"We're going back." Cleo roughly lead her to her feet and dragged her through to the lobby.

"Back where?" She let herself be pulled without any real effort.

Cleo let go of Rae's hand briefly to grab the leather trousers and shirt she had stripped off earlier in the front sitting room. She dressed in lightening speed and then re-took Rae's hand to pull her back through the lobby.

"Back where Cleo?" Her questioned again.

"Come on." Cleo increased the pressure of her pull.

As they reached the kitchen, she released Rae again. Strutting to the back of the enormous open plan kitchen, she grabbed two helmets from the ledge. She marched back over and thrust one into Rae's hands.

"You want to go riding?" She asked as she examined the familiar helmet.

"Ready?" Cleo met the Raven's intrigued eyes as she pulled on the royal blue helmet with a black snake curled around its crown.

Rae merely pulled on the shiny black helmet painted to look like the back of a bird. Cleo pulled open a drawer and pulled out a pair of thick leather riding gloves. She held them out to Rae and started off towards the back door. A metal coat rack held two thick leather jackets.

She donned the gloves and moved to follow her. As she turned into the alcove that held the door, Cleo thrust one of the jackets out and she shrugged it on quickly.

"The keys are in the pocket." Cleo breathed. Her insides full with anticipation as she moved towards the garage door.

"Cleo, you kept all this stuff?" Rae put her hand in and pulled out the keys.

"I make sure it's taken out every week, so she should purr like a lion." The tall blonde avoided the question. She could see the glint in her blackbird's eye. She had won this round at least.

Cleo pushed open the door to reveal a large bike sitting in the centre of the almost barren room.

"The heritage." Rae raced over to bike and bent down to inspect it. It had been the first thing Cleo had ever bought her so long ago. The blonde had dragged her into the bike shop and told her to pick. Rae had been drawn to the black, heavily chromed bike immediately.

Cleo stood framed in the door just watching, her mind revelling in victory.

"I thought you sold her?" She turned as she stood, her hand going into the familiar groove on the left hand grip.

"I never would." Cleo replied honestly.

"I'm glad you didn't." Rae swung her leg over and sat down.

"Shall we?" Cleo drew the door closed behind her.

"Come on!" Rae smacked her leg to beckon the blonde to take her place. In a quick motion she released the kick petal and slammed the engine into life.

On her way Cleo pressed the garage door open button on the wall, pocketing the remote control. Climbing behind Rae, her hands instantly encircled the technician's waist.

"She sounds great." Rae revved the engine, giddy with the thick vibration of the large iron horse underneath her.

"I've been taking care of her." Cleo rested her head on the shoulder in front of her.

"Where too?" She questioned above the noisy engine that barked as only a vintage Harley could. The door lifted and opened to reveal a still dark sky.

"The beginning." Cleo pointed outwards.

"The beginning." Rae repeated as she rose up her foot and the bike tore out of the garage.

As they reached the main road, she reached inside her open jacket not surprised to find her sunglasses still there. She slid them on. Cleo laughed and clung on tightly as they raced off, her heart and mind soaring free.

******

The city flashed by in a whirl as Rae pulled off the main street and passed the familiar little empty house of the parking officer. She entered the main circle and took a shortcut to arrive in front of the Dean's house as she had so many years ago.

"We going in?" Rae laughed as she turned around to look at her passenger.

"Of course." Cleo's eyes sparkled.

"Lead on." Rae smiled and offered her hand to help Cleo dismount as she shut off the bike. Leaning the bike over on its kickstand, she followed the tall blonde under the buildings front arch.

"How brave are you?" She stopped and turned looking Rae in the eye.

"You daring me to do something?" Rae raised an eyebrow as she removed her sunglasses, tucking them away in one sure movement. Cleo reached into her own jacket and drew out a small pair of metal cutters.

"The chain needs to go." She nodded towards the large padlocked gate in front of them.

"Give me those." Rae laughed as Cleo handed them over. She popped the lock off in one quick snap, the sound gone before the echo had a chance to bounce off the walls around them.

"After you." She swung the now open gate for her.

Cleo slipped inside and waited for Rae who followed right behind drawing the gate closed and placing the chain back around so to anyone not looking to close they'd think all was fine. Shadowed by the technician, she led the way past the tall buildings now shrouded in darkness.
Through the back alleys of the campus, they soon reached the student centre. Rae's eyes fixed on the blonde before her as Cleo looked up at the tall building.

"My old office." She whispered.

"Via the roof?" Rae laughed. "Or you want to take the easy way through the halls?"

Cleo looked around her eyes resting on the drainpipe and the easy window ledges.

"Which do you think?" She asked grinning, looking back at the technician.

"Come on, you lead." Rae moved over by the pipe and offered her hands to give Cleo a boost. Cleo took it and was boosted a few feet up to her first handhold.

Nimbly and gracefully, she clambered up the pipe. Using firm hand holds and steady foot placements she was soon pulling herself up onto the flat roof of the building.

