"You still on for dinner on Sunday?" Jo asked Sam as the diminutive blonde leant against the DC's untidy desk
"You think I'd miss it for the world? I've heard so much about Lucy over the last two months that I'm dying to meet her!" Sam assured her friend and colleague, knowing how much courage it had taken Jo to approach the subject of introducing her best friend to her new lover.
"Promise me you'll be gentle with her?" A mask of concern settled on the buxom brunette's face, knowing how protective Sam could be.
"If she's as wonderful as you make her sound, I'm sure we will get on like a house on fire. But if it makes you feel better, I promise I won't read her the riot act or warn her what I will do to her, in great detail, if she ever hurts you! At least not for the first hour or so." Sam grinned to take the edge off her words. In truth, she had been surprised when Jo suggested the dinner, knowing she had seen off a few potential admirers who she didn't think were worthy of Jo's affections.
"Sam…" Jo's voice was low, a warning tone sounding before her statement was ended abruptly by the arrival of Jack Meadows.
"DC Masters, can I borrow DI Nixon for a moment?" Meadows asked rhetorically, already steering the slim blonde away towards her office.
"Would you relax babe, you're making me nervous!" Lucy watched Jo check the road outside her modest terraced house for the umpteenth time. "She'll be here, it's not even 7.30 yet." The raven-haired beauty paused, assessing her lover's state of mind before continuing, "she really means a lot to you, doesn't she? Was there ever anything more between you two?" Jo stopped her frantic pacing, the words penetrating the fearful fog cocooning her mind.
"What? Me and Sam? No! You'll see when you meet her, she's as straight as they come. But she is the best platonic friend I have here in Sun Hill, she's been really good to me since I got back from Nottingham, helped me get over what happened to Seth…" Jo's mind drifted back to the nights she had turned up on Sam's doorstep at all hours, needing someone to talk her guilt through with and needing to feel something, anything. If she were honest with herself, she had developed a strong crush on the older woman during those dark days but she soon realised that it was a reaction to her situation and there would never be any future in such feelings. Lucy watched the emotions play out across her partner's expressive features, approaching her and sliding olive-skinned arms around her waist. She felt Jo's own arms mirror hers, pulling her in close as she rested a cheek on the top of Lucy's unruly mass of dark hair. "Tonight, I'm going to introduce the two most important women in my life to each other and it scares the hell out of me that I might have to choose between you."
Raising her head from where it had been happily resting against Jo's chest, Lucy looked the taller woman in the eyes, her sincerity evident. "Sweetheart, I can't speak for Sam but I can honestly say I would never willingly make you choose between me and any of your friends. I love you, every part of you, just as you are. Take away your job, your friends, any aspect of your life and it would mean losing part of you. I couldn't do that to you." The besotted brunette gazed down at the beautiful woman held within the circle of her arms, wondering how she had come to be so lucky to have such a gorgeous young lady in her life. At the proclamation, words failed Jo. She displayed her appreciation in the only way her body would allow her to, dipping her head and capturing the coral lips before her. They remained entwined in each other's arms, slowly and tenderly affirming their love until the doorbell broke into their idyllic space. Jo's stomach tumbled as she released Lucy, her nerves returning ten-fold knowing there was no going back from this moment.
She opened the door, a blast of icy winter's night air greeting her along with the vision of an angel. "You look beautiful Sam, come on in out of the cold." Jo took Sam's coat, hanging it in the closet under the stairs before wrapping her up in a warm hug.
"Thank you. You look lovely too, Jo." Sam had been to Jo's house many times over the months since her return from Nottingham, many an evening when their schedules matched being spent watching movies over good wine and all manner of treats.
"Come through, I'll make introductions and then get you a drink. Red wine ok?" Sam nodded her approval, handing Jo the bottle she had brought with her for them all to enjoy. Jo placed a hand at the small of her friend's back as she ushered her through into the lounge, hands shaking with her nervousness. Lucy had been checking her reflection in the large mirror over the fireplace and turned as the two women entered the room. Her breath caught at the sight of what a striking couple they made but the smile that Jo flashed her way melted any misgivings she had. Crossing to her side, Jo slid one arm around her girlfriend's slender waist, cradling the smaller woman to her affectionately. "Sam, this is Lucia Sorella. Luce, this is the infamous Sam Nixon who I'm sure I've bored you to death talking about!" The women both smiled brightly extending their hands to one another, Sam's pale alabaster skin a stark contrast to the rich honeyed tone of Lucy's Italian-heritage colouring.
"It's so nice to finally be able to meet you Lucia, I've heard plenty about you from Jo." Jo blushed as Sam greeted her partner warmly.
"Please call me Lucy, Lucia makes me sound like some mafia boss's daughter! And likewise, it's good to finally be able to put a face to the name. Jo is forever coming home with tales of how you have righted wrongs at work." Lucy gestured for Sam to take a seat on the sofa, flopping down next to her eager to get the low-down on what Jo was really like outside of the house.
