So thanks to the deleted scenes for Dark Shadows, I suddenly found myself on a ship I had no idea that I shipped, and happily sailed off with it into a land of enjoyment, where I felt compelled to write this drabble based almost entirely off of one deleted scene, and what I would hope to be the aftermath.
This was slapped together very quickly and entirely unbeta'd, so please be gentle with me. But by all means, review, critique, bake me cookies, whatever.
It really was a roomy couch.
Victoria Winters and Julia Hoffman both fit quite comfortably on it. Although to be fair, whenever they were both on it they were either on top of each other, or so closely entwined that their cumulative width was hardly any larger than either one of the women by themselves.
Vicky adjusted a little, repositioning her head on Julia's chest, and tightening her hold across the red heads little waist. Even now she could feel the doctor's eyes following her, analyzing her, picking her apart in such a deliciously intimate way.
It should scare her, or anger her at least. After spending so many years being followed, and analyzed, and picked apart by other doctor's day and night in large, cold, and sterile rooms.
But it didn't, not with Julia Hoffman. Not in this small dark room, stuffed with knickknacks and bottles, the air thick with cigarette smoke and the lingering scent of whatever was currently in Julia's tumbler.
There was nothing clinical about this place or about Julia. Not her bright and loose hair, or her perpetual state of various levels of drunkenness, or her ever present cigarette. Even Julia's always observant dark eyes weren't studying Vicky to "fix" her or change her in any way. Just to know her. They never even glistened with that self-righteous sympathy that so often had accompanied shaking heads and laments of "There's nothing to do for the poor girl."
Julia watched Victoria so closely because that's just what Julia did. Julia Hoffman watched people, and studied them, taking in every personal detail without even the good grace to hide it, and within minutes of meeting a person knew them better than they knew themselves. It was intrusive and offputting to be sure, but sometimes, very rarely but often enough, Julia would lower her guard, and apologize, sharing just enough of herself through her large and emotive eyes to plead that you understood her, understood why she did what she did. It was rare, but it was just often enough that when she opened herself up Vicky wanted nothing more than to crawl inside and stay there, in a warm and intimate embrace like the one they shared now.
Indeed it was the first time that Julia opened up to her in such a way that had led them here, with Vicky's head moving slowly in time with Julia's relaxed breathing, as Julia stroked Vicky's hair with the hand not holding a cigarette.
One of Vicky's first nights in Collinwood, following her ghostly friend out to the chandelier only to be puzzled by her request for help, a soft voice from the shadows startled Vicky back into awareness of a world where her friend shouldn't be.
"You okay?"
It was then, in that fleeting moment Julia opened herself and her eyes just wide enough for Victoria to see the genuine altruism in her offer of help, and acknowledgement of Victoria's secrets. It was subtle, and it was quiet, but it was there. As was the understanding.
Victoria didn't even have to decline for Julia to politely accept the refusal, and then with a soft touch to Victoria's chin, and a few words of reassurance, Julia left as quickly as she had arrived.
Before she was even really sure why she did so, Vicky called out to the retreating figure, "Doctor Hoffman!"
The other woman turned towards her in response, eyes resuming their searching.
"Do you have anything to drink in your office? I think it might help me sleep."
A knowing and wicked smirk lit up the doctor's face.
"I think there might be something I can do to help that." Turning again, Julia led Vicky yo her office, and to a drink that did help Vicky sleep that night, in Julia's arms on the big couch.
Leaning up to kiss the woman that Victoria was now holding, Vicky took delight in the fact that even though she had a hard time trusting doctor's, she had no difficulty trusting Dr. Julia Hoffman.