Disclaimer: This is an adaptation of a book of the same title by Radclyffe. I do not own any of the story or characters in this fanfiction nor the original Safe Harbor and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.

Chapter Seven

Alto greeted Fate with a grin when she walked into the gym that afternoon after work. 'I thought you might not make it,' she said.

Fate glanced up at the clock behind Alto's head. It read five-thirty, exactly the same time she arrived for her workout every evening.

'How come?' she asked in surprise. 'I said I'd be here.'

Alto shrugged elaborately. 'Silly me! I should have known that was as good as a guarantee!'

Fate just shrugged at the gentle chiding and set about her routine. She finished three sets of leg and back exercises in ninety minutes, then went to the locker room to shower. She put on slim-fit dark jeans, a plain white tee, and a black leather jacket that covered the holster she secured under her left arm in a shoulder rig. After a quick check in the mirror - the gun didn't show - she went out to meet Alto.

They walked down Commercial Street toward town and turned in at the Cactus Flower. It was still too early in the season to worry about reservations, but that would change within the next few days. They got a good table at the front windows overlooking the street, so they could watch the slow stroll of passers-by as they dined. They both ordered margaritas while they looked over the menu.

'This isn't a date, you know,' Alto announced after they had given their orders to the waitress.

Fate sipped her drink - it was strong and tart, and gazed at the woman across from her calmly. 'It hadn't occurred to me that it might be.'

Alto laughed. 'This is Provincetown, Sheriff! When one woman asks another woman out to dinner, its usually a date.'

Fate nodded solemnly. 'Then why isn't this a date?'

Alto stared back, totally nonplussed. The startling comely woman across from her was impossible to figure out. She gave nothing away in her expression, or her voice. Nothing seemed to surprise her, or throw her off stride. Alto wondered what, if anything, could shake her calm control. She also wondered what price that kind of control exacted.

Fate seemed completely without pretense, and Alto answered in kind. 'It's not a date for two reasons - my expectations, and my intentions.'

'How so?' Fate inquired. She voiced no challenge, only honest interest.

'I don't think you'd be interested in me. For one thing, I'm much older than you-'

Fate smiled at that, shaking her head. 'Hardly,' she said, studying Alto's slender, yet well-developed form.

'Old enough,' Alto grunted.

Fate waited while the silence grew. 'And the other reason?' she asked quietly.

Alto shrugged as she said, 'You're just so…you? Aloof, untouchable, I don't know. Call it a hunch? I'm not your type.'

Fate leaned back while the waitress slid their plates in front of them, contemplating Alto's words. She had never given thought to what others thought of her, and tried to imagine how she appeared to others. Up until this point in her life, her rank had determined how others related to her, and how she related to them.

The rules of conduct, including who you could 'fraternize' with, were clear. They were frequently circumvented, but not by Fate. It wasn't that she agreed with the rules so much as she had no reason to challenge them. She had spent her life either preparing to be, or being, an officer. Her professional and personal life was one and the same.

'I've never been inclined to date, but I'm pretty sure I don't have any particular 'type' of anything,' she said after a moment.

Alto hummed as she busied herself with her food. 'I beg to differ, Sheriff – once you start exploring the scene, I'm willing to bet you'd soon find out what floats your boat.'

Fate smiled. 'Well, we'll see. So - this is just a friendly dinner then?'

'Yes.'

'Fair enough.'

'Since were being all revealing here,' Alto continued, 'how'd you end up in our little town?'

'I needed a job, and this was the right one for me,' Fate remarked.

'So you didn't come here looking for love?' Alto asked half-seriously.

Fate smiled a little ruefully. 'Not precisely.'

'And you didn't leave anybody behind? No attachments?'

'No,' Fate replied. 'I don't have any attachments.'

Alto shook her head. 'You are definitely something of an oddity around here. Most people come here to find someone, or to escape something.'

'I'm not all that different. It's just not what you're thinking.'

'And I don't suppose you're going to fill me in?' Alto prodded gently.

Just as gently, Fate replied. 'Not tonight.'

They finished their dinner in easy conversation. When Alto saw Fate glance at her watch for the second time, she asked, 'You have to be somewhere?'

'The clinic,' Fate replied. 'I'm supposed to stop by there and have some stitches removed. The doctor said she'd be there until ten.'

'Don't rush. She's always there late. I live just down the road. She doesn't seem to do much except work!'

'It must get pretty busy, especially when you're the only doctor in town,' Fate commented, remembering Dr. Takamachi's resolute determination to make that dangerous journey over the rocks to aid the injured man. Her dedication was clear, and admirable.

