** A/N: This will be the last timely update. Apparently me needing 200 readers in order to post another chapter was too low a bar. I was 5 chapters ahead of you all when I posted and now we're about even. You all blew through that lead pretty quickly. (No complaints. Thanks :D) From now on they might start to trickle. I will try and write everyday as much as my schedule allows though. Again, Thanks.

CHAPTER 13

Cococococococococo

Stef got up and took a sleep aid. It was one of those nights where it was succumb to meds or let her insomnia drag her under. And she did have work in the morning.

She topped the meds off with a cup of weak sleepytime tea with honey and milk added in. She went into the living room and watched the moon play over the ocean.

Once the realization that she was starting to have feelings for a woman manifested itself, so did all of the memories. Or as far as she was concerned the nightmares from the past.

Stef had had feelings for a girl before. In high school, she had been best friends with a girl named Tess Brown. Her Father had come home one day and seen the two sharing a blanket while watching a movie. After that he freaked. He threw Tess out of the house. He forbade Stef to ever see her again. He then sent her to a pray away the gay camp for 4 months.

The camp had been a nightmare. They were preached at 18 hours of the day about doing God's bidding and how homosexuality was a sin of the flesh. They were given strict orders on backbreaking chores that they were told would help them get closer to God. When they displeased the counselors they were sent to solitary reflection rooms for long periods with no food or water. They were told if they just stopped denying Jesus and admit they had a problem then they would be on the path of being cured and allowed to go back home.

Finally after months of pleading and begging she had been allowed to come home. Her mother had left her father and she moved the two of them into the beach house. They never talked about any of what had transpired before then.

Stef had wanted to be angry at her Father but she understood he had done what he thought was right as misguided as it was. They no longer had a close relationship but Stef wasn't prepared to not have him be a part of her life either. She felt what they had was better than nothing.

But, it was already too late for Stef. Stef had come home broken, hurt, and ashamed. She buried her feelings for women deep inside of her and told herself it was just a schoolgirl thing. She wasn't that way.

She graduated high school and went into the police academy at her father's urging. He was a police officer and it was a legacy thing. She had followed because at least it was some type of a plan. And she really did love to help people.

At the Academy she had met Mike. At first, he was just a pest. Then, he became her best friend. They were both extroverts and loved competing against one another. They pushed and eventually learned to support one another.

She had agreed to date him mostly because her Father kept asking when she was going to bring a man around. Mike was just meant to be her foil. Then, he confessed deep feelings for her. She really hadn't wanted to hear it. But, between him and her father constantly harassing her, she had finally given in. He was her best friend and she thought that was as good a basis as any for marriage. Plenty of people had less.

Unfortunately, that glamour wore off soon. He and her father were happy but Stef was miserable. Even having Brandon did little to lift her spirits.

She just looked over at Mike one day and didn't want to do it anymore. His drinking had made the decision even easier. So, she packed Brandon and herself up and moved in with her Mom. She hadn't really cared to look back since. But, she still hadn't gone to a lawyer nor talked to Mike about divorce yet. He definitely still wanted to be back together and if he knew she was thinking divorce there's no telling what he would do.

Thankfully, Stef's sleep aids began to kick in. She made her way back to bed and let the darkness take over. But, her last conscious thought was the same as her first one in the morning. Lena.