As She Sleeps
by Watcher
Disclaimer: Xena, Gabrielle and Agent 99 are all owned by others. I only borrowed them for a little while. No copyright infringement was intended. Casey and Beth (and their ever growing list of family, friends and enemies) sprang from my wicked mind. This story is number eight in my ongoing uber saga and will make much more sense if you're familiar with the characters.
Sex Disclaimer: This story depicts a relationship between two women who happen to love each other. Don't be surprised if you see them kissing, holding hands or (gasp) doing the "wild thang."
Violence Disclaimer: Nope! Not this time.
Sap Disclaimer: Oh boy...you bet!
Author's note: I dedicate this to the one who taught me that it was possible for a shy wanna be bard to feel, to love.
"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Casey spoke softly, wanting and needing to express her emotions. Beth could sleep through just about anything, from Casey speaking quietly to her to a full blown thunderstorm. In fact, the specialist privately wondered on several occasions if Beth could sleep through her making love to her author. "You are a bad, bad girl." Casey scolded herself, pushing away the temptation to ravish Beth her in sleep. But it was hard...very hard, especially with her author laying there, looking all sexy and beautiful. "Maybe on our honeymoon." Grinning naughtily, blue eyes darkened passionately, wanting very much to give voice to her fantasy. "Oh yeah...definitely on our honeymoon." Beth shifted in her sleep, pursing her lips invitingly, drawing her lover's attention back to her, away from her fantasies.
"I love you so much." Casey traced a finger lightly down Beth's cheek, skimming over the top of her lover's lips. "You respond to me, even in your sleep." Chuckling softly, blue eyes watched Beth kiss her finger, groaning lowly as her lover's tongue lightly trailed over her finger. "Ooo, I think that's enough of that, Sweetheart." Reluctantly, Casey withdrew her finger, her heart racing, imagining how Beth would respond to intimate caresses, of her body arching unconsciously against her, seeking what only Casey could provide. Cautiously Casey kept a little space between them, not trusting herself to touch Beth fully without ravishing her. "One touch and I am so yours. Sometimes, how much I need you, scares me. I know I can't exist without you...I don't want to. Whenever I get scared, I look at you and somehow, you know...you reach out, touch me, touch my heart...and everything is right in my world." Falling silent, Casey closed her eyes, imagining Beth touching her cheek, kissing her softly, feeling the strength of their love wash over her.
"You have changed my whole life." Whispering reverently, Casey wrapped the ends of Beth's strawberry blond hair around her fingers, the soft silk comfortingly soothing. Intently, emotionally, blue eyes flickered over Beth, absorbing every little nuance she had come to know, to love, to need with every fiber of her being. From the way the skin around Beth's vibrant eyes crinkled as she happily dreamed to the little quirk in Beth's lips, Casey had become a master at reading and gauging her lover's emotions. Many an hour had been joyously spent as the specialist honed this particular skill.
"Ahh, what are you dreaming now, my love?" Casey raised herself slightly on her elbow, watching Beth's face tense, the skin around her eyes wrinkling, the corner of her lips turning down. "None of that now...not today." Leaning forward, Casey kissed Beth softly, then pulled back, beaming as a smile graced Beth's beautiful features once again. For a brief moment, the specialist wondered what troubled her lover in her sleep - was it some of their recent troubles or the prospect of dealing with both of their families today or was it the warrior princess and her bard. Shrugging her muscular shoulders, Casey pushed those concerns away...nothing was going to ruin their day today...even if she had to intimidate every single member of both their families. Flexing her shoulders, Casey frowned, unconsciously scowling, imagining Beth's parents scurrying off...not to mention her own mother. "No, no." Mentally Casey gave herself a fierce shake. "I am not going to worry about anything today! Nothing and no one will ruin our day." Silently Casey made herself a promise, gently fingering the hair trapping her fingers. "I promise, my love."
"Who would have ever thought," Casey sighed softly, not quite believing that today would ever come...not for her. But here it was, and she was eagerly, enthusiastically, joining her life with another. Releasing Beth's hair, blue eyes watched entranced as her fingers skimmed along the lines of Beth's sinewy arm, caressing the hidden strength devotedly, exhaling in delight as her long fingers encountered Beth's shorter ones, their fingers unconsciously lacing together. Casey's heart stopped, just for a second, reveling in the blinding surge of love and passion she felt for her lover. Clearing her throat fervently, Casey shook her head, sending her dark locks flying. "Who would have ever thought," the specialist repeated, squeezing the fingers wrapped in her own. "That I, 'Ms I Don't Do Relationships' would be laying here, on the morning of my wedding, deliriously happy. There was a time no one would have wanted to come." One of the many changes Beth had brought into her life, was the introduction of friends, ones that only wanted one thing from her - her friendship. For one used to people always having ulterior motives, wanting to make use of her unusual professional skills, it was rather disconcerting. It was something the tall, dark haired woman was having trouble accepting. Brushing her lips across Beth's knuckles, Casey breathed deeply, considering that thought, nearly overwhelmed by the intensity of her emotions.
