Dana and Lara stood in the restaurant, enjoying a glass of wine while they waited for their table. Dana had chosen this restaurant because it was quiet, private and one of her favorites. She kept hearing Conrad’s voice in her head, his condescending words ringing through her rattled mind. Shaking her head to clear away the thoughts, Dana raised her sapphire eyes to Lara’s.



“Hmm?” She blinked once, not hearing Lara’s conversation.



Lara grinned, a ***** little smirk that made her green eyes dance with an innocent sort of trouble. “You still haven’t told me what you think counts as *****.”



Dana looked away, a slight blush covering her features. “I don’t know… Having an *****.”



Lara giggled softly, moving closer to Dana. “Well, if that was the case that would mean thousands of women who are married and have children have never had *****.” She placed a hand on Dana’s hip and pulled her closer. “But either way, you and I have definitely had *****. Your so *****, Dana. You make me ***** so hard.”



Dana’s eyes widened as she stepped back. Closing her eyes and swallowing hard, Dana returned her gaze to Lara’s, the butterflies in her stomach becoming more active.



Lara arched an eyebrow. “What? Did I offend you or something?” She asked softly, her girlfriend’s off-putting manner slightly disconcerting to her.



Dana ran her hands through her hair and took another step back. She needed to be away from the redhead to do this. Lara’s perfume was tickling her nose, invading her senses. Her shampoo was weaving its scent in Dana’s mind forever. “No, everything’s fine.” She lied quietly.



Lara stepped closer and ducked her head, her mouth catching Dana’s cheek as the brunette turned her head to the side. “Dana, what’s up?” The redheaded voice became worried as she tried to catch harried blue eyes that were deftly avoiding hers.



“I just, I need you to stop.” Dana responded honestly, biting her lip.



Lara’s hands dropped to her side and she stepped back as well. “Stop what?”



Dana looked away, knowing that her words were going to hurt. “Stop touching me, kissing me. I can’t do this, ok? I’m not ready.” She spoke honestly, somewhat harsh knowing that this was the only way to do this.



Lara laughed softly, thinking that’s all it was. Just Dana’s regular paranoia at making out in public. “I don’t believe you. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone more ready in my life.” Her voice was soft, her tone soothing as she reached for Dana again.



Dana stepped back again, glancing around feeling as if everyone was watching them. “I know I’m *****. When I hide that, I hide the best part of me.” She raised her head and met Lara’s gaze, her tone turning patronizing. “But you don’t understand what it means to be me, my clock is ticking, Lara and you want to have ***** in the streets–”



Dana’s voice had risen, her words coming out much harsher than she intended and Lara’s soft spoken “what?” was somewhat shocked but a lot hurt and it made Dana pause for a moment before she heard Conrad in her head once again.



“I don’t want to parade around making sure everyone knows our business. I’m not like you. I care what they think.” Dana continued, her hands gesturing towards the other customers.



Lara raised her head in defiance, the light finally going off in her head. She knew that Dana had been to see her agent this morning. After meetings with him, Dana was always testy. “Is this about the ad campaign or something? Did your agent scare the ***** out of you?” Lara’s words would still soft, but her tone was firm this time letting the brunette in front of her know that she wasn’t buying the bullshit.



Dana looked away, knowing that Lara knew what it was but she knew what she had to do. “Just, I can’t stand being judged by you. Youre a bigger, better person than me and every time I look at you I’m reminded of that.”



Lara’s face softened, as she took Dana’s hand. “I’m sorry I’m putting to much pressure on you. I’m moving too fast. Maybe we should–”



“No.” Dana cut her off; Lara was already making this too hard. Wanting to take the blame when it was Dana’s alone was only adding more guilt to Dana’s already full plate.



“No?” Lara repeated softly, arching an eyebrow. Dropping her hands, She stepped back, her eyes turning stormy, the hurt showing clearly in ocean depths.



“I just, I can’t… I can’t. This is too hard.” Dana’s eyes overflowed and the tears spilled onto her cheeks. “I don’t wanna be with you.” She lied, looking at the floor.



Lara swallowed loudly, but she held her head high. “Than go.” She responded in a defiant tone. Lara stood rooted in her spot, tall and proud as she watched the crying brunette run out of the restaurant.



*******



Dana could barely see through her tears as she ran down the walkway towards her car. She could feel the pain pressing in her chest, ripping away the protective layers around her heart. It was pure and total agony. She hated herself for what she just did. Wiping her fingers across her cheek, she brushed the tears away angrily. “You can be a lez when you retire.” She muttered to herself as she got into the car. “It doesn’t matter that I fell in love now.” She snapped angry before realizing that fighting aloud with herself wasn’t going to do a damn thing to help her.



She hated Conrad; she hated the campaign and the sponsors. She hated everything at the moment. Looking at herself in the mirror, she let out a deprecating laugh. Actually, the only person she hated was herself right now.



She hurt Lara intentionally and that was the last thing that she had wanted to do. She didn’t want to break up with her, didnt want to leave her standing there looking so wounded. She didnt want to give Lara up, she fell in love with her. She didn’t want to break her heart. But she had to make a choice, she wasn’t willing to give up her career. She had worked too long and too hard to get where she was and where she was going was far too important to her. She couldn’t lose focus. She couldn’t afford too.



Lara had said that she understood and Dana had promised to take tiny steps towards coming out. Dana was willing to keep up her end of the bargain, right up until this morning’s meeting with Conrad. Lara’s understanding wasn’t quite the way it should have been. Dana knew that it wasn’t the redhead’s fault, she just didn’t understand. She couldn’t. She was out, she had nothing to lose. She was doing what she loved, what she wanted to do. Her sexuality had nothing to do with her career. Dana only had tennis; it was all she knew, all she wanted to know. Lara was too outspoken, too brash out in public. Dana couldn’t afford to be that free, that casual with her sexuality. It wasnt that she didnt want it because she did. Dana wished that she could be like that, have that type of confidence. Shane had it too and Dana was jealous. She wanted to be like that but she couldn’t. She couldn’t risk that type of exposure, not if it would jeopardize her career. It was something she had been working for all her life.



Dana’s phone beeped beside her, jarring her out of her head and she glared at it before turning her attention back to the red light she was currently stopped at. She wanted to be alone, and the offending object sitting on her passenger seat was interrupting that. Wiping away another stray tear that had escaped her eye, the brunette ignored the incessant beeping until she pulled up into her driveway. Somehow answering text messages while driving and being upset didn’t seem like a safe combination to her. Turning off her engine, she grabbed her keys and purse in one hand and her phone in the other as she got out. Clicking open the text message on her screen, Dana slid her key in her lock and pushed open her door.