Rae watched for a second before leaping up to the first handhold and gracefully pulling herself up. She matched the blonde's every expert move, pulling up on the roof just a second after her. Cleo peered over watching the technician complete the climb and held out her hand.

"This always was an easy climb wasn't it?" Rae laughed but she refused to take the offered hand.

"Always." Cleo laughed and moved to the centre of the roof. The sky was cloudy and dark above them and framed the blonde as she pulled off her helmet and shook her hair out. She placed it on the top of a small chimney nearby.

"And these were just too convenient." The Raven followed suit.

"Completely." Cleo paid no attention to their surroundings. She thrust her eager hands under Rae's leather jacket as she pressed their lips together.

"You ready for the last of the climb or are you trying to distract me?" Rae pulled back.

"We never miss this kiss." Cleo snarled back kissing her again before breaking away fully. "Your lead." She added.

Laughing, Rae took a running start at the connecting building and leaped up to the handhold of the first window ledge. She reached it easily and hoisted herself up to sit on it. The wind between the building's blew her hair around her head.

"You coming?" She ribbed Cleo from her high perch. The blonde watched mesmerised for a second, before running and jumping after her.

"You're getting slower!" Cleo laughed into the wind as she scampered past to go higher.

"Me slow?" Rae laughed back at her. "First one to the window wins." She turned and scurried up the side of the building finding handholds and places to leverage her feet that were invisible to most.

Their goal was four floors above them. Cleo laughed as she rose to the issued challenge and with a touch more grace she raced up the building trailing behind Rae slightly.

Rae stopped just short of the window, hanging off a nearby ledge by one arm.

"Whose slow now?" She laughed loudly into the stiff wind.

Cleo looked carefully at the distance left to the window ledge with a gleam in her eyes. She pushed herself from her handhold, up and out towards the winning ledge. It was a risky move and she knew it. They were very high and there was no guarantee she would make it.

"CLEO!" Rae saw the glint in the blonde's eyes and the release in her arms as the woman made her dive and grab for the window. She let herself fall sharply to land on her feet on a lower ledge. She jumped her way underneath to where Cleo could be falling.

By some miracle the blonde's left hand found the window ledge and gripped it tightly. She laughed victoriously as she levered herself up onto the ledge

"You're a mad woman!" Rae yelled into the air as she looked up.

"Yeah, but I won!" Cleo called down before turning to the window. She reached into her pocket to pull out a small black case.

"You cheated!" Rae worked her way up to join the winner on the ledge.

Within seconds Cleo had the window open, laughing still as she slipped inside the dark office. Rae was soon perched on the window and followed her in. The technician closed the window behind them.

Cleo turned as she raised a finger to her lips. One hand aloft told Rae to stop where she was. Rae froze solid, her ears straining. The blonde made a careful path across the room to the door. Opening up the clear plastic cover on a small white box mounted on the wall, she quickly tapped in a series of numbers. Then with a smile she flicked on the main light.

"They still have the same override?" Rae laughed as she let herself move into the room further.

"It was worth a shot!" Cleo laughed admitting she hadn't been sure. She stripped off her jacket and threw it onto of the cluttered desk.

"I'm sure you could have cracked it if not." Rae grinned as she took her jacked off and threw it on the desk as well. "They probably still have the two minute repeat window."

"Probably." Cleo agreed as she took in the atmosphere of her old office.

"I don't remember this place being so messy." The Raven moved an empty pizza box off the old broken leather couch against one wall and sat down.

"At least not before we had our 'meetings' in it." Cleo laughed, dropping down to curl into a chair near the couch.

"Oh yeah." Rae laughed briefly remembering their meetings. "I wonder if the new tenants are aware of how many meetings you and I had?" She swung to face Cleo and rested one leg up on the low arms of the sofa.

"Probably not. After all we didn't leave the kind of evidence around that they do these days." Cleo picked up an empty box of condoms and dropped it into the garbage with a loud laugh.

"Well we did have discretion." Rae closed her eyes for a minute. "Remember that guy on the council?"

"Which guy?" Cleo asked looking up at the dirty badly painted walls.

"The short one, dark hair looked sorta like a weasel?" She leaned back and watched Cleo move towards to examine one of them further.

"Geoffrey!" Cleo called over her shoulder as she examined in detail the picture she had seen from her chair.

"Yeah him." Rae laughed at the name. "Remember how he seemed to come a knocking with some council problem every time you and I were having a meeting. What are you looking at?" She asked absently as she watched Cleo move.

"Blackbird..." Cleo turned as she pointed at the photograph. "Look!"

"What is it?" The technician rose and came to see what she was looking at.

"Council photo 1992." Cleo said her fingertip resting on the glass.

"Wow!" Rae looked at the picture. "You have always taken a great photo." She added softly.

"As have you." Cleo whispered as she turned and slipped her hand around Rae's waist. "Geoffrey lives in Scarborough now." Her voice was low.

"Does he?" She laughed. "What's he up too?

"Small building firm."

"About his speed." She was surprised when she felt Cleo reach up and kiss her neck.

