A/N: Don't know how I feel about this chapter, but here it is anyway. Enjoy :)
"Abbie, please, open the door, I know that you're in there!" Serena calls out as she continues to pound on the closed door. She isn't sure how long she has been standing outside the apartment knocking, but if she has her numbers right, she's sure that she's been standing there for the better part of a half hours.
Sighing heavily, she pauses briefly before she continues pounding on the door once again. "Abbie? Will you please come open the door? I really have to talk to you. It's important." She calls out once again, only to receive no kind of response, just like before.
Pausing once again, Serena drags a hand through her hair before she decides that her only other option is to try the door. She places her hand on the knob and turns it, thoroughly surprised to find it give way easily, granting her entrance. As she walks inside, she shakes her head and locks the door behind her, wondering what Abbie was thinking when she felt it was safe to leave the door unlocked. Then again, whoever would be brave enough to walk in on Abbie Carmichael would be branded the town fool.
"Abbie?" Serena calls out quietly as she makes her way through the foyer. She notices that the apartment is dark and not just any kind of dark either. The kind of dark that is so dark you can almost hear it and feel it. In fact, it's the kind of darkness that's in a horror movie right before she killer jumps out from the kitchen and slashes you to death. The mere thought gives the blonde shivers and not the good kind.
After looking around the living room and the kitchen, Serena sits her purse down and then risks the quiet trek up the stairs. She curiously pokes her head into the dark bedroom and to be honest, she has no idea of what compels her to go in, but she goes in anyway, not the least bit surprised when she finds the woman she's looking for tucked into the farthest corner with her knees drawn up to her chest. The sight actually breaks Serena's heart and it nearly crushes her to know that this is entirely her fault.
"Abbie, honey, what are you doing?" the blonde whispers quietly as she carefully approaches. "How long have you been sitting here?"
Abbie says nothing in response as her exhausted, red rimmed eyes continue to stare blankly into the darkness of her bedroom. Her head continues to rest against the wall and the only incentive that she is actually alive is the fact that her feint breathing can be heard because of the quiet in the room.
Serena sighs and gently wraps an arm around Abbie's waist before she aids the taller woman in standing up. She is a little bit surprise that she doesn't receive in resistance, but then again, not really because it doesn't even seem like Abbie is of this world right now.
She carefully walks them into the bathroom where she flips on the light, that being the only light that is in the apartment at the moment. She sits Abbie down on the toilet seat and it isn't until then in the light, that she becomes fully aware of the brunette's appearance. Her eyes appear darker than normal despite being bloodshot, and they seem to be lost and in pain all at the same time.
"Hey, um, how about I run you a bath and you can soak in the tub and maybe relax a little? Then while you're taking a bath, I'll make you some lunch? Does that sound okay?" Serena asks gently, not the least bit of surprised when she doesn't receive a response once again. Instead, she sighs quietly to her self and sets about running said bath, realizing it would be completely pointless to wait for a response.
After filling up the tub, Serena turns back, only to find that Abbie hasn't moved. She doesn't know what she's supposed to say at this point so she stands awkwardly silent for a minute before she clears her throat. "Um, I'll just…give you some privacy. It's your home, so you…should know where everything is." she trails off quietly before she ducks out of the bathroom.
Down in the kitchen, Serena murmurs to her self quietly as she sets about cleaning the dishes all the while trying to figure out what it is she's going to make for lunch. At least then, she will have bought her self some thinking time. She can't help but feel extremely guilty over Abbie's condition. Maybe if she had just picked up the phone in the first place, this wouldn't have been a problem. Or maybe if they hadn't went to bed together to begin with, this wouldn't be a problem.
"I've fucked up…" she mutters to her self as she finishes the dishes and sets about making a sandwich. How could she have acted so…so selfish for lack of a better term? That's not who she is, so why is she suddenly acting like it now?
After feeling a little proud of her completed sandwich, she empties a bag of potato chips on the plate before she sighs once again and exits the kitchen. She's a little surprised to see Abbie curled up on the couch after having taken her bath. Biting the inside of her cheek out of nervous habit, Serena places the plate on the coffee table in front of the quiet woman before she carefully takes a seat on the sofa.
"I was…kind of hoping that we could maybe talk…" the typically composed attorney stammers after a long moment of silence.
Abbie's face contorts into a frown before she snorts and shakes her head dismissively. "Did you come here so you could hurt me again?" she asks flatly, her voice lacking it's usual uplifting humor.
Serena's mouth falls open at the rhetorical question but she abruptly closes it when she realizes that she doesn't really have a defense. "I wasn't trying to hurt you." she finally manages to counter.
"You said that the first time too, and then you hurt me again, and then again." Abbie bites out quickly before she laughs angrily. "It's my own damn fault that I kept going back to you like some love sick puppy. The joke's on me isn't it? Seeing as I was stupid enough to ever think that you would feel anything for me? Why are you here."
"I-I told you that I wanted for us to talk, but I wanted to apologize…again."
