WARNING

This chapter contains a sex scene.

26

They arrive at the house without incident, pumped with caffeine and far too much sugar. Nivens was a little jittery at the wheel at first after downing his first cup, but soon his body adjusted and he settled into a more alert state. The caffeine didn't seem like a good idea, given his condition, but after reassuring Mirana that his doctor said it was alright, she'd let the matter drop.

The house is fairly impressive, modest, yet clearly very expensive. It's quite boxy with a modern flair — white slatted vertical walls paired with golden beech wood horizontal accent walls, the second story jutting out a bit over the first. The foliage is minimal, yet well-placed, trimmed to perfection in abstract shapes. The windows are large but appear frosted, making it impossible to see inside.

Nivens respectfully parks in front of the house rather than straight in the driveway. They have arrived uninvited, after all. After shaking Thackery awake, the four of them walk up to the front door, Alice and Mirana holding hands. Just as Nivens rings the doorbell, Alice notices a security camera mounted up in the corner. It makes her feel a bit uneasy, but she shoves the feeling aside.

The door opens to reveal a tall, muscular man with a bit of a boyish face in a white muscle shirt. His brown hair is a little greasy, unkempt, some scruff across his face and down his neck. His eyes are a light brown, a kind of soothing look in them. Despite knowing nothing about him, Alice feels oddly calmed by his presence.

"Well, hallo." he says. "Can I help you?"

Nivens steps forward. "We're here to see Orianna Turkel."

He frowns. "Erm, are you friends of hers?"

"Not exactly, but we need her help."

He raises an eyebrow but doesn't seem to want to question them further. "Ori!" he calls into the house. "There's some kids here to see you!"

"Alright!" a voice answers. "I'm coming!"

The man is joined by a pretty young woman with long, chocolate brown hair and pale blue eyes wearing a bright yellow floral dress. She looks oddly familiar, though Alice can't quite place her face.

She takes one look at Nivens, and screams.

"Woah, woah, Ori!" The man says, pulling her into his arms. "Hey, now. You're okay. What's the matter?"

Alice, Mirana, and Thackery all exchange puzzled looks. Is this woman insane? Meanwhile, Nivens remains perfectly stoic, seeming to study Orianna's reaction.

Orianna glares at Nivens, trembling. "Why is he here?"

Nivens frowns. "I beg your pardon?"

"Leave, Bibwit!" she snarls. "I'm free of you!"

Nivens sighs. "Ah. I see the problem. I'm not Bibwit Harte." he says carefully, trying to ease Orianna from her defensive state. "I'm his son, Nivens McTwisp."

Orianna's eyes widen. "Bibwit has a child? No child should be near him! No —"

"We've come to ask for your help, Orianna." Nivens continues over her, wanting to get things moving along.

"I'd rather die before I help a McTwisp." she growls.

The man looks somewhat apologetic. "I think you all should leave. Perhaps my wife isn't the right person to ask."

"What? No!" Alice sputters. "You don't understand, we —"

"Mum?"

"What's —"

"Going —"

"On?"

Ten minutes later Alice, Thackery, Mirana, and Nivens find themselves sitting on a black sofa across from Orianna, her husband, and Timmy and Tommy. Timmy and Tommy seem happy as ever, the husband looks a bit uncomfortable, and Orianna is resigned to staring at Nivens with cold eyes, her arms folded tightly.

The husband breaks the silence first. "Well, let's start over, shall we?" he says with a strained smile. "I'm Matthew, this is Orianna, and, of course, you know our boys." Timmy and Tommy beam at the four of them. "What about you lot?"

"I'm Alice Kingsleigh," Alice says, taking the initiative, feeling that maybe Nivens shouldn't speak as much, for now. "This is my girlfriend, Mirana Underland," In spite of the situation, she can't help but feel a little giddy at finally being able to say that. "And my friends, Thackery Maras and Nivens McTwisp. We're sorry to bother you, but we need your help, Orianna."

"We came here to talk to XY7." Nivens cuts in.

