The text Brenda received forced her to stop walking midstride through the bedroom. She wasn't prepared for what it said, which was basically nothing. It was a time and a location—later that evening she assumed as there was no date attached. It was who sent her the text that had her guard up. She had just slipped out of her uniform after attending the funeral of two officers shot in the line of duty. Brenda bit her lip and pulled her hair down so that it sat around her shoulders; she took a nail and tapped it against her lower lip before sitting on her bed and reading the text again.

"Fritz?" She called out to him, knowing that he would answer.

He popped his head into the bedroom to see her sitting in only a bra and panties. "Yeah?"

"I need to go out tonight. Can we have dinner a bit early?"

"Righteo!" He answered back and pulled away to start making the meal. She had a long day, and he knew it, so they agreed he would cook—not that she really cooked otherwise. Standing, Brenda moved to her closet and chose a dress with flowers printed along the hem in bright pinks and reds. Pulling on a slip, she draped the fabric over her head, smoothing it down to look herself in the mirror. Smacking her lips together, she rolled her eyes and tugged the dress off.

"That won't do." She was talking to herself, but she didn't care. Pulling out a black and sleek dress that stopped just above her knees and had inch thin straps along her shoulders, she pressed it against her body. "Perfect."

Finishing dinner quickly, Brenda dressed and kissed Fritz who tried to pull her down onto the bed. Refusing to be dissuaded from her goal of leaving, she giggled and shook her head. "Later tonight," she whispered into his ear and planted another kiss on his lips. Sashaying out of the room, she picked up her purse and keys and made for the car. "Don't get lost, don't get lost." Her mantra echoed every time she sat behind the wheel. She'd been living there long enough she should be able to not get lost, but it seemed each time she had to drive to a new location she ended up on a street that was unexpectedly the wrong one.

The GPS system in her car was very helpful. Toggling through the screens for the correct location, she hit request route and waited. And waited. Brenda turned her head to the side, glaring at the machine as it took its sweet time deciding what way she would drive. Growing frustrated, she went to press the exit button to input the information again just as it declared a direction. Breathing deeply, Brenda checked her phone and set about her way to the address.

Brenda arrived and stepped out of the vehicle. She shut the door and leaned fully against her car before taking a deep breath. She couldn't even reason out why she was coming at someone's behest, but for some reason she felt she had to. They hadn't left of the best of terms; actually, they'd never been on the best of terms. She stepped away from the car and locked the door.

The house had lights on in all the windows she could see from the road. An eerie glow light up just around the glass. Brenda straightened her back and rubbed her lips together. She could do this. Her heel clicked against the asphalt and cement as she strode to the front door. Her purse slung over her shoulder, keys pressed into her fingers tightly—she was prepared for whatever was going to be thrown at her. Raising her left hand up, she caught a glimpse of the two rings on her finger. She smiled slightly before rapping her knuckles against the steel door.

She was obviously at an officer's home. No one else ever thought to have a steel door instead of a wood door. With what she saw every day, what her coworkers saw in the line of duty, there was no doubt in her mind that the door was purely there for peace of mind.

The giggle she heard inside the house startled her. She stepped back just as the door opened to reveal a very flushed Sharon Raydor. Brenda's lips pursed, and she gave the woman a hard stare. Her pupils were dilated, her cheeks red, her hair mused and her clothes in disarray.

"Captain," Brenda started. She had no idea where else to begin.

"Chief." Sharon's lips curled up as she reached forward and gripped Brenda's hand—the one holding her keys in a death grip. "Come in, come in."

Brenda was dragged through the door before it was slammed and locked. She risked a glance back before looking around the vast living room she had entered. She set her purse by the door, her keys inside the bag. Sharon had already walked away, her hips sashaying as she made her way to the kitchen. Brenda followed her.

The house was in shambles. There were boxes everywhere, stacked high enough to block exits and windows. The sofas were haphazardly pushed toward the center of the living area with a coffee table pressed between them, mere inches from each seat cushion.

"You'll have to excuse the mess," Sharon called from the kitchen. Brenda turned to face her and found the woman pouring two stout glasses of liquor. She moved back to stand next to Brenda, her bare feet on the hardwood. "I'm in the process of moving. Sort of."