"No chance of him interrupting." Cleo's hand pulled Rae's shirt out of her waistband. "I enjoyed our meetings Blackbird." She nipped slightly as she freed the shirt.

"Yes." Rae moved her hands up the blonde's sides pulling at the shirt she wore.

"Do you like this shirt?" Cleo growled as she pulled her head back and fingering the silk.

"It's itchy." Rae answered honestly. With a huge grin, Cleo took a side in each hand and pulled her hands apart sharply and quickly. Those buttons that did not fly off broke enough to open up.

"You didn't like it either I see?" Rae's voice was thick with arousal, her craving fuelled by the aggressive move. That Cleo took that moment to lean in and press her lips onto the rise of Rae's breasts made her arousal spark higher.

"Not if it made you uncomfortable." She lifted her hands and stripped the shirt off the dark haired woman's shoulders. Cleo hands moved up pull the cotton bra from the technician's breasts. She pressed her full hands onto the soft flesh beneath.

"Cleo." She moaned the name giving into the pleasure the woman was giving her. Cleo smiled into the kisses she bestowed as she unhooked the bra and pulled it off of her.

"Fly with me Raven." Cleo whispered as she kissed lower still, pulling open Rae's pants as she sunk to her knees.

"Yes." Rae whispered through a hard swallow as the blonde's face pressed between her legs and moved to kiss her hard.

"Soaring free." She breathed deeply before lowering her head back to its task. Rae breathed back as her legs and hips shifted into Cleo's exploration.

Cleo manhandled Rae's pants and panties down, eager to press her lips back where they had come from, only this time she wanted to taste Rae's soft warm flesh. She held the tall woman's waist firmly and drove her tongue aggressively into Rae's want.

"Oh God!" Rae reached out to brace one hand against the wall near the photo. The grip on her hips tightened as her hip thrust forward. "GOD!" The word came out strained and thick, as her knees bent slightly downwards.

In response the blonde held her tighter and the nipped at her lover's inner lips. Holding her firmly in place Cleo licked and thrust her tongue deeply. The taste of her Raven's juices drove her on.

"Don't make this slow." Her voice was desperate as the fire raged in her fuelled on by the day and the heated familiarity of what was happening to her.

Cleo swirled her tongue around inside the warm flesh before her as Rae's free hand moved to bury itself in Cleo's hair just holding there. The blonde shifted slightly, changing the grip she had on the other woman's hips. Moving her face and mouth slightly, she pressed her nose deep. Using her long tongue with an age-old control, Cleo drove inside to reach her 'g' spot directly and precisely. She played with it briefly before pulling back.

Rae moaned through her clenched teeth at the unbearably pleasurable reaction that was gone before she could draw the breath to groan.

"Don't tease!" She growled as her hips rocked on there own from the increased desire.

Cleo reaffirmed her grip on the technician's hips and laughed low. With sudden force she drove her tongue back in straight to where it was needed most. Once there she licked and teased voraciously. Pulling down on the hips she held slightly to reach higher and deeper then ever before.

"Oh yes!" Rae moaned as she moved downwards.

"Go lower." She managed to manoeuvre herself so that she was low on the floor while still maintaining the pressure and build up. Rae followed her down desperate not to stop the contact. "On your knees." She instructed once she was lying down.

"Yes." Rae whispered as she let her legs buckle beneath her and slid onto her knees

Cleo guided the body above down onto her face, pushing up with her nose, tongue and chin. A strong shiver went right up to fill the technician's head and back again. She reached out her free hand to push into the chair at the desk nearby. Braced between it and the wall her arms strained to hold herself upright.

Cleo worked feverishly, driven on by her own mad desire. She drank eagerly before moving her head back to rest on the floor. Leaving Rae's wet opening aching, she panted as she laid back.

"God!" Rae dragged out the two short words as the pressure decreased and melted away.

"It has been a long time since I have bathed in your milk." Cleo purred softly from below.

"Yes." Rae agreed absently as the build between her legs didn't increase but stayed aching and throbbing. "Please don't stop."

"You want more?" Cleo was delighted to hear the tone in the other woman's voice. She leaned up and drew her tongue across Rae's centre before lying down again.

"Yes." Rae answered instantly her hips shivering from the brief move.

Unseen, the blonde reached into the pocket of her pants and drew out a pair of white cotton gloves.

"Tongue?" Cleo licked again as she slipped on one glove before stroking a finger across Rae's hole. "Or fingers?" She asked, her voice a throaty hiss.

"Both." Rae whimpered as her body instantly remembering the feeling of soft cotton.

"You never fail me blackbird." Cleo purred enjoying the sound of Raven's wanting voice.

"Please!" Rae's voice pleaded on its own, her body aching for the more.

Cleo parted wet lips with the gloved hand and drove her tongue in, hard and deep. A cotton wrapped finger was added with each thrust. She built up a hard, fast and heavy rhythm.

Shots of pure fiery pleasure flared up Rae's back into her head with each movement as Cleo thrust deep and hard. With each thrust she rocked down on her knees to drive the fingers deeper into her still. Cleo panted and breathed heavily into the swollen clit above her.

