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 9

Alex lay stretched out on her stomach on her side of the bed. Hell, on her side, the whole damn thing was her side. Her head was turned to the side and her arms were straight down by her sides. She was feeling pretty relaxed with the couple scotches she had drank. She couldn’t believe Cassandra had kissed her. Christ, had kissed her so hot and deep!! Alex’s emotions were reeling!! Alex wondered what Cassandra was feeling and thinking.

Cassandra leaned down and grasped the edge of the towel wrapped around Alex and started to gently tug. Alex lifted her body up off the bed so she could pull it out from underneath her. Cassandra’s fingers lightly brushed Alexs’ skin. The touch sent goose bumps down Alexs’ back. Cassandra smiled to herself as she felt the reaction to her touch. Cassandra leaned over Alexs’ back so she could get a look at her injuries. There was a deep crimson-purple discoloration on her side that stretched from her rib area to the top of the hip. The sight of the injury and how Alex had got it caused Cassandra to catch her breath and her eyes welled up. Alex turned her head at the sound of Cassandras’ gasp and raised herself partially up off the bed. She saw the tears in Cassandras’ eyes that were ready to spill down her cheeks. Before she could say anything Cassandra leaned down and whispered into her ear. "Alex, it’s okay. It’s just seeing the bruising that you got trying to save what was important to me and trying to protect me." Alex replied with an indignant tone, "What do you mean tried? I delivered on both accounts!!" Cassandra looked horrified as Alex’s word sunk in. She hadn’t meant that she didn’t succeed and was about to say so when Alex winked at her and gave her that smile that made her shudder on the inside. " I was just teasing you", Alex said. Cassandra slapped Alex’s bare bottom and told her to lay back down.

Cassandra picked up the bottle of lotion and flipped the cap up. She tipped the bottle upside down and was about to squirt the lotion into her hand when she got a gleam in her eye and aimed it right at Alexs’ back. Alexs’ body shot up off the bed and she was sputtering as she faced Cassandra, " What the hell you trying to do to me?" Cassandra was bent over in laughter, tears streaming down her face. Alex just looked at her for a moment and then edged closer, her towel lay on the floor between their feet. Alex reached out and slipped her fingers underneath the edge of Cassandra’s towel and waited for a reaction. What she saw was the most sparkling blue eyes she had ever seen. Cassandras’ lips were turned up into a smile and both women stepped closer to each other as Cassandra raised her hands to cover Alex’s and the towel dropped on top of Alexs’ on the floor.

Cassandra laid on her side, her head on Alex’s shoulder, her right arm around her waist. Their legs were intertwined and Alex had her right arm around Cassandras’ shoulder and she was alternating between kissing Cassandra’s forehead and letting her fingers trace the fine hairs at the side of her temple. Their first time at love making had been awesome. Both had reached an intensity that they had never experienced with anyone else. They both were still recovering from their racing heartbeats and rapid breathing. They basked in the heat of each others body and after a few lines of conversation they both fell asleep.

Alex tilted her head down so she could start a line of kisses down Cassandras’ neck. God she smelled sooo good and tasted even better. As she continued nuzzling her neck, she asked Cassandra what her middle name was. Cassandra sleepily replied, "Jane, why?" Alex grinned into her neck as she continued her mission down Cassandras’ neck and on to her collarbone. "Oh, I wanted to make up a pet name for you…and it’s gonna be CJ. Cassandra is a pretty name, but way to long to say in the heat of passion." She continued the line of kissing across CJ’s upper chest to stop only momentarily to suck at her pulse point , before continuing on to the left collar bone. CJ was starting to respond to Alex’s kissing by slightly moaning and tracing her fingers down her back. Alex responded to that action by coming up and capturing CJs’ lips with her own. The kiss started out slowly but in no time was rapidly turning passionate. They both stayed in sync with each other as if they had done this many times before. Alex heard the clock strike 2am as she pulled the cover up over CJ and herself . The last thing she remembered as she drifted off to sleep was the contentment and comfort that the body laying curled next to her gave her.

Cassandra awoke and at first was disoriented where she was. Then it all came back to her. The gentle love making at first with Alex and then the more heated passionate lust that filled them both and that seemed would never be quenched between them no matter how many times they made love. She grinned to herself. She had never been that vocal before with anyone. She guessed it just took the right person. She spooned closer to Alex, and just enjoyed listening to the gentle breathing and soon she was lulled back to sleep again by it.