"Oh, for what thing are you apologizing for now? Are you apologizing for using me to satisfy your own personal needs, or are you apologizing for letting me sit outside your apartment for a day and a half without even bothering to say anything? Please let me know which you're apologizing for, it would really be helpful."
Serena squeezes her eyes shut tightly and tries to will away her oncoming headache. "I'm apologizing for all of it. I shouldn't have treated you the way that I did. You didn't deserve it…but Abbie, I was…I was scared! I didn't know what else to do."
Abbie snorts humorlessly before she rolls her eyes. "That can't be your answer for everything." She mutters bitterly before she gets up and moves across the room. "If that's all that you came here to say, then you can get out. I don't want to have anything to do with your half assed apology that isn't going to mean anything to you in about ten minutes."
"I came to talk to you about going back to work." Serena says quietly, hoping that she worded that correctly. "Cutter was fired and Liz really wanted you for his position but you left. She-she offered me the job, but I don't know if I can handle being in charge of so much. I-I just…you deserve it far more than I do, and I don't think that I could accept it, knowing that."
"You want me to go back because you want to clear yourself of a guilty conscience." Abbie says bluntly before she shakes her head. "You know Serena, you really are selfish. You have this innocent good girl façade but I can see past that. You really are no better than your cheating bitch of an ex girlfriend. With how you've been showing yourself lately, it makes me wonder if she was right to toss you aside like she did. You probably deserved it."
Tears spring to Serena's eyes at the rather harsh comment before she shakes her head vigorously. "That's not true…I was good to her. I-I did everything I could...she's the one that left."
"See, that's your problem. You always like to blame everyone else, but you never take responsibility for anything that you do. You aren't perfect Serena."
"I never claimed to be!"
"Well you sure as hell act like it seeing as you're too good to pick up a damn phone when someone's trying to fucking call you!"
Serena grits her teeth together tightly as her hands clench together in tight fists. She doesn't enjoy being challenged and right now, she feels like she's been backed into a corner. "You aren't being fair Abbie. You can't stand there and attack my morals just because I'm not in love with you like you want me to be! Maybe a long time a go if you had just told me how you felt instead of acting like a scared little kid, you might have actually had a chance."
Abbie's mouth snaps shut and she folds her arms as she shakes her head and looks away. "It's not that easy for me…I can't just do that."
"Well, you can't just sit around and wait for things to come to you either. It doesn't work like that." Serena answers just as quietly. "Clearly this is getting no where with you. So I'm going home."
"So now look who is the one that's running away."
"I'm not running away."
Abbie crosses the room quickly and with panther like speed, she harshly pins Serena against the wall. "Don't struggle with me. It'll only make things harder on yourself." She says flatly, keeping the blonde pinned against the wall, no matter how much she tries to wiggle away.
Serena is thoroughly surprised by the brunette's strength and she knows that her attempts are proving to be pathetically futile. "Abigail, let me go. Or I swear that I'll scream."
"Do it." Abbie challenges with a bitter smirk tugging at her lips. "Do it and no one will hear you."
"What do you want from me…"
"The truth. I'm going to kiss you now, and if you really do not feel anything for me, then you will push me away and slap me. Then I will leave you alone and you will never hear from me ever again."
Blinking away tears, Serena shakes her head as she still attempts to get free. "Please. Abbie, please don't…" she whimpers quietly, unable to force away her tears.
Abbie pins the blonde's hands to the wall before she leans in and gently presses their lips together. She releases Serena's hands, and she smirks into the kiss when she feels said hands fall to her shoulder as she waits for the slap that apparently never comes.
Meanwhile…
"Damn, you're gorgeous." Casey pants huskily as she and Alex continue to move against one another under the confines of the sheets. Their breathing is ragged and their bodies are covered in perspiration as they continue to engage heavily in one of their most favored extracurricular activities.
"Oh god, Baby, yes!" Alex calls out as their hot, wet, seeping centers continue to meet thrust for grind. Who knew that the mere skin on skin contact would be enough to make her want to come right then and there? She matches Casey's rhythm, and her mouth falls ajar in a silent moan as their arousals begin to mix with one another once again. "Casey, please!"
"Are you gonna cum for me Baby? Are you?"
"Please, oh, yes, please! I'm gonna-"
"Mommy?"
Alex's words freeze in her throat as she recognizes the tiny confused voice standing in the doorway. Her eyes fling open in horror and she finds her self staring into wide green eyes that match her fearful blue ones. Swallowing thickly, she turns her head to find her confused little girl standing with her hand still on the door handle. "Y-yeah Baby?"
"Mommy, what're you doing?" Emma asks curiously as her eyes still continue to blink rapidly in confusion.
"Um, nothing?" Alex responds, not really sure of what else she's supposed to say. "I thought you were taking a nap, sweetheart, what are doing in here?"
Emma shrugs nonchalantly as she thinks for a moment. "I waked up from my nap so I was playing with my dollies. Then I heard some weird noises so I camed in here. Are you and Casey playing a game Mommy?"
