Chapter 18 – Waiting out the storm
"What? Are you okay?" Naya could hear the worried tone in Heather's voice as she sat back down on the couch.
"Yeah, I'm fine, it's been about a month which is why Dianna and Lea wanted me to get out so bad. Work has kept me really busy so I really haven't had too much time to process but what's meant to be will be in the end." Heather couldn't help but smile, Naya's strength had always been something she admired about the girl. "What?"
"Nothing, just you being philosophical is kind of funny."
Naya managed to let out a laugh. "Yeah, it is. Oh and don't worry we left on a good note, I can talk to him about the script if you still want me too."
"I don't want you to do anything you aren't comfortable with though." Silence filled the room as Heather contemplated asking her next question. "What happened, you guys seemed so, perfect."
"He got a job offer in L.A. so he was moving back and my work is here. It wasn't an easy decision but we'd never make each other choose between our careers and what we love to do so we decided that we'd take a permanent break and if things changed then we'd take it from there."
Heather nodded, he really was a great guy and that's all she had ever wanted for her friend. "My mom is going to be so disappointed."
Naya laughed and she laid her head back against the couch. "Yeah, I think she loves him more than me and she doesn't even really know him."
"You guys seem to be okay though from how your acting."
Naya nodded as she relaxed into the couch a little. "We started out as friends and we always promised to end that way. We respect each other a great deal and each others goals and aspirations. It's a little weird right now but we'll be good."
The sound of thunder filled the room followed closely by a bolt of lighting that lit the room up. "You still love thunderstorms don't you?" Naya asked as she looked over Heather who was looking out the window.
"Maybe a little, they still scare you?"
"A little bit but I've gotten used to them."
Heather reached towards the coffee table and picked up the remote for the tv. She pushed the power button in hopes of it turning on. No such luck.
"How are you liking New York so far, you've been here a few months now." Naya asked as Heather got up to stretch, the girl never could sit still for too long.
"I'm starting to get used to it, I see its appeal that's for sure."
Naya grabbed the pillow from behind her and set it on her lap. "Since I told you about my now non existent love life, how about you tell me about yours?"
Heather sat back down on the couch and stared blankly out the window as the rain fell. "Not much to say really. We were going to have to nice fancy wedding then it didn't feel right so we decided on a small one in Arizona, then it turned into eloping. Somewhere along the way I realized it wasn't what I wanted right then. I didn't really want to give up my career and he wanted to move back to Arizona, I though I could do it but I couldn't. I always thought I would but when someone loves you enough they wouldn't make you choose between them and the thing you love."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that and that I wasn't there."
Heather shrugged and then smiled at Naya. "You have nothing to be sorry for, I'm a lot happier now, living my life instead of the life somebody wanted me to live."
"That's my girl." Naya rubbed Heather's knee before decided to do something else. Reaching up she started to tickle the girl knowing exactly where she was ticklish near her hip.
"I'm going to kill you Rivera." Arms and hands wrestled for a coupe minutes before Heather finally gained control and pinned Naya to the couch. Their faces inches apart before Heather moved her hands down and started to tickle Naya. Maurice sat up with a bark at the sound of Naya's half screaming half laughing. When Heather didn't stop, Naya squirming beneath her to try and get free the dog moved closer and nudge the top of his head against Heather's arm before licking it. Sitting back Heather looked over at him with a laugh. "Well aren't you protective? That's okay I would be too."
"Damn right, it's about time you stuck up for me when it comes to her." Naya laughed as she scratched behind his ear.
"Whatever, you started it Naynay I just finished it. You went for the dirty play and lost."
"I'll show you dirty." Naya winked at her with a laugh. She watched as Heather's cheeks got a little more pink. Naya shivered a little and it didn't go unnoticed by Heather.
"Still cold?"
Naya nodded. "A little."
"Some things never change do they?" Heather asked knowing that Naya got cold easily and when she did it took her awhile to warm up again. Looking around the room the blonde came up with an idea. "Let's dance, we don't need music."
"Yes we do and I know just how to get it." Pulling out her phone Naya pushed a few buttons on her Iphone until music started to play. "Iphones for the win." Naya laughed as Heather took hold of her hands.
