Title: Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows:
Author: Kimberly21570
Fandoms: Guiding Light / All My Children
Pairings: Olivia and Natalia / Lena and Bianca
Disclaimers and other Assorted Ramblings: The characters of Olivia and Emma Spencer, Natalia and Rafe Rivera, and Frank Cooper are owned by CBS/TeleNext and Proctor & Gamble. The characters of Kendal Hart Slater and Zach Slater belong to ABC/Disney and Prospect Park. The original characters of Detective Sargent Langston Malloy, her brother Quinn, and daughter McKenna, Attorney Danika Kováč, Gwen Matthews, and Jacqueline Morgan are the property of this author, and any resemblance to fictional characters, or real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
No copyright infringement intended with regard to Guiding Light, CBS/TeleNext, Proctor & Gamble, All My Children, ABC/Disney, Prospect Park, or any other person or entity. The dialogue, settings, and story content in these scenes are original. Written for fun, not profit. All other standard disclaimers apply.
Many thanks to my friend and favorite FFW, WickedWanda926, and to my friend newfan64, for their ongoing willingness to edit my stories. Words cannot express how much I appreciate the two of you and your steadfast support of me, both personally, and as a would-be writer. As per usual, I have made a few changes since their last review, and thus, any errors are solely my responsibility.
As always, thank you to all who continue to read and/or comment. I can't tell you what all of your wonderful feedback does for me! I appreciate the time you have invested in this story. Every single word has truly been a pleasure for me to bring to you, and will continue to be until its completion. I truly hope you continue to enjoy.
Finally, this update is very heavy on the Langston/Dani (or as WickedWanda calls them, DANG) storyline. Again, I apologize for the unbalanced content, and promise there is much more Otalia to come. I just needed to get some loose ends tied up so that we could all move forward together.
Rating: This section of Chapter 16 is rated R for colorful language and overt sexual content.
I hope y'all continue to enjoy!
Kimberly
Confessions Lead to Strange Bedfellows
Copyright May 2009
"When you meet someone so different from yourself, in a good way, you don't even have to kiss to have fireworks go off."
— Lisa Schroeder, I Heart You, You Haunt Me
Chapter 16.11 – A Few Fireworks of Our Own:
Saturday, July 4, 2009… The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—9:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
"So what happened after she left?" Kendall asked casually, as she and Dani lounged on Adirondack chairs down along the shoreline. Having sauntered down to the beach after Kendall's return, they settled in to talk, Kendall offering a safe place for Dani to share her story while they waited for the annual fireworks display to begin. They held matching wine glasses in their hands; Dani's closer to empty than Kendall's. The edges of the waves reaching just far enough ashore to tickle their bare toes with the coolness of the ocean's tide, but not far enough to disturb the partially consumed bottle of red that was nestled in the sand between their chairs.
Having been conscientious about what details she had already shared, Dani appreciated Kendall's discretion in not pressing for specifics. "I freaked out," she admitted with a sheepish grin. "I had no idea what she would do next, and I was terrified that something would happen to her." She paused for a moment, and then confessed, "So I called her Chief to track her down."
"Wasn't that kind of risky?" Kendall wondered.
"She didn't have her weapon," Dani replied, as if that trumped everything. "And she was physically defenseless, not thinking clearly. I didn't know what else to do."
"Since she wasn't thinking clearly, maybe it was a good thing she didn't have her weapon," Kendall astutely pointed out.
"I definitely considered that from both angles," Dani agreed. "In hindsight, I realized I was glad she didn't have it. That's why I ended up calling Chief Cooper."
"Did that make Langston thankful… or angry?" Kendall asked.
"Oh, she was mad as a hornet." Dani chuckled, despite herself. "You should've heard her when she called me a few hours later."
Kendall laughed. "From what you've told me, I'm not surprised."
"Neither was I, honestly," Dani sighed, remembering Langston's tirade over the phone…
"Why the fuck did you call my Chief!" Langston harangued.
"I was worried sick about you, you stubborn ass," Dani snapped back. "Though, quite honestly, I'm beginning to wonder why I bother," she muttered.
"I don't need a fucking babysitter, Dani," Langston groused. "I'm a cop, for Christ's sake!"
"An injured cop," Dani reminded mildly.
"Yeah, and now my Chief knows it!" Langston snapped. "I don't appreciate having to spin a story to cover up for this."
"You've worked enough undercover ops," Dani said, almost breezily. She wasn't about to play into Langston's fit. Nor was she willing to wage a battle at the moment. "I'm sure you spun gold for him."
"By all rights, he should've taken me to the hospital, and filed a report," Langston reminded. "It could've tanked my career, Dani."
"Yes, it could have," Dani acknowledged. "But he didn't report it, did he." It wasn't really a question. "And your career is fine."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you," Langston accused more than queried.
"Not particularly." Delivered on a dry sigh, Dani's emotional weariness was evident. "Would you please just come back so we can talk this through?" she implored.
"I'm too angry to talk right now," Langston answered honestly.
Despite herself, Dani had to acknowledge that she understood why Langston was so angry. But she didn't have to admit that to her willful wife. "Will you at least promise to come back sometime tonight?" she requested. "We don't have to talk, but I want you to have time with McKenna. I'll leave, if that's what you want."
Langston felt the rush of anger ebb at the mention of her daughter. She drew in a deep breath, then exhaled a quiet, "Yes," before disconnecting the call.
"She agreed to come back," Kendall said. Her questioning tone brought Dani back to their conversation.
"For McKenna, Yes," Dani acknowledged. "But not for me."
Kendall regarded her companion with tenderness. "I'm really sorry, Dani," she said empathically.
Dani offered a wobbly smile in response. "Thanks," she said sincerely.
Lifting the glass to her lips, she took another sip of her wine as she contemplated. And then she set the glass on the arm of her chair, staring out into rolling waves. "I convinced myself that I didn't push Jacqueline or Quinn about where Lang had gone, because I didn't want her to feel obligated to come home just because we had a child," she quietly shared. Her tone was an indication that she recognized the failed attempt at self-deception. What a waste of time and energy that had been!
