A/N: This is my first Vera story...and it's really only a one-shot. It's long, but there wasn't a good place to break it up. It's sort of a 'what happened after' for s3xe3, Young Gods. There was something going on with Billy and Vera in that episode (pay attention to the song he sings for her (he sings for her!) and then the ringtone that he's assigned to her on his new phone...something was up) though I don't know what the writers intended with it all. This is where my mind went with those little bits.
This case had been a rough one for both Vera and Billy. Between Billy's reaction to the victim being burnt, and Vera's being poisoned, neither of them had come out unscathed.
And then there had been Billy's singing to Vera. Or for her. Vera wasn't exactly sure which it had been. She wasn't sure of her reaction to it, either. Why had it made her pause? Why had a stupid grin suddenly turned up the corners of her mouth? Billy was just being his normal, ridiculous self…wasn't he?
Stepping out of the bath, she shivered as she reached for her towel and hurriedly dried off. Looking for her clothes, she scowled when she realized she'd forgotten them in the wash. Rushing to her bedroom, she grabbed her robe and searched through her pile of laundry for something warm for her feet. She had slippers, she knew she did, but where the bloody hell were they?
Vera rolled her eyes and looked about at the mess…what a terrible house keeper. She shrugged as she made her way to the washer, determined to finish this time. She'd gotten a call that had taken her mind away from her laundry and so it had sat waiting for her to remember. Too bad remembering hadn't happened until she'd needed clean clothes.
Frowning at the knock on her door, Vera scowled down at the robe she'd hastily thrown on and recklessly tied about her naked frame. Fussing with the thing to make sure she was sufficiently covered, as covered as one could be with nothing but a robe, she made her way to the door.
Who she found on the other side was not who she expected to ever find standing outside her home.
"Billy?"
Billy looked her over then looked back up at her. "Am I interrupting something?"
Vera rolled her eyes as she moved to let him in. "Come in before ya let what little heat there is out."
Walking past, Billy couldn't help but brush against her, his suspicions confirmed…Vera had nothing on under that robe. Interesting.
Vera scowled at Billy behind his back…just like her flirtatious friend to brush against a woman when he had the chance.
Stopping a few feet away, Billy turned to look at her. "Vera," he whispered.
Vera cocked her head to the side at the way Billy said her name. "What is it?"
Holding out his hand toward her, Billy looked down at her burned one. "Let me tend to that, please?"
Vera heard it in his voice, the anguish he'd been feeling ever since he realized their victim had burned while still alive. She hadn't let him tend to the burn on her hand then, but she hadn't fully realized how affected Billy was by the case when he'd asked. Placing her hand in his, she followed him to her kitchen, shrugging her shoulders when he fussed at her over the mess on the table. Sitting in the chair he pulled out for her, she watched as he unzipped a pocket on his coat and took out a small case. Looking from his hands to his face, she realized he'd planned this bit of the night from the beginning.
"Billy, is this why you came?" she whispered, her thumb gently caressing the top of his hand that held hers steady, his other hand busy carefully tending to her burn. His watery eyes staring into hers was the only answer she received. "Oh Billy."
Tenderly, and as carefully as he could, Billy cleaned and bandaged the wound, his mind filling in what had happened to the skin and nerves when the grease had popped out onto her hand. Finished, he lifted her hand and lightly kissed the fingertips, smiling at the sound of Vera's breath hitching. He knew that the nerves were responding to the feel of his lips as well as the prickling feeling of the scruff on his face.
Vera closed her eyes and let herself do nothing but concentrate on the feel of Billy's lips and fingers as they kissed and caressed her hands in a way she'd never been touched before. She could feel a tingling beginning in her toes, slowly spreading through her body, limb by limb.
"Billy," she breathed. "What're ya doin' to me?"
Billy only smiled and shook his head. "Shh," was the only sound he made before returning to what he was doing. Kissing the palm, he used his fingers to massage points on her hand he knew would affect other areas of her body as he moved his lips to her wrist, his tongue flicking out against the pulse he felt there. She was wonderfully, and gloriously alive, her pulse racing faster with each movement he made. Making his way up her arm, he nuzzled behind her ear before moving to repeat each action on the other hand and arm. Nuzzling behind her other ear, he gently nipped on the lobe and chuckled slightly when she dug her fingernails into his hand.
"Billy." Vera growled.
Finished, he stood and tugged on her hand, trying to get her to follow him but she wouldn't budge.
