Disclaimers: These characters are made up from bits and pieces of personal experiences. They bear resemblance to Xena and Gabrielle property of MCA Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. This story was written for fun only.

Violence: Some mild violence, although nothing out of the ordinary for life as a human being.

Subtext: Yes. It does eventually involve women who grow to care and love each other.

General: There are mild obscenities used occasionally. This is my first attempt at fan fiction, so don’t be too rough on me. Thanks.

Comments? Email nanook88@hotmail.com

Part 8

Sparky and Itsy attacked Alex and Cassandra when they stepped into the house. Alex went to the closet and got Sparkys’ leash and bent down to hook it on his collar. Wow, did that hurt! Jesus, she’d just take Sparky on a quick walk so he could do his business and then she was hitting the Jacuzzi. She hoped Cassandra would be gone to bed when she got back. She walked to the door, turned and said to Cassandra, "Gonna be gone for a little while with Sparky. Don’t bother to wait up. I’ll see you in the morning." Alex opened the door and they stepped out in to the evening.

Cassandra bent down to pet Itsy. She rubbed her body back and forth along Cassandras’ legs. Cassandra could see the pain on Alexs’ face as she bent to hook Sparkys’ leash. Then there was Alexs’ quick escape outside with Sparky. Well, she had some nerve practically telling her to be gone to bed when she got back. Who the hell did she think she was telling her that after what had happened between them tonight? She had a news flash for Alex. She wasn’t going to be asleep when she came back…far from it!

Sparky did his business out around the back of the house. He was ready to go in, but Alex wasn’t. She wanted to make sure Cassandra was asleep. Damn, she couldn’t trust herself with her now that she had had a taste of those sweet lips! She also didn’t need her to know how much that other blow to her side had hurt her. If the department and Bud found out she had been injured at the fire and not reported it, she would probably be suspended. She didn’t need that publicity for the department or with this asshole Chad getting wind of it.

Alex looked up and saw the upstairs hall light go on. Good, she thought to herself, Cassandra was going to bed. She’d wait a few more minutes and then head on in. She would get up early in the morning and be out of the house before Cassandra got up.

Cassandra snapped the light on for upstairs. She picked up the tray and headed on up. She walked in to Alex’s room and there was enough light from the hallway shining in, that she didn’t need to turn a light on. She set the tray down in the bathroom on the top of the sink area. Cassandra turned the lights on low in the Jacuzzi area so she could see to turn it on. A nice hot soak was what Alex was going to get, a little scotch and then a nice body rub. Then she could get a look at Alexs’ injuries more closely. Why hadn’t she told her she’d been hurt? Was Alex that stubborn to not admit she was human? To not let anyone care for her?

Alex unhooked Sparkys’ leash and he immediately jumped up on the couch where Itsy laid curled up on it. He turned around three times in a circle, laid down next to Itsy and let out a sigh. Alex grinned and shut the lights off downstairs and went up to her room.

As soon as Alex entered her room she could hear the sound of the Jacuzzi. What the heck she thought to herself as she started walking towards the bathroom. She entered the bathroom to smell and see scented candles lit around the edges of the Jacuzzi. The water swirled and churned to the flicker of the candlelight shadowed on the wall. She was about to speak to herself when a voice behind her made her jump. Cassandras’ sexy voice drifted into Alexs’ ears, "Alex get out of those clothes and into that water. It’s all set for you. After you soak, I’ll give you a nice body rub and then it’s off to bed for you. You’ve had a long day. I brought scotch up for you so you can have a drink while you soak."

Alexs’ body snapped around as her heart jumped at the sound of Cassandra’s voice. Damn it! Everybody was always sneaking up on her! She was about to open her mouth to voice her no on the situation when Cassandra spoke. "Alex, please let me do this for you. I know you got hurt at the fire staying inside too long looking for Itsy, Clia and then the disks. Then you got into a fight tonight because of me. Please just let me do this to say thank you. Please?" Alex looked into those pleading blue eyes and just sighed and shook her head. She knew when she was beat. Alex replied, "Okay Cassandra. You win. I give up. Jacuzzi, scotch, rub and bed. Sounds good to me….on one condition. You join me." Cassandra’s face flushed and she asked, "What?" Alex replied, " I don’t want to fall asleep and drown in there tonight. Besides, you had a bad day too. Okay is it a deal?"

Cassandra smiled and shook her head as she spoke, "Yeah, okay. You get in first. I’ll fix our drinks." Alex nodded her head and proceeded to undress. Cassandra’s’ back was turned to her as she worked at the sink fixing the drinks. She did peak up for just a second to see Alex’s back ease down into the water. Her upper back was very muscular. She couldn’t wait to run her hands down that back. Alex’s voice brought her back from her thoughts. "Cassandra, are you coming?" Cassandra blushed and spoke as she came over to the Jacuzzi with their drinks and handed Alex hers. "Yes Alex, I’m coming. Give me just a minute." Alex took her drink from Cassandra and their fingers touched for a moment. The electricity could be felt by both of them from the touch and both wondered how much longer they could deny that there wasn’t something developing between them.