"And the real reason?" Kendall asked intuitively.
Releasing a soft sigh, Dani finally admitted her truth aloud. "I couldn't handle the idea of her being in our children's lives… and not mine," she confessed. "I realize now how selfish I've been, and I honestly don't know how to forgive myself… or how Lang could ever forgive me."
Glancing toward Dani, Kendall felt the heat of tears prickling her lush green eyes. "If she really loves you, she'll find a way," she said with certainty, remembering all the ways she had hurt Zach, and how steadfast his love continued to be, despite her betrayals.
Onyx eyes filled with tears as Dani nodded, her gaze never leaving the rushing waters. "I've never wanted anything to be so true in my life," she whispered into the ocean breeze. "Never…"
Saturday, July 4, 2009… Gwen Matthews' Residence—8:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time
Sinking back into worn, yet comfortable sofa cushions, Langston Malloy released a tired sigh, as she stretched long, muscled legs and propped her socked feet up on the coffee table. Having popped the top on a bottle of Fürsten Trunk, tossing it, along with the bottle opener on the table, she took a swig, savoring the icy cold liquid as it slid effortlessly down her throat. "Thank you for this," she said gratefully, as she tipped the bottle toward her hostess.
"Anytime, Detective," Gwen said softly, as she leaned against Langston's side, curling bare feet up beneath her. A tender hand caressed Langston's upper chest and shoulder at the site of her injury. "How are you feeling?" she asked with concern.
"Better," Langston answered. "Still a little sore, but I think that's to be expected."
"Yes, I imagine it is," Gwen conceded.
"So, thanks for the invite tonight," Langston said, smoothly changing the subject before Gwen could ask questions that couldn't be answered. "I've been going a bit stir-crazy the past couple of days."
"A little too much time to think?" Gwen queried.
Langston chuckled, mostly to herself. She hadn't worked since the shooting—an anomaly for her; and the time off-duty, at the insistence of Chief Cooper, had done her a world of good in some ways—and driven her up a wall in others. "Yeah, I guess so."
"Have you reached any conclusions?" Gwen gently prodded. As she awaited Langston's response, she regarded her with tender affection, her thoughts drifting back to the evening the detective arrived unexpectedly on her doorstep, wounded in more ways than one…
Monday, June 22, 2009… Gwen Matthews' Residence—8:15 p.m. Central Daylight Time
A light tap sounded on Gwen's door, drawing her attention from the book in her hands. It was the latest installment in the Kay Scarpetta series by crime novelist Patricia Cornwell. She had been fully engrossed in it, and felt disappointed by the prospect of having to put it down. With a dissatisfied sigh, she marked her place, and closed it, setting it on the wooden table beside her worn sofa. Barefoot, she padded across the hardwood floor.
"Langston!" she gasped, equally surprised by both the detective's unexpected arrival at her door, and her physical appearance overall. Barefooted, except for a pair of thick white socks that were clearly not her own, she sported a pair of worn dark sweats, and a faded Harvard Law t-shirt, her waves of thick, dark hair falling messily into soulful blue eyes laced with pain, and shrouding that beautiful face. She was a hot mess—and that was completely unlike Langston Malloy. Well, at least the mess part, Gwen thought guiltily, before delving into action. "What the hell happened? Are you okay?"
Stepping aside, she allowed the bedraggled detective to slip inside.
The detective gave Gwen a wary look as she closed the door. "The less you know, the better," she said, more cryptically than she'd intended.
But Gwen didn't question; she simply nodded.
And then Langston's gaze turned sheepish. "Was that offer of a shoulder the other night real?" she asked quietly.
The expression on Langston's face made her look far younger than her thirty five years. And it made Gwen's heart melt just a little bit more. She gave her guest an inquiring look, but asked no questions. "You know it was," she murmured, as she tenderly caressed Langston's arm. "Come. Sit." She gestured toward the sofa. "Can I get something to drink?"
Langston nodded. "Hardest thing you've got," she requested, as she carefully lowered herself into the seat at the far end, where she eased into the worn cushions.
Eyeing her curiously, Gwen noticed the weariness that shadowed the pain in those blue eyes. It wasn't like Langston to drink anything stronger than wine or beer. "Sounds serious."
Without answering the inferred question, Langston announced, "I owe you an apology, Gwen."
Stopping at the entrance to her kitchen, Gwen turned, tiling her head in confusion. "For what?"
"For not telling you the truth when you asked me the other night," Langston answered.
Continuing into the small, open kitchen as Langston spoke, Gwen pulled a short glass from the corner cabinet, and proceeded to the refrigerator. Opening the freezer, she fished a handful of fresh ice cubes from the bin. They clinked as they dropped into the glass. "I don't understand," she replied, puzzlement in her tone. And then she opened the refrigerator door, pouring cold liquid into the glass of ice.
"Danika," Langston said, the sound of her wife's name stabbing like a knife to the heart. "I have to tell you about Danika."
"The hot attorney with the sexy accent?" An eyebrow arched, indicating Gwen's interest had been successfully piqued.
Langston simply nodded.
"What about her?" Gwen asked. Leaning her hip against the half-wall that cordoned off her kitchen from the living room and dining areas of her apartment, she crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for the inevitable.
"We have a past, Gwen," Langston shared.
A soft laugh fell from Gwen's lips, as she pushed away from the wall. "Well, of course you do," she said simply.
Furrowing her brow, Langston's piercing blue eyes locked on Gwen's dark gaze. "Come again?"
Gwen smiled, as she sauntered back over toward the sofa. "Langston," she said with calm insistence, as she bent one knee, and dropped down on the sofa beside the detective, "any two people who bicker as much as the two of you do, are either flirting with the idea of fucking… or they've already done the deed, and something went south with the relationship. Given the underlying tone of your bickering, my guess is the latter," she surmised, handing the glass to her guest. "And I'd also venture to say you're not finished with one another yet."
Despite herself, Langston laughed faintly at the accuracy of Gwen's synopsis. But she didn't say a word. Raising the glass to her lips, she practically choked in surprise. "I thought you were getting me something strong," she said. It wasn't a question.