Opening her eyes, Vera looked at him with a frown. "Ya daft man. What do you think you're doing?" No words were spoken, but she sensed something in her friend and gave into him for the moment. Letting him pull her up, she followed him out of the kitchen, rolling her eyes when he peaked into rooms. Tugging on his hand to stop him when they were outside her bedroom, she looked up at him again, deciding that she needed answers.
Billy shook his head when Vera opened her mouth to speak. Leaning forward, he lifted his hand to cup her face, his thumb caressing her cheek as he lowered his lips to hers, brushing feather light kisses to the corners of her mouth before finally kissing her full on the lips.
Feeling lightheaded, Vera gripped his arm with her free hand trying desperately to steady herself. She hadn't been kissed in years. And she'd definitely never been kissed quite like this. Taking a deep breath when Billy broke the kiss, she blinked bleary eyed up at him, following him into her bedroom on trembling legs. She felt as though she'd been drugged, knowing that she hadn't been…that Billy would never do anything to harm her. Giving him a curious look when he stopped them beside her bed, she blinked in surprise when his hand reached down to tug at the belt of her robe. Whatever this was, it was going to places she wasn't sure she wanted to go.
Without saying a word, Billy asked for her permission, waiting for Vera to see whatever it was he could tell she was searching for. He needed her. He needed to be able to erase all the thoughts of what the victim of this case had gone through with his body burning. Vera was the only person he could trust to let see his pain, his weakness.
Staring into his eyes, Vera saw everything that Billy wasn't saying. He needed her. Who was she to deny him the chance to heal himself of the hurt this case had brought him? If she was going to be with a man after all of these years, why not let it be Billy? After all, she'd had her own troubles with this case. Nearly dying being the biggest…but, "Billy," she whispered. "I'm not…" she started then stopped when he gave her a look she knew the meaning of very clearly. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and gave her permission, shivering when her robe fell to the floor, her eyes closing against what she might see in Billy's eyes when he saw her.
Brushing a kiss against her ear, Billy's warm breath made her sigh. "Daft woman," he murmured, staring down at her when she opened her eyes and looked up at him.
She shrugged. "I was young and fit the last time a man other than a doctor saw me like this."
Shaking his head, he gently pushed her back onto the bed, motioning for her to lay on her front. He had plans, plans he'd made when he'd spotted the bandages lying on his counter and remembered Vera's hand. He intended to use his knowledge of nerves, skin, and touch, to make her feel everything opposite of what Frane had felt.
Wrapping her arms around her pillow, Vera took a deep breath and waited to see what her friend had in mind. It wasn't what she'd thought at first, that much she was sure of when he'd had her lay down like this. Hearing a zipper, she opened her eyes and watched as Billy took a small bottle out of his coat pocket and put it on the bedside table. Watching his other movements, she was surprised when he only took off his coat and shoes. Closing her eyes, she let herself relax a bit more and did her best not to ask questions.
Billy knew that Vera was confused about what he was doing. He wasn't surprised. He knew that she thought he was after sex when he led her to the bedroom and wanted to take off her robe. Smiling when he looked at her, he thought that by the time he was finished, he'd be more than ready to make love to her. She was a beautiful woman, even if she didn't believe it and did her best to hide it. Her skin was nearly perfect, its alabaster hues only marred in a few places by scars, some he knew the reason, others he suspected were from her childhood. Leaning over, his fingers massaging her scalp, he placed light kisses on her neck then made his way over a perfectly sloped shoulder. Moving his fingers as he traced the length of her spine with his tongue, he felt her shiver and heard the gasp that escaped her lips. This was what he wanted, what he needed.
Vera felt herself…she quirked an eyebrow, well…she felt something she hadn't felt in years. She could understand why so many women practically threw themselves at Billy. He was marvelous with his mouth, and now his hands were massaging a warmed oil into her skin in a way that made her want to squirm and moan. Whatever he was doing, she'd never felt so many different things at once. How was that possible?
Billy grinned when Vera let out a moan he knew she'd been trying to hold back. He wanted to hear her, needed to hear her. Having worked his way down to her feet, he gave them nearly the same treatment as he'd given her hands, using the knowledge of the nerve endings on the soles to send that tingling feeling coursing along her spine and spreading through her body.
"Billy." Vera grumbled when she felt a gentle tap against her bottom.
"Turn over," he whispered, winking at her when she scowled at him for the tap.
Settling on her back, Vera felt anything but relaxed and wondered at how fast she could go from feeling so easy to completely tense in just a few short moments. Feeling Billy's hand brush over her breast, she didn't have to wonder anymore. She was worried more now about how he would see her than she had been before.