"Are you ready Raven?" She drawled as she drew out her fingers and tongue, quickly shedding the gloves.

"Yes." The answer came automatically, her body anticipating the slow down but its need building regardless. "Please!"

Cleo smiled at the pleading as she drew her hand together touching her thumb to her little finger. The kneeling woman closed her eyes to the first shots of her impending orgasm.

"Are you sure?" Cleo positioned her hand carefully as she questioned.

"Yes." She panted back, the tension in her arms slacked as the drug like sensation ran in and out leaving them weak.

"Then push down." Cleo ordered holding her hand firm as she moved back to lie on the floor.

Rae took a deep breath before thrusting herself down onto the waiting hand. The blonde pushed up as she felt flesh cover flesh, thrusting high deep and hard. She felt Rae's walls shudder and spasm. Far off in the distance the Raven heard her own voice scream in pleasure.

'Your little star never did this to you, did she!' Cleo smiled to herself.

Rae's arms went to out to the side to brace herself again as she drove herself down harder. Her insides went crazy in jerky moments of tension and then spasms of contractions. Cleo thrust higher pushing against the woman's tight muscles

"Fly my Raven, fly!" Cleo panted as she thrust and pulled. Rae threw her head back as the hardest of it hit her, the spasms going up into her stomach and through her back. Her breath was short and desperate as her chest struggled to breathe through the panic. With great effort Cleo made a final high thrust, and then held still high up inside of her.

Rae's hips rose slightly before they settled back down onto the unmoving hand. She moaned long and low as the last strong ripples of pleasure racked the wet fiery flesh between her legs. Her head dropped forward as it ended.

Cleo remained motionless for some moments before gently tapping Rae's leg.

"Lift up." She instructed gently and the technician did so without thought. As Rae lifted she pulled her hand free. In a careful movement the tall woman swung off of the blonde causing little firecrackers to go off inside her. "Lie down." She was happy to see Rae doing as she was told. "You still have wings my Raven." She moved to lay her head on Rae's chest.

"I do." Rae whispered as she moved her arms around the woman resting on her. "You knew just how to touch me, from the very first time."

"Pleasure me." Cleo instructed in a low tone as she drew circles around Rae's erect nipples.

"Is that an order?" Rae asked in an equally low tone as she opened her eyes.

"Of course." Cleo purred back.

"An order or a request?" She moved Cleo's hand away from her breast and leaned over as she moved to place the arm out away from reaching her. "Cause you know I don't take orders." She let the blonde's arm go and moved her hand to the bottom of Cleo's shirt.

"But you know how I punish." Cleo growled back.

"Punish me!" Rae laughed tightly as her hand pushed up under the material and then turning her hand she wiggled her fingers under the waist of the leather pants.

"Raven, you know you want to." Her voice purred again.

"I do?" Rae dipped her head down and kissed Cleo's stomach. Her stiff tongue ran over the soft flesh as she dragged the fabric upwards with her other hand.

"Yes, pleasure me." Cleo chuckled as she arched up.

"I still don't take orders." Her hand moved to undo the closure of the woman's leather pants. She kissed the washboard stomach again before using the strength in her arms to pull Cleo off the ground slightly and drag the pants down her thighs.

"Do you still have it in you?" Cleo closed her eyes as she felt her clothes being removed, her mind still very sharp.

"Yes." Rae looked up at her. She leaned back to pull the leather pants completely off of the tall blonde.

"You sound sure." Cleo retorted instantly with a smile. "Show me."

"If you ask nicely." Rae kissed her stomach again before moving upwards and grazing her teeth at the swell of her breast.

"Ask?" Cleo laughed as her hips rose just a little.

"Ask." She licked over the material that hid Cleo's erect nipple. "You have to ask for everything from now on."

"Careful Blackbird." Cleo's voice iced with the gentle warning.

"Ask for one thing." Rae licked over the material again.

"I want you to fuck me." Cleo snarled.

"Quite!" The word was the one that the dark side, the only side of Rae's mind to register the answer, wanted to hear.

"Now Raven." Cleo pushed at Rae's hesitation.

"Yes. Yes." She pressed her hand harder as her fingers curled into the material that separated their flesh.

The technician worked on the object of her lust filled desire for a moment before looking up and stilling her hand. She didn't know what was happening. Where was she? Who was she with? Why was she doing this?"

"Come on Raven." Cleo growled her impatient warning.

Rae looked down at the semi naked woman so close to her blinking as if blinded by the identity of her lover. The dark haired woman moved her hand away from the other woman's body.

"For Christ-sake Raven." Cleo snarled as the hand pulled away from where she wanted it.

Rae looked at her dumbly. Her view on the situation obscured, rather like she watched the scene through a thick lens.

"What did you want from me?" The blonde demanded while her mind twisted violently in enjoyment of the position that Rae had taken over her. "Oh wait." She caught her dark lover's eyes. "I get it. Your little English whore, she used to beg for it did she? Ask you to touch her, to kiss her? Is that what you want?"