"Something tells me alcohol is the last thing you need right now, Detective," Gwen ventured. "Now tell me what's going on."
"A lot has happened since Dani showed up here in Springfield," Langston sighed. "I don't even know where to begin."
"Why not start at the beginning," Gwen gently suggested, as she pulled her other leg up on the sofa, resting her chin on an arm that draped across a bent knee.
Nodding, Langston offered a tremulous smile, and settled in across from Gwen, where she spent the next two hours sharing her story. Choosing her words carefully, she alternately laughed and cried, as she talked of her childhood with Dani, of falling in love as teenagers, and their years apart during college. She shared of their decision to move in together, and of their wedding, and their plans to have children together. She shared of their ultimate parting, and the faulty assumptions she had made, all the while being as honest as she could be without placing anyone, including Gwen, in danger. Finally, she shared of her children—the daughter she had just learned existed, the son she would never know—and the anger she felt toward Dani and Jacqueline, and ultimately, of the anger she felt toward herself.
Alternately charmed, and then surprised, by the content of Langston's love story, Gwen listened without judgment. When she laughed, Gwen laughed with her. When she cried, Gwen held her. When she paced and ranted, Gwen gave her the space she needed to expunge the anger. And all the while, she offered little in response except to let Langston know she was being heard, and ultimately understood. Her heart broke for the detective, the friend she had come to care for deeply, and she longed for a way to help her make it right, even as she knew there was nothing she could do to intervene where Dani was concerned. What she could do though, was to be a friend to Langston in a way she hadn't been able to before, because now Langston had trusted her enough to open up and share her life.
"Anyway," Langston sighed when she finally finished her story. "That's the whole of it."
"It's a lot for anyone to go through," Gwen acknowledged without hint of judgment. "It's a wonder you've held it together as long as you have."
"I didn't have much choice," Langston asserted. She fell silent for several moments, and then glancing up, she met her friend's warm, steady gaze. "Thanks for listening, Gwen," she said sincerely. "I… I've never really talked much about my personal life with anyone but family. Not until the past few days, with you."
A faint smile played at the corners of Gwen's mouth, as she reached over, gently squeezing Langston's forearm. "Thank you for trusting me," she said softly.
"I should've told you a long time ago," Langston admitted.
"It takes time to build that kind of trust," Gwen normalized. She, of all people, could understand how difficult it was to let one's barriers down, especially in the beginning.
Nodding, Langston signaled her agreement. When she spoke again, it was in a sheepish tone. "I feel like an ass for leading you on the other night."
"Hey, listen, nothing happened between us that I didn't want," Gwen said reassuringly.
"I know," Langston acknowledged. "But I had no right to even ask you out."
Gwen smiled. "If I'm not mistaken, it was me who did the asking," she recalled.
A soft laugh fell from Langston's lips. "True," she said, having no choice but to concede. Her expression sobered then. "But still, I never should've kissed you, Gwen. Never should've allowed things to go as far as they did. You deserve better."
"Your heart still belongs to her," Gwen realized aloud, not for the first time. This time though, she had no choice but to accept it.
Langston's blue eyes darkened to a deep purple, her gaze questioning, even as the words caught in her chest, dying before they could even reach her tongue.
Gwen didn't need words to hear Langston's question. "You wouldn't be this angry if you didn't still love her as much as you do," she said gently.
"How could you possibly know what I feel, when I don't even know myself?" Langston challenged, though not harshly.
"Don't you?" Gwen challenged, her light brown eyes still locked on Langston's blue ones.
When Langston didn't respond, she ventured on. "The opposite of love isn't hate, Langston," she tutored. "It's apathy. And you are anything but apathetic when it comes to your wife."
Langston glanced at Gwen with downcast eyes. "I forgot you're a trained shrink," she teased.
Gwen laughed softly, and Langston smiled in response. This time, the smile reflected in her eyes.
"That's uh…" Langston paused, clearing her throat. "That's sort of why I'm here, I guess."
"What do you mean?" With the subtle shifting of her body, Gwen sent the message that Langston had her full attention once again.
"When I left Dani's suite tonight, I really didn't have any idea where I was going," Langston confessed. "I just knew I couldn't stay there."
"Well, that's understandable, given how you were feeling," Gwen normalized.
"Yeah," Langston agreed. "I didn't really realize it until right now, but I'm here because of McKenna."
Gwen offered a quizzical look, but said nothing; instead, waiting for Langston to continue.
"Dani said it would be too much on her, McKenna, I mean, if I took her away, even for a little while," Langston explained. "I don't know… You're an expert on what's best for kids. What do you think? I… I want time with my daughter, but… I don't want to hurt her."
"One thing I'm certain of, Langston Malloy," Gwen said with marked assurance, "is that you would never do anything to hurt anyone, especially not your own child."
"Not intentionally, no," Langston agreed. "But…"
She paused again, gathering her thoughts. And then she turned toward Gwen, a questioning expression on her face. "If you had to give a recommendation to a judge about this situation, what would you say?"
Drawing in a deep breath, Gwen exhaled slowly. And then she lowered her gaze, considering the question from every angle. "Well, I guess that would depend upon a number of key factors."
"Like?"
"Like… how well McKenna responded to you when you first met her," Gwen ventured. "And how capable you are of taking care of her right now."
"Dani said she was amazed at how well she did with me," Langston reported, sounding hopeful. "She even fell asleep in my lap."
"And what about your injury?"
"Oh, please," Langston sighed dismissively. "I've had more pain from a softball injury."
Gwen didn't believe a word of it, but she simply nodded, rather than calling Langston on her crap. "How would you feel about spending time with her with Dani there? I mean, if she promised not to interfere?"
"That's not possible," Langston snapped on impulse.
"Why?" Gwen pressed. "You think she would object to having you around?" she asked facetiously.
Langston simply scowled at her in response, drawing a chuckle from Gwen.
