Ch. 7 The Morning After

A/N I don't own it! DKM, thanks for the reviews!

So sorry it's taken so long to update. I've been out of town with my grandma who has just had surgery to remove stomach cancer. She's doing well right now, but please pray for her.

The sun shone brightly into the bedroom that morning. Van stirred as he came back to consciousness and was immediately aware of someone next to him. Slowly he rolled onto his side and saw her. Billie was still sound asleep. Van's thoughts immediately went back to the previous night. What an amazing experience that had been. And then the horrible recounting of her life had followed. Immediately Van was struck with a pang of anger which was followed immediately by a pang of guilt. He was angry all that had happened to her and felt guilty that he spent his time bitching about his life and parents, yet she never said a thing! She always sympathized with how he felt. "Man, I guess she is just incredible like that." Van said to himself as he snuggled in closer to her. Within a couple minutes Van was starting to drift off to sleep. It had only been less than half an hour since Van fell asleep when Billie woke up. Immediately she didn't realize her surroundings. For one, she was on the wrong side of the bed. Second, this was not her room. She felt an arm around her waist and rolled over to see who it was. "How the hell did I get here?" She asked in confusion when she saw Van before the previous nights events came flooding back. Billie looked at the sleeping man and smiled. Van had always been cute, but right now she found him damn irresistible. "Van wake up." She whispered in his ear. Van still slept. So, Billie tried harder. She stroked his cheek and planted a soft kiss on his lips. As an automatic response, Van kissed back. 'Gosh, he can do this in his sleep? Interesting." Billie thought as a still sleeping Van wrapped his arms around her. As Van still kissed her, Billie decided this would be more fun if he was awake, so she pinched the back of his neck and said loudly, "Van, what are you doing?" Van's eyes shot open and he pulled his head back in shock. Once he realized it was her he feigned annoyance. "That's not funny. I'm gonna go sleep on the couch." He laughed and started to get out of bed. "Oh wait a minute." Billie said and pulled him back into the bed. "Maybe there is a way I can, oh I don't know, make it up to you?" She slyly bribed. "Oh and how do you propose to do that?" Van whispered as he pulled her to his chest. Billie giggled as she leaned in for a kiss. The kiss started off slow and sweet but quickly turned into something more passionate and urgent. This was it, they needed each other and they knew it. Van's hands roamed up her shirt and made contact with her breasts. Billie knew this was it, she needed him, desperately. Just as things were reaching the point of no return, there was a sharp knock as the door. Van looked at Billie, "They'll go away." He said and continued to kiss her. A moment later, there was a second louder knock. "You better go get that before they bust down the door." Billie giggled as she wiggled out of his grasp. "I'm gonna go get a shower while you take care of that." She said and quickly disappeared into the bathroom. There was a third bang on the door. "God dam nit! Just a fucking minute!" Van hollered as he opened the door.

