A/N: You guys crack me up. I love you guys and your reviews make me smile. Something bad has happened recently and I think my updates will be a little slower than normal. Anyway I thank you guys for reading this story and I hope you all enjoy.

'Cause you feed me fables from your hand, With violent words and empty threats. And it's sick that all these battles, Are what keeps me satisfied

Walking into her apartment Friday evening, Abbie sighs quietly as she drags a hand through her hair and tosses her satchel onto the couch. "Alex?" she calls out before she blinks the tiredness out of her eyes. "Alex, Baby, you in here?"

"In the bathroom."Alex's voice rings out from the bathroom.

"Hey, so listen, I was thinking that since maybe it's Friday that I could make us a nice dinner and…" Abbie trails off when her eyes land on her wife in a tight, form fitting black dress standing in front of the mirror. "Wow. Alex, you look…you look…wow."

"Thank you," Alex responds as she continues to apply her lipstick. "What were you saying when you walked in?"

Abbie blinks owlishly for a brief moment before she manages a coherent response. "I was…I was saying that since it's a Friday and this week was kind of a crappy week so I thought that maybe we would have a romantic evening together? I was thinking maybe I could make that lasagna that you love so much and we could open a bottle of wine? Then after that maybe we could light a few candles, watch a nice movie and snuggle on the couch?"

Alex's hand freezes and she slowly replaces her lipstick tube to its spot on the sink. "I…I already have plans to go out for the evening." She answers after a brief moment of silence.

"Plans…" Abbie repeats with a slow nod as she steps further into the bathroom and pulls her lover into her arms. "Well you look extremely beautiful. If you don't mind me asking, where're you going looking this gorgeous?"

"Kim and I are going out." Alex replies smoothly as she sighs quietly when she feels lips press gently against her neck. Her face warms considerably as she realizes she just told a lie and didn't even have to think about it. "She felt like I was a little stressed at work so she offered to take me out for a ladies evening out. I hope you understand?"

"Yeah, I understand." Abbie responds as she spins the blonde in her arms and grins. "You really do look beautiful tonight, Baby. Alex, listen, about this week it was…it was rough and I'm sorry I forgot about the bill. Every time I think about it I think of how stupid I was and I…"

Alex interrupts by gently placing a tender kiss to Abbie's lips. Pulling away, she smiles softly. "I'm not mad about it anymore. I was at first, but then I realized that you probably have a lot on your mind right now and it wasn't fair of me to yell at you the way I did. I guess I was just stressed out from work."

Abbie nods, leaning forward to where she rests their foreheads together. "I deserved it though. Lex, I'm gonna start trying harder for us, okay? I know it seems like I'm not, but I don't want you to think that of me. I've been looking around for a side job so I can start doing a little more around her. I just…I want to be able to do something nice for you. One day I want to be able to take you to Angelo's, or on a second honeymoon, or something really special."

"I…I know…" Alex stammers, gently pressing her hand to Abbie's cheek when she hears her phone buzz from the other room. She swallows the thick lump that has formed in the dead center of her throat. Traveling into the bedroom, she picks up her phone and gently bites down on her lower lip. "I…that's Kim…I should probably get going."

"Alright." Abbie answers, placing a gentle kiss to her wife's cheek. "I'll just…try to finish up that painting or watch a movie or something. I hope the two of you have fun."

"We will." Alex responds, grabbing her coat before she slips out of the door. A heavy sigh escapes her lips as she continues to descend the stairs and out into the cold night hair. A shaky breath escapes her lips as she walks the small distance to the shiny black Mercedes parked by the sidewalk.

"I honestly wasn't expecting you for like a few more minutes." Casey states with a low chuckle as the blonde slips into her passenger seat.

"Oh yeah? How come?" Alex asks curiously as they pull away from the sidewalk.

Casey simply shrugs, drumming her fingers against the steering wheel as she keeps her eyes focused on the road. "No reason in particular. I guess I just didn't think you were that eager to see me."

Alex can't help but roll her eyes at the tinniest hint of arrogance in the redhead's voice. "You shouldn't so pleased with yourself." She responds, shaking her head when Casey chuckles once more and she can practically feel the other woman smirking in her direction. "I feel so horrible about this…"

"Why? We're just going to dinner." Casey states as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, I know that but still…I hate lying to her. I don't know why I did it but I told her I was going out with Kim. She just…lately her pride has been her big thing and she gets kind of jealous and protective sometimes so if I told her I was going out with you she would've…"

"Well she wouldn't have had a right to." Casey interrupts rather firmly. "It's just dinner."

"Right," Alex repeats as her hands fall to her lap. "Just dinner…"

Approximately forty-five minutes later, Alex finds herself laughing and conversing easily with the woman sitting across the table. She takes a sip of the wine that was most recently placed in front of her. Honestly she had never once thought that she would be able to see the inside of Angelo's and now that she's sitting out on the patio area savoring the cool night air, ordering off of the pricey menu and enjoying the extravagant scenery of the restaurant and its patrons.

"I can't believe you're afraid of lizards." Alex laughs nearly choking on her wine at the humorous a epiphany.

"Hey, I'm not 'afraid' of lizards! They just freak me out." Casey responds as her lips spread to show off her perfectly whitened teeth and her thousand watt smile.

"Well still, that might as well be saying that you're afraid of them." Alex teases back.

"Sure." Casey hums, lifting her glass to her lips to take a sip of her own wine. "So Alex, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

Alex raises an eyebrow in interest as she places her glass back onto the table and daintily crosses one leg over the other while she patiently awaits the oncoming of said question. "Well that most definitely hasn't stopped you from asking before." She challenges back, catching the entrepreneur in her own tangle of words.