"And I've no doubt completely playing down her own role in our work." Sam supplied feeling surprisingly at ease with the young woman immediately. Hope sparked in her chest that maybe, just maybe, Jo had finally found someone who could offer her the love and security she was in need of.
"Oh I can see this was a mistake already, you're going to gang up on me aren't you?!" Jo groaned from the doorway as she retreated to fetch drinks for all of them. Sam and Lucy both laughed heartily.
"Only when you deserve it love." Lucy called after her retreating form, casually admiring the gently sway of her shapely behind, still stunned to find someone like Jo giving her a second glance.
"So what is it that you do, Lucy?" Sam fished, wanting to get to know the young beauty before she formed any firm opinion of her.
"Nothing nearly as exciting as you guys. I work in administration at a web-based travel company; organise bookings, update the website, send out mailers that sort of thing. It's tedious at times but it pays the bills and I do get a fantastic discount on holidays!" Lucy flashed Sam a brilliant smile which lit up her entire face transforming her from attractive to outstandingly beautiful in an instant.
"I know where to come when my feet start itching and I'm feeling the need to get away then!" Sam stated, accepting the glass of wine Jo held out for her. She made to rise from the sofa to allow Jo to sit next to her lover but was stilled by a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Stay there, Sam. I'm fine on the chair. I'll be in and out for a while checking on dinner." Jo had cooked for Sam on a few times but tended to save it for special occasions, much to Sam's chagrin. Her stomach growled in anticipation of the wonderful fodder it would be presented with, making all three women break into laughter.
"Sounds like it's a good job you did plenty!" Lucy gently teased, knowing from Jo that Sam had a good sense of humour and hoping that she wasn't pushing it too soon.
"With this one around, there's no such thing as plenty! You wouldn't know it to look at her, but she eats like a horse!" Jo rejoined, winking at her friend and colleague.
"Now who's ganging up on who?" Sam playfully pouted, an expression which Lucy thought was one of the most adorable things she'd ever seen.
"So Sam, Jo tells me that you recently got promoted, congratulations. From what she's told me, it's a real honour but one that's been a long time coming." Lucy was genuinely interested to find out more about this woman who held such a firm place in her lover's heart, knowing from the ease with which they conversed that there was nothing more than friendly affection between the two women.
"Well, it's been a few months now and I'm only sharing the role with someone else but it's been good so far – tough but rewarding." Sam sipped her wine, careful not to drink too much on her very empty stomach.
"You're too damn modest for your own good Sam. You know Neil's heart isn't in it anymore and you're carrying the vast majority of his caseload as well as your own. You're doing a damn remarkable job and you have a lot more respect than he does with the team. Hell, Kezia nearly falls over herself to impress you!" Jo took a healthy swig of her own wine as she settled into a debate she and Sam had had on numerous occasions before.
"Kezia is still young, still learning and still has the rose-coloured glasses on. Until she's a fully fledged DC she has to be keen to impress." Sam dismissed Jo's praise, as she always did, still feeling a little as though she was feeling her way in the new role and that it would only be a matter of time before the powers that be snatched it away from her again as they had in the past.
"From what Jo's told me, it sounds like you're doing a fabulous job. She doesn't share details with me, obviously – quite frankly I wouldn't want her to, I don't have the nerve that you must have to deal with the things you have to deal with daily – but we do talk in general terms about her day. I have every admiration for you both, for all of you who put yourselves on the line to keep us mortals safe. Like I said, I couldn't do it." Lucy chimed in, smiling gently at Jo.
"Come back to bed babe, it's far too early to be up and about yet." Lucy stretched lazily as she watched Jo pad barefoot across the bedroom, clad only in a large T-shirt which barely skimmed her hips.
"I'll be right back, just need to answer a call of nature first." Jo grinned over her shoulder, still feeling like the cat who got the cream every time she woke up to Lucy in her bed. She added an extra sway to her hips as she felt eyes boring into her behind as she left the bedroom.
Lucy sighed as she let her eyes drift shut again, feeling her body begin to anticipate Jo's return and loving the fact that her lover could turn her on without even touching her. She mentally conjured up an image of the brunette's generous curves; the gentle swell of her pert buttocks giving way to a cinched waist before her breasts blossomed magnificently. One hand drifted lazily to her own breast, teasing the nipple to tautness as she fantasised about the woman she had grown to adore.
"I hope that's me on your mind while you're wearing that obscene smirk!" Jo smiled as she disposed of the T-shirt and launched herself onto the bed beside her lover, removing the teasing hand and locking her lips around the rock-hard bud. She heard the olive-skinned woman beneath her groan, a hand fisting in her hair at the oral assault.