Billy felt the tension in Vera and knew why it had returned. Leaning over, he brushed the hair from her forehead before pressing feathery kisses over her face, his fingers once again massaging her scalp. "It's just me, Vera," he whispered. "And I find you beautiful," his softly spoken words washed over her and he watched as a tear rolled down into her hair. Brushing it, and the one that joined it, away, Billy continued to worship her face with his mouth as his fingers caressed down to trace her jaw then move to her neck.
Vera didn't understand why she was crying, it made no sense, but she couldn't seem to stop the tears that were slowly rolling down her face and soaking her hair. Surely being told someone found her beautiful hadn't made her turn into a blubbering cow. But then she heard Billy whisper once more how beautiful he found her making more tears fall and she realized that it was indeed because someone found her beautiful. It had been too many years since she'd had a man tell her anything of that sort and evidently there was still just enough woman left inside her to react emotionally.
Billy let Vera continue to cry, knowing that she needed the release whether she realized it or not. He knew how in love she'd been with Peter and how his death had devastated her. He'd watched the feminine side of her disappear further and further behind her badge until there was barely anything of the Vera he'd known left. He could still see bits and pieces of her every now and then when he'd say something that had her laughing or giving him a smirk. He knew she smirked at her team members, but the one she gave him – it held remnants of the sassy smirk he'd seen in their younger years.
Gasping when she felt the scruff on Billy's face brushing against her inner thighs, Vera wondered if he was going to do what she suspected. The feel of his tongue against the sensitive flesh at the apex of her thighs was her answer. "Billy!" she cried out in surprise. Her eyes shot open and she looked down only to find Billy smiling at her.
"I'll stop if you want me to," he whispered.
Taking a deep breath, Vera shook her head. "No," was the only thing she could manage. Lifting her hand, she caressed her fingers through his hair and gave him a nervous smile.
"Sure?"
"No," she breathed then chuckled when Billy rolled his eyes at her. Biting her lip, she gently combed her fingers through his hair again. "I'm nervous. It's been a long time."
"I know," he whispered.
"Oh," she hissed when his mouth covered her again, his tongue doing wicked things.
Billy could feel her legs trembling even as her body grew restless with each stroke of his tongue. Sliding two fingers inside her, he used his free hand to hold her steady when she cried out and bucked up off the bed. "Let go," he whispered, feeling the tension in her body as she fought against the loss of control. "It's just me…let go," he encouraged her again.
"Billy…I," she gasped as she fisted her hands in the bed linens.
"Shh, easy…let it happen." Billy whispered against her before lightly sucking on her clit, breaking through her control, her incoherent cries echoing around the room as her orgasm rolled over her in high and low waves, her fingers curling and uncurling in response.
Vera struggled to catch her breath, her throat raw from her ragged cries as Billy worked her into a frenzy, ripping an orgasm out of her so strong that she felt like her head was going to explode. She could still hear her voice ringing in her ears. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring into Billy's tear filled ones and reached a shaky hand up to caress his cheek. "Why the tears this time?"
Billy curled his hand around hers and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss to the palm as he tried to get himself under control. "Watching you, hearing you," he swallowed and pressed another kiss to her hand. "Your cries have replaced the sounds I've been hearing ever since I set eyes on the victim."
"Oh Billy," she whispered.
Leaning forward, Billy cradled her face in his hands as he covered her mouth with his. He heard her hum and felt her fingers wrap around his arms as she pressed closer to him. Pulling back, he stared down at her, searching for something and finding it.
Vera watched Billy as he took off his clothes, a quirked eyebrow meeting his smirk when he looked at her. Opening her arms to him, she easily cradled him when he settled himself between her open thighs. "Be easy with me. It's been a very long time. I'm not sure I remember how," she whispered.
Resting on his forearms, Billy smiled down at her as he caressed the hair from her face. "It's like riding a bike," he winked.
"What if I never learned how?"
Billy threw his head back and laughed before leaning down and nuzzling his nose against the crook of her neck. "I know better," he whispered before gently nipping the skin.
"Mmm, Billy," she hissed as she tangled her fingers in his hair…the other hand moving around his back, holding him close.
Billy felt Vera's body arching up into his and groaned when her foot slid up his calf and thigh. Pushing himself up, he looked down at her. "And you said you didn't remember," he murmured, an eyebrow arched. "Damn, Vera," he growled then covered her mouth with his, a hand moving to her breast, fingers tweaking a taut nipple.
Letting her foot slid back down his leg, Vera hummed in satisfaction when she heard him growl again and felt his body's reaction against her. Smirking when Billy pulled from their kiss and looked down at her, she cried out when he slowly slid inside her, joining their bodies. "Billy!"
