15 comments/ 11333 views/ 0 favorites Dear God... By: OnlyByMoonlight Dear God, Yahweh, Allah, Buddha or whoever is up there looking down on us, I have lived my life as best I can. I have always been respectful of others and accepted even those that hated me. I have never stolen, lied, or intentionally hurt another human being. I have abided by every social law. I have given to those less fortunate whenever I could, both monetarily and spiritually. I have loved unconditionally, and I have never doubted your plan-- not even as a child, when my father did those horrible things to me. I just closed my eyes and thought of you. I thought that if I could survive it, I would be rewarded. Yet I am being punished. I am alone. I have no living family. The friends I have acquired throughout my life have all shown themselves to be frauds. However, I always had my husband. He was the sparkle in my life—my shining star in the dark sky. We loved each other more than I can express in this letter. But you took him away from me. Without warning or cause you took him from me. Why? Why, when I loved him so much? I have tried to find a reason why this might be, but I cannot. Until now I have never questioned you or your divine plan, but now I do. I find myself wondering if you are the loving God the world claims, or even if you exist at all. After all, if you did exist and love us so, why do you hurt us? I loved my husband more than anything on this earth, yet I would have never dreamt of hurting him the way you have hurt me. I would have never done anything to make him sit at home, alone, crying. But you did that to me. I find that the tears will not stop coming. When I am home alone they come. When I am at the store they come. When I am riding the bus they come. I can't stop them. And every time they come I think of him. I think of how he would have wrapped his arm around me and comforted me or how he would have rubbed my cheek to soothe me. But he doesn't and he never will. Not ever again. A part of me wonders if you know the pain you have caused me. Because if you did and you truly loved me, then you would not have done this horrible thing. You would have let us have children and grow old together. Or, at the very least you would have let us die together. Like Baucis and Philemon, from the Ovid story. The couple who, when given a wish by Zeus himself, wished not for money or power, but that they would die at the same moment so that neither would have to live a day without the other. At the very least, you could have given us that. But yet I sit here drowning in the pain that you have given me. Not love or compassion, but agony. And I ask again, why? If I had an answer, maybe that would help me. But I know I'll never get one. Your children spend hours praying, but you never answer. So her I sit in my home, listening to the echoes of my fingers on the keyboard. That's all that's here now—echoes. Shadows and glimpses of what could have been; what should have been. Now I have found a new companion—the pills. These round little things that make me forget about him and you. They make me forget I have ever lost something, or that I ever had something worth losing. But they hurt me too. When I don't take them my body shakes. I don't know if it's because my body needs them now, or because my heart needs them now. Either way, they are all that I have; two hundred and fifty milligrams of comfort every day. Was this the way it was supposed to be? Were the pills supposed to be my true love? Were the pills all that I deserved? Maybe so. Maybe you tried to warn me when I was a child. Maybe you tried to tell me I wasn't worthy. And I just didn't listen. Instead I warped your divine plan by marrying one of your good children. Maybe that's why you took him; you took him back. At least that's all I can come up with. And then, there's the knife as well. I bought it yesterday at the supermarket after I stopped crying. It's nothing fancy, but just enough to do the job. I've already started a little. It's not as hard to do as I thought it would be. Like I said, you never answer us when we pray to you. So now I'm going to talk to you face to face and finally get some answers, even if that means damnation. It's worth it. So I'll see you soon, and maybe even my husband too. I want to know, do you really love me? Do you even know who I am? Get your answers ready. Dear Griffin Hey there litsters!! So I am back with a new story, it is roughly based on Dear John. I honestly have no idea why this idea came to me but it would be a cold day in hell when I deny any inspiration for a story. I hope you guys enjoy this latest adventure. Things have been insane in my life, so I try to make time to write whenever I can and those are rare moments. But I couldn't leave you guys without an adventure to occupy for an hour or two. Once again, thanks to idrublood for being my beta. I also read that I am supposed to add that she did her best and all mistakes left are my one, which is true. She did a fantastic job and I am lucky to have convinced her to take on my stories. I also have a true story that I am working on and I am truly excited about it!!! I know you guys will love it and I hope to have it done shortly, like with my time shortages my subject and inspiration for this story is also very busy. I hope you guys enjoy the story! Don't forget to vote and comment or whatever but please refrain from mentioning my mistakes that is not the purpose of the story. I also want to give a huge shout out to Mary Lambert and Macklemore for writing a beautiful song that fights for gay rights! That song is sure to touch a lot of hearts, if you haven't heard it, make sure to Google it! Same Love by Macklemore and Mary Lambert! Happy reading! SAbitch ********** Scarlett jogged the shoreline, the music from her mp3 player blasting in her ear and for a second she looked to her right at the ocean. Suddenly she came to a stop and almost fell backward as she ran into something solid and felt strong arms encircle her body to keep her upright. "Shit, I am so sorry," the young woman muttered. Scarlett quickly pulled her earphones out and looked up into the most brilliant grey-green eyes she had ever seen, "uh, sorry, I wasn't looking uh, where I was, uh going." "No, no, it was my fault, I wasn't looking," she said quickly and smiled, steadying Scarlett and dropping her arms to her sides. "Jesus, it felt like into a wall," Scarlett commented and rubbed her shoulder. "Uh, I am really sorry. I am Griffin, by the way," she said nervously. "Scarlett, it's okay. Don't worry about it," she smiled into the apologetic eyes and felt her heart rate pick up pace. "Let me buy you lunch as an apology," Griffin said quickly and almost fainted when she realized that she was talking to Scarlett da Silva, singer and actress. "On one condition," she said and smiled when she saw the flicker of recognition flash across those beautiful eyes. "Name it." "You have to show me around here. I have never been in Cape Town before or South Africa, for that matter and I want to learn about the place," her respect for the tanned woman grew when she didn't make a scene about meeting a celebrity. "Well, I am only here for another two weeks but I am sure I can show you around a bit," Griffin smiled. "Great, I'm staying in the house down there. Meet me there at twelve," Scarlett couldn't help but stare into the captivating eyes. "See you at twelve," Griffin smiled and started to walk away. Scarlett stared at the tall, toned body wrapped in a tight tank top and running shorts. Her eyes followed the line of the toned legs to shapely behind, strong back and shoulders to the muscled arms. The dark hair was cropped short and hidden beneath a cap. Suddenly a picture of the Cupid's bow lips came to mind and she remembered the strong set jaw and sculptured cheekbones. Jesus, am I checking a woman out? There must be something seriously wrong with me! But, God she is so fucking beautiful and those eyes... Scarlett shook her head and finally started jogging to back to the rental house. ********** Griffin had a face-splitting grin when she approached her Jeep and shook her head at the chance meeting. Scarlett da Silva was one of her idols and she had heard the Italian beauty was in the country for a holiday but she never thought she would bump into her. She was even more beautiful in real life and Griffin kept running her mind over the refined features of the brunette. Long, dark hair was tied at the nape of her neck and her olive coloured skin glowed with the fine sheen of perspiration that covered her body. She was shorter than Griffin, 5'6"to her 5'10". Her slim body was covered beneath a loose fitting t-shirt and her long legs packed into tight spandex pants. The full but smallish breasts were hardly visible beneath the top and her full lips were always ready to curve into smile. Her dark eyes were friendly and her high cheekbones completed the beautiful package that was Scarlett. Griffin removed her surfboard from the roof and quickly swopped her tank top and short for the wetsuit stowed on the backseat. She walked back across the soft sand, her board tucked under her arm and the smile still grazing her lips. The water was cold against her heated skin but she picked up her pace and dove beneath the waves to get deeper into the ocean. She absent-mindedly paddled to the other surfers on the water and straddled her board as she waited for