It was late morning before Alex and Cassandra finally got to the fire station. Alex had woken up around 7am and called into the station saying they would be in around 10am. Alex wanted to make CJ breakfast in bed. She wanted their first morning after to be as perfect as their first night together. Cassandra had appreciated the breakfast Alex had prepared and she showed Alex her appreciation, making them get into the station a little later than 10am. Bud had left a message for Alex with the crew on duty that as soon as they saw her to tell her to go to his office.

Alex knocked on Buds’ door before she walked in. She had given Cassandra the keys to her office so she could go in and start her work on the articles. Cassandra had lined up a photographer for the afternoon to take some pictures of Alex working with the men to accompany the series of articles she was writing.

Bud looked tired and old. He motioned Alex in as he hung up the phone with a disgusted look on his face. "Alex, I thought I told you to be careful with this newspaper woman around and the Mayors’ assistant." Alex threw herself into the chair in front of the desk and replied, " Bud, I have been. Oh, shit! I was summoned by Mackenzie to have breakfast with her in her hotel room this morning at 8am. I forgot all about it. Shit!" "Shit is right and you’re up to your green eyeballs in it!!", he roared as he got up from behind his desk and started to pace. Alex was worried. Rarely if ever had she heard Bud raise his voice. Alex started, "Okay, Bud. Tell me what I’ve done wrong." Bud stopped his pacing to turn and face her, "Damn it Alex, why’d you have to get in a brawl with Chad last night?" Alex took a deep breath before she answered. "Bud, it wasn’t my fault. Cassandra and I had stopped for a bite to eat after I had taken her to the mall to replace some of the clothes she lost in the fire. Cassandra went on out to the car while I was taking a phone call. As a matter of fact it was from Mackenzie McGuire. When I went out to the car, Chad had Cassandra in the alley trying to have his way with her. He was drunker than a skunk. I was just trying to prevent him from hurting her. There were witnesses there if you don’t believe me Bud." Bud sighed heavily as he poured himself another cup of coffee. "No Alex, I believe you. Chad is trying to make trouble for you by reporting to me the fight you had last night. Seems he left out a few very important details. I’m sorry Alex. I didn’t believe you would instigate a fight. The other problem we have here is Ms. McGuire. She seems quite taken with you. That worries me." Bud cleared his throat and continued speaking," She stormed in here over an hour ago . She’s waiting for you in your office, she said you stood her up for a breakfast work session." Alex jumped out of her seat and yelled, "What? Christ I sent Cassandra on down to my office while I came to see you. I better get down there quick." Alex bolted for the door and charged down the hallway to her office.

Cassandra reached for the doorknob with key in hand to discover it was already unlocked. She pushed the door open and was greeted with a voice that seemed to be coming from Alexs’ swivel chair that was turned away from the door. She had heard that voice before but couldn’t place it. The voice was saying "It’s about time you showed up baby. I’m pretty ticked at you for standing me up for breakfast. I had some huge strawberries and fresh whipped cream waiting for you. But I think I have thought up a way you can make it up to me." The swivel chair turned around at that point and Mackenzies’ mouth dropped open when she saw who was standing in the office.

Cassandra slammed the door shut and stepped up to Alexs’ desk. "And just who do you think you are calling baby? And you can take your strawberries and cream and stick them where the sun doesn’t shine.", Cassandra said without missing a beat. Mackenzie stood up and came around to where Cassandra was standing. She had an evil grin on her face as she said, "Why Cassandra, I think your claws are showing. I didn’t know you had any interest in Alex. But honey, that doesn’t matter, because I want her and what I want, I always get. And if for some reason I don’t get what I want, things can become very unpleasant for Alex. She loves being a fire fighter. I’d hate to see anything happen to her promising career." Cassandra was just getting ready to reply to that comment when Alex burst into the room.

She quickly sensed something big was going down and wanted to defuse the situation before anything else happened. Mackenzie turned towards Alex and smiled as she approached her. Her hand reached out and squeezed her upper arm as she passed by her and said, "Alex, I’ll be back later for the photo shoot. We’ll discuss then about rescheduling your missed date with me. I’m back in town and don’t plan on going anywhere until I get what I want. We will be spending a lot of time together on this project, so clear your schedule." And with that said she continued on out into the hallway and down the hall.

Alex turned to Cassandra and asked, "What was that all about?" Cassandra turned to Alex and she simply said, "Trouble Alex. Real trouble."