This fic (it doesn't matter) is based upon the US version of the TV show mistresses, not the BBC version. There was not a listing for the US version yet, and I'd like to start one. In the meantime, I'm sticking this in the BBC version list because there's nowhere else to put it. It's based on Joss and Alex and what I foresee as their growing relationship. Other characters will be present, but not particularly focused on- Please read and review. I don't want to be the only one who loves this show (this pairing, more than this show) and I'd love to enlighten people to the impending wonder of Joss and Alex.

Joss walked into the pool house to find Alex sitting on the bed, looking more distraught than she had ever seen her. A part of her wanted to rush to the girl, wrap her in her arms and comfort her, despite not knowing the problem. She thought better of it.

"Alex, what's wrong?" The care and concern were evident in her voice nonetheless.

"Sally wants to meet today, to look at a house. We just got off the phone," Alex explained, feeling weak and guilty and showing it.

"So… you're not broken up?" Joss sat down next to her, avoiding eye contact in an attempt to hide the disappointment in hers.

"We are, but Sally thinks it's just a temporary thing. That we just have to get back on track."

"Is that what you think?"

"No," Alex stared at Joss until she finally looked up into her eyes. "I need you to come with me today."

"You're going?! If you don't want to get back together why would you go and meet her?" Joss was so used to carelessly ending relationships (though none of hers had lasted for longer than a month or two) that she was thrown by the idea.

"We need closure. I need to tell her to her face that the person she was with isn't who I am anymore," Alex said, desperate for the girl to understand.

"Then why do you need me to come with you?"

"To keep me strong," Alex almost smiled sadly. "You know Sally. You know how hard she's going to try and you know how persuasive she can be. I fell into a pattern of listening to whatever she said and following it, so I need you there to be my strength."

"You have to be your own strength, Alex. I can't do it for you."

"I know. And you taught me that," Alex smiled, touching Joss's hand. "I just need you there to remind me that I'm not weak anymore. That I don't have to be. I'll take care of it myself, but I just can't let her win me over."

Joss looked at her skeptically, but the girl's hand was still gently wrapped around her own.

"Please?"

"Okay."

The car ride home was silent, but not necessarily awkward. Both Alex and Joss had a lot on their minds after things had gotten heated with Sally- and after Joss had gotten called out. Apparently Sally blamed Joss for everything, but mostly for trying to win Alex over, pull her away from her, because she was falling in love with her, she said. But Josslyn Carver did not fall in love. Not to mention she was a playa straight girl. Right? Joss was just glad that Sally had the decency to wait until Alex was out of the room to bring this up. But now that Joss thought about it, it wasn't out of decency at all; it was out of fear. Sally was afraid that Alex was falling in love, too.

"I'm sorry you fought with Sally," Joss said suddenly, breaking the silence. It wasn't like Joss to naturally think and care about another person over herself, but for some reason with Alex she had no choice. Each time that she was thinking about her own uncomfortable interaction with Sally, along with all the questions in her mind, her thoughts would drift back to poor Alex. She had gone there looking for closure, to move on, but had gotten berated by the one who had supposedly loved her instead.

"Don't be sorry, Joss. You're sweet, though," Alex smiled for a moment. "I got what I wanted. It's over. And I don't have to feel like a coward anymore."

"You were never a coward," Joss defended instinctively.

"I was. I let her have all the say and walk all over me. At least if she belittled me today, I finally know it was for the last time." A wide, peaceful smile spread across Alex's face and she rested her head back, watching Joss as she drove, the sun shining orange on her face. "Thank you."

"For what?" Joss scoffed, but chanced a sideways smile at the girl anyway.

"For everything. For being you. For making me question the things that obviously weren't right in my life but that I was too scared to change." Alex told her.

"But you did it, Alex. All of it."

"Because you showed me that I could."