Author's Note: Orginally published on LiveJournal 21 August 2009 (it's a shame I can't format it into a nice neat table over here, but hopefully it's still readable?)
This series of 30 drabbles is one I'm particularly proud of and very much enjoyed writing at the time. A drabble is a complete story of exactly 100 words.
The Femslash100 challenge site has got me over many boughts of writer's block over the years.
*
01 - H - Hydrogen (explosion)
"Get down!" shouted Sarah Jane. Both women dove to the floor in the hope they could shield themselves from the explosion that rocketed through the warehouse. Maria came to first and scrambled over to where her companion lay, unconscious and slightly singed. She shook the older woman and shouted in her ear in an attempt to rouse her. After a few tense moments Sarah Jane opened her eyes.
"Close call, huh?" she said, still a little groggy. Maria bent down and kissed her firmly on the lips.
"Please, don't even joke about it." Sarah Jane gave Maria a weak smile.
*
02 - He - Helium (balloons)
Sarah Jane had just stepped out of the shower when the doorbell rang. Annoyingly she had to dress quickly and answer it herself as Luke had spent the night over at Clyde's. The postman handed over a large box that needed signing for. Once she had settled with a cup of tea in living room, she began opening each flap of cardboard carefully before jumping in surprise at the array of helium balloons that popped out of the package. They were tied to a teddy bear with a note attached.
"Happy 60th Birthday Sarah Jane. All my love, Maria xxx"
*
03 - Li - Lithium (battery)
Maria watched her friend sleeping peacefully on the settee. She rarely saw Sarah Jane tired, let alone sleep. It's like she had some kind of lithium battery attached internally that never ran out of power. Her youthful enthusiasm regarding even the nastiest of Aliens kept them all buoyant at times when they so desperately needed it. Maria carefully covered Sarah Jane with a blanket, bent down and kissed her cheek. The older woman sighed deeply in her sleep and snuggled further into the blanket. Maria smiled to herself; whatever would she do without this beautiful, marvellous woman in her life?
*
04 - Be - Beryllium (florescent light)
The element in the florescent tube crackled, then fizzed and suddenly the room was shrouded in darkness. Both women reached out at the same time, clasping each other's hands tightly.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Maria asked her companion rhetorically. Sarah Jane squeezed the hand she was holding in a gesture of reassurance.
"Take my lead." Sarah Jane felt the walls as they cautiously moved around the building. She stopped abruptly; Maria continued and crashed into her. Suddenly they were too close and all Sarah could feel was Maria's breath mixing with hers in the darkness.
*
05 - B - Boron (pyrex glass)
Maria was enjoying the impromptu cooking lesson she was giving Sarah Jane. Food had always been somewhat functional for the older woman. The dinners she had served Luke over the years had been quick, but nutritious. Maria stood over Sarah as she sliced the par-boiled potatoes and layered them up in the Pyrex dish along with double cream, garlic and a little salt and pepper. The younger woman grinned as Sarah Jane stood back and surveyed her handiwork with pride. Maria leant forward and wiped off some potato from the tip of her nose before giving it a playful kiss.
*
06 - C - Carbon (diamond) :
Sarah Jane carefully handed Maria the small red velvet box. She smiled gently as the younger woman opened it with great care. The younger woman gasped as she saw the delicate gold chain and small diamond pendant that hung through it. It was obviously old, but still gleamed brightly in its casing.
"It was my mother's."
"Oh, Sarah Jane! I can't accept this, it's far too precious."
"No Maria, I want you to have it. It's just as precious as you are." Sarah Jane tenderly placed the chain around Maria's neck and kissed her cheek as she fixed the clasp.
*
07 - N - Nitrogen (beer widget)
Maria dumped her rucksack on the living room sofa and walked straight into the kitchen. She opened the fridge door and took out an ice cold can of Fosters. She yanked the ring pull back sharply and took a long swig of the amber nectar straight from the can.
"Can't you at least put that in a glass?" Maria hadn't noticed Sarah Jane sitting at the table.
"And a hello would have been nice!" Maria kissed her lover on the cheek.
"Sorry, it's been a long day." Sarah took the can from Maria, and downed half before handing it back.
*
08 - O - Oxygen (oxygen mask)
Time seemed to slow as Maria was carried into the back of the ambulance. Even though Sarah Jane had tried to explain who she was, she was still asked to wait outside. The sirens were off, but those frightening emergency lights continued to rotate and flash on top of the vehicle. Finally after ten maddening minutes she was allowed on board. Maria was barely conscious and her face was obscured by the oxygen mask that was helping her to breathe. Sarah brushed some hair away from Maria's damp forehead and pressed a gentle kiss to her brow in its place.
*
09 - F - Fluorine (toothpaste)
Sarah Jane looked in the mirror as she carefully brushed her teeth. She had just thrown up what little dinner she had managed to eat. She was feeling very old these days, the illness having taken its toll on her once age-defying looks. Her skin was grey and sallow, her eyes were highlighted by the dark shadows around them and her teeth were decaying in her bleeding gums. Sarah spat a pink plume of toothpaste into the basin as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and a soft kiss was lovingly pressed in-between her shoulder blades.
*
10 - Ne - Neon (lights)
The neon lights in the nightclub seemed to swirl and dip faster and faster. A glitter ball that hung in the middle of the room caught and reflected the lights across the dance floor. Maria pulled Sarah Jane up from her seat by the bar and dragged her to the centre of the crowd. 'Dancing Queen' was playing and the atmosphere felt amazing. Technically they weren't supposed to be enjoying themselves, but Maria saw no harm in making their cover story seem more realistic by joining in. She wrapped her arms around Sarah's denim clad hips and held her tightly.