They continued to dance, moving slightly closer as the song kept playing. As the song started to wind down the mood had shifted from light and playful to a more intense and emotional. Looking up at Heather, Naya held her gaze as she watched blue eyes dance with a short of excitement that she hadn't seen in the girl in a very long time. There was something familiar about the way Heather was looking at her but she couldn't place it. The only thing she knew for sure was there her senses were on rapid fire because of how close they were standing and the tingly feeling that was left behind when Heather touched her.
Before she knew what was really going on Heather leaned in and brushed the tip of her nose over Naya's, resting her forehead against the slightly shorter girls. Instantly Naya's heart rate started to speed up, her senses firing at a rapid pace in anticipation for what was about to happen.
Heather leaned in just a little more, waiting for Naya to move that last ten percent. Naya started to lift her chin up wards when the light caught her eyes, making her pull away. The trance they had both in was gone with the invasion of light, leaving them both unsure of what to do next.
Realizing the position she was in Naya back away slowly, her skin still felt electric from where Heather had been holding her. "Power's back on." She said with a smile even though it was the most blatantly obvious thing in the world.
"That it is, but you should still stay the rain is ridiculous and I know you don't live far but we all know how cab drivers can't drive." Naya nodded as she sat back down on the couch and pet Maurice who was lying at her feet with Zach. After a minute of silence Zach stirred and jumped up onto her lap just like he used too. "He missed you and just in case I haven't said it enough so have I."
"I missed you too Hemo, you're my best friend." Even though Heather could see the sincerity in Naya's eyes she felt her heart shatter into a million little pieces. She should have expected that after five years and it was only seeing the girl recently that made her realize just how much she had lost when she let her drive away. "Since the power is back on and we don't know how long it's going to last how about I make us something to eat?"
Heather couldn't contain the smile on her face. She couldn't think of anything she loved more than Naya's cooking, especially when she had been deprived of it for so long. "Spaghetti and bacon?"
Naya smiled as she got up off the couch. "Do you have bacon?" Heather nodded as she followed Naya into the kitchen.
Just as Naya finished putting the plates on the table the power went out again, the storm still raging on outside. Grabbing the pack of matches Heather lit a few candles and put them on the table so that they could at least see enough to eat. "Looks like I made it just in time." Naya laughed as she sat down.
As she looked up at Heather who was smiling from ear to ear she couldn't help but to smile herself. This was how she remembered them, small dinners just the two them usually in sweat pants, sitting on the couch watching trash tv. She wasn't really sure what she was feeling in that moment, excitement, lust, remnants of love, but she was sure that she had missed getting to spend time with the blonde. From the day they had met they had an instant connection and even though they didn't leave on a good note and hadn't seen each other in ages they were slowly making their ways back to that. Even the first time they had run into one another in the park she felt that connection and she could feel it now, it was exhilarating to be near someone who understood you perfectly.
She heard Heather clear her throat, bringing her out of her haze. "Hmm?"
"You alright?" Heather asked, her plate nearly empty.
"Yeah I'm good why?"
Heather shrugged as she finished the last of her dinner. "You looked like you were lost in thought."
Naya shook her head trying to play it off even though she knew Heather wouldn't believe her. "Just tired, work has been so crazy."
"Sometimes even you need a break you know." Naya nodded as she finished eating. "When's that cd of yours coming out?"
Naya laughed as she helped Heather clean up the table. She giggled a little to herself but it came out a little louder than she had expected. "What?" Heather asked her with a goofy smile on her face.
"Nothing, it's just funny that its been so long yet we both jumped back into the same routine."
"Old habits die hard."
"Or not at all."
Heather laughed loudly as she set her plate in the sink. "Touche." The power flickered for a moment but remained off. The rain was still aggressively crashing down against the windows as another bolt of lightning illuminated the room. "I think you should stay the night, if you want to that is." Heather said as they walked back into the living room where both Maurice and Zach were sitting under the coffee table.
"I don't want to impose, especially with him, he's got to eat and all."
Heather shook her head. "I'm sure we can give him some left over chicken or something that's in the fridge and you should know you're not imposing, you never would."
Without hesitation Naya snorted, she could definitely think of a time when she would have been imposing. "Sorry." She whispered. "Didn't mean to do that out loud, foot in mouth."
"That'd be pretty impressive if you could do that." Heather flopped down onto the couch before leaning down to pick up Zach. "Are you scurred my little baby." She said, in a bit of a baby voice. He sat down on her lap for as long as it took Naya to sit down on the couch before he moved and sat down with her.
