First, I want to apologize for the delay. Not that I think you were sitting around waiting for an update…or at least I hope you weren't. Second, I had no creative energy during the last month. I had this story in my head every day and night but when I went to type it out I got bored…distracted…whatever else. Does this happen to you too? Hopefully I'm back on track now.

I have another story in my head for another show and hopefully that won't distract me. I'll need to get it down "on paper" to get it out of my head tho.

The next update to this one will be soon I hope. I know where the next chapter goes.

And further to this chapter…for all of you Fritz people (I'm one of them on occasion)…I had to get that out as quickly as possible. Their story may be revisted later if this story goes on. Haven't decided how long I want to make this.

Anyway…pardon my rambling…thank you for reading.

Brenda stared at the naked back of her sleeping husband. His even, deep breathing indicated he was still sound asleep. She had replayed over and over in her mind what she would say to him. How he would take it. How she would take it. It wasn't an easy situation from any angle. She realized she was at a time in her life when she wanted something different. Call it a mid-life crisis or whatever.

But what crossed her mind most – was she making the right decision? She'd made hasty choices before and not always with the best results. But this one affected more than just her now. There was an ache in the pit of her stomach. An ache for something she was losing and a yearning for something new.

Eventually Fritz stirred awake and turned over facing her. His face lit up when he saw her standing in the doorway. He patted the empty space in the bed in front of him for her to join him. When she licked her lips and looked away he wrinkled his brow.

"Brenda?" He asked with a raspy, sleep-laden voice.

"Fritzy, we need to talk."

He rubbed his eyes with his fingertips and sat up against the headboard of the bed.

The blonde paced over to the dressing table and fiddled with a necklace handing on a small metal dress-form. She saw in the reflection of the mirror that he crossed his arms over his chest waiting for her to start talking.

"This isn't working anymore." Her voice was barely audible.

"What?"

She cleared her throat and said again louder. "This isn't working anymore…Fritz."

"What isn't working? You being retired? You have a good opportunity with the DA's office. Or the trial? It hasn't even started yet but I'm sure it'll go fine. Or living here? We can move but you know I can't move to Atlanta. Not yet." These were all the issues they had talked about before. Or at least issues she'd had that he picked up on. For awhile now she'd been picking on every little thing he did or said. He brushed it off as the trauma of her mama dying, Stroh and her subsequent retirement.

She closed her eyes and turned towards the bed. Like ripping off a band-aid she told herself. "Us, Fritz. We're not working anymore." Her fingers combed through her thick mane. Staring at the floor she waited for him to say something. When he didn't she finally looked up and into his sorrowful and confused eyes.

Fritz Howard scrubbed his hands over his day old scruffy face. He'd heard her say what he felt was happening for awhile but thought it was just him, the stress, the job, her. But she was obviously feeling it too. He thought after she had returned from Georgia that things would get better. They could focus on their life together again. But she returned a different person. Something had changed in Brenda Leigh when she was in Georgia. He didn't know what.

"Do you love me, Brenda?"

Her mouth gaped open. "Of course I love you, Fritz." But her voice trailed off.

"But you aren't in love with me anymore." It was a statement, not a question. He could read her like a book. For the first time she looked deep into his eyes. Even though he knew it was happening for some time, it still felt like someone shot him in the chest.

They stared into each other's eyes for a long time. Both holding onto something that hadn't been there for awhile and deep down were both afraid it was gone forever. Fritz and Brenda had a history that surpassed seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

"I'm sorry." She finally whispered.

He laughed. "No you're not. You do what you want when you want, Brenda." Fritz got out of the bed and walked past her without a second glance. "Let me know when you've figured out what you're going to do."

She flinched as the bathroom door slammed behind her. Exhaling a deep breath she wiped a single tear from her cheek and walked out of their bedroom. It stung just like a band-aid.

….

Sharon Raydor sat on the end of her bed with her cell phone pressed to her ear. As much as she had tried to busy herself, she hadn't gotten anything accomplished since Brenda left earlier that morning. Her mind was reeling from that quick visit. Brenda had said she would be back that evening but she hadn't heard from her since.

"Don't worry, Rusty. I think I can manage to make myself a sandwich without you." She smiled into the phone. She never imagined herself as a mother at this stage of her life but here she was and it felt good. She got another chance to correct the mistakes she'd made as a young mother. She finished her conversation with Rusty assuring him it was okay to stay at Lt. Tao's another night.

Looking at the time on her phone for the fourth time within ten minutes, she anticipated Brenda's arrival like a teenager on prom night. Sharon hadn't had a relationship that wasn't just about the sex in a long time. Would Brenda want more? Of course she would. But would Sharon be able to give her what she wanted? Everything was happening at lightning speed. So much could go wrong so quickly. But so much was worth the risk. No one had ever made her body more aware like Brenda did. Just thinking about her turned her on immediately.

Stripping off her jeans and UCLA t-shirt, Sharon stepped into a hot, steamy shower. Without notice, her body suddenly became aware of the warm water and soft, creamy soap covering her sensitive skin. Her shaky hands dropped the natural loofa onto the shower floor. Not bothering to pick it up, she let her hands continue spreading the soap over her body. Her breath hitched in her throat as her hands slid over her peaked nipples. Her breasts weighed heavy in her hands as she rubbed circles with her thumbs.

But quickly she rinsed away the suds and shut the shower water off. It was hard to block out what her body was doing. But she couldn't let that cloud her judgment or feelings. Not tonight.

