenger door to allow Ashley to get in. Taking a last look at Ashley's profile against the gentle light coming in the blue tinted windows, She smiled and put the car in gear, pulling away from the church. "So,where to?" Ashley asked and Jennifer smiled. "A little Bistro, they serve the BEST coffee in the world" Ashley smiled. "Well, after today I could sure use some sort of caffeinated drink" Jennifer smiled as she pulled into the parking lot for the small bistro... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Ashley drove as fast as she could. Towards the abandoned school. Left to rot in 1979 it still stood as a memorable homage to the decaying town of Petró. Driving three towns over wasn't part of her plan, but when you've got a crazy religious nut-job who's stolen your lover, she was planning to do anything to get her back. But first, she hadto get there. She had to save her. She couldn't cope if she lost her. That would mean that her whole life had been for nothing if she lost her soulmate. As she pulled into the abandoned school, she parked the car and got out, seeing one window on the third floor illuminated, with a shadow standing there watching.... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* The bistro was a nice place really. Though very small, it was filled with customers, the tables inside were occupied, so Ashley and Jennifer were forced to take a table outisde and wait for the waiters and waitresses to finish with the people inside before they focussed their attention on the people outside. "So, tell me a little about yorself, how the hell did a Dynamo like you get with a scuzz-bag like Charles?" Jennifer asked and Ashley sighed, looking down at the table. Jennifer immediately regretted asking. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be prying like that..." Jennifer began but Ashley cut her off "No no, you should know. It'll be easier then for you to understand a few things" The waiter came over and asked if they would like any drinks, so Jennifer ordered two cappuccinos and the water smiled as he went off to get their drinks. Ashley began. "When I was in University, studying business, I met him there, and he seemed like a nice guy. He was already one of the Priesthood at church, so naturally I thought he would be a nice guy" Ashley stopped to chuckle at the mistake she made. The water came back over with their drinks and Jennifer took a sip, motioning for Ashley to conti nue with her tale of how her life had gone down the tubes. "I fell hard and fast in love, and he seemed to realise that. So, he proposed, we got married, and he was moved up in the church to Bishop, and I got a job at your place. Soon, he turned abusive. Little things, telling me how to dress and the like, ordering me to do housework" She stopped to take a breath, sip some coffee and continued. "Soon, he moved to emotional abuse, stopped calling me beautiful, stopped saying he loved me, he began telling me to cover up in baggy clothes bacause I looked like a cow. Soon, he turned abusive. Telling me I deserved it helped him get his hooks in I guess" Ashley looked up, and Jennifer was watching, with a look of almost pain in her eyes. Ashley saw something else as well; Love. The love in those eyes was unmistakable as anything else, and for a moment Ashley couldn't continue, but, another sip of coffee sorted that out. "There were times, when I exercised feelings of anger, there were times I nursed the idea of killing him to end my misery, or myself" She said, then her eyes went wide, realising what she had just said, then immediately tried to backtrack, but it was too late, Jennifer had heard, and the response would have been funny if the words weren't true. "You, you thought about commiting suicide?" Jennifer asked, almost unable to utter the words. Ashley looked around and got up, taking another look around, she covered her mouth as a silent sob came out, and hot tears began their descent. She turned and ran. Jennifer quickly got out her purse and payed for the unfinished drinks, going to her car and getting in, hoping to catch the fleeing woman somewhere down the street. She started the car and drove down the street, seeing Ashley stil running towards an intersection, she quickly accelerated and swerved, hitting the curb before she clambered out of the car and grabbed Ashley around the shoulders. Ashley screamed for Jennifer to let her go, but Jennifer just held on tighter than a drowning man clutching at a straw. Ashley was unable to break out of the near-death grip the stronger, blonde woman had on her, so she stopped struggling, but was unable to meet her gaze. "Ashley, look at me, look at me" Jennifer pleaded, and Ashley complied, staring into Jennifer's emerald eyes and drowning in the limpid pools of green. She looked away, but Jennifer placed a finger on her chin and raised her head. "Please, Ashley, you have to go to the police. And if your life isn't much of an incentive, then maybe this will be" she said, before closing the distance between them and claiming Ashley's lips with her own. Ashley was too shocked to react, her mind screamed to