Patsy immediately moved to follow Delia but Paul grabbed her tightly around the waist, pulling her against him.

"She's a grown woman, love. She'll be fine. Now, where were we?"

Patsy struggled to extricate herself, but his arms held fast. "She's obviously not fine, now let me go!" When Paul refused to release her, she increased her efforts, resorting to a sharp kick to his shin. It worked instantly.

Paul promptly shoved her away, reaching down to rub his injured leg. "Bloody Hell, woman!"

She wasted no more time on him, immediately hurrying toward the exit. Many of the couples on the dance floor had witnessed the altercation and hastily moved out of her way, but she was far too enraged to feel any sense of embarrassment at the attention she had drawn.

Eyes wild, she frantically searched for her friend. Spotting her leaning against a building up the street, head down and arms holding herself tight, Patsy hurried to her. "Deels?"

Delia looked up, tears streaming down her face. Patsy instantly wrapped her arms around the smaller woman, rubbing her back.

"He was horrible, Pats. Paul paid him to dance with me. Paid him! He said such filthy things. And his hands..." She trailed off as she tucked her head into Patsy's neck.

As good as it felt to hold Delia close, to inhale the scent of her hair, Patsy was fuming. She pulled out of the embrace and turned back to the club.

"Patsy. Patsy!" Delia grabbed her arm. "What are you doing?"

Patsy fairly growled her response, pointing a finger sharply in the direction of the offender. "I'm going to wash that young man's mouth out with soap. Followed by a lesson on how to treat a beautiful woman."

Chuckling, Delia scrubbed at her wet cheeks. "No. Let's just go." She tugged on Patsy's arm. "Come on."

Patsy huffed, trying to release a bit of the fury still burning white hot in the pit of her stomach. "The next bus won't come round for a while yet."

Breathing deeply, Delia stretched her arms out at her sides. "Well, it's a lovely evening. And I could do with the stroll."

Patsy smiled affectionately; there wasn't much she could have denied Delia in that moment.

There was no more talk about Paul or Ernest. Instead, they discussed their days, and peered in shop windows at gorgeous garments and shining bobbles — creating stories about where they would wear such stunning outfits. Once, as they passed a book shop, Delia stopped abruptly, reaching out to tap the glass.

"Pats, look." She said when the taller woman had joined her at the window. "Virginia Woolf novels." She glanced up at Patsy, blue eyes dancing with excitement. "She had an...interesting life." She turned back to the books on display. "I have always wanted to read her stories. But she was too controversial, my Mam wouldn't allow it. I would have read them anyway, in secret, if I had found them."

Patsy smiled softly, lightly touching the small of Delia's back. "We'll come back some day, when the shop is open." She was rewarded when Delia's enchanting smile shone back at her.

"I'd like that." She turned and patted Patsy's arm. "Alright. Let's go."

When the dormitory came into sight, Patsy exhaled loudly. "Well, it's been a lovely walk. But I, for one, will be glad to get out of these shoes."

Delia chuckled. "Ditto."

"Would you like to come to my room for a nightcap? No shoes required."

"I would absolutely love to." Delia felt giddy at the invitation, but tried to contain it. She wasn't ready for the evening to be over yet, and apparently, neither was Patsy.

They trudged inside and down the hall. Both groaning deeply when they finally collapsed across the bed.

Patsy was the first to speak. "It's been ages since I have walked so far. I'm afraid I am quite out of shape."

Delia just hummed in agreement. She was lost in the moment: laying shoulder-to-shoulder with Patsy, on her bed, engulfed by the scent of her. She startled when Patsy suddenly sat up, her breath catching when she felt Patsy pat her knee before feeling the bed shift. Opening her eyes, Delia watched her friend move across the room to the wardrobe. She watched as Patsy rummaged around and pulled out a bottle of whiskey and a glass, looking at her apologetically.

"Only one glass I'm afraid. Mind if we share?"

Delia pushed up onto her elbows, and shook her head. "Not at all."

Patsy flashed a mischievous smile, and set the bottle and glass on the desk. "I've an idea." And she turned back to the wardrobe, pulling out a plaid flannel blanket which she spread out on the floor with a flourish. "Toss me those 2 pillows, would you?"

Delia did as requested, tossing one pillow at a time, which Patsy dropped down onto the blanket. She then eyed Patsy with curiosity as she stood with hands on her hips, face screwed up in thought.