"Look," Gwen said decisively. "I get that you're angry, and I understand why. But anger has no place around a baby. I think you need to get yourself together before you take on the task of being a mother."
"I'm already a mother," Langston declared. "I was a mother the moment Dani got pregnant with our son."
"I know, Honey," Gwen quietly empathized. Gently, her fingertip brushed over Langston's cheek. "And I am so sorry for your loss. I can't even imagine how that must feel."
"I'm having a little trouble figuring that out, myself," Langston admitted ruefully.
"And that's why I think you need to take things slowly where McKenna is concerned," Gwen reasoned. "Maybe you can do short periods of time with her for a while," she suggested. "You know, ease into things with both her and Dani."
Accepting Gwen's suggested, Langston nodded. "Okay," she agreed. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."
"Good," Gwen declared, breathing a sigh of relief. And then she met Langston's gaze.
"Yeah," Langston said with a shy smile. "Hey, thanks again for listening. And… for the advice about McKenna. Means a lot."
"Anytime," Gwen said warmly.
"Okay," Langston sighed. "I should get going; let you get back to your evening."
"Listen," Gwen said, turning toward her friend. "It's getting late. You wanna just crash here? I have a guest room," she was quick to clarify.
Langston grinned, as she rose from the sofa. "Tempting as that sounds, I promised Dani I would be back tonight."
The expression on Gwen's face held a hint of surprise, and Langston was quick to explain, "You know, just to say goodnight to McKenna."
"She's a very lucky little girl," Gwen said softly.
"I'm the lucky one," Langston murmured, her face flushing from Gwen's compliment.
Walking Langston to the door, she gently squeezed her friend's arm. "Things are gonna work out the way they're supposed to, Langston. Just hang in there, okay," she said encouragingly.
"Thanks," Langston said softly, before quietly slipping out the door.
Saturday, July 4, 2009… Gwen Matthews' Residence—8:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time
As Gwen's thoughts drifted back to that evening, Langston's own thoughts followed. It seemed, at once, both yesterday, and a lifetime ago, when she'd shown up on Gwen's doorstep, a tangle of emotions—anger, excitement, confusion, and broken-heartedness—poised to self-combust. She had been so grateful for Gwen's friendship, for her willingness to forgive and forget, and she pondered still, her own inability to do the same.
Monday, June 22, 2009… Lobby, Gwen Matthews' Residence—10:15 p.m. Central Daylight Time
A bit less furious with Dani and Jacqueline for their deception, thanks to her long talk with Gwen; yet still frustrated by her own failings as a partner, Langston Malloy pocketed her cell phone and dropped down onto the rickety wooden bench in the lobby of Gwen's apartment building to await the arrival of her cab. Having found her phone and wallet waiting for her on the wet bar in Dani's sitting room, she'd swiftly pocketed them before Dani could protest. Now, hours later, was grateful to have them, lest she have to suffer the ultimate humiliation for her display of temper—having to call Dani to come retrieve her after she'd stormed out on her like a petulant teenaged girl.
That sense of gratitude didn't extend to the bench where she was sitting, though. It was purely functional, not aesthetic, and it creaked beneath the weight of her, drawing a deep sigh from her lungs, and that, she found rather annoying. Settling in, she grumbled to herself about how uncomfortable it was, and immediately, she was reminded of how truly relaxed, how completely content she had felt just hours before, sitting next to Dani on the sofa, their daughter in her arms…
Monday, June 22, 2009… Danika Kováč's Room, The Beacon—3:45 p.m. Central Daylight Time
With McKenna balanced contentedly in her lap, facing her, Langston's gaze slowly traced the contours of her sweet little face, her fingertip following closely in its wake as she explored the curve of soft cheeks, the curl of blush-colored lips, those bright blue eyes, and brows just a few shades lighter than her own. "She's so beautiful," she whispered in awe.
From her seat right beside her wife, Dani lightly caressed Langston's forearm. "Of course she is," she murmured. "She looks just like you."
Langston flushed at the compliment. "Don't try to charm me, Dani. I am still mad at you, you know," she warned. But despite the sternness in her tone, there was also warmth there to be found.
A welcome change from the reaction of recent days, a fleeting smile stole across Dani's lips. "I know," she replied plaintively. Tucking her feet beneath her, she leaned her head against Langston's uninjured shoulder. "And I deserve it. I know that," she said affirming. "But can we talk about that later? Right now, I just wanna enjoy this time with you."
Despite her staunch resolve, Langston couldn't stifle the smile that teased at the corners of her mouth. "Tell me more about our little rock star," she urged. "When did she get her first tooth? What's her favorite food?"
"Well, her first tooth came in about six weeks ago," Dani reported. "And the second popped out just the other night. In between, she spent a lot of time chewing on just about anything she could get her hands on, including Dakota," she laughed, referencing the gentle-natured Siberian husky they'd raised together.
Langston looked panicked. "Is that sanitary?"
Dani chuckled, as she gently patted Langston's arm, placating her. "Don't worry," she said confidently. "Mariana has assured me that she'll eat ten pounds of dirt before she even makes it to kindergarten, and it won't kill her. Besides, we keep her corralled with her toys and teething rings as much as possible," she assured.
"Mariana?" Langston sighed, relief soothing her. "Is she here with you?"
"Yes, of course," Dani said. "I have the afternoon free, so she's downstairs enjoying the pool."
Langston nodded, pleased to know the older woman had been there, looking out for her girls. "Good," she declared. "So what about McKenna's favorite foods?" She couldn't get enough of saying her daughter's name.
Always ready to brag about her precious child, Dani didn't hesitate at the invitation. "Bananas are her favorite fruit. And like her mama, she loves her carrots," she reported with a playful grin, as she teased Langston about her insane love of the orange veggie. Raw or cooked, it didn't matter. Langston would eat carrots with anything, including her breakfast, if Dani would let her.
"Are you making her baby food like we talked about?"
"Of course," Dani replied.
"All organic?" Langston arched an eyebrow in question.
Dani chuckled at her wife's incessant need for control. "Yes, Sergeant Malloy."
Langston made a face, and Dani promptly ignored it.
