Title: Unaware
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters
Alanna Carroll took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The sounds of the meeting she was in flowed over her. After a few minutes she heard 'Alanna' repeated a couple of times. She opened her eyes and her boss, the one that had been speaking, frowned in concern. "Alanna... are you alright?" Alanna nodded, "I just wanted to. Are you done with Mr. Gabritic's account?"
Alanna nodded, "Yes, it's on your desk. I's crossed, T's dotted."
"Good, well, that's all I have... Back to work everyone..."
He stood as everyone filed out of the room. He stopped Alanna at the door. "Are you really okay?"
Alanna nodded, pulling out her blonde pony tail and putting it back up. "I am... I was up late, finishing up."
Her boss patted Alanna on the back, "You are aware, Alanna, that this is Tax Law."
Alanna shook her head, "I seem to be turning into an insomniac." She shrugged, "But, if I shouldn't..."
Her boss laughed, "I'm not complaining, I just don't want you to burn out."
Alanna held up three fingers in the Girl Scout salute, "If I get tired, I promise to safely collapse on my desk, managing to miss the keyboard, mouse, and any sharp implements." A smile inched onto Alanna's face, and her boss just rolled his eyes.
"Are you sure?" Adam Porter glanced away from Persephone and back to the news coverage of his group's latest, peaceful protest. "They never put the truly inspired signs on the newscast." He looked back at Persephone. "Are you sure you can do this?"
Persephone stood with her hands on her hips, "I burn, then run... Easy as apple pie."
Adam looked at Persephone with a curious glance, "Have you ever actually baked apple pie?"
Persephone shrugged, "Too stressful. So..."
Adam made a sweeping motion with his hands, "Go, go..."
Persephone paused, "The target?"
"42 Temple Road."
Alanna ran her hand over the forty two that was beside her door. She put her key in the lock and a chill went through her as the door opened by itself. She blinked as she caught a wiff of gasoline. Without realizing it, she had positioned her keys in between her fingers as she advanced through the house, not finding anyone. Finally she heard the scratch of clothing in her bedroom and took what she hoped was a quiet breath and used her shoulder to burst through the half opened door. "Hey..." She was surprised when the tall brown haired woman didn't move a muscle at her crashing through the door or at her yell. "I have a gun..."
"I know..." Alanna's face went as white as her bed sheets, "I'm looking at it..."
As the brunette slowly turned, Alanna swallowed and started to speak. Her mouth only got far enough to make an 'O' shape before the brunette took a step and another in rapid succession and covered Alanna's mouth with her left hand. She shook her head and met Alanna's eyes. Alanna put her hands on the sides of the brunette's face, and she slowly took her hand away from Alanna's face. Alanna pulled the brunette toward her until their lips met in a kiss that said hello, I'm sorry, and God I missed you all at the same time.
After a few moments the brunette pulled away with a pained look on her face. She put her right hand along Alanna's cheek and then let it drop to her side. She moved back to the bedside table, took out the hidden photo that she had found, and put it into Alanna's palm.
She went into the living room and picked up the Molotov Cocktail sitting there. Alanna's eyes got large, but as she met the brunette's brown eyes, she realized that neither of them had a choice in whatever was going on, and Alanna could only follow the brunette's lead. After a second, the brunette started taking off her clothes.
A smirk came to Alanna's face, but the brunette just rolled her eyes and gestured towards Alanna's bedroom. Alanna disappeared for a bit, and returned with a pair of running pants and a Perkins, Paulo, and Torie hoodie. She looked down at the brunette's feet and then back up to her face.
For the first time the brunette shrugged. Alanna shook her head and held up a finger. She disappeared back into her bedroom. When she came back out she was carrying black socks and sports sandals. The brunette put them on with half a wince and straightened up.
Alanna approached the brunette and ran a hand through her shoulder length hair with a raised eyebrow. The brunette shrugged with a slight smile. Alanna leaned in and gave the brunette a quick kiss, then enveloped her in a crushing hug. The brunette managed to extricate herself, though she didn't want to. She cupped Alanna's cheek again and then with one last look back at Alanna she broke out one of the sliding door's windows and started across Alanna's back yard. After a few steps the brunette turned around, met Alanna's eyes, transferred her glance to the door and hurled the cocktail through the broken glass door.
Immediately both women went dashing in opposite directions. Alanna through the front door, yelling her head off. And the brunette through back yards until she could fade into the backyard of a house that actually had trees in back of it.
She opened her phone and punched in a number from memory. It rang once, twice. The brunette didn't let the person on the other end speak. "Sis, it's Persephone..." she paused, "I'm comin' home whether you like it or not."
Fin ~ September 20th, 2006