the waves to come in. After setting her alarm to go off at eleven she started paddling hard to catch the waves and surfed for hours. Scarlett looked out from the deck and smiled at the dots in the water, desperate to catch a wave and do a few manoeuvres to impress their fellow surfers. She watched as a tall body walked from the water and unzipped her wetsuit, pulling down her shoulders and allowing it to bunch around her waist. Griffin shook the water from her hair and trembled as a cold wind kissed her wet skin. Even from a distance, Scarlett could see the faint lines that defined the muscles of Griffin's body. The tanned skin glistened in the sun and she felt her breath hitch when she saw the grey-green eyes turn in her direction and the white teeth shining as she smiled. Griffin gave a small wave and walked to her Jeep to get a change of clothes and rinse the salty water from her body in the shower. She stepped under the cold spray and shivered at the contact. Once she was done she pulled on her jeans and a black tank top, rolling up the legs of the jeans before stepping into her sandals. She added some wax to her hair and towel dried it until it was styled the way she wanted. The sand crunched beneath her feet as she approached Scarlett's house, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans before knocking on the sliding door that was slightly open. "Hi," came Scarlett's voice, her Italian accent thick as she approached the door. "Hey yourself," Griffin smiled and lifted the sunglasses from her head. "So, where are we going?" she asked with a smile of her own. "There's this little restaurant on the beach, not too far from here. The seafood is really good and the vibe is pretty amazing." "Sounds good. Just let me lock up and then we can go." They walked in silence across the warm sand and Griffin smiled at the sight of Scarlett in her tight shorts and t-shirt. "What are you smiling at?" "Was just thinking that you look good in shorts," Griffin said and smiled when a light blush covered the other woman's cheeks. "Uh, th-thanks," Scarlett stumbled. You're a world famous singer and actress who perform in front of thousands of people and one compliment from this woman and your damn brain melts! Get a grip! Scarlett scolded herself and blushed even more when she saw the amused grin of her new friend. "So, I was wondering, based on how this lunch goes and how you feel about me showing you around afterward, if you wanted to join me at the beach party tonight?" Griffin asked and looked away from the blushing woman as they approached the entrance to the tiny restaurant. "Uh, yeah, where is- is it?" Scarlett asked and almost kicked herself. "On this beach, so you will be close to your house if you want to leave at any time," Griffin hoped that the actress would agree. "Let's see how lunch goes," Scarlett smiled and realized that the only time she could speak properly around Griffin was when those intense eyes were not focussed on her. "Cool," Griffin mumbled and spoke to a waiter who quickly seated them outside where they could look at the ocean. "So, what do you do?" Scarlett asked and tried to avoid the eyes that seemed to turn her into a blubbering mess. "I'm in the Special Forces. I came home for my annual leave and I head back in two weeks." "That explains why it felt like I ran into a brick wall when I bumped into you this morning," Scarlett laughed and looked at the tall brunette with admiration. "Yeah, sorry again. They kinda teach you during training how to withstand certain hits and I guess it becomes instinct." "Can I ask you something, without trying to sound vain," Scarlett stared into her glass. "Shoot." "Do you know who I am?" Griffin laughed at that and saw the smaller woman flinch, "just because I spend most of my time in foreign third world countries trying to prevent political dispute and war, doesn't mean there are no TVs or magazines. So yeah I know who you are and honestly, I am a really big fan." "Look, I really don't want to sound vain, but why didn't react like most of my other fans?" she asked and couldn't help but smile at the quirky grin Griffin had. "I guess that would be training too. I just figured, that after I almost flattened you, the last thing you needed was a desperate fan drooling all over you," Griffin shrugged. Their food came and they ate in silence for a while, "I barely know you but I feel like a regular person in your company and I appreciate that." Griffin looked at the dark head that was slightly bent to avoid her eyes and smiled, "I'm glad to hear that. There's nothing worse than trying to have a relaxing holiday and being bothered all the time. Besides, you seem nice enough and I don't have much else planned." Scarlett looked up the woman uncertainly and smiled when she saw that she was joking, "way to bruise a girl's ego!" "I'm sure that hardly left a crack in yours," she ducked when a serviette came flying at her and laughed. Scarlett laughed and wondered how it was possible to get along with someone so quickly. It only took a few minutes before the banter came from both sides and the women laughed as they shared dessert. They argued over the bill until Griffin reminded her that she invited her and that it was her treat. "Do you wanna come over for a drink?" Scarlett asked and was surprised when she heard the words leave her mouth. "I would love to but I have to go fetch my brother from school. I will come around at about six and then we can have a drink before heading to the party. Well, shit sorry, that is if you wanted to come?" Scarlett tried to hide her disappointment with a smile but didn't realize that she wasn't doing a very good job, "yeah, I would love to go. Just ring the doorbell when you get to my house." They walked out onto the beach and made small talk until they walked onto the deck of the large house. "So, I'll see you later," Griffin said hopefully. "Definitely," Scarlett smiled and fought back the urge to hug the strong woman in front of her. Her eyes followed the retreating figure of Griffin as she made her way across the beach and she questioned the sudden connection she felt with the woman. She smiled and realized that she had finally made a real friend and this holiday suddenly seemed worth it. *********** Griffin drove toward the nearby school, a smile still plastered on her face. She never thought she'd meet her idol, let alone be considered a friend of the above mentioned. Her brother stood waiting at the curb with a girl next to him and she smiled at the tall young man who looked so much like her. "Hey, sis," he smiled and hugged when she got out. "Hi, so who is this?" she asked with a warm smile, her shades still firmly in place. "This is Tina, my girlfriend. She is going to come with us to the party tonight. Tina this is my sister, Griffin," he motioned to the dark, intense woman. "Nice to meet you," the young girl said nervously. "You too. Well let's get going, I have somewhere to be at six," she said and made her way to the door. "How was your first day as a civilian?" Braydon asked casually as he opened the door for Tina. "You will never guess who I met today and have drinks with at six before the party," Griffin said with a grin that crooked at the one side of her mouth. "Who?" Braydon asked perplexed. "Scarlett da Silva," Griffin looked over at her brother and burst out laughing at his disbelieving facial expression. "THE Scarlett da Silva?" he asked through a tight throat. "Yeah, the one and only. She's here on vacation and she literally ran into me this morning." "Are you sure you didn't hallucinate?" "Ha... Ha... I will introduce you tonight, just don't act like a blubbering fool when I do," Griffin smiled, her brother had as big a crush on the actress as she did. "Are you bringing her to the party?" Tina asked from the backseat. "Yeah, if she still wants to go," Griffin smiled at the pretty young girl in the rear-view mirror. "That would be so cool," she gushed and blushed when the siblings started laughing. Half an hour later they stopped in front of a modest house and walked through the door. Their mother was at work and this left them alone for a few hours before the party started. They gathered in the kitchen and made sandwiches for lunch, Griffin didn't eat much due to her lunch with Scarlett but sat with her brother and reconnected. "How's that scar looking?" he asked with a mouth full of food. "It's not red and sensitive anymore but it will always be there," she said with a shrug. "Let me see," he requested. Griffin lifted her shirt and saw the young girl's eyes nearly pop out of her head. Along her torso ran a long scar where a child soldier attacked her when she refused to shoot him. She let her guard down when they took the gun from him and he attacked with a knife when she approached. Griffin was barely able to stop her team from shooting the young boy of about twelve. "Well, it makes you look rugged in a sexy way," he said at looked at the long scar that ran from under her breast across and down to her hip. "Yeah, I know. Chicks dig scars," she laughed and asked him about school. They spent a long time catching up, Tina rarely speaking but laughing at the sibling interaction. At four their mother came home, a complete contrast to the siblings who had most of their father's genes. She was fair skinned and had blonde hair that hung down her back with the same grey-green eyes. "Hey mama," Griffin hugged the elder