Disclaimers - See Part 1 for disclaimers.

Chapter Four

The thick haze of cigarette smoke hung heavily in the air, diminishing even the bar's customary dim lighting. The shabby patrons were oblivious to the three men huddled around a table in a dark corner of the dingy establishment. Loud music pumping from a jukebox obscured most voices, but that didn't prevent the slight, neatly dressed oriental man with his back against the wall from glancing up frequently to ensure no one was paying any attention to their conversation.

Gao Qui-jian had barely touched the beer in front of him while his companions were on their third of the last half hour. He frowned at his tablemates, mentally bemoaning the dismal quality of company his business demanded he keep. The smaller of his two cohorts, a greasy haired man with an ugly port-wine stain disfiguring his neck and jaw, scowled back at him.

"So when's the next shipment coming in?" Pike asked, tipping his beer back for another swallow.

"It will arrive Wednesday night, and you are to transport it Thursday morning on your regular run to Montana. However, your contact will be meeting you in Missoula rather than Kalispell this time," Gao calmly issued his orders in precise but lightly accented tones.

"Shit!" Eddie protested. "Why the hell do we have to take 'em that far instead of dumping 'em in Kalispell like we always do?"

Gao turned cold eyes on the hulking slack-jawed man sitting beside his older brother across the table. "Because you two fools created such a debacle last time you may consider yourself lucky that you're even allowed to take another shipment. How many times have I warned you not to tamper with the cargo, to simply deliver it to your contact and continue on with your business?"

Pike and Eddie looked at each nervously. "Hell, we were only having a little fun," protested Pike defensively. "Wasn't no harm done. We let her go when we were finished. Besides, no way an illegal's gonna run to the cops."

Closing his eyes momentarily in irritation, Gao snapped, "No, she didn't run to the cops, but she did run. She was so traumatized by your little bout of 'entertainment' that she bolted into the woods. The contact had to leave her there and take the rest of the cargo. She wandered into Kalispell a few days later and is now in INS custody. Luckily my sources tell me that she didn't know enough about her transport arrangements to damage us, however had your inability to control your baser urges jeopardized our business, I assure you that my associates would not have been pleased. If you wish to keep your heads on your shoulders, I strongly suggest you attend strictly to your instructions from now on!"

Pike paled as Eddie swallowed audibly. Holding his hands up in conciliation, Pike tried to reassure Gao. "Yeah, yeah, no problem. We'll just pick 'em up and drop 'em off. You can count on us."

The oriental man dropped a piece of paper on the table. "Here are the contact instructions for Missoula." He stood, plucking his jacket off the back of his chair. Eyeing his companions, he added icily, "And gentlemen, if I hear of any further transgressions, I will not run interference on your behalf again. I will go directly to the Chameleon's circle with a full report on your activities."

The King brothers glanced at each other fearfully before Pike blustered, "She wouldn't care if we picked up a little action."

Gao smiled mirthlessly, enjoying the sweat he could see breaking out on Eddie's upper lip. Leaning over the table he said in a low voice, "Perhaps not, but I do think she would take exception to you endangering her profits, don't you, gentlemen? And she really isn't very nice when that happens…or have you forgotten the fate of your predecessors?"

Pleased at the reaction his words had elicited, Gao left the table and exited the bar. Automatically glancing about, he made his way down the street pondering the potential longevity of the men he'd just left. Hardened as he had become after years in the service of a powerful Vancouver-Hong Kong triad, even his dark soul quaked at the thought of crossing the woman known only as the Chameleon.

More powerful even than Big Sister Ping, the reputed "Mother of all Snakeheads" who'd masterminded a global human smuggling ring for years, only a small cadre knew the Chameleon's true identity and they were ruthless in protecting that knowledge. He'd seen the punishment that had befallen those who had crossed her, and he had no intention of becoming one of their numbers, his flayed and vivisected corpse dumped on some lonely waterfront as a warning to others.

Coming to a decision as he briskly strode along, Gao determined that if Pike and Eddie did not adhere exactly to their instructions this time, they would be eliminated. With a mental shrug, he dismissed their fate as irrelevant. Foot soldiers were easily replaced.

