AN: I want to thank the three who reviewed so far again for their kind words and encouragement. You made me very, very happy, thanks a lot. :) And so this is for you:

Breaking the Threshold

Chapter 3

by moun-chan

(for Disclaimer see Chapter 1)

CC quickly stepped into her bedroom and placed her beloved good on the soft covers of her bed, then she followed. Fran pulled her down, her hands tearing at the other woman's clothes, trying to get them off immediately. In fact it didn't take long until both of them were in underwear. Fran rolled CC around and carefully withdrew the pins from the other one's hair. The blonde strains then fell down on the covers when Fran whispered, "You're so beautiful like this..."

CC blushed as Fran continued to look at her. Of course this wasn't her first time, but it was the first time she felt it was right and perfect. She had never felt so much for another person, neither man nor woman, and the fact that they were getting so intimate now blurred her usually so clear mind.

"So are you, sweety," she answered. "And you're finally all mine now..."

After hours of the most passionate lovemaking either of them could ever have imagined, CC slowly came to her mind again. She was exhausted, and so was Fran. Fran Fine, her lover. Smiling, CC took a slight glance at the clock. It was a few minutes past four in the morning. Then she looked back at Fran again.

"He, love, are you tired?" Fran asked in a low voice, resting her head on CC's chest.

She caressed her gently as she answered, "Not at all."

"Me either." Fran looked up to CC's face.

"I love you," CC said softly.

"I love you, too," the younger woman said and snuggled up to her lover even closer.

For a moment there was silence between them.

"Fran.. did you ever think you could love another woman?"

"Dunno, I never wondered about it. And then even you.." She smiled. "I could not stand you at first – I thought of you as a very uptight, arrogant person and obsessed of getting Maxwell. It took a while until I recognized it was not Maxwell I wanted, but it was you. Yet I thought you were madly in love with Maxwell, I don't quite get that part."

"It was just show. I wanted him once, but that was before I met you. After that I was not so sure about that anymore, but I just ignored it. Today... I mean yesterday.. as you kissed me, it was suddenly so clear. I knew I loved you." CC said and kissed Fran on the forehead. "That's the reason I left the party so early. I couldn't stand being so close to you in that rush of emotions. Later, as I called you on the phone, I didn't know what you'd do or say, but I didn't think it would end like this..."

Being caressed in the barely lit darkness and feeling the warmth the other woman's body spent under the soft bed covers, Fran spoke now.

"I was really taken aback as Niles told me you wanted to speak to me. I mean you'd never called me before, and then at that time. I was a little confused, in your voice I heard something different. You sounded so emotional, not that cold and harsh business voice as usual. It seemed to be important, but I didn't expect this either. You got no idea how happy you made me."

"Neither have you. I finally found what was missing in my life."

At six that morning, CC woke up from a short slumber. Fran was looking at her, and she felt her heartbeat quicken once more. After a look at the clock, she said, "Frannie.. we'll have to get up for work. Do you want to shower here?"

"If you join me..?" Fran suggested, showing her seductive smile to CC once more.

CC laughed, and then they left for the bathroom.

It took quite a while until they left it again, sweetly exhausted. The two women then dressed together, CC borrowing Fran one of her panties, which this one found incredibly arousing. After that, they allowed themselves a cup of coffee and a toast. While sitting at the little table in the back of the living room, both of them watched the sun rise over the skyscrapers through the great window right behind.

"It's a beautiful morning today," CC said, smiling. "And I'm not just talking about the sun.."

"Jeesh, when did you turn into such a charmer?" Fran couldn't help laughing.

"The moment I fell in love with such a charming woman?" CC suggested, smiling broadly.

"Charming? Just look at me now...!"

"Fran.. I love you even with flat hair and little make-up after a sleepless night, you know?"

They smiled at each other again, their closeness becoming more and more natural with every second passing.

CC sipped her coffee, wishing they could just stay in bed all day. Yet she had her certain sense of duty, and she new musical business wasn't going to stop for a day just because she wanted to make love all day instead of calling snobby actors and asking them to take part in their latest production, even if it was her job.

AN: I know that this is not a good ending for a chapter, but I promise the day at the Sheffields' will be more interesting. And I thought it was finally time for some kind of update, sorry for the long delay.

Remember, reviews make me happy :)