Moments later Millie had parked the car, she turned to Trixie but the blond already had her back to her and was stepping out of the car. Sighing with a mixture of confusion and anxiety Millie got out, locking the car and regarding her lover with a weary eye.

You going to tell me what’s going on? Millie asked, her voice slightly brazen as she walked past the reluctant blond to open the front door.

I could ask you the same thing. Trixie answered, following Millie into the house.

Millie wasn’t in the mood for word games or any clever remarks, she hadn’t done anything to deserve this morose mood change. And unless Trixie had a very good reason, then she wasn’t going to be the only one giving off the heated stares and silent treatment.

For gods sake Trix, just tell me because I haven’t got a clue as to what it is I could’ve done wrong.

Millie slammed her sunglasses down onto the kitchen counter as they entered the scene of the crime. Thinking Trixies shifty glances around the room was a way of avoiding eye contact just got Millie more mad. She was about to start going off on a rant but the blond beat her to it.

You should have told me about Max.

Silence. Millie just stood there, her mind blank at the mention of her sisters name. The seconds ticked by as she began to comprehend the reality of the situation. Millie had been protecting Trixie from her sister, or the knowledge of her sisters existence anyway. Ever since Millie had to send Max off to a youth correctional facility, guilt and anguish had racked her conscience. It had only been the introduction of Trixie into her life which had taken her mind off Max. The last thing she had wanted to do was bring up the slightly embarrassing family secret when she had only known Trix for a few weeks. It would’ve spoiled everything, it was only at that moment that Millie realised she had spoiled it anyway.

With a heavy head she looked up at Trixie, scared to meet the eyes which she had gazed into lovingly every day.

What do you want to know? she asked, her voice small with a child like authority.

Anything, everything? A little preparation would’ve been nice Millie, if I had known my life was in danger by even being associated with you then maybe I would’ve given moving in with you a second thought. Because for some reason being held at knife point by the secret sister of your supposed girlfriend does not rank highly on my list of things to do when in LA.

Trixies tone cut through Millie as if she were made out of paper. She could feel the emotions burning her chest as she held the unrelinqueshing gaze of a seriously pissed off Trix.

Knife point…?

Trixie smirked at Millies confusion, the teary eyed brunette pleading with her shaky look for the smallest ounce of understanding. Millie could hear what Trix was saying, but her words weren’t quite sinking in. Pushing them away was Millies impending need to be comforted, to regain the feeling of love and security which she had been revelling in since Trix came into her life.

So you weren’t expecting the mysterious psycho sister to return, is that why youre looking at me like that? Trix said, her face showing the same shock at her words as her eyes gave away.

Shes here?

Trixie nodded, glancing around.

I don’t know where shes gone. Trixie replied, her tone softening.

Millie nodded, sniffing away the tears which threatened to show her up. She had to find Max before she harmed herself or someone around her. She should call the facility which was supposed to be keeping her locked up, she should call Maxs doctor. In fact she should call the police if Max had a weapon on her. Millie sighed, she didn’t want to call anyone, all she wanted to do was take Trix into her arms and never let her go. Make up for all the secrets and unkempt promises, the danger she had knowingly put her in and her own selfishness for keeping everything how she wanted it.

Im so sorry Trix.

It was barely a whisper, hardly even a breath but Trix heard it perfectly. Millie was still basking in the actuality that they rarely needed words, there were just some things that could be said without the aid of verbal communication. And Millie knew Trix saw the glimmer of honesty and regret in her deep brown eyes, she knew Millie would only keep something from her if she thought it would protect her. Millie scolded herself for being so stupid, she also cursed the harshness of reality for truly dropping her in it when she had just found her feet.

Did you know she was coming back?

Millie shook her head, still holding her trueloves eyes, blinking every now and then to urge the tears to back off.

How old is she?

Twenty.

Trixie nodded, taking in the information carefully. Millie watched her, her jaw was tense and her mouth set in a stern frown. Not an expression she was used to seeing.

What are you thinking? Millie asked, a question she didn’t want to hear the answer to, but wanted more than anything to know.

She watched Trixie shake her head slightly, looking away at a distance spot which no daydream could reach, no amount of vision could see. It was a place inside her mind, the one place which she had yet to allow Millie to unlock and take a look inside.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The hurt and passioned response Millie had induced in me was confusing my urge to grab the beautiful brunette, take her in my arms and make everything better. I was angry and I was upset, but I knew deep down that she was the one person which could make this all better, yet she was the one person I was trying to push away. If this was a natural defence mechanism then I didn’t want it, I could do quite fine with out it.