***************************************************

Tucking a plain white shirt into faded, close-fitting jeans, Marika walked into the living room and smiled at the sight of her furry companion happily curled up in a patch of late afternoon sun. Rolling her cuffs up her forearms, she addressed him.

"Hey, lazy bones, think you can look after yourself for a few hours?"

The cat stretched and yawned, casting a jaded eye on his mistress. Laughing, she scooped him up ignoring his protests.

"Oh don't be giving me that," she scolded him affectionately. "You can take a moment out of your busy day to say good-bye. It's not like you're going to be short of sleep, heaven forbid."

The woman strolled to her door, stroking the pet that was now purring under her touch. "I won't be that long, Spooky. Probably be home by midnight. I'm going to Lee and Dana's for a barbeque. They're having a big party and I promised I'd help out." Lifting her cat to eye level, she added pensively, "Your buddy will be there, Spook. I'll tell her that you said hi, okay?"

Setting the gray feline down, she picked up her keys and purse off the side table. Opening the closet she perused her choices before grabbing a worn brown leather jacket for later in the evening. Noting with amusement that Spooky had already resumed his place in the sun, she left her apartment, locking the door behind her.

Taking the elevator to the parking garage, she leaned against the back wall and contemplated the upcoming evening. She'd half wondered after her lunch with Lee if she shouldn't make an excuse to back out, but her large friend had dropped into her office early the next morning with a list from her partner of things to pick up for the party. When Marika had glanced uncertainly from the list to Lee, the older woman had grinned.

"What? You thought she wouldn't put you to work? Heck, that's nothing. You should see the length of the list I got!" Lee started to leave but before she reached the door, turned and said seriously, "I hate that you still see her, 'Rika, but I love you, and I'm not mad at you. Just don't hide from us, okay?"

Marika shook her head ruefully. Her old friend knew her too well for comfort. Her first instinct had been to retreat but Lee had short-circuited that effortlessly. The big woman had done it again later in the week when she casually informed the lawyer that everyone on Dana's softball team would be at the party. When the blonde opened her mouth to speak, Lee shook her head and said, "Don't even think about it. You're going to see them together sometime and it might as well be when there's tons of people around and you're with friends."

Grimacing wryly, Marika decided that Lee's perception was downright irritating at times. Sighing, she exited the elevator and wound her way through the rows of cars until she reached her black Lexus. Easing her car out of its spot and heading up the ramp to reach the street, she considered how she'd handle seeing her old lover, and now friend, with the woman's new lover.

She and Terry had only been involved for a short period the previous year, but Marika had fallen hard for the warm, outgoing young woman. When Terry broke off their affair after only a month, Marika had tried fruitlessly to get her back. She knew she'd gone overboard, but having had that brief taste of what she knew a relationship could be, she'd had a hard time letting go. It had taken Terry angrily confronting her in a bar full of their friends before Marika finally accepted there was no hope for renewing their romance. It was only several months later when she'd happened across Terry, drunk and mourning an impossible relationship of her own, that they'd begun a true friendship.

Marika had fully expected to be harshly rejected when she'd rescued Terry from her cups and taken her home to dry out, but she still had a deep reservoir of feelings for the young woman and couldn't stand by when she appeared to need help. When Terry cautiously accepted Marika's tentative offer of friendship, the blonde had ruthlessly reined in her romantic feelings and a warm bond had grown between the two women.

Terry had turned to her repeatedly in the next few months as she tried to deal with being in love with a married woman who loved her too but wouldn't leave her disabled husband. Marika had been steadfast and uncritical in her support, finding to her own surprise that far from being blindly and bitterly jealous of the other woman, she ached for Terry's pain and longed for a solution for her friend.

When the woman's husband died, she knew it was only a matter of time until Terry and Jan came together. When her young friend hesitated, guilty at her role during the man's last few months of life, Marika had finally taken a firm stand and forbidden Terry to return to the sanctuary of the blonde's apartment until she'd cleared things up with Jan. It still hurt to remember how she'd ejected Terry from her apartment the previous week with stern instructions to go see Jan and straighten things out before she darkened Marika's door again.