"Mariana helps out a little, but I do most of it myself," she said. "I took on a much lighter caseload after McKenna was born, because I wanted to be home with her. I only agreed to take this case here in Springfield because of Jake."
"Thank you for that, by the way," Langston said sincerely. "I know I was being an ass, but I really appreciate you doing that for his wife. And thank you for not blowing my cover with her."
"Of course," Dani said understandingly. "I understand your reasons for keeping your distance."
"Yeah, but in keeping my distance, I failed to protect Jake's sons from their grandfather," Langston sighed. "I owe Jen an apology for that."
The weight of guilt was evident in Langston's tone, and Dani knew better than to try to placate it. It was undeniable that Langston Malloy held the people she loved to a higher standard, but she was always harder on herself than she was on anyone else. "Does that mean you're planning to tell her who you are?"
Langston nodded. "Preston is dead now, and my father and Pierce are going to prison. There's no reason to deprive myself of my family any longer," she reasoned. "Jacqué will need our support now more than ever," she said solemnly.
Dani nodded her agreement, as Langston fell silent for a moment.
And then pushing the melancholy away, the sadness morphed into a smile as Langston gazed at her babbling daughter. "And Jacob and Dylan have a little cousin who needs to know them. I would love for them to be as close as Jake and I were as kids," she said with a hint of nostalgia.
Dani smiled. "I'd like that too," she sighed contentedly, as she snuggled closer against Langston's side. "I miss him a lot."
"Yeah, I do too," Langston sighed
They fell silent then, each of them remembering Jake—all the wonderful moments they'd shared with him, both individually and together. He had been their staunchest supporter when they were first together, helping even Quinn to come around to the idea of his baby sister being a lesbian. To Quinn's credit, it hadn't taken much, but admittedly, he had struggled to understand. Jake had silently wondered if it wasn't that Quinn harbored romantic feelings for Dani himself; but in the end, the question was better left unasked.
"Listen," Dani said quietly, catching Langston's full attention a few minutes later. "Something else happened this morning, and I think you should know about it."
Langston looked bewildered. "What?"
"My father…" Dani choked back unexpected emotion. She felt absolutely no grief for the death of the bastard who killed both her mother and Langston's, but oddly, she was still experiencing a loss. It was inexplicable.
Glancing at her wife with concern, Langston gently touched her arm. "What is it, Love?"
Steadying herself, Dani met Langston's worried gaze. "He, uh, he was killed in a shoot-out with the Feds just before dawn this morning," she reported.
The news struck Langston like a ton of bricks, nearly knocking the breath from her chest. "Dani, I… I'm so sorry," she managed, sincerity in her tone.
Dani gently squeezed Langston's arm, a sign of gratitude for her empathy, even as she shook her head. "There's no need," she said unconvincingly. "Really."
"Bullshit," Langston countered, firmly, yet gently. "I've despised my father most of my life, and even I would be rocked to learn of his death. Tell me what you're really feeling."
"Bewildered," Dani sighed. "After everything he's done, why do I still care?"
Meeting Dani's gaze, Langston brushed the backs of her fingers across Dani's cheek and along the angle of her jaw. "Because the little girl in you never got over losing her daddy," she reasoned knowingly. "Just like I've never gotten over losing mine."
Silently, Dani contemplated Langston's theory. "Thank you," she said quietly several moments later.
"For?"
"Getting me the way you do."
"If you wanna talk about it, I'm here to listen," Langston offered.
Dani shook her head. "I'd rather focus on happy things, if that's all right with you."
Langston smiled and nodded. "It's perfectly all right."
Turning her attention back to their daughter, Langston marveled then, as McKenna's tiny hand wrapped around her finger, grasping her tightly; the stuffed puppy once again dangling by its ear from her other hand. "This must be her favorite toy," she assumed.
Chuckling, Dani nodded. "Yeah, she never goes anywhere without it, including bed," she reported. "Can't sleep unless its ear is tucked in her hand."
"I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard," Langston declared, an affectionate smile on her lips as she watched her child.
Releasing Langston's finger, McKenna rubbed her eye with her fist, and then began fussing as she tugged on her ear—telltale signs that sleep would soon follow.
Dani smiled at the sweet familiarity of it.
And then McKenna planted that thumb back in her mouth, as her head crash-landed against Langston's chest. Nuzzling Langston's t-shirt, her other hand grasping the soft cotton material, she settled between Langston's breasts, releasing a contented sigh.
Langston chuckled in response. "I take it she's sleepy," she noted with a glance toward Dani.
"You got it," Dani confirmed with an amused chuckle, as McKenna made herself at home. "She can go from full speed ahead to crash and burn in less than thirty seconds."
They fell silent again, as Dani watched Langston holding their child. She knew they had a long way to go before things would be right between them again—there were still things Langston didn't know—but she refused to allow those worries to ruin their first moments together as a family.
Instinctively, Langston pulled McKenna more firmly against her, cradling her close with her uninjured arm. With her other hand, she gingerly rubbed the baby's back in slow circles, as she repeatedly pressed her lips against soft, dark curls. Her tiny body was so warm against Langston's own, and she smelled so fresh, so sweet, that Langston nearly burst into tears.
"God, I can't believe we have a daughter," she whispered against the top of McKenna's head. She felt as though her heart might burst, and wondered if that was how Dani had felt in those first few moments of their daughter's life. She glanced at Dani then, asking, "Do you still find it hard to believe even now?"
A soft smile flickered across Dani's lips. "Every moment of every day," she whispered.
McKenna chose that moment to slip deeper into sleep, the rapid intake of soft, short breaths followed by a long exhale indicating her descent, and Dani felt the heat of tears prickling in her eyes. "I'm just… so amazed to see her here in your arms," she said, sounding as if she were in awe, as she watched their daughter, snuggled against her wife's chest. It was a sight she had longed to see since the moment she'd found out she was pregnant. One she never thought she would be privileged enough to witness; and it meant everything to her. "She never goes to…"
The comment died on Dani's lips when she felt Langston's body tense against her side. She knew exactly how Langston had taken it, and despite the fact that Langston's assumption was wrong, the damage had already been done.