woman and held her close for a long time. "Hey, Grif. So are you guys ready for that party? It saves me from cooking," she said and smacked her daughter's behind as she walked away. "Yeah, I just want to shower and get dressed." "She has a date with the Scarlett da Silva," Braydon interjected and ducked the swinging arm of his sister with a laugh. "That's nice," she said and went about her normal routine. "Mama, Scarlett is like a Hollywood famous actress," Braydon said in exasperation. "I know, I just don't understand why you guys make such a big deal about it. She is just a normal person after all." "Maybe one day you will understand," Braydon mumbled and led Tina to the spare room where she could change. Griffin laughed and walked down the hall to her room to grab the clothes she wanted to wear and headed to the shower. She pulled her shorts on over her bikini after she stepped out of the shower and pulled her blue Superman shirt on. After stepping into her sandals and grabbing a light jacket, she kissed her mother goodbye and waited for the younger two to join her. ********** After leaving her brother and his companion at their friend's house on the beach she walked toward the large house Scarlett lived in. She shook the sand from her feet and sandals and knocked on the door. Scarlett walked to the door and smiled warmly at her guest. "Hi," she said with hint nervousness. "Hey there," Griffin smiled. "Come in, we can grab a beer and then sit on the deck." They grabbed a beer and sat on the settee on the deck, talking about random things and sharing stories about their lives. "So why did you join the Special Forces?" Scarlett asked in curiosity. "Well, my father died fighting the war against Apartheid. I was only fourteen when he died in 94 before the official elections and he never got to see how he's fighting had made a difference in this country. I guess I joined because I wanted to live his legacy and be like him. So after school I signed up and was accepted. After the first two years they offered me a five year contract and I still have a year left." "Wow, I'm sorry about your father. So are you gonna sign another contract?" "I don't know. I mean my mother is getting older and I just want to be home more, but it depends on what happens. It's not something I'm thinking about right now because there is so much that can happen between now and then." "That's true," Scarlett looked into her bottle contemplatively and thought about how for the first time in years she felt like a real person and not some conjured up character of someone's fantasy. "We should probably head to the party. I promised my brother I would introduce him to you. Oh and be warned there will be a lot of people fawning over you but I will try to keep them in tow." They walked across the beach and heard the loud music echoing across the sky. There were people everywhere and at some point Griffin grabbed the actress's hand to pull her through the crowd toward the house where the music was coming from. After looking around for a while and grabbing a beer they finally found Braydon and Tina. "Hey," Griffon said and sat on one of the available chairs. "Hey sis," Braydon said back followed by a soft 'hey' from Tina. "This is Scarlett, Scarlett this is my brother, Braydon and his girlfriend, Tina. And all of his other friends that I really don't know the names of." Braydon almost fell off of his chair and Griffon burst out laughing. "Oh, uh, Hi, ni-nice t-to m-meet y-you," he stammered. "Hi, you too," she shook his hand and smiled at the male version of her new friend. They all laughed and talked, the occasional fan coming over to ask for an autograph but all in all she was amazed at how Griffin had kept the unwanted attention away. She quickly realized that people feared the soldier and respected her in a fierce way. When the song Wake Me Up by Avicii started playing Griffin jumped up and started singing at the top of her lungs, causing Scarlett to laugh harder than she had in years. She stared at the woman in amazement and realized she wanted to know everything about her. Griffin snapped her fingers and moved her body while her legs twisted as she danced. Scarlett laughed at the enthusiasm that went into the performance. She could see the love for this song on Griffin's face and realized that the lyrics did truly hold a special message for the soldier. "So wake me up when it's all over When I'm wiser and I'm older All this time I was finding myself And I didn't know I was lost..." "She is a dreamer and believes in this fantasy love," Braydon supplied to the laughing Scarlett. Scarlett smiled at him and wondered how someone could approach life so logically and yet be a dreamer. Suddenly the dark haired woman intrigued her even more and she hoped that she could get a lifetime friendship out of this. "Yo, Captain, I am gonna play your favourite "fight-for-gay-rights song next," a strong man shouted from behind the DJ booth. "Thanks." "Captain?" Scarlett asked with a grin. Dear Griffin "Like Captain America but just Captain SA in this case. They believe I am always looking for a way to save the world," Griffin said with a shrug. Scarlett laughed and immediately decided that the nickname suited her friend. Not just because of her career but the willingness to help everyone that she sensed throughout their few hours together. Same Love started playing and Griffin was on her feet once again, surrounded by a large group of gay people or simply people who supported the gay rights act. She already envisioned her friend speaking to a large group of people and explaining why gay people deserve the same right as others. "When I was in the 3rd grade I thought that I was gay Cause I could draw, my uncle was And I kept my room straight I told my mom, tears rushing down my face She's like, "Ben you've loved girls since before pre-K" Scarlett watched in fascination as everyone grabbed their chests and rapped together as though they were singing a national anthem. Seeing the people so united brought tears to her eyes and suddenly she realized why it was so important to her to follow in her father's footsteps and fight for a better world. The woman had an intense passion about her and Scarlett admired her for expressing that in her daily life. "A pre-conceived idea of what it all meant For those who like the same sex had the characteristics The right-wing conservatives think it's a decision And you can be cured with some treatment and religion Man-made, rewiring of a pre-disposition Playing God Ahh nah, here we go America the brave Still fears what we don't know And God loves all His children And somehow forgotten But we paraphrase a book written 3,500 hundred years ago I don't know..." Scarlett wished she knew the lyrics so that she could stand next to this group of people and sing with them. She smiled at the serious expression on her friend's face and wondered what it would be like to be the receiver of such an intense passion. Her thoughts drifted to what Braydon said about her being a dreamer and believing in a fantasy love. She wondered if she would ever find it and suddenly the image of Griffin's arms around when she ran into her filled her mind and she quickly shook them away. She was not gay after all and this was simply a holiday and she was not looking to experiment or even entertain the idea of falling for someone who would run off in two weeks to go and save the world. The party started winding down and Griffin walked to Scarlett to walk her home. They walked in silence and Griffin wondered if they offended the actress with their performance of Same Love. "Did you at least have fun?" Griffin asked and saw the tiny smile on the full lips of her friend. "I had more fun tonight than I remember having a couple of years. I don't know how you kept everyone from not drooling over me but I truly appreciated having been able to go to a party and not spend the night taking pictures and signing autographs." "Let's just say they know me and respect the boundaries I set up around myself." They reached the deck and Scarlett awkwardly leaned in to give Griffin a hug. Suddenly she was engulfed in a barrier of safety and care and realized that she didn't want to let go. Reluctantly both women pulled away and said their goodbyes. Griffin reached the beach when Scarlett spoke. "Am I gonna see you tomorrow?" "How do you feel about learning to surf?" "Well, that sounds fun." "Great, see you at ten." With that Griffin disappeared into the dark to find her brother and take them all home. Her mind was filled with the laughing images of her friend. She's even more beautiful when she laughs. I need to make sure that happens more. Oh shit, Griffin, don't fall in love with her! God dammit, you are in the Special Forces, risking your life on a daily basis and she lives on the opposite end of the world. Friendship, that is all this is and it won't become more. She continued lecturing herself until she found her brother and they made their way to the Jeep. He saw the thoughts turning in his sister's head and wondered what would happen between the two women. Both seemed to want something to happen but was fighting hard against the possibility of it. ********** Griffin went her for her morning jog and gym session, she knew she had to keep fit if she planned on surviving another year with the forces. She returned home just after nine and rushed to get showered and dressed to meet Scarlett