Close to the dawn of a new day they held one another covered under pristinely white sheets. Their breathing was steady, both knowing that the dawn would bring in the stark and cruel light of day. The night had cradled them protectively while the light of would probably bring with it the ugliness of a truth neither wanted to face. Both clung to one another saying nothing, refusing to brake the magic that held and bound them to each other.

Gabriella closed her eyes and held Blayne tighter to her. Blayne was what she needed, what she wanted and what could never be.

Blayne stared up at the ceiling as her arms pulled her lover closer to her she leaned down and kissed Gabriella's head as tears escaped her eyes. Tonight Gabriella was hers again, Blayne told herself, and tomorrow was a world away. If she were honest with herself she would admit that she had known from the moment of the phone call that she would come. Blayne knew that the morning would bring recriminations and words that would hurt and cause pain. Both would seek and absolution in accusations and inevitably they would tear each other apart.

But at the moment nothing mattered. Right here, right now nothing mattered to either of them. The only thing that was important was that moment, those hours…those precious stolen hours. For those few hours they had known what the joy of oneness was again. If only for a few hours they had both been happy.



Part Three

Blayne's eyes opened slowly. She smiled as the light of day verified that the woman that had filled her night was indeed in her arms this morning. Blayne's arms tightened around Gabriella as she pulled her even closer. Her eyes closed in pain.

Every morning Blayne woke smiling, her nights filled with dreams of the woman that had taken possession of her once cold and analytical mind only to be forced with the reality of her aloneness every morning as the cruelty of the morning light taunted her. The light illuminated the darkness, it also made it abundantly clear that the oneness she felt in her dreams had only been that, a dream. The light brought to her the cruelty of her aloneness. But, this morning it was different….

Gabriella snuggled closer to Blayne as if knowing that her lover needed the warmth of her body. Her eyes fluttered opened and they were met with turbulent eyes.

Blayne could not hide her emotions. She was filled with need, want and fear; all which showed in her expressive eyes. Her lips were about to speak when Gabriella silenced them with a caress.

Gabriella's hand caressed her face lovingly and sensually and as she did her mouth came up to kiss the lips that called out to her.

Blayne didn't allow herself to think. Nothing mattered to her anymore. She no longer needed answers. Questions could wait. The truth of her reality no longer mattered to her; all she recognized and cared about was to satisfy the ever growing hunger to connect with the woman in her arms. Her desire to become one with Gabriella was undeniable and irresistible. Their joining was worth anything. It was worth everything.

So instead of questions and answers there was only the need to satisfy the incredible longing that threatened to overcome both of them.

Much later they both held onto one another in silence. Both sated, enjoying the warmth that touching brought.

Nothing matters, Blayne told herself over and over again. Nothing matters.

The ringing telephone cracked the fragile band that held them together. And like a thief it stole the priceless.

Gabriella reached to answer it.

"Don't," Blayne's voice pleaded softly.

Gabriella turned to her. When she saw the tear filled eyes of the woman in front of her she felt the pain in her own chest as well. The oneness is broken they both communicated silently to one another. Gabriella went into Blayne's waiting embrace.

Blayne held her tightly to her as tears ran down her face.

"Blayne…" Gabriella began to say but was not allowed to continue.

"Don't…" Blayne again pleaded softly as she held her tighter still. "Not now…later."

Gabriella looked up and met the tear filled eyes.

Again Blayne asked, "later."

Gabriella nodded and kissed her lips lightly. At that moment the telephone began ringing again. It continued to do so on and off for the next half-hour. Finally Blayne's arms released her.

"It seems the world will not take no…," Blayne said accepting the inevitable.

Gabriella sat up and picked up the ring telephone.

"Hello."

"Why didn't you answer? I have been ringing you for at least twenty minutes. The hotel said you were in your room." Joseph said irately.

"I was taking a shower." Gabriella said quickly. "Why are you calling?"

"Do I need a reason to call you Gabriella?"

"Usually you do, yes."