"No." The puppet in the play Rae watched shook her head in anger and moved away from the naked blonde on the floor.

Another player entered her vision, this one small and slim, dressed in white overalls.

"What are you doing here?" The new arrival asked softly. "You should have gone home. Slept. Focused." The vision urged.

Cleo watched the movements of her 'pet' and snarled. She pushed herself up to sit and sorted her shirt out. She stared at Rae with a blazing fire in her eyes.

"Look at you." Cleo growled trying to draw the silent woman out of her thoughts.

The woman in Rae's mind disappeared with Cleo's words. The technician empty, feeling nothing drew heavy eyes back to look at Cleo.

"I'm...I'm sor..." Rae let herself stumble over her words.

"Grow up Raven." The blonde hissed back. "You got screwed by some nothing actress." She pulled on her pants and grabbed her jacket. "She treated you like a fool. Get over it."

Motionless Rae listened to Cleo rant, though her words did not truly penetrate into her heart or mind.

"I gave you the chance." Cleo shook her head. "You blew it."

"Wait!" Once more it was the 'other' Rae that called out to the blonde. Rae felt herself slipping away once more as she felt and embraced the numbness that flowed into her once more.

"Why? Now you want to screw me?" Cleo shook her head. Her anger burnt her throat and body.

"I'm going to have you." Rae snarled in return.

"Who Raven?" Cleo fixed Rae with her eyes and walked forward. "Who are you going to take?" Her anger making her hand tremble as she rested it on Rae's cheek her nails pressing roughly into Rae's skin.

"You." Rae replied firmly. "If you want it."

Suddenly it was Cleo who questioned. Did she want this? Did she really want Rae to take her like this?

"I... sorry." Cleo uttered the word in a voice that sounded alien to even her. "No Raven." She leaned forward and did something she couldn't remember doing for a long, long time. She lent her cheek against Rae's surprised to find the skin wet. The shock of finding the 'Queen' of her old realm shedding cool tears on her lust heated skin threw Rae's consciousness back into her raging body.

"Cleo, are you crying?" Rae asked the question ever so softly as she wrapped her arms around the woman leaned against her.

"I love you Raven, all I have ever done is love you." The blonde pulled back slowly horrified by her own admission.

"I know." Rae answered tenderly, wiping a gentle hand over the woman's cheek wanting to capture the rare tears somehow. Rae moved forward and pressed her lips softly to Cleo's, kissing her closed mouthed for a few moments tenderly. Only after a time did she run her tongue over Cleo's bottom lip in request. Cleo opened her mouth a little and turned her head slightly as Rae began a soft exploration

Though she had kissed Cleo too many times to count, they had never kissed like this. It was a first kiss of sorts, timid and filled with compassion.

Cleo closed her eyes and for the first time, willingly putting herself completely into Rae's hands.

******

Victoria glanced at the digital read out on the alarm clock that she had brought in from the bedroom and placed on the coffee table. When Marcus had brought her home she had planned to go straight to bed, but that was before the noises had started next door in Edward and Thea's room. Now she couldn't leave the sitting area, at least not until it went quiet.

She had heard Edward's raised voice a lot, and there had been muffled sounds of things falling or being knocked over. Now, at a quarter after five it seemed quieter, but Tori was sure she could hear her sister crying.

Unsure what she should or indeed could do about anything, Tori curled herself up on the sofa where she sat and decided to stay where she was. In the morning she would go to Thea and ask her what had happened.

******

Cleo watched the stray rays of dawn light filter through the dirty blind up at the grubby office window with an odd feeling inside her. She glanced beside her and saw a long naked back, marked with a bold proud tattoo of a Raven in mid soar. Unable to stop herself Cleo reached out a hand and touched the skin gently.

If someone where to have asked what had happened in the last few hours she was not sure she could have answered them. From the moment Rae had wiped the tears Cleo had lost track of so many things.

The first thing she realised she was missing was the anger. The anger that was always there, ever present in her heart and mind was no longer so obvious. It wasn't so controlling or important.

With careful moves the blonde moved from beside Rae and pulled on her pants and shirt. She slipped her boots as she stood up.

"It's time we were going." Cleo turned and smiled down at Rae. "We've are helmets and things to get." She continued.

"Yeah right." Rae agreed somewhat distantly as she got up and redressed.

"Come on we'd better go." Cleo threw the Raven her jacket from the chair.

******

The journey back to the estate wasn't at the breakneck speed than the one from it had been. With Rae obviously in her own world of thoughts and Cleo similarly occupied, the bike meandered slowly through the city without comment from driver or rider.

With the bike back where it belonged in the garage, Cleo entered the kitchen and stretched out her back. It was still very early and one glance at Rae told her how tired they both still were.

"Bed?" She suggested gently. "Your old room is ready."

"Yes." Rae replied watching the blonde walk through the kitchen.

"Good night." Cleo spoke as she reached the doorway. "Sleep well."