for her first surfing lesson. When she knocked Scarlett opened with an amused smile. "I thought I was being stood up," she said and laughed at the shocked expression on Griffin's face. "Sorry, I went to the gym and then I lost track of time. As you can see I didn't even do my hair and I realized I don't have a number for you so I couldn't call to say I am a little late." "That's okay, I was just pulling your leg." "I hardly doubt that anyone would ever even consider not showing up for a date with you." Shit, please tell me I didn't just say date. "You'd be surprised. So what do I need for my lessons?" Why did I just get excited about the prospect of a date with her? Shit. "I have an extra wetsuit, but it will be too big for you. So we should get you one of those and I have a board you can use. Let's see how the lessons go and then we can go buy you your own board." Scarlett couldn't help but smile at the soldier, despite her tough exterior she had a really soft and caring heart. They made their way to the local surf shops and Scarlett found herself surprised by how well the soldier was known. She also admired how she reflected all attention onto herself to avoid any crazy fans to impose on Scarlett. I wonder if she's always this protective. It's really cute. They arrived back at the beach and Griffin patiently explained the technique of surfing and demonstrated to Scarlett. There was a lot of laughter and Scarlett soon found herself being able to balance on the board. "Tomorrow we can paddle out and then you can test your new skills," Griffin said with pride. "Oh my God, that was amazing. I can't wait to go out and try that for real!" Griffin undid her wetsuit and pulled it down to her waist. She saw Scarlett's eyes roam over the large scar and smiled. A tentative hand reached out and traced the scar with her finger. "What happened here?" she asked in a whisper, watching the goose bumps rise where her finger traced. "We were in The Congo and it was early morning, just before we had to start our rounds. I heard shouting and rushed out of my tent to see what was happening. I had my gun raised and walked around only to see a boy of about twelve pointing a gun at one of my team members. After a lot of talking, I finally got the gun away from him but I let my guard down and before I knew what was happening he drove a knife into me here," she touched a thick scar on her abdomen next to her ribs and ran her finger down, "and cut me to here." Her finger stopped above her hip bone, "before I could stop Veronica she shot him four times and he died immediately. I was rushed to the hospital and was lucky because the knife didn't do much damage. A few stitches and tetanus shots later I was all fixed up. A week later I was back in the field." "Jesus," was all Scarlett whispered, her finger idly tracing the scar. "Yeah, not one of the best days of my life but I still wish we could have saved that boy." The soft heart of this woman amazes me. That kid tried to kill her and instead of being happy that she survived she wishes that she could save him. How can anyone have such a great heart? "You're really lucky," she removed her hands from Griffin's skin and immediately missed the warmth under her fingers. They dried off and headed back to Scarlett's house where they lay by the pool and sipped beers. That quickly became routine for them and for the next week they surfed every day and spent hours around the pool, talking and getting to know each other. Neither woman wanted to admit what was happening between them, knowing that in a short week they would be separated and didn't know when they would see each other again. ********** It was Sunday night and they had decided to go out for dinner. Griffin drove Scarlett's Audi convertible to Cape Town Fish Market where she had made reservations for them. It was the best seafood restaurant in the country and for some reason Griffin wanted to treat Scarlett to an expensive dinner and fun night. Once they were seated they order a bottle of wine and sushi for starters. The conversation was easy and they enjoyed their meal. The next moment there were photographers everywhere and Scarlett tried to hide from them. She wished they would go away so she could stare into those beautiful eyes in peace and silence but they were persistent. Griffin put money on the table and took Scarlett's hand, leading her through a back door as they took off sprinting toward the car. Some of the photographers followed closely behind and Griffin quickly started the car once they were locked inside. She drove down the street at high speed, trying to lose the news vans and made expert turns as she weaved through the thinning late night traffic. When they lost the last van they both burst out laughing and drove to Scarlett's house but saw photographers posted outside of her house. "Here's the plan," Griffin said and looked around, her tactical training coming to the fore. "I'm going to leave your car at my friend's house, then we're going to change clothes and you are going to wear a cap to hide yourself. There's a door on the side of your house, so we can walk along the beach and make our way up the side of the house." Scarlett laughed and was excited about the stealth mission they were about to embark on to get into her house. After changing clothes they started walking down the beach, Scarlett took Griffin's hand and almost missed the smile on the beautiful face when their skin made contact. They walked passed the house and creeped up the neighbour's garden, Griffin hoisted Scarlett over wall and jumped over after her. They stayed in the shadows and Scarlett had to work hard to keep from laughing. They reached the door and struggled to find the key. After a minute of struggling they finally got the door open and stumbled inside, laughing so hard their sides hurt. "That was so much fun! God, I need someone like you on my security team to avoid these paparazzi outbursts." "I can't imagine living life like that, always having a camera shoved in your face." "You get used to it after a while." Scarlett walked to the kitchen and came back with beers for both of them. She removed the cap and let her dark hair fall over her shoulders. They kept the lights low so that they wouldn't alert the photographers outside and Scarlett took a seat next to Griffin, resting her head on the shoulder of her friend. "Thanks for tonight, I had a really great time," she whispered. "Me too," Griffin agreed. Scarlett looked up and saw those intense eyes focussed on her. She didn't dare to blink, afraid that the care and protectiveness she saw there would disappear. Her hand cupped the sculpted cheek as her own face moved closer until she felt Griffin's ragged breathing on her own lips. She let her lips brush over Griffin's and pulled back, staring into those eyes before she felt soft lips cover her own. Scarlett's hand went to the back of Griffin's head and pulled her closer, she opened her mouth when she felt the silky tongue run across her lips. A moan started deep in her throat when her tongue touched Griffin's and the hand behind Griffin's head tightened as she pulled her even closer. Griffin pulled Scarlett onto her lap and put her hands on the slim hips. Scarlett felt the hands run up her back and another moan escaped her lips and was swallowed by Griffin. The hands travelled around her back and gently cupped her breasts, she felt the thumbs run over her nipples which hardened in response. Scarlett broke the kiss and pulled her shirt over her head before claiming the soft mouth before her again. Griffin quickly undid the clasp of the bra and threw it into a corner her hands trailing down the soft skin of Scarlett's stomach and quickly undid the buttons of her pants. Her hand travelled beneath the waist band and she felt the heat emanating from the woman on top of her. The seeking fingers quickly found her wet core and she stroked between the lips causing Scarlett gasp loudly. Griffin's free hand travelled to Scarlett's breasts and she tweaked the hard nipple. "Oh God, that feels good," Scarlett panted and started rocking her hips on the exploring fingers. Griffin found her entrance and gently eased two fingers inside, her thumb rubbing in circles around the hard clit. Scarlett rocked her hips harder when she felt Griffin enter her and threw her head back, exposing her succulent neck to Griffin who quickly took advantage of this and sucked on the skin. "Jesus, oh fuck, yes," her hips ground down on the fingers. Griffin bent her fingers and searched for the spongy spot on the sleek walls and heard Scarlett squeal when the pads of her fingers brushed across the spot. Scarlett's bucking hips became more urgent and Griffin knew she was close to orgasm and touched her thumb to the aching clit. She picked up the pace of the pumping and soon Scarlett was wailing in ecstasy, her body trembling as warm juices flowed over Griffin's hand. "Holy fuck," Scarlett smiled down at Griffin before kissing her again. She reached for the hem of Griffin's shirt and quickly pulled it over the soldier's head. "Follow me," Scarlett breathed and led Griffin by her hand up the stairs and into the main bedroom. Scarlett stripped out of her remaining clothing and watched Griffin do the same, her breath caught when she saw the strong body. Griffin trembled at the hunger she saw in Scarlett's eyes and quickly pulled their nude bodies together, pushing her against the