She towel dried her hair and pulled it into a messy bun. It was almost 10pm already and she'd yet to hear from Brenda Leigh. Maybe she'd changed her mind. A glance of disappointment passed through her body with the thought.

Brenda paced up and down the hallway outside of Sharon's condo for over 20 minutes. Swallowing decades of hidden frustration Brenda pressed the doorbell button. She didn't realize she was holding her breath until the door swung open and with bare feet and a messy bun Sharon Raydor stood in front of her in a red silk kimono and finally she exhaled a long even breath.

She couldn't talk. She was too nervous. So she held up the take-out bag in front of her. Certainly the food would be barely tepid due to her earlier hesitation.

Sharon smirked and held the door open wider so she and her food could come inside. She closed the door slowly and listened to Brenda's heels clack into the kitchen. Her body was still on edge after her shower and seeing Brenda standing at her front door only made it worse.

In the kitchen, Brenda opened several cabinets looking for plates.

"You don't have any paper plates?" The blonde asked.

Sharon smiled. "No. You can use the dishes in that cabinet." She pointed to one of the many white cabinets on the far wall. By the way Brenda flitted about the kitchen; Sharon could tell that she too was nervous. And knowing that made her smile a little wider but dipped her head so Brenda didn't see.

Brenda served a heaping helping of pasta Bolognese for both of them while Sharon filled two wine glasses with the best Merlot she had. They still hadn't said much as they sat down at the kitchen table. Both knew what was on the other's mind and both knew what tonight was about.

They ate the first few bites in silence until Brenda wiped her mouth with the white linen napkin and said, "Is this awkward?" She waved her hand over the table of food.

Sharon chuckled, "You could say that." She thought for a moment before continuing. "But…when hasn't anything between us been awkward?" She watched Brenda purse her lips in thought.

Neither said anything else until after they'd finished eating and sharing a bottle of wine. But then Sharon picked up their empty plates and carried them to the sink. After the dinner she wasn't sure what to expect out of Brenda or the whole situation. Sharon wasn't used to jumping into any kind of relationship and honestly wasn't sure Brenda wanted one.

She ran the hot water in the sink and rinsed the left over pasta sauce from the white plates. With the water flowing she didn't hear Brenda get up from the table. Of course if Brenda hadn't kicked her heels off she would have heard the clack against the floor.

But it wasn't until she felt a soft hand rest on the curve of her right hip that she was aware of her presence behind her. The slight touch startled her so that the dish clattered into the bottom of the sink. Her hands gripped the edges of the cold stainless steel sink as Brenda laid her other hand on Sharon's left hip.

Sharon hung her head as she felt the warmth encompass her body. And just like that her body only needed one thing…sex. Sex with Brenda Leigh Johnson.

The blonde behind her moved closer pressing her body against Sharon's back. They could both feel the heat emanating from each other's bodies. Sharon didn't…couldn't move a muscle as Brenda's hands slide down her legs and under the hem of her kimono. Her breath caught in her throat when wet, firm lips pressed to the back of her neck. Brenda splayed her hands flat against the front of Sharon's thighs. She thought for a moment she felt the brunette quiver.

But in the blink of an eye, Brenda pulled away. The void shocked Sharon back to reality. With a few rapid blinks she composed herself and turned to see Brenda walk into the living room. The throbbing need in her body settled into a dull ache in her stomach. Understandably something was bothering Brenda and even sex couldn't take her mind off of what consumed her.

As much as it pained her, Sharon pulled a sheet, blanket and extra pillow out of the linen closet to make up the couch for Brenda. Neither wanted to force the other into something they weren't ready for. And sleeping...even just sleeping in the same bed would be too much.

Together they made up the couch in silence. There was an awkwardness there that the physical desire couldn't heal.

Sharon started turning out the lights as Brenda climbed into her makeshift bed.

"Captain." She called out to Sharon who stopped down the hallway in front of her bedroom door. "Sharon." She corrected herself with a shake of her head.

Sharon turned back. The light from the small lamp beside the couch illuminated Brenda's beautiful face. Sharon could see the tension and stress pulled tight across her features. It almost broke her heart to see her friend in such turmoil.

"I didn't come back just for the sex." Brenda admitted sheepishly.

Sharon smirked and licked her lips. "Too bad." With a lift of her left eyebrow she entered her bedroom closing the door behind her.

Pulling off the kimono she got into the cool bed naked. Her body was burning up with want and the crisp, chilled sheets felt good on her smooth skin. Sharon didn't think she'd get any sleep with her body wound so tight but at some point she must have fallen asleep because she didn't hear the bedroom door ease open.

It was only the bed shifting under the weight of the person climbing into the other side that finally woke her. Sharon turned over to face the shadow in the dark. She could only make out her silhouette in the darkness but her hand gently cupped the side of Brenda's face. And immediately she could tell from the damp skin that she had been crying.

Brenda didn't say a word but placed a kiss on the inside of Sharon's palm. It wasn't something she was accustomed to needing but she needed the closeness and comforting. She still couldn't bring herself to ask for it out loud.

Turning over, Brenda pressed her back into Sharon's body and pulled Sharon's arm over her waist. Her body relaxed almost instantly. Sharon knew right away what was going on. She burrowed down into the bed and pulled Brenda tight to her body. It wasn't sexual. It wasn't sex. It was something she hadn't had in a very long time. And it scared her how much she missed it.

"Everything will be okay." Sharon whispered.