'Sure, it's tough, especially if you use it as an excuse to avoid a social life! Don't you think there are plenty of doctors who would just love to live up here during the season and work for her?'

Fate regarded her silently. She felt a strong desire to come to Nanoha's defense, and a strange surge of anger at Alto's criticism. Both responses confused her.

Alto didn't miss Fate's sudden withdrawal. 'Hey, I like her,' she said seriously. 'I always have. She's a great friend to the people of this town, and there are more than a few who would like to know her better, if she'd let them.' She shrugged as she reached for their check. 'She doesn't seem to trust anyone to get too close, and that's a damn shame.'

'I'm sure she has her reasons,' was all Fate said.

Vita was on her way out the front door when Fate walked up.

'All through?' she asked the receptionist.

'I am,' she said petulantly. 'The last patients are in the rooms, but at the rate she's going it could take her another hour. She can barely walk, and it serves her right - traipsing out on that jetty like some macho superhero! I wouldn't be surprised if she is on crutches tomorrow! And it wouldn't be the first time either!'

Her obvious distress belied the criticism in her voice. She was clearly worried about Nanoha, and Fate immediately liked her. She continued to fuss while she unlocked the door for Fate.

'Do you think she'd let me cancel patients just because she needs to be in bed? Of course not!' She held the door open as she spoke. 'You might as well go back to her office and wait. Its more comfortable there, and she'll find you when she's finished. She insisted that I go home on time! Could do without me, she said. Ha! Wait until she sees that appointment book - good luck! Then we'll see who doesn't need me!'

Fate had to smile at the short young lady's tirade, but her thoughts were of the woman who had made a selfless gesture despite the cost. She was suddenly very anxious to see her.

'I'll go on back. Thank you.'

Fate settled into the chair before Nanoha's desk and let her eyes wander over the photos of the previous Olympian. Eventually she heard the approach of slow footsteps, and turned to greet the doctor. Nanoha looked pale and drawn, but her eyes held a smile.

'Have you been waiting long?' Nanoha inquired as she eased herself into the leather chair behind her desk. She tried to hide a grimace as another spasm clamped onto her calf, forcing her to gasp.

'Not very,' Fate said quietly. 'Is there anything I can do?' Nanoha's pain was obvious, and watching her struggle with it made Fate feel helpless and uneasy.

Nanoha looked at her in surprise. 'God, you get to the point, don't you? Why is it that my 'handicap' doesn't seem to put you off the way that it does most people?' She was too tired and in too much pain to hide her bitterness.

'You have an injury, Doctor. 'Handicapped' is not a word I would use to describe you,' Fate remarked as she moved boldly around the side of Nanoha's desk. 'Now, what needs to be done here?' she finished softly.

'I need to get this damn brace off,' Nanoha said through gritted teeth, 'but if I do, I'm not going to be able to get to my car.'

'We'll worry about that later,' Fate said as she knelt down. She pushed up the leg of Nanoha's jeans and studied the hinged metal device that extended from just below her knee to the arch of her foot. Her face was expressionless as she took in the criss-crossing of surgical scars and skin grafts over the damaged atrophied muscles. 'Doesn't look too complicated,' she said evenly. 'May I?'

Fate's actions had taken Nanoha completely by surprise. She stared into the deep burgundy eyes that searched her face, suddenly terrified that she might cry. She was so used to fighting the endless discomfort and awkwardness alone, that the straightforward offer of help almost overwhelmed her.

'Please,' she whispered, her throat tight.

Fate released the Velcro bindings and gently eased the brace off. Nanoha's leg was swollen from the calf down, and her ankle was beginning to discolor. She gasped with pain as Fate softly massaged the injured tissues, bringing a sudden rush of blood to the area.

'I'm sorry,' Fate murmured. 'We need to do something about this swelling. Ice?'

'There's a cold pack above the sink in the treatment room,' Nanoha managed, struggling with the physical pain and the unexpected emotional turmoil Fate had unwittingly provoked.

Fate retrieved the pack, snapped it open, and wrapped it around Nanoha's ankle with an ace bandage she had found. 'I think that's the best I can do,' she said apologetically.

'It's more than enough,' Nanoha replied gratefully once she caught her breath. 'Were you a medic in the Marines?'

Fate laughed as she leaned against the edge of Nanoha's desk. 'Military police - before law school. We had our share of minor injury calls.'