******

With a slight moan of pain Thea pushed herself up from living room floor. She glanced at Edward who was asleep beside her. Her husband was neither clothed nor naked, with his pants at his knees and his shirt only clinging loosely to his shoulders. The sight of him made her weak stomach turn again and she looked away.

Rising uncomfortably, she moved gingerly to the bed. On automatic pilot she took a pillow and a blanket from it and made her way back to the sleeping form on the floor. She arranged the blanket over him and gently eased his head onto the pillow. He moaned lightly in his deep sleep and turned over, nestling into the pillow a little.

She moved into the bathroom on shaking legs and glanced at the shaving mirror by the washbasin. The pain in her face kept her from having any reaction to the dried blood and rising bruises that looked back at her. Taking some tissue, she ran it under cold water for a moment before dabbing at her split lip. With a slight grimace she decided it was time to take stock and looked down hesitantly at her wrists and body. Long hand-shaped welts were already prominent on her abdomen and around her wrists.

With a shudder she glanced lower. The deep red hand-shaped mark on the inside of her right thigh made all of it real. There was only one thing that would follow such a mark and her mind just didn't want to think of what that had been now. With a chilled shiver Thea gave up the self- examination and inched her way back into the main room.

Edward was snoring lightly as she walked past him and climbed into the unused bed. Taking one of the spare pillows in her arms, she curled herself round it as best she could without agony and began to sob.

******

Victoria looked at the closed looming door before her. She'd waited until she'd heard Edward go down the hall laden with papers and folders before she'd moved out of her own room. She swallowed hard as her hand came up to knock on the door lightly. She hoped whatever she had heard the night before was nothing but something inside told her that was impossible.

"Who is it?" Thea asked weakly from behind the barrier.

"Thea, it's me." She called back softly.

The sound of her sister's voice made the actress freeze. Frantically looking around the room Thea saw a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt and hurriedly she pulled them on. Walking to the door as best as her battered form would allow, she stopping to pick up her panties and the scotch glass from the floor as she passed. She abandoned the glass on the table and pushed the underwear into the pocket of the pants. Only then did she unlock the door.

"Morning sis." She pulled the door open trying to keep her voice happy though each word pulled at the open slice in her lip.

"Oh God Thea!" Tori's breath caught as the door opened and she saw her sister. The thick bright bruise that spread up across the actress's right cheek up toward the bruising around her eye caught the young woman off guard.

"Tori, come in quickly." Thea breathed and took her by the arm gently pulling her inside the room. There could be no damage control now, all hope that she could pass off her face was ruined by the horrified reaction.

"Thea, he did that didn't he?" Tori asked horrified, pulled into the room by her sister's power alone.

"Victoria, calm down." She spoke softly as she pulled the door closed. "It's okay."

"You can't tell me that is okay." Tori reached a shaking hand out towards her. Her eyes locked on the bloody split in her sister's lip. "We have to get you to a doctor."

"It's not that bad I am sure." Thea raised her hand to her lip, gently wincing at the pain even the lightest touch caused.

"Thea, come with me." Tori took her arm softly, feeling bad for the move when she saw the bruising on her sister's arms as well.

"Tori, no!" Thea made a gentle move to pull her arm back, her body frozen by the pain the minute the young woman's fingers closed around her arm. "It's all right. It was nothing major."

"I heard it all." Her eyes welled up. "This was not nothing!"

"Oh God Tori..." Thea was struck by a sudden sadness. It had never occurred to her for a moment that her sister could have heard. "I am sorry baby." She reached up to Victoria's face.

"Why did he do it?" Tori asked unable to understand.

"He had been drinking love and I was tired. It was as much me as him baby." She used a gentle soft voice. Of all the people to have heard, her sister was the worst. Despite all her grand statements and attitude, her little sister was still so beautifully naïve.

"But, but..." The young woman looked away confused for a moment. "Why did he hit you?"

"To remind me of something angel." Thea reaching over and gently pushed Tori's hair behind her ear.

"We have to phone Daddy." She blurted suddenly. "He can fix this."

"No Tori." The actress let a firm edge enter her voice. "Daddy can't help. It's all right." She re-stated the small comfort trying to convince her sister it was true.

"But..." Tori's little mind reeled. First because this had happened at all, second that her father couldn't fix it and third because no matter how she tried to believe it, she knew this was not all right.

"I'm sorry that this affected you angel." Thea spoke honestly. This had always been something she had hidden from her younger sibling.

"It must hurt." Tori forced herself to study her sister's bruised and battered face.

"It's okay." She tried to ignore the fact that it hurt like hell and turn the attention away from herself. "Did you manage to sleep at all baby?"

"Not really." Tori shook her head. "I was worried about you."

"Hey that makes two sleepy eyed sisters then." Thea's attempt at a smile only caused her lip to open up again.

"Oh Thea!" Tori frowned. "Let me get some ice." She stopped in mid-motion. "That's what you put on stuff like that right?"

Thea nodded as she younger sister moved off towards the still open bar cabinet. Tori pulled some ice out of the freezer and after a minute of contemplation wrapped it in a small towel she found there.

