Labyrinth of Emotions – 02.07 – Broken Free

            Alice strutted into the office, Maura waved to her from the break room and Alice turned and headed her way. A huge smile on her face as she smiled at a cute intern that was exiting the room. Alice walked backwards for a moment, getting an eye full of pristine ass, she smiled even wider.

            “Alice I am so happy to see you, now how is that story going? Any leads on who the leak in the Worthington case is? It is a dynamic case, and I so want you to dig up some great dirt.” Maura stated tossing back her auburn hair. Alice thought she was sexy when she did that, and Alice sat down. She took out her PDA and checked what she’d found out, which wasn’t much.

            “I have a lead I think that one of the lawyers on the case is the leak. I am not sure I’m thinking he is going to rock the boat, maybe to get more money out of Worthington. I can’t be sure, unless of course, whoever is leaking really does want the man to go down.” Alice stated, having worked the LAPD for leads, then she’d hit the streets, literally.

            “All right wonderful. Can you have something to me by next Friday? I know I’m pushing but the big bosses are if you know what I mean?” Maura asked and she nodded, she understood fully. Her job wasn’t exactly on the line, but they wanted her to follow up her huge success, with another huge success. No pressure at all, yeah right!

            “Yeah, let me do a bit more digging. I have Pez I want to talk to, because she’s up and about again.” Alice stated and Maura grinned,

            “That is wonderful.” Maura declared and Alice dug into her pocket, sliding a VIP card over to Maura it had her name printed on it and she gave Alice a look.

            “Tell me how you got an invite to the hottest club in LA for Saturday night, with the cast of Earthlings?” Maura asked and Alice had to grin, she looked up at the ceiling and said with a sweet voice.

            “I have connections, thought it might make a good puff story. Ok, I have to go. I will see you later.” Alice grinned wildly, strutting out of the office, feeling rather high on life at the moment.

*****

            “MOM! MOM! Stop it!” Dana said as her mother turned and looked at a waitress at the country club, she turned and watched the woman walking away.

            “I didn’t do anything dear, I was merely looking. I understand Dana that you are having difficulty with this, I am too. I thought, you of all people would understand what I am going through?” Sharon asked and Dana let her head drop to the table, slamming it hard, drawing glares from the other patrons.

            “Mom, listen to me. Being gay isn’t something you just up and decide we’ve been through all of this already. Six million times go back to dad, please? Howie misses you, and I think you are just feeling, stifled. Mom, please he calls every day.” Dana begged, she was desperate to have her mother away, gone and out of her sight. She also thought her mother was insane, her father thought she was insane too. So much so that he was talking about having her committed.

            “I don’t want to go back Dana, Alice was kind enough to give me a pass to this huge party and I have every intention on going, and perhaps even enjoying myself.” Her mother informed her and Dana got up in a huff from the chair, kicking the table leg and hopping on one foot across the room.

            “Ouch, fuck, ouch… Hello Sir… Ouch, fuck… Ouch…” Dana groaned, and she left the dining room of the country club intent on finding Alice and giving her a reaming for giving her mom a pass to Twilight .

******

            Lara walked out onto the floor of the Planet and looked around, the girls had left she grunted and headed over to the bar. She had three hours before she could go home and find Sam. Shane had told her she’d go find her, not that she didn’t trust Shane she did. It was just she and Sam had been having trouble connecting since her transplant. She didn’t want Sam‘s eyes wondering to the sexy and very experienced Shane McCutcheon. Carmen sat down next to her, and Lara said hello.

            “So are you and your woman going to the party?” Carmen asked and Lara nodded, thinking that a night out was just what Sam needed after the debacle with CJ the other week. Sam just seemed very distant and that was a major worry for Lara, the red headed chef said in a soft voice.

            “Yeah if she’ll come she’s not much for the social thing right now. Getting a new heart has really thrown her for a loop she’s self conscious about herself, and she’s still not ‘cleared’ for to much activity if you know what I mean?” Lara said trying to not smile, Sam’s inability to have sex was driving Sam crazy.

            “Oh damn, seriously? That throws a wrench in a relationship.” Carmen admitted getting a fresh cup of coffee, she had the play list to go through for the party and she was only half way done. She turned, leaning against the counter and watching Jenny’s eyes scanning the room. Who was Jenny looking for?

            “Well it’s not like we did that much before so I think it’s making it worse.” Lara said with a grunt, winking at Ashlee behind the counter.

            “You two have never?” Carmen asked her eyes wide. That surprised her they seemed very comfortable around each other for two people who’d never been intimate.

            “Just a few times actually because of her heart she took it easy so once on the Island and once after we came home.  I was still lusting after Dana.  We were on this island, where we met, and both of us were still sort of reeling about things you know? So we did everything but have sex all the time, sort of wanting to make sure we were not each other’s rebound relationship. She has a thing about walking around naked, swimming naked, drove me crazy. But she was sick, but there were other factors to consider too. Now, it’s like waiting for King Kong to come stomp on your city, you know he’s coming, but when is a whole other story.” Laughed Lara and Carmen smiled at the analogy and she nodded.