"Wedding and me in the same sentence, that's..." Chuckling almost nervously as words failed her, Casey couldn't hide her astonishment, knowing she wouldn't change a damn thing it meant she wasn't right here, today, waiting to formally join her life with her love's. It took several tries before she could form the words. "Beth and I will be married...all that richer and poorer stuff." The specialist knew for them, that didn't mean material goods, but the wealth of emotions they dealt with. "And we've already covered the 'in sickness and health' part of things." Wincing, Casey refused to think about that, stubbornly closing her eyes, willing painful images of a bruised and battered Beth far away. Unbidden, a peaceful calm settled her nervousness and Casey grinned, a wide, ear splitting grin, laughing exuberantly. "I'm going to marry Beth!" Shaking her head, Casey's smile softened as Beth stretched. "Whoops...better be quiet. I don't wanna wake you up, love. But," Casey leaned over, pressing her lips against Beth's tenderly. "I'm just so excited. We are gonna get married later today."
That started her thinking again, returning to her contemplative mood. "Now that's one combination of words I never imagined for myself when I was a kid, let alone an adult. Well," Casey paused, admitting to herself something she had known for awhile, something she never had the courage to admit. "At least until Beth came into my life. Then it was something I yearned for, but lacked the courage to ask." Staring at her lover, various images flashed before her eyes....one dark and dreary day when a petite, immaculately dressed strawberry blond walked into her life and her heart...the first time she pressed her face emotionally into Beth's neck, giving into emotions and feelings she thought long dead, feelings she was only able to face with her author's love and guidance...the first time she had the distinct honor and pleasure of hearing her lover scream her name in passion...cheerfully making room in her closet for Beth's clothes, instinctively realizing how right it was to start sharing their lives as they shared their bodies, their love..the proud, primal feeling that encompassed her being seeing Beth dressed so seductively, so beautifully, walking beside her willingly, making the statement that she was Casey's...waking up to the feel of cool metal being slid on her finger, forever changing her life, her perceptions...standing beside a grave, making peace with a large part of her past, because of her lover's help and understanding...kneeling in a garbage filled gutter, proposing to her lover, wanting, needing to stand before their friends and family, laying claim to Beth, shouting for anyone to hear, the consequences be damned...Beth was everything. "That's what you are, you know." Casey blinked back a tear rather impatiently, tears were definitely not something she was comfortable with. "My life...my love."
Brushing strands of strawberry blond hair out of Beth's eyes, Casey leaned closer, drinking in the pleasant sensations assaulting her as her skin came fully into contact with her lover's. Slowly, she slid her thigh across Beth's muscular ones, biting back a groan as her desire for her soon to be wife flared anew. "Behave." Casey mumbled, admonishing herself, willingly giving in to her growing desire to be connected with her lover. Out of nowhere, a thought struck Casey, causing her to chuckle in amazement.
"I still can't believe Mrs A expected us to sleep apart tonight!!" Brushing her lips against Beth's neck, Casey snuggled closer, tightening her grip on her author. Two weeks ago, Mrs A had broached the subject as they discussed sleeping arrangements for their respective families. Since they could easily afford it, she and Beth had decided that Chris's hotel was a good place to put their parents and siblings. Unfortunately, Mrs A did not agree, protesting loudly that she was perfectly capable of housing some of their relatives. Wincing, Casey remembered Mrs A poking her in the chest, saying the wedding was a perfect time for reconciliations. Besides, between their two houses there was sufficient room - a hotel was not needed. It was only through Beth's gentle persuasion that Mrs A agreed, not being able to successfully counter Beth's soft, yet very firm arguments that they wanted her to relax and have a good time. If she was worrying about feeding people, she couldn't. Then, the real battle began.
"God, I thought Mrs A was going to have a cow...she certainly was upset. It didn't do me any good, either." Relaxing against Beth, Casey consciously willed her muscles to lose the tension thinking about their families always invoked. She and Beth considered their old neighbor as family, but usually the old woman supported them, wholeheartedly. It was rather disconcerting, being on opposite sides of a personal issue with their adopted grandma. "It's not like we haven't been sleeping together almost every day since Beth moved in with me. I still don't get it." Meaning how vehemently Mrs A argued for the intended couple to sleep apart, and how she took it as an offense, until Beth quietly explained that she couldn't sleep, not without Casey at her side.
"What don't you get, 99?" Beth mumbled sleepily, stretching against Casey's warm body, hugging Casey to her. "And what are you doing up so ungodly early?"
"How do you know it's so early?" Casey teased, nipping Beth's neck softly. "I bet your eyes aren't even open." Pushing against Beth, Casey raised her head, giggling as Beth frowned, eyes still firmly closed. "See?" Lightly wiggling her fingers against Beth's ticklish ribs, Casey holding Beth in place with her larger body. "Told ya."
"Yeah, yeah." Beth grumbled, squirming to avoid Casey's fingers. "I know you, that's why." Beth was well aware of how early Casey rose every day, no matter what the occasion. "So it's gotta be early." Finally, Beth forced her eyes open, blurrily focusing on Casey's face. "What don't you get?"
Biting back her natural inclination to say 'nothing important', Casey changed the subject, not wanting anything negative to touch today...their day. "Guess what?" Casey bounced, giggling happily. Not giving Beth a chance to answer, Casey swooped down, kissing Beth deeply, lovingly. "I love you and we are getting married today!" Jumping from Beth's arms, Casey pulled her startled, sleepy woman with her. "C'mon, love. Times a wasting." Dragging Beth behind her, Casey headed for the shower, giddy with happiness.
"I love you, too." Beth managed to answer before Casey tugged her forward, a dazed smile on her face, quietly thinking today was going to be fantastic
*****As always, I wanna know what you think! I can be reached at WatchXena@aol.com