Marika hadn't heard from Terry in the week since, but strongly suspected that her young friend had finally consummated her relationship with the woman that held her heart. She knew that with Terry being on Dana's team, the young woman would most likely be at the party tonight. Lee had implied as much--that both of the new lovers would be there.

Trying not to think about how she'd feel seeing Terry and Jan together, Marika concentrated on picking up everything on Dana's list. Once she'd made all her stops and ticked off the items listed, she loaded her bags in the car and headed for Lee and Dana's house.

Pulling up in front of the light blue ranch house on the corner lot, she noted with relief that she was the first guest to arrive. Spotting Dana's thirteen-year-old son shooting baskets in the driveway, she exited the car and called, "Hey, Danny, would you mind giving me a hand here?"

The boy turned with a half-glare, but Marika knew it was more an adolescent reflex than directed specifically at her. She and Danny usually got along well, even if children in general baffled her. The boy set his ball down and trotted over to grab a couple of the bags. The blonde noted that he appeared to have shot up a couple more inches since she'd last seen him.

"Thanks, Danny. I appreciate it. Your Mom sure must be expecting a crowd today. I think I bought out half the town here."

"No kidding," the dark-haired boy said sullenly, pushing his glasses up his nose as he juggled the bags. "I can't even get to the fridge there's so much junk piled in the kitchen."

Eyeing her unhappy companion as they carried the bags into the house, Marika asked, "So what's got your tail in a knot, Dan?"

"Aw, she won't let me go over to my friend's house for the night," he grumbled. Looking up at Marika he insisted, "I don't want to be around a bunch of women all night! I'd rather hang out with the guys."

"Any particular reason your Mom wants you here?" Marika asked, knowing that Dana was usually a firm but fair parent.

Danny mumbled something under his breath, and Marika couldn't stop a small smile. She'd known the boy since he was eight and knew when he was hiding something he was embarrassed about. She waited him out and finally he stopped and said, "I'm kinda grounded this weekend."

"Hmm, I see. Want to tell me why?"

He scuffed at the walkway and scowled, a hank of sweaty hair falling over his forehead. "She caught me smoking with Tony." Finally meeting Marika's eyes, he burst out, "It's so unfair! They weren't even my cigarettes, they were Tony's."

"But you were smoking them too," Marika pointed out logically.

"Yeah, but just to try one. I don't know why Mom's gone ballistic. Lee used to smoke!"

"Uh huh, and Lee had the good sense to stop, didn't she? I doubt very much that your mother wants you to go through what Lee did when she finally quit. Do you remember what a bear she was?"

Marika and Danny shared a mutual grin as they recalled how it had taken Dana banishing Lee to the guest room before the big woman had stopped taking out her withdrawal pains on her family, snapping and yelling every time Dana and Danny turned around.

"I suppose," the boy conceded reluctantly as they turned to continue into the house. "Still, if she doesn't lighten up, I think I may have to hire you to fight for my freedom."

Marika laughed. "Not sure you could afford my fees, squirt, but I'll tell you what, if you're still grounded by the time school ends, I'll consider taking you on pro bono, okay?"

His normal good humour returning, Danny grinned up at her. "If I'm still grounded by then, I'm hitting the highway!"

"If you hit the highway, I'm turning you into road kill," an amused voice sounded from the door that had swung open. Marika looked up to see Dana waiting for them. The woman observed her son wryly before smiling at the blonde. The lawyer was struck again by how much mother and son resembled each other. They had the same stocky build, chestnut hair and dark brown eyes behind thick glasses. Usually they had the same quirky grin but as soon as Danny saw his mother, his smile faded to be replaced by a frown.

Ignoring her son's sulkiness, Dana told him, "Take the bags to the kitchen and then Lee could use some help in the backyard."

He stalked by, deliberately keeping his distance as he circled wide around her. Dana just shook her head and looking back at her guest said ruefully, "Adolescents! I don't suppose I could interest you in adopting him for the next five years, could I?"

Laughing, Marika shook her head as she accepted the hug Dana offered. "No thanks, my friend. Besides if he's going to hire me to take you to court, it would be a conflict of interest."

The women chuckled as they headed for the kitchen. The blonde set her bags on a crowded counter and glanced out the sliding glass doors that led out onto the deck to see Lee wrestling with a patio umbrella that stubbornly refused to unfurl. Danny was watching her, hands jammed in his jeans.