wall and lifting her right leg as her fingers once again sought out the wetness of her lover. The knuckles of her hand rested against her pelvis and she started pumping her hips, her fingers brushing the contracting walls of her lover's vagina. Scarlett's nails dug into her back and she trembled at the pain of the scratches. Scarlett screamed as her orgasm hit her again and Griffin kept pumping her hips, pushing Scarlett over the edge again and again before the brunette collapsed on her shoulder. She carried her to the large bed and lay down next to her. Scarlett rested her head on Griffin's chest and gently kissed the tanned skin there. "Sweet Jesus, I don't think I have ever climaxed that hard," Scarlett mumbled against the skin. "You are so beautiful when you cum. God, I nearly came from just watching you," Griffin said and kissed the dark head beneath her chin. Scarlett quickly started kissing Griffin and rocked their hips together. They spent the entire night making love and finally collapsed from exhaustion when the sun started rising. Griffin moulded her body against Scarlett's and both women fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. ********* The next morning they shared breakfast and went surfing for a few hours before Griffin asked if Scarlett wanted to come to her house and have dinner with her family. "I would love that," she kissed the soldier's nose and wondered what she would do when Griffin had to report for duty. They set off toward the middle class neighbourhood and Scarlett smiled when everyone greeted her warmly. "So my kids tell me that you're an actress and singer?" Scarlett almost laughed when she realized she had just met the first person ever who truly didn't recognize her, "yeah, I am. But it's not as glamorous as people might think." "I wouldn't know, we have always preferred to live a simple life." "Sometimes I wish I chose the same thing," Scarlett said softly and smiled at Griffin. Outside preparing the fire for the braai, Griffin and Braydon joked around and talked. "So what's happening between you and Scarlett? I can see the way you look at each other," he asked and sipped his beer. "I'm in so much shit, Bray. I think I'm falling in love with her and that's never gonna work. God, I report for duty in a week and she is heading back to her glamorous life in Hollywood." "Falling in love? Sorry to break it to you, Captain, but you have both already fallen." "Jesus, I don't know what to do. We slept together last night," Griffin stared into her bottle. "Shit, Cap. This is just screwed up. What are you gonna do?" "Well, this is the closest thing to love I have ever experienced, so I'm gonna make the most of the time we have together. If we always fear the separation we will never learn to enjoy what we have." "She seems to be crazy about you." "I know I'm crazy about her." Scarlett stood by the door and watched the siblings as they talked, her heart ached every time she thought about how little time she had with the soldier. She refused to think about the fact that she wasn't a lesbian but found herself crazy about another woman, there would be enough time for that later. "So, you and my daughter, what's going on there?" "I haven't figured it out yet," Scarlett replied honestly. "She's leaving in a week and we never know if this is going to be the last time we see her. Just don't break her heart, I need her to have a reason to fight and come back home." Scarlett had tears in her eyes, she had never even considered the possibility that Griffin could die and that this might be the only time she has with the beauty. She swallowed her tears and made her way outside where she sat next to Griffin and talked to the family. There was a lot of laughter and they shared all kinds of stories as the night progressed. Braydon could see the love between the two women and prayed that things would find a way to work out for them. After dinner they helped clean up and made their way back to Scarlett's house where they made love again and tenderly held each other. Each woman wondering what this had in store for them and whether they would ever see each other again after this week came to pass. *********** It was the night before Griffin had to get on a plane to Cairo and report for duty. They were at a farewell party that Griffin's friends had planned for her and mingled with the guests. Scarlett stayed away from Griffin, trying to allow her to have time to say goodbye to her friends and fighting her panic at the realization that this was the end of a wonderful two weeks with the woman she had fallen in love with. A guy approached her and they started talking as Griffin spent time with her friends, alcohol was flowing freely and before she knew what was happening the guy started kissing her. Griffin walked outside and saw the two in lip lock, she ripped the guy away from Scarlett and punched him, causing him to fall over the railing and land on the beach. She looked at Scarlett and walked away, fighting her emotions and the tears that wanted to spill. Scarlett finally came out of her daze and ran after Griffin, "wait, it's not what it looked like!" Griffin spun around and looked at her, her expression stony, "really, what he slipped, fell and somehow managed to get his tongue down your throat?" "Jesus! Don't you dare try and tell me what to do!" "You know what, you are just like the politicians who cause war in their countries. Once you have a taste of power, fame and money you will go to measure to regain that! It doesn't matter how much pain you cause as long as you get your needs met. I really thought you were different but apparently I was very wrong." Dear Griffin "No, I was wrong, because it seems you only wanted something from me! No one fucking even looks my way unless they need something and for you I was only a holiday fantasy and you're fifteen minutes of fame!" "You are right, I did want something from you, but it wasn't you're celebrity or money! I wanted you, Scarlett! All of you! Do you wanna know a secret? Your fame, money and public image was the three things I found least attractive about you! But you know what, you still have it, you can still bend people to your will and toss them aside like yesterday's trash when your needs have been met! Maybe it's better this way, because you are going back to your cushy life of servants, fame, money and big house on the beach. I am go back to protecting scum that destroy countries and people's lives, sleeping in a tent in a desert with a gun under my pillow. So I wish you luck in your life, I truly hope you find the happiness you're looking for." Scarlett stood there, speechless and watched as Griffin disappeared into the dark. Braydon walked to her and when she saw the sadness in his eyes at what had transpired she fell to her knees and cried. He bent beside her and tried to comfort the sobbing woman. "Why does it hurt so much?" "Because you love her, whether you want to or not, Scarlett." "No, God no, I can't love her. I just can't." "Well, life doesn't care about what you can and can't, it just happens." He got up and dusted his jeans off, "you have two options, either come with me and help me find her because I have the Jeep's keys or go home and forget about her." Scarlett grabbed the keys from him and started running to the Jeep, he quickly followed and together they drove until they finally saw Griffin's hunched figure walking on the curb. Before Braydon came to a full stop Scarlett was out of the Jeep and ran to Griffin. "Griffin! I'm sorry, Jesus, I didn't mean it!" Griffin stopped and turned around, her face expressionless, "what do you want?" "I was scared, Griffin. You're leaving tomorrow and I don't know if I'll ever see you again. I panicked and needed a way out. Also, I have never been with a woman but I felt such a strong connection with you that I refused to deal with the questions my mind kept asking because I wanted to enjoy the time I have with you. God, Griffin, I love you and I don't want to because we live separate lives and you sacrifice yours daily and I don't know if I could live with worrying about you every day. But like Braydon just told me, life doesn't care, it just happens. I just happen to love you." Griffin watched the crying woman, her heart breaking and before she realized it she was moving and her arms were locked around the smaller woman. "I love you too," she whispered and kissed the dark hair. They stood there and just clung to each other for a long time, kissing softly as the realization of this being their last night together sank in. "Come home with me," Scarlett whispered, her voice tight with emotion. Braydon dropped them at the large house and once they were inside the door they started kissing. There was no urgency, just simple exploration and a declaration of their new found feelings. They walked to the room and slowly undressed each other, their lips met and they fell back onto the bed. Griffin put her thigh between Scarlett's thighs and pressed it against her wet core. She felt the other woman's thigh come up and press against her own needing sex. Their bodies moved together in a slow, sensuous rhythm as their lips sought each other. Both women felt their orgasms slowly building until it released as slow warmth between them. Griffin started kissing Scarlett's neck, making sure not to miss any part of her body as she made her way down the lean body to the warm, soft thighs. She kissed the