But my stubborn single mind was battling against this urge, to the point where it was answering my questions for me and forming words in my mouth that my voice did not recognise. I had to regain an ounce of self control, anger was not a good enough excuse to lose the best thing that had ever happened to me. I might have been stubborn but I wasn’t stupid.

I looked at Millie again, meeting her eyes which held so much remorse that it broke my heart just to see the pain she was in. Even though it was my place to be upset and infuriated I still couldn’t stand to see my love go through anything even remotely similar.

Im thinking if youve kept this from me, then what else is there that I don’t know. Do I even know Amelia Miller, or are you just a pleasant cover for a more displeasing inside.

I didn’t know what I was saying, the words were literally flowing out of my mouth with no regard to how they sounded or if they even made any sense. There wasn’t enough time to decide these trivial troubles, these were my thoughts untainted, unashamed of any outcome. I was giving the answer which she had asked for, whether she wanted to hear it or not was a completely and probably inconsequent detail to the matter at hand.

I just wanted to protect you, protect what we had. came the reply.

I was crumbling, my defence weakening. My earlier thoughts dissipating the time I spent with the only problem which I was faced with. How could one person do this, affect me so much that not even pain could hide the presence of my undying love for her. No matter how much time we had been together, it just fell away as completely impertinent to everything which had passed in the mean time.

It was at that point when I mirrored her expression for some form of comfort, a shoulder to cry on, a comfort which could not be found if looked for. A comfort that found you, where ever you were or what ever you were doing it just appeared no matter what life was throwing at you or what any other circumstantial coincidence was preventing the monumental step forward.

I took that step tentatively, closing the distance between us. Stabbing pains of stress and heartache bothered my mind as I tried to push them away and concentrate on my feelings for Millie. This passive attempt at forgiveness on my part did not go unnoticed by Millie. She closed the gap within three steps and pulled me into her comforting embrace. I held her back firmly, my arms locking around her perfect shape and sinking within her smell and security.

Im so sorry baby. Millie whispered by my ear, sending the familiar shivers down my back.

I nodded against her shoulder, my throat numbed by emotion. I took in a deep breath and pulled back, meeting the enamoured eyes of my lover. The deep brown depths so close to mine pierced reminders of Maxs same colour eyes looking back at me, the deadly, lunatic calm arousing my fear. The sharpened edge of the knife poised and ready to do what ever its yielders will.

Millie noticed my body still against hers and the fragility settle in my limbs. She tightened her hold on me but I was already pulling away, untangling my arms from her waist and stepping out the of the loving zone. Instinctively I touched my neck tentatively, my eyes wincing at the the tender flesh which had been pressed up against the knife.

Did she do that to you? Millie whispered, a dark cloud enveloping her eyes.

I nodded, swallowing against my fingers.

I want you to tell me everything, everything youve been keeping from me Millie. Or I go home. I said, as I spoke my heart began to thump and the level of my voice shook, showing my weakness.

I was waiting for the right time Trix, please I want you to know everything about me, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

I stepped back, trying to keep my head clear of any physical contact.

Well youre lucky your sister decided to let you spend any more time with me, you put my life in danger Millie. And for what? In a vain attempt to keep me sweet for a bit longer? To have me believe you are as perfect and pure as the first night we met?

I know, Im sorry Trix you have to believe me. I didn’t know she was coming back, I didn’t even think you would ever meet her. And I know Im not perfect, I thought you would have realised that by now. Millie said quietly, her eyes filling up with tears.

I had to look away, I couldn’t see her cry it would just open my flood gates. And we wouldn’t be much use blubbering together when trying to have our first real argument.

Baby I love you, please dont leave. Millie begged, moving towards me again and reaching out for my hand.

I retracted my hand, unable to look her in the eye. My mind was throwing thoughts back and forth between reason and doubt. I needed to clear my head, sooth my impending need to run away from the problem.

I heard Millie take in a breath to begin again but her words were cut off by the phone ringing shrilly into our world. Silently we both looked at the offending interruption, deciding who was going to make the first move.

You should get that. I said quietly, moving back to lean against a kitchen counter.

Three more rings later and Millie picked up the phone, closing her eyes before opening her elegant mouth to speak.

Hello.

I watched her, the slender right hand holding the cordless phone to her ear. Her face taken by comcentration for the voice on the other end.

Speaking. she said, her voice quiet.

Yes.

Instinctively she looks at me, her eyes wide with shock. I want to move and comfort her but my body is no longer responding to my minds will.

Ill be there.

With that she placed the reciever back onto the stand, the phone beeping to inform us it is recharging. How my mind is still processing these thoughts I dont know, once again finding normailty in a world which is ever spiralling out of anyones control.

That was the police, they have Max.