"Why do I have a hunch he's not going to be much help?" Marika joked before turning to survey the kitchen and her friend's efforts to clear a workspace on the island. Weaving her way through bags scattered all over the floor, she joined Dana.

"I know. It's getting so even Lee is exasperated with him half the time and you know he's always had her wrapped around his little finger." Dana shook her head as she drew a knife out of the drawer and pushed a cutting board over to the blonde.

"Oh, don't worry about it. He'll be human again…one day," Marika teased as she accepted the knife. "You only have to get through the next few years with your sanity intact and he'll probably turn into a delightful adult."

The stocky woman rummaged through bags until she triumphantly came up with a couple blocks of cheese. "It's the 'getting through with my sanity intact' that I question," Dana grinned as she passed the cheese to her helper.

"Here, start slicing these and then start on the pickles and the meat. There's about six different kinds of crackers in one of these bags, and I want to have those trays done first so they're ready when people start arriving."

The two women worked companionably, efficiently slicing and arranging trays.

"Did Lee give you your gift yet?" Marika questioned curiously. She looked up to see Dana rolling her eyes. "I'm going to take that as a yes. I'll have you know I had nothing to do with it this year."

Dana chuckled. "I knew that without even asking." Sighing, she shook her head over her mate's strange brand of practical romanticism. "Can't say much though, since I got her a new leather jacket for riding."

The two women shared a laugh and then Marika remarked casually, "So Lee was saying your whole team will be here tonight." Glancing up she saw sympathetic eyes regarding her compassionately.

"Uh huh, are you going to be all right with that?" Dana asked, regarding her closely.

The blonde shrugged. "Why shouldn't I be?"

The stocky woman sighed and turned to open the fridge. "Gee, maybe because Terry will be here with Jan? Not to mention that you also have a history with a few others on the team." She returned to the island with several meat rolls for slicing.

"It's a small community, Dana. If I tried to avoid everyone I had a 'history' with, I might as well just stay in my condo all day." Marika smiled warmly at the other woman, touched by her friend's concern.

"Yeah, well you've got a point there," Dana admitted before frowning slightly at her companion. "Still, you and I both know that Terry was pretty special to you, and it's not going to be easy."

"She was, and she still is, but only as a friend, Dana. I got over her a long time ago, really." Marika hoped her words sounded more convincing than they felt. She busied herself with a new tray, trying to ignore the intuitive eyes focused on her. She was grateful when Dana allowed the subject to drop and began regaling her with Danny's latest adventures in school.

The two women worked steadily for the next couple of hours. After wrestling all the patio furniture into submission, Lee had dropped in long enough to kiss Dana, hug Marika and announce she and Danny were going to go pick up the keg. They'd just returned and were setting up the keg on the deck when the doorbell sounded, announcing the arrival of the first guests.

Dana looked up from where she had her hands deep in a huge bowl of raw hamburger meat, mixing in her spices and forming patties. Marika nodded and took the bowl from her.

"Go, I'll finish these up while you see to your guests," she said as she took up the task.

The stocky woman smiled gratefully and, swiftly washing her hands, headed for the front door. Guests began arriving steadily, most finding their own way to the backyard. Marika chatted with those that dropped into the kitchen but didn't venture out to the yard where the party was in full swing now.

She'd been preparing the large coffee maker when she glanced through the glass doors to see Terry and Jan entering the yard from the alley. She only had to look at them to see that Terry had indeed followed her directive to resolve matters with Jan. Her tall young friend had one arm wrapped tightly around the shorter redhead, whose arm encircled Terry's lean waist. She watched as Jan laughed at something her lover said and reached up to affectionately brush back dark, curly hair. Marika felt her chest tighten as Terry bent over to capture willing lips before the couple joined their friends.

Resolutely, she turned away and busied herself at the counter farthest from the doors. She managed to avoid looking out into the yard, even evading Dana's admonition to leave everything and come outside to join the party with a laughing protest that she'd be out in a few moments as soon as she finished up. When she heard Dana leave, she closed her eyes and wondered how long it would be before she could make a graceful exit. Hearing the door slide open again, she said over her shoulder, "I'm coming, Dana. Just give me a few more minutes."