Pointing at Delia, she ordered her to "stay put" with a mysterious little grin as she left her own room. Delia did as instructed, chewing her lip while waiting for Patsy who returned several minutes later with a candle in a little glass stand.

Delia raised an eyebrow and cocked her head in question.

Patsy shrugged. "From the emergency supply, in case the power goes out." Setting the candle in the middle of the blanket, she then retrieved the whiskey, glass, and her lighter before settling herself down on one side of the blanket. With a flick, the lighter was lit and she touched it to the candle. "Alright then, Ms Busby. Would you be so kind as to turn off the light and join me down here?"

Delia removed her shoes and sweater, slowly standing from the bed. Her knees were weak, but she wasn't entirely certain it was from the long walk.

With the light off, the soft candlelight turned Patsy into an angel. A whiskey-pouring angel. Getting up onto her knees, Patsy reached for a notebook and a couple pencils from her desk.

"Perhaps we might play a game."

"Game?"

"Of a sort. We each write down a few questions we'd like to ask the other one on slips of paper. Then we fold the slips and mix them up in the center of the blanket here. We take turns drawing a question, it may be your's it may be mine, but we'll both answer. Whoever draws, answers first." She held up the glass. "And, you take a drink before you answer."

Delia swallowed down excited nerves. "This could be interesting."

Patsy held Delia's eyes, which drilled into her core. "Quite the point. Do you want to play?"

Delia's answer came out as a strangled "Yes."

They spent the next few minutes jotting down questions and tearing them off the page.

"That ought to be enough for tonight." Patsy commented, reaching into the pile to mix the little scraps around.

"Who goes first?"

Patsy grinned, handing Delia the glass. "You do."

Delia took a deep breath before reaching into the pile of questions, her hand trembling slightly. She wasn't exactly sure what she was nervous about. Just the intimacy of it all, perhaps.

"Alright, here we go. Starting off easy. Sunrise or sunset?" Delia took a sip, feeling the liquid's relaxing warmth spread through her body. "Sunrises, definitely. The beauty of the day just beginning, the wonder of what it may hold. The opportunity for a new dream to come true." She trailed off, and handed the whiskey glass to Patsy who took her drink.

"Sunsets, for me. It means the day is coming to an end. That whatever wretched things may have happened throughout the day will soon drift away in sleep."

This admission broke Delia's heart. "What if good things happened that day?"

Patsy shrugged. "Then I should have happy dreams." And she reached for the next question. She smiled playfully as she read. "What job would you be terrible at?" Eyes narrowing in thought, she gazed up into the dark. "Fishmonger. No wait, baker. For very different reasons."

Delia laughed along with Patsy, loving the sound of it. "I don't think I could work in a library. I love books. But I couldn't be quiet that long." Again they laughed together as Delia reached for her next question. "Oh, this one's easy, too. What's the luckiest thing that has happened to you?" She paused only a moment to take a sip. "Definitely meeting you." Her eyes danced as she watched Patsy fidget.

"Oh, come on."

"No, I'm completely serious, Pats! But what about you?"

Patsy sighed. "Well you took the best answer. But I did find £1 once when I was younger. I had a grand old time spending it. That was a good day." She grinned, lost in her memory for a moment before she resurfaced and reached for another question. "Place you've always dreamed of visiting." Patsy added a bit more to liquid to the glass after taking another sip. "I've been a lot of places, and seen a lot of things. But I have always wanted to see America. Perhaps New York City. Or San Francisco." She dropped her eyes to the flickering candle flame. "I've heard they are more … open-minded."

"Oh, America, that would be a fantastic adventure. I've always wanted to visit Paris, though. The romanticism, the architecture, the food...especially the desserts." Delia practically moaned at the thought of the decadent desserts. "I think the language is beautiful, too. I know a few words, but not many. Not enough to get by."

"That's fine," Patsy said quietly. "I can speak it...for both of us...when we go...someday."

Delia smiled shyly, her heart racing and she had to clear her throat before she could respond. "That...I...I would like that." She reached for the next question. "Have you ever been in love?" She took a long, deep pull of whiskey, then a ragged breath, and another sip. She could feel warmth radiating from her cheeks, but wasn't entirely sure whether it was the liquor or her answer to the question. Patsy's question. Because Delia certainly hadn't written this question.