“Oh, *****!” She exclaimed softly, as she read the text message. Alice’s bold Where are you? blinked up at her as she remembered. Shane’s party. The one place that she could have taken Lara and been as out as she wanted. Now that was gone. Glancing at her watch, Dana grimaced before letting out a long sigh. This was not what she needed right now. Glancing down at her watch, she saw that she was already forty five minutes late. She was tempted to skip out on the party but she had promised and she also knew that this was a big deal to Shane. The bash of the year, that was her goal. Dana couldn’t bear to let down someone else today. Her heart wouldn’t be able to take it.



Throwing her keys and her phone on her table, she went into her room and went straight for the closet. Pulling out a pair of jeans and a tank top, she changed quickly. Running a brush through her hair, she shoved it behind her ears as she applied her eyeliner. Grabbing the light jacket laying on her chair, she gave herself a quick once over deciding that she looked fine before taking off. Maybe she could just drink herself silly for once.



*********



Arriving at the docks, Dana parked her car next to the other hundreds that she knew were there for Shane’s party. Locating the yacht that Shane had told her to be at, Dana’s jaw dropped as she saw how packed it was. Coming up to the front of the boat, a tall man in a suit stopped her.



“Your name, please?” He asked, holding a pen.



Dana arched an eyebrow as she glanced at the clipboard in his hand. “Dana Fairbanks.” She responded, rolling her eyes. Only Shane would have a guest list.



“Youre the last one to arrive. Enter.” He moved aside, waving a hand for her to board.



Dana gave him a slight smile as she made her way on the boat. Seeing all the couples and random people that she didn’t know being happy, Dana took a deep breath. The guilt in the pit of her stomach was acting up again. She wandered aimlessly for a few moments, looking for Alice or Shane or Bette and Tina or Marina or someone, anyone that she knew.



Shane spotted Dana from her spot on the couch. Disentangling herself from the flavor of the night, Shane quickly made her way over to Dana.



“Hey!” She smiled widely, leaning over to hug the brunette. Shane pulled back, a surprised look on her face as she felt the brunette shaking. “Where’s your woman?” She asked, looking behind Dana.



Dana looked away before responding. “She couldn’t make it.”



Shane took a sip of her drink before giving Dana a sympathetic look. “That sucks, babe.”



Dana shrugged before reaching over and taking Shane’s drink.



“Are you okay?” Shane asked, her brow furrowing at Dana’s weird demeanor as she watched the girl down her entire drink in one shot.



“Great.” Dana answered sarcastically, handing Shane back her empty glass before going in search of another one.



Shane shook her head, watching the tennis player as she pushed her way through the crowd to get to the bar. Shane immediately went off in search of Alice. If anyone could figure out what was up with Dana, it would be the journalist who had a nose for gossip. A short while later, Shane was standing around doing tequila shots with the group waiting for Alice and Dana to come out of the bedroom. Alice had cornered Dana and was busy working her magic. When Dana came out, she immediately took the spot next to Shane, picking up a shot glass. Shane glanced at Alice who shook her head and gave her a thumbs down before going off to find Lisa. Shane shrugged, figuring that Dana deserved one night of worry free, stress free fun. Whatever it was that was bothering the brunette would be known tomorrow morning hopefully. For tonight, Dana would either forget about it or drown it in alcohol.



Afterwards, hours later, Shane finished her line of white powder before she stood up and left her random chick to find her friends. Dana had been drinking like it was going out of style, dancing as if her life depended on it. It was very out of character for her. Tina and Bette had ditched them, no doubt to go home and do boring things, Alice had disappeared somewhere with Lisa but Lisa had left in a huff not too long ago. Marina was nowhere to be found and Shane was getting tired of being surrounded by people she didn’t know. Sniffing a few times, Shane swallowed against the aspirin drip in the back of her throat as she bounced down to the bottom deck, the drugs she had taken finally kicking in.



She found Alice standing behind Dana, one hand rubbing her back soothingly while her other hand held Dana’s hair back. Dana was busy emptying her stomach, paying the price for trying to chase her problems away with alcohol. Shane made a face, leaning over to rub Dana’s back.



“Baby, let it out.” She cooed softly. She and Alice exchanged a grin, knowing that this was a new experience for Dana.



Alice stepped back, allowing Shane to take Dana in her arms. “Do you have coffee or water on this thing somewhere, Shane?”



Shane held Dana protectively, her hand resuming the soothing motion Alice had started. “Umm, yeah I think.” She answered uncertainly. Coffee and water were not generally things one put on a party list. Alice disappeared up the stairs, only to return a few moments later with a bottle of water and a bottle of aspirin.



Taking four out and uncapping the water, Alice handed them to the brunette. Dana took them gratefully before leaning back against Shane. “I broke up with Lara.” She whispered before passing out.



Alice and Shane exchanged a look; this one was worried and questioning before Shane lifted Dana gently and moved them to the west side of the boat. Laying Dana down on the seat, Alice pulled a blanket over her before grabbing Shane’s wrist and tugging her away from Dana.



“What did she mean by that?” Alice whispered, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure that Dana was still out.



Shane shrugged before hopping up on the edge of the boat. “It means they broke up, Al.” She tiptoed back and forth, pretending the edge was a balance beam. Looking down, Shane wondered how much it would hurt if she fell.



Alice reached up and latched her hand around Shane’s before tugging her down. “Are you nuts?” She asked, not expecting an answer. Sitting down, Alice pulled Shane down with her. “Why would they break up? They were perfect.”



Shane shrugged again, too wired up to want to gossip at the moment. “I don’t know, Al. Just ask her when she wakes up.”



Alice looked at Dana again, shaking her head sadly. She knew why. Dana was destined to be miserable until she could be honest with herself. Alice desperately wanted Dana to be honest. The girl deserved happiness and it shouldn’t have come at the price of her career and her career shouldn’t have come at the price of Dana’s heart. “I’m going to call Lara. Watch her and I’ll be back.”



*********

Alice came back awhile later and slid underneath the blanket with Dana, who was awake now but still feeling crappy. Shane retrieved another bottled water and a few more aspirins. Shane handed them to Dana before jumping back up on the side of the boat. Looking down at the water, Shane was fascinated by the waves, the ripples. How one little movement in the water causes the ripples to spread out into the entire length of the ocean.



“Shane, get down. What is your damage tonight?” Alice shot out, Shane’s weird behavior scaring her.



Dana looked up before covering her face. “Shane, get down before you fall please.”



Shane jumped down before bouncing over to them. Taking a seat next to Dana, Shane leaned back. “So what’s the story with your chef?”



Dana shook her head and leaned back as well. “I don’t want to talk about it.” She responded, pulling the blanket up to her chin.



Alice looked like she was going to protest but Shane shook her head and Alice let it go. Dana pulled her arm out and looked at her watch. “*****, I got to go. I have a meeting in the morning and a practice that Subaru is going to be watching.”



“Are you okay to drive, Dane?” Shane asked.



Dana stood up, wobbling a little as she placed her hand on Alice for support. “I’m fine.” She responded, although it was quite obvious that she wasn’t.



Alice stood as well, sliding an arm around Dana and holding her up. “I’ll take the lush home.” She teased with a grin.