Alex blinks for a moment before she becomes fully aware of the fact that Casey is still on top of her. She gives the redhead a nudge with her knee which draws her out of her frozen stupor and causes her to scramble to the other side of the bed. Thank heavens they were fully covered with the sheet when Emma walked in, although, neither of them know how much she probably saw.
"Mommy?" Emma repeats curiously realizing that she has lost her mother's attention. "Were you and Casey playing a game?"
"Game…Uh, yeah, we were playing a game." Alex confirms with a shaky jerk of her head that looks much like a nod. "But it's a grown up game and you aren't allowed to play it unless you're a grown up."
Emma's face remains contorted into confusion once more before she tilts her head to the side. "It's a grownup game? What's it called?"
Okay, now she's stumped. Alex opens her mouth in hopes that some sort of answer will fly out and save the day, but unfortunately it's wishful thinking on her part. She snaps her mouth shut and elbows Casey in the ribs, looking for some kind of support here.
"It's called, uh, it's called frog-leap." Casey says dumbly, seeing as it's the first thing that came to mind. "It's kinda like leapfrog, but backwards. It's the grownup version of leapfrog and it's backwards. That's why, uh, that's why we play it like this. You see. Yeah. Frog-leap."
"Frog-leap?" Emma repeats as she places her hands on her hips and fixes Casey with a look that resembles that of her mother. "I don't believe you. I've never heard frog-leap…"
"Well, duh, 'cause you're just a little kid and it's only for grownups!" Casey repeats with a childlike twang in her voice. "Now, you should go back to your room and finish playing with your dollies so Mommy and I can finish our game."
Emma continues to eye them with narrowed eyes for a moment before she shrugs and makes her way out of the bedroom back to her room where she was playing with her dolls; all the while still pondering the mystery of frog-leap.
Alex waits until she is sure her daughter is out of earshot before she sighs heavily and slumps down into the mattress. "There is literally no way that I am coming after that." she grumbles before she groans and presses her palms deep into her eye sockets.
Casey can't hide the amused chuckle that escapes past her lips upon seeing the blush that's slowly starting to creep down Alex's neck. "It's alright. It was actually kind of cute." She says as she pulls Alex closer to her. "You know, after I got over my initial shock of your daughter walking in on us having sex."
"You mean playing frog-leap?" Alex questions with a quirk of her eyebrow before she shakes her head. "You couldn't have come up with anything better than frog-leap?"
"Hey, in my defense, you put me on the spot and I didn't know what else to do! I just said the first thing that my mind came up with. You see, she believed it and it got her to go away. That's what matters right?"
"I suppose so…"
Casey smiles and presses a lingering kiss to the blonde's cheek before she allows for Alex to rest her head on her shoulder. "So I kind of threatened your sister."
Alex can't help the amused giggle that slips past her lips. "Good, I'm glad. What'd you say to her?"
"I tried to get her to tell me why she wanted for you to go to her party. Then I told her she better not have any intentions of hurting you or else she was going to have to deal with me, and that would be the last thing that she would want."
"Well aren't you my knight in shining armor." Alex grins before she lifts her head to give her lover a loving peck on the lips.
"Well, you know I try." Casey grins as she returns the kiss. "Alex, I know that this is your decision, but I really don't want you going to that party. I mean, there's no telling of who would be there, and I really don't want to see you get hurt."
Alex thinks for a moment before she grins and nods her head. "Then I won't go if you don't want me to."
Casey blinks in confusion for a moment before she comes up with a response. "You mean…that's it? No argument?"
"Nope. No argument."
"Who are you and what have you done with the real Alex Cabot?"
"Mmm, I think she left after she got exhausted from screaming your name after the first hour."
Meanwhile…Again
"This doesn't make any sense how a completely healthy woman who doesn't have any kind of medical issues can suddenly die in her sleep like this." Kim grumbles to herself as she sits in her office continuing to click through the document on her computer. "And for them to say that she had heart problems is completely ridiculous. If someone were to have as severe heart issues like it was so stated here, there would have been a medical history of her being placed in the hospital, but instead, there's nothing. No prescription, no hospital stays, no anything pertaining to heart issues. Just nothing."
Kim continues to mumble to her self as she leans back in her chair and continues to click through the document on her laptop. She is just about to click out of the folder to look for something else when she notices something doesn't seem right. The file she's reading through looks less than official and there is no medical examiner signature under the cause of death page.
Frowning some more, she spins in her chair and begins looking through the box that she had carried into her office. Her fingers fly over the files in the box before she picks up the folder that is supposed to match the file document she has on her computer.
As she opens the hard copy of the folder, Kim notices that it seems to be a lot thicker than the file seems to be on her computer. She finds the hard copy of the identical file, but she also finds other sheets of paper that are identical in lay out but the information doesn't seem to match up. After reading over the files a few times, her eyes widen as she begins to comprehend what seems to be a damn good cover up.
"Oh my god…"
Uh oh…right? No? Yes? Maybe? Lol, leave your thoughts?