'Just give me a minute, then I'll see if I can get the damn thing back on again.'

'Why?'

Nanoha regarded Fate solemnly. Fate was so damn easy to talk to, and the scary part was that she wanted to. She wanted to admit just once that she couldn't take it anymore, that she was just too damned tired. Realizing just how much she wanted to trust those eyes holding her own so steadily made her wary. Something this compelling could get out of hand.

'I can't walk that far without it,' Nanoha replied, trying to laugh.

'How much do you weigh?' Fate asked.

Nanoha did laugh at that. 'My god! Have you no sense at all? Don't you know that's a dangerous question to ask of a woman who's not entirely in control of her faculties?'

Fate buried her hands in her pockets, and answered with a straight face, 'I must have missed that in basic training.'

Nanoha could tell by the determined glint in Fate's eyes that this would be an up-hill battle. Graciously she acquiesced. 'A hundred and thirty pounds.'

Fate nodded. 'Not a problem. Grab your brace.' As she spoke, she slipped one arm behind Nanoha's shoulders and the other under her knees. 'Hold on,' Fate said as she straightened, cradling Nanoha securely against her chest. Nanoha's arms came around her neck.

'Okay?' Fate asked.

For the first time all day, Nanoha wasn't aware of the pain in her leg. What she was aware of was even more disconcerting. A cascade of sensations assaulted her - hard muscles, a slow steady heartbeat, the light sweet smell of perspiration. Fate was an intoxicating combination of tenderness and strength, and Nanoha's response was automatic. She flushed at the surge of arousal, and drew a shaky breath, hoping that the woman who held her could not feel her tremble.

'Yes, I'm fine,' she murmured, allowing herself the luxury of resting her head against Fate's shoulder.

Fate made her way easily to her patrol car and settled Nanoha into the front seat. 'Where to?' she asked as she started the engine.

'Straight out six A toward Truro. I'm just a mile outside town.'

Within minutes, Fate pulled into the drive of a single family home that overlooked the expanse of Provincetown harbor. As she stepped from the car a dark shape came hurtling through the night toward her.

'Whoa!' she cried as a huge dog planted its front feet on her chest.

'Jed! Get down!' Nanoha yelled as she tried to extricate herself from the car. At the sound of her voice the dog immediately dropped to the ground and raced to her.

'Is it safe to come around?' Fate called as she eased toward the passenger side of her vehicle.

'He's perfectly safe,' Nanoha called as she thumped the dog's massive chest in greeting. 'He's just excitable.'

'What is he?' Fate asked as she leaned down and lifted Nanoha from the seat.

'Mastiff. That's Jedi - Jed for short.'

'That must make you Princess Leia then,' Fate remarked as she walked up the sidewalk toward the wide deck that encompassed the rear of the house.

'What makes you think I'm not Luke Skywalker?'

'Just a hunch.'

Nanoha laughed and settled herself more comfortably within the circle of Fate's arms. Fate held her while she slipped her key into the door, suddenly conscious of the soft swell of Nanoha's breasts pressed against her chest, and the subtle fragrance of her perfume. In the dim light of the moon, Nanoha's face in profile was timelessly beautiful. From out of nowhere, Fate began to tremble, and an unfamiliar warmth suffused her.

'Let me down,' Nanoha said firmly, 'you're shaking.'

Fate lowered her gently, keeping one arm around her waist for support.

'I guess I'm not in as good shape as I thought,' Fate said a little uncertainly. She couldn't remember feeling this light-headed after a twenty-mile forced march in full packs. She wasn't sure what was wrong with her, but she was acutely embarrassed.

'Nonsense,' Nanoha replied as she pushed the door open. 'You're in superb shape, but enough is enough.' She reached for the light switch by the door, illuminating a large living room facing the water.

'Just steer me over there,' she said, indicating a large sectional sofa fronting the wall of windows and sliding glass doors that opened onto the deck. 'Half the time I fall asleep down here anyway. One more night on the couch won't kill me.'

'More ice?' Fate asked as Nanoha propped her leg up on several pillows.

'Not just yet. But I'd love a drink, and you've certainly earned one. If you wouldn't mind pouring me a scotch, I'd be grateful forever.'

Fate brought her the drink, and a light beer for herself. 'Gratitude is not necessary. You more than deserve this after the day you've had.'

Fate sat on the sofa, stretching her legs out to accommodate Jed, who had pushed himself against the entire length of the front of the couch. When he raised his massive head and rested it on her thigh, she began to stroke him absently. She still felt oddly agitated.