Shane stood as well, hugging her friends before going to try and get rid of the last of the partygoers.



****************



Dana awoke with what she established to be the worst hangover in the history of hangovers. She swallowed deeply, desperately trying to get rid of the cotton in her mouth, trying to ignore the fact that there was a jackhammer in her head and her bed was spinning horribly fast. Groaning aloud, Dana swallowed again, trying to get rid of the gross taste in her mouth. The pounding in her head continued, amplifying intensely before she pulled a pillow over her head. The darkness made her sicker and she desperately needed to get to the bathroom. Pulling away the pillow slowly, Dana winced as she opened her eyes. This was bad, so very bad. How much did she drink last night? Forcing herself to be strong, Dana lifted herself into a sitting position and waited once again for her room to stay still.



A pounding on her door snapped her to attention and she winced once again before looking at her clock on her nightstand. “*****!” She stood up quickly, groaning as a wave of nausea hit her. Grabbing her headboard, she closed her eyes once again and waited patiently. “*****, *****, *****.” She muttered repeatedly. She had completely forgotten about her practice and as the pounding on her front door grew louder, she knew it was Conrad.



Stumbling out of her room and into the hallway, Dana held a hand over her eyes trying to block the bright beams of sunlight that were streaming through the windows. “Damn.” She mumbled as she crashed into the wall. “I’m coming.” She responded in an agitated tone as the pounding grew more insistent.



Throwing her arm over her face, Dana pulled open the door.



“Wakey, wakey!” Conrad chimed as he pushed his way into her place. “Jesus ***** Christ, what the ***** happened to you?” He asked, getting a good look at the brunette.



Dana pushed the door shut and turned to face him, wincing only a little this time as she willed her eyes to stay open. “I got food poisoning.” She lied.



“God!” Conrad waved a hand in front of him. Dana smelled like a liquor store that had been busted open. “Tell what’s her name to do you sober the night before a photo shoot.” He shot out irritatingly as he took a seat on her couch. “Is she up there?” He asked, nodding a head towards the bedroom.



“No, she’…” Dana stopped, realizing that it was none of his business. “I’ll go get ready.” She spoke softly, her own voice making her head pound even more. Being around him was making her nausea double.



“Yeah, go make yourself presentable, the makeup people will do the rest. Those professionals can work magic. Remember Gia?”



His parting comment made her scowl in disgust again and she briefly considered using him as her target instead of the toilet. The image making her feel slightly better, she tuned out his voice that she could still hear drifting down her hallway before heading for the shower.



*************



Dana stood on the court, effortlessly hitting each ball as it flew by her. She was hitting the balls a little harder than usual today but she had aggression and anger that needed to be worked off. Conrad was sitting in the stands with the Subaru reps no doubt trying to talk her up and make her look good. A photographer and his assistant were off to the side, snapping pictures for Dana’s Subaru ad.



“That’s great Dana, you look amazing!” The photographer commented as he switched cameras.



“Look out Kournikova, here comes Dana Fairbanks!” Conrad was yelling from the stand, his cheerful voice so completely different from the insulting tone of this morning.



Dana ignored him, swinging her racket at the ball whizzing towards her. Her racket connected and she watched with some satisfaction as it flew out of bounds. Still too much power. Her gaze went from the bouncing ball to the soft blur of red and white that she’d know anywhere. Her focus totally gone for the moment, Dana’s ocean depths fixed on Lara’s figure and didn’t move. The guy on the other side of the court, volleyed up before hitting the ball across the net. He didn’t realize that Dana’s attention was no longer on the game until it went sailing past the silent brunette. Not facing any of them, Dana turned on her heel and stalked off the court; needing a few moments to herself.



Conrad watched his tennis playing gal for a moment, his brow furrowed in confusion wondering why she stopped playing until he followed her gaze. Shaking his head and barely keeping his eye roll in check, he turned to the guys sitting next to him and made some inane comment, intent on keeping their attention on him and not Dana. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dana walk away and he hoped for both of their sake’s she was not going to the redhead.



“She just needs a minute, probably a bathroom break or something.” He explained with a toothpaste smile.



The guys nodded, not really hearing him or not really caring. Either way, they had their ideas and they were discussing them, only occasionally including Conrad in the conversation. For his part, Dana’s agent stopped paying attention until she returned to the court. She did after a few minutes, picking up a ball and bouncing it in her hand for a few seconds before hitting it with such force it sailed over the fence surrounding them. Conrad continued to make excuses after excuses but they fell upon deaf ears. The Subaru reps had seen all they needed to see and they liked what they saw.



The Subaru Representative stood up from the bleachers and went over to meet Dana as she jogged off the court. “That was amazing. It was really great, really.” He leaned over to shake Dana’s hand as Conrad joined them.



Dana put on her best selling smile as she responded. “Thank you. Thanks very much. Really.”



“Hey, do you guys wanna see the preliminary art?” He asked as the artist and photographer joined the small group.



Dana and Conrad both nodded. “Yeah.”



“Super, I got mockups right over here.”



The Subaru Rep picked up a couple of cards with artist’s representations of what the finished ads will look like. “Okay. Check these out. This is the one we like best.” He held up a cardboard draft ad that had the drawing of Dana with her tennis racket underneath her name with the logo ‘Get out and Stay out’ under her picture. “See, our concept is, uh, we wanna position you as the ***** Anna Kournikova.”



“What?” Conrad gasped in disbelief.



“The ***** Anna Kournikova.” The rep repeated holding the sign up again as if pointing to the picture would make him understand the concept better.



Conrad laughed nervously as he glanced at the ad. “Hold… Hold on a second here, guys. What are you – what are you talking about? This is not something we discussed. I don’t – I don’t think that -” He stammered out the sentence not sure what he wanted to say or how to really say it before Dana cut him off.



“I love it. I love it.” She smiled at the rep, ignoring her agent. “I wanna be the ***** Anna Kournikova. I do.” She sounded relieved, sincerely happy for the moment.



“Well, that’s great. It’s settled then.”



Conrad smiled as well, stepping closer to Dana. “This is brilliant. Wait a second, this is brilliant! This is – this is exactly the… the kind of thing we’ve been groping for. It’s like – it’s a hook. You guys! That’s why they’re paying you the big bucks. Right?”



The rep laughed, shaking his head slightly. “Well, I don’t know about that.”



“Fantastic.” He muttered happily, turning to face Dana. “Right, babe?”



Dana smiled incredulously at her agent. How did she put up with him for so long? “You’re fired.” She informed him brightly.



Conrad playfully shoved Dana on the shoulder. “Get outta here.” He laughed.



Dana’s dazzling smiled widened. “No, really. You’re fired.” She repeated before turning towards the Subaru reps and thanking them. “Thank you so much. Thank you so much, you’ve no idea how good this feels.” She played nice for a few more minutes, smiling brightly and shaking hands before politely excusing herself. Now she had a mountain to climb and a river to get across. How on earth was she ever going to make this up to Lara?