Simultaneously, Langston's heart lurched in her chest, the insinuation stabbing like a dagger. Struggling to hold her composure, she arched an eyebrow. "Strangers?" she supplied, sounding as though she was mortally wounded. It wasn't a question, though her tone said otherwise.
"I'm so sorry, Lang," Dani said hoarsely.
Her voice was teeming with regret. What the hell was she thinking, that she would even allude to such a thing! Langston wasn't a stranger at all. Dani had gone to great lengths to ensure that. McKenna had woken up every single day to a photograph of her two mommies on their wedding day. Dani had framed it, and put it on the chest of drawers in the nursery, in McKenna's direct line of sight. And every morning, and after every nap, she picked McKenna up, and talked to her about her other mommy as she pointed her out in the photo. And there were still photos of Langston, with and without Dani, all over their home. Dani hadn't changed a single thing about the way it was decorated, except to add more reminders of Langston after she'd gone. "I didn't mean…"
"You should be," came Langston's fiery retort, every muscle in her body constricting. This time Anger wouldn't be placated. It raged from a place deep within, demanding recognition. "I cannot fucking believe you would say something…"
"Langston, I…"
"No!" Langston snapped, startling McKenna. Soothing the child, she lowered her tone. It took every ounce of willpower to tamp down the roiling fury. "I can't listen to your excuses right now. I just want some time with my daughter." It wasn't a request.
Dani nodded once. What could she really say? "Certainly," she agreed, as she slowly slipped away from Langston's side. Standing to her feet, she gazed down at the two of them, regret etched in her dark eyes. "I'll be in the other room."
"No, I mean I want time with her," Langston reiterated. This time she stressed the duration.
Dani looked stricken. Surely, she couldn't mean… Her heart raced in her chest, and her palms began to sweat. "I don't understand."
"Let me put it bluntly then," Langston said, glaring up at her wife. "You've had eight months. Now it's my turn." She gave Dani a moment to process, and then she issued the orders, "Pack some of her things. And give me a list of anything else she'll need." She was finished playing games.
"Langston," Dani said, sounding reasonable. "You don't know anything about taking care of a baby."
"Neither did you when she was born," Langston countered. The insinuation in her tone said, At least you had the opportunity to learn from the beginning. You stole that from me.
"Lang, please," Dani begged. "You can't just take her."
"Watch me," Langston dared. Her tone was calm, but those brooding blue eyes flared dark with challenge.
"She needs me, Langston," Dani argued. "Think about what's best for her."
"Believe me," Langston said coldly. "That's the only thing I'm thinking about."
But that wasn't Langston's only thought now. No, now she was left to contemplate not only McKenna's existence, her well-being, but also the son she would never hold, never know. She hadn't even been given a chance to mourn him, and she had only herself to blame. Yes, she was angry with Dani, and in some ways, even more angry with Jacqueline. But mostly, she was infuriated with herself. Despite her anger and disappointment, she hadn't meant to hurt Dani the way she did. She felt guilty for the things she'd said to her. True to her obstinate nature, though, that didn't mean she was ready to apologize—and that made her feel even more guilt-ridden.
When Chief Cooper had shown up in front of the Beacon offering her a ride, she hadn't even known where she was headed. She only knew that she couldn't stay where she was—that would only make matters worse. And she didn't want to go home.
Gwen's place seemed like a place of solace. And that was exactly what it had been. Gwen had given her much to think about. And more importantly, she had helped Langston clear her head and think more rationally—at least where McKenna was concerned. By the time she returned to the Beacon, finding Jacqueline gone and Mariana asleep, she was ready to be more reasonable with Dani when it came to their daughter.
Monday, June 22, 2009… Danika Kováč's Room, The Beacon—10:45 p.m. Central Daylight Time
"You win," Langston sighed helplessly, as she entered Dani's hotel suite nearly thirty minutes after leaving Gwen's apartment. The cab ride back, while smooth in terms of travel, had been a rollercoaster in terms of emotions, and she was still feeling a bit unsteady when Dani opened the door.
"Win what?" Dani flirtatiously intoned, her dark eyes brazenly cruising her wife's body. She just couldn't help herself.
"Very funny," Langston said dryly.
Dani grinned, looking quite pleased. And then she silently chastised herself for even thinking about her that way while she was injured. She closed the door and locked it before turning toward her wife. "So, what do you mean, I win?"
"About McKenna," Langston answered. "I want time with her, but not at your expense, or hers."
"This isn't about winning, Lang," Dani said gently. Fingertips glided along Langston's arm as Dani moved past her toward the sofa. "I'm glad you're back," she said. "She usually wakes up for a bottle around midnight, and then she's down until at least six in the morning."
"She lets you have a whole six hours of sleep, does she?" Langston queried.
"Five and a half," Dani corrected. "It takes her thirty minutes to eat and fall back asleep."
Langston looked positively aghast. "How do you function?"
A salacious grin played at the corners of Dani's mouth. "Same as I did when you and I would stay up all night making love."
Langston groaned as she dropped down onto the chair across from Dani. The mere idea of being anywhere near Dani when she had that look on her face felt dangerous. "Why don't you go get some sleep," she suggested. "I can feed her, and then catch a cab home for the night. We can talk more in the morning."
"Why don't you just crash here," Dani suggested.
Tilting her head, Langston regarded her with skepticism in those blue eyes. "Yeah, that's not happening."
"Why not?" Dani challenged playfully. "You already have your own room."
"It's not happening," Langston firmly reiterated, determination in her eyes. She may as well have just said: It's not happening, because you want it to.
Realizing she wasn't going to get anywhere with her headstrong wife, Dani stood from the sofa. "I love you, Langston," she said forthrightly. "And I want you to come home. I want to be your wife, and I want us to raise our child together. But I'm not going to beg you. Not anymore. Tomorrow morning, I'm leaving Springfield…"
Panic set in, and Langston's heart began to race. "Where are you going?"
"To the Vineyard, with friends," Dani answered.