Patsy silently raised her eyebrows at her. "Um...yes, well, I thought I was" Delia began, running a finger around the rim of the glass. "It felt real, at the time. My mam said it was wrong when she found us. We weren't doing anything...only laying on my bed holding hands and talking. She screamed and cried, said she knew something sinful had been going on behind her back. It didn't feel wrong, or wicked, to me." Delia grunted and took another sip. "It didn't matter anyway. I was only a plaything, a passing fancy."

"Who was he?"

Delia played with the hem of her dress, hesitating to answer. The words wanted to stick in her throat as she spoke them. "He … was … a … she." Head bowed, her eyes darted across the blanket to Patsy's face, waiting for a reaction. Patsy was just watching her with soft eyes. Delia's heart was pounding so hard she thought it might jump from her chest. And she thought she would pass out from holding her breath waiting for Patsy to say something, anything.

Finally, Patsy spoke carefully, warmly. "Would you do something for me, Deels?"

Delia exhaled and nodded.

"Let your hair down?"

The atmosphere was electric as they watched each other for a long moment before Delia set the glass between them, slowly reached up to pull pin after pin from her hair. Inky tendrils fell, and Patsy was mesmerized. Once all the pins were out, Delia shook her head and ran her fingers through her long, straight hair.

Delia gazed at Patsy long and hard before breaking the silence. "So, what about you? Ever been in love?"

Patsy cleared her throat, "Ahm, no. No one has ever gotten close enough … before."

"Before?"

"Before." Patsy confirmed quietly but did not elaborate before reaching for the next question. "What do people misunderstand about you?" She took her drink. "Probably that I have lived a charmed life. No one else knows about the camps. So all they see is a childhood abroad, expensive boarding schools where I was taught the art of conversation, sitting and walking, even drinking tea like a lady. You know what they don't teach at those schools? How to stop the nightmares. Or how to be vulnerable. How to make friends."

Delia leaned in and reached for Patsy's hand, squeezing. "Patsy, look at you, us, here. This is you being vulnerable, with a friend. They may not teach that, but you are doing it."

Patsy's thumb brushed the back of Delia's hand affectionately. "Because of you, Deels."

Delia shook her head. "Perhaps I encouraged you, but that strength is all your own." Releasing Patsy's hand, she took a drink. "I am sort of the opposite. As soon as I open my mouth, people assume that I am some Welsh bumpkin, with this idea that I have no valuable thought in my head. I have to work twice as hard to gain the respect of my classmates and instructors. Tonight, I just wanted to dance. Not with that goon, but he's just an example. I have thoughts, and desires, and they are as valid as anyone's."

"I know have, Deels, I know you have."

They were looking at each other over the candle flame, the light in their eyes dancing. "You're the only one who has ever truly seen me for me, Pats. No expectations imposed."

Patsy's response was curtailed by a knock at the door. They both looked to the door then back at each other.

"Patsy? Are you there?" Came a voice through the door.

"Cripes" Patsy grunted as she jumped up and flipped the light on. She opened the door just enough to stand in the gap, blocking the smaller woman's visibility into the room. "Hello Margaret. What … what are you … did you have fun … tonight?"

"Where did you and Delia get off to? We were concerned when you weren't there to catch the bus back."

"Oh, well, yes. Delia's dance partner behaved ghastly, so we left and walked back."

"Oh dear, is she alright?"

"Right as rain. We've just been enjoying a night cap."

"She's here?" And with that Margaret pushed her way into the room. Patsy panicked, what would Margaret would think of the blanket and candle set out on the floor. And the pillows! But when she turned, Delia was relaxing on the bed, sipping whiskey calmly with a not-so-innocent gleam in her eye. And while there was a faint hint of a snuffed candle in air, the evidence of their evening had disappeared.

"Hello Margaret. I hope you had a lovely evening."

"I did, I did. But what about you?"

Delia waved a hand. "Oh, he was a cad." Blue eyes cut to Patsy and back to Margaret. "They can't all be tall, blonde charmers, can they?"

Margaret, oblivious, sighed. "No, I suppose not. Well, it's almost curfew, and my feet are throbbing. Goodnight you two."

Patsy ushered Margaret out with goodnight wishes, then collapsed back against the door. When their eyes met, they burst out laughing. Delia set the glass on the floor before getting up and crossing the room to stand in front of Patsy.