"Only you sweetheart, it's only ever you on my mind these days!" Lucy panted, hips beginning to slowly undulate of their own accord under Jo's expert ministrations. Her hands began to wander across the smooth plains of Jo's muscular back, sliding down to her hips before gently moving to caress the sides of her ample bosoms. Jo aimed to shift her attention south, moving out of range of Lucy's wandering hands but not before Lucy's fingers danced over something which made her stop writhing. All thoughts of lovemaking went out of the window as the memory of what she had just felt lingered on her fingertips.
Sensing her withdrawal, Jo looked up concerned. "What is it love? You've gone white, are you not feeling well? Did I hurt you?" Jo was scared by how shocked and pale her lover had turned. Lucy felt a cold sweat break out on her upper lip as she tried to find a way to voice her concerns. "Luce, honey, what is it? You're scaring me, are you ok?" Jo hovered over the petite woman, braced on arms either side of Lucy's head, pendulous breasts swinging gently before her eyes. Lucy felt her focus zoom in on them, unable to tear her gaze away as she slowly, tentatively brought one hand up to cup the area she had been caressing scant moments ago. Jo followed the line of her vision, watching the hand shakily make its approach. Timid fingers brushed over the edge of Jo's left breast, gently probing and searching the fleshy mound. The hand froze as it unearthed the spot it had been searching for where, just beneath the surface, a hard, irregular lump lay cocooned. Jo replaced her lover's fingers with her own, the colour draining swiftly from her face as she felt the alien growth.
"Jo…" Lucy started to speak, her voice strangled as she fought to tamp down her fears. She found herself speaking to Jo's back as she raced back towards the bathroom, making it just in time before losing the contents of her stomach. The young raven-haired beauty knew she should go to her partner, to help console the wonderful woman she had lost her heart to, but her body refused to comply. She felt as though she were bound to the bed by invisible bonds, silent tears coursing down her cheeks as worst case scenarios leapt unbidden into her mind.
Jo sat back on the bathroom floor, leaning against the side of the bath for support as the world reeled around her, stomach empty but still churning. Her fingers drifted back to the side of her breast, to the small lump which had changed the shape of the day from one filled with promise to one filled with dread. Her mind tried to be logical about it, telling her that there was every chance of it being benign, just a fatty cyst that was nothing to worry about but her heart was screaming at her that there was a very good chance it was not, that it could be something significantly more sinister, especially given her family's history. Her maternal grandmother, her own mother and her mother's sister had all succumbed to breast cancer. Her mother and grandmother had both discovered their tumours within twelve months of one another, both battled through the operations and treatments together and seeming to win the fight…until it returned, stronger and more invasive than before as though mocking them for believing they could cheat death. Heedless of the cold seeping into her veins, Jo sobbed on the bathroom floor, wrapping her arms around her knees as she drew them up to her chest.
Lucy knocked tentatively on the bathroom door having finally roused herself to dress and go to Jo's aid, putting aside her own fears and worries. Jo had been in there for over half an hour and she was starting to become concerned. Relief flooded through her as she heard the door being unlocked. That relief turned to despair as she saw Jo's broken-hearted form, toes and fingernails turning an alarming shade of purple from being exposed to the cool morning air. "Come on sweetheart, let's get you up from there." Lucy made to snake an arm around the taller woman's waist but felt her recoil. Fearful that she had hurt her, the young lover stepped back.
"Don't touch me. I think it's best if you just go." Jo's voice was flat, no emotion apparent in the monotonous tone.
"No!" Lucy's voice was louder than she expected it to be, making them both start. "Don't push me away, Jo." Her words were pleading, intended to reach out to her lover's heart, to make her realise that she was not alone in whatever might lie ahead. "Don't punish me, please." The statement was much softer than the previous ones, the hurt and rejection evident in the strained notes and pained expression Lucy wore.
"I can't handle this right now Lucy, I'm sorry. I just need some time and space." Jo hauled herself up from the floor, muscles screaming in agony from having been cramped up on the cold linoleum. She walked stiffly past her young lover as though in a trance, not really connecting with the world around her.
Lucy was torn between wanting to go after her, realising that she was in shock, and wanting to respect Jo's wishes to be given chance to sort her head out before having to deal with anyone else. Leaning around the doorjamb, looking into the bedroom to where Jo sat on the end of the bed, unmoving, Lucy told her, "I still love you and want to be with you, no matter what. When you're ready, I'll be here for you. Call me, please sweetheart." Her voice cracking as she spoke, her heart breaking in two at the thought of walking away. As she closed the front door behind her, she made no attempt to halt the sudden rush of tears which streaked across her cheeks. She truly felt like she had lost the best thing in her life, fearing that Jo would be too proud to accept help from anyone and would retreat inside herself. Walking towards her car, she could only hope that she was wrong.