There was silence between them for a moment then Joseph picked up the conversation again in a conciliatory manner.

"Perhaps," he conceded. "We are all packed."

"Is all the flight information still the same?"

Blayne then sat up on the other side of the bed with her back to Gabriella.

"Yes, we are all confirmed."

"Good then I'll meet you all at the airport this evening and we can go on from there,"

"All right. Elle is here and wants to talk to you."

"Okay, put her on," Gabriella ran her fingers through her hair and pulled the sheet up to cover her breasts.

The act did not go unnoticed by Blayne. The sheet became a visibly wall. It was as real as the world that conspired to separate them at that moment.

"Mom?"

"Hello Elle, how are you sweetheart?"

"Okay. Do I have to go?"

"Yes, Elle."

"Why?"

"Elle please…"

"Daddy says I have to act this way and that. I don't want to go!" The girl complained and the usual strain that seemed to show of late was quite visible to her mother in her voice.

"Elle, you just be yourself." Gabriella said softly.

"But daddy…"

"Daddy is wrong. Just be you Elle." Gabriella reassured her daughter. "You are a lovely young woman, just be you honey."

Blayne got up and walked up to the window.

Gabriella saw her as she walked up to the window naked and stood silently looking out.

"Elle put daddy on the phone."

"Okay mom, see you later."

"I love you sweetheart."

"Love you too mom. Here's daddy."

"Hi." Joseph said as he got back on the phone.

"Joseph she is nervous. This is hard for her; she is insecure enough. Just let it be okay?" Gabriella said irately.

"I just asked her to behave." He said defensively.

"Just lighten up okay. I'll see you all tonight."

"All right."

Gabriella hung up the phone and just sat quietly for a moment with her back to Blayne.

"How is your family?" Blayne asked braking the silence.

"Elle and her father seem to clash over everything." Gabriella answered.

Both women still had not moved.

Blayne took a deep breath and dove in.

"Why did you come?" As Blayne asked she turned to face Gabriella.

Gabriella turned to her still sitting on the bed.

"Because I need this as much if not more than you," she said as her eyes filled with tears that threatened to fall any minute.

Blayne went to her immediately. She knelt in front of Gabriella and took her hands, holding them in hers with a desperation that frightened her. Gabriella kept staring at their hands.

"Stay with me," Blayne pleaded softly. "Please…on my knees….I beg you…please, please stay with me…" she finished saying as she held back a sob.

Gabriella's eyes immediately looked up and saw the tears running down Blayne's face. She could see the pain in those eyes that she so dearly loved.

"Stay with me…stay with me," Blayne asked yet again unable to veil the desperation in her voice as she waited for an answer.

Gabriella's hand went out to caress the beautiful face of the woman that knelt in front of her. How could she tell her? How could she make her understand?

"I can't…" Gabriella's words cut Blayne through the heart. She visibly flinched and an audible intake of breath from Blayne sounded like thunder to Gabriella's ears. In that moment she knew she had broken the heart that just a moment ago had beard itself to her and had begged her to stay and love her.

"Blayne…" Gabriella began to say when Blayne stood up and put as much distance between them as possible. "Blayne, I can't…"

"You don't need to say anything. Words are overrated. No is quite sufficient." Blayne said coldly with her back to her.

"I wish I could…"

"Like hell you do!" Blayne turned to her accusingly. "You got what you wanted. I fucked you and you got to fuck me." Blayne started picking up her clothes.

"It wasn't like that…" Gabriella began to say softly.

"Wasn't it!" Blayne turned to her again.

"You know it wasn't." Gabriella met her eyes as she said it.

"What was it then? Love? You called me to come and fuck you in a hotel room and you are meeting your children and ….your husband!" Blayne growled as she pulled at the sheets.

Gabriella stood up and covered herself with the sheet. Blayne walked up to her and pulled it off. "Ashamed of your nakedness? You weren't ashamed last night or this morning when we were FUCKING!"

"Stop it Blayne, please," Gabriella pleaded as the tears began to fill her eyes again.