break free, that this was wrong. All her life she had never followed rules of the church save for one, and now, she was breaking even that one. But, her legs refused to move, her mind finally succumbed to the feelings of the heart and she let the sensations of the incredible kiss wash over her. She instantly became aroused to no end, nothing else had excited her more than kissing a woman, in public. IN PUBLIC?! Ashley finally pushed her away, her breathing was ragged and her pupils clouded with lust. Her look was reflected in Jennifer's eyes. "Why?" Ashley asked, and Jennifer shrugged. "Why what? Why did I kiss you? Why did you enjoy it? Why did you push me away? You're gonna have to be much more specific than 'why'" Ashley looked around, but no-one seemed to be watching her, but she felt exposed. "Can we go somewhere more private?" Ashley asked and Jennifer nodded. "Sure" Ashley got in her car, but all the way back to jennifer's house she did not make eye contact,. Just kept looking out the window. The big ball of yarn was back. Bigger than ever. And Ashley had to deal with it now, or never. As Jennifer puleed up, Ashley marvelled at the house. It was a simple design, at least at first glance, but honeysuckle decorated the North side, and at the top was a slanted roof, and where the roof and wall seperated there was just glass, forming a triangle. A small cut-off led from the East wall and the roof, presumably the bedroom. Jennifer led Ashley into the house and closed the door, before turning to Ashley who was standing hugging her stomach. "You must think I'm weak" Ashley said, finally breaking down in tears, Jennifer held her tightly as Ashley sobbed. "No, no, I don't" Jennifer reasurred her, stroking her long raven black hair as it fell down her back. "I don't think you're weak, where did that come from?" Jennifer asked, and Ashley just sniffed back her tears. "W, well, I, I haven't gone, to, to the police because I'm, I'm scared" Ashley said, and Jennifer just cradled her head. "You're not weak, You keep getting knocked down, literally, and you keep getting back up. That's not weakness. That's strength personified. Wrapped up in killer looks, by the way" Jennifer said, kissing the top of her head. Ashley pulled away, and Jennifer smiled. Ashley's resolve melted, and she had to know. "Did you mean what you said in the car?" she asked and Jennifer smiled, answering after only a three second pause. "Yes. Fully, and completely" Ashley smiled for the briefest of instants before that nagging three letter question came back to haunt her; "Why?" Jennifer sighed. "Because, in ten years I've got to know only snippets of information about you, and you have been a mystery. That captivated me from the start, and add to that you're sexy as hell and as I've learnt stronger than I ever could be with a sharp personality, I couldn't help myself" Ashley smiled again and kissed Jennifer on the lips, wrapping her arms areound the woman that had captured her heart unlike anyone else. Jennifer let her hands wander into Ashley's ever so soft hair, pulling her so that their bodies meshed as one. She ran her tongue along Ashley's bottom lip and almost sang with joy as Ashley's mouth opened to accomidate the invader. Just then, Ashley's phone rang and she pulled away, exasperated and annoyed at their bad timing, whoever this was. She answered the phone. "What?" she asked and was glad to hear it was the repair man. "I'm outside your house, ready to take a look at the problem with your machine" Ashley sighed. "I'll be right over" When she closed her phone, Jennifer was smiling, and Ashley widened her eyes and smiled goofily. "Take me home please? The repair man is there" Jennifer shook her head and grabbed her keys. "Sure, let's go, but I want to continue what we just started, and soon" Ashley waggled her eyebrows suggestively. "You promise?" Jennifer smiled and nodded. "Oh yes, I promise" she said before smiling suggestively and winking, causing Ashley to blush. When Jennifer pulled up to Ashley's house, she turned to her and placed a hand on her knee before she could get out. "Ashley, do you Love me?" Ashley smiled and placed a hand on Jennifer's cheek. "Always. And forever" Jennifer planted an almost-chaste kiss on Ashley's lips before she got out of the car and walked up the drive. Jennifer's car pulled away. She went to the door and saw the repair man's van open and out he stepped, along with another man carrying the equipment. After about two hours, three cups of coffee and a bill of $700 extra bucks, the machine was fixed. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Ashley walked through the darkened corridor and up the stairs until she reached the third floor. Then, she braced herself for the worst. If Charles had killed Jennifer, then she would kill Charles. Simple as that. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* CHAPTER 3: The Grand Reveal Ashley woke up with a contented sigh, despite the night of unfulfilling sex and general lack of tenderness on her husband's part. She had had the most erotic dream and it had all been centred on Jennifer; her sexy friend, boss and confidánt. And now she was sure, the one she wanted to spend her life with. She got up, got dressed in Sunday Best and was cli-clopping out the door in five minutes, closely followed by her husband who was dressed in his usual suit and tie job. The service wasn't that boring, allthough, Charles seemed to make innumerable references to moral and ethical qualms. She slipped out early and got the plates of food out of the fridge, arranging them in a perfect circle around the centrepeice; a large ornate flower vase. She then set up the welcome banner and waited for the service to end. She grew bored by the time they all came into the cultural hall. She was certainly surprised when Jennifer was the first one through the door, giving her a knowing look that almost made her blush had she not been commited to the cause right then and there. Bottles of wine were set out near the food just for the people from the Trust, who numbered in their mid fifties. She blessed the food and set5 out welcoming the guests, pouring them each a glass of wine, and getting one for herself and Jennifer. Charles, she noticed, was eyeing her suspiciously while she drunk the wine, whilst he chatted up some blonde from the Trust. She sighed and downed the wine, reaching for the bottle and pouring herself another one. Jennifer appeared at her side. "So, what's going on?" she asked and Ashley eyed her for a moment. "What do you mean?" "You've got that crafty look in your eye" Jennifer commented and Ashley looked at her questioningly. "There's a look?" "You can't miss it" Jen quipped and Ashley made a fake laugh. "Oh hardy har har smartypants" Jennifer laughed and took a sip of the wine. "You make me laugh Ashley" "Good, hopefully I'll make you do much more than just laugh later" Ashley said before taking a sip, almost laughing at Jen nearly choking on her wine. "What the hell happened to the woman who used to work for me?" "She fell in love with the woman who decided to drive her home" Ashley said, making Jennifer smile warmly at her. Ashley took her hand discretely and Jennifer's smile grew even bigger. "I love you Jen" She whispered, sipping her wine, and Jennifer lifted hers to her lucious lips, hiding her words as she spoke. "I love you too" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* As Ashley walked through the door, she wasn't preapared to be smacked over the head with an empty whiskey bottle. It shattered and she fell to the floor with barely a sound, feeling a trio of hotsensations on her neck from where glass shards had entered her neck. She heard a muffled screaming and knew that Jennifer was somewhere in the room. She looked up and saw her tied to a chair with a rag in her mouth to prevent her screams from being heard by anyone outside. She tried to get up, but a straight kick to her broken arm made her think twice about that. She doubled back over when the pain became too much. Ashley saw Charles walk around and she saw his boots as she tried to look him in the eye. He knelt down and pulled er hair, forcing her to look at him. "Filthy bitch!" he screamed, before throwing her to the side. Her head hit a table leg and sprawled on the floor once again. She was getting tired of being manhandled like this. She stood shakily and heard Jennifer cry out. A warning. Se heard it just in time. Looking up to see a flash of metal, her eyes grew wide as her fists went to work. She blocked the overhead strike and punched him in the stomach, then realised that for all his strength, he was still a man. A straght kick to his groin doubled him over, and she brought her elbow down on his spine. He went down and she grabbed the knife from his weak grasp, walking over to Jennifer, she untied her witha straight slice to eliminate those troublesome ropes. Jennifer hugged her close and she sighed, loving the way her body felt against hers. Ashley still felt a throbbing in her arm, but that didn't mattter. She and her lover were safe. She didn't hear the bolt being cycled inside the chamber of the Glock-7... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ After the fundraiser, Ashley watched Charles go away with the bimbo he was chatting up earlier. She got a text saying to have dinner ready by 5 and not to wait up. So, she offered to take Jennifer out for a meal, but that Jen was driving. Jen laughed "Okay, but you're paying for the meal then" she said and Ashley smiled that million watt smile and nodded. "That's kinda what I meant by; my treat" she said, kissing Jennifer on the nose. They were alone, so Ashley wasn't worried about being seen. And when Jennifer's lips melded with her own, she couldn't care less. Vitiated Love "Let's go before I ravish you right here" Jennifer said and Ashley sighed when she planted another kiss on her lips. "As tempting as that sounds, I think I want to get changed first, and leave Charles a microwave meal or something" "Fine, let's get you home then" Jennifer said, leading Ashley towards her car. She opened the passenger door for her and helped her in, lightly running feather touches along Ashley's body, making Ashley shudder. Jennifer was smiling when those Sapphire eyes connected with hers, cloudy and glazed with love, and lust. The latter made Jennifer arch an eyebrow and a sexy grin appear on her face. Ashley returned the grin as Jennifer climbed into the car. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The restaurant was beautiful. A stately Victorian number set in a small woodland area. A dirt path led up to it, surrounded by trees on all sides. The insides were illuminated with all the shades of orange, red and yellow one could imagine. As Jennifer and Ashley walked through the door, they were struck with just how busy the place was. When Jennifer passed by one of the candles, Ashley was struck by the way the candle-light melded with her hair color, creating an image of this elemental woman standing their right next to her. Ashley's breath hitched and Jennifer looked at her askance. "What?" she asked, and Ashley shook her head, "Nothing, it's just you're so beatiful" she said, and Jennifer smiled, confused "Where'd that come from?" "I just felt like saying it" Ashley admitted almost sheepishly. Jennifer kissed her, drawing a few confused looks from other patrons. "You're gonna give me a big head you know" Jennifer said, and Ashley chuckled. "You deserve it" "Not half as much as you" Jennifer retorted, and Ashley blushed. They were seated and Ashley ordered their drinks, Jennifer ordering their meals, seeing as how she had been there before. "So, Jennifer, you know a lot about me, but I know nearly nothing about you" Ashley said, and Jennifer smiled. "Well, there's not really much to tell, um, I went to business school, I got a job at a small law firm, then I moved to Jackson&Co, and now I'm the head of the accounting division" Ashley laughed. "I didn't mean that, I meant you, the woman behind the business" Jennifer smiled, and they talked for the whole night, learning everything about each other, where hey used to go to school, when their birthdays were, even going as far as to learn each others favourite color. Of course, neither one could resist teasing each other, Ashley unbuttoned a few buttons on her blouse, and Jennifer lightly ran her foot up Ashley's calf. By the end of the night, they were oth hotter than summer in Sicily, and neither could keep their hands off of the other. When they had to seperate in order to get in the car, neither one wanted to make the first move, or break their embrace as they stood in front of the restaurant, kissing and caressing each other. By now, neither cared if they were seen, and nor by who, they just knew they wanted each other. And it took all of their self control not to take each other right there in front of the restaurant. Finally, though, they got in the car, and Jennifer drove Ashley back to her house. Ashley turned to her and they embraced passionately, letting their hands and lips roam over each other like lovers who hadn't seen each other in years. Ashley ran her fingers into Jennifer's long golden hair and pulled her lips closer. Jennifer ran her tongue over Ashley's bottom lip, and Ashley moaned, allowing the probing tongue entry. Ashley quickly pulled away, and moved her hair so that it didn't obstruct her view. "Would you like to come inside?" Ashley asked and Jennifer nodded, getting out of the car first so she could help Ashley out. They held hands as they travelled up the stairs and Ashley unlocked the door, stepping inside. They both let out a girlish giggle as Ashley nearly tripped over the threshold. "Hello Ashley" Ashley froze at the voice, and looked over to the kitchen, seeing Charles there with a lit cigarette in his hand. "And who is this?" he asked in his smooth voice, which Ashley knew to be his most dangerous. Suddenly, a spark ignited inside her. She was tired of being terrified. If he didn't approve, screw him. If he tried to hit her, she would fight back, and she had Jennifer with her, so he wouldn't dare. Right? "Charles, this is Jennifer. My lover" she said straight away. There was a moment of silence, dreadul silence. Jennifer was too stunned, and Ashley watched in horrible fascination as Charles' eyes grew wide in anger, and hs face flushed to a purple rage. He slowly walked over to the pair, clenching his fists. "Your, your what?!" he asked, his rage clearly evident, his self control slipping. "She's my lover. The one I love, and twice the person you are. She actually thinks about me, cares for me. SHe's the one that convinced me that I've been haking your shit too damn long, and I will not take it any more..." Charles finally lost it, hitting her around the face. "YOU DO NOT TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME!" He screamed, then turned to Jennifer. "Ungodly heathen!" he said, smacking her in the mouth, knocking her into the wall. She was unconscious. He stepped over Ashley and slammed his heel down on her elbow, then kiced her in the face. He Dragged Jennifer's limp body outside after he wrote a notew. When Ashley woke up, she would come find her. And he would kill them both. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Ashley heard the shot, then felt it in her thigh. A scream echoed around the room, then she realised it was her own. The burning sensation was too much, the pain she felt too great, and she fell to the floor, still screaming. She brought her hand up to her eyes, seeing the crmson stains covering her hand. Something bad had happened. The bullet had hit something in there. Another two shots, and another scream echoed around the room, before Ashley's vision went black. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Jennifer didn't want to be there. It was a funeral she was not ready for. Tears were in her eyes as she walked through the mass of people towards the coffin. Reletives made up the mass of it, not too many friends, however. Mostly people from church crowded the coffin. Jennifer thought for the millionth time that day of things she would rather be doing than paying respects and goodbyes to people who didn't deserve them. And no, this man did not deserve even the slightest ounce of pity from Jennifer. She heard the sound of crutches behind her and smiled as a hand came up to wipe away her tears. She turned, and saw Ashleys warm blue eyes looking up at her as she kissed her on the lips. "I still don't see why we have to do this" Jennifer said, and Ashley smiled. "Because without him, we would never have realised what we had was more than friendship" Jennifer walked towards the coffin and stared in contempt at the lifeless body of Charles Goodyear. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Jennifer drove them both back to Ashley's house, their house. Seeing as how Jennifer and Ashley had both been outed as a lesbian couple in the eyes of the community, they had both been ex-comminucated, and Ashley had wasted no time in asking Jennifer to move in with her. Jennifer, of course, had agreed wholeheartedly, and the house was now theirs. Jennifer and Ashley both got out of the car and walked into their house, and before the door was even shut, Ashley was attacking Jennifer with all the ferocity of a caged lion. Jennifer reciprocated and they both let out a simultaneous moan when their tongues collided and began their sensual duel for dominance. Jennifer easily won, and pushed Ashley back towards the stairs, gently removing the womans blouse. Ashley stopped her suddenly, then led Jennifer up the stairs into the bedroom, smiling as she once again attacked Jennifer's full lips with her own. They were nearly ripping each other's clothes off in their heated passion, Jennifer pushed Ashley back so that her knees hit the foor of the bed, and she lay her gently down, careful of her wounded arm, gently laying atop her and kissing her again. Thier bodies meshed together, the feeling of skin colliding with skin the most erotic and sensual thing eather women had ever felt. Jennifer slowly traced her lips from Ashley's and planted kisses along her jawline, then down to her neck, biting and sucking in all the right places. Ahsley lost herself in the sensations and Jennifer ran her hnads over Ashley's full breasts, letting her hnds roam free and feel Ashley's soft skin. Ashley was letting herslef go, feeling the hands on her skin, the lips that soon followeed, capturing a hardened nipple, Jennifer's mouth went to work carving the delicious sensations onto Ashleys heart and soul, making her arch her back and moan in pleasure. Jennifer's hands roamed down ever lower, never too far away from her lips. Ashley moaned in desperation when Jennifer's lips left her breast, only to capture the other one and lavish the same attention onto it. Wehn she moved lower, Ashley was nearly loosing her mind. The delicious torture was so good, and yet it kept her on the very cusp of pleasure for so long. Jennifer knew what she was doing, and she smiled. She wasn't going to be rushed. She wanted to take the time to intimately explore Ashley's body, find the places to make her squirm, make her scream. She ran a slender finger over Ashley's heated core and was rewarded with a sharp intake of air, followed by Ahshley arching her back. She repeated the move, this time ever so slightly going inside, and the same reaction, stronger this time, prompted her to repeat it again, and again, and again, going deeper and deeper each time until she was finally plunging her fingers into Ashley's heated womanhood with wild abandon. Jennifer curved her fingers, and Ashley moaned deeply, her breathing became ragged and she began whispering Jennifer's name over and over. Jennifer's lips moved over her abdomen, until they rested on Ashley's evident desire. She tasted sweet and feminine, How Jennifer expected her to taste. Jennifer's lips captured Ashleys clit and she screamed, her soul bared and her heart pounding. Jennifer was rewarded with a gush of sweet nectar that she drank deeply of. Ashley was writhing and bucking her hps for a good ten munutes, until Jennifer slipped back up Ashley's body and Kissed her passionately on the lips, whispering sweet nothings in each others ear. They fell asleep soundly in each others arms, content with what their life together would bring. Thye would face challenges head on, together, they were strong.