******************

Later that day, Dana sat in The Planet with her head buried in her arms trying to block out the sounds around her. Her headache had come back full force and she swore that she was never going to drink again. Marina was bouncing back and forth, tending to customers and trying to soothe Dana at the same time. She had offered her everything from water to jasmine tea to make her better but Dana had been insistent on nothing but using the counter as a pillow. Marina was relieved when she saw Alice and Shane come through the door. She loved the brunette whole heartedly but she was like a little rain cloud today and Marina just wasn’t into people raining on her parade.



“Hey guys.” Marina smiled in greeting before moving to get their usual drinks.



Alice and Shane nodded at Marina and hugged her in greetings when she sat down their drinks. They each took the seat next to Dana, trapping the tennis player in between them.



“Still hung over?” Alice asked loudly, leaning over close to Dana’s ear.



Dana winced before groaning out some type of reply that was muffled by her arms.



Shane and Alice grinned at each other. They didn’t enjoy their friend being in pain but Dana being hung over was just too priceless to not get some enjoyment out of it.



“So what happened with Lara?” Alice asked, bouncing impatiently in her seat. She ignored the look that Shane shot her and concentrated on Dana.



Dana raised her head the bare minimum so she could glance at Alice. “What?” She asked.



Alice ignored Shane’s head shakes and her murderous looks and continued as if the brunette hairdresser wasn’t even there. “You said you broke up with Lara the last night, right before you passed out. Spill.”



Dana groaned again, burying her face even deeper in her arms. She was silent for long moments after Alice had asked her question. Finally, she lifted her head gingerly and rested her chin in her hand. “I broke up with her.”



Alice gave her a look that clearly said ‘duh’ but she held the sarcasm in. “We know that, Dana. Why?”



Dana shrugged, the tiny movement of her shoulder making her groan in pain. “Conrad scared the ***** out of me yesterday morning, filling my head with straight superstar bullshit. I wigged and took it out on Lara.”



Shane gave her a sympathetic pat on the arm before leaning over the counter and snagging Marina’s aspirins. Popping the cap off, she offered two of them to the miserable tennis player. Marina appeared with a smile and a bottle of water.



Alice fixed her stare on Dana, for once mentally choosing her words before speaking. “Did you mean it?” She asked.



Dana took the pills and the water and smiled gratefully at her friends, hugging Marina and muttering an apology before turning to Alice. “Huh?” She asked, wrinkling her brow in confusion as she swallowed the pills.



“When you broke up with Lara, did you mean it? Are you miserable because of what you did or because of what you drank?” Alice asked slowly, taking the time to emphasize her words.



“Because of what I did.” Dana whispered. “I hurt her and I left her, I didn’t want too.”



Shane kept up her role as consoling girl, soothing Dana the best she could from next to her. Alice ordered another drink before propping her chin in her hand. “Do you want her back?”



Dana nodded but didn’t respond verbally. Shane just arched an eyebrow. “What did you say to her, Dane?” She asked her question softly, trying to convey that she wasn’t passing judgment.



Dana looked at the ground, the tile of the Planet floor suddenly the most interesting thing she’d seen, before sighing miserably and telling them the entire story. When she was done, Alice was speechless and even Shane was slack jawed.



“Damn,” Shane muttered. This was going to be harder than she thought.



Alice finally broke the silence, her eyes still wide. “*****, Dana.” She sighed as well. “That was harsh. You just left her?”



Dana nodded again, her azure colored eyes filling with tears. Shane rubbed Dana’s back before looking at Alice. “So what do we do?” She asked the blonde. She didn’t do relationships so she never had this problem and her expertise in that field was severely limited.



Alice shrugged. “I don’t know yet. Hallmark doesn’t exactly make cards that say ‘Gee, I’m real sorry about ripping your heart out of your chest and stomping it into a million pieces.’”



Dana’s tears fell, sliding down her cheeks as she resumed her earlier position. Shane shot Alice another murderous look before talking softly to Dana. “It’ll be okay, Dane. We’ll figure this out.”



Alice apologized before snapping her fingers. “Flowers.” She noted. Receiving two quizzical looks in return, she rolled her eyes and explained. “You owe this girl some serious flowers.”



Shane raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “Did you try talking to her?”



Dana nodded, taking the kleenex that Marina handed her and wiped her eyes. “I called her earlier, she hung up on me.”



“See, flowers.” Alice spoke again, leaning over to grab the phonebook on the counter. “Just keep sending her flowers until she’ll talk to you. Maybe some chocolate and a nice piece of jewelry as well.” She was talking aloud, not really noticing if her friends were listening or not as she thumbed through the yellow pages.



“Do you think it’ll work?” Dana asked hopefully.



Shane shrugged as Alice nodded vigorously. “If she doesn’t forgive you, she’ll at least have to talk to you to warn you to stop stalking her.” Shane teased, nudging Dana softly.



“Thanks.” Dana bit out, rolling her eyes.



Finding the page she wanted, Alice pushed the phonebook towards Dana and handed her the phone. “One dozen a day, Dana.”



“How many days? What kind?” Dana asked dialing the number. Alice shot her a look that clearly said ‘figure it out yourself’ before pulling Shane away. Dana watched them kick some random teenage couple away from their table before placing her order. She had them being sent everyday at eight in the morning for a week straight. She figured after seven days, if Lara still wouldn’t talk to her, she would go from there.



When she was done, she gathered her stuff and moved to the table where Alice and Shane were having an animated conversation about something.



“No,” Alice hissed as Dana sat down. “She can’t do that.”



“Do what?” Dana inquired, figuring it was about her.



Alice shook her head as she responded. “Brainiac over here wants you to break & enter.” She quipped, waving a hand towards Shane.



Dana arched an eyebrow questionably. “Excuse me?” She asked, thinking she heard wrong.



Shane grinned as she answered. “Do you have Lara’s schedule for the week?” Seeing Dana’s nod, she continued. “Why don’t you let yourself into Lara’s apartment and make her a romantic dinner?”



Dana’s jaw dropped. “Umm, she’s mad enough already. You want me to add food poisoning & breaking into her place to the list of reasons?”



“Just hear me out, Dane. We go to her place and I pick the lock, get you in. Alice wants flowers right? So, scatter rose petals from her doorway to her kitchen. Make her a nice dinner, a good wine, a few candles and that nice piece of jewelry right in the middle of the table. Tell her youre sorry, explain things to her. Beg for her forgiveness, grovel if you have too. If she doesn’t forgive you after that, you’ll know that you gave it your best shot and if she does, than there ya go. Happy ending for you.” Shane smiled expectantly, barely noticing the shocked looks on her friend’s faces.



“Who are you?” Alice finally asked.



“Youre going to pick her lock?” Dana asked in surprise.



Shane’s smile faded and she propped her chin up in her hands. “After that, lock picking is what you guys focus on? Come on! Dana, it’s a good idea. Al, you know it is.”