landing strip of trimmed hair on Scarlett's sex, taking her time as her lips moved over flesh before darting her tongue between the wet lips and tasting her lover. Scarlett's hips arched off the bed and her heart pounded at the tender exploration as she felt the love of each movement in every cell of her being. Griffin greedily gulped the juices down as her tongue once again became acquainted with her lover's most private area. She speared her tongue and pushed it into the heated core of her lover. Her nose rubbed against the hard clit as her tongue lovingly pumped in and out of her lover. Scarlett's body started trembling and her orgasm overtook her with a force that surprised her but she knew it was more about the love she felt than anything else. "Scar?" Griffin spoke tentatively as she gathered the woman she loved in her arms. "Hmmm?" "I don't want you to come see me off tomorrow." Scarlett spun around in her lover's arms and looked into the say eyes, "what?" "It will make it harder to get on the plane and I will already have a hard enough time saying goodbye to you. There will also be a lot of photographers and I don't know if you want the world to know about this," she couldn't hide the tears in her voice and Scarlett buried her face in her lover's chest. "Right now, I don't care what they know or think. Can't you run off with me? Just don't get on the plane and come with me." Griffin swallowed her tears, "I can't, I wish it was that easy." They spent the remainder of the night making love to each other and whispering their love softly, scared that if they said to loud they would wake up from this dream and find themselves alone. ********** The drive to Griffin's house was made in silence the following day, tears streaming down Scarlett's face the entire way and Griffin tried to console her lover. They stopped outside the house and Scarlett followed Griffin inside, she sat on the bed and watched her lover put her uniform on and grab her duffel bag. "You look so sexy in your uniform," Scarlett whispered and smiled between her tears. Griffin kneeled in front Scarlett and took her hands, "when my contract is done, I will come and find you." Scarlett ran her fingers through the dark hair, "when your contract is up, I am buying an island and taking you with me." Braydon knocked on the door and smiled sadly at the pair, "we need to leave to make your flight." The tears began anew at those words and Griffin swallowed hard as she looked at Scarlett, "I love you." "And I love you." Griffin walked down the hall and hugged her crying mother, telling them that she would see them soon. After tearful goodbyes and a long kiss from Scarlett she threw her duffel bag into the Jeep and Braydon pulled away from the curb. When they arrived at the airport Griffin greeted her fellow comrades and said goodbye to her brother. "Make sure Scarlett's okay." He nodded and they said their goodbyes, he watched as his sister walked up the ramp and remained glued to the spot until he saw the large plane disappear in the distance. ********** THREE MONTHS LATER... Scarlett had returned to her life in Hollywood and it almost felt normal but she couldn't fill the void in her heart that Griffin had left when they said their goodbyes. She wrote to Griffin but the replies were scarce and far in between. Braydon kept her posted on her whereabouts and her well-being, always telling her that Griffin missed her. She stared out of the large windows of her house and smiled at the breaking waves, remembering Griffin in every drop of ocean water. She sat by her desk and pulled her writing pad from her desk, her hands shaking as she started to write. Dear Griffin How are you? I know it can't be easy there in desert protecting a country from a president who refuses to step down. Things are relatively normal here and my movie premiere is tonight. I never thought I could miss anyone the way I miss you but here I am and suddenly I wonder why I didn't stop you from getting onto that plane. Every time I look at the ocean outside of my window I expect you to come walking out of the water toward me, water dripping from your strong body. But then the alarm or a photographer on my lawn would remind me that you are in some far off country fighting for peace. Every morning when I wake up I feel you next to me and for those first few minutes I would forget that you're not here but reality always calls. I hope you are well, my love. I miss you with every cell in my being and I wish I could just spend just one more night in your arms and feel your soft lips caressing mine. Hurry home my love, so we can buy that island and run off together. I love you, God sometimes I still hear your voice whisper those words to me. With all my heart, Scarlett. She sealed the letter in an envelope and asked her housekeeper to post it for her. After taking care of that she slowly made her way to the shower and prepared herself for what the day held in store. ********** Dear Scarlett I wish that this year had already passed so I can be with you for real. The only thing keeping me alive in this desert is the thought of going home to you. Things here are tough, the president who had been removed has built up an army of followers and is demanding his position back. So it has been really cut throat here and we need to be alert the whole time. I can't remember the last time I had slept through an entire night but I guess that comes with the territory. But when I do sleep, my dreams are filled with you and our time together. Don't even speak about the beach, I miss the water and your warm body against mine when we fooled around in the ocean. I miss you too, my love. We will be together soon. All my love, Griffin Two more months had passed in the dessert since Griffin had sent that letter and every day that passed made Griffin ache for Scarlett even more. The letters from Scarlett had stopped coming and Griffin simply thought that the mail had gotten lost. She walked through the streets, her uniform heavy as she held her gun at the ready for any threat that might approach. "Can we get some water, Cap?" Gary asked when he saw a nearby tuck shop. "Yeah, that sounds good." The pair walked through the doors and grabbed water from the fridge, Griffin passed the magazines and did a double take when she saw the front page picture. There was Scarlett, smiling broadly at the camera with a handsome young man next to her, she read the caption on the magazine and felt her knees weaken. Scarlett da Silva gets engaged to on-again-off-again boyfriend Lucas Moore. Her emotions ran rampant inside her and she didn't even hear Gary speak to her and the remainder of her patrol passed in a hurt daze. When she reached their quarters she searched for a pen and a paper and sunk onto her bed, the pen furiously scribbling across the paper. ********** Scarlett accepted her post and her heart sank when she saw the letter with Griffin's handwriting on top. With shaky hands she opened the letter and the tears flowed when she read the words. Dear Scarlett. Imagine my surprise when I read about your engagement on a magazine after your letters simply stopped coming. If I am being honest, I never thought you would wait for me, but thought you had at least have enough respect for me to tell me that you have chosen to move on. It seems that I was right, once you know power and need an extra bit to help promote a movie or song you go to any measure to ensure you get it. I hope you are happy. Scarlett fell onto her bead and sobbed until she finally fell asleep. Her sleep was fitful and filled with the hurt face of Griffin. She wished things could be different but she had made the decision based on what was best for her career. The more she thought about the situation with Griffin in a logical way the more she realized that there was no way that they could ever be together. ********** A week later Scarlett was sitting in a coffee shop with her sister, laughing and talking. They shared gossip that they had heard and Scarlett went through the motions, there was a fear that gripped her heart and couldn't understand the feeling. Then the entire coffee shop fell silent and the TV suddenly blared Breaking News from Cairo In the clip that follows you will see the destruction that was left after a bomb went off in a local mall which was followed by gunfire from hostiles on the acting Special Forces agents. It is said that they were alerted to a threat in town and they responded. In this clip you will see the agents rushing into the mall and trying to clear the civilians out before complete chaos and destruction ensued. Over to Harriett who has more on this story. Thank you Tom. I am standing outside of the mall where the bomb just went off. We have exclusive footage of the agents as they attempted to clear the civilians from the building. Scarlett rose from her chair and watched the TV intently as the clip started playing. There was chaos as the team ran in and out of the mall trying to secure civilians and then she saw her, carrying a small child from the building and running back inside. The camera clearly showed Griffin as the blast occurred. Her body was blown back and she hit a nearby pole before falling limply to the ground. Within seconds she started moving again, she rose to her feet and Scarlett went pale when she saw the blood that covered her face and poured from her ears. She stood rooted to the spot when she Griffin raise her gun