Sharon gave her a huge smile, and Brenda felt her stomach flutter. She took the proffered drink and held it tightly in her grip. "Is there a reason why you called me here, Captain?"

"Please, call me Sharon." She ran a hand delicately over Brenda's arm. "Can I take your jacket?"

"Uh…sure, why not." Brenda set her glass on the coffee table to slip out of her overcoat. Sharon's hands brushed her shoulders as she took the jacket.

"Sit down. I'll be right back."

Her green eyes entranced Brenda, and she found herself nodding and sitting down. Looking around the room, she saw boxes with labels and boxes still opened. She lifted her drink to her lips and downed half the contents. She would need it. She still had no idea why she was there, but apparently Sharon wasn't planning on being completely forthcoming with that information.

Just as Brenda turned to look down the hall that was partially obstructed by clutter, Sharon sashayed back in. She plopped down onto the couch, sitting very close to Brenda. Their legs bumped together each time one of them moved. Brenda let the silence fill the room as she avoided looking at the other woman. Sharon finished off her drink and stood up to retrieve the bottle. She refilled both her glass and Brenda's.

Brenda took a deep breath after draining her second glass and turned to Sharon. "Captain, why am I here?" She wanted answers, and she was beyond done waiting for them. She watched the gleeful look on Sharon's face disappear. Her eyes squinted tight and her teeth bared. Brenda started to panic. The Captain was going to cry.

She held back her sob, and Brenda was grateful. She rested a hand on Sharon's arm and leaned in, hoping that the move would calm the woman down a bit. Sharon shook her head and stood. She started to pace back and forth, her arms crossed over her chest, the glass still pressed neatly between her fingers. She chugged it. Brenda watched her eyes drift to the half-full bottle, but she didn't start toward it.

Sharon sharply turned, her hair flying out around her shoulders as she did so. She paced three steps before she jerked to the ground, crying out. Brenda stood up and started toward the fallen woman, her heart pounding. Sobs echoed throughout the quiet room. She knelt down next to Sharon and wrapped her arms around her shoulders. Sharon turned her face into Brenda's chest and tears fell freely down her cheeks.

Rubbing a hand in circles over Sharon's back seemed to calm her incrementally. Brenda said nothing. She had no idea what was happening, but she guessed it had to do with the last few days they had shared together. Slowly, Sharon gripped Brenda's hand and looked up. Her mascara had run down her face, her green eyes were red and wet.

"I'm so sorry, Chief. I just… I needed someone here tonight."

"It's quite all right, Sharon." Brenda made sure to use the woman's proper name and not her title. After what she had just seen, she figured the woman needed someone close. "It's quite all right."

"I just didn't know who else to call."

Brenda nodded, and Sharon buried her head back into Brenda's chest. She gripped Brenda's waist tightly, not letting go in the slightest.

"I'm not exactly popular," Sharon muttered. She shook her head and apologized again. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you have other places to be."

Not answering seemed to be the best option. Brenda curled her fingers in Sharon's hair and let the woman do what she needed to do. There was no use in trying to force anything beyond where she would go. There was no need, and Brenda was really not good with overly emotional people, so the prospect of Sharon becoming more upset caused her to refrain from speech. She looked around again, surveying the woman in her arms. That was when she noticed the blood pooling from Sharon's little toe.

"Let me get you some ice."

"What?"

"Your toe."

Sharon looked down at her foot and nodded. "I forgot about that."

Brenda hummed, but stood up and made for the kitchen. She came back with two paper towels and a dishcloth wrapped around three ice cubes. Sharon had wiped at her face. The streaks of dark makeup now had a sideways tilt toward her ears. Brenda smirked and took Sharon's foot in her hands. She wiped the drying blood away and then pressed ice to the injury.

"I had to call my son," Sharon said without preamble.

"Oh?" Brenda hadn't known that the infamous Darth Raydor had a son. She couldn't imagine anyone wanting to be with the woman. Then, on the other hand, often times she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to be with her, yet she was happily married—for the most part.

"He went to school—he was best friends with…" She sniffled and wiped at her eyes again. "My youngest son was best friends with Mike Stern."

"I'm so sorry," Brenda said. Her heart plummeted as she watched Sharon try to deal with the loss of the young officer.