A familiar voice washed over her and she stiffened. "Hey, Marika, you're missing all the fun. C'mon, we miss you."

Turning, the blonde forced a smile. "Hi, Ter, how's it going?"

The dark-haired woman crossed the space between them and wrapped Marika in a big hug. Her friend returned the hug quickly, then stepped back out of the embrace. Deep brown eyes regarded her warmly.

"It couldn't be better, Marika. You were so right to throw me out, my friend!"

"I take it that you resolved any lingering doubts then," Marika asked lightly, impressed with how calmly she'd managed to speak.

Terry leaned back against the counter and grinned broadly. "And how! God, Marika, I was such an idiot. She's so incredible. I've been floating on Cloud Nine for the last week."

"I can see that," Marika observed wryly. She really could. Terry had such a look of joy in her eyes that the blonde couldn't help responding to her friend's happiness. "I'm so glad for you, Ter. She's a very lucky lady."

The young woman shook her head emphatically. "Believe me, I'm the lucky one! I've never, ever felt like this before. She's it, Marika. She's the one I'm going to spend the rest of my life with." Laughing, she added, "I guess that means I can drop by your place again sometime, eh?"

"You're always welcome, Terry. You know that. Spooky sends his best by the way." Marika was profoundly grateful that her years of legal training had her on automatic pilot as she chatted casually with her friend. "Hey, you'd better get back to your lady. You don't want all those vultures getting a fix on her now, do you?"

"Better not!" Terry growled with a twinkle in her eye. "She's mine!" Turning to leave she asked, "So, are you coming out? I'd really like you to meet Jan."

"I'll be out in a moment, Ter. Still got a few things to do. Besides, we have met before, you know," Marika reminded her friend.

"Nah, not really," Terry scoffed. "I want you two to get to know each other and be friends. You're both special ladies."

Marika smiled slightly and gave the young woman a small push towards the doors. "Go! I'll be out shortly, and I'd enjoy a chance to talk to your partner."

Terry stopped and grinned broadly. "My partner. Yeah, I like the sounds of that. Okay, don't be too long or I'll hafta come in and get you."

She left and Marika observed her make a beeline for Jan who'd been talking to Dana. Terry came up behind the redhead and wrapped her arms around her partner, pulling her back into her body. Jan rested her hands on Terry's arms, and leaned her head back against her lover's shoulder, obviously perfectly content to be where she was.

Marika watched for a moment before turning away. A short while later, having run out of things to do, she snagged a beer from the fridge and sat down at the breakfast nook, sipping the brew as she watched the crowd of people in the backyard. She smiled as she saw Danny enter the kitchen digging into a huge bag of chips.

Mumbling around a mouthful, he said, "Lee said you're to bring out the hamburgers so she can start them."

"All right," Marika agreed as she went to the fridge to retrieve them. "Why don't I give them to you to take out?"

Danny backed away from the laden tray she offered him. "Nuh uh, Lee said YOU'RE supposed to bring them out, and she meant it." The boy's emphatic expression made it clear to the reluctant woman that her large friend had tired of her hiding in the kitchen and wasn't about to put up with it any longer.

Sighing, Marika carried the tray outside, nodding her thanks to Danny who slid the door open for her. Easing around the edge of the crowd, she made her way to where Lee was tending the grill. The big woman glanced up at her sharply as she approached, disapproval in her hazel eyes.

"'Bout time," Lee grumbled.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were ready for the burgers yet," Marika responded, ignoring her friend's sarcastic grunt. Before Lee could launch into a lecture, the blonde said brightly, "Oh, there's Tory. I haven't seen her in ages. Excuse me, will you, Lee?"

Without giving her friend a chance to reply, Marika hastened away. Gracefully sidling up to a clutch of women she knew, she joined their conversation, carefully keeping an eye on Terry and Jan's whereabouts. When she noticed Terry looking over the crowd with a small frown, she eased away from the group and threaded her way back to the house, smiling and greeting people as she went. A quick glance confirmed that Lee was busy at the grill and she made her escape. Spying Dana and two others in the kitchen, she turned left and entered the small washroom that abutted the central hallway.

Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it and sighed, wishing she'd made an excuse to duck the party after all, but knowing that it would've meant a confrontation with Lee if she had. Through the small, high open window she could hear the buzz of the crowd and bursts of laughter. Closing the commode lid she sat down and rested her head in her hands.

She'd reluctantly decided she couldn't stay in there much longer when voices filtered through the window and caught her attention. Obviously standing under the window an unknown woman's voice asked, "So who was the fox, Val?"

"Who're you talking about, Laurie?" Marika recognized the voice of Val Meninger, a woman she'd briefly dated the previous year on the rebound from Terry.

"She was just out here, but I've never seen her before. Hair so blonde it's almost white, legs so long they go on forever, and the most gorgeous butt I've ever seen in jeans. She was over talking to that bunch there."

"Aw shit! You don't mean Marika Havers, do you?"

At hearing her name, Marika sat upright, startled but curious.

"I dunno. Like I said, I've never seen her before. I know she's not on the team; that's for sure. God, she was gorgeous though. I wonder if she's single."

"You do NOT want to go there," Val sputtered angrily. Marika sighed, saddened that the woman still obviously held a grudge.

"Why not?" the other voice asked curiously. "What's wrong with her?"

"Oh nothing, if you don't mind being used and discarded like an old tissue when she's tired of you. Believe me, she's as cold as they come." Marika shuddered at the venom in her ex-lover's voice.

"Huh, what a shame. Still, it might be kinda fun while it lasted, as long as you knew what you were getting in for. Was she always cold, if you know what I mean?" The insinuation was clear and Marika stood to make her exit, sure she didn't want to hear anything else.

"No, I guess not," Val said grudgingly. "She knows her way around the sheets, but trust me, it's not worth it…"

The rest of Val's assessment was lost as Marika hurried from the washroom. Dana glanced up as she entered the kitchen and did a double take. "Hey, are you all right?" the stocky woman asked with concern.

"Um sure," Marika said unsteadily. "Why do you ask?"

"'Cause you're white as a sheet. Why don't you sit down here and keep me company for a few minutes?" Dana pushed out a stool and Marika gratefully sat down. "Wanna talk about it?"

The blonde shook her head. "Nothing to talk about. I think it was just drinking that beer on an empty stomach. I don't feel all that well."

Dana laid a gentle hand on Marika's forehead and then offered, "Why don't you go lie down for a bit, and I'll call you when it's time to eat."

About to decline, Marika realized it offered her a perfect out, for a while at least. Smiling gratefully at her friend, she nodded and headed for the stairs to the lower level. Absorbing the pleasant quiet of the cool basement, she stretched out in the guest room she'd occasionally stayed in.

Unwillingly, her mind drifted to the conversation she'd overheard. She couldn't in good conscience blame Val for her bitterness. The woman had invested much more than she had in their relationship the previous year and had been devastated when Marika abruptly broke it off with little explanation beyond the standard, "It's not working for me."

Marika realized acutely that she was bone tired of brief, unsatisfying relationships. She longed for what she'd glimpsed in Terry's eyes but, brutally honest with herself, knew that even without Jan in the picture, Terry would never have looked at her like that.

Wryly she amused herself for a few minutes contemplating swearing off women forever. Laying one arm over her eyes, she drifted mentally, thinking of the women who'd slipped in and out of her life. Reluctantly her thoughts turned to Cass. She knew Lee was right about the woman, knew that Cass was bad for her and that if she was smart, she'd stay far away. She was keenly aware that what went on between them could never in a million years be described as love, yet it satisfied her needs without any attendant complications and thus far, she'd been unsuccessful at breaking their strange bond.

Rolling over, she buried her head in her arms and, emotionally exhausted, soon fell asleep. She had no idea how much time had passed when a hand shaking her shoulder woke her up. Turning on her side, she blinked up at Lee who was regarding her worriedly.

"Hey, are you okay? Dana said you were ill," the big woman asked with concern.

Marika yawned a little and, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, sat up. "Yes, I'm fine, Lee. Sorry about that. I didn't mean to fall asleep. What time is it?"