Orianna fixes him with a deathly glare. "Don't you ever call me that again." she says through clenched teeth.

"Sorry." Nivens says, though he doesn't seem to understand what he's done wrong.

"Maybe you shouldn't say anything, for now." Alice says gently. She turns her attention back to Orianna. "There's going to be a trial, this Tuesday. We're going against Angus Bumby, and we need you to testify against him."

Orianna rises abruptly, trying to keep calm. "You show up here, complete strangers to me. You bring him," she jerks her finger at Nivens. "And then you bring up Angus Bumby." She spits the name. "You're dredging parts of my life that I wanted to let die." Her eyes start shining with the first hints of tears, but she fights them. "I have spent so long trying to forget all of it. And now you want me to relive it. I cannot."

She turns on her heel and goes up the stairs. They're left in silence for a moment.

"Well that —"

"Was —"

"Rather —"

"Odd."

"I wonder —"

"What's —"

"Got her —"

"So —"

"Up —"

"Set."

"I'm not sure what's going on." Matthew says before the twins can continue with their dizzying speech. "But I really do think you should leave. It really seems like you've upset Ori. In fact, if you weren't friends of Timmy and Tommy, I wouldn't have even let you in."

Mirana rises. "Let me speak to her." she says.

Matthew shakes his head. "I'm not sure that would be —"

"Please." she says, flashing that dazzling smile that's never failed to melt any heart. "I think I understand her pain. I want her to know she's not alone."

Matthew seems to concede. "Alright. But I'll be waiting outside the door, just in case. You understand."

"Of course." She takes Alice's hand, pulling her to her feet. "Come with me?" she asks sweetly.

Alice nods, allowing Mirana to bring her upstairs, seeming to glide up each step, as if she's walking on air. Matthew follows fairly close behind, until he has to lead them to where the master bedroom actually is.

He knocks softly. "Ori, baby?" he says. "These kids really want to talk to you."

"I'm not talking to Bibwit junior!" a thick, watery voice responds.

"It's just the girls." Matthew reassures her. "Please, honey. It seems really important."

The door is opened a crack. "You have five minutes." she says numbly, opening it a little more to let Mirana and Alice in.

Alice and Mirana step inside, and Orianna immediately shuts the door behind her. Her eyes are puffy and red and her nose is fairly pink. Alice can't help but feel a little guilty as she watches Orianna settle onto her bed, clearly still working to calm herself down.

"Talk." she says.

Alice makes to speak, but Mirana places her hand over hers, giving her a look to tell her to stay silent, for now. "I don't know what exactly happened to you." she begins. "But I think I know, at least, a little, of how you must feel. The truth of the matter is, Angus Bumby has opened a conversion therapy center. Alice and I, as well as many others, were… patients. The practices that went on there were things that I do not enjoy recounting, though I feel I must. These are a result of being under his… care."

Mirana slowly rolls up her sleeves, revealing her scars, which are, though considerably better than what they were, still an angry reminder.

Orianna gasps, reaching for her wrists. "May I?" she asks tentatively.

"Of course." Mirana graciously offers her wrists to Orianna, who handles them with a feather light touch. "There's something else," she says carefully. She swallows hard. "He… he… violated me."

Orianna's eyes shoot up to meet hers. "He what?"

Mirana nods. "He's an awful, vile man that is still in business." She turns her head towards Alice. "He whipped and starved Alice, and she was much younger than I was when she was committed. You were ten, correct?"

"Right." Alice approaches slowly, not wanting to alarm Orianna. "We need your testimony, Orianna, to solidify our case against him. He has the public on his side right now, but with you beside us, we can't lose."

Orianna surveys her for a moment. "Would you mind letting me see your scars."

Alice looks to Mirana, who nods. She unbuttons her shirt and lets it drop to the floor, turning around to reveal the long pink lines running down her back. She flinches when she feels Orianna's cool fingers tracing over them, then relaxes as she gets used to them.