"You have turned a crummy evening into an absolutely delightful one." She reached up, cupping Patsy's cheek affectionately. "Thank you." Stretching up, she kissed Patsy's her other cheek. Dropping back onto her heels a moment later, her thumb caressed Patsy's soft skin. Patsy simply looked at her, blinking wide eyes.

Delia stretched up again, pressing her lips lightly to one corner of Patsy's mouth. She lingered only a moment before pulling away, again.

The air between them grew thick. Their breathing heavy. When Patsy's tongue slipped out to wet parched lips, Delia's eyes were drawn to her perfect mouth. She was pulled in once more. This kiss was brief, but firm and unmistakable for what it was.

Patsy was paralyzed: with fear, excitement, desire, wonder, and more fear. But seeing Delia's rapidly growing concern freed her. Her hands moved to grasp Delia's hips and she spun them around to press Delia against the door. One hand moving slowly, deliberately to feel the heat of Delia's neck, fingertips ghosting across her jaw, to her cheek. Her thumb caressing Delia's lips. Patsy was in a trance, like she was watching someone else do these things. She had never dared dream that she would find someone that made her feel this way, someone who could break down her walls, someone that she was able to reach out and touch. And when she felt Delia's hands on her back, pulling her close, she dipped her head.

Her lips moved over Delia's, slowly at first, gentle and whisper-soft, hesitant and nervous. The feel of Delia responding made her heart race. Confidence growing, Patsy slid a hand to the back of Delia's head, fingers threading through silky hair, holding her close, deepening the kiss.

Delia moaned as Patsy's tongue delicately tasted her lips. She felt, more than heard, Patsy's sigh when their tongues met. It was amazing, and intense, and continued for ages.

They were both panting when they broke apart, Patsy leaning her forehead against Delia's, basking in the euphoria for a moment. "That was..."

"Unexpected?"

Patsy chuckled deep in her chest. "Well, yes. Quite."

"Welcomed?"

"Absolutely"

"Amazing?"

"Definitely. But, I was going to say, that was brave."

Delia was puzzled. "Brave?"

Patsy lifted her head, eyes memorizing Delta's flawless features. "Kissing me. First. Taking that very scary leap."

Delia shrugged, nonchalant. "I was fairly certain I knew how you felt."

"Still, it was brave. And I am very glad you did." She dipped her head and captured Delia's lips again, firmer this time. Eager. Now that she had tasted them, she knew she would never get enough.

The kiss became heated very quickly. Delia was completely caught up in the moment, in the intense feelings she was experiencing from head-to-toe. She had been drawn to this woman from the very first moment, but never had she expected this to actually happen. She was absolutely consumed by it all, and protested momentarily when Patsy pulled away. But when she felt the heat and pressure of Patsy's mouth move along her jaw and down her neck, she couldn't contain the low moan. Especially when Patsy tugged lightly at her hair, pulling her head to the side, exposing more skin.

"Oh dear god" Delia gasped, fingers clenching into the material of Patsy's top.

Patsy was utterly lost in Delia's scent, the taste of her skin, the sounds she was making, the feel of her hands clasping desperately at her back.

Laughter and a door slamming in the hall intruded into Delia's thoughts, trying to remind her of something. It seemed like it was probably important, but Patsy was all she could think about. But when another loud voice on the other side of the door said goodnight, she remembered. "Curfew" She whispered raggedly.

"What?" Patsy asked into Delia's ear, all breathy and husky.

"Aahhhmmmm" Delia breathed out through tight lips. "Curfew. Margaret knows I'm here."

Patsy braced her hands against the door on either side of Delia's head and buried her face into Delia's neck, breathing heavily, trying to collect her wits. After a moment she stood and kissed Delia's lips gently before stepping back.

Delia reached out and clasped their hands. She spoke quickly, her voice breaking. "Patsy, I don't WANT to go. I just think..."

"No, you're right. You ought to go. We need to be careful." She raised Delia's hands, kissing each in turn.

Delia gathered her belongings, turning back to look at Patsy rather shyly. "Will I see you tomorrow?" She didn't want to seem needy, but she actually WAS feeling slightly needy.

Patsy reached out to caress her arms. She leaned in to kiss Delia's lips softly, mumbling "Absolutely" between kisses.

When Patsy stepped away, Delia's eyes remained closed and she took a deep, cleansing breath. "Alright, well, goodnight then, Pats."

Patsy smiled, "Goodnight, Deels."

To be continued...