"Well good morning!" Deaq chirped at an obviously annoyed Van. "Deaq, it's Saturday!" Van nearly yelled as Deaq came into the apartment. "So?" Deaq answered. He had obviously caught Van at a bad time and he decided to take advantage of it. "So, why don't you go on Vancation?" Van nearly hissed. "Oh is this a bad time? You aren't relaxing are you?" Deaq chuckled. "What…do…you want?" Van seethed. "I was just wondering if you were up to getting some coffee?" Deaq innocently said. "No!" Van snapped. "Ooh, a little touchy today aren't you?" Deaq sneered. Just then, it happened. There was a woman's voice coming from the bedroom. "Hey Van, you got a shirt I can borrow?" She called. "Um, yeah, pick anyone." Van answered back. "Thanks." She yelled back. Van knew the gig was up. With hearing her talk again, Deaq's eyes almost shot out of his head. Even though he didn't see her, he knew it was definitely Billie he had heard. "So, you were working late? What were you working on?" Deaq nearly busted out laughing as he asked the last question. "Shut up moron." Van muttered as he sat on the sofa. Just then Billie came out of the bedroom with her jeans on and buttoning up the black shirt she'd taken from Van's closet. She froze when she looked up and saw Deaq staring at her and snickering. "Deaq, what are you doing here?" She exclaimed. "I would ask you the same thing, but I think this situation is pretty self explanatory." Deaq mused. "But it's a weekend! You love having time away from Van! Remember, he's unstable and has Attention Deficit Disorder?" She exclaimed. "You like having time away from him too! It's a miracle you haven't killed him remember?" Deaq shot back. "Hey! I'm RIGHT HERE!" Van yelled in an insulted tone. "Oh I'm sorry honey. She mocked pity. " I say more than that stuff about you." She said sweetly. "Like what?" Van sat on the sofa with his arms crossed and pouting like a preschooler. "Like how I love that you're such a beaten dog!" Billie said, hardly getting the words out before collapsing on the sofa in laughter. "Har har, very funny!" Van snorted. "Oh I'm sorry. I was just having fun!" Billie said scooting closer to him on the couch as her laughter subsided. "Get away from me!" Van said, mocking being hurt. "Oh come on, let me kiss your ego booboo better." Billie said in a motherly tone. "Oh that's not funny, but my ego could use a kiss." Van whispered pulling her in for a kiss. After about fifteen seconds of kissing, they heard Deaq whining. "Oh stop it! Get a room!" Billie pulled away from Van and giggled. "Deaq, get out!" She laughed getting up to open the door. "Hey, you can't get rid of me, this is his house!" Deaq protested as she ushered him to the door. "Bye Deaq!" Van chuckled as Billie shoved Deaq out the door and closed it behind her. "So, what do you want to do know?" She asked making her way back to where Van sat, chuckling. "Oh, I'm kind of hungry. How about some pancakes?" Van asked. "Sure, you gonna cook?" Billie joked. "Ha. That's cute. I was thinking of going to IHOP." Van answered. "Okay." Was her reply as she pulled him off the sofa.

Forty-five minutes later, the pair sat in a booth eating pancakes and drinking coffee. "You look pretty today." Van said with a smile as he reached over the table and took her hand. Billie just smiled and blushed as she looked down at her plate. "Thanks." She said softly. "I mean it." Van said squeezing her hand to make her look at him. "I know. It's just that I'm still not used to people saying that unless they want something." Billie said squeezing his hand back. "Well, I have to be honest then. I do want something." Van told her with a hint of amusement in his voice. Billie took a sip of her coffee and smiled. "Yeah? And what do you want?" she flirted. "I want you to believe me." He answered. "That's it? I think I can do that then." Billie jokingly replied. "In all seriousness, there is something that I want from you," Van said. Billie stared at him, afraid of what he was about to say. "Will you go out with me tonight?" Billie let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "I would love to go out with you." She said happily. "Great! I'll take you back to your apartment and then I'll pick you up at around seven tonight? We can go get a bite to eat and maybe a movie?" He finished. "Yeah we could do that or we could just go over to Ryde and have a few drinks and dance." Billie offered. "Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." Van replied a little relieved. Billie wasn't your typical girlfriend and he didn't want to take her on a typical first date. Billie was happy he liked the idea. She never did like the traditional dinner and a movie type of date. They seemed to lack any sense of spontaneity to her. Within fifteen minutes the couple was back in Van's car and heading towards Billie's place. It was a little after two o'clock when Van dropped her off. "Okay, so I'll see you at seven then." Van said as she got out of the car. "Yeah, don't be late." Billie jokingly said as she gave Van a quick kiss and hopped out of the car. She got a few steps away and turned back around. "Hey Van." She said. "Yeah, what?" Van asked having a feeling she was going to say something about what he shouldn't wear. "It'd be really nice if you wore a jacket and tie!" Billie said with a smile. "Yes dear." He muttered as he pulled away from the sidewalk.