"What can I say he loves me more than you."
Heather rolled her eyes as she watched Zach curl up in Naya's lap as she started to pet him. "Zachary Heath Morris, I thought you were my cat." She pouted but he didn't move. "Little bastard."
"He has great taste, besides its payback for Maurice cuddling with you at night when you've slept over."
"It was only twice!"
"You've only stayed over twice!" Naya laughed and it was clear any tension that had been in the room after their almost kiss was now completely gone.
Even though the dark storm clouds had hovered above the city all day by the time nightfall came it was pitch black outside. There was no light from the moon or the street lights below with the power still out. Thanks to Heather's battery operated radio and their Iphones they had found out that the city was working to have the power back on and that it should be back on by morning at the latest.
Meaning there were no street lights or traffic signals working so Heather convinced Naya that she was for sure staying the night. They still sat on the couch with their pets, now that Maurice decided the floor was too lonely for him. The candles illuminated the room giving off just enough light so that Heather and Naya could see one another but not much of anything else.
The lack of power meant there was lack of a working air conditioning which in turn meant it was getting increasingly warmer in the apartment. Naya sat up and took off her t-shirt revealing the black tank top she had been wearing underneath it. Even with the minimal light Heather was still captivated by the way Naya's shirt moved up slightly when she took off the top layer. The contour of her abs were amazing, especially with the way the candle light illuminated them.
"What's with the look Hemo?"
Heather shook her head and looked back at Naya. "Oh nothing, it's just getting really warm in here. You'd think the rain would cool it off."
Naya laughed, she had thought that once too but apparently mother nature didn't work that way. "I bet you it's ten times worse out there, wet, hot and sticky are not a good combination."
"What do you say we do?"
"We could talk about the script if you wanted."
Heather shook her head. "No it's your day off and there's plenty of time for that later, how about a movie? I think I have Stick It on my phone."
"Works for me, it's been a really long time since I've watched that." She said as Heather held up a finger as she got up from the couch and maneuvered her way upstairs to get the stand for her phone. Once back downstairs she set the stand on the coffee table and put the phone on it after she moved the table closer. She reached back and grabbed the throw blanket that had been sitting on the back of the couch. "I really don't think you'll need that." Naya laughed.
Without saying a word Heather folded the small blanket up and set it on her lap before patting it. "Come on, we both know you can't watch a movie sitting up like that or your neck will hurt for days. Frankly I don't want your bosses calling and yelling at me for it." Being too tired to argue Naya laid her head down on the blanket made pillow.
Halfway through the movie Naya let out a boisterous laugh. "I forgot how much I love Vanessa, girl is hilarious."
Heather nodded in agreement. "Agreed."
"She is our child after all, remember?" Naya asked as she turned her head slightly so she could look up at Heather who smiled causing Naya to turn her attention back to the small screen on the table.
"Our kids would look way cuter though." It was an old joke of theirs, one that Naya had forgotten about until that moment.
"Charlie would definitely be way cuter."
A half hour later, with the storm only slightly slowing down the movie finished. "Love that movie." Heather said but her statement was only heard by herself. Looking down she smiled at Naya's sleeping form. Her head was still on Heather's lap, her legs a loosely bent at the knee, conforming to the couch. On top of the couch's back rest Zach was fast asleep, and on the floor under the table laid a sleeping Maurice.
Carefully, Heather lifted Naya's head just enough to get the blanket out from underneath it. She gently placed it over Naya's sleeping form being as careful as she could to not wake the woman. Leaning her head back she looked out the window and watched the rain come down. Without thinking her fingers instinctively started to comb through Naya's hair. Not long after that Heather too had fallen asleep as the last of the candles went out.
To be continued…
A/N: So sorry that this took longer than I had expected but unfortunately life just would not get out of the way lol. The song I had in mind when Heather and Naya started to dance is Chances by Five For Fighting, if you've never heard I think its amazing.
Chicavolcom89: Aww that's so sweet of you, hope you got caught up on your other chapters too, I can't be selfish and keep you all to myself lol
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evelen29: Sometimes friends just can't help themselves lol
there.: Oddly enough I think I'm okay being mean, at least for now
M: I know it's so heartbreaking that they broke up lol
MarryTheNight89: I really do, I always have, I just can't help it lol Glad you're loving it.
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