"What about McKenna?" Langston ventured.
Dani felt her own heart begin to race. The last thing in the world she wanted was to be separated from her daughter, but she realized how unfair it would be to take her from Langston. "Take some time with your daughter," she finally granted. "You're right. I've had time. Now it's your turn."
"Just that easily?" Langston was afraid to feel hopeful.
Dani nodded casually, despite the agony she felt in her heart. "Yes," she confirmed. "Mariana can stay with you, in case you need help."
"I…" Langston's blue eyes turned dark with emotion as the tears began to flow. "Thank you," she whispered. "But…"
She hesitated, and Dani tilted her head, staring at her curiously. "What?"
"Do you have to go?" Langston asked. "I mean… I don't wanna make things hard on you. I just want a chance to know my daughter."
"More than anything, Langston, I want you to have that chance," Dani said softly. "But it would break my heart to have to watch you with our daughter, and not be able to share in it with you," she quietly confessed, tears welling up in her own eyes. She steadied her breathing just long enough to say, "If you decide you want your whole family, come find me."
Silenced by the swell of emotion brought on by Dani's words, Langston simply nodded. It was breaking her own heart, as well, but she was still far too hurt and angry to interact with Dani on a daily basis. But as brokenhearted as she felt about her wife, she was overwhelmed with joy over the prospect of being with McKenna.
Before either of them could speak again, the subtle sounds of a waking baby trickled through the monitor that sat on the table near the end of the sofa. Dani smiled. "Sounds like our princess is ready for her midnight snack a little early tonight," she commented. "Why don't you go get her while I fix the bottle?"
Langston was on her feet in a split second. "No, wait," she said abruptly, halting Dani's actions. "Wait 'til I get her. Then you can show me how, you know, so I'll know."
"Okay, sure," Dani readily agreed.
"Maybe we could talk about other things I'll need to know while I feed her," Langston suggested when she paused at the corner of the hallway, glancing back toward her wife.
A smile lit Dani's face. "That sounds like a plan," she agreed. "That way we won't have to rush things when you come to pick her up in the morning."
Drawing in a deep breath, Langston looked deep in contemplation for a moment. And then she met Dani's gaze. "Maybe I will stay," she said quietly. "You know, just to make things easier in the morning."
Dani nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Yes, to make things easier," she sighed, as she watched Langston disappear down the hallway to retrieve their daughter for her late night feeding. She couldn't help but wonder if anything would ever be easy between the two of them again.
Saturday, July 4, 2009… The Bauer Barbecue—8:45 p.m. Central Daylight Time
"Hey, Frank," Rafe said in greeting as he approached the cluster of round plastic tables near the back patio of the Bauer house. They were festooned in patchwork paper tablecloths that assured everyone that they were, in fact, at the annual Bauer Fourth of July celebration—American flags and fireworks—and accented with Yankee Doodle Dandy style top hats. He grabbed one of the hats, and flipped it onto his head with a backward hand motion before dropping down onto the chair across from the Chief of Detectives.
"How's it going, Rafe?" Frank asked pleasantly. He took another swig of the Bud Light he'd been drinking, and set the bottle down onto the tabletop with a loud clunk.
"Just lookin' for my Ma," Rafe reported, sounding a bit agitated. "She has my keys and wallet, and I can't find her anywhere."
"I wouldn't count on finding her anytime soon," Frank grumbled. His eyes still burned with the image of Olivia Spencer pounding the woman he loved from behind—with a giant fucking dildo! Fuck his life. He shuddered at the memory, and turned his attention back to Rafe.
"What makes you say that?" Rafe asked curiously.
"Let's just say you'd better be glad she took your keys," Frank commented. "Some things are better left unseen."
"You walked in on them?" Rafe asked.
From the expression on Rafe's face, Frank couldn't tell if the guy was confused… or constipated. "Yeah," he sighed.
"Where?" Rafe queried, bushy eyebrows furrowed.
"At the farmhouse," Frank admitted.
"What, you just walked into our house?" Rafe sounded incredulous. He didn't even wait for confirmation. "Frank, that's not cool, man."
"I was just concerned about your mother," Frank justified weakly.
"I'm sure Ma is fine," Rafe said dismissively. "And if she's not, she has me and Olivia to look after her." He couldn't believe he's included Olivia in that scenario. But he had. And that must've meant something—he just didn't know what. Not yet, anyway.
"Yeah, I'm beginning to see that," Frank muttered under his breath. "I guess fathers are irrelevant when it comes to lesbians having babies."
"They're not lesbians, Frank," Rafe sighed in annoyance. While he still wasn't too keen on the idea of his mother being with Olivia, he was beginning to rethink the whole idea of Frank being the answer to their problems.
"Well, what exactly would you call them?" Frank snapped.
Rafe shrugged. "I don't really know," he answered. "But I'm guessing it's not really my place to decide that anyway." He stood from the table then, clearly finished with the conversation. "Listen, I'll see you around, Frank," he said dismissively. And then he was gone, leaving Frank to contemplate what the hell had just happened.
Saturday, July 4, 2009… The Farmhouse of Love—9:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time
"Mm… Pretty sure we missed all the fireworks," Olivia commented, not really caring in the least, as she stretched languorously beneath the quilt that covered them. They'd slept for a while, made love again, and then slept a little longer. Now finally, they lay, simply holding one another, though the embers of desire smoldered fiercely within them still.
An impish grin tickled at Natalia's lips. "I think the ones we made were way better," she commented, brushing those lips against that sensitive spot between Olivia's neck and shoulder.
Olivia tilted her head in that adorable way of hers, and grinned. "Oh, yeah?" she queried, looking rather pleased with herself.
Laughing, Natalia said, "Yeah."
"I'm kind of partial to our version, as well," Olivia said cockily.
"I hope that means we can play with that toy again sometime," Natalia said, sounding excited.
A sharp pang of white-hot arousal sliced through Olivia's body, coalescing in a very concentrated place between her legs. "You won't have to ask me twice," she said, eagerly.