The blonde blinked before relenting. “Alright, I admit it is a good idea, without the whole breaking and entering thing.”



“How else is she supposed to get in, Al? You don’t think Lara’s just going to let her in do you?”



Dana held up a hand in between them and snapped her fingers. Once their attention was back on her, she spoke. “It is a good idea, Shane. Very romantic.” Her eyes narrowed. “Why aren’t you in a relationship again?” She asked with a smirk.



Shane flipped her the bird before smirking herself. “So what do you say, Dane? A little breaking and entering tonight?”



Alice shook her head emphatically. “I still protest the whole breaking and entering thing but if youre really going to do it, it can’t be tonight. She just sent her flowers. Give it a few days and than do your plan.”



Dana nodded her head, agreeing with Alice. The blonde had a point. The group sat and chatted for a little longer, most of the time being spent with Shane trying to convince Alice that her idea was justified. Dana stayed awhile longer, her headache finally ebbed and her hangover completely gone. She was happy just to be there with Alice and Shane for the moment. Standing up, she hugged them both and thanked them for their help before going to do the same to Marina. Leaving The Planet, Dana headed over to the country club. She wanted to try once again to see Lara. If the redhead wouldn’t see her, than she could at least practice. She stopped at the florist shop on the corner, intent on grabbing a dozen roses but the pale purplish flowers by the window caught her eye.



“These are beautiful. What are they?” Dana asked, fingering a smooth petal, her nail tracing over the unique blue and yellow design at the top.



The florist smiled widely, recognizing a sale when she saw one. “These are Hyacinth Flowers, rare and unique. They’re supposedly named after a Greek mythology.”



Dana nodded politely. “What do they mean?” She inquired, leaning forward to smell them.



“Um,” The lady paused for moment before ducking under the counter. A second later, she popped back up with a huge smile still in place. “Theyre apology flowers. They mean I’m sorry. They’re also-”



“I’ll take a dozen.” Dana cut her off; the apology part was all she needed to know. They were meaningful, said what she had to convey and they were beautiful and unique just like Lara.



Dana paid for the flowers and waited patiently as the woman wrapped them for her. Handing Dana a card and a small envelope, she thanked her and told her to come again before going off to harass some other potential customers. Dana watched the woman for a moment, before shaking her head and leaving with her purchase. She arrived at the country club quicker than she anticipated her mind still at a loss as to what she was going to say if she saw Lara. Dana grabbed the flowers and headed towards the dining room first. She casually strolled past the counter, glancing sideways to see if she could spot the redhead. Not seeing her, Dana took that as a good sign and headed towards the locker room. Finding it empty, Dana sighed and sat down on the bench. Writing a short but sweet apology on the card, Dana slid it in the envelope and placed it in the flowers. She still had one of Lara’s keys to her locker, the girl usually forgot it was inside her coat pocket and she had given it to Dana to hold. Dana used the key to open the locker, placing the flowers in the middle and than she placed the key beside it. She figured she didn’t have a right to hold it anymore. Closing Lara’s locker, she opened her own and pulled out her training outfit. Changing quickly, Dana stretched a little before bouncing out to the courts.



A few hours of training later, Dana actually felt a little better. Being on the court had that affect on her. Wiping her face on her towel, she gathered her stuff quickly and made her way back to the locker room. Glancing along the corridors of lockers, she was disappointed to see that the locker room was still empty. She put her stuff in her locker, running off to get a quick shower. She returned a while later, one towel wrapped around her drying body and the other one running through her dampened locks of hair. She was so engrossed with drying her hair that she didn’t notice the redhead standing there, in front of her locker until she accidentally bumped into her.



“Oh god, I’m sor-” Her apology died on her lips as she looked up, locking eyes with a familiar set of cerulean orbs.



Lara stepped back quickly, as if the physical contact between the two of them had burned. She was silent as she held Dana’s gaze.



Dana broke the stare long enough to glance at Lara’s open locker before returning her eyes to Lara’s. She eyed the redhead up and down, taking in the form fitting black slacks and white tank top. Either Lara was just getting to work or she was just leaving. “How are you?” She finally asked, feeling stupid for even asking.



Lara shrugged, turning back to her locker to grab her jacket. “Thanks for the flowers.” She finally muttered out, slipping her arms into the sleeves of her coat. She pulled her hair out of the collar, fixing the lapels before slamming her locker shut.



As she turned to leave, Dana knew that her chance at apologizing was slipping away. “Lara, wait!” She faltered for a moment, when that intense blue gaze locked on hers once again. “I’m sorry for what happened yesterday. I didn’t mean-”



Lara held up her hand, halting Dana’s words. “Not right now, Dana. I can’t do this.” She glanced towards the door, her want and need for escape obvious. “I have to go.”



Dana opened her mouth to protest than thought better of it. She stayed silent as she watched the love of her life walk away from her, before falling dejectedly against her locker.



***********

The next day, Dana entered The Planet with her sunglasses pulled protectively over her eyes, her hair loose, falling gently over her face as she spotted Alice and Tina at the their usual table.



“Morning, Sunshine.” Alice quipped softly.



Dana nodded in greeting before slumping down in her chair.



“What’s with her?” Tina asked, gesturing at Marina for a drink.



“She broke up with Lara.” Alice explained, pushing herself up and out of her chair. “Want your usual, Dane?” At the brunette’s nod, she went up to the counter, seeing that Marina was a bit busy at the moment.



“You broke up with Lara?” Tina repeated, reaching over and pulling Dana’s glasses off. Her red rimmed, bloodshot eyes shocked her for a moment before she scooted closer and wrapped an arm around Dana’s shoulders. “Have you tried talking to her?”



Dana nodded. “Twice, she hung up on me the first time and the second time, she walked out on me.”



“I’m sorry, sweetie.”



Alice returned with the drinks and set Dana’s down in front of her. “Did you try calling her yet today?”



Dana shook her head, picking up her glass and taking a small sip.



“You sent her flowers at eight right?” She glanced at her watch after Dana’s nod. “It’s almost eight thirty, she must have gotten them. Call her now.” Alice ordered, pulling out her phone and handing it to Dana.



Dana glanced at the proffered object for a moment before wrinkling her nose. “That is stalking, Alice.”



Alice shrugged before giving her a look that told Dana she knew what it was and she didn’t care. “I thought we agreed that you were going to stalk her.”



Tina just arched an eyebrow, wishing someone would fill her in. As if Shane heard her silent plea, she chose that moment to enter the small cafe and pulled up a chair next to Tina.



“No, Alice I am not stalking her.” Dana pushed the phone away and buried her head in her arms on the table.



“Hey you could serenade her.” Alice perked up, a grin on her features as she looked at the others, very pleased with her idea.



Dana lifted her head slightly and shot Alice a look of annoyance. “Please, stop helping Alice.” She begged softly.



Shane let out a snort of amusement as she agreed. “Al, we’re trying to help her get her woman back not add a restraining order to the list.”