"Stupid lip." She cursed slightly as she felt the blood begin to reach her chin.

"Not stupid." Tori came back and held up the makeshift cold pack to her face. "It looks so sore." She absently bit her own lip. Thea let her sister hold her first aid compress there for a moment as her mind tried to think of how to draw the woman's focus away from all this horror.

"Tori..." She began, gently moving the ice pack away from her lip.

"Yes Thea?" Her sister asked eagerly.

"Why don't you and I snuggle down on..." She stopped, glancing at the bed and then changed her sentence. "Why don't we go to your room?" She corrected. "We could curl up together, watch some TV?"

"We could." Tori nodded and yawned. "They have a great movie channel."

"And we could order room service." Thea dropped in the line she knew her sister would respond to.

"Oh room service!" Tori's eyes lit up.

"And get some rest. " She nodded. "Do we have a deal?"

"That does sound good." Tori smiled softly. "Then I can look after you and get you stuff if you need it." She liked the idea of being able to care for her sister.

"Okay, you go and set things up. I'll just drag a brush through my hair and come through in a second." Thea looked at her sister confirming this would plan was a good one.

"All right." Tori moved to the door reluctantly not really wanting to be apart from her for even a small period of time. "I'll start going through the menu for us."

Tori forced a smile as she opened the door and went out into the hall. It faded as she raced towards her room.

'This is not okay, this is not all right!' Her mind screamed.

As she reached her room, Victoria pushed the door closed and grabbed her clutch purse off the table. Fumbling through it she pulled out the playbill and ran her eyes over it. Her spirits rising when she found the theatre's telephone number was on the back.

She hurried to the phone and dialled in the number. She only knew two Canadian's, and she knew that Marcus wouldn't be much help here and now. That left the other one and since that Canadian was a friend of Thea's she hoped maybe she'd know what do to. If Daddy couldn't fix this she was lost. Tori listened to the phone ringing

"Good morning Pantages Theatre." A clipped professional reply came onto the phone.

"Good morning can I speak too..." She panicked realising she couldn't remember the tall woman's name. "Can I speak too..." She flipped to the credit's page happy to see the bold name by the title lighting director "Cassie O'Keefe please, it's urgent"

"Ma'am very few of the cast and crew are here today." The voice replied patiently hoping to get out of any major work.

"Please check if she is." Tori's heart fell. "It's an emergency."

"I'll have to have your name please."

"Victoria Wilcox." She rambled it off.

"Please hold." The phone went quiet.

She closed her eyes hoping desperately that Cassie would be there and remember who she was.

"Miss. Wilcox?" The voice said suddenly.

"Yes?" Tori replied quickly with her hopes high. She opened her eyes and fixed them on the door in case Thea came while she was talking.

"Sorry Miss. Wilcox, Miss. O'Keefe isn't in."

"Do you have any idea when she will be?" Tori asked with a desperate edge to her voice.

"Probably tomorrow morning." A tired tone came into the voice.

"Oh!" The deflated word came from her softly. "Could I have a message left in case she comes in before that?"

"Have you tried her contact numbers?" The person on the other end suggested trying to get off of the phone as quickly as possible.

"Contact numbers?" Tori asked confused.

"All cast and crew have contact numbers on the staff information sheet." An edge entered the assistant's voice, assuming this was one of the lighting chief's dumb crew.

"Oh, the information sheet." She tried to sound like she knew this. Her mind raced, where was she supposed to find one of those.

"I suggest you try them." The voice was condescendingly.

"I misplaced mine, could you give me the numbers please?" She put the charm on thick as a thought came to her.

"This is highly irregular. Do you have a pass code I could check?"

"Oh pass code." Tori's mind raced. She turned with the phone in her hand and her purse dropping off the table as she knocked it with her elbow. Thea's backstage pass fell out at her feet. "Oh wait, I have my pass from last night gala." She picked it up. "I'm at a hotel so I don't have all my stuff." She tried to get a good story going.

There came a slight sigh as the assistant decided this was definitely a techie who had got themselves drunk and laid and was panicking about whether or not she was supposed to be working.

"Just the first three digits will do." He yawned slightly.

"First three are 577." She smiled impressed with herself, though panic crept into her as a long silence loomed.

"Okay. It was O'Keefe you wanted? Yeah?"

"Yes." Tori fumbled in the desk for the hotel pen and stationary. "Thank you for being so very helpful."

"There are two numbers, a cell phone, and a home contact. Do you want both?"

"Yes please both, I really need to get her as soon as possible." Her pen was poised ready for the numbers.

The assistant gave another sigh, he had heard that O'Keefe ran a tight ship and by the sounds of it, it was obviously true.

"Okay Cell 905-443-7282." He left large pauses between each set of digits.

"905..." She repeated so she'd get it right. "443-7282."

"Yes."

"And the home one?" Tori scribbled the word home before getting ready to write the next number.

"416-567- 4211."