Orianna draws in a sharp breath. "And you were only ten then." She hands Alice back her shirt, which Alice quickly slips on again. "I don't know about this." she says. "I want to help you, I really do."

"I read through the files on his experiments." Alice says. Mirana gives her a questioning look. "I'll ask Nivens to let you read them later." she says to pacify her. "I read about Alfiora, and what they did."

Orianna seems to take that in, then sits on the edge of the bed. She pats the space beside her. "Both of you, come sit." she says. Alice and Mirana do so. "Alfie was an extremist. They were absolutely insane, but who wouldn't be? They got the worst of it as far as torture was concerned. All they ever wanted was to stop the pain. Not their pain, but everybody else's. And they saw Angus as the source of it all, so they thought, eliminate the source, eliminate the pain. Alfie's intentions were good. What they did wasn't. But that didn't change how I felt about them. I don't think anything could. I loved them, and they loved me. I would have married them if they'd asked me to." Orianna looks as if she's about to cry again, so Mirana takes the initiative and grabs a tissue from the box on the end table. "Thank you." she says, dabbing at her eyes. "I was the only one, out of all of us, who didn't commit suicide after Bumby… after Bumby killed them. I don't think that's what they would have wanted. They always talked about getting out, that once Bumby was gone, they were going to turn the place into a big party house. Make it the gayest, most liberal place anyone had ever seen. That would have been a sight." She laughs a little to herself. "I can understand why you'd want me there with you. What better evidence than a real subject from those experiments? Coupled with your files, Bumby would be absolutely destroyed."

"Exactly!" Alice says eagerly. "Come with us, and we can finally have our justice!"

Orianna shrugs. "I don't know." she says. "It all seems so easy, but I'm not sure if I can walk into a courtroom and face him again. I'm not sure I can handle it."

"I'm sure we can protect you." Alice says. "You shouldn't be in any danger."

"You saw me with the McTwisp boy." Orianna says pointedly. "If I can barely handle being in the same room with him, who knows how I'll be with Angus himself?"

"Orianna, try thinking of it this way." Mirana says. "If we don't stop him now, he'll just keep getting more powerful. One day, Timmy and Tommy could be targets."

"I —" Orianna stops herself, seeming to consider it. "How soon do you need an answer?"

"The trial is Tuesday."

Orianna sighs deeply. "You can register me for now, but know that I can't promise that I'll come in." She leans over and pulls out the top drawer of the end table, taking out a pad of paper and a pen. "Here's my email." she says, writing out the address. "Send me the location and the time of the trial so I can book a hotel nearby with Matthew." She tears off the paper with the address on it and hands it to Mirana. "I know it's not exactly the answer you were hoping for, but it's all I can give you."

"Thank you, Orianna." Mirana says. She rises, bringing Alice with her. "That's more than we could ever ask of you."

Two hours later, Alice and Mirana are back in their room. The pen drive is back in Alice's possession, Nivens having given it to her after they'd recounted what had transpired with Orianna. Mirana had read all the files, and now they're lying together on Mirana's bed, barefoot, the radiator going, Alice drawing little patterns up and down Mirana's arms, careful to avoid her wrists.

"Alice?"

"Mmm?"

Mirana rolls over onto her side, reaching down to pull Alice's face to hers. Her eyes instinctually flutter shut and she smiles, and they brush noses for the briefest of moments, her warm breath tiny puffs against her lips; then, she parts her lips, leaning in to close the distance between them. Their kiss is languid, gentle, an intimate waltz as she caresses Alice's lips with her own, nipping playfully at her lower lip as her hands slide down to settle on her hips, pulling her flush against her. Alice can feel warmth pooling already, reaching up to tangle her fingers in Mirana's hair. Mirana's tongue licks at her lips, so Alice opens for her, letting her explore. Her hands slip a little lower and squeeze. Mirana's breath hitches. Alice needs her, right here, right now. She needs Mirana to be hers.