"Going on nine. I've been so busy I didn't even notice you weren't around until Terry asked me if I'd seen you. I thought you were in the kitchen, but she said you weren't there." Lee had crouched to peer closely at her friend's face.

"Probably just a little bug, Lee. I think I'll bow out if you don't mind. Give me a good night's sleep, and I should be fine in the morning."

"Okay," Lee said slowly. "Look, do you want me to drive you home?"

The blonde smiled at her overprotective friend. "No, you have guests to attend to. I'm fine, really, just a little tired."

Following Lee up the stairs, Marika glanced down the hall to see that the party was still going strong in the backyard. When her friend started to turn down the hall, she laid a hand on her shoulder and said, "Would you mind saying goodnight to Dana for me, Lee?"

The big woman turned to her with surprise. "Sure you don't want to tell her yourself? She'll be disappointed she missed you, not to mention that Terry is probably still looking for you."

"Tell Dana I'll call her in the morning and tell Terry…well, just say I wasn't up to the party, okay?" Marika looked pleadingly at Lee and her friend nodded her head reluctantly. Bidding her farewell, the blonde made a rapid exit, sighing with relief when she reached the sanctuary of her car.

***************************************************

Many hours later, when the last of their guests had departed, Lee and Dana surveyed the clutter in their backyard. Looking up at her large partner, Dana asked, "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," Lee agreed emphatically. Then with a grin, she turned the chestnut haired woman into her arms. "Besides, I've got better things to do with my best girl than pick up garbage."

Dana melted into Lee's embrace, marveling that this woman could still make her feel weak in the knees five years after they'd first made love. She giggled as Lee took her hand, urgently pulling her towards the house. They'd barely gotten inside the doors when her eager partner was unbuttoning her blouse as fast as she could. Both of them jumped when an awkward cough sounded from behind them.

Dana dropped her head on her lover's chest as Lee cleared her throat and growled, "Danny…what are you doing up at this hour?"

"Uh, my stomach's bothering me, and I couldn't find anything for it in the bathroom."

Dana, who'd been discreetly rebuttoning her blouse in the shelter of Lee's large frame, stepped around her partner and motioned to her son. "I've got more in the supply room. Come with me." With a quick glance at her frustrated partner, she added, "Considering all the junk you ate tonight, I'm not the least bit surprised you have a belly ache."

When she finally got her son settled and returned to the master bedroom, Lee was already in bed staring at the ceiling. Dana got cleaned up quickly and, shedding her clothes, slid in beside her silent partner.

"Hey, everything okay?" she asked. "He didn't mean to interrupt, you know. I'm sure he was more embarrassed than we were."

"Yeah, I know. It's no big deal," Lee replied absently.

Dana snuggled up close, laying her head on a broad shoulder. "Then what's wrong, my love?"

Lee turned to her, a distracted look on her face. "I figured since I had a few minutes that I'd give Marika a call just to make sure she was doing all right."

"It's awfully late," Dana chastised gently. "We could've called in the morning."

"I know," Lee dropped her eyes in chagrin. "I didn't think of the time. I was just…"

"Worried," Dana completed with an affectionate smile. "You're a good friend, my love. So how was she?"

"She didn't answer," Lee said agitatedly. "She's not there."

Dana stroked her hand over Lee's belly comfortingly. "She's probably just asleep and turned off the phone so she wasn't bothered."

Lee stilled her partner's hand with her own, shaking her head. "I don't think so, Dana. I think she went to that bitch again."

"Who? Cass? But Lee, she hasn't seen her since that time, has she?" Dana protested. "Surely she wouldn't go back to her after that."

"I didn't think so either," Lee shook her head despairingly. Gathering the stocky woman into her strong arms she whispered, "I didn't tell you, but Marika confessed that she was with her last weekend."

"Oh god, no! Why would she do that?" Dana said in disbelief. "Jesus, when I think of how she was when we found her that time…"

"Yeah," Lee agreed grimly. "I didn't think she'd ever go back after that either, but she has; and nothing I say seems to be reaching her."

The two women lay in silence, drawing comfort from their embrace. Finally Dana spoke quietly, "What can we do, Lee? I'm afraid for her."

"So am I, sweetheart. And I don't know."

Continued in Chapter 5