It was his turn to smirk as he paused to watch the emotions flit across her face. He could feel her inner muscles fluttering around him as her body adjusted, but his mind was focused on the way her eyes seemed to darken…he felt like he was drowning in them. "Vera," he breathed as he caressed her cheek with his thumb.
Vera felt the change in the air around them and held Billy's gaze as she draped her legs over his. She hummed when he began to move, her eyes sliding closed then opening again when Billy nudged her nose with his.
"Keep them open," he whispered. "Please."
"What is it?" she asked, still feeling the change around them but not knowing what it was.
"I want you to see," he stopped, not sure he could make sense of his thoughts. "To see that you're not just a conquest."
Smiling softly at him, Vera moved her hand from his hair to his face. "I know that, Billy. You've taken such good care of me and been very gentle with me." Lifting her head, she kissed him then smiled. "Now stopping worrying over me and make love to me…slow and easy."
Taking her hands in his, careful of her injured one, Billy placed them on the bed on either side of her head. His eyes never leaving hers, he began to move, slow and easy just as she'd asked him to. The sounds she was making were, he realized, real. She wasn't faking like so many of the women he was with did. Vera really was enjoying this and it made him want to give her even more pleasure than he'd already given her.
Drawing her legs up, Vera moaned at the change in angle. She felt hot and needy…the hot she was used to at her age, but the needy…she hadn't felt that way in years. Tightening her hold on Billy's hands, she whimpered when he responded to her body's movements with a move that made her cry out and feel as though her head would explode as the pleasure continued to build and spark across her nerves. She was feeling parts of her body she had forgot existed. "Billy," she whimpered. "Please…"
Billy groaned when her back arched, pushing her body up into his. Letting go of her hand, he slid his freed one down between them to touch her, wanting to make sure of her climax before his control was completely gone and he left her behind and wanting. Watching the flush of her skin deepen, he grinned with pride when she half screamed his name, her thighs tightening around him. Taking her hand back in his, he began to move again, the feel of her inner muscles clutching at him snapping the tenuous grasp he had on his control.
Vera wrapped her arms around Billy a few moments after he collapsed against her. "Mmm," she hummed as she skimmed her foot lazily up and down his calf. "Thank you," she whispered as she combed her fingers through his damp hair.
Billy pressed a kiss to her breast then pushed himself up and smiled down at her. "It was as much my pleasure as yours." Caressing her temple with his thumb, he nuzzled her neck then kissed her ear. "You're an amazing woman, Vera."
"Now Billy," she scoffed. "No need for silly after sex talk-ups."
"I'm not. I'm telling the truth." He let his forehead bump against hers and sighed. "I think," he started then paused, wondering how she would take what he was about to tell her.
"What?" she whispered and tenderly lifted his head so that he was looking at her again. "What is it?"
"I realized something recently. It's what led me here tonight. I could have gone to any woman and done the same with them, but you were the only one in my head. I kept thinking about the look on your face when I sang that silly song, and then the way you looked at me when I was upset. It all suddenly became clear."
"Billy, you're rambling and not making sense. What became clear?"
Closing his eyes so that he wouldn't see the warmth in hers disappear, he whispered, "I'm in love with you. I think I've always been just a little bit and it just sort of grew over the years. I never acknowledged it because I know how you feel about relationships and being in love."
Caressing his face, Vera felt her heart thudding in her chest. She didn't want someone to be in love with her, that only ever led to hurt, but she couldn't deny that she felt something for Billy. It had been there for a while, though like him, she'd been ignoring it. "Billy," she whispered, smiling when he finally opened his eyes and looked at her. "I can't tell you that I'm in love with you, because I'm not sure I can ever fall in love again, but I do care for you very much." Taking a deep breath she kissed him then cupped his cheek. "I can only say I'll try if that's what you want, but you have to promise no other women. I can't do that, Billy."
"If you'll give me a chance, it will be you and only you." Billy smiled at her. "But what do we tell the others?"
"Nothing." She shook her head. "Absolutely nothing. We keep things the way they always have been. Well," she smirked. "Most things."
Billy laughed and rolled off her, pulling her with him to lay on his chest. "I love that smirk."
"We have to be very careful, Billy. I don't want the likes of Kenny learning about us. I'd have to kill him."
Billy chuckled then lifted her face to smile at her. "I promise. I'll do whatever you want as long as you give me a chance to prove that love doesn't always hurt."
Vera nodded and settled back against him. "I suppose that's all that matters at the end of the day."