'Teana came by the clinic today,' Nanoha remarked. 'She said that you insisted I clear her before she could start training with you.'

'Is she okay?' Fate asked, grateful for something to take her mind off her own sense of disquiet.

'She's fine. It's a good thing you're doing for that girl,' Nanoha added, watching Fate closely. The sheriff seemed distracted, and even more remote than usual.

Fate turned to her in surprise. 'How so?'

Nanoha sighed. 'I guess you probably know that Teana's parents both died some five years ago, leaving Tiida to be her only family left and to take the role of a surrogate father. That's awful enough at any age, for the both of them, but it's especially hard for a teenager. I gather from what Tiida's said that Tea has been getting a little wild. It sounds like working with you may be just what she needs.'

'I hope it helps,' Fate said at length. 'I know what it's like when your whole world seems to change overnight. It can be a dangerous time.'

'Was it for you?' Nanoha asked softly, wanting a glimpse of what lay beneath this formidable woman's steely exterior.

Fate gazed out over the moonlit water, thinking of herself at that age. She remembered how she felt when her mother left - the uncertainty and the anger. Her father loved her, and he taught her the things he knew - he taught her about responsibility, and discipline, and honor. He taught her the way he had been taught, the Marine way. He expected the best from her, and he got it. In return he provided her with a life that was orderly, dependable, and predictable.

'It might have turned out differently for me,' she mused half to herself. 'My parents divorced when I was fourteen. My father is career Marine, and he raised me to follow in his footsteps. I've spent my entire life in the Marines, one way or the other. It's true what they say- it's made me what I am, but those first few years until I was old enough for ROTC and college were hard.'

'I imagine all of it was hard,' Nanoha ventured, beginning to understand why Fate seemed so controlled. The Marine Corp undoubtedly produced fine soldiers, but at what cost?

'Don't misunderstand. I loved the Marines, I still do. I'm still in the reserves. But when I was Tea's age it wasn't easy. Sometimes it got pretty lonely -' Fate stopped, suddenly self-conscious. She never talked about herself, and she had no idea why she was now.

'What about your mother?' Nanoha probed gently.

Fate unconsciously squared her shoulders in that military gesture that was becoming familiar to Nanoha as she replied flatly, 'She wasn't in the picture.'

'I'm sorry,' Nanoha said, 'I'm prying.'

Fate smiled, that fleeting breathtaking smile. 'I didn't notice.'

Nanoha laughed. 'I doubt there's anything that escapes your notice!' Suddenly serious, Nanoha added, 'You've been more help than I can say today, Fate. I'm not sure how I would have managed without you - this morning on the jetty, or tonight.' Even though she meant every word, she didn't want to think too hard about why she was admitting her need now, when she had refused to for so long. She didn't want to think too hard about how different Fate seemed than anyone she had ever met, or about how easy it had been to accept her help. She didn't want to think about how deeply she had been touched by Fate's calm, unwavering presence. 'I - I just wanted to thank you -'

Fate shook her head, halting Nanoha's words. 'Doctor Takamachi-'

'Please! It's Nanoha!'

'All right,' Fate amended almost shyly, 'Nanoha- it was an honor, and my pleasure. So please don't thank me for something I was glad to do.'

Nanoha looked into Fate's intense, penetrating eyes and something visceral stirred in her. She caught her breath, moved by the simple honesty of Fate's words. Her voice was thick with emotion as she replied, 'It's more than a job to you, isn't it?'

Fate flushed, but she held Nanoha's gaze. 'You may not believe this, but I took an oath to serve and protect, and every day I'm glad I did.'

'I do believe you. I've seen you in action,' she said quietly. She thought that Fate had to be the most straightforward person she had ever met, and at the same time the most complicated.

'Good,' Fate said as she stood. 'Then you won't object to me coming by to take you to the clinic tomorrow. Remember, you don't have a car.'

'You don't leave much room for argument, do you?' Nanoha remarked ruefully, realizing that Fate had once again made help impossible to refuse.

'That is a skill I learned in officer's training school!' Fate replied, her eyes laughing.

'Then I accept, Sheriff,' Nanoha teased lightly.

Nanoha watched her as she strode gracefully to the door, smiling at the quick salute Fate tossed her as she left. She settled back against the couch, blaming the effects of the scotch for the sudden rush of heat that stole through her.

Note: Shout out to KJacket! Thanks for your reviews, I find myself looking forward to reading your comments after every chapter I upload. Hope you enjoyed this one!