Alice pulls back, pushing her onto her back. Mirana sits up a little as she slips her fingers underneath the pale pink sweater and the blouse underneath, pulling them up and over her head and casting them aside. Alice pulls the skirt off after, tossing it onto the pile, leaving Mirana in nothing but a white lace bra and panties.

Alice's eyes meet hers, and she can't help herself. She smiles again. Mirana's hers. This breathtaking woman is all hers. She peels off her pants, then discards her button down, all the while never taking her eyes off of this gorgeous woman. She crawls up to straddle her, feeling her perfect skin underneath her.

Alice leans down, her lips at her ear. "You're so beautiful." she whispers. She presses a kiss to Mirana's cheek, her jaw, then her neck. She feels her breath catch. "Absolutely stunning." Alice purrs against her skin.

She kisses down Mirana's neck, feeling Mirana move a little underneath her, the tiny little noises she makes as Alice's hands run up her sides, stopping just underneath her bra. Alice parts her lips and closes her teeth around her throat, pulling a moan from Mirana's lips while her fingers busily undo the clasp on her bra. Alice sucks on her neck, letting go with a soft pop, leaving a mark that will definitely bruise later. She tosses the bra aside, finally, finally cupping her breasts and squeezing, brushing her thumbs over Mirana's nipples. Mirana whimpers, her hips moving up a little. Alice smirks, moving one of her hands down to her hip and replacing it with her mouth, drawing her nipple inside, curling her tongue around it while pinching and rolling the other. Mirana's hips buck harder, a strangled moan escaping her lips.

"Fuck, Alice."

Alice switches over to the other, getting a little rougher, nipping at her chest, marking her, making Mirana hers over and over again. She can feel how wet she is, and it's taking all Alice's self-control not to just push her legs apart and take her completely. Mirana's moans grow louder as she tries to grind against her. She's so wet. Alice needs her. She has to have her now.

She releases her nipple with another little pop, kissing a path down her stomach. Mirana's breathing grows more ragged the lower Alice gets. She peers up at Mirana, and is met with a wondrous sight.

Mirana's chest is heaving, her face flushed, her pupils so dilated they're practically black.

Their eyes meet. "Please." she whimpers.

Alice hooks her fingers into Mirana's waistband and tugs her panties down agonizingly slow. It's torture for Alice too, but she forces herself to take her time. She tosses them away, settling between her legs. Mirana's absolutely soaked, dripping wet. All this, for her. Alice presses a kiss to her inner thigh, drawing tiny circles with her tongue as Mirana trembles beneath her.

"Alice, please!" she whines.

Alice can't deny her any longer. She drags her tongue up Mirana's slit, then thrusts her tongue inside. Mirana lets out a guttural moan, fisting her fingers into her hair, her nails scratching at Alice's scalp. Alice moans into her, sucking her clit into her mouth. Mirana bucks her hips into Alice's face, her little mewls driving Alice mad. Alice reaches up and thrusts two fingers inside, feeling Mirana tighten against them as she cries out. She's so close, Alice can feel it. She adds another finger, sucking harder on her clit. Mirana pushes Alice more into her, riding her fingers hard and fast, until at last, she comes apart.

Alice crawls back up to lie beside her, Mirana rolling over into her arms, snuggling into her chest, trembling with slight aftershock. Alice grins. "Good thing the dorms are mostly empty on the weekends."

Mirana laughs shakily, smacking her lightly on the arm, though it's more of a brush. She meets Alice's eyes. "Do you need to —"

"I don't need reciprocation right now." Alice says. "I'm happy with this. With you."

"Mmm." Mirana presses a kiss to the top of Alice's head. "We won't really see each other all too much tomorrow. Last day to prepare and all." She tilts Alice's chin up to look at her. "What do you think will happen?"

Alice wraps her arms around Mirana a little tighter. "I honestly don't know. We have a fairly good chance, but this is Bumby we're up against. Whatever happens, I'm going to be there every step of the way, because I love you, Mirana."

Mirana smiles. "I love you too, Alice. I'm so happy you're in my life."