Brenda leaned in close so Sharon could rest her head on Brenda's shoulder again. Sharon set her temple against the side of Brenda's arm and took a deep breath. They stayed that way for moments on end. The ice completely melted. Sharon shifted her weight. Her eyelids drooped open and closed. Brenda wanted to soothe away all the pain. She wanted to make everything disappear for Sharon.

She tangled her fingers once more in the long, brown locks, and she rested her own head against the top of Sharon's. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Get me sober?" Sharon let out a wry chuckle, but she didn't move. Brenda nodded against her head.

"All right then."

Sharon nodded but didn't move for a second. Brenda shifted her head so that she could look at Sharon's face. When her chin upturned the kiss caught her aware. Sharon's lips were soft against hers. She didn't pull back. They remained that way, lips on lips, until Brenda parted hers. Their tongues touched briefly, but Brenda slid away.

"You need a shower and water. You don't want to feel like crap in the morning." She brushed the backs of her knuckles across Sharon's cheek.

Sharon didn't answer, but moved when Brenda started to stand. She pulled the drunken woman up by her hands and led her toward where she assumed the bathroom was. Sharon took a small step and stumbled. Brenda slowed and waited for Sharon to move the rest of the way. Making sure that Sharon was in the shower with the water running only luke-warm, Brenda returned to the kitchen to clean up the mess.

She wrung out the wet washcloth from the melted ice and threw away the used paper towels. She capped the liquor and cleaned up the tiny spills on the counter from previous drinks. When she finished, she pressed her hands into her hips and surveyed the house again. Sharon was definitely in the process of packing up, but it seemed everything was in boxes. Nothing had been moved yet. It was far too much like her own home.

Sharon stumbled into the room with a robe wrapped around her body and her hair plastered to her face. She looked at Brenda with tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she said in a still small voice.

They had a stand-off. On one hand, Brenda wanted to wrap her arms around Sharon again and comfort her, and on the other, she didn't want to make her feel any worse about herself than she already did. Brenda shrugged and picked up the water bottle she found on the counter.

"I made this up for you."

"Thanks." Sharon stepped forward and lifted the plastic from Brenda's fingers. She took a long sip from it before stepping back.

"I—I can stay the night if you want." Brenda bit her lip. She had no idea why the words left her lips, but she knew she had to at least offer. The way Sharon's eyes lit up, she knew she would be sleeping there.

"Would you?"

"Yeah." She moved to her purse. "I just have to make a call. Why don't you go to bed, and I'll bring in my hangover cure?"

Sharon nodded and headed back toward the room. Brenda called her husband, but he didn't answer. She left a quick message saying only that she wouldn't be home that night. She fixed her concoction and headed into the bedroom. The light on the nightstand was on, but that was it. She had taken off her shoes by her purse and patted silently into the bedroom. Sharon lay half asleep on the bed, half propped up with pillows.

Resting against the edge of the bed, Brenda ran her hand over Sharon's arm. "Here." She handed her a glass.

"What is it?"

"It's better if you don't know."

Sharon shook her head, but sipped anyway. She pulled a face. Her upper lip curled, and her eyes narrowed. "If I promise to drink it all will you tell me what's in it?"

Her head cocked to the side as she debated. Eventually, Brenda nodded. She waited until Sharon had taken another long sip before she spoke. "It's milk. And jam. But you didn't have jam, so it's jelly."

Sharon shuttered, but chugged down the rest of the drink. She set the glass on the table and curled into her pillow. She started crying again. Brenda took a deep breath and shooed Sharon to the other side of the bed. The woman gave her a funny look but complied. Brenda slid onto the mattress and covered their bodies with the comforter. Running a hand up and down Sharon's arm, she started a rhythm. It wasn't long before both women found sleep.

###

Brenda woke up slowly. Her skin was warmed, and her head was fuzzy from sleep. She was restless when she stretched. She moaned and felt the hand slip over her stomach. Soft lips pressed to her neck, and she raised her chin. Her eyes were still glued shut. She'd woken to this dream many times before: Sharon Raydor against her, warm from sleep. She always woke before the woman's lips glided along her own.

She wasn't going to open her eyes. If she opened her eyes, she would wake up and the dream would end. The zipper of her skirt sounded through the silent room. She felt the material being pulled down her hips. Brenda shuffled her body to help the process along. Her sweater had already been discarded, which she realized a moment too late as her tank was pushed over her chest. Brenda's eyes snapped open to see a mussed Sharon leaning over her, a pleasant smirk on her face.