Alex raised her drink to her lips and took a sip. God that tasted good! Just how she liked it, scotch, ice and some seven up. How did Cassandra know? She had better watch herself. She was starting to relax and she wanted to remain in control of the situation. She mustn’t give in to these feelings she was having towards Cassandra.

Cassandra undressed slowly. She was nervous but why? They were just gonna soak for a bit and then she’d check Alex ‘s side. What was the big deal? The big deal was that every time she was around Alex now she was having these strange feelings.

Alex edged over into the far corner and sat up on the bench in the tub. She wanted to give Cassandra some privacy getting in. She had probably never been in a hot tub with another woman before. What was she thinking? Of course Cassandra had never been in a hot tub with another woman naked. Alex kept her eyes down as Cassandra got into the water. Once they were both in the tub at opposite ends, you couldn’t see anything. But Alex wanted to see something. She wanted to kiss those lips again and hold her close. God! She had to get a grip. A little alcohol in her made her horny as hell. She didn’t want to do anything that would jeopardize anything at the department or her relationship with Cassandra. Somehow Cassandra had gotten through the walls she had put up while she wasn’t looking. Now it mattered what she thought and more importantly what she thought of her.

Cassandra stepped down into the Jacuzzi. The water felt good. She grabbed her drink off the edge and took a long swallow. She needed to boost up her courage. She had never done anything like this before, but she had a gut feeling it was right. She needed to get close to Alex and it didn’t look like Alex was going to make a move towards her, so she guessed she’d have to make the first move.

Alex took another swallow of her drink. Her eyes were down and her head turned to the side away from Cassandra. She knew she was in the tub as she heard the change in the water flow as she got in. Damn. She wanted to be close to Cassandra. She guessed she’d have to make the first move and see how she reacted to it.

Cassandra eased her way over to Alex in the corner. She was just about to her, when Alex turned around and looked straight into those blue eyes. Alexs’ heart took a jump. God what was it about those eyes that made her catch her breath? Why did her stomach do flip flops every time she was near? Why did she have this ache, this longing that she had never had for anyone else? And why did the woman she was falling for have to be straight?

As Cassandra approached Alex, she turned and looked right into her soul with those green eyes. Those eyes pierced her heart and she could see the reflection of….could it be love and longing in Alexs’ eyes? Why was she falling for another woman?

Alex slid down off the bench and right into Cassandra crouching in front of her. Their bodies touched and for a second neither moved. It was unclear who moved first, but the results were the same no matter who went first. Alex put her arms around Cassandras’ waist and pulled her closer. Cassandras’ arms slid up around Alexs’ neck and they both tilted their heads and leaned in. Both had their eyes closed and soft lips met gently and briefly at first. A few kisses later the lips touched a little longer. Alex was trying to pull Cassandra closer and Cassandras’ hand had a grasp on the hair at the nape of Alexs’ neck. God that drove Alex wild when she was touched there and started to intensify the kissing. Cassandra was keeping up with Alex and the more forceful kissing was getting her aroused and she took her tongue and pressed it against Alexs’ lips waiting for entry. My God !! Alex was reeling from the excitement of the kissing and now Cassandras’ tongue stroking back and forth over her lips was gonna send her over the edge!!

Alex pulled away to gulp some air she desperately needed before she passed out!! Cassandras’ face showed puzzlement and before she could say anything, Alex spoke. " I’m sorry I just needed some air. Is everything okay? Are you okay with this?" Cassandra smiled at Alex and placed her hand on the side of her face pulling her in close again. "Alex, yes I’m okay, you’re okay and we’re okay. I have never felt this way kissing anyone else before, my God, that was absolutely wonderful!! It felt like our hearts were one." Alex grinned that silly lopsided grin and spoke. "Yeah, was pretty damn awesome for me too! I thought I was gonna faint. It’s like all of me on the inside was being drained and merging with something else. I’ve never felt that before either." They both just looked at each other for awhile with the silliest grins on their faces and then Alex leaned in again to capture Cassandras’ lips and this time she asked for entrance into Cassandras’ mouth and it was given. Their kissing and probing of each others mouths was done in sync as if they had done this before. Small moans were coming from Alexs’ throat and being captured in Cassandras’. Both were getting hotter by the minute and Cassandra broke away first this time.

"Alex, let’s get outta this water. We’ll both be wrinkled up prunes if we stay in much longer. I need to look at your side too." Cassandra said as she tried to catch her breath. Alex reluctantly gave up trying to capture those talented lips. "Okay, let’s get out and get dried off. I think I need another drink." They both stepped out of the Jacuzzi and Alex reached back and shut it off. By the time she had gotten back to Cassandras’ side she had wrapped a towel around that gorgeous body and was fixing them both a fresh drink.

Alex grabbed her towel and threw it around her body as she walked out into her bedroom. She went over to her CD player and put Sara Evans on to play. She was one of her favorites. Cassandra approached Alex with a smile and her drink. She said, "Okay Alex. Enough distractions. Get on that bed and let me look at your side and no further excuses." Alex saluted her and said, "Yes Ma’am." And she jumped up on the bed without spilling a drop of her drink. She took a long drink and set the glass on the bedside night table and waited. Cassandra came over to her side of the bed and motioned for Alex to lay on her stomach. Alex complied quickly. She couldn’t wait to feel this womans’ hands on her body.