It was almost 7 pm when there was a knock at Billie's door. Billie took one last look in the mirror to make sure that her hair was still in place. After Van had left her, she'd been able to get a hair appointment to get some golden blonde highlights put in her hair to frame her face and bring out her sparkling blue eyes. She had on a stunning red evening dress. It was cut low to about two inches above her navel. And had a wide heart shaped neckline that didn't cover more than three inches of her breasts. The dress was almost floor length. It came down just til it grazed the top of her foot. The spaghetti shoulder straps added and element of flirtation to the classy design. The twist knot that rested between her breasts on the dress had two pieces of flowing red silk fabric added an extra touch of whimsy to the outfit. Her open toed strappy heels put the finishing touch on the outfit.

Happy with her appearance, she went to open the door. Before her stood Van. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit with a burgundy button down shirt and a tie in a lighter shade of gray, complimented by gold cufflinks. "Um, wow. You look absolutely stunning!" Van exclaimed as he stepped inside and handed her the bouquet of yellow pansies he'd picked up. "Oh they're beautiful." She commented as she took the flowers and placed a peck on Van's cheek. "You look nice yourself. More than a little uncomfortable, but nice." She said with a smile. "I have a noose around my neck Billie. You would be uncomfortable too." Van mused as he followed her to the kitchen. "Probably so, but at least I wouldn't look like I'm going to the guillotine." She joked. "You're funny." Van quipped as he spun her around to look at him. "Oh what? I'm just having fun!" She pouted. "Yeah, well why not play a game where I can have some fun too?" Van flirted and kissed her. Billie kissed him back. She knew where he was heading with this and didn't mind that much at all. Even so, she decided to play a little hard to get. She pulled away and giggled. "The least you could do is get me sufficiently liquored up in the pre-game show." She teased. Van laughed and kissed her again. "Yeah okay. So where are we going tonight? It can't be Ryde since you don't need a tie to impress Aquarius." Van stated. "Well the place we're going to is in Santa Monica. It's called The Brig. And you must wear a tie to get in!" Billie stated nonchalantly. "Okay." Van said a little relieved that they wouldn't be seeing Aquarius, or worse, running into Deaq. "After that, then we'll go to Ryde." She added almost as an afterthought. Van's face when slack. "What?" He asked. "How much alcohol do you need?" He commented hoping to change her mind. "Oh I don't need that much silly, but you look nice and I want to show you off." She answered matter of factly. "Okay, but what if Deaq is there?" Van protested. "What about it? It's not like he doesn't know what's going on here, remember?" Billie protested prettily. "Yeah but he'll see me in a tie! I don't wear ties, Billie!" Van almost shrieked like a girl. Billie just laughed. "Beaten dog Van, remember?" "Well, let's go get it over with." Van grumbled and headed for the door.