"Shar—" she was cut off as Sharon's lips fell onto hers. Brenda's hands flew into her dark locks, and she held on. Her tongue was hot against hers. Brenda took in a sharp breath. Her chest rose up as a moan escaped passed her lips. Her fingers found the knot around Sharon's waist, and she had it untied before she knew that's what she was doing.

Sharon leaned back and pulled the cotton robe from her shoulders. She sat on her heals, and Brenda looked up at her. She was beautiful. She twisted and rested on one hand. Reaching out, she ran a hot finger over the curve of Sharon's breast. Brenda looked up and shook her head. This was not a dream.

When she looked up, Sharon was biting her lip. Brenda shook her head again, but pushed her body until she was close enough to Sharon that her eyes became unfocussed. Their lips touched. Softly at first, then harder. "Sharon," she whispered. Her fingers threaded through the damp locks, and she fell back against the pillows.

Sharon tumbled down on top of her. Brenda's hands would not stop moving. They roved over Sharon's torso to her hips and back up again. Sharon's fingers were under her shirt and bra, cupping her breasts.

She gasped when Sharon's lips circled her nipple. "I've thought about this for a long time," Brenda said after swallowing.

"Oh?" Sharon mumbled back. "I haven't."

Before she could respond, her tank was pushed over her head and her bra unclasped. Brenda lay on the bed in nothing other than her black underwear. Her lips were covered again. She found her hands in Sharon's hair. She could keep them in the brown locks forever and not be tired of them. They were still damp from the shower only hours before. Small droplets of water slipped from the tips and down Brenda's wrists when she twisted the ends of her hair between her fingers. Her mouth was completely occupied.

Fingers slid up her sides, causing Brenda to shudder. She skimmed her hands down Sharon's back. She didn't know what to do. She'd never been in this situation before. She pulled Sharon's lip into her mouth and sucked. She knew how to kiss. She was comfortable with just the kissing, but she wanted more. She wanted to flip positions.

Sharon's hands at her thighs startled her. Brenda's leg jerked up, but she kissed Sharon to try and cover her nerves. She wanted to be there and to be doing this—there was no doubt of that in her mind. Sharon was rested between her legs, and Brenda bit her lip. Her hand was shaking when she brought it upward. She fisted Sharon's breast, squeezing lightly. The noise Sharon made was close to a purr and the butterflies in Brenda's stomach started to move faster.

Sharon's hips pressed down into Brenda, and she had to take a short breath. The words floated through Brenda's hazy mind as Sharon's lips attached to her neck. "I thought about doing this last night." Her tongue swirled in circles, and Brenda gasped. "And this," she said as her mouth traveled lower. She started on Brenda's nipples again, the skin hardening into a peak instantly. She tightened her fingers in Sharon's hair, her nails scraping along her scalp. She didn't care because whatever Sharon was doing with her tongue felt amazing.

She lost track of what was happening. Sharon moved further down her body, kisses being pressed into her skin. Brenda squirmed. She couldn't help it. She knew where Sharon was headed and while she was excited, she wanted to be the one with her mouth on the woman. She drew in a ragged breath and finally spoke. "Did you think about this last night?"

Sharon hummed and the vibrations slid up Brenda's body. She shifted and felt the pool of moisture against her underwear. She ignored it and lifted her ass when Sharon started to tug the material down. She dumped it over the edge of the bed and smirked she caught Brenda's eye. The look made Brenda shiver.

Their bodies rolled. Sharon wrapped her legs around Brenda's waist. She let out a shuddering breath. She wanted to kiss Sharon's breasts, but she was too nervous. She started in on her mouth again. Their lips connected and tongues danced. Sharon broke away, and Brenda gave her a questioning look. Her brow knit together and she slipped back slightly.

"You can do whatever you want," Sharon said. Her fingers slid over Brenda's cheek and through her hair.

Brenda closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the center of Sharon's chest. This was her moment. She was going to take it. Her tongue slipped out between her lips, and she licked up the side of Sharon's breast. Her fingers fumbled down until she felt the crease at the apex of Sharon's thighs. She tapped her fingers against Sharon's hip and took the plunge. She felt around until Sharon's legs spread more. Everything was wet.

