Her arm had gone numb hours ago and her shoulder ached uncomfortably causing her to once again consider shifting her position out from under the blonde’s head, but one glance at the silly half smile on the sleeping woman’s face always changed her mind.  Shane could stand the small aches if she could keep such a goofy grin on Alice’s face, she would give more if the journalist asked. 

Shane McCutcheon was in a new area of relationships, and despite her apprehensions and fears she was happy.  Happy, a foreign word for the runaway up until Alice; never in her whole life did she expect to discover someone so adapt at bringing down all of her walls.  Walls she had built brick by brick for the last nineteen years of her life, hell she was setting mortar in the womb.  In the last year Alice has pulled down her defenses with seemingly ease.  Shane stifled a giggle at picturing Alice in a yellow hard hat and nothing else, before her face fell into a frown.  She was not a giggler.  It was one of the few things that had been bothering her recently. 

She didn’t know who she was anymore.  The hardness from the streets had recently turned into a giggling blushing teenager and it frightened her.  Nothing any good ever lasted for her and if she kept letting her defenses down then she would be unable to duck when the shit hit the fan.  Inevitably Alice will realize the type of person she really was, everyone did eventually.  It was something that Shane had never been able to hide. 

Making a decision, the lanky woman slowly eased her aching arm out from under her lover and silently slipped off the bed.  She needed some time to think and long walk would help clear her head.

It didn’t take long for Alice to feel the cool air against her side and without even opening her eyes she knew that Shane was gone.  Gritting her teeth she forced herself to confirm her suspicions.  It was the fourth time in as many nights that the blonde had woken up alone. It would also be the fourth night that Alice would lay awake waiting for Shane to return smelling of alcohol and cigarettes.