Eleanor hadn't gone to bed. Instead she had been pacing around her bedroom for at least an hour, still dressed, unable to get herself together. When she heard the door open, gently, her heart fluttered and she turned on her heel.

"Cinderella?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you", a quiet voice spoke from outside. "I was just letting Lucifer in."

"Oh." Disappointment filled her, but she tried to hide it. "I take it he didn't catch fire, then."

Cinderella let out a light giggle.

"Not tonight. But I'm afraid I am."

"Catching fire?" Eleanor said. She was trying to make it sound condescending, but it came out sounding oddly choked, as her breath caught in her throat.

"Yes. May I come in?"

"I, well… yes."

Cinderella entered, and if she was surprised to see Eleanor still dressed, bed still untouched, she didn't show it. Her cheeks flushed, but her eyes were clear and assertive.

"I asked about love earlier because… I think I am in love."

"How nice. A village boy, I suppose?" Eleanor could hear the venom in her voice but she couldn't seem to stop it. Of course she is in love, she is young and beautiful. Would she stay here and rot with you?

"No. I have thought about it for a while, because it doesn't make sense, but the way I feel… my stomach is fluttering, my knees weaken… I feel dizzy and warm and my heart is pounding… it can only be love."

"It sounds more like influenza to me", Eleanor snapped.

"Impossible. Because, you see, it only happens around this one person."

"And if it isn't a village boy, then who is it? You certainly don't have a large circle of friends where you might…"

"It's you."

"What?!"

"And… I wonder, after today, if you can't feel something for me, too. I hope you can. Like I said, I do believe in true love."

She gave the older woman a hopeful smile.

"No, Cinderella. No. It can't be love." Eleanor took a step back and raised her hands as in defence. "You… you must be mistaken. Love is… complicated."

"Yes, I have noticed. It would be much easier if I had fallen for a village boy, wouldn't it?" Cinderella sighed. "But it didn't happen that way. Tell me there is no chance. Tell me to leave and I will, first thing in the morning."

The thought of losing the girl when she had finally had the chance of having her, getting to know her for real, was painful. Maybe letting her go was the only way to get out of this with her dignity intact, not to mention Cinderella's dignity… but she couldn't.

"You aren't going anywhere in this weather, young lady. I'm not certain what you want, but…"

"I want to love you", Cinderella said boldly, her blue eyes locking on Eleanor's green. And the older woman felt the walls that she had built and perfected over the years, starting to crumble. The look in Cinderella's eyes was honest, open, and most of all, loving.

"I am a woman." Eleanor said feebly.

"So I noticed."

"You are a woman as well."

"I noticed that too."

"You are my…" she let out a semi-hysterical laughter. "My stepdaughter!"

"Yes. Step-daughter. Not daughter by blood."

"I am thirty years older than you."

"I am grown up."

"I am… running out of reasons", Eleanor said and sighed. "I want to love you too, but I'm afraid. I am so afraid."

"I won't hurt you."

"Yet you have every reason to", she objected, but the strength had left her, and she fell rather than sat down on her bed and hid her face in her hands. She felt the younger woman sit down next to her and gently remove her hands.

"Look at me, Eleanor. I won't hurt you. I love you."

Eleanor raised a hand and caressed Cinderella's cheek.

"You really mean it," she marvelled. "You honestly do."

"Yes, I do."

Eleanor finally gave in. She pulled the younger woman closer and their lips met in a fierce kiss. She felt like a drowning woman clinging to her only lifeline, and when Cinderella's arms - strong, so much stronger than they looked - enveloped her, she let go of her doubts and fears and allowed herself to feel everything. They fell back on the bed and Cinderella was kissing her in places where she had never been kissed before.

So this is love… was the last coherent thought she had before the world consisted of nothing but feelings and sensations.

And unlike it had been with her husbands, the lovemaking lasted all night long.

A/N

Heh… yeah. I had to contain myself a little there because I suck at writing graphic descriptions, I end up sounding like a manual. LOL

Thank you everyone for your kind words, I am so glad you like it! I'm probably having more fun writing this than I should. ^^

I may have to leave you with those happy thoughts for the weekend, but there will be more, I promise.