            “At least you two really adore each other I can see it in her eyes when she watches you.  So it has to be more than sex it is.” Carmen admitted and Lara smiled, sipping her coffee, so Sam was smitten with her. Very good information to have on hand. Lara kept smiling, unable to help herself at the thought of Sam watching her.

*****

            “This dress?” Vanessa asked, she was making a face at the very old fashioned looking dress that Tim was pointing out too. He nodded trying to hide his smile she bit her full lip, and then faked a smile. She wasn’t going to rain in his parade his first wedding had been a sham and his second was going to be his last, so she was going to do anything then hunky coach wanted her to do.

            “Sweetie, are you sure you want me to wear a dress that looks like it was styled in 1898?” Vanessa asked, walking over to the mannequin and Tim followed, he moved up behind her, cupping her ass with his large hands. She jumped and giggled and he leaned in, whispering into her ear.

            “Yeah, I think you’d look great in it.” Vanessa‘s heart dropped she’d had her sights set on something a bit more modern. She sighed and turned in Tim‘s arms his face deadly serious and she said.

            “Ok, anything you want studly coach of mine….” His face broke out into a grin and she saw the playfulness in his eyes and he chuckled, pointing to an off the shoulder, elegantly simple dress towards the window.

            “Oh good cuz I think that one is more you.” He smiled and she slapped his arm, finally getting the joke and he laughed that much harder.

            “Jerk!” Tim swept her up and kissed her she smiled into the kiss as he set her down and she turned to see the dress.  “Wow, are you sure you aren’t gay?” She asked playfully and Tim slapped her ass, she went up to the dress. It was stunning and not exactly out of her price range either, she was elated at the thought of Tim picking out the wedding dress.

            “You sure about this one right?” She asked and he nodded, she hugged him hard and he smiled. He adored her, and he was sure that she was the one to spend the rest of his life with, she was free spirited, but loyal in a way Jenny never was.

            “Have I told you how much I love you today?” He asked and she smiled, kissing his chin and saying.

            “Only twice, once more certainly won’t hurt.” She stated and he looked down at her, meeting her sexy eyes and saying in a soft meaningful voice.

            “Vanessa, I love you.” She grinned from ear to ear and said in an equally sappy voice.

            “I love you to coach.”

*****

            Sam slammed her hand into the punching bag, she was drenched in sweat, and she knew she was pushing herself way to hard. Her heart fought back, sending hard beats that she could feel as she pounded the bag again and again. She didn’t care, she was pissed and she needed to vent, she couldn’t fuck so she was going to wack the bag some more. She pushed her hair from her dark grey stormy eyes. A hard rock song played on the speakers of the gym. Sam punched to the beat, banging her head at the same time, the music overwhelming her as she thought about CJ.

            CJ and her father, the one who’d condemned her to being an outcast when she’d come out to him. The same man that had yelled screamed and threatened Sam when he’d met her. Calling her every name in the so called book and going as far as trying to blackmail Sam with something that had happened in med school. Something that could very well have ruined her career, it had involved Jo Wheaton and Amy Astin, and it had ended with Amy being alive, but Sam having violated her code of ethics to keep the gorgeous blonde alive.

            She pounded the bag again, memories of CJ flooding her every thought, her mouth the way she spoke, wrapping those luscious lips around words and making them sound erotic when they were your every day, run of the mill words. She shoved the images out of her mind; fuck you CJ for still being able to haunt me like this.

            “You supposed to be doing that?” Shane asked walking around the bag, eyeing Sam, thinking she was just too sexy in sweat pants, and a white shirt that read Wanna Experience the 45 Minute Orgasm? Sam saw her staring at the shirt or her tits one or the other.

            “Lara‘s shirt.” Sam said, finding that she was breathless, her heart was slamming in her chest, she was sure that the shirt was moving. Calm down and breathe Sami. It is your heart, and it does what you tell it too! She blared in her own head, but the heart seemed to have a mind of its own sometimes.

            “I figured as much, you should take it easy Sam….” Shane began and for some reason Sam exploded with an anger that seemed to be brimming on the very surface.

            “I’ve been taking it easy! I’m sick of taking it easy! I’ve been taking it easy for two years! Know what it got me? Nothing! CJ gets knocked up and leaves me, I was gonna die, but fuck it, take it easy Sam, see ya later.” Sam said pain filled her voice and Shane moved to her, feeling her anguish and Sam pushed her away, turning and heading for the back of the virtually deserted gym.

            “I don’t need your fucking sympathy Shane…” Sam grunted and sat down against the wall, her legs feeling like mush, her head about to explode. She felt for a pulse, and she found it, iritic and way to fast. Now you did it Vance. She felt a hard pain in her side, she pressed her hand to it, closing her eyes as she did, where was this pain coming from?

            “Not sympathy, Sam, Sam something it wrong….” Shane said, kneeling next to her and touching her skin, cold and clammy. Sam had her eyes closed in pain, and Shane instantly began to worry.

            “Ah fuck…” Sam said swallowing hard as she knew that it was bad, a dull pain in her chest and belly started to play at her. Then sharp shooting pain that radiated everywhere it seemed.