"416-567..." She repeated again. "4211. Thank you very, very much." She spoke quickly and hung up the phone. Hurriedly she punched the number to the woman's cell phone.

"Knock, knock. Tori?" Thea rapped on the door lightly.

Tori took in a deep breath and hung up the ringing phone and stuffed the paper in her pocket quickly as she hung up the receiver.

"Come in!" She called happily trying not to sound guilty as the door opened.

"What were you up to? Ordering already?" Thea smiled at her as she slowly entered. Favouring her upper body with her right arm hugged to herself.

"No!" She smiled tightly. "I was checking if I had any messages." She realised the excuse was lame but hoped it would fly.

"Oh right, meet someone nice did you?" Thea smiled gently.

"A few." She grinned back. "You're friend directed me to all the hot ones." She tried the small reference to try and judge how much Cassie could help.

"My friend?"

"The tall woman." Tori looked like she was trying to remember her name. "Cassie?"

"Oh Cassie." Thea's smile was sad, but she spoke in a loving tone. "She'd steer you right."

"She's really nice." Tori smiled happy with her sister's response, phoning this woman would definitely be a good move.

"She is." Thea agreed fighting the tears that threatened to spring in her sadness.

"So what do you want for brunch?" Tori asked moving over to the unmade bed, grabbing the menu from the stand.

"Anything." Thea smiled moving to the bed with her. "Anything at all."

******

"Loraine." Cleo smiled gently as she called for the attention of the young girl who was busy in the kitchen.

"Yes Miss. Eaton?" The small dark haired woman turned with a smile, though she was somewhat surprised to see her employer dressed in a silk robe at three thirty in the afternoon.

"Could you fix up a tray with toast and juice, and take it up to Raven's room?" She asked softly.

"Of course." The maid nodded.

"As soon as you can." She added as she picked up the pile of mail and walked through into the lobby. Cleo looked down at the pile and put most of them on the side table near her study before moving back to climb back up the stairs. She walked down the long hall and pulled open the door to her Raven's bedroom suite.

Fitted out in dark blue silk the walls as well as at the windows were the picture of decadence. Cleo smiled at the sight of Raven in the bed, her long black hair such a contrast to the white silk of the bed sheets.

"Raven..." She quietly called as she approached the bed.

Rae mumbled as her arm stretched out from her position on her back. The sound of Cleo's voice pulled her awake. For a moment she didn't know where she was or even when this was. The world felt so mixed up to her.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Cleo padded across the thick pile carpet and sat on the bed.

"That's okay." She blinked her eyes a few times realising where she was. " Good morning." She offered as she sat up.

"It's afternoon Blackbird." Cleo smiled at her.

"Well then." She laughed. "Good afternoon."

"I forgot how soundly you could sleep." Cleo's voice was tender. "Any plans for the day?"

"Not a one." Rae looked in her internal calendar sorrowfully erasing the large 'go to cabin with Thea' that had been stamped over these free days from the Theatre. "You?" She added softly.

Cleo looked at Rae and then thought for a moment. She had a hundred and one things booked for her day.

"I have to dash out for a minute." The blonde reasoned. "But no more than that."

"I understand." Rae smiled at her. "Have that little company to run."

"I could do it all by phone." Cleo offered. "Or on the computer." She reasoned, then remembered she was seeing Edward to finalise the details on their deal. There was no way she could do that here or miss it.

"I could tour around the vault or do something while you're working. " Rae offered.

"Raven, I have a better idea." Cleo almost choked knowing that scenario was the worse possible. "Why don't you take your Harley out? Give her a good long ride?"

"I could do that." Rae's eyes lit up. She hadn't been riding in ages and a good long run would be so relaxing.

"Why don't you? I shouldn't be more than an hour."

"Which means I have three." She laughed lightly in jest.

"Two." Cleo replied laughing herself.

"Okay." Rae nodded. "Then perhaps we could go out for dinner?" She asked trying to cut out a plan that eased her minds scream for order.

"Of course. You chose where, and book it up."

"Sounds good." Rae nodded.

"Do you mind if I dash now?" Cleo made a small move to stand up.

"No, go on." Rae yawned.

"Be safe my Raven." Cleo whispered blowing her a kiss from the door.

"You to Cleo." Rae whispered back.

"Make it somewhere nice." Cleo leaned back, not accustomed to the feelings of tenderness and warmth she was feeling.

"The best of course." Rae grinned.

"I'll leave you in peace." She whispered as she moved off the bed.

"Cleo?" Rae called as the blonde reached the doorway. "Thank you for..." She didn't finish, she wasn't sure what to say.

"I have to go." Cleo made it easier to end this awkward scene.

"Conquer the world Cleopatra." Rae used the old line without thought.

"Do you want me to move the jeep into the garage?" She asked faltering when she heard Rae's words.

"Yeah if you don't mind." Rae smiled at her, trying to pinpoint the change in the tall blonde she thought she knew so well.

Cleo slipped out and closed the door.

"I conquer with you as my standard." She whispered the old reply before moving down the stairs.

Continued in Act Fourteen

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