Alice flipped her the bird before slipping her phone back in her pocket. “I thought it was a great idea.”



Tina looked between the three of them helplessly. “Explain?” She finally begged, her gaze coming to rest on Shane who at the moment she considered the sane one.



Shane acquiesced, summing it up as quickly and shortly as she could. Tina just gaped at Dana, wide eyed and open mouthed. “Wow.” She finally uttered.



“Yeah.” Dana agreed, burying her head deeper into her arms with a moan. “*****!” Her head snapped up as she glanced at her watch. “I gotta get to practice, I have to find a new agent, I have a meeting with the Subaru reps. I have to go.” She finished her drink, gathering her stuff before slipping her glasses on. “I’ll see you guys later.”



The three of them watched her go before Tina turned back to face them. “She’s in trouble. You guys realize this right? Lara’s not going to forgive her anytime soon.” Tina’s tone was sad but honest.



“She will if Dana serenades her.” Alice responded, barely looking up.



Shane and Tina both gave her disbelieving looks. “God, you really need a normal lover, Al.” Shane finally muttered.



Alice stuck her tongue out in response. “We need to help Dana.” Her face went to serious immediately. “But not right now because I am going to be late for work. *****!” She quickly gathered her stuff in a hurried manner and rushed out of The Planet, much like Dana had a few moments before.



The only two remaining occupants exchanged a look before sighing. “I’m so glad I’m not in a relationship.” Shane muttered, slumping down in her seat and running a hand through her tousled locks.



“And I’m so glad that I’m in a stable, normal relationship.” Tina retorted with a laugh. “So what exactly are your guys plans for this?” She asked before pausing and looking at Shane carefully. “Or do I not want to know?”



Shane just smirked before filling Tina in, glossing over certain details that she knew Alice would fill in later. When she was finished, Tina just shook her head and laughed. “You guys are crazy. Do you think it’s going to work?”



“For Dana’s sake, I hope it does.” Shane answered, pulling out her cell phone.



Tina watched her flip it open and press a few numbers. “Who are you calling?”



“Lara.” Shane responded calmly.



Tina’s eyes widened. “Lara?” She repeated. Shane nodded, confirming that she did hear her right. “Why?”



Shane held up a finger, silently asking for silence as she left Lara a message on her voicemail. Snapping her phone shut, she slid it in her pocket before facing Tina. “Because Lara won’t talk to Dana and someone has to make her talk to her.”



“You can’t make her talk to Dana, Shane.” Tina’s voice was as soft as her smile as she tried to think of the best way to explain the relationship details to Shane.



“I know that, Tee. I’m not going to make her do anything. Im just gonna see if I can maybe plead with her on behalf of Dana. Maybe if she understands where Dana was coming from, she might be more receptive in listening to her.



**********

A few days had gone by; Dana had kept herself busy with practice and meetings with Subaru. She still didn’t find a new agent and that was on her agenda for some point this week. She had also tried calling Lara a few more times, only to be ignored and hung up on. She hadn’t seen her at the country club, except once in passing and Lara barely glanced at her. She was starting to feel as if she were completely defeated. She knew what she did was wrong, and she also knew that if she was Lara, she wouldn’t have forgiven herself either but she refused to give up. She loved the redhead and she was determined to get her back.



As she was closing her locker, her phone started ringing, The Chinese Melody getting a little louder as she dug deeper into her purse. Finally locating the object, she pulled it out and flipped it open.



“Hey.”



“Hello, Ms. Dana. We still on for tonight?” Shane’s smooth tone floated through her receiver and Dana could practically hear the smirk that she knew was curling the other woman’s lip.



“Yeah, I guess.” She answered uncertainly as she finished gathering her stuff. “Are you sure I should do this? What if she presses charges?” Dana pushed through the doors and out into the parking lot.



“She won’t.”



“How do you know, Shane? She might.” Dana snapped, pulling out her car keys.



“Because I know.” Shane answered calmly. “How long till you get there?”



“Give me a half hour. I want to run home and change. Did you get the stuff?”



“Yes, I got it. A very simple meal. You can’t mess it up.” Shane assured her. “I’ll meet you in thirty minutes.”



“All right.” Dana finally answered after a long moment of silence. “Bye.” She clicked her phone off and tossed it in the passenger seat. What on earth was she getting herself into?

***************

Dana met Shane outside of Lara’s apartment. Shane handed her the bags and than knelt down. Dana stood on the side of her, keeping watch.



“I can’t believe we’re doing this.” She muttered quietly.



Shane just laughed. “It’s fun.” She pulled the tension wrench from her back pocket as she continued to pick Lara’s lock.



“I can’t believe you know how to do this.” Dana retorted, watching the brunette carefully. Shane was getting way to much enjoyment out of this.



Shane scoffed, glancing up at Dana once before going back to her task. “Please, I’m sure you knew.”



Dana shrugged. “I’m not surprised really but I didn’t *know*.”



Shane shrugged back. “Now you do.” She grinned in satisfaction as she heard the tumbler’s click into place. Turning the *****, she pushed open the door to the small apartment. “Viola!”



Dana gave her a soft grin. “Thanks.” She went to enter the apartment but Shane stopped her.



“Good luck, Dane.” She said seriously, leaning over to give the tennis player a kiss on the cheek. “Call me if you need me.”



Dana smiled again before pulling Shane into a hug. “Thank you.” She really did have some of the best friends ever. She stood in the doorway until Shane sauntered off, leaving her to her own devices.



Making her way into Lara’s kitchen, she set the bag on the counter before she started pulling out its contents. A box of spaghetti, A bottle of white wine, A styrofoam container, A small bottle of olive oil, A plastic container of sauce, some spices, a head of lettuce, two tomatoes, a bag of mozzarella cheese, a cucumber, two candles complete with candle holders, a huge Ziploc bag full of pink and red rose petals, and a piece of paper filled with Marina’s scripty handwriting. A recipe, Dana noted glancing over its contents. Shane really had thought of everything. Dana owed her so big.



She dug around Lara’s cupboards for a moment before finding a pot and a strainer. Filling it with water, she placed it on the stove and put the pasta on. Reading over the recipe card, she noticed that she needed a frying pan. Pulling out the frying pan, she grabbed the chopping board and a knife from the counter shelf. Marina’s recipe said to drizzle the oil in the pan so Dana dumped two capfuls into it, waiting until it started to sizzle. Opening the styrofoam container, she found clams. Already steamed and chopped up for her. She dumped them into the pan, added the spices and grabbed a spoon to stir. She continued to follow Marina’s directions, adding the wine and sauce and turning the fire down low as she set about to making a salad. That she could do without a recipe.



While everything finished cooking, she scattered the rose petals from the doorway to the kitchen table, making a neat path and than she set the table. Grabbing the bottle of wine, two glasses and the candles she set them on the table as well. She drained the pasta, put it in a bowl and dumped the sauce over it. She put the food on the table and went back into the kitchen. She cleaned and washed up in a short amount of time and just as she was putting away the dry dishes, she heard Lara’s lock click. She took a deep breath to compose herself and than moved away from the doorway, wanting Lara to see the romantic setting of the kitchen before she saw her.