            On a scale of one to ten, what is the pain factor? The calm voice of her’s asked and Sam tried to not roll onto her side, and she answered herself. I’d say a nine Dr. Vance, perhaps I pushed to hard and blew something, or am I just a glutton for punishment so I keep pushing until I kill myself? Sam sighed, fuck she was dumb sometimes.

            Shane knelt down, grabbing her hand and asking in a soft yet demanding voice.

            “Sam, talk to me.”

            “Call an ambulance….” Sam said, her world growing darker with each passing moment.

******

            “Working hard or hardly working?” Tina asked as she stood at Rosita’s door. The office in perfect order, everything was placed and Ro had a laptop open on the neat desk. Ro looked up, dark eyes meeting Tina‘s instantly and Tina smiled at the heat she felt stirring in her belly.

            “Working hard, I was assigned to the Jimmy Worthington case a week ago, and I finally got all the evidentiary stuff, only to find that we already had it, but it was mislabeled.” Rosita stated and made her way around the desk, and closed the door behind Tina.

            “Ah, hot case I hear. I was wondering….” Tina began, do it Tina, ask her!

            “Uh huh.” Rosita said, just the faintest hint of a smile gracing her lips. Tina blinked, looking at her and deciding that asking wasn’t an option any longer.

            “Umm, oh yeah are you coming tomorrow night? Please say you are? Please? Everyone else has a ‘date’ and I don’t want to be stuck sitting at a table alone, with all those actresses and actors milling around. Please?” Rosita grimaced she hated to go out. She nervous all the time, and a place like this, was very much out of her element. Then she saw the pleading look on Tina’s face and began to relent.

            “Ok, fine. Just don’t expect too much from me, Si? You know, what we talked about the other night, just in case she’s there?” Tina nodded and tapped the pile of files and said to Rosita.

            “I’ll let you get back to work, I’ll meet you there. This is for you.” Tina handed Rosita a VIP card to get into the club and Rosita played with it, twirling it around with her fingers and winking at Tina as she left the office. Ro sat down, biting her lip and wondering what the hell she was doing.

******

            Speed, how it felt good between her legs, raw, unadulterated power at her very mercy. The bike roared as she downshifted, feeling the back wheel almost slipping on the pavement, but she pulled the beast under control.

            Alex sped into the parking lot of the private facility that Bette Porter was at. She got off her bike, pulling the key with her as she walked with purpose to the door. She let herself in, not having taken off her helmet yet. She went to the desk, protected by bullet proof glass and asked for Bette Porter. The nurse looked down and asked her to take a seat, she did.

            Alex sat a song in her head but Eminem, she ran the lyrics through her mind, thinking he wasn’t as good a poet at Tupac was, but he’d do in a pinch. She thought about this huge party at Twilight that was going down tonight, and she wasn’t in the mood to go, but they were going. Come hell or the high water of Hurricane Whatever There Name Is, they were going.

            A burly man came out closing the door behind him and standing before Alex. Alex stood up, her hands in her pockets as the man stuck out a hand and then he pulled it back.

            “I’m sorry Bette isn’t taking any visitors at the moment, I’ll have to ask you to come back once she contacts you. I understand how frustrating this has been to all her friends, but it is what she wants.” He said his voice formal and Alex blinked, pulling out her badge. If the friend tact didn’t work, she was going to pull out her other stop.

            “I have some questions to ask, that’s all I want the answers to a question actually.” He sighed at the sight of the badge and shook his head.

            “I’m sorry you’ll have to get a court order officer.” Marty said he’d assumed she was a friend of Bette’s, but he’d assumed wrong.

            “Detective.” Pez corrected him and she sighed. She needed to know what had happened that day, because she couldn’t remember. She also knew that Bette was in there, with the answer and she wanted them desperately. She rubbed her eyes, then messing up her helmet head of hair and set her jaw.

            “I’m sorry, detective.” Marty corrected, and Alex shrugged it off, eyes growing dark as she turned to walk away. How was she going to get in there and talk to Bette? Undercover? She could pose as a nurse? A doctor? Her acting skills were up to par; her mind ran around with thoughts.

            “I’ll be going. Tell Bette I said hello.” Alex said and she turned, heaving her helmet up and letting it dangle at her finger tips, then Marty asked.

            “What is your name?” Alex spun around, having forgotten to introduce herself, she said in a hard voice.

            “Alexandria Pezinni.” Marty’s eyes grew wide and he buzzed the door open, and said with a bit more respect.

            “I’m sorry, but you are the one on the list.” Alex’s face went blank and she set the helmet down next to the door. The one? The only one, so Bette had been waiting for someone and it was her.

*****
Broken Free
10/5/04

Broken free from
The cage that held me
Ripped away all the

Binds that straps me down
Bright light of day blinds me
Eternal night fades away

Take me away
I run from the pain
In this place once called home

I’m no longer afraid
Tell me where you want to go
We’ll drive away
Into the sunset of the day

Children at play
Is what we are
Breaking away
The cage of your love
No longer holds me still