"So… it was really that good for you, too?" Natalia asked, feeling a bit sheepish about all the pleasure she'd received, without giving anything back to Olivia in return.
Jade eyes sparkled with excitement. "It was spectacular," she confessed.
Dimples bloomed, and Natalia skimmed her mouth across Olivia's full lips. "Tell me what made it so spectacular for you," she rasped. She had experienced Olivia's ecstasy in a physical way, but something inside her needed to hear it verbally, as well.
"Watching you tonight," Olivia said hoarsely. "Jesus, Natalia, it was so erotic."
"What made it erotic?" Natalia purred, as she nibbled Olivia's lower lip. Simultaneously, her fingertips worked one of Olivia's nipples, effortlessly bringing it to attention.
Olivia gasped, her arousal heightening again. How was that even possible? And yet, here she was, ready to go again. Being with Natalia was like nothing she had ever known, and she gladly would have drowned in her. "Hearing you tell me what you wanted… Hearing you demand that I give it to you…"
She groaned loudly, when Natalia's fingertips slipped between her legs, lightly stroking her. "Watching you mount me…" she managed, as her clitoris twitched beneath Natalia's knowing touch. "You keep that up, you'll have to make me come again…" she warned.
"Oh, now that would be such a hardship," Natalia replied, feigning exasperation. "I just don't think I can go through that again."
The laughter that followed was quickly eclipsed by a soft whimper that fell from Olivia's lips when Natalia grasped her clitoris, massaging it between her thumb and forefinger. "The feel of my fingertips, digging into your hips, as you moved on top of me," Olivia added, continuing her recounting of all the ways Natalia had made their lovemaking so erotic that night. "God, you have the most beautiful hips," she murmured, her breath hitching as her clitoris jerked beneath Natalia's touch. "And your breasts, the way they swayed as you moved…"
And then words ceased, as Olivia's latest orgasm rolled through her body in waves of tingling heat. Her skin flushed, head to toe, as her legs and belly grew taut, and her body began to quake in an avalanche of pleasure.
Slipping her fingers away from the sensitive tip, Natalia continue the gentle caress elsewhere, knowing the places where Olivia could, and couldn't, handle stimulation as she came. And as she stroked her, gently prolonging her pleasure, she leaned close, nuzzling Olivia's ear. "You're the one who's beautiful, Liv. Watching you give yourself to me so freely, that's the most erotic sight in the world to me."
Turning her head, Olivia found Natalia's mouth, and kissed her. "I feel the exact same way about you."
Natalia smiled. "That's good to know."
Shifting her body, Olivia kissed Natalia again, this time, more deliberately. "I had fun with you today," she whispered, her fingertips brushing Natalia's cheek. "And I'm not just talking about the sex."
Charmed, Natalia tilted her head, and smiled in response. "That's such a nice compliment," she acknowledged. She kissed Olivia's lips. "Thank you, Honey. I had fun with you, too."
"Good," Olivia commented. "I think we should…"
"Oh, my god!" Natalia exclaimed out of nowhere. Her dark eyes grew wide as saucers.
Startled, Olivia blinked twice, and then her heart began to race, as she struggled to sit upright. "Natalia, what's wrong?"
"We forgot about Emma," Natalia said, clamping a hand over her mouth.
Olivia's own eyes widened. "Clean clothes," she remembered on a gasp. "Shit."
Within seconds, they were both scrambling for wayward clothing, the air around them crackling with energy as they moved.
"I really need a shower," Natalia commented, as she scooped her blouse up from the floor near the end table.
"We don't have time for that," Olivia declared, glancing outside to note the darkness. "We've been gone from the barbeque for hours."
Natalia sighed. "We smell like sex," she noted unnecessarily.
Olivia grinned. "We look like sex, too," she rejoined, as she slipped her jeans up over her hips. "Really good sex," she added in a low, sultry tone.
Natalia shook her head and grinned. "I can't argue with that."
Olivia was halfway into a bra when she realized her mistake. "This one's yours," she laughed, as she stripped it off, tossing it toward Natalia.
Amused, Natalia laughed. "What gave it away?"
"I'm not touching that with a ten-foot pole," Olivia answered playfully.
"Wise response," Natalia teased, as she slipped into the bra with cups big enough to house a small marsupial.
"Hey, I'm no fool," Olivia declared, hands lifted as if in surrender. "I'd like to have sex again before our daughter is born."
Swatting at her playfully with the blouse in her hand, Natalia earned a yelp from Olivia. She grinned in response, as she slipped her the garment over her head.
Leaning over, Olivia brushed a kiss against Natalia's mouth. "By the way, you do know that I'm rather fond of your tits, right?"
Natalia rolled her eyes. "You're so crass sometimes," she accused lightly, as she pulled soft cotton pants over the curve of her hips.
"Lucky for you," Olivia said with a hint of arrogance. Fastening the snap on her jeans, she pulled up the zipper with practiced ease.
An amused chuckle fell from Natalia's full lips, as she tightened the drawstring around her ever-expanding belly. "Why don't you run upstairs and grab her something, while I call Tracy to explain," she suggested. "You can move faster than I can."
A mischievous grin played across Olivia's lips, jade eyes dancing with amusement. "Our experience this evening tells me differently."
Natalia gave her that look. The one that said she wasn't amused, when really, she was. "Sex doesn't involve climbing the staircase," she said dryly.
"Well, it could, if you wanna give it a shot," Olivia said, suggestively.
Shaking her head, Natalia tried to stifle a laugh. "Just go get our daughter some clean clothes," she ordered.
When Olivia opened her mouth to argue, Natalia immediately shut her down. "I thought you liked it when I give you orders."
Olivia grinned. "Oh, I love it… Especially when it ends with you coming all over me," she winked playfully.
Natalia couldn't help but chuckle at Olivia's response. "Upstairs. Now," she ordered, pointing a deliberate finger toward the staircase.
Laughing, Olivia saluted playfully. "Yes, Boss," she said, before bounding up the stairs two at a time, a playfully tossed pillow hitting her shapely ass as she moved.
TBC in Chapter 16.12…