Lara pushed open her door, instinctively knowing that something wasn’t right in her apartment. Stepping fully inside, she noticed the rose petals first. Following the path, it led her the short distance to her kitchen doorway, where she saw the set table and the soft candlelight. Narrowing her eyes, she entered her kitchen to find Dana standing against her counter looking terrified.



“What are you doing here?” She asked, shrugging out of her coat and briefly wondering why it didn’t feel weirder to find Dana there, in her place.



Dana took another deep breath, gesturing towards the table. “I wanted to apologize.” She met Lara’s gaze cautiously. “Again.”



Lara sighed, hanging her coat up and pulling out her hair clip. “I don’t want to do this, Dana. I don’t want to talk.”



Dana closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. Lara stood in front of her, her hair tumbling over her shoulders in soft red waves, her face determined as she stared Dana down. “You don’t have to talk. I’ll talk. I’m just asking you to listen to me.”



Lara sighed again as she seemed to consider it. “Fine, I’ll listen.”



“Do you want to sit and eat? I made dinner.” Dana gestured towards the table once again, trying to keep the pride out of her voice. She had cooked an entire meal herself and Lara’s kitchen was still standing.



Lara’s mouth turned up into a half smirk before she caught herself. “You cooked?” She asked, trying hard to keep the disbelief from her tone.



Dana nodded, moving around Lara to pull out her chair. “Sit. I promise it’s not poisoned.”



Dana took a seat across from her, watching as the redhead helped herself to the food on the table. She took a small bite carefully, chewing slowly before washing it down with a sip of wine. “Not bad.” She finally spoke, meeting Dana’s intense stare across the table.



Dana let out a sigh of relief. “Thank god, I had take out menus on hand just in case though.”



Lara smiled but said nothing, continuing to sip from her glass slowly.



Dana braced herself, gathering her courage. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve said it countless times before but I really am. I know I hurt you, I never meant to hurt you. I just got scared and I took it out on you. In short, I fucked up again.”



Lara’s face hadn’t changed during Dana’s short speech and it was still a blank canvas, even as she answered her. “You did ***** up, Dana. Why should I forgive you?”



Dana’s voice hitched in her throat and she swallowed deeply. “I know I did.” She whispered. “I’m just asking for a second chance.” She paused. “Well, a third one actually.”



Lara let out a long breath, running her fingers through her hair. “Dana, I would have given you anything you asked for. I would have gave you as many chances as you wanted but you left me in the middle of that restaurant, hurt and humiliated. You didn’t even give me a chance to help, to explain, to back down. You didn’t give me a chance to do anything. You didn’t give us a chance. You just ran away.”



“I know.” Dana answered sadly.



“How do I know you won’t run away anymore?” The redhead asked when her dinner partner stayed silent.



Dana flinched and looked away from the penetrating gaze. “I don’t know.” She admitted honestly.



Neither woman said a thing, the silence coating the room like a thick fog. Dana was mentally searching her brain for all the things she had planned to say, Lara was sitting there calmly, chewing over Dana’s words but still not satisfied with her answers. She had been straight forward their entire relationship, never played any games with her intentions and she wasn’t going to start now. Finally, Dana stood up, scraping her chair loudly in the quiet room and Lara visibly jumped in her seat.



Their eyes met and held momentarily before Dana shook her head, muttering softly. “This was a bad idea. I’ll let myself out.” And she did, hot tears coursing down her flushed cheeks when she was out the door and knowing that Lara might not forgive her.



***************************

Later that night, Dana stood outside the door of a place she once felt at home in. She had went home and cried, releasing as many emotions as possible in her tears before Shane had dragged her to Milk for a long, lengthy discussion. She had decided to go back to Laras; mentally rehearsing what she would say the whole way there. Now at the place she had wanted, needed to be at, her mind was totally blank, everything she planned to say once again lost.



“One more try.” She pep talked herself. She knocked lightly, sucking in a huge mouthful of air only to be released when Lara opened the door.



“Dana.”



“Hi.” She groaned inwardly at her dorkiness before continuing. “Can I come in?” She asked softly.



Lara seemed to think it over before pulling the door open further, moving aside for the brunette to pass. “Is it even worth my breath to tell you I don’t want to do this?” Her tone was hard but her eyes were soft, defeated.



“I just want to talk.” Dana stepped a little closer. “Please, let me apologize. After that, if you never want to see me again, I’ll go.”



“We talked earlier.” Lara spoke harshly, trying to keep her emotions at bay. “You apologized earlier. I really don’t want to do this tonight, Dana.”



Dana swallowed past the lump in her throat, blinking back the tears that were slowly building up. “Please, Lara. I didn’t get to finish earlier.” She reached out, taking Lara’s hand, running her thumb over her palm as if she could hold them together through physical touch; bind them forever through sheer will.



Lara shook her head, but her resolve was crumbling. “You hurt me. You’ll just do it again.”



Dana blinked back the tears stinging her eyes. “I won’t. I’m sorry, Lara. I was scared.” She reached out her other hand and touched Lara’s cheek softly before pulling away. “I can’t apologize enough but I swear, I will make up for this everyday of my life.”



Lara stepped back, needing the distance between them. “Saying sorry doesn’t mean a damn thing, Dana. You hurt me, you apologize and than you do it again. Saying I’m sorry doesn’t take the pain away. So youre sorry?” Lara took a breath, using it to regain her composure. She didn’t want to fight.



Dana looked away, ashamed. “I am sorry, so sorry. I don’t know how many times I can say it to prove to you that I’m being sincere. That it’s the truth, but Im prepared to spend forever making it up to you.”



Lara expelled a calming breath before responding. “I don’t doubt your sincerity. I believe that youre sorry, I’ve never doubted your words or your honesty but youre not listening to me. Saying I’m sorry doesn’t magically make it better, sending me flowers doesn’t fix things. You can’t buy my forgiveness. Flowers, dinner, and apologies are not band-aids. We’re not five years old, Dana.”



Dana’s gaze moved back to Lara’s eyes. She was watching her face the entire time, looking for some hint to what Lara was thinking and she realized that all of the redhead’s emotions were in her eyes. “What will make it better?” She asked softly, dreading the answer.



Lara shrugged, her face becoming blank and betraying nothing. Looking up at Dana’s sad face and taking in her defeated posture, Lara realized that she could be as strong as she wanted. It still didn’t change things, didn’t change the way she felt. “Time.” She finally answered, raising her head and holding Dana’s eyes.



Dana resisted the urge to step closer to Lara. “How much time?”