This time, it's Casey's turn to raise her eyebrows at her own hint of challenge reflecting in Alex's voice. "Well I guess you have me there." She responds with a laugh before her voice and facial expression turn more serious. "When was the last time Abbie made love to you?"

The question causes Alex to pale and then flush immediately as she nearly allows to the wine glass to slip through her fingers and send crashing to the ground. "I—I—I'm sorry?" she squeaks, mentally cursing herself as she realizes that she has lost complete control of her voice.

"You heard me." Casey repeats lowly as she places her glass on the table before she leans in much closer to where a more private conversation can be shared between the two of them. "I can tell that it's been a long time since anyone has really made love to you."

"I don't think that's you're…you're business." Alex murmurs, clearing her throat as she attempts to rid herself of the lump that has formed there. "Abbie takes care of me…"

"But does she take care of you?" Casey asks, her voice betraying the formerly hidden innuendo in her question. "Like I said, I can tell that it's a long time since she's really made love to you. Let me guess, she wants love making to be traditional, am I right? Everything has to be slow, and steady and it's the same every single time? I can just look…and just by looking at you I can tell that your sex life is…vanilla."

"Vanilla?!" Alex screeches, unintentionally drawing attention to herself in the process. "Listen, you have absolutely NO idea…"

"Don't I?" Casey continues, tilting her head in response. "Tell me Alex, when was the last time you had someone push you against the wall and kiss you until your knees go weak and you turn to putty."

Alex falls silent as a deep red blush comes to her face causing her to shake her head while she begins to lean back into her chair, retreating to herself. "You don't have a right to ask such questions."

Casey chuckles, knowing full well that she is irritating the blonde with her smirk. "Perhaps you're right, but I do know that I have a right to make certain observations."

"Observations?"

"You have a tell Alex. More than you know."


"Happy Birthday!" Kim squeals, bursting into her best friends office with about two dozen balloons and a giant over stuffed teddy bear holding a birthday card that reads 'Happy Birthday Alex!' in giant sparkly letters.

Putting down her pen, Alex can't help but chuckle quietly as she shakes her head at the gift. "Kim what the hell is this?"

"Part one of your birthday gift." Kim states as she sits the bear down in one of the chairs across from Alex's desk. "Part two will come later on this evening if you can get out of the house."

"I don't know Kim. I've got a lot of work to do and I don't know how late I'll be staying here at the office." Alex replies with the sigh, her mind vaguely drifting to the dinner she had with Casey three nights prior.

Kim rolls her eyes as she plops down in the other vacant chair opposite and crosses her legs at her ankles. "Right. So anyway, our plans for tonight are going to be special and a surprise. Unless, you know, you and Abbie have plans or something."

For a brief moment, Alex looks extremely sad before it's gone. "No, we don't have plans…actually, we do but we…"

"She forgot didn't she?" Kim deadpans, leaving no room for discussion.

"Kim, I never said…"

"You didn't have to."

Sighing heavily, Alex drags her fingers through her hair, resting her elbows on her desk in the process. "I don't think she forgot. She was just busy and I'm confident she has something special planned for later."

Kim takes to haughtily examining her nails as her mind concocts a response. "Sure." She draws out in a sarcastic manner before lifting her eyes to meet Alex's. "Has she found a job yet?"

"She…she says she's looking but she hasn't exactly found anything yet." The blonde trails off quietly.

"Alex, how long are you going to keep doing this." Kim replies exasperatedly.

"I can't just give up on her Kim! She's my wife and I love her." Alex explains defensively. "I can't just…I can't just give up on her. She needs someone who still believes in her."

"Which is why you were out having dinner at Angelo's with a certain redhead on Friday night."

"How did you…?"

"I have my sources." Kim responds with a cryptic smirk, rolling her eyes once more when she sees Alex's deer in the headlights look continuing to blankly stare at her. "Oh please. I heard you talking on the phone Friday before you left the office. I can't believe you hid it from me! Going out on a date with the super hot property executive."

"It was not a date." Alex hisses, looking around to make sure no one else has heard Kim despite the fact that they are secluded in her office.

"Your blush says otherwise." Kim teases, opening her mouth to say more when they are interrupted by a light knock on the door.

"Excuse me, Miss Cabot," The front desk secretary says as she hesitantly enters the office. "These came for you."

After getting over the initial irritation of not being addressed by her married name, Alex's eyes widen as the two dozen red roses being placed in a crystal vase on her desk. "Oh my god these are beautiful. Abbie remembered." She squeaks, smelling the roses as she nods and dismisses the secretary. "Oh my gosh Kim, aren't they gorgeous?"

"They are." Kim replies, totally in shock at the expenses probably paid on the roses.

"I can't believe her." Alex giggles, pulling the card from the center of the bouquet. As she opens the card, her bemused smile turns into a slight frown of confusion.

"I remembered you mentioned it was your birthday so Happy Birthday, Alex. I realize that this may be considered to be the most cliché of presents but when I saw them I thought of you. A beautiful flower for a beautiful woman. .Take care.

Casey"

"What's the card say?" Kim asks curiously upon Alex's prolonged silence.

"Nothing." Alex responds quickly as she shoves the card into her desk drawer, making sure it's in a place that Kim can't get through it. "Nothing…"

"Right." Kim responds, seemingly unconvinced as she stands to leave. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Liz wanted me to pass on a message. Later on this week she wants you to fly out with Casey to check out the location of the potential expansion."

"Fly out?!" Alex squeaks, her face automatically flushing red. "Why do I have to go?"

"Because you handle finances and she likes you better than me." Kim retorts with a giggle at a wink. "Relax, I'm sure you'll be fine. It probably won't even be that long of a trip."

"Yeah…" Alex sighs, dropping her head into her hands. 'That's what you think.'

Leave your thoughts?