An hour later, the couple sat in the bar called The Brig. The motif of the bar was reminiscent of an English pub. The pair sat in a corner booth. The lighting was low and the atmosphere quiet but not stifling. This was the perfect place for Van and Billie to be on their first date, and contrary to what Van had moaned about in the car, many of the men were in ties. "See, this isn't so bad, is it?" Billie commented as she leaned against the back of the seat as Van snuggled next to her and wrapped his arm around her bare shoulders. "Yeah, I guess it's okay. I can put up with a few hours of anything as long as I get to be with the woman I love." Van said as he kissed the side of her head. Billie just looked at Van and smiled. She wanted to tell him that she loved him too. She wanted to show him, but the last time she'd loved a man, she'd been deeply hurt, emotionally and physically. She just couldn't chance that happening again. "I hope you can do more than just a few hours for me." She finally flirted. "Yes sir." Van said as he lowered his head to plant a soft kiss on her lips. Billie kissed back as she rested her hand on his cheek. Yeah, she loved him; no doubt about that, but she could never say so. Van slowly pulled away. He realized something was very odd about her reaction. He'd told her he loved her, yet she'd not said it back. Why was that? He was tempted to ask her about it right now ,but decided it would be better if they were alone, seeing as how she had a propensity to blurt out horrible things in her past that made her the way she was. Instead he ordered a bottle of Pinot Grigio wine. When the bottle arrived at the table, the waiter poured up two glasses and left the pair alone. "To us and a wonderful beginning." Van toasted. "To us." Billie agreed. They clinked glasses and took a sip. They spent the next half hour engaging in idle chit chat. "And then we both swung at the same time and knocked each other to the floor!" Van recounted his first meeting with Deaq after Dre's murder. Billie laughed at this. "Okay, but that still doesn't explain the pool." She giggled, taking another sip of the wine. "Well, after we got up he attacked me and I was just defending myself, and apparently the window was open. And he threw me over the rail." Van finished with a smile. "Uhuh. I'm sure if I asked him about this, he'd say you attacked him and threw him over the rail, right?" She quipped. "Kind of like the time you two lied to me about getting pulled over by the cops and then handcuffing them to get to the meeting with the pimp in time?" She called him out with a smile. "Hey! We did get into a fight!" Van laughed in his own defense. "Yeah, after the case was done! You knocked each other out! " She retorted. "Hey, I knocked him out, but was dizzy from his punch so I laid down, and I must've fallen asleep….or something." Van tried to defend himself against his girlfriend. "Uhuh. Sure, Van. That's why I had to smack you both the next morning to wake you up, right?" She said with a snicker. "Okay, okay, you win!" Van laughing waving his white napkin in surrender. "Good." Billie smiled and leaned in for another kiss. This kiss wasn't as soft and sweet as the last one had been. No, Van could tell she wanted something in this kiss. But, who was he to tell a beautiful woman no? Hell, who was he to tell any woman no? This kiss continued for what seemed like an all to short amount of time.

Suddenly there was a rude break into Van's senses that made him aware of other things besides Billie. "Van Ray? Is that you?" Came a familiar voice. Van pulled away from Billie and looked at the woman and her date standing in front of the table. "Cherisse! Hi, what are you doing here?" Van blurted out nervously, feeling like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar before dinner. "The same as you. I'm on a date, silly." She laughed. "Oh, where are my manners. Van, this is Robert. Robert, this is Van and….I'm so sorry, I don't believe I caught your name." Cherisse said to the woman sitting quietly by Van's side, totally enjoying that deer caught in the headlights look on his face. "Billie Chambers." She said and shook the slightly taller woman's hand and then Robert's. "Well, Billie it's nice to…" Cherisse started. "Wait, did you say Chambers? That's funny, Deaq's boss is named Chambers as well." She said with a smile on her face knowing Van REALLY didn't want that to come out in the open. "Yeah, Deaq works for me. And Van is his partner." Billie filled in for Robert, who hadn't been able to find the humor in this situation that the two women did. "Okay, yes, I'm dating my boss. There is no rule against that. Happy?" Van directed the last question at Billie. Deaq's sister saw this as the perfect opening and chimed in. "No, Van, there is no rule against dating your boss as long as she's a stunning woman. However, I thought YOU had a rule about not wearing a tie? You know, kind of like Deaq's rule about black men don't surf." She said, barely able to hold back the laugh that threatened to erupt. Billie on the other hand, didn't even try not to laugh. She realized this was a variation on Van's worst nightmare and it was too funny to just let slide. "Okay, yes, I can see the irony in this situation for you two jackals, but please don't tell Deaq about the tie! You can tell him you saw me, who with, doing what and where, but PLEASE don't mention the tie!" Van begged. This made Cherisse, Billie and Robert all crack up. "Oh come on Donnie, why wouldn't she mention the tie?" Billie cooed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Oh stop it!" Van protested as he removed her arms from his neck in annoyance. Billie always knew how to get his goat, but she'd out done herself this time. "I didn't realize it was statewide pick on Van day!" He whined as he sulked against the back of the booth. "Okay, we'll leave you two alone now." Cherisse giggled as she took Roberts hand and went back to their table. "Nice to meet you two." Robert said before he followed his date. "Can we leave now?" Van snapped as soon as the other couple was gone. "You are such a big baby!" Billie giggled as she gathered her purse. "Let's go home." She said as Van paid the bill, and the pair left the bar.