and start firing at the hostiles that were fast approaching and just when she thought the worst was over she saw multiple bullets strike Griffin and a light spray of blood wafting into the air before she collapsed and the camera went dead. Scarlett didn't hear the rest of the bulletin as her legs gave way and she fainted. Her love was dead and suddenly her own life felt worthless. She didn't know how long she was out but when she came to she was in a hospital and then the memory of that clip came crashing back and she sobbed. "Scarlett? Are you okay?" She didn't answer her friend, simply turning on her side and crying. "Miss Da Silva? There is someone who has been phoning non-stop. He said to please tell you that she's alive." Scarlett sat up straight at those words and looked at the nurse, her heart beating a mile per minute. "She's alive?" she croaked out. "That what he said, yes. He said his name was Braydon and you know him. He asked that you call him." With that she took the actress's vitals and scurried out of the room. "That was her, wasn't it?" her sister asked softly. "Yes," new tears spilled down her cheeks and she clutched her pillow. "You really love her, don't you?" Scarlett simply nodded. "So, phone this Braydon guy and find out what's happening so you can go see her." "I doubt that she ever wants to see me again." "Why?" "Because I got engaged and never told her. I love her but I agreed to marry someone else, I yearn for her touch but settled for a guy that will never even come close to comparing to her." Her body shook with her sobs and she pulled her blanket over her head. "God, Scarlett. I thought you loved him and told her. Come on, phone him and go fight for her. If you truly love her then you will do everything in your power to get her back." After a long pep talk Scarlett finally dialled the familiar number. "Scarlett," he said in a choked up voice. "Braydon, where is she? How is she? God, I need to see her." "I'm not sure if she wants to see you but I know you love her even though the choices you made were questionable I thought you should know. She is being transported back to South Africa as we speak but they struggled to stabilize her and honestly, it doesn't look good," he broke down then. "I will make things right with her, I swear I will. I'm going to catch the next flight out." She ended the call and was soon hurrying home and then to the airport to catch the first available flight. Before she could leave the house Lucas came walking through the door. "Where are you rushing off to?" he asked the scurrying women. "South Africa," was all Scarlett said. "What?" "Lucas, it's over. When I was there I fell in love with someone and she was there during the Cairo bombing. She got shot, I need to go. I'm sorry," she took the ring off and placed it in his hand before running to the car. ********** Griffin was in a coma and Braydon was sitting by her side, absently stroking her hand as he fought the tears that threatened to spill. Her face was swollen and bruised, several ribs crack, her right arm broken and three bullets had pierced her. One went through her right shoulder, the other into her chest just above her Kevlar Jacket and the third grazed her neck and barely missed the main artery. Her skull was fractured and doctors wondered how she got up to protect the civilians after the damage the blast did. He prayed that his sister had the will to fight for her family because she no longer believed that Scarlett loved her. Their mother came walking in with fresh coffee for them both as they both waited for the latest update from the doctor. They weren't certain that Griffin would ever pull out of the coma even after they drained the fluid that accumulated around her brain. Together mother and son prayed that she would pull through because they didn't know if they could survive another blow like this. Braydon rose from his chair when Scarlett walked in, her eyes were puffy from crying and she looked tired and drawn. He hugged her and held on tightly as a fresh bout of tears hit them both. "She can't die, I love her too much and I need to make it right. Please, she can't," Scarlett sobbed. "She won't," came Theresa's tearful voice, "she knows she can't leave us." Scarlett hugged the older woman and the three stood there and cried for a minute before Scarlett introduced her sister to them. "This is my sister, Carmen. Carmen, this is Braydon and Theresa, Griffin's mother and brother." She tentatively approached the bed and saw the long cut that ran from her temple to her jaw, "God, I love you, baby and I was so wrong. I need you to wake up because I need to make things right, please baby, please wake up." The doctor walked in with a sad smile on his face, "hey, how are you guys holding up?" "Barely," Braydon said as Theresa braced herself for the latest blow. "We got some more tests back," he took a deep breath and looked at the broken family sitting there, "she was very close to the blast radius and we have still have no idea how she was able to get up and fight after that. But, unfortunately due to the impact of the blast her eardrums burst and although we cannot determine for sure until she wakes up, she might be permanently hearing impaired." Scarlett fell to her knees and Theresa burst into tears again as Braydon and Carmen tried to console the women. Things weren't looking good and they prayed that this was the last of the bad news they would receive. Two weeks had quickly passed and Scarlett rarely left Griffin's side, she kissed Griffin's head and lips often, trying to let her know that she was there. Her face had healed nicely and the long cut was almost completely healed but Scarlett could see that there would be a large scar. She felt the hand in hers stir and she nearly jumped with joy when she saw those beautiful eyes open and look at her. Tears spilled down her cheek again and she kissed the soft lips that was about to speak. "Water," Griffin mumbled but couldn't understand why she didn't hear her own voice. Scarlett helped her drink water after alerting the doctor that she was awake. Theresa and Braydon burst into the room and Griffin strained to try and hear their voices but couldn't, no matter how hard she tried. "Why can't I hear?" she shouted in attempt to hear. Dear Griffin The doctor quickly brought in a writing board and explained what had happened, Griffin looked at everyone around her and saw the tears before she smiled and shook her head. "Ironic, first my heart gets broken, then my entire body and now my hearing," she spoke loud but that was expected due to her not being used to not hearing anything. Scarlett broke down in tears at those words, no matter how hard Griffin's family tried to convince Griffin that Scarlett cared, they seemed to be bumping into a wall. Griffin was so caught up in everything that was happening to her, the way her life was changing and how she hardly had any hope left of making a life for herself. ********** Within months Griffin had settled into a deep depression and no one was able to reach her or to convince her that she had a life left to live. She locked herself in her apartment and ignored everyone. Her family had set up the apartment so that she was able to know when the phone rang and someone was at the door. Their efforts however had only managed to remind Griffin that she was now only half a person. She found it hard to cope with not being able to listen to music or even hear the TV. "God, face it, you will never be anything again!" she said to the reflection in the mirror and threw a frustrated hand full of water at the offending item showing her reflection. Her face had become hollow and the long scar running from her temple to her jaw only reminded her of the day the final pieces of her life fell apart. As if her nightmares didn't do enough to haunt her, she still had to wear the scars and suffer the inability to hear. This was some cruel joke by the universe and she continued to wonder what she ever did to deserve this punishment. The light on the wall blinked again and again, someone was at the door and she questioned whether she should open it. She chose to ignore it and settled on the couch, she picked up the magazine with Scarlett's smiling face on the cover. She cried every time she looked at the picture and wondered if Scarlett ever thought about her. Headlines were made when the engagement was broken off and Scarlett had never commented on the reason behind the decision. There had not been a mention of another person in the singer and actress's life and Griffin often wondered what the reason behind that was. She put the magazine down and looked at the picture of the short two weeks they sent together, the fourteen days in which Scarlett managed to steal her heart only to trample on it months afterward. She believed that Scarlett felt what she did but she was an actress after all and it could all have been a pretence. Wondering what part of their time together was true became a constant as she fought sleep to avoid the nightmares she knew would come. She pulled herslf from the couch and went into her home gym and started an intense workout to drain all of her energy in hopes she would just pass out and enter a dreamless sleep. ********** Scarlett had her leg folded under her as she watched TV with a glass of wine in her hand. She wondered about Griffin daily and got constant updates on the ex-soldier's life but none of that