"I don't know—"

"You'd don't fine," Sharon interrupted.

She arched her back and wrinkled her nose when Brenda slipped a finger inside her. She took it out and rubbed her finger and thumb together before pressing both between her lips. She wanted to taste. She wanted to know what another woman tasted like.

"Brenda, don't stop."

Sharon's green eyes were on her. She nodded, and Brenda moved her hand back down. She brushed her thumb along Sharon's clit and marveled at how Sharon's body jerked. A flush started to rise in Sharon's cheeks, and Brenda did it again. She wanted the same reaction before. This time she was greeted with a different reaction. Sharon threaded her fingers in Brenda's curls. Her body was shaking. Brenda bit her lip and pressed a little harder. Sharon's legs shook. Her body tensed.

Brenda watched as the woman's eyes became unfocused and as she lost herself in the sensations flowing through her. Brenda bent down, not moving her hand, and nibbled on the warm skin of Sharon's stomach. She pulled with her teeth and sucked until there was a red spot when she left. Sharon would bruise. She smiled and moved up a few inches, starting again.

She made it all the way to Sharon's lips. The woman's cheeks were completely flushed and the red moved down to her chest. Her body was rocking with Brenda's movements. She felt like she had so much power.

"Brenda…Brenda…Brenda…" Sharon started to chant. Her nails dug into Brenda's arm that held her body up. Brenda leaned down and kissed her just as the muscles surrounding her fingers started contracting. She kept the motion of her thumb up, the awkward motions of Sharon's body only spurring her to continue. Sharon turned their bodies, hovering over Brenda.

She smoothed her fingers over Sharon's cheeks. "I thought I would let you go first, since you didn't get to go first this time."

"Much appreciated." Sharon smiled and kissed her quickly. "Now, it's your turn."

She scampered down and pushed Brenda's knees apart. Brenda trailed her fingers over her own chest and watched as Sharon contemplated. She was staring with an unwavering gaze as Brenda's center and chewing on the inside of her lower lip. Brenda started to blush. She had no idea why the woman was taking so much time staring at her. The only thing she could think of was that something was wrong, that something didn't look right. She shifted under the gaze, and Sharon moved to look at her.

"Perfect," she said, smiling. She bent down, her hair brushing Brenda's thighs and tickling her. Brenda shuddered and resisted when Sharon pushed her knees further apart. She gave in and rested her hands flat on her abdomen. She closed her eyes when air was blown across her. Sharon's tongue dashed out and just brushed her. Brenda tensed before she relaxed. She felt the sweep of Sharon's tongue, moving back and forth. Her fingers against her legs, digging into the skin was a sharp contrast until Sharon sucked Brenda's clit between her teeth. Brenda cried out.

The sensations were almost too much. White sparks exploded behind her eyes as she clenched the shut. She started to wiggle against the mattress and against Sharon. She needed more. She reached down and gripped a handful of Sharon's hair.

"More," she whispered. Clearing her throat, she said it again. "More. God, Sharon, I need more."

Sharon complied, scraping her teeth against the soft skin. Brenda's toes curled into the sheets, and her hips lifted up. They started to move in time, up and down and up and down. She stilled. She was so close. One more swipe from Sharon's tongue and she was pulled over the edge. Her legs tightened against Sharon's sides. She squeezed her fingers in Sharon's hair and opened her eyes, staring down at the woman. They were both flushed.

Sharon climbed up to rest on top of Brenda's body and kissed her fully. Brenda's hands roamed down Sharon's back, cupping her ass before turning on her side. Their fingers brushed over each other as they calmed and let everything settle. Brenda glanced over Sharon's shoulder at the clock on the nightstand. They had only been asleep for a few hours. She kissed Sharon quickly and pulled the covers over their naked bodies.

She kissed Sharon's neck, mumbling, "We can do this again, right?"

"Of course." Sharon giggled. "Just give me a few more hours to sleep."

Brenda scraped her teeth down the cord in Sharon's neck. "What if I don't want to wait a few hours?"

"Then I'm all yours." Sharon's voice was low and husky as she spoke. Brenda didn't wait a second before her hands roamed over Sharon's body. Neither would find the comforts of sleep for hours to come.