In the parking lot, the two climbed into the silver Covini they had confiscated on a recent bust. It wasn't Van's favorite car, but Deaq had jerked him over and borrowed the yellow GTO for the weekend. They screeched out of the parking lot and Van hadn't said a word. "Oh come on, Van, it WAS funny!" Billie jested, a hint of laughter tainting her voice. "No it wasn't! Did you have to call me that in front of people, Wilhelmina!" Van yelled. "Don't…call…me…that!" She hissed as she looked at him for the first time since they'd begun driving. A slow smile crept on Van's face. He knew that'd get her. She hated being called by her given name. Understandably so, too. Her grandfather had given her that name and she blamed him for starting her whole childhood nightmare. Not to mention it was hideous. Van thought with a smirk. "What's so funny?" Billie shot coldly. "Oh something just struck me." Van said. "And what was that?" Billie snapped. "Who the hell names their daughter Wilhelmina?" Van said using his hand to muffle his laugh. "Yeah well something has struck me too." Billie said as she grabbed Van's balls and yanked…HARD! Van let out a shriek that was so shrill Billie lost her ability to hear for a good thirty seconds. It was as if she'd actually yanked his manhood OFF! Van yanked the steering wheel of the car to the right sharply, pulling over on the shoulder of the road. "What the hell is wrong with you! That is VERY fragile territory Billie!" Van roared. "So is name calling you insufferable jackass!" She yelled back. "Well at least that isn't as sacred as telling someone I love you! When I say that to someone, I expect it to be said back!" Van hollered his anger reaching the boiling point. "What the fuck are you talking about?" Billie yelled back, and then it hit her. She suddenly got very quiet and sank back in her seat, staring straight ahead. "Well, is there something you'd like to say to me now?" Van said harshly, thinking he'd struck a chord with her. He had indeed struck a chord, just not the one he was thinking. "Um, yeah. I guess I'm just not as free flowing with my affection as you are!" She screamed as the tears began to flow. Van hadn't even noticed she was crying now, as he continued. "Hey! I don't tell every woman I date that I love her and I don't make love to just anyone!" He yelled. Billie sniffled and struggled to regain composure. "Sure you don't Van." She snorted. It was then that Van looked at her and noticed the tears streaming down her cheeks. "Hey. Babe, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." Van said apologetically as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to hug her. "Don't touch me!" She yelled as she pushed him away. "Hey, what's the matter? What are you thinking about?" Van prodded gently. He knew when Billie wanted to be left alone it was because of something she had going on in her head. "It's…nothing. I don't want to talk about it." She sobbed. "Billie, let me help you, please. I can't do that if I don't know what's wrong." Van pleaded. "I don't want your help! I just want to be left the hell alone!" She yelled. "Take me home!" Billie demanded. She needed to be alone. "What?" Van questioned in shock. She was going through hell again, but now she wanted him to leave her alone. She didn't need his help. "Take me home Van. Please." She repeated in barely a whisper. "Okay." Van conceded and drove back to her apartment in silence.

When they got back, she allowed Van to walk her to the door. He unlocked the door and followed her in. "Thanks." She said as she looked at the floor. "You're welcome." Van said not taking his eyes off her. "You can go now." Billie almost pleaded. "I will. As soon as I know you're tucked in and safely and asleep." Van said brushing her cheek. "Okay." Billie said as she headed for the bedroom and slipped into some old sweats. She climbed into bed and Van pulled the covers up over her shoulders. He sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her hair until he was sure she was asleep. When he was sure, he stood up, kissed her on the temple and quietly left himself out of her apartment.

Billie had felt him get up and heard the door shut, and got up. She made some noise heading for the bathroom, in case he hadn't really left. When he didn't come in her room at the noise, she knew it was safe. Billie yanked the blanket and a pillow off her bed and cowered in the corner. She laid down on the pillow and covered herself with the blanket, as she pulled her knees up to her chest. She began to wail uncontrollably. She cried herself to sleep just before dawn and stayed on the floor til the next afternoon.