Lara shrugged again, lifting her chin and holding her head up. “I don’t know, Dana.” She finally answered honestly. “But please, no more flowers.” She paused, seeing Dana’s crushed look. “Or breaking & entering. I do appreciate it but I’d prefer it if you left my kitchen in one piece.” She had meant to be teasing, to lighten the moment before she asked Dana to leave but her words came out harsher than she had intended.



Dana flushed, looking away, her eyes downcast. “I’m sorry.” She mumbled softly. “I didn’t mean to mess your kitchen.”



Lara felt the strings on her heart being tugged and she couldn’t help stepping a little closer to the brunette. Reaching out a hand, she brushed Dana’s arm lightly. “No, Dana. I was teasing. I don’t mind you in my kitchen but seriously, save the breaking and entering until after.”



Dana raised her head, her bright blues catching Lara’s in a hopeful glance. “After what?”



A long silence followed, but their intense stare never broke. “After we get back together.” Lara finally answered, pushing the words past her lips softly. She didn’t want to give in so easily, not yet but Dana’s sad eyes and hopeful stare were not only pushing past her barriers but breaking them down slowly. She knew that it was hopeless, trying to fight the inevitable. She was in love with Dana, had been from the moment she met her and probably would be until the day she died.



“Okay.” Dana’s smile lit up her whole face, making her eyes sparkle with renewed hope. “Okay. I’m gonna go now. Before I mess things up anymore.”



Lara’s mouth curled up in a half smirk but she held her laugh in. Walking Dana to the door, she held it open and leaned against the door frame. “I’ll see you.”



Dana nodded, raising her head to kiss the redhead before she remembered and she stepped back quickly. “Not to push my luck, but can I at least hug you?” She asked timidly.



Lara closed her eyes and nodded, her arms wrapping around Dana’s back almost immediately as the brunette hugged her closer. Burying her face in Lara’s neck, Dana breathed in the soft scent of jasmine that surrounded her and held it in. Swallowing past the lump in her throat and blinking back her tears, she squeezed Lara tightly one last time and stepped out of her arms completely. “Bye.”



Lara stayed leaning against the doorway until Dana disappeared down the hallway. Closing her door, she leaned back against it for a moment before sinking down to the floor and letting out the heart breaking sobs she had been holding in.



**********

The next morning Lara awoke early, blinking the sleep from her eyes. She reached up to rub her temples, the tension headache a small aftermath of crying herself to sleep the night before. She stumbled into the bathroom, grabbing a washcloth and soaking it under a stream of warm water. She gave herself a quick glance in the mirror, wincing slightly as she took in her own face. Her skin was pale, ghostly white with red splotches all over her cheeks, her nose was red, and she had bags underneath her bloodshot eyes. She barely recognized herself.



She washed her face gently, splashing warm water on her cheeks. It did little to remove her headache but it made her skin look slightly better. She made her way to the kitchen, putting on coffee before grabbing her bottle of aspirin. She uncapped the bottle of water and was just fishing out two pills as her doorbell rang. Swallowing them quickly, she ran a hand through her hair, figuring that it was as decent as it was going to get for the time being.



Pulling open the door, she was handed a dozen roses and a clipboard. She signed her name and handed it back with a polite smile. Four days she had been through this now. The delivery man walked away, sidestepping the rushing brunette that ran past him.



“Lara!”



The redhead’s hand stopped on the doorknob and she pulled it back open to reveal Dana standing in her hallway, a little out of breath, a disappointed look on her features but still as beautiful as ever.



“I’m sorry.” She finally breathed out. “I tried to get here before him but I wasn’t fast enough.”



Lara didn’t say anything; she just glanced at the flowers in her hand and stepped away from the door, waving Dana in.



“Are you sure?” Dana asked.



“Come in, Dana.” Lara moved back to the kitchen, well aware of the intense blue eyes that refused to leave her body. “Coffee?”



“No thanks.” Dana stood in the doorway of kitchen, leaning against the frame awkwardly as she watched the redhead move around her kitchen.



When Lara was finished, she sat at her table and raised her head to meet Dana’s lingering stare. “You can sit you know.” Her tone was soft, slightly teasing but not quite.



Dana stood there silently, her face a mix of concentration and confusion as if she were thinking something through. “We don’t have to do this.” She finally responded.



“Do what?” Lara asked, sipping her drink and hoping the caffeine would kick in soon.



“This whole playing nice thing.” Dana answered. “I just came to stop the flower guy. I can’t stop the deliveries, they’re already paid for.”



A small smile graced Lara’s features as she shrugged. “I’m not playing nice, Dana. I want you to stay.” When Dana didn’t respond, she continued. “So how much longer should I be expecting flowers for?”



Dana looked down, a light pink tingeing her cheeks. “Two more days.”



Lara nodded. “Dana, would you please sit down? Youre making me nervous.”



Dana acquiesced with a nervous smile, lowering her lithe form into the chair across from Lara.



They were both silent, Lara calmly sipping her coffee and Dana watching Lara. The only sounds heard were soft breathing and the ticking of the clock on the wall. Finally, Dana broke it.



“What time do you have to work?”



Lara glanced at the clock. “Soon.” She responded, finishing her coffee and standing to place the mug in the sink.



Dana stood as well, pushing in her chair and bracing her hands on the back of it. “I should go than.”



Lara nodded, turning around and leaning back against her counter. “Okay.”



If Dana was disappointed at the lack of Lara’s response, she didn’t show it. “I guess I’ll see you around.” She turned to leave, her hand on the door ***** before she thought better of it. This was really going to be her last try, this way if it didn’t work out than she would know that she gave it everything she had.



Spinning around to face Lara, she closed the distance between them and trapped Lara’s body against the counter with her own. Without giving Lara a chance to react, she reached up and placed her hand on the nape of Lara’s neck, drawing the redhead’s mouth down to hers for a deep and thorough kiss.



Breaking the contact, Dana stepped back. “I love you.” She said simply as if she said it all the time and this wasn’t the first time Lara had heard those words from her.



She turned around, once again intent on leaving but a hand on her wrist stopped her. “You can’t say something like that and just leave.” Lara told her, spinning her around to face her once again.



Dana just gave her a look, blinking but otherwise stayed silent.



“Did you mean it?” Lara demanded, dropping her hand and stepping back.



Dana nodded, a lump forming in her throat as she tried mentally composing what she felt for Lara. Finally she gave up and just stood there.



Lara watched the brunette from her position against the counter; Dana’s emotions were running rampant in her eyes and over her face. Making a decision, Lara pushed herself off the counter and took the two steps to get to Dana.



Reaching up, she tucked a loose strand of hair behind the brunette’s ear, smiling as Dana leaned into her touch. “I love you too.” She whispered before bringing their mouths together in a gentle kiss.



When the kiss broke, they stood close together, foreheads resting against each other’s. “We still have a lot of stuff to talk about, Dana.”



“I know.” Dana answered quietly. “But this time, we’ll work through it together and I promise I won’t run away anymore.”



“I’m going to hold you to that.” Lara promised softly, emphasizing each word before kissing Dana again.



~Fin~