satisfied her need to be with the soldier and support her through this difficult time. But tonight she cried because it was exactly one year ago that they made love for the first time and she craved the touch. Her phone rang and she recognized Braydon's number, "hey." "How are you holding up?" she could hear the strain in his voice. "I need her, Bray," was the only thing she whispered. "We all do but she's still not opening the door. I don't know what to do anymore, my brave sister is just gone," he broke into tears and Scarlett felt her heart ache. "I'm coming to South Africa, I need to try and reach her. My life has been empty," she sobbed in return. "If she opens the door." "Yeah, but I wanted to tell that I have an interview tomorrow and I'm going to tell the world about her and what I found with her." "That's a big decision," he sighed. "Maybe she'll see it," Scarlett whispered in hope. "Maybe..." They talked for a while and she prayed that she could break through to Griffin because she didn't know how long she could continue living this lie. She was an empty shell and she never knew it until she met the soldier and now that her presence was gone she felt even emptier. Griffin would hear her story, she had to because this was her only hope. She was sacrificing her career because she realized that there were more important things in life than money and fame. "Please let this work," she whispered to the silent room. ********** Griffin was breathing hard, the fucking nightmares were back and she couldn't go back to sleep again. She looked at the shadows cast on the wall and walked to the kitchen to grab some water. Her laptop sat on the coffee table and reached for the machine, she had an urge to write and tell her story. She needed the world to know about the love she had once shared with Scarlett and the tragedy that had befallen her. Her fingers worked furiously as word after word appeared on the screen and pages started filling. She switched the TV on and watched with half an eye as she tried to control her emotions of remembering the one time she was truly happy. Scarlett's face flashed across the screen and she put the laptop down, her attention focussed on the TV as she read their lips instead of the subtitles. "So, Scarlett, you said you had a story to tell the world." "Yes, I do," she smiled and waited for her cue to start. "So, please tell us," the host beamed. "A year ago I went to South Africa to get away from the press and have a holiday. In those two weeks my entire life changed. I went jogging one morning and literally ran into a woman on the beach, I remember it feeling like I ran into a wall. Anyway, we became fast friends after the incident and I realized that I felt more like myself in her company than I ever remember feeling before. Then the real shock came, I realized that I was falling in love with her. But we only had two weeks together and we made the best of them. The most amazing feeling was falling asleep in her strong arms and waking up in them the next morning. But there was a catch, she was a soldier and had to report for duty. My heart broke the day we said goodbye and she was shipped off to Cairo. Then the engagement happened, I guess I agreed because I felt so lonely without her and I didn't know if we would ever be anything. I mean we live in separate countries and live different lives. So I stopped writing and then I see the news and recognise her as the soldier who ran into the building before the bomb went off..." she stopped and wiped a tear. "She got the worst of the blast and managed to get up when the hostiles arrived. She tried to protect the civilians and got shot multiple times. Anyway, she was in the hospital for weeks, that was when I disappeared from the radar for a while. I sat by her side day and night as bad news kept rolling through. She lost her hearing and nearly died but she refused to have anything to do with me. To this day I pine away for her and I miss her with my entire being. If there is one thing I wish I could do differently it would be to stay true to her and fight for what I feel but I was too cowardly and today is the first step I take in attempt to win her back..." Griffin shut the TV off and cried, she needed the actress to help heal the scars and wounds she carried. That night she fell asleep on the couch and her dreams were filled with the face of the actress. ********** A week later the light alerted her to the doorbell ringing and Griffin reluctantly drew herself away from her laptop to open the door. Since she started putting their tale to paper she was feeling better and she gasped when she saw her visitor. "Griffin..." was all Scarlett whispered before she started sobbing. The soldier drew the crying woman into her arms and held her tight as her own tears fell. They stood like that for a long time, neither women saying a word. "I'm so sorry," Scarlett finally whispered, forgetting that Griffin could not hear her. She pulled away and stared into the grey-green eyes and repeated her words again and again. "It's okay," Griffin smiled through her tears. Scarlett pulled the soldier down and planted her lips on the soft ones of the soldier. Griffin pulled her into the apartment and they quickly started undressing each other. A trail of clothing was left from the door to the bedroom as their lips and hands explored each other and became reacquainted with the soft skin. Griffin laid Scarlett down and started suckling on the soft neck and planting soft kisses all over the bare flesh. She ran her tongue over the puckered nipple and suckled the crinkled flesh into her mouth. Her only sign that Scarlett was enjoying the attention was her chest heaving and she wished she could hear the gasps and moan escape that beautiful mouth. She continued her journey down the singer's body until she could smell the evidence of Scarlett's excitement. Griffin took a deep breath as she inhaled the heady aroma and tried to calm her nerves. She would finally taste her love again and she wanted to savour the moment. Her tongue lightly traced between the folds of the pink swollen flesh and she moaned when the taste settled on her tongue. Scarlett's hips ground into her face and she realized that she also needed this moment as much as Griffin did. Scarlett knew she was a goner the moment Griffin's tongue touched her sensitive spot. Her hips bucked wildly as she felt her orgasm build. She felt three fingers fill her and the soft lips suck her clit and she knew she wouldn't last long. Her mind became foggy and her body tensed before it started to tremble and her orgasm ripped through her in waves. Griffin saw her mouth open and assumed a scream escaped those lips. With everything in her she wished she could hear that scream once more but knew she never would. She crawled up the trembling body and kissed her lover softly, tears forming in her eyes as she looked at the beautiful woman beneath her. "That was amazing," Scarlett smiled into the grey eyes. "I wish I could hear you scream," Griffin smiled back. "Didn't you feel the things you did to my body?" "Yeah, I did," Griffin whispered, her eyes locked on her lover's lips. "Then you felt my body scream in the fulfilment of finally being touched by you again." They made love until their bodies gave out and both women fell asleep. Griffin had her first dreamless sleep since the bombing and felt safe in the presence of the singer-actress. When they awoke hours later Griffin led Scarlett to her laptop and showed her the story she had started writing. Scarlett was touched at the beautiful emotions in the story but nothing compared to the happiness she felt at being wrapped in her lover's arms. ********* Griffin fastened her tie and pulled her jacket on, tonight would be her first appearance on the red carpet for her lover's new movie premiere based on the book she had written about the love they had found. She grimaced when she looked at the long scar that ran along her the side of her face. Scarlett embraced her lover from behind and spoke over shoulder into the mirror so Griffin could read her lips, "you look so fucking sexy in your uniform. That scar makes you look all rugged and sexy." "Let me see you," Griffin turned around and gasped when she saw Scarlett in the low cut black dress with a bare back and a high slit that revealed a lot of leg. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders and her dark eyes sparkled in excitement, "ready?" "Yeah, if we don't leave now we won't make it," Griffin smiled and ruffled her hair one last time before leading Scarlett to the car. The red carpet was chaos and Griffin immediately felt out of her element as people buzzed around her and she saw the screaming fans on either side of the carpet. Scarlett squeezed her hand to get her attention, "just focus on me, baby." Griffin did just that as they walked down the carpet and when there were interviews being conducted, Scarlett signed for Griffin because the microphone tended to get in the way of their lips and made it difficult to read. They finally reached the end of the long carpet and entered the cinema where a tablet was handed to Griffin. Scarlett quickly explained that the device would show the subtitles of the movie and Griffin nearly cried at the thoughtfulness of her lover. Griffin pulled Scarlett close and kissed her while the